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US Air Force Supplemental Inspection of M18 Modular Handguns Found Zero Evidence of Conditions Which Would Allow “Uncommanded Discharge”

Friday, August 7th, 2026

Last July Amn Brayden Lovan was tragically killed in a shooting which occurred in the Weapons Storage Area of FE Warren AFB, Wyoming. It is alleged he was shot by another member of his squadron, Amn Marcus White-Allen who was charged with involuntary manslaughter as well as making a false official statement. That Airman was later found dead in his dorm room when his command failed to hold him in pre-trial confinement.

But that’s not the story most people heard for many months after the shooting. The Air Force failed to address the death in a timely fashion which gave opportunity for false accounts of the shooting to infest the internet. Even after lies about the M18 MHS “going off on its own” the Air Force allowed the issue to fester while Air Force Global Strike Command Commanding General Gen Thomas Bussiere removed the weapon from service so that the command’s inventory could be inspected for defects, despite knowing almost immediately that the assailant had lied about his role in the death.

While General Bussiere (who is now retired) remained on leave and failed to address the issue, a paranoid firestorm led to calls to remove MHS from service across the entire Department of War (as well as other agencies at all levels of government) based on unfounded rumors that were circulating the internet. Although the pistols were returned to service with AFGSC by late August, the command did not fully set the record straight as to how AMN Lovat died for over three months.

Eventually, the Air Force directed a complete “Supplemental Inspection” of the service’s entire inventory of MHS. This was “to ensure Airmen/Guardians with an arming requirement, whether at home station or deployed, have a weapon which is safe, reliable, and functional if the moment of need may arise.” The Supplemental Inspection Criteria went above and beyond the requirements of the Technical Order at the time and have since been incorporated into the TO.

Despite consisting of nearly 126,000 pistols, the AF inspection was completed last year and the report was signed on 23 January, 2026 by Brig Gen Brian Filler, Director of Security Forces.

Unfortunately, it has taken over six months for us to obtain a redacted version of the Final Report. At only three pages it is succinct and to the point.

The executive summary tells the story:

“100% of the inspected weapons exhibited no signs of any condition that could have allowed the weapons to experience an “uncommanded discharge.”

Rather than just telling you what is in it, we are sharing the report for you to read every detail yourself. This revelation should put further rumors to bed that the Air Force inventory of sidearms is not safe. To the contrary, MHS is both safe and reliable and this has been attested to time and again. As you can see, no weapon exhibited anything beyond normal wear and tear and those deficiencies have been addressed by maintenance.

Adopted in 2017, there are currently around 500,00 MHS in the US military’s inventory consisting of the M17 and M18 pistols. They are based on the SIG SAUER P320 pistol which is also issued to militaries and law enforcement agencies worldwide. Combined with civilian owned versions of the pistol, they number in the millions.

Posted in Advertiser, Air Force, weapons | 7 Comments »

Left of ‘Go’: CSAF’s Vision for Allied Airpower Depends on Language, Regional Expertise, and Culture

Thursday, August 6th, 2026

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. —

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach recently delivered a clear message to the global defense community: “The most effective airpower is combined airpower.”

Speaking at the Global Air and Space Chiefs Conference in London, Wilsbach stressed that when allied and partner air forces operate in unison, they create “options, dilemmas, and effects that no nation can generate independently.”

His vision for the future of global deterrence is clear. The U.S. and its allies are actively forging a united front, backed by an increasing presence of high-end platforms like the F-35. But as Wilsbach pointed out, true interoperability isn’t just about exquisite hardware or compatible data links. It is fundamentally about how quickly a coalition can process information, make unified decisions, and take decisive action.

“Future conflict demands that we expand our thinking, to include how we share information, make decisions, and how quickly we can translate awareness into action,” Wilsbach said. “In an increasingly contested environment, speed is critical. The force that can understand a situation, make better decisions, and act first will possess the advantage.”

But how does a coalition rapidly understand a shared operational picture when the forces looking at it speak different languages and view the world through different cultural lenses?

The answer sits at the very core of Air University’s Air Force Culture and Language Center’s (AFCLC)mission: Interoperability hinges on Language, Regional Expertise, and Culture (LREC) in all things left of “GO.”

Before a single engine turns, before Koku Jieitai refuelers in Japan can perform hot-pit refueling on U.S. aircraft, and before forces can rapidly mobilize across European borders during exercises like Steadfast Dart, there has to be a baseline of human understanding. You can’t share information at the speed of relevance if you cannot communicate effectively with the partner beside you.

