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U.S. Air Force News

  • Video game prepares Airmen, families for emergencies

    True or False? Tornados always have a visible funnel extending to the ground. The answer to that question and more appear in the Air Force's newest training tool designed to prepare civilians, Airmen and their families for emergencies. The difference is this teaching instrument isn't a slideshow

  • Defense weather satellites provide environmental support

    Officials from the Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center here said they are on track to launch a third satellite in November that will join two others already in orbit essential in tracking global weather conditions and providing data for distribution to Department of Defense and civilian

  • Engineers go beyond virtual reality to test systems

    Some aircraft parts can be used to fight in air-to-air combat without ever having to take off a runway. By assembling the avionics "guts" of fighter jets into racks and consoles, engineers and technicians can recreate flight and aerial threats in one facility. The Air Force has that inexpensive

  • Columbus AFB earns state recycling award

    The Mississippi Recycling Coalition has named Columbus Air Force Base as the Federal Government Recycler of the Year for the third consecutive year, acknowledging the base's continued excellence in promoting installation and community awareness for recycling initiatives and programs. "The Columbus

  • New commander takes Air Force Recruiting reins

    Air Force Recruiting Service welcomed its new commander during a change of command ceremony here July 17. Brig. Gen. Suzanne Vautrinot took command from Brig. Gen. Robertus Remkes, who headed AFRS since February 2004. In her new role, General Vautrinot is the first female to lead Air Force

  • Rocket technology testing reaches 100-percent operation

    America's only staged combustion liquid booster rocket engine now in development marked an important milestone July 12 at NASA's Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Miss. The engine reached steady-state 100-percent operation, demonstrating mainstage performance for the first time.The engine

  • Effectiveness of commercial air cargo augmentation under review

    U.S. Central Command's Deployment and Distribution Operations Center, or CDDOC, has initiated a test to determine the cost and effectiveness of using commercial air cargo aircraft to augment military aircraft in delivering supplies to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. The purpose of this initiative,

  • U.S., Parwan governments build ‘bridge to future'

    In the culmination of more than a year's efforts, the Parwan deputy governor cut the ribbon on a bridge July 11 in the northern part of this province connecting Afghans to their country. The new bridge spans a river in the mountains and was built with the future in mind as it accommodates both foot

  • 93rd Bomb Squadron is Litening pod combat-capable

    The 917th Reserve Wing's 93rd Bomb Squadron here is the first B-52 Stratofortress squadron to complete the training requirements for combat use of the Litening AT targeting pod. "This new mission capability is a first for the B-52 and gives the combatant commander another weapon in his arsenal in

  • AFA looking for former Outstanding Airmen of the Year

    The Air Force Association is looking for all former recipients of the 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year award program. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the award, which has been presented to more than 700 Airmen.The AFA will honor all former award winners at the Air Force anniversary dinner

  • Air Force announces developmental education opportunities

    Air Force officers interested in 2007 developmental education opportunities must begin the application process in August. A completed Air Force Form 3849, PME/AFIT/RTFB Officer Worksheet, and senior rater nomination are due by Aug. 18 for officers applying for the Olmsted Scholarship, White House

  • Service demographics offer snapshot of force

    The Air Force Personnel Center here recently published its quarterly demographics report, offering a snapshot of the service's active-duty and civilian force as of June 30. More information can be found at the center's analysis branch Web site: http://www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/demographics/.

  • Muster to test deployment capable numbers

    The Air Reserve Personnel Center conducts a muster for nearly 150 individual ready reservists July 20 and 27 at the Buckley Annex here to test the readiness of the force.The IRR Muster Program, mandated by U.S. law, exists to enhance readiness and ensure the Air Force can "reach out and touch" the

  • Elmendorf unit saves thousands

    Airmen at the 3rd Equipment Maintenance Squadron Nondestructive Inspection Laboratory here have found a way to save the Air Force more than $200,000 annually.The lab is responsible for inspecting all aircraft assigned to the 3rd Wing for internal problems that are hard for the naked eye to see."We

