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CMSAF Announces Distinctive Beret for Air Force EOD Airmen

Sunday, October 4th, 2026

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David R. Wolfe announced Oct. 2 that Air Force explosive ordnance disposal Airmen will earn a distinctive rust-colored beret, recognizing their specialized combat arms mission and contributions to the joint force.

The announcement took place virtually during the graduation of the inaugural Project MAMBA course at Tyndall Air Force Base’s Silver Flag training site.

Project MAMBA, short for Multi-domain Airmen for Modern Battlefield Application, is the Air Force EOD community’s redesigned pre-deployment training pipeline. The course incorporates recent combat lessons and prepares EOD Airmen to operate in complex, contested environments alongside joint and coalition forces.

“Today’s graduates represent the capability, professionalism and warrior ethos that define our explosive ordnance disposal force,” Wolfe said. “As you prepare to deploy and take on one of the Air Force’s most demanding missions, carry forward the pride and combat identity you have earned. The EOD beret will stand as a visible recognition of that identity and your service to the joint force.”

The EOD mission includes conducting specialized render-safe procedures and post-blast exploitation while supporting maneuver forces and protecting personnel, equipment and operations.

The rust beret reflects the EOD mission and the color historically associated with explosive hazards. Its metallic flash incorporates EOD and Air Force symbolism, representing the community’s global mission, technical expertise and legacy of sacrifice.

The beret authorization aligns EOD’s uniform distinction with its designation as a specialized conventional combat-arms career field and recognizes the community’s role in delivering combat capability at the tactical edge.

“EOD Airmen bring disciplined expertise, courage and resolve to the joint force’s most complex and hazardous missions,” said Chief Master Sgt. Steven Harris, EOD career field manager. “The rust beret recognizes their combat-arms identity, honors the community they represent and reflects the capability they will continue to deliver wherever the mission demands.”

Implementation guidance will be released through official Air Force channels as available.

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, EOD, Press Release | No Comments »

USAF EOD Finally Gets Their Beret

Saturday, October 3rd, 2026

Last night, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Wolfe shared this image and comment on social media:

EOD Airmen take on some of our joint force’s most complex and hazardous missions. The beret authorization aligns EOD’s uniform distinction with its designation as a specialized conventional combat-arms career field and recognizes the community’s role in delivering combat capability at the tactical edge.

For over 15 years the AF EOD community has been working to make this happen.

Posted in Air Force, As Seen On Instagram, Clothing, EOD, Profession of Arms | No Comments »

AFSOC Proves HAVOC SPEAR Precise and Effective

Thursday, October 1st, 2026

NATIONAL HARBOR, MD. —

Air Force Special Operations Command announced its small cruise missile, the AGM-190A Havoc Spear, has been evaluated in a test configuration and successfully meets requirements to become an available weapons system for broader real-world use across a variety of special operations and conventional aircraft.

Havoc Spear is a mission-adaptable, modular-design small cruise missile that can be rapidly produced at relatively low cost. During a combat evaluation in the spring of 2026, the new missile’s capabilities proved to be accurate and effective when employed from an AFSOC platform in a test configuration, meeting AFSOC’s requirement for a small cruise missile.

“Havoc Spear’s range and capabilities expands standoff options, giving commanders a versatile tool to neutralize threats without putting platforms or personnel in immediate danger,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Mike Conley, AFSOC commander. “It’s also not lost on us the value of being able to test a new weapon system in combat – and prove its success on the battlefield early on in the process.”

AFSOC partnered with U.S. Africa Command to conduct the combat evaluation within the Combatant Command’s area of responsibility.

“We work every day to disrupt the networks that have made Africa the epicenter of global terrorism,” said U.S. Air Force Gen. Dagvin Anderson, AFRICOM commander. “These successful operational assessments prove we will continue to bring the unique capabilities only the U.S. can provide in order to defend U.S. interests alongside our partners.”

Working with industry partners, U.S. Special Operations Command spearheaded the acquisition of Havoc Spear on behalf of AFSOC using a cooperative research & development agreement to leverage the rapid, iterative weapon-development system. CRADA allows users to move faster than standard acquisition timelines to field innovative capabilities like Havoc Spear to the warfighter.

