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U.S. Air Force News

  • CSAF signs Air Force Basic Doctrine

    The service’s core document outlining the enduring basics of air and space power has been revised and hard copies will be in the hands of every officer and top-three noncommissioned officer by spring 2004.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper approved the latest revision to Air Force Doctrine

  • Civilian makes sculptures from recyclables

    Turning discarded aluminum soda cans, fabric, cardboard, plastic, glass, newspaper and wood into environmental art is a labor of love for Helen Walker.“Environmental art sculptures are very effective because they tell a story,” said the quality assurance evaluator for the 89th Civil Engineer

  • Simulator improves command post training

    A state-of-the-art simulator in the 334th Training Squadron here is giving command post apprentice course students vivid training, making them more mission-ready upon graduation.The new $500,000 simulator replaced a 20-year-old system that was losing its upgrade capability, said squadron

  • Families ‘guarded’ while loved ones deployed

    Saying goodbye is never easy, especially to children who may not understand why their parents must deploy to support their country.One of the many tools Minnesota Family Programs Office officials offer is the Guardian Bear, which is available for children ranging in age from birth to 16 years.The

  • 'Starr' helps NORAD track Santa

    A “Starr” in the east will help guide North American Aerospace Defense Command’s Santa-tracking tradition Dec. 24. The Starr is none other than former Beatle, Ringo Starr, who will be NORAD’S honorary Santa tracker for Christmas 2003.“Santa and I are personal friends,” Starr said from his home in

  • New schools, centers of excellence created

    Two new centers of excellence and two Air Force schools have been created, Air Mobility Warfare Center officials announced Nov. 25.The warfare center now will be home to the centers for agile-combat support and for air mobility as well as the U.S. Air Force Mobility Operations School and the U.S.

  • AF leaders send holiday message

    The following is a joint message from Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper:“Thanksgiving is a wonderful national tradition that provides a special opportunity to recount our blessings as Americans.“Today, we have much for which to be

  • Technology helps locate shooters

    Military people in world hotspots might soon tell where people shooting at them are located by using technology Defense Department and Air Force researchers are developing.Network Embedded Systems Technology uses a system of sensor nodes that can be scattered throughout a given area, checkpoint,

  • ACSC launches force-development curriculum

    More than 500 majors attending Air Command and Staff College here are the first to experience a more robust and tougher curriculum. The changes, directed by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper, prepare officers for operational career broadening and increase their knowledge of military

  • SG: Lessons learned in OEF help in Iraq

    Lessons learned in Operation Enduring Freedom have resulted in better patient care and better interoperability with other services during Operation Iraqi Freedom, said the Air Force surgeon general. He recently completed a 10-day tour visit to the OEF and OIF theaters.“We learned a large number of

  • Gunship crew earns MacKay trophy

    An AC-130H Spectre gunship crew from the 16th Special Operations Squadron here was awarded the Clarence MacKay Trophy recently for most meritorious flight of the year.The 14 airmen of “Grim 31” received the Air Force-level award for saving the lives of 82 U.S. soldiers and two HH-60 Pave Hawk

  • Doctrine summit focuses on lessons learned

    Doctrine Summit IV gave Air Force leaders the chance to discuss lessons learned from recent and on-going operations and to assess practices for better educating, organizing, training and equipping the service to fight the next fight.The summit was held Nov. 17 and 18 at the Air Force Doctrine

  • New protection ahead in helmets, body armor

    New, reinforced helmets and body armor currently being fielded to the military represent just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what is on the drawing board for protecting warfighters of the future.The future fighting force will have far superior protective systems that provide enhanced

  • Officials focus on ‘art-of-war’ decisions

    A new capability demonstrated by Electronic Systems Center officials here drives right to the heart of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen John P. Jumper’s quest for “machine-to-machine” automation of command and control.Known as Synchronized Air Power Management, this process gets air battle managers out

  • Space-acquisitions policy changes

    Air Force leaders announced a change in space-acquisition policy at a Senate Armed Services subcommittee meeting Nov. 18.Undersecretary of the Air Force Peter B. Teets and Lt. Gen. Brian Arnold, Space and Missile Systems Center commander, testified before members of the strategic forces

  • Air Force board game debuts Dec. 1

    A new game is scheduled to hit the shelves of base exchanges Dec. 1 when the Army and Air Force Exchange Service introduces Air Force Edition Monopoly.“This is a one-of-a-kind board game dedicated to the men and women of the United States Air Force,” said Chris Burton, of the exchange

  • Personal beacon used in first rescue

    A Cleveland man was rescued Nov. 14 through the help of a personal locator beacon and efforts of Air Force Rescue Coordination Center officials here. The rescue marks the first such use of personal locator beacons in the contiguous United States.Carl Skalak was in the Adirondack Mountains of

  • Coalition health care a combined effort

    The mission of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing here is to project combat airpower in the U.S. Central Command area of operations. But that mission is not possible without a fit, healthy team of international coalition members operating as a cohesive team. Medics from the 376th Expeditionary

  • Work on 'LANs' proves airworthy

    A C-135C Speckled Trout crew recently tested an airborne local-area-network system designed to provide global broadband communications via satellite.A year in the making, the flight test launched a six-month initiative to prove this commercial off-the-shelf system can provide high-speed Internet,