  • Cameras enhance forecasting of sun-generated storms

    Every 100-plus minutes, while orbiting approximately 50 miles above the Earth onboard the Coriolis satellite, the Solar Mass Ejection Imager experiment scans the darkness of space-seeking, sun-generated magnetic clouds of particles intent on striking the planet. Since becoming operational in January

  • USAFE football reunion to be held at Andrews

    Servicemembers who played for the U.S. Air Forces in Europe football team will gather together with their teammates at a reunion here Sept. 1 and 2. The reunion will be a celebration for the men who competed against each other on the football field while serving their country, said Tech. Sgt. Scott

  • Educators important in military children's lives

    It is important that teachers and other school officials understand factors affecting children of military families, a senior Army general said here July 13. A military lifestyle often is characterized by frequent moves and parents who are deployed for long periods of time, Army Gen. David D.

  • Oregon-based KC-135 unit begins drawdown

    The first KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft from the 939th Air Refueling Wing departs Portland International Airport today, marking the beginning of a change in mission for the Air Force Reserve unit.Under the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process, all eight of the refueling aircraft and 900

  • IA program provides political-military, cultural experts

    Air Force officers can expect to gain international insight, foreign language proficiency and cultural understanding by becoming international affairs specialists, said an Air Force executive here. "Under the old foreign area officer program, international skills were self-obtained," said Bruce

  • Second phase of NSPS begins in October

    The Defense Department announced plans July 12 to transfer more than 66,000 additional DOD civilian employees into the new National Security Personnel System beginning in October. The plan, delivered to Congress earlier this week, ushers in the second phase in implementing the new

  • Airmen handle missions big and small in Afghanistan

    Tech. Sgt. William Long likes a challenge, but a couple weeks ago, one challenge seemed insurmountable. Air Force officials notified an Airman deployed to a remote forward operating base that his wife was gravely ill. The Air Force placed him on emergency leave, and then tried to figure a way to get

  • Program offers chance to work with foreign air force

    Officers from almost any specialty, and some NCOs, can have the opportunity to live and work as a foreign air force member through the Military Personnel Exchange Program, which allows nations to learn how other air forces operate. Maj. P.K. Carlton, currently serving as a Royal Air Force instructor

  • Civilian personnel system integrates under one umbrella

    A symbolic ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the Air Force Personnel Center here to mark the Directorate of Civilian Force Integration's initial operating capability. Maj. Gen. Tony Przybyslawski, AFPC commander, praised the civilian Airmen for what they have accomplished and reminded them of

  • Security forces officer shows Iraqis how to defend freedom

    For more than 12 years Maj. Jeffery Prindle has honed his skills as a professional police officer, working both as a military security forces officer and a deputy for the Charleston County Sheriff's Office. In that time, the 315th Airlift Wing reservist developed the tools necessary to assess

  • Command and control focus of new research project

    The Air Force Office of Scientific Research, in cooperation with Binghamton University in New York, has started funding a research project targeted at improving the strength and availability of command and control networks. The team, led by Dr. N. Eva Wu, professor in the department of electrical

  • Insurance alternative available for federal employees

    The Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program offers federal employees an option when purchasing long-term-care insurance. The insurance policy helps defray the cost of in-home, nursing home or assisted living facility care for people who cannot care for themselves due to chronic health conditions.

  • Detachment tracks space shuttle Discovery

    The 22nd Space Operations Squadron's Detachment 5 here is playing a pivotal role in the Discovery mission following its launch July 4 from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida -- one in which the shuttle does not launch if the detachment is not ready. "When the space shuttle launches and while it's

  • AFIT linked to past, future of America's space program

    The Air Force Institute of Technology, or AFIT, has long been involved with America's efforts in space. Its association began with the early test flights of the high-altitude research aircraft, the X-15, and has continued to NASA's "Return to Flight" Discovery space shuttle launch July 4.Col. Steve

  • Future Air Force Medical Service specialists train at Wilford Hall

    For many college students, summers consist of packing away textbooks, migrating home and heading to a dull, low-paying job or internship. For several U.S. Air Force Academy and ROTC cadets, a normal day's work could mean observing trauma response in an emergency room, an F-16 Fighting Falcon