“To outpace our adversaries, we can’t rely on traditional acquisition pipelines,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Robert Johnston, AFSOC director of strategic plans, programs and requirements. “AFSOC is eager to explore more agile, lesser-known pathways to modernization to deepen industry partnerships, leverage calculated risks, and rapidly deliver capabilities to our warfighters.”

Havoc Spear’s capability will enhance lethality, create dilemmas for adversaries, and reinforce AFSOC’s commitment to maintain a decisive advantage against emerging threats across all domains. AFSOC continues to adapt, maintaining its steadfast commitment to providing exquisite support to ensure the joint force, special operations forces, and Department of the Air Force can conduct uncontested global operations.

Via Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Munitions, SOF | No Comments »

B-52 Achieves Key Milestones for Engine, Radar Modernization

Thursday, September 24th, 2026

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —

The U.S. Air Force marked major progress in the long-term modernization of the B-52 strategic bomber fleet in 2026 with two critical acquisition decisions: Milestone B approval on June 1 for the B-52J Commercial Engine Replacement Program, allowing the engine upgrade to move into development, and Milestone C approval on Aug. 21 for the B-52 Radar Modernization Program, authorizing radar upgrades to begin production.

Together, these milestones advance upgrades that will keep the aircraft operationally relevant through 2050 and beyond as a cornerstone of the Nuclear Triad and the nation’s long-range strike capability.

“These back-to-back milestones reflect the maturity of both programs and the strong partnership between the B-52 Program Office, Boeing, Rolls-Royce and Raytheon,” said Brig. Gen. Timothy Spaulding, portfolio acquisition executive for Bombers and Director of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Bombers Directorate. “These programs are delivering the propulsion reliability, sensor capability and electrical power needed to keep this legendary bomber viable, lethal, and supportable well into the future.”

Program Office leaders describe B-52 modernization as essential to the future capability of the Air Force. The effort is organized around four functions: aviate, navigate, communicate and eliminate.

Aviate: new propulsion and subsystems
CERP replaces the B-52’s original TF33 engines with commercial-derivative Rolls-Royce F130 engines and modernizes critical supporting subsystems, including hydraulic pumps, cockpit displays, flight systems and generators that increase electrical power capacity.

The June 1 Milestone B decision established the program’s first official Acquisition Program Baseline and authorized entry into the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase. Total acquisition cost was established at $20.2 billion, which includes funding for research, development, test and evaluation, procurement, and military construction. Of the $20.2 billion, $2.6 billion has been spent since 2018.

The baseline reflects a realistic, data-driven service cost position that accounts for the complexity of integrating new systems onto a 70-year-old airframe.

The program has made significant progress retiring technical risk. Early wind-tunnel testing identified inlet airflow distortion; engineers redesigned the nacelle and inlet, validated the solution through extensive testing, and completed the critical design review with Boeing and Rolls-Royce in May 2026. Ongoing engine testing continues.

“CERP is a critical investment in the enduring credibility and capability of the B-52 force,” said William Bailey, performing the duties of the assistant secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics. “By establishing a stable cost and schedule foundation, we are positioning the B-52 to provide reliable, long-range strike and deterrence capacity for decades to come.”

Two dedicated test aircraft, currently flying operational missions after recent depot maintenance, are scheduled to enter modification at Boeing’s San Antonio facility — in the coming months. These jets will receive both CERP and RMP modifications concurrently.

Navigate: modern AESA radar
RMP replaces the 1980s-era APQ-166 analog radar with the APQ-188, a military-off-the-shelf Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar that is a cousin of the F-15 and F/A-18 radars.

The Aug. 21 Milestone C decision authorized Low-Rate Initial Production. The same day, the program awarded LRIP contracts to Raytheon Technologies for the radars and to Boeing for aircraft integration kits – beginning with Lot 1 of four kits. The five-lot production plan will deliver a total of 74 kits while maintaining production stability and affordability.

The program retired integration risks and proved hardware maturity through ground testing of its initial software build. A comprehensive Production Readiness Review completed in June 2026 assessed the system could be built reliably and was ready for initial production.

Communicate and eliminate
Beyond propulsion and radar, the B-52 enterprise continues work on survivable nuclear command-and-control communications, including Extremely High Frequency terminals, and conventional beyond-line-of-sight capabilities such as Hybrid SATCOM. Weapons integration efforts include the latest variants of the Long-Range Anti-Ship Missile and Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile, while the B-52 continues to serve as a test platform for hypersonic weapons.

