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.
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began with an opening salvo of more than 100 missiles targeting military locations including several airfields, followed by dozens of aircraft entering the country’s airspace to hit military targets and prepare for ground forces, according to a U.S. assessment.
Russia’s military forces deployed to the border with Ukraine are ready for a full invasion at a moment’s notice, and the Pentagon is warning that the U.S. and NATO understanding of the situation could degrade if forced to withdraw its reconnaissance aircraft from nearby airspace amid a conflict.
