NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Renowned test pilot Chuck Yeager dies

    Probably his most notable achievement was piloting the Bell X-1 experimental rocket plane, in which he became the first human to fly faster than the speed of sound in 1947, shortly after the founding of the U.S. Air Force as a separate service.

  • Accelerating hypersonics development

    On May 3, 2017, Air Force senior leaders met to consider options to accelerate hypersonics research and development to break even more speed barriers and ensure continued technological superiority.Hypersonics refers to flying at five times the speed of sound, also known as “Mach 5,” or higher.