Air Force

From supersonic fighter jets to big cargo planes, plus drones, spy planes, and more, these are the flying machines the military is launching into the sky.

Latest in Air Force

aarok drone
Technology

AAROK is France’s bigger, newer take on the US’s Reaper drone

By Kelsey D. Atherton

nasa x-66a sustainable flight demonstrator
Technology

NASA’s ‘airliner of the future’ is now officially an X-plane

By Rob Verger

What to know about the anti-air missiles the US is sending to Ukraine
Technology

What to know about the anti-air missiles the US is sending to Ukraine

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The Chaparral drone could help the Air Force carry supplies, with less risk
Technology

The Chaparral drone could help the Air Force carry supplies, with less risk

By Kelsey D. Atherton

angry kitten weapon
Technology

The Air Force’s ‘Angry Kitten’ has been jamming with drones and jets

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The Air Force used microwave energy to take down a drone swarm
Technology

The Air Force used microwave energy to take down a drone swarm

By Kelsey D. Atherton

f-22 and f-35 fighter jets fly in formation
Technology

What to expect from the US Air Force’s sixth-generation fighter jet

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The Kraken
Technology

A new NASA study will put people through a brain-shaking ride in the Kraken

By Rob Verger

Watch a giant military drone land on a Wyoming highway
Technology

Watch a giant military drone land on a Wyoming highway

By Kelsey D. Atherton

shock waves from supersonic jet
Technology

How fast is supersonic flight, and why does it create sonic booms?

By Rob Verger

an f-16 fighter jet in flight
Technology

With VENOM, the Air Force aims to test autonomy on combat F-16s

By Rob Verger

Why the Air Force wants 1,000 new combat drones
Technology

Why the Air Force wants 1,000 new combat drones

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Rockets firing from the ground into a black sky with moons and flames. Illustrated.
Technology

These 3D printed engines can power space-bound rockets—or hypersonic weapons

By Sarah Scoles

MQ-9 Reaper in flight
Technology

What to know about the MQ-9 Reaper, the drone the US just lost over the Black Sea

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Why the US military plans to start making its own jet fuel
Technology

Why the US military plans to start making its own jet fuel

By Rob Verger

Why the Space Force is testing out tech for small, high-flying satellites
Technology

Why the Space Force is testing out tech for small, high-flying satellites

By Kelsey D. Atherton

U-2 spy plane balloon selfie
Technology

The real star of this aerial selfie isn’t the balloon—it’s the U-2 spy plane

By Rob Verger

Putin is backing away from New START—here’s what that nuclear treaty does
Technology

Putin is backing away from New START—here’s what that nuclear treaty does

By Kelsey D. Atherton

a modified F-16 in flight
Technology

Why DARPA put AI at the controls of a fighter jet

By Rob Verger

Biden says flying objects likely not ‘related to China’s spy balloon program’
Technology

Biden says flying objects likely not ‘related to China’s spy balloon program’

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Spy balloons have been surveilling humans since 1794
Technology

Spy balloons have been surveilling humans since 1794

By Kelsey D. Atherton

DARPA wants aircraft that can maneuver with a radically different method
Technology

DARPA wants aircraft that can maneuver with a radically different method

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Is the truth out there? Decoding the Pentagon’s latest UFO report.
Technology

Is the truth out there? Decoding the Pentagon’s latest UFO report.

By Kelsey D. Atherton

SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket launch with Space Force payload
Science

SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy launches have been a slow burn—for an interesting reason

By Jon Kelvey

A look at the new B-21 Raider—and the stealth bomber that preceded it
Technology

A look at the new B-21 Raider—and the stealth bomber that preceded it

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The Mayhem drone will aim to collect intelligence at hypersonic speeds
Technology

The Mayhem drone will aim to collect intelligence at hypersonic speeds

By Kelsey D. Atherton

the B-21 raider bomber
Technology

Our first look at the Air Force’s new B-21 stealth bomber was just a careful teaser

By Rob Verger

Meet a maintainer keeping the F-35 ‘flying computer’ in top shape
Technology

Meet a maintainer keeping the F-35 ‘flying computer’ in top shape

By David Roza/Task & Purpose

This mysterious Space Force plane has been in orbit for 900 days
Technology

This mysterious Space Force plane has been in orbit for 900 days

By Nicholas Slayton / Task & Purpose

This US Space Force telescope in Australia will keep tabs on unusual satellite activity
Technology

This US Space Force telescope in Australia will keep tabs on unusual satellite activity

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The Navy’s robot pilots could one day outnumber its human ones
Technology

The Navy’s robot pilots could one day outnumber its human ones

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Watch the Air Force sink a ship very quickly
Technology

