U.S. Air Force Col. Nathan Malafa, left, outgoing U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron commander, and Lt. Col. Alexander Prevendar, incoming USAFADS “Thunderbirds” commander, smile during a change of command ceremony at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., Dec. 5, 2025. (Yendi Borjas/U.S. Air Force)

The United States Air Force ranks number three in the US Armed Forces for the largest troop count. With just over 300,000 active duty service members, the US Navy beats out the Ai

Gen. Ken Wilsbach promotes nuclear “recapitalization,” fueling fear of a radical shift away from nukes acting solely as deterrence.

Blog posts represent the views of CFR fellows and staff and not those of CFR, which takes no institutional positions. The origins of the USAF lie in a decision made just four years after the Wright Brothers conducted the world’s first airplane flight at ...

Deterrence is emerging as a theme for Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, but questions remain about the administration’s ability to deliver and maintain the nation’s nuclear deterrent. At the Air Force Summit on March 19, Hegseth commented on the ...

An Air Force Thunderbird pilot ejected safely from a F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft during a training mission over controlled airspace in California.

This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them. The most powerful air force the world has ever known, the United States Air Force is currently the second largest ...

The United States officially accepted a luxury jet to use as Air Force One from Qatar, the Department of Defense confirmed to ABC News on Wednesday. "The secretary of defense has accepted a Boeing 747 from Qatar in accordance with all federal rules and ...

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced Qatar would fund the construction of a facility to host Qatari F-15 fighter jets and pilots, who will train alongside U.S. troops at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho. What's False Qatar is not building a ...

This post may contain links from our sponsors and affiliates, and Flywheel Publishing may receive compensation for actions taken through them. Founded in December 2019, the United States Space Force (USSF) is the newest branch of the United States military.

The base is the headquarters of the Twentieth Air Force (20 AF), which is in command of all Air Force intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). 20 AF is designated as Task Force 214 for US Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM), providing combat-ready nuclear forces to the President.

How can the United States Air Force reach almost any point on Earth in just a matter of hours? The answer isn’t just fast jets - it’s a massive, interconnected system of global bases, refuelling tankers,