United States Air Force

How is Iran exploiting the self-immolation of US airman Aaron Bushnell?

Support for Bushnell’s actions has spread on social media by many people who are either pro-Iran or who claim to be pro-Palestinian.

Why are Iran and its proxies unlikely to be deterred by US strikes?

Iran believes that, in the long term, the US is slowly withdrawing from the region, likely emboldening Iran and its proxies to go for broke when Hamas attacked Israel on October 7.

Deploy the Precision Strike Missile to the Middle East

The US Army is about to get its hands on a brand new long-range strike capability. In this op-ed, two FDD analysts have ideas about where it's desperately needed.

U.S. launches second strike on Iranian assets in Syria

The U.S. military launched its second airstrike in Syria in an attempt to pressure Iran to halt its militia proxies’ attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria. The Iran-backed militias have attacks U.S....

Can the U.S. Arm Israel, Ukraine, and Taiwan at the Same Time?

The Biden administration has moved quickly to send Israel weapons following Hamas’ deadly October 7 terror attack. This laudable step has some asking whether U.S. military assistance to Israel might...

How War Could Engulf the Entire Middle East

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U.S. Surges Additional Combat Forces to the Middle East

The Pentagon confirmed on October 17 that Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin approved the extension of the Ford Carrier Strike Group in the Eastern Mediterranean. Likewise, Washington...

In Support of Israel, U.S. Sends Aircraft Carrier Strike Group to Eastern Mediterranean

The United States announced on October 8 that it is sending the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group to the Eastern Mediterranean in support of Israel. The naval force includes...

How to increase deterrence messaging to Iran with the next US-Israel military exercise

Bradley Bowman and Ryan Brobst of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies argue that the US should expand the next Juniper Oak exercise to send a strong signal to Tehran.

Building the Taiwanese ‘porcupine’ an arsenal of shooting quills

The massive military exercises that China launched over the past year in response to the meetings between Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen and U.S. Speakers of the House Nancy...

Biden at the NATO Summit in Vilnius: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

When President Joe Biden entered office he was quick to declare that “America is back.”  After his predecessor routinely expressed low regard for America’s European allies, Biden declared that...

Keep Air Defense at the Top of NATO’s Agenda in Vilnius

Despite reports that Russia’s missile supplies might be running low, Ukraine faces a renewed aerial bombardment from the Russian military. According to the BBC, the month of May saw Ukraine receive a...

Baker’s Dozen: Thirteen Recommendations to Improve Deterrence in the Western Pacific

The United States Department of Defense (DOD), with the support of both Congress and the U.S. defense industrial base, has built the preeminent military force in the world. The United States has unmatched power projection capability, the ability to establish air and maritime dominance far from its shores, the resources to execute large scale ground maneuver operations, and the ability to conduct brigade-level amphibious operations. But despite all this, the United States will not be ready to deter and defeat America’s most capable adversary — China — in the demanding military environment the United States will face in the next few years in the western Pacific.

Deterring Aggression in the Pacific: A Conversation with General Kenneth S. Wilsbach

Many in Washington speculate on the nature and urgency of the military threat from China and the readiness of U.S. forces in the Indo-Pacific to deter and defeat aggression by Beijing. But rather than...

Eyeing Iran’s Nuclear Program, U.S. and Israeli Militaries Train Together in Nevada

Latest Developments The United States and Israel are conducting the Red Flag-Nellis 23-2 combined aerial military exercise in Nevada, which runs March 12-24. The training comes as the top U.S. military...

WAR IN UKRAINE UPDATE: Russians Down U.S. Drone, Iran Sends Putin Ammo

Two Russian Su-27 Flanker fighter jets “conducted an unsafe and unprofessional intercept” of an American MQ-9 Reaper drone performing routine...

Ukraine’s Cyber Defense Offers Lessons for Taiwan

Washington should work with Taipei to stiffen the island's defenses against network attacks.

Sen. Cotton Legislation Seeks to Expedite Efforts to Strengthen Israel’s Security

Senator Tom Cotton (R-Arkansas), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, introduced new legislation on Thursday to expedite Israel’s ability to operate its own KC-46 refueling aircraft in support...

Give Ukraine the tanks it needs, not a ‘petting zoo’

The first battalion of Leopard 2 main battle tanks could arrive in Ukraine in the first three or four months of this year, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said Wednesday. Berlin’s belated, yet...

Strategy for a New Comprehensive U.S. Policy on Iran