  • AFN to end radio play-by-play sports

    Department of Defense officials announced July 5 that the American Forces Network, or AFN, will end broadcasting play-by-play sports on radio later this summer. The decision to discontinue live play-by-play sports on radio was based upon a series of DOD worldwide audience surveys of servicemembers

  • 48th Fighter Wing jets receive high-tech overhaul

    When aircraft launch from the British Isles in September to support operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, they will be fitted with the most advanced avionics and carry the most accurate, lethal weapons in the Air Force inventory. The 48th Fighter Wing here has taken the Air Force lead in

  • 45th Space Wing supports shuttle launch

    The U.S. Air Force's 45th Space Wing provided Eastern Range support for NASA's launch of the space shuttle Discovery Tuesday. Discovery lifted off from the Kennedy Space Center at 2:38 p.m."Congratulations to the entire NASA, DOD and contractor launch team," said Brig. Gen. Susan Helms, 45th Space

  • Pacific Air Forces receives top safety honor

    Pacific Air Forces is the recipient of the Major General Benjamin D. Foulois Memorial Award in recognition for its flight safety program for the past year.The award was presented to the major command by members of the Order of Daedalians during a ceremony here July 1. To receive the annual flight

  • Aversion to needles doesn't stop donor

    A staff sergeant who cannot volunteer at the Air Force Theater Hospital does so in another way. He donates blood platelets. Staff Sgt. Bret Depratu, 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, has donated 10 units of blood platelets since his arrival in May, despite his aversion to needles. "I

  • Joint forces team up for first sergeant training

    Senior NCOs from the U.S. Air Force and Japan Air Self Defense Force received additional-duty first sergeant training to learn important skills required to be a first sergeant. Two instructors traveled from the Air Force First Sergeant Academy at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala., to teach the one-week

  • Veterans remember canines with care packages

    Staff Sgt. Erick Trusty is tired and dirty. Another day has come and gone that he survived. At least on this day an improvised explosive device -- one of the enemy's deadliest weapons of choice in Iraq -- didn't hit his team. And the raid he and others carried out on a house full of weapons and

  • Wavelet researchers want to ease decision-making process

    An Air Force Research Laboratory team began a new study on wavelets to help information analysts better prioritize workload. Basically, a wavelet represents a snapshot of information at a given point in time. The research team's estimated $200,000, one-year-long project is titled: "A New Paradigm in

  • Kiosk offers one-stop customer service

    The new Joint Services OneStop Kiosk at the Pentagon may look like an ATM, but it offers much more. The kiosk, unveiled June 29 at the Pentagon Metro entrance, is a customer service initiative that provides users with online Web access to such programs as MyPay, the Air Force Portal, and virtual

  • Summer 2006 quarterly issue of Airman available

    Read about how airpower is helping fight the war on terrorism, see how a team of Airmen mentors is making a difference in Afghanistan, follow the daily routine of an Air Force recruiter in the Big Apple, and tag along as Airmen prepare for detainee operations in the area of responsibility. These

  • Spouses, families of deployed Airmen go the distance

    Spouses and family members of Moody's deployed Airmen have an opportunity to go the distance through the "Inching Toward Iraq" program. The program is designed to help families cope with the stress of deployments, and it focuses on having families walk the distance it would take them to reunite with

  • Donated computers help Philippine youth get connected

    Airmen from the 35th Fighter Squadron and Aircraft Maintenance Unit, deployed to Singapore in support of Operation Commando Sling, took time out of their flying schedule to launch Philippine schools onto the information superhighway. Airmen conducted a donation drive and received computers and

  • Civil engineers rid Kunsan of austere living conditions

    Civil engineers here completed a construction project to update living accommodations typically used by servicemembers in support of air expeditionary force assignments.Thirty Southeast Asia huts, commonly referred to as SEA huts because of their popularity during the Vietnam War, were finished in

  • Academy making strides in sexual assault prevention

    In 2003, the Air Force Academy faced negative attention from the press and drew the ire of parents and lawmakers alike because victims of sexual assault at the school who reported their cases were not given appropriate attention. The academy's commandant of cadets, Brig. Gen. Susan Y. Desjardins,

  • Highly modified C-130 ready for war on terrorism

    The beginning of an era for Robins Air Force Base and the warfighters of Air Force Special Operations Command was marked June 28 as the first-of-its-kind MC-130W was presented to Lt. Gen. Michael W. Wooley, AFSOC commander, in a ceremony here."A lot of work went into this aircraft," said Maj. Gen.