Watch the Air Force sink a ship very quickly

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Watch this sleek electric plane ace its high-speed ground test
Technology

Watch this sleek electric plane ace its high-speed ground test

By Rob Verger

Air Company and US Air Force's SAF test flight.
Technology

Sustainable jet fuel is taking off with commercial airlines

By Charlotte Hu

A guide to the Gambit family of military drones and their unique jobs
Technology

A guide to the Gambit family of military drones and their unique jobs

By Kelsey D. Atherton

A Boeing drone flying in Australia.
Technology

Ghost Bat drones could fly alongside the next generation of Air Force fighter jets

By Kelsey D. Atherton

How a ‘digital twin’ of an Apache helicopter could help keep these old birds flying
Technology

How a ‘digital twin’ of an Apache helicopter could help keep these old birds flying

By Rob Verger

The Air Force wants to start using its ‘Angry Kitten’ system in combat
Technology

The Air Force wants to start using its ‘Angry Kitten’ system in combat

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Move over, autopilot: This AI can avoid other planes
Technology

Move over, autopilot: This AI can avoid other planes

By Rob Verger

US special forces will soon get support from a rugged new aircraft
Technology

US special forces will soon get support from a rugged new aircraft

By Kelsey D. Atherton

With 18 rotors, the Hexa aircraft has room for just one passenger
Technology

With 18 rotors, the Hexa aircraft has room for just one passenger

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The B-21 bomber won’t need a drone escort, thank you very much
Technology

The B-21 bomber won’t need a drone escort, thank you very much

By Kelsey D. Atherton

A short history of US hypersonic weapons testing
Technology

A short history of US hypersonic weapons testing

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The Air Force plans to test an AI copilot on its cargo planes
Technology

The Air Force plans to test an AI copilot on its cargo planes

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The military is testing a weapon that aims to destroy electronics, not buildings
Technology

The military is testing a weapon that aims to destroy electronics, not buildings

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Next generation Air Force pilot helmet on a gray background
Technology

Check out the Air Force’s breezy, flashy new helmets

By David Roza/Task & Purpose

A new Air Force weapon just successfully reached Mach 5
Technology

A new Air Force weapon just successfully reached Mach 5

By Kelsey D. Atherton

A photo of the Air Force fighting wildfires.
Technology

Why fighting wildfires is so dangerous for Air Force pilots

By David Roza/Task & Purpose

Trucks with lasers and robotic arms will help the Air Force handle bombs
Technology

Trucks with lasers and robotic arms will help the Air Force handle bombs

By Kelsey D. Atherton

How AI could help new Air Force pilots avoid costly mistakes
Technology

How AI could help new Air Force pilots avoid costly mistakes

By Kelsey D. Atherton

an air taxi in flight
Technology

The Air Force just soared past an electric aircraft milestone

By Rob Verger

an F-22 fighter jet
Technology

The Air Force wants to modernize air refueling, but it’s been a bumpy ride

By Rob Verger

an electric plane on the ground
Technology

Why the Air Force is interested in this little electric plane

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Why the Air Force wants to put lidar on robot dogs
Technology

Why the Air Force wants to put lidar on robot dogs

By Kelsey D. Atherton

Air Force B-2 Spirit stealth bomber silhouetted next to a full moon
Technology

Google Earth caught a $2 billion stealth bomber on candid camera

By David Roza/Task & Purpose

These gliding drones could deliver supplies from Air Force planes to the battlefield
Technology

These gliding drones could deliver supplies from Air Force planes to the battlefield

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The Air Force’s next jet drone will be a new robot wingman
Technology

The Air Force’s next jet drone will be a new robot wingman

By Kelsey D. Atherton

a pilot flying an aircraft while wearing an AR display
Technology

Fighter pilots, meet your AR adversaries

By Rob Verger

a military weapon call the active denial system
Technology

The US military wants force fields that could stop nuclear missiles

By Kelsey D. Atherton

I flew in an F-16 with the Air Force and oh boy did it go poorly
Technology

I flew in an F-16 with the Air Force and oh boy did it go poorly

By Rob Verger

Skyborg’s latest AI drone test is a preview of the future of air combat
Technology

Skyborg’s latest AI drone test is a preview of the future of air combat

By Rob Verger

DARPA’s Gremlin drones could be reloaded while airborne
Technology

DARPA’s Gremlin drones could be reloaded while airborne

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The future of the Air Force is fighter pilots leading drone swarms into battle
Technology

The future of the Air Force is fighter pilots leading drone swarms into battle

By Kelsey D. Atherton

The Space Surveillance Telescope Complex
Technology

DARPA Just Gave The Air Force A Telescope To Watch For Satellite Sabotage

By Kelsey D. Atherton

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