Strong bones
The structural integrity of the B-52 remains one of the aircraft’s greatest strengths. As part of the Milestone B activities for the CERP, the program office conducted detailed structural assessments across the fleet to ensure the airframe could safely support new engines, increased electrical power generation and decades of continued operations.

These assessments confirmed that the B-52’s airframe – originally designed in the late 1940s and built into the early 1960s – retains substantial structural life. Analyses project the airframes will have sufficient fatigue life to support operations well into the 2050s and beyond.

Via Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

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62d AW Pioneers First sUAS Training for C-17 Inspections in AMC

Sunday, September 20th, 2026

JOINT BASE LEWIS-MCCHORD, Wash. —

62d Maintenance Group personnel completed a four-day, hands-on training program on the Skydio X10D small unmanned aircraft system at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Sept. 3, 2026. The training, which is the first of its kind in Air Mobility Command, included classroom instruction and practical applications of the system, introducing new, timely and safe capabilities into routine maintenance operations.

The 62d Airlift Wing is the first unit within AMC to fully implement a dedicated sUAS training and qualification program for maintenance inspections on the C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. The program is designed to be a streamlined, standardized course that can be easily replicated throughout AMC, and used as a base for further sUAS implementation.

The 62d MXG employs the Skydio X10D sUAS to conduct exterior and elevated visual inspections on the wing’s fleet of C-17s. The initiative aims to significantly reduce inspection timelines while reducing safety hazards associated with personnel conducting visual assessments.

“As a crew chief, I’m out on the line working on the C-17, which is a huge aircraft,” said Staff Sgt. Marcuscio McCampbell, 62d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief. “Being able to use the drone to perform duties like upper wing inspections, that normally take much longer, saves us time and helps the maintainers of tomorrow.”

Implementation of the X10D is not a new concept; the sUAS has already been fielded for aircraft maintenance inspections across the Department of the Air Force. Furthermore, Skydio liaisons to the Air Force introduced the system to Team McChord in 2025, demonstrating its ability to complete C-17 inspections in approximately 40 minutes. Now, the 62d MXG has a standardized training program that qualifies maintainers for C-17 inspections with the system.

“Drone technologies are expanding fast,” said Tech. Sgt. Austen Russell, 62d MXG maintenance qualification training program instructor. “I think it’s good for us to learn about them and autonomous operations, that way we’re not sending our people into harm’s way. We’re saving our people time and eliminating risks.”

Decreasing inspection times and removing excess dangers for personnel with the sUAS program increases the wing’s operational agility and accelerates crew readiness, especially in austere or expeditionary environments where specialized ground equipment may be unavailable. By utilizing the high-resolution cameras and thermal sensors equipped on the X10D, maintainers can rapidly assess entire aircraft in detail from safe ground positions.

“Having people that are qualified on using this technology is going to be a steppingstone,” said McCampbell. “We can start using drones for all types of things, it’s not necessarily just going to be aircraft maintenance.”

As the lead unit implementing sUAS maintenance training within AMC, the 62d AW is establishing standardized qualification models, flightline operating procedures, and safety protocol to serve as a scalable model across the larger mobility force. The 62d MXG is setting the standard, utilizing innovative technology to accelerate aircraft turnaround times and project rapid global mobility more efficiently.

By Airman 1st Class Frederick Barnes, 62d Airlift Wing

Posted in Air Force, Drone, Guest Post, MRO | No Comments »

Happy 79th Birthday US Air Force

Friday, September 18th, 2026

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Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, US Special Operations Forces Co-Host Bilateral Engagement to Align Capabilities

Wednesday, September 16th, 2026

CAMP KISARAZU, Japan —

U.S. service members assigned to Air Force Special Operations Command and U.S. Special Operations Command Pacific, alongside the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, conducted a bilateral engagement at Camp Kisarazu, Japan, Aug. 24-28, 2026, reinforcing the enduring alliance between the U.S. and Japan.

The five-day event centered on interoperability and collaborative capabilities. It consisted of briefings, discussions and working groups focused on air-to-ground integration and humanitarian assistance and disaster response in a joint environment. By synchronizing on these capabilities, U.S. special operations forces and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force aim to ensure effective collaboration during both crisis response and sustained regional operations.