  • Handout updated for overseas returnees

    Lieutenant colonels and below and senior master sergeants and below who are eligible to return from overseas assignments now have an updated guide to make informed decisions regarding their assignment options. The Overseas Counseling Handout, issued by military personnel flight or commander support

  • Air Force oversees popular name selections

    The popular name of the joint strike fighter F-35 aircraft will be released in early July, while the Air Force is currently proposing popular names for the MQ-9A unmanned aerial vehicle. Military vehicles are traditionally given such names that pay homage to the services' history or its mission, or

  • Blogs study may net credible information

    The Air Force Office of Scientific Research has begun funding a new research area that includes a study of blogs. Blog research may provide information analysts and warfighters with invaluable help in fighting the war on terrorism. Drs. Brian Ulicny, senior scientist, and Mieczyslaw Kokar,

  • AFOSR helping to solve 30-year-old dilemma

    A team of researchers supported by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research has made a breakthrough in electric oxygen iodine laser, or EOIL, research. The results were presented at the AFOSR Molecular Dynamics Program Review here in June. "We have been looking at a problem that has been bugging

  • Delta IV launch successful

    The first West Coast launch of Boeing's Delta IV evolved expendable launch vehicle was conducted here June 27. The rocket took off from Space Launch Complex-6 carrying a payload for the National Reconnaissance Office. The spacelift commander for this mission was Col. Jack Weinstein, 30th Space Wing

  • Fighter aircraft arrive for Combat Archer

    Twenty-eight fighter aircraft from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho; Luke AFB, Ariz.; and Shaw AFB, S.C., are here participating in Combat Archer. Approximately 300 Airmen deployed with their aircraft and set up operations in the 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron, an Air Combat Command tenant unit

  • Logistics sleuths solve mysteries of disappearing parts

    By finding aircraft parts that are missing, misrouted or stranded in transit, a multi-organizational team led by Air Force Materiel Command's warfighter sustainment division is returning more of the capability to warfighters when they need it. AFMC members helped recover parts worth $4.5 million in

  • Former astronaut takes command of Air Force Space Command

    Gen. Kevin P. Chilton assumed command of Air Force Space Command in a ceremony here June 26, presided over by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley. Current and former national defense leaders, active and retired senior officers, community leaders and active-duty servicemembers gathered

  • Air Force, Army agree on plans for joint cargo aircraft

    With the signing of a memorandum of agreement June 20, the vice chiefs of staff of the Air Force and the Army have agreed on a way ahead for converging the service's independent acquisition programs for a joint cargo aircraft. Both the Air Force and the Army independently pursued options for a

  • Falcons ready to recapture Commander-in-Chief's Trophy

    For Air Force Academy football players, last season was one to be remembered, but not so much for the things athletes normally enjoy reminiscing. As players walked victoriously from the field after blowing out New Mexico with a strong 42-24 win in the 2005 season finale, it felt good to finish

  • Firefighters get $10,000 in donated equipment

    Firefighters here have received nearly $10,000 in donated equipment that will improve the Airmen's comfort and protection, thanks to the help of several nonprofit organizations, families and friends.Firefighters received the ballistic liner suspension system, an upgrade to the Kevlar helmet. "Most

  • Air Force research facility one of best in DOD

    An Air Force research facility here received accolades as one of the best in the Department of Defense during an inspection. Dr. Salvatore Cirone, the health science policy program director for the office of the assistant secretary of defense, inspected the 59th Medical Wing's 59th Clinical Research

  • SGLI premium rate changes July 1

    The monthly premium rate for basic Servicemember's Group Life Insurance increases by 5 cents per month for each $10,000 of coverage, from 65 cents per month per $10,000 to 70 cents per month per $10,000, effective July 1. On the same date, family SGLI premiums will decrease across the board. The

