Combat Aircraft Journal Magazine USAF Air Power Yearbook 2025 Special Issue

Smart things are taking place at US Air Force bases across America. Further change is coming to the service with plans for optimisation and force structure. New commands are to be established, and current commands will be re-named. Concepts of operation continue to change with agile combat employment and bomber task force deployments being prime examples.

America’s commitment to its allies from a US Air Force perspective is best given by the latest force build-up in US Central Command’s area of responsibility. That force includes A-10C attack aircraft, F-15E and F-16C fighters, and B-52 strategic bombers, ready to counter any aggression shown by Iran and its Islamist proxies. All four are legacy types and anything but new aircraft, a rare commodity in the current US Air Force.

Deliveries of new aircraft continue at a slow, but steady pace, not least the F-35A following a near year-long cessation of deliveries caused by the under par state of the jet’s latest upgrade dubbed Technical Refresh 3. For the most part, US Air Force personnel are enthused by the F-35 despite referring to the jet by its latest nickname, the Battle Penguin.

This latest edition of the USAF Yearbook includes coverage of seven different types of aircraft assigned to six major commands including the AC-130J gunship, E-3 AWACS, MQ-9 Reaper uncrewed aircraft, the T-7 Red Hawk trainer and the B-1B long-range bomber.

Whether you’re interested in aviation generally or the US Air Force specifically, this special publication provides coverage of a variety of fascinating aircraft, which make for interesting stories about the world’s greatest air force.