This is exactly why Air University is heavily invested in building joint coalition warfighters through the Language Enabled Airman Program (LEAP). To solve big Air Force problems and drive enterprise integration, AFCLC developed a new form of Language Intensive Training Events (LITEs): the Language Enabled Airmen Postured for Agile Combat Employment (LEAP-ACE) course series.

LEAP-ACE teaches advanced-proficiency LEAP Scholars how to express complex ACE concepts in a target strategic language. We become highly effective as a combined force when our Airmen can understand exactly what our partners are saying, especially when utilizing highly technical, mission-related vocabulary in the heat of an operation.

To understand what Wilsbach means by translating awareness into action, look no further than a recent Airfield Damage Repair (ADR) exercise at Morón Air Base, Spain.

During the exercise, 1st Lt. Aliyah Brown, a Logistics Readiness Officer, participated in LEAP-ACE by embedding directly at the airfield repair site as a Portuguese interpreter alongside Portuguese and Spanish Air Force civil engineers.

“My role was critical in facilitating accurate, timely, and mission-focused communication between U.S., Portuguese, and Spanish forces,” Brown said. “Given the complexity of the multi-phase operation with moving equipment, evolving objectives, and coordination between three countries’ engineering teams, precise communication was vital. We ensured that Portuguese personnel understood what was needed, when, where, and why—helping prevent confusion and delay in a highly dynamic and fast-paced environment.”

But LREC is more than just translating words; it is about cultural intelligence and team integration. Brown found herself actively managing the human element of the mission to maximize operational flow.

“Being an interpreter in that environment is not just about utilizing your fluency, but also actively participating in getting the right people in the right place to leverage the full extent of what they bring to the operation,” Brown explained. “There were times when we identified that a Spanish engineer, for example, had a high level of proficiency with a certain technique or process that a younger Portuguese Airman could benefit from learning. You’re out there constantly recalculating who needs to be where and how to team people up.”

This friction-reducing integration helps make combined airpower lethal. Tech. Sgt. Camilo Guzman, a Requirements and Optimization Section Chief with the 31st Civil Engineer Squadron who also participated in the Morón Air Base exercise, noted that LEAP-ACE is a direct force multiplier.

“This program educated me as a LEAP Scholar by providing advanced knowledge to proficiently articulate Agile Combat Employment paradigms in a selected strategic language,” Guzman said. “This training enhances my effectiveness in coalition and multinational operations while improving my understanding of potential adversaries.”

To create the operational “dilemmas” Wilsbach emphasized, the U.S. military must deeply understand how its adversaries think, communicate, and perceive actions. Adversary understanding is the second side of the LREC coin, ensuring that we are not only united with our allies but a step ahead of our pacing threats.

“One of the most powerful deterrent signals we can send is demonstrating that free nations are united, capable, and prepared to act together,” Wilsbach said.

That unity doesn’t happen by accident, and it can’t be achieved by technology alone. It is forged by Language Enabled Airmen who are equipped to bridge the gaps between nations. As the Air Force relies on allied contributions for global defense, the strategic imperative is clear: combined airpower is the vehicle, but LREC is the key that turns the ignition.

By James Brown, AFCLC Outreach Team

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post | No Comments »

Red Cat Receives $2.49 Million US Air Force Order for Black Widow Systems

Thursday, July 30th, 2026

AWARD SUPPORTS TECHNICAL AND OPERATIONAL ASSESSMENT OF BLACK WIDOW AS A POTENTIAL SUCCESSOR TO THE AIR FORCE SECURITY FORCES’ CURRENT TEAL 2 FLEETSALT LAKE CITY, July 30, 2026 — Red Cat Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq: RCAT) (“Red Cat” or the “Company”), a U.S.-based provider of advanced all-domain drone and robotic solutions for defense and national security, today announced that its Teal Drones subsidiary has received a $2.49 million firm-fixed-price contract from the U.S. Air Force for Black Widow™ small unmanned aircraft systems, training and related support.

The award includes Black Widow systems, train-the-trainer support, batteries, spares and shipping. According to the contract, the equipment will be used to conduct a technical and operational assessment of Black Widow as a potential successor to the Air Force Security Forces’ current Teal 2 fleet.

The customer organization is the U.S. Air Force Security Forces Center (AFSFC), which trains, equips, and managed program execution for the Air Force Security Forces enterprise worldwide. This encompasses active-duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve Defenders. This technical and operational assessment positions Black Widow as a potential successor across the total AFSFC’s Teal 2 fleet, building on Red Cat’s momentum as the U.S. Army’s selected Short Range Reconnaissance platform.

