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  • Airmen, dignitaries celebrate KC‐46 arrival

    Reserve Airmen assigned to the 730th Air Mobility Training Squadron, dignitaries and Air Force leaders accepted the new KC‐46A Pegasus during a historic arrival celebration Feb. 8 at Altus Air Force Base.

  • AF Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • Kansas Guard Airman innovates superior training method

    With a high deployment tempo and limited aircraft, finding the aircraft available for boom operators to practice tying down cargo to the floor of the jet was almost always a problem. Master Sgt. Nathan Neidhardt, 190th Operations Group aircrew training noncommissioned officer in charge, solved this

  • Fighter exercise Sentry Aloha 19-1 completed

    More than 800 Airmen, Sailors and Defense Department civilians from nine states completed exercise Sentry Aloha, a large-scale fighter exercise, , Dec. 19, at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

  • AF Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • AF Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • Aircraft parts store: No one flies without supplies

    The 100th Logistics Readiness Squadron is one of the largest squadrons at RAF Mildenhall, and is the beating heart that keeps the Bloody Hundredth’s mission going.RAF Mildenhall is one of the few bases with an aircraft parts store open 24 hours; leaving no room for a pause in the mission with a

  • SecAF Wilson returns to RAF Mildenhall, discusses innovation, strategy

    When then 2nd Lt. Heather Wilson joined the Air Force in 1985, her very first assignment was to the 3rd Air Force at RAF Mildenhall. Now, Secretary of the Air Force Wilson returned to RAF Mildenhall July 12, to learn about the new innovations the Airmen have since created, and to speak about the

  • Ops support assists with KC-135 mission during Red Flag 18-2

    Airmen from the 92nd Operations Group from Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, 6th OG from MacDill AFB, Florida and 931st Operations Support Squadron from McConnell AFB, Kansas, flew to Nellis AFB in support of the KC-135 Stratotankers’ role in exercise Red Flag 18-2.

  • KC-135 aircraft boom instructor platform wins Spark Tank cup

    Master Sgt. Bartek Bachleda, 22nd Air Refueling Wing aircraft boom instructor, from McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, won the inaugural Air Force Spark Tank competition cup at the Air Force Association Air Warfare Symposium Feb. 22, 2018, in Orlando, Florida, for his KC-135 aircraft boom instructor

  • Flying ambulances: Aeromedical evacuation

    The morning starts early with an alert about four hours before takeoff. Members of the 379th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron begin several mandatory tasks before boarding the aircraft. Nurses go over mission details, as medical technicians pack more than a thousand pounds of equipment

  • Boom operator reaches 5,000 flying hours

    Just east of Denver, Nov. 29, 2017, McCrillis anticipated the moment he would complete his goal of reaching 5,000 flying hours. It came just after he completed refueling his favorite receiver, the B-52 Stratofortress.

  • US forces to participate in Seoul ADEX 2017

    The U.S. military will be represented at the 2017 Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition, or Seoul ADEX 17, at Seoul Airport, South Korea, Oct. 17-22, 2017.

  • AF Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • AF team fuels aerial fight to defeat ISIS

    Comprised of active-duty, Guard and Reserve aircrew service members, the men and women of the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron help project combat power by providing agile, effective air refueling in line with the objectives of the Combined Forces Air Component Command and Combined Joint

  • AF Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • McConnell AFB innovation saves $40K, increases safety

    The 22nd Logistics Readiness Squadron’s vehicle management flight recently constructed and installed a modification on a vehicle to enhance the safety of McConnell Air Force Base Airmen while saving the Air Force thousands of dollars.

  • Mobility Guardian draws to an end

    Crews flew approximately 1,200 hours in eight days, executing almost 650 sorties during Exercise Mobility Guardian, July 31 to Aug. 12, 2017.

  • AF Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • Arctic Challenge exercise aims to increase interoperability

    Twelve F-15C Eagles and about 200 personnel from the 493rd Fighter Squadron at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, and two KC-135 Stratotankers and over 30 personnel from the 351st Air Refueling Squadron at RAF Mildenhall, England, deployed to bases in Finland and Sweden for exercise Arctic

  • F-35s forward deploy to Bulgaria

    Two F-35A Lightning IIs and about 20 supporting Airmen arrived at Graf Ignatievo Air Base April 28 from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England.