  • Airmen ensure blood flows to forward locations

    It is the job of the 379th Expeditionary Medical Group's Expeditionary Blood Transshipment System to ensure that lifesaving blood, plasma and cryoprecipitate (the part of the blood that aids in clotting) get from the states to the forward operating bases. "All blood comes through here and that is

  • Transformation gives troops advantage in operations

    If the Defense Department's training transformation effort was summed up into a simple bumper-sticker-type slogan, it would read, "Train as you operate," a senior Defense Department official told the Pentagon Channel. That's a concept that Paul Mayberry, deputy undersecretary of defense for

  • Air Force accepting physician assistant applications

    The Air Force is taking applications from active-duty enlisted Airmen for Physician Assistant Phase I training classes beginning in January, April and August 2008. The selection board convenes at the Air Force Personnel Center on March 27. Completed applications must arrive at HQ AFPC/DPAMW, 550 C

  • Allied aircrews train for action

    More than 300 German and American aircrews are expanding their scope of modern coalition warfare during a two-week training exercise that concludes June 30. The exercise is the final stage of training for weapons instructors with the German Air Force Flying Training Center, or GAF-TC, stationed at

  • Spouses overseas get funding to pursue degrees

    Diane Rhinehart is ready to compete in the job market once she and her active-duty husband return to the United States next summer. During her stay here, the mother of four has completed her master's degree in education from the University of Phoenix with the help of the Air Force. Mrs. Rhinehart is

  • Direct hire authority offers flexible civilian recruitment

    Direct hire authority provides Air Force managers the capability to hire employees when the Office of Personnel Management determines a severe candidate shortage or critical hiring need exists. Working with civilian personnel flight specialists, the program allows managers to recruit and hire

  • F-22 excels at establishing air dominance

    Beginning with Lot 7 production of the F-22 Raptor, the Air Force hopes to enter into a cost-saving, multi-year procurement contract with the aircraft and engine manufacturer. According to Maj. Gen. Richard B.H. Lewis, Air Force executive officer for the F-22 program, a multi-year procurement

  • Medical Airmen train with Honduran ENT residents

    The hallways inside Hospital Escuela and sidewalks outside are lined with patients who have come here from throughout Honduras. The patients are waiting to be seen by medical residents at this training hospital specializing in the ear, nose and throat treatment. The residents have been joined by

  • DOD, Tricare continue to enhance benefits

    The Department of Defense continues to enhance the Tricare benefit while providing cost-effective healthcare for 9.2 million eligible beneficiaries worldwide. Enhancements for this year include: -- Colorectal cancer screening for beneficiaries age 50 and older who are at normal risk.-- The Tricare

  • U-2s boast new, improved cockpit

    An improved U-2S Dragon Lady offering greater pilot awareness and improved safety arrived here June 14 as part of the Reconnaissance Avionics Modernization Program.The program's goal is to improve the maintainability and reliability of the aircraft."The Block 20 aircraft is a new, modern cockpit

  • Airmen teach skills to Afghans to rebuild their country

    Saeed graduated from a Qalat Provincial Reconstruction Team trade school eight months ago after learning carpentry and plumbing skills. Recently, the PRT trade school's mission of teaching life skills to the people of Afghanistan compelled Saeed to return to the school, not as a student, but as a

  • Testers set sights on joint strike fighter

    Allowing a pilot to turn in any direction but still have access to information on the heads-up display at the front of the cockpit is the aim of testing here. Members of the 412th Test Wing completed a project June 20 to help evaluate a helmet-mounted display system for the F-35 joint strike

  • Agriculture day in Afghan province brings hope

    The future for residents here is full of hope thanks to programs and initiatives directed by Gov. Haji Bahlol and supported by the Panjshir Provincial Reconstruction Team. The governor established education and agriculture as his top two priorities respectively, and he is following word with action.