“We are proud to support the U.S. Air Force across active-duty, Air National Guard, and reservists, as the AFSFC evaluates Black Widow for missions at the tactical edge,” said Jeff Thompson, CEO of Red Cat. “This assessment of the Black Widow reflects growing recognition across the Department of War that secure, American-made systems are essential for the operations our national defense and security organizations carry out every day.”

Black Widow is Red Cat’s flagship short-range reconnaissance system and the U.S. Army’s selected platform for its Short Range Reconnaissance Program. The system is designed to provide warfighters with rapidly deployable intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities.

The contract calls for delivery by August 24, 2026.

Posted in Air Force, Contracts, Drone, Press Release | No Comments »

TacJobs – USAF Seeks Volunteers for Lunar Lander Impact Study

Wednesday, July 29th, 2026

The Air Force Research Laboratory’s 711th Human Performance Wing is seeking active duty military volunteers for a collaborative study with NASA to evaluate the impact forces astronauts could experience while standing during a lunar landing.

The Wing’s Biodynamics team needs 10 to 12 active duty men and women for impact acceleration testing on the vertical deceleration tower. Testing will occur from August to September 2026, and the data collected could help establish injury risk curves for future lunar landers that will support NASA’s Artemis missions.

Read the full article to learn how Airmen can support NASA’s Artemis missions by volunteering for AFRL’s lunar landing impact study at www.airforcemedicine.af.mil/News/Display/Article/4554414/afrl-nasa-partner-to-test-lunar-landing-safety-active-duty-volunteers-needed.

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Space | 2 Comments »

Global Strike Hosts Acquisitions Summit at Barksdale AFB to Drive Modernization

Saturday, July 25th, 2026

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. —

Air Force Global Strike Command hosted a Technology, Acquisition and Sustainment Review from June 23-25 at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The three-day summit brought together senior leaders from across the enterprise to align strategic capabilities with the warfighter’s evolving needs and ensure the long-range strike mission is postured for the future.

The event was organized by AFGSC/A5/8, Strategic Plans, Programs and Requirements Directorate. They worked with AFGSC/A4, Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection Directorate, to coordinate briefings and subject matter experts. They also worked closely with the Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisitions team, and Air Force Materiel Command. The event carries out vital acquisition programs and staff insight for all three organizations.

The tri-chair summit was presided over by Lt. Gen. Luke Cropsey, military deputy, the Office of the Assistant SAF/AQ, Technology &; Logistics; Gen. S.L. Davis, commander of AFGSC; and Lt. Gen. Linda Hurry, AFMC commander.

“The TASR summit ensures we are directly aligning our resources with our most urgent acquisition needs,” said Cropsey. “We are making the hard decisions today to guarantee our Airmen maintain a decisive advantage tomorrow.”

Historically, TASRs serve as a vital bridge between the operational force and the acquisition enterprise. The meticulously planned agendas allow senior leaders to examine enterprise-level concerns, often resulting in complex issues being solved on the spot.

“Our acquisition strategies must be aligned with and support our Airmen who execute the mission,” said Davis. “By sitting down face-to-face with the acquisition and sustainment experts, we can cut through the red tape and accelerate the fielding and sustainment of Global Strike systems.”

While the AFMC enterprise delivers research, development, testing, and sustainment capabilities to the entire Air Force, each operational command has unique challenges. Summits like TASR offer a strategically tailored opportunity for AFMC and SAF/AQ experts to understand the specific, real-time needs of AFGSC operators.

“AFMC’s priority is to deliver integrated, enterprise-wide solutions that keep our warfighters lethal and ready,” said Hurry. “Working directly with Global Strike leadership at the TASR allows us to hear their exact needs, remove roadblocks on the spot, and accelerate the readiness and modernization efforts that keep our strategic platforms in the fight.”

This year’s broad areas of review focused heavily on major modernization directly impacting Global Strike readiness. Key agenda items included:

Platform Modernization: Advancing legacy weapon sustainment

Maintenance and Sustainment: Tackling maintainer workload, sustainment funding and surge planning, and the modernization of maintenance systems

Cyber Communications: Driving proactive cybersecurity programs and upgrades

Base and Training Infrastructure: advancing Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems, modernizing pilot simulators, and planning critical facility upgrades

While the agenda prioritized immediate sustainment and cyber upgrades, broader modernization efforts to include strategic SATCOM, NC3, nuclear certification, future weapons, and various aircraft such as the E-4B and helicopter lifecycle programs remained integrated within this group’s long-term strategic planning.

By bringing the strengths of SAF/AQ, AFGSC, and AFMC to the same table, the 2026 TASR worked to ensure that the Air Force’s most critical research, development, and sustainment efforts are directly answering the toughest challenges faced by Global Strike Airmen.

