Poland’s first F-35A stealth fighter—locally named Husarz, or Hussar—was officially rolled out Aug. 28 in a ceremony at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth, Texas, plant. ... The first aircraft, AZ-01, is planned to be delivered to the Polish Air Force in December.
As part of the Air Force’s sweeping changes to be better organized to fight a sophisticated China threat, the service is splitting up its intelligence and cyber directorate on the Air Staff at the Pentagon. Like the Navy, the Air Force years ago chose to integrate its intelligence function—known as the 2—and its communications and network function, known as the 6, into the A2/6, led by a three-star general. It also added cyber to that portfolio, resulting in an official title of deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance and cyber effects operations.
The Defense Department’s research & engineering arm is about to announce over a quarter billion in CHIPS Act funds to build prototypes of advanced electronics, a key capability the U.S. has almost entirely offshored, the Pentagon’s principal director for microelectronics said Aug. 28.
Driven by the growing reach and threat of adversaries, the Air Force is paying more and more attention to ensuring its bases are energy resilient and can generate combat power in any contingency. Learn more about how bases around the U.S. and the world are making sure their energy grids are more reliable and can take a punch if need be.
Seventy years since its first flight on Aug. 23, 1954, the C-130 Hercules has remained one of the most durable and versatile military aircraft in history. It has traversed every continent and been used by over 70 nations, and there is no sign its importance will diminish any time soon.
In a shift from the military’s historically insular approach, the U.S. Space Force is actively pursuing expanded partnerships with allied nations to bolster space defense capabilities. This marks a transformative moment for the youngest branch of the U.S. military, Vice Chief of Space Operations Gen. Michael Guetlein said Aug. 28.
A Boeing F-15 could become the first U.S. Air Force aircraft to experiment with a podded, boom-equipped air-to-air refueling system under a contract awarded to a small Texas-based company on Aug. 28.
The Department of the Air Force has a new platform designed to improve visibility and understanding of artificial intelligence initiatives across the service. Dubbed CLARA, the new tool aims to centralize information sharing, track progress, and provide space for collaboration among all stakeholders on various AI-related projects.
Seamus Malekafzali, an American freelance journalist based in Beirut, Lebanon, opened Tinder one afternoon looking for a date. He was met with F-16s and a fatal warning from the U.S. military. Malekafzali told Task & Purpose that he opened the dating app and the ad, accompanied with the U.S. Central Command logo was waiting for him as a swipe option where other love interests would usually be. He posted photos of the ad on X.