  • Last Block 10 Global Hawk arrives for check flights

    An RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle, the last Block 10 production aircraft, arrived here for a thorough checkup before delivery to an operational squadron. The aircraft will undergo a series of acceptance and operational check flights by the 452nd Flight Test Squadron before flying to Beale

  • Electronic claims enhance Tricare pharmacy benefit

    Tricare beneficiaries with other health insurance no longer have to file paper claims for prescriptions filled at most retail pharmacies. Retail pharmacists can immediately submit electronic claims to Tricare when beneficiaries purchase medications. "It is a great example of how collaboration with

  • The ABCs of PRT

    The provincial reconstruction teams' efforts in Afghanistan are so successful Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice used them as a template to inaugurate the first U.S.-led PRT in Iraq in November. While addressing the Senate Committee of Foreign Relations last fall, Secretary Rice said, "To execute

  • 'Lean tools' hammer waste, improve processes

    Many people within Air Force Materiel Command associate toolboxes with maintenance-oriented jobs. However, with the renewed emphasis on continuous improvement, more people are turning to their "Lean" toolbox. This toolbox contains various Lean improvement tools that are part of Air Force Smart

  • AFRL awards $10.2 million contract to Lockheed Martin

    The Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded a $10,251,024 contract in support of its "Integrated Sensor IS Structure," or ISIS program, to Lockheed Martin Corp., Maritime Systems and Sensors, of Akron, Ohio. The two-year contract is funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of

  • International cadet program expands at academy

    The U.S. Air Force Academy's first cadets from Iraq, Afghanistan, Rwanda, Belize and Madagascar begin their academy experience today. They are among 20 international basic cadet trainees who begin inprocessing to join the Class of 2010. The new international basic cadet trainees hail from:

  • Officials name aircrew life support award winners

    Air Force officials here have announced the 2005 Outstanding Air Force Aircrew Life Support of the Year award winners. These awards recognize the accomplishments of aircrew life support people and programs. The 2005 winners are: -- Headquarters Staff Member of the Year: Master Sgt. Richard Colson,

  • Retraining program achieves 95 percent success

    The NCO Retraining Program, designed to balance the enlisted force by moving NCOs from career fields with overages to those with shortages, has reached an unprecedented 95 percent of the Air Staff goal for the fiscal 2006 program. This is the most successful NCORP to date, said officials from the

  • Academy grad earns Academic All-America status

    A recent U.S. Air Force Academy graduate was named to the 2006 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Track and Field/Cross Country University Division Third Team by the Collegiate Sports Information Directors of America on Tuesday, June 20. A two-time conference champion, 2nd Lt. Nick Wilson

  • DOD establishes mental health task force

    The formation of a congressionally directed task force to examine matters related to mental health and the armed forces was announced June 21 by Defense Department officials. "This is an extremely important effort involving a collaboration of DOD, federal and private sector experts in mental

  • A simple test can save a life

    Many servicemembers know that donating blood can help others, but there is another way to make an even greater difference in someone's life -- donating bone marrow.A staff sergeant from the 730th Air Mobility Squadron here did just that, recently returning to full duty only two weeks after the

  • C-5 still going strong after 38 years

    Thirty-eight years after the C-5 Galaxy made its maiden flight on June 30, 1968, it marks another significant milestone. At Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Ga., on Monday, June 19, the upgraded C-5M made its first flight right on schedule. A rollout ceremony for the first of 111 C-5Ms was held at the

  • Central Command's mission more than Iraq, Afghanistan

    U.S. Central Command is responsible for more than fighting the war on terror in Iraq and Afghanistan, and CENTCOM officials emphasize they are not ignoring the challenges in the rest of their area of operations. A senior CENTCOM official, speaking on background June 12, said the major enemy in the

  • Community at large benefits from space innovation

    In the midst of budget cuts and space program cost overruns, the Air Force has found a way to save taxpayers money and, at the same time, increase small satellite launch capability to its maximum potential. It’s called the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Secondary Payload Adapter, or ESPA, ring.