  • AF Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • F-35As deploy to Estonia for the first time

    Two F-35A Lightning II aircraft and about 20 supporting Airmen arrived at Ämari Air Base April 25, 2017, from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England. The F-35As are participating in their first training deployment to Europe. The aircraft and total force Airmen are from the 34th Fighter Squadron and the

  • McConnell tankers enable first F-35 European deployment

    When the F-35A Lightning II deployed to Europe for the first time April 15, it was made possible by the backbone of the aerial refueling fleet, the KC-135 Stratotanker. “The mission of the 22nd Air Refueling Wing is to refuel the fight,” said Col. Albert Miller, the 22nd Air Refueling Wing

  • AMC, industry partner to enhance virtual training

    Canadian Aviation Electronics USA, the primary contractor for the KC-135 Stratotanker aircrew training system, recently received authorization to operate on the Air Force’s Distributed Training Center Network. KC-135 Stratotanker simulators will now be connected to other Air Force mobility platforms

  • US KC-135 completes first refueling mission with Romanian F-16

    History was made when the U.S. Air Force and Romanian Air Force made their first air refueling contact Feb. 28, 2017, over Romania. With the help of the U.S. Air Force’s 100th Air Refueling Wing and one of their KC-135 Stratotankers, the Romanian Air Force became certified to refuel from all U.S.

  • US, UK work together to save crew stranded on yacht

    Imagine this: You’re on a yacht traveling from country to country. Five days into traveling, a rogue wave hits the boat, dragging its mast into the water and snapping it; leaving you stranded at sea. For 14 people this scenario was their reality Feb. 9, 2017, when the Clyde Challenger, a 60-foot

  • Airmen, F-16s train in Souda Bay

    From Jan. 20-Feb. 3, the 31st Fighter Wing's 555th Fighter Squadron and Arizona Air National Guard's 161st Air Refueling Wing are participating in a flying training deployment to Souda Bay, Greece.

  • KC-135 MOD program closes out year with magic number: Block 45

    The KC-135 Block 45 upgrade program reached a milestone by closing out 2016 with the 45th aircraft in the modification line here. Block 45 completely remodels the inside of the flight deck with new liquid crystal displays, radio altimeter, autopilot, digital flight director and other computer module

  • AF refuelers enable B-2 strike against ISIL in Libya

    KC-135 Stratotanker and KC-10 Extender crews from five bases on three continents provided aerial refueling support during the B-2 Spirit bomber mission which struck two Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant training camps in Libya Jan. 18, 2017.

  • BLUE: Fueling the future

    Most families have traditions that revolve around holidays and special occasions. We introduce you to a family with a tradition that's intertwined with the history and future of two tankers, the KC-135 Stratotanker and the new KC-46A Pegasus.

  • Yesterday's Air Force: Tankers

    The KC-46A Pegasus is the newest member of the aerial refueling team. This episode of Yesterday's Air Force takes a look back at where it all started -- from wing walkers to the most recent KC-135 Stratotanker.

  • One bird, two stones

    Airmen from the 18th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and the South Korean air force simultaneously trained for separate missions over the Pacific Ocean Sept. 12 and were assisted by a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker from Kadena Air Base, Japan.

  • Around the Air Force: Sept. 2

    On this look around the Air Force, the KC-135 Stratotanker celebrates 60 years of service, a new KC-46A Pegasus training center opens its doors, and a preview of this month's Airman magazine is available.

  • Air Force celebrates 60 years of the KC-135

    The Air Force celebrated the 60th birthday of the KC-135 Stratotanker Aug. 31. The first Stratotanker flew in August of 1956 and was later delivered to the Air Force in June 1957.

  • Flat Stanleys deploy from McConnell

    It was early in the morning when they got the call to deploy. Once aboard a KC-135 Stratotanker, they began their 8,000-mile expedition. It was 110 degrees when they landed in the hot and dusty country, and their journey had only just begun, the aircrew said. The paper dolls, also known as Flat

  • Airmen help save fishermen at sea after ship catches fire

    Members of a special operations surgical team assigned to the 720th Special Tactics Group at Hurlburt Field, Florida, worked to save the lives of two critically-burned fishermen rescued 500 miles off the coast of Bermuda on June 22.

  • Brothers connect at 22,000 feet

    A couple months ago, two KC-135 Stratotankers took flight from Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, to participate in an ordinary air refueling training exercise, but for the Marchesseault brothers, the day was anything but ordinary.

