Free Republic

en. Mark Kelly, a retired Navy Captain and former astronaut, earned the ire of the Pentagon last week for raising concerns over U.S. weapons stockpiles that have been depleted by the Iran War. Citing a Department of Defense (DOD) briefing he had received, Kelly told CBS’s “Face the Nation” host Margaret Brennan it could take “years” to replenish stockpiles of Tomahawks, Patriots, and other long-range munitions that have been deployed in the U.S. and Israel’s attack on Iran—a reality that could leave the U.S. vulnerable around the world. Those comments prompted Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to launch an investigation into...

The U.S. Air Force used its largest aircraft to move $5 billion worth of illegal drugs from a storage facility in California to eventually be destroyed in the Midwest.

ust before climbing steps outside the U.S. Capitol, the Air Force major predicted what his protest would cost him. “In the grand scheme of things, I’m just a nobody,” he told reporters. “What matters far more than who I am is what I have to say and the price I’m willing to pay to say it.” He had demonstrated before against President Donald Trump — for 22 days last year as part of a hunger strike, but that was anonymous. Every day, he wore a skintight white mask and a white jumpsuit as he silently sat in a lawn chair...

A US Air Force major was arrested on the steps of the US Capitol on Wednesday after delivering a speech calling for the impeachment and removal of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. The arrest of Jason Watson occurred after he spoke at a news conference organized by Removal Coalition, the grassroots activist group said. During the news conference, Watson identified himself as an active-duty service member and wore a military uniform. Democratic Rep. Al Green of Texas also attended the event. US Capitol Police, which confirmed the arrest, said members of the public may not demonstrate on...

The XA103 is being built under the U.S. Air Force’s Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion program to improve fuel efficiency, thermal management, and power output. Pratt & Whitney clears major XA103 milestone. Pratt & Whitney Pratt & Whitney, a subsidiary of RTX, has completed a fully digital assembly-readiness review for its XA103 adaptive engine. This breakthrough is a key step in the U.S. Air Force’s Next Generation Adaptive Propulsion program. With this milestone, the company can now begin ordering hardware and prepare to assemble the first physical test engine later this decade. This review signifies the end of an important design...

With the U.S. Air Force set to still be flying B-52s at least into 2050, at which point the youngest examples will be some 88 years old, it has become common to quip about the bombers staying in service forever. However, the Air Force is now looking to conduct a formal review of its requirements to see whether the development of a successor might be warranted, and potentially sooner rather than later. The Air Force is asking for $1 million in its budget request for the 2027 Fiscal Year to conduct a New Heavy Bomber Analysis of Alternatives (AoA). Aviation...

The F-15 Eagle fighter has been, since its adoption by the United States Air Force in 1974, one of the world's premier air-superiority fighters. It's not stealthy, but it's fast, big, and carries a huge variety of weapons. It's gone through several revisions and upgrades since its Cold War birth, and the latest, the F-15EX, is in production now, making it over half a century of F-15 production. But the new F-15EX is a very different bird than the original Cold War fighter, and now, the United States Air Force is looking to ramp up the numbers of these magnificent...

A Chinese man studying at a Scottish university has been arrested after taking photographs of planes at a US air base. Tianrui Liang, who is studying aeronautical engineering at the University of Glasgow, has been charged with taking unauthorised images at Offutt Air Force Base, which is home to the US Strategic Command. The 21-year-old was arrested at JFK Airport in New York on April 7, after being spotted photographing a plane famed for its ability to withstand a nuclear attack. An eyewitness at the Nebraska base had alerted authorities to a man in a vehicle holding a camera with...

The US rescued a missing F-15E airman deep inside Iran with an incredibly complex and daring mission that involved SEAL Team 6, a CIA ruse, a hastily constructed forward air strip in hostile territory, and patrols of friendly aircraft that gave the Air Force colonel cover. A life-or-death race between US and Iranian forces to find the “seriously injured” weapons officer outside Isfahan over two days culminated in the crew member’s extraction by America’s most elite commandos and a firefight with local militias that were hunting for him, according to a report in the New York Times. The unnamed officer,...

US forces have successfully extracted a downed American airman from Iran, with the rescued crew member and the special operations team now “safely out of Iran,” according to reports. The airman was one of two aboard an F-15E Strike Eagle shot down earlier this week. Both had ejected over southwestern Iran, triggering a high-risk rescue mission. The second crew member was recovered following intense fighting near the crash site, as US forces carried out a complex operation deep inside Iranian territory, according to Fox News. The airman and the rescue team that pulled him “from behind enemy lines in Iran...