“This engagement is a critical step in building our partnership,” said Brig. Gen. Clay Freeman, AFSOC deputy commander. “By integrating our air-to-ground capabilities and aligning our disaster response frameworks today, we ensure that the U.S. and Japan can respond instantly and cohesively to any crisis in the Pacific. Upcoming international seminars will further solidify this foundation, turning shared concepts into enduring regional security.”

The engagement also served as the foundation for a Building Partner Aviation Capacity Seminar, which will be co-hosted in Japan at a later date. Together, these events will provide AFSOC and U.S. Special Operations Command with a unique platform to facilitate communication with key regional allies in the Pacific Command region.

Col. Matthew Taylor, 353rd Special Operations Wing deputy commander, was a senior mentor throughout the bilateral engagement. In this role, he guided and advised working groups through joint planning and problem-solving frameworks to address PACOM-specific challenges in communications, logistics, and command and control.

“Integration with our Japanese partners is both a tactical and a strategic imperative,” said Taylor. “This engagement allows the 353rd Special Operations Wing and the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force to move beyond broad concepts and focus directly on the mechanics of Air-to-Ground Integration. Our goal is to maximize interoperability during bi-lateral activities to support both nations’ security interests—now and into the future.”

Representatives from the JGSDF highlighted that the exchange successfully strengthened tactical coordination, paving the way for more integrated operations during future bilateral missions.

“This exchange event allowed us to enhance our mutual understanding and build a strong foundation of trust,” said Maj. Gen. Yoshichika Ito, 1st Helicopter Brigade commander. “Building on this momentum, we look forward to further strengthening our partnership and working together to contribute to regional stability and security.”

The collaboration in Japan supports ongoing cooperation within the U.S.-Japan alliance, demonstrating a shared commitment to regional security and mutual defense capabilities.

Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, International, SOF | No Comments »

Simplesense and Digital Force Technologies, Announce First Air Force Deployment of Counter Drone System Integrated into Installation Resilience Operations

Tuesday, September 15th, 2026

National Harbor, MD — September 14, 2026 — Simplesense, Inc and Digital Force Technologies, LLC (DFT) today announced a $3.4M award to integrate DFT’s SeraphimOS™ sensor fusion platform into the Installation Resilience Operations Command & Control (IROC) prototype at an Air Force Installation.

The primary objective of this award is to strengthen and enhance the installation security and base defense posture of military installations, proving rapid integration is possible and further reducing the speed to integrate at future installations. The project will consolidate fragmented sensor feeds—including video, sensor, radar, and intrusion detection—into a unified dashboard designed to significantly reduce operator cognitive load and accelerate the Observe, Orient, Decide, and Act (OODA) loop, delivering near-term operational value to the installation’s Base Defense Operations Center (BDOC).

Installation infrastructure rarely fails all at once and almost never stays inside one squadron. When operational data is fragmented across separate operational pictures, preventable issues escalate before anyone sees them coming — a silent threat to mission readiness. Simplesense’s Resilience Core™ unlocks the power of that data to drive early awareness, giving installation leaders and their teams one trusted view of critical mission support conditions. The solution is currently deployed with a contract underway to expand to five additional Air Force, Space Force, and Army installations, surfacing emerging risks before they cause mission-degradation.

DFT’s SeraphimOS™ fuses data from multiple sensors, autonomously assesses threats, and delivers localized alerts to operators in disconnected and degraded environments. The platform simplifies complex information streams, reduces cognitive burden, and enables faster, more confident decision-making across mission sets — from counter-UAS and base defense to man-portable surveillance and vehicle-mounted sensing.

“Our adversaries can out maneuver the U.S. simply by more quickly adapting the latest technology. The DoW’s investment in companies like Simplesense and DFT keeps the U.S. competitive at the cutting edge, instead of a decade behind.” said Eric Kanagy, CEO of Simplesense.

“By integrating SeraphimOS™ into military installations, we’re proving how counter-UAS and other critical sensor data can be rapidly unified to give operators a clearer picture of threats and enable faster, more informed decisions. Just as importantly, we’re establishing a repeatable approach that can scale across Air Force installations.” said Justin MacLaurin, President and CEO of Digital Force Technologies.

Posted in Air Force, C-UAS, Press Release | No Comments »