Brian Everstine is the Pentagon Editor for Aviation Week, based in Washington, D.C. Before joining Aviation Week in August 2021, Brian covered the Pentagon for Air Force Magazine. Brian began covering defense aviation in 2011 as a reporter for Military Times. Over a decade as a defense journalist, he has reported from dozens of bases at home and abroad, including austere airstrips in Afghanistan, the cockpit of a B-52 over the South Pacific and the boom operator station of a KC-46. Before the military beat, Brian covered the Washington state legislature for the Associated Press.
The U.S. Air Force faces an uphill climb to increase its fighter end strength, telling Congress it needs steady funding and a healthy industrial base to meet its target.
As developments in Ukraine highlight new issues for army aviation, editors share what they heard from leaders at AUSA 2026 and discuss how the service is looking to evolve.