Six American soldiers who lost their lives over western Iraq while supporting a mission are being remembered and honored by the U.S. Senate. The lawmakers passed a resolution recognizing their bravery, service, and ultimate sacrifice. The resolution, introduced by U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and co-sponsored by Senators Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.), Todd Young (R-Ind.), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio), Jon Husted (R-Ohio), and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.), passed unanimously. It honors Major Alex Klinner of Auburn, Alabama; Major Ariana G. Savino of Covington, Washington; Technical Sergeant Ashley B. Pruitt of Bardstown, Kentucky; Captain Seth R. Koval of Mooresville, Indiana; Captain...

As tensions grow between the United States and Iran over the Strait of Hormuz, the U.S. Air Force has launched A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircrafts to target boats that are ambushing ships through the essential waterway. During a Pentagon briefing, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Dan Caine said, “The A-10 Warthog is now engaged across the southern flank, targeting fast-attack watercraft in the Strait of Hormuz.”

WASHINGTON — Starting this fall, all new F-35 Joint Strike Fighters delivered to the American military will come without radars, an issue that could stretch into the future and restrict the jets from participating in combat operations, Breaking Defense has learned.In the best case, a new, redesigned radar could be ready as soon as next year, meaning only a handful of jets may be impacted. But if delays for the sensor stretch on, over a hundred jets may be delivered with a ballast where the new radar is supposed to be.Any aircraft delivered without a radar are expected to remain...

Four U.S. service members were killed when a KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq Thursday afternoon after a mid-air incident with a second aircraft, officials confirmed. A U.S. KC-135 refueling aircraft went down in western Iraq around 2 p.m. ET, U.S. Central Command confirmed early Friday. Four of the six crew members aboard the aircraft have been confirmed dead as rescue efforts continue. The other aircraft involved in the incident landed safely, CENTCOM said. Officials said the loss of the aircraft was not the result of hostile fire or friendly fire. The identities of the service members are being...

The disappearance of retired Major General William Neil McCasland is a “grave national security crisis,” as he is a man “with some of the most sensitive secrets of the United States in his head,” investigative journalist Ross Coulthart said. McCasland, 68, who led major Air Force science and technology portfolios, has been missing since February 27. McCasland’s roles placed him near highly classified programs. His disappearance has drawn attention because of his senior roles in military space and technology programs, including leadership of the Air Force Research Laboratory and work tied to sites historically associated with UFO investigations. His vanishing...

Kuwaiti aircraft are suspected to be responsible for the shootdown of three U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles on March 2, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine. The friendly fire episode occurred around 7 a.m. local time on the third day of the U.S. war against Iran. At least one Kuwaiti F/A-18 is believed to be responsible—Kuwait flies F/A-18s and Eurofighter Typhoons. All six aviators—three pilots and three weapons systems officers—are alive, were recovered safely, and are in stable condition, U.S. military officials said. U.S. Central Command declined comment on the suspected role of the...

A State Department contractor stole thousands of pages of “TOP SECRET” classified documents and met with Beijing officials. Ashley Tellis, an expert on India and South Asian affairs, removed the top secret documents from secure locations and met with Chinese officials. The classified documents were located in Tellis’s Virginia home during a raid. “On Sept. 25, he allegedly printed U.S. Air Force documents concerning military aircraft capabilities. Federal prosecutors allege that he met with Chinese government officials multiple times over the past several years,” Fox News reported. Prosecutors said in September 2022 that Tellis brought a manila envelope with him...

The story of John Chapman is officially coming to the big screen. Chapman is one of the biggest legends in the history of the United States military. The Air Force 24th STS (a Tier One unit) CCT was killed during the Battle of Takur Ghar in March 2002. All hell broke loose on a mountain during Operation Anaconda, and the SEAL Team 6 team Chapman was attached to retreated under heavy enemy fire. Chapman was left alone without backup or help. He fought to the brutal and bloody end, engaging enemy fighters before eventually dying from his wounds. The elite...

When I stood under the bomb bay of a retired B-52 bomber at the U.S. Air Force Museum this summer, I quickly understood why some consider this bomber the best to fly. Longevity means you earn a place in the record books and get to claim that crown. You don’t keep an airplane flying for six decades by accident. The B-52H Stratofortress didn’t just outlast its stablemates; it became the most complete version of the BUFF idea—long legs, big payload, and the electronics to make both matter in the 21st century.

Iranian President Mohammad Khatami came to New York City on Nov. 8 to attend a U.N. summit as U.S. intelligence and law-enforcement agencies explored new information tying his regime's intelligence services to Sept. 11 and to previous anti-American terrorist attacks, Insight has learned.The information is coming from a variety of sources and shows a clear pattern of operational contacts between the Iranian government and Osama bin Laden's al-Qaeda organization. These contacts include joint planning of terrorist operations, military training of bin Laden operatives inside Iran and by Iranian personnel in Syria and Lebanon, financial assistance to clandestine terrorist and surveillance ...