  • First C-5 arrives at Balad

    The first C-5 Galaxy arrived here Nov. 12, from Dover Air Force Base, Del., increasing the Air Force presence at the Army's Logistical Support Area. A 14-person crew and about 21 truckloads of war materiel were on board the aircraft."This event is a significant milestone in support of the global

  • Elmendorf first to field new AIM-9X

    The 12th and 19th fighter squadrons here are the first operational units within the Department of Defense to field and train with the new AIM-9X Sidewinder.A ceremony celebrating the achievement was held here Nov. 13. “We’re thrilled the 3rd Wing has the opportunity to be on the cutting edge of

  • City-base concept still progressing

    What used to be Brooks Air Force Base here is through its first year of morphing into a technology and business park via a unique partnership between the Air Force and San Antonio.Now known as Brooks City-Base, the technology park has sparked interest from numerous companies and organizations

  • Lecture honors retired general

    The Southern Medical Association held its first lecture Nov. 8 named for retired Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Walter John Giller in Atlanta. The lecture is in tribute to the former mobilization assistant to the Air Force surgeon general who retired in December 1998 and died March 13.The Giller lecture reviewed

  • First C-5 Galaxy aircraft retires

    The first C-5 Galaxy to be retired from the Air Force inventory was delivered Nov. 4 to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.Maintainers here prepared the Lackland AFB, Texas-based aircraft for long-term storage. The gigantic C-5 is an outsized

  • Team helps get news to America

    Senior coalition leaders in Iraq are about to increase their ability to keep America informed.Two state-of-the-art ultracompact satellite terminals -- along with a two-person team to set them up and get them working -- are on their way to Iraq. Starting in late November, the satellites will beam

  • New bird radar tracks patterns

    A bird-radar system here is a step toward the future of being able to advise air-traffic controllers and pilots of bird activity in the base’s airspace. “The bird-radar program could go amazing places,” said Herman Griese, 3rd Civil Engineer Squadron wildlife biologist. The system will be able to

  • New equipment improves cancer treatment

    Wilford Hall Medical Center’s radiation oncology department recently purchased a new linear accelerator that is significantly improving patient care.Wilford Hall officials said they began performing radiation therapy more than 30 years ago, using a cobalt unit with an active radiation source, a

  • Hiking adventure cements friendship

    Airman 1st Class Chas Kabanuck will be honored by the American Red Cross on Nov. 21 for his heroism after saving the life of his new friend in mid-February.Kabanuck and Airman 1st Class Ryan Dean had only been friends for two weeks after they met during their four weeks in McChord's first term

  • Top soldier advocates AF relationship

    The relationship of the Army to the airlift and tanker community is one of the “most important relationships that we have,” said the Army chief of staff during the 35th Airlift/Tanker Association convention here.In the convention’s closing address Nov. 1, Army Gen. Peter J. Schoomaker discussed

  • Importance of enlisted force stressed

    Several events focusing on the needs and future the Air Force enlisted force proved that the 35th Airlift Tanker Association convention here was as important to enlisted members as it was for the officer corps, civilians and contractors.The convention, which ran Oct. 30 through Nov. 2, featured

  • Airmen bring fallen firefighter home

    Two of the pallbearers who carried the casket bearing the body of California firefighter Steven Rucker had fought alongside him as he defended a house from the Cedar Fire. Another two had served as his captains in the Novato Calif. Fire Protection District where he worked. The pallbearers brought

  • AMC panel discusses family support services

    Air Mobility Command leaders discussed upcoming changes and programs geared to support military families and servicemembers during a special seminar at the 35th Airlift/Tanker Association convention here Oct. 31.Responding to U.S. Transportation Command and AMC Commander Gen. John W. Handy's concept

  • CSAF: The time for air mobility is now

    In a major speech to the Airlift/Tanker Association convention here Oct. 31, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper said air mobility is coming into its own.“The time for air mobility is now,” Jumper said. “It’s here, and it’s time to take it to the next level.”Jumper was one of the main

  • Fly Away teams provide remote security

    A C-130 Hercules crew landing at a classified location does not find many, if any, familiar faces when they step off their aircraft. Airfield officials seem polite and perhaps even friendly, but the ring of local security workers outside the airplane is more interested in the Hercules and its crew

  • Roche opens airlift, tanker convention

    Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche opened this year’s Airlift/Tanker Association national convention here with one main purpose in mind.“I especially wanted to attend to say thank you to the air mobility team … for your contributions to our war on terrorism and for the vital mission you

  • Fire blamed for Altus C-17 mishap

    A fire on a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Altus Air Force Base, Okla., caused a flight to be aborted and the plane to be evacuated during a mishap June 25.An Air Force investigation team determined a fire in the vicinity of the No. 1 engine started when a hose burst, allowing hydraulic fluid to

  • Air Force details force development

    A newly formed council will oversee the Air Force’s initiative to develop people with the enduring skills and occupational competencies necessary to meet future air and space mission challenges.Force-development council officials will provide Air Force-level guidance for regulatory policies, program

  • Climate survey hits halfway point

    Since its launch Oct. 1, more than 25 percent of Air Force people have taken advantage of the opportunity to speak to their leaders through the 2003 Air Force Climate Survey. The survey’s importance hinges on maximum participation, and the more people who participate, the better the results,