By Capt Sydney Sedlak

Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs

Posted in Acquisition, Air Force, Guest Post | Comments Off on Global Strike Hosts Acquisitions Summit at Barksdale AFB to Drive Modernization

Submissions Open for AFSOC’s Thunder Dome 2027 Innovation Competition

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2026

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. —

Calling all AFSOC innovators for the fourth annual Thunder Dome. The submissions window for ideas is now open for AFSOC’s innovation competition known as Thunder Dome. All submissions received by Sept. 13, 2026, will be considered.

This competition is open to any member within the command, and ideas can be submitted at gain.il4.afwerx.dso.mil/usaf/afsoc-thunderdome-2027, ?which is a CAC only enabled site.

Finalists will be selected based on multiple factors including impact on readiness/advantage, alignment with AFSOC strategy, and feasibility of execution. Finalists will present their ideas on Nov. 19, 2026, for the chance to receive funding to further develop their innovative solutions and put them into action across the command.

To ensure we maintain our decisive advantage against evolving global threats, events like Thunder Dome empower Air Commandos to lean into our ethos of grassroots innovation by tackling issues impacting readiness and AFSOC’s ability to operate across the spectrum of competition, ensuring we remain relevant through adaptation.

We must invest today in the capabilities we will need tomorrow. We look forward to seeing the great ideas Air Commandos share in this year’s competition.

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

USAF Seeks Common Ground-Based Launcher

Tuesday, July 21st, 2026

The The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) Command, Control, Communications, and Battle Management (C3BM) Directorate at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (WPAFB), Ohio is has released a Request for Information to industry to identify viable solutions for a Ground-Based Launcher ground-to-air missiles. At this point there’s no formal requirement. Rather, the information provided by industry helps the Air Force paint a picture for itself of what is in the realm of the possible.

They want to be able to engage Group 1 to Group 5 Unmanned Aerial Systems as well as cruise missiles. This new capability will augment technologies like the the Tactical High Power Operational Responder system seen above which uses directed energy to defeat drone swarms.

They’ve listed Eleven Critical Baseline Attributes:
1. Munition Types
2. Integrated Sensor Capability
3. Laser Illuminator
4. Firing Rate (Total of All Magazines)
5. Magazine Depth
6. C2 System Integration – for dissemination of sensor data and weapon cueing
7. Bounding Price Point (Per System Cost)
8. Transportability
9. Manpower
10. Built-In Test (BIT)
11. Weapon System

In addition to the baseline attributes, the Air Force is asking industry how their proposed concepts balance platform integrated sensing capabilities and the operational requirement for the system to be rapidly deployable.

This comes on the heels of an announcement in late June by Air Force leadership that they were now planning to create a new counter-drone careerfield. Until this can be accomplished the June Corona determined that Point Defense Flights will be established at select AF installations.

While grounded in a real need for expertise in this emerging Warfighting skill, Air Defense of airfields had been left to the Army since 1948 due to the Key West Accords which delineated roles and missions to the military branches under the newly created Department of Defense.

However, during the GWOT, the Army allowed its Air Defense branch to atrophy and is just now reacting to the threat of FPV drones. As we saw during Ukraine’s Operation Spiderweb in Russia and the Israeli Operation Rising Lion in Iran, air bases as particularly susceptible to drone attacks, even in areas considered safe zones.

US bases and critical infrastructure have been regularly infiltrated by drones in the recent past. Fortunately, none of the CONUS incursions have been kinetic, but that’s not true in the Middle East.

With the Army’s assets stretched thin, this is hopefully the beginning of the Air Force assuming full responsibility for air defense of their activities.

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

Senior Leaders Chart Course for Future Force

Friday, July 17th, 2026

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFNS) —

More than 60 Air Force senior leaders gathered at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, June 10-12, for the semiannual Corona summit, a strategic planning forum focused on policy development, force readiness and future force initiatives.

Formalized by Gen. Curtis LeMay in 1961, Coronas serve as a venue for the Air Force’s top echelon to foster collaboration and refine strategic decisions on an array of topics as diverse as training, deterrence and air warfare doctrine. This recent iteration provided a decision-making forum designed to build upon recent policy modifications and address key areas essential for maintaining a ready and capable future force.

“I have traveled to our installations worldwide, meeting face-to-face with the Airmen who execute our mission every day,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Ken Wilsbach. “They share their real, day-to-day challenges with me, and Corona is where we turn that feedback into strategic action – making decisions to dismantle barriers, modernize our capabilities, and build a better Air Force from the bottom up.”