  • Balancing capability portfolios key to Air Force success

    Every day, news headlines tout successes of the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan, but seldom make mention of Air Force contributions. Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. John D. W. Corley told lawmakers and defense industry insiders on Capitol Hill June 14 that that lack of coverage doesn't mean

  • Edwards team performs second test of small launch vehicle

    A 418th Flight Test Squadron team performed the second in a series of tests June 14 by airdropping a 65-foot, 65,000-pound mockup of a booster rocket from a C-17 Globemaster III over the Edwards precision impact range area. The drop, performed at 29,500 feet above sea level, was part of a project

  • Operation Air Force brings cadets to the fight

    Nineteen U.S. Air Force Academy cadets have deployed to Southwest Asia for a month as part of Operation Air Force. The career-broadening program brought a total of 52 senior cadets to three air bases in the region to learn more about what they will do once they receive their commissions. It also

  • ESC delivers French AWACS capability

    Radars on the French Airborne Warning and Control System fleet are now more capable thanks to a recently completed improvement effort managed by the Electronic Systems Center. The French AWACS Radar System Improvement Program concluded this month with the delivery of the fourth and final French E-3F

  • Core values start with oath

    For the Air Force core values program to be effective, those values must be linked to the oath taken when entering military service, said Rabbi Arnold Resnicoff, special assistant to the Air Force secretary and chief of staff for values and vision. "Core values (form) a framework for a vision," he

  • AFRL awards $8 million contract to Raytheon

    The Air Force Research Laboratory has awarded a $7,996,471 contract to Raytheon Systems, Co., of El Segundo, Calif., for a surveillance sensor program.The two-year contract is funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency of Arlington, Va., in support of its Integrated Sensor IS Structure,

  • Exercise tests intelligence platform

    U.S. Strategic Command and the Air Force are among the government agencies testing the Dynamic Time Critical Warfighting Capability, or DTCWC, platform against realistic threat systems here during Northern Edge 2006. Designed to analyze intelligence and verify its potential accuracy, the DTCWC

  • Scientific researchers review molecular dynamics

    The Air Force Office of Scientific Research here completed a periodic review of its molecular dynamics research program during an annual conference last week.More than 90 researchers and scientists attended the 2006 Contractors Meeting in Molecular Dynamics. Organizations represented included the

  • Gulfport evacuees receive helping hand

    It's been more than eight months since Hurricane Katrina displaced thousands of people. Veterans who stayed at the Armed Forces Retirement Home in Gulfport, Miss., were among those who had to leave. More than 400 of the 600 residents were evacuated to the AFRH here and have been without most of

  • Air Force announces integration, information award winners

    The winners of the Air Force’s annual Warfighting Integration and Chief Information Officer Awards for 2005 have been announced. “Each year, the quality of the nominations we receive shows we have troops at every level of command who continue to excel in conducting warfighter missions around the

  • Hawaii Airmen to deliver health care to Fiji

    Pacific Air Forces and 15th Medical Group Airmen left here June 14 on a health care mission to Suva, Fiji, where they will train Fijian military leaders and participate in a humanitarian outreach program. “We’re going to be working with the Fiji Ministry of Health and Fiji School of Medicine to

  • Research lab tests fuel-efficient, flying-wing aircraft

    A new aircraft with the potential to get up to 30 percent better fuel mileage because of its unique flying-wing shape is being tested by the Air Force Research Laboratory and industry partners. The prototype blended wing body, or BWB, aircraft is a modified, triangular-shaped aircraft configuration

  • Joint Prowler team jams at Northern Edge 2006

    The sight of four crewmembers climbing out of a Navy EA-6B Prowler here on the flightline during Northern Edge 2006 is not unusual. However, when one of those four crewmembers is carrying the blue flight cap of an Air Force officer instead of Navy khaki, something might be amiss. But that is not the

  • AFA names Air Force civilians of year

    The winners of the 2006 Air Force Association Outstanding Air Force Civilian of the Year Awards have been announced. The awards recognized the following Air Force civilian employees in their respective categories:-- Civilian Wage Employee: Michael Hartsfield, Seymour-Johnson Air Force Base, N.C. --

  • FOD is Public Enemy No. 1

    Tiny objects make big trouble for jet engines -- something smaller than a fingernail can destroy an engine worth hundreds of thousands, even millions, of dollars. Foreign object damage, or FOD, typically occurs when small objects such as hardware fragments from aircraft are ingested into the

  • Keesler newcomers face family housing hurdles

    As this base struggles with housing shortages from Hurricane Katrina's wake, Airmen being assigned here accompanied by family members need to have a plan before they leave their current assignment. Due to Katrina, permission for servicemembers to bring their family members to Keesler has become much