  • Fairchild takes in evacuated McConnell KC-135s

    Because of its ramp space, logistical capabilities and maintenance facilities, Fairchild Air Force Base received six KC-135 Stratotankers that were evacuated April 26 from McConnell AFB, Kansas, due to projected severe weather.

  • F-22 Raptors arrive in Romania

    Two F-22 Raptors and one KC-135 Stratotanker arrived at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania, on April 22. The F-22s and approximately 20 supporting Airmen are from the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. The KC-135 is from the 916th Air Refueling Wing deployed from Seymour

  • AMC relocates KC-135 simulator

    Air Mobility Command will relocate a KC-135 Stratotanker pilot simulator from McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, to Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Ohio, in an effort to maximize simulator utilization across the mobility enterprise.

  • Crosstalks aimed at improving KC-135 service

    Experts from the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, the Air Force Reserve, National Guard Bureau and the Legacy Tanker Division conducted a customer support visit to Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, and at two other bases March 14-18 to listen to unit concerns regarding KC-135 Stratotanker

  • Putting the Pegasus through its paces

    As the Air Force gets ready for the arrival of its newest aerial refueling and strategic military transport aircraft, a diverse group of Airmen is working hard to make sure the KC-46A Pegasus is ready to meet the service’s needs. Lt. Col. John Mikal is one of them.

  • US, Turkish KC-135 units fly together for first time

    To better understand how each nation completes the vital air refueling mission, the U.S. Air Force and Turkish air force flew KC-135 Stratotankers together in formation for the first time March 8 over the Nevada Test and Training Range, northeast of Nellis Air Force Base.

  • Mildenhall KC-135s support French operation

    Three KC-135 Stratotankers, along with 50 Airmen from the 100th Air Refueling Wing at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, temporarily deployed to Istres-Le Tubé Air Base, France, in support of Operation Juniper Micron.

  • KC-135 crew saves F-16 pilot from ejecting over enemy lines

    A KC-135 Stratotanker crew from McConnell Air Force Base saved an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot from ejecting over Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant-held territory in 2015, which could have resulted in the Airman's captivity or death.

  • KC-135 integral to F-16 training in Greece

    The first time the Air Force attempted to refuel an aircraft in flight, aircrews successfully stayed aloft for 151 hours. That was over 85 years ago, and the Air Force today has made quite a few innovations since then.

  • Airmen work in concert to execute rapid global mobility

    Airmen like Staff Sgt. Justin Worcester, a KC-135 Stratotanker crew chief, defend their country by making sure the U.S. can quickly move people and equipment around the world at a moment's notice. This is executing rapid global mobility, Air Mobility Command's top priority.

  • Maintainers keep KC-135s flying downrange

    The 340th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, maintains the largest KC-135 Stratotanker fleet in the world of more than 40 aircraft valued at roughly $2 billion.

  • F-22s arrive in Estonia

    Two F-22 Raptors and a KC-135 Stratotanker arrived at Ämari Air Base, Estonia, Sept. 5.

  • AMC to relocate KC-135 simulator to Pittsburgh

    As Air Mobility Command fields the KC-46A Pegasus, displaced KC-135 Stratotanker simulators are being designated for relocation to improve efficiency and effectiveness across the total force mobility enterprise by maximizing flying hour cost avoidance through improved simulator access.

  • Tanker aircrews help in fight against ISIL

    With 16 KC-135 Stratotankers on its installation, Airmen from MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, waste no time when answering the call to defend the nation -- even when there is little to no notice. As these planes can be seen and heard overhead, one has to wonder where in the world they are flying.

  • Following in her father's flight plan

    Some families have a history of military service, whether it be cross-service or within the same branch. It is somewhat less common however, to have two consecutive generations not only serve in the same branch of the military, but to pursue the same career field.

  • Investigation board determines cause of KC-135 crash in May

    Air Mobility Command has released the results of an accident investigation that examined what caused the May 3, 2013, crash of a KC-135 Stratotanker in the Kyrgyz Republic. The crew of three, en route from the Transit Center at Manas to Afghanistan on a combat aerial refueling mission, perished in

  • KC-135 brings force extension to Iceland

    The 351st Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron and the KC-135 Stratotanker deployed from Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, make up an important part of the 48th Air Expeditionary Group here in Iceland.