The three-day summit provided a decision forum to build on recent policy changes and discuss key areas to ensure a ready and capable force for the future.

Joining the traditional cadre of Major Command commanders and Headquarters Air Force senior leaders were their respective Command Chief Master Sergeants, alongside a diverse group of general officers representing various operational and functional directorates.

The group agreed on a host of policies and changes, including those related to basic military training, the use of AI and protecting bases from drones and other threats.

BMT Next (Modernizing Basic Military Training)

To better prepare incoming personnel for the complexities of future conflicts, a comprehensive curriculum update will be implemented for BMT by 2027. Under this revitalized model, training will more closely align Airmen with the broader Air Force mission. The curriculum will heavily emphasize “Airmindedness,” military professionalism and the Air Force Core Values.

Pairing those three skills with the specialty training that follows, Airmen will arrive at their first duty stations equipped with the foundational skillsets essential for modern warriors.

Not only will what they learn change, the physical training environment will undergo a significant transformation, too. There are plans to construct a dedicated Air Force Training Range, which will serve as the centerpiece of the BMT compound. This facility is designed to orient the trainees’ mindset around the Air Force’s primary power projection platform: the air base.

Point Defense of Air Bases

Recognizing the evolving threat environment, the decision was made to establish Point Defense Flights at select Air Force installations. Initially, these specialized units will be composed of personnel drawn from multiple career fields.

Concurrently, a dedicated new Air Force Specialty Code is being developed to formalize and sustain this base defense capability.

Artificial Intelligence

To harness the strategic advantages of emerging technologies, Wilsbach announced forthcoming Headquarters Air Force-level guidance regarding AI integration. This initiative aims to institutionalize proven AI best practices currently utilized across the enterprise.

A primary objective includes developing programs that leverage AI to automate repetitive administrative tasks, thereby freeing up Airmen for mission-critical duties.

Emphasizing a forward-looking approach, the summit also highlighted the ongoing efforts of the Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force’s task force dedicated to AI innovation.

The Future of Guardian Angel & Tactical Air Control Party Weapon Systems

The Air Force will not combine its Guardian Angel (GA) and Tactical Air Control Party (TACP) weapon systems into a single unit. Each will retain its distinct identity and core, specialized competencies.

GA remains focused on personnel recovery, while TACP continues its role in precision strike, distributed command and control and integrating airpower with ground combat. The two may train together periodically to be interoperable in conflict, with MAJCOMs setting the training standards.

Building on TACP’s existing expertise in airpower integration, it was designated as the lead weapon system for One-Way Attack missions for employment by the Joint Forces Air Component Commander.

Leaders also moved to bring greater discipline to how the Air Force uses the term AFSPECWAR (Air Force Special Warfare) for the GA and TACP communities. Over recent years, the term has increasingly been used in an operational context, and the summit reaffirmed that AFSPECWAR is neither a mission nor a weapon system. It remains a term of enduring value for recruiting, accessions, initial skills training and the shared warrior ethos that unites communities of extraordinary Airmen.

To ensure clear command relationships, distinct capabilities, accurate authorities, preserved community identity and specificity in combat employment, the Air Force will use precise terms for specific weapon systems. This decision ensures operational clarity and honors the valor of the Airmen in the GA and TACP weapon systems.

Audit

In compliance with congressional directives, the enterprise-wide comprehensive financial audit continues. To ensure effective execution and accountability, Wilsbach directed all MAJCOM commanders to provide bi-monthly progress updates, emphasizing that audit readiness must remain at the forefront of their daily operational workflows.

In addition to the key decisions listed, other priorities were discussed at the forum to include readiness, both aircraft and personnel, along with streamlining enterprise-wide logistics-informed command and control (C2). Leaders focused on taking care of Airmen with talent management discussions, mission focused assignments and developmental opportunities.

Other operational discussions included a renewed focus on Camouflage, Concealment and Decoys, as well as the speed of information and the ability to make tactical adjustments in dynamic threat environments with a Digital Fires Report.

As the Air Force’s senior leaders gathered in Dayton to tackle the most complex challenges facing the force, the above decisions impact not only the 665,000 Airmen, but also allies, partners, industry and supportive local communities. Some of the initiatives are internal to the Air Force, while others are further reaching.

“This summit was a resounding success because we didn’t just talk about the future – we made concrete decisions to shape it,” Wilsbach said. “Whether we are modernizing our training, fortifying our defenses to guarantee readiness, or leveraging AI to return valuable time to our Airmen and their families, we are building a force postured to win.”

By TSgt William A. O’Brien

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

Posted in AFSW, AI / ML, Air Force, C-UAS, Guest Post | No Comments »