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Editorial analysis contrasts Operation Midnight Thunder and the raid targeting Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, arguing that past successes reveal urgent gaps in sustained-war capability. The issue also highlights space power concepts, dynamic space operations, and how robotics and AI may transform warfare, alongside departments, interviews, and profiles of service leaders and airpower history.",{"@graph":69,"@context":122},[70,84,105],{"@type":71,"itemListElement":72},"BreadcrumbList",[73,77,79,82],{"item":74,"name":75,"@type":76,"position":8},"https://docshare.wps.com","Home","ListItem",{"item":78,"name":9,"@type":76,"position":14},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/",{"item":80,"name":40,"@type":76,"position":81},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/research-report/",3,{"item":83,"name":65,"@type":76,"position":19},"https://docshare.wps.com/document/air-space-forces-magazine-januaryfebruary-2026-air-and-space/128871/",{"url":83,"name":65,"@type":85,"image":86,"author":91,"headline":65,"publisher":94,"fileFormat":97,"inLanguage":63,"description":67,"dateModified":98,"datePublished":99,"encodingFormat":97,"isAccessibleForFree":100,"interactionStatistic":101},"DigitalDocument",{"url":87,"@type":88,"width":89,"height":90},"https://docshare.wps.com/thumbnails/air-space-forces-magazine-januaryfebruary-2026-air-and-space/128871.png","ImageObject",300,407,{"name":92,"@type":93},"Noah","Person",{"url":74,"name":95,"@type":96},"DocShare","Organization","application/pdf","2026-09-11","2026-08-06",true,{"@type":102,"interactionType":103,"userInteractionCount":39},"InteractionCounter",{"@type":104},"ViewAction",{"@type":106,"mainEntity":107},"FAQPage",[108,114,118],{"name":109,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":111},"What central argument does the editorial make in this issue?","Question",{"text":112,"@type":113},"It argues that deterring now is cheaper than paying later, while emphasizing that the U.S. may be challenged in prolonged warfare as technological advantages erode and defense depth shrinks.","Answer",{"name":115,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":116},"Which two operations are contrasted to illustrate U.S. capabilities?",{"text":117,"@type":113},"The issue contrasts June’s Operation Midnight Thunder with a January joint mission to capture Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, highlighting stealth, cyber, special operations, and space assets.",{"name":119,"@type":110,"acceptedAnswer":120},"What do the featured articles suggest about future warfare?",{"text":121,"@type":113},"They focus on dynamic space operations and explain how robotics and AI could transform warfare and the future of human conflict through multidimensional dilemmas and new operational approaches.","https://schema.org",{"og:url":83,"og:type":124,"og:title":65,"og:site_name":95,"og:description":67},"article",{"robots":126,"canonical":83},"index,follow",{"doc_id":128,"site_id":62},128871,1786004246,{"code":4,"msg":5,"data":131},{"doc_id":128,"user_id":132,"nickname":92,"user_avatar":133,"doc_module":4,"category_id":39,"category_name":40,"doc_title":65,"doc_description":67,"doc_content":134,"file_id":135,"file_url":136,"file_type":137,"file_size":138,"view_count":39,"is_deleted":4,"is_public":8,"is_downloadable":8,"audit_status":8,"page_count":139,"language":140,"language_code":63,"site_id":62,"html_lang":63,"table_of_contents":141,"faqs":142,"seo_title":143,"seo_description":67,"update_tm":129,"read_time":144},137451207643,"https://ap-avatar.wpscdn.com/davatar_3d24733baf745e90a7e4bdd5f77d97b2","Dynamic Space Operations 43 | Robots, AI & the Future of Warfare 48 | Telling the USAF Story 7  \n$1.5 TRILLION FOR DEFENSE? 18  \nINSTANT THUNDER  \nPLANNING OPERATION DESERT STORM  \nFirst in a Series.  \n37  \nPublished by the Air & Space Forces Association  \nJanuary/February 2026, Vol. 109, Nos. 1 & 2  \nDEPARTMENTS \\  \n2 Editorial:  \nDeterring Now Costs Less than Winning Later  \nBy Tobias Naegele  \n4 Letters  \n4 Index to  \nAdvertisers  \n7 Strategy & Policy: Telling the Air Force Story is a Critical Mission  \n10 Airframes  \n16 Verbatim  \n17 Faces of the Force  \n18 World: Trump’s $1.5T budget promise; National Defense Strategy release; More aircraft purchasesin defense appropriations bill; Guetlein’s Golden Dome plans; Hegseth at Lockheed Martin factory; and more.  \n54 AFA in Action:  \nAFA’s Heritage Hall Honors the Legacies  \nof the Air Force & Space Force  \n56 Heroes/Leaders: James H. Doolittle  \n34 Airpower and Absolute Resolve By Chris Gordon and Greg Hadley  \nHow the Air Force cleared the way for Delta Force to capture Venezuela’s Maduro.  \n37 Instant Thunder and the Roots of Desert Storm By Tobias Naegele  \nHow a rogue planning cell engineered the most decisive air war in modern history.  \n43 Dynamic Space Operations By Col. Charles Galbreath, USSF (Ret.)  \nTo prevail in space, the Space Force must be able to challenge adversaries with multidimensional dilemmas.  \n48 “Beast in the Machine”  \nBy Col. George Dougherty, USAF (Ret.)  \nHow Robotics and AI Will Transform Warfare and the Future of Human Conflict.  \nFEATURES A Falcon 9 rocket  \nlaunches the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle into space in August  \n2025. Dynamic space operations requires more than rapid launch andrepositioning.  \nON THE COVER  \nA 401st Tactical Fighter Wing F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft prepares to take off on a mission during Operation Desert Storm.  \nUSAF  \nGwendolyn Kurzen  \n\n| STAFF\u003Cbr>Publisher\u003Cbr>Burton M. Field\u003Cbr>Editor in Chief\u003Cbr>Tobias Naegele |\n| --- |\n| Managing Editor\u003Cbr>Chequita Wood\u003Cbr>Senior Designer\u003Cbr>Dashton Parham\u003Cbr>News Editor\u003Cbr>Greg Hadley\u003Cbr>Pentagon Editor\u003Cbr>Chris Gordon\u003Cbr>Space Editor\u003Cbr>Courtney Albon\u003Cbr>Staff Writer\u003Cbr>Matthew Cox\u003Cbr>Production Manager\u003Cbr>Eric Chang Lee\u003Cbr>Photo Editors\u003Cbr>Jud McCrehin Zaur Eylanbekov\u003Cbr>AFA in Action Editor\u003Cbr>Patrick Reardon |\n| Contributors\u003Cbr>Col. George M. Dougherty, USAF, Col. Charles S. Galbreath, USSF,(Ret.),\u003Cbr>Col. Phillip S. Meilinger, USAF,(Ret.),\u003Cbr>John A. Tirpak |\n|  |\n| ADVERTISING:\u003Cbr>Christy Sitter\u003Cbr>VP of Sales\u003Cbr>703.247.5837 [csitter@afa.org](csitter@afa.org)\u003Cbr>SUBSCRIBE\u003Cbr>Subscribe to Air & Space Forces Magazine, plus geta free membership to the Air & Space Forces Association.\u003Cbr>1-800-727-3337 |\n\nAir & Space Forces Magazine (ISSN 2834-8206) January/February 2026 (Vol. 109, Nos. 1 and 2) is published bi-monthly in January/February, March/April, May/June, July/August, September/October, and November/December by the Air & Space Forces Association, 1201 S. Joyce St. C6, Arlington, VA 22202-2066. Phone (703) 247-5800. Periodical postage paid at Arlington, Va., and additional mailing offices. Membership Rate: $50 per year; $35 e-Membership; $125 for three-year membership. Subscription Rate: $50 per year; $29 per year additional for postage to foreign addresses (except Canada and Mexico, which are $10 per year additional). Regular issues $8 each. Air &. Space Forces Almanac issue $18 each. Change of address requires four weeks’ notice. Please include mailing label. POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to Air & Space Forces Association, 1201 S. Joyce St., C6, Arlington, VA 22202-2066. Publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. Trademark registered by Air & Space Forces Association. Copyright 2026 by Air & Space Forces Association.  \nJANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026 AIRANDSPACEFORCES. COM 1  \nEDITORIAL  \nBy Tobias Naegele  \nDeterring Now Costs Less than Winning Later  \nI  \nn a period of seven months, the United States executed two extremely different, yet equally devas","cbCaimaDjq0pF66s","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaimaDjq0pF66s","pdf",15639662,57,"English","# Editorial\n## Deterring Now Costs Less than Winning Later\n# Strategy & Policy\n## Telling the Air Force Story is a Critical Mission\n# Airframes\n# Verbatim\n# Faces of the Force\n# World\n## Defense budget, strategy updates, aircraft purchases and related news\n# AFA in Action\n## AFA’s Heritage Hall Honors the Legacies of the Air Force & Space Force\n# Heroes/Leaders\n## James H. Doolittle\n# Airpower\n## Airpower and Absolute Resolve\n# Instant Thunder\n## Instant Thunder and the Roots of Desert Storm\n# Dynamic Space Operations\n## Dynamic Space Operations\n# Features\n## “Beast in the Machine”","[{\"question\":\"What central argument does the editorial make in this issue?\",\"answer\":\"It argues that deterring now is cheaper than paying later, while emphasizing that the U.S. may be challenged in prolonged warfare as technological advantages erode and defense depth shrinks.\"},{\"question\":\"Which two operations are contrasted to illustrate U.S. capabilities?\",\"answer\":\"The issue contrasts June’s Operation Midnight Thunder with a January joint mission to capture Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro, highlighting stealth, cyber, special operations, and space assets.\"},{\"question\":\"What do the featured articles suggest about future warfare?\",\"answer\":\"They focus on dynamic space operations and explain how robotics and AI could transform warfare and the future of human conflict through multidimensional dilemmas and new operational approaches.\"}]","Air & Space Forces Magazine - January/February 2026 - Air and Space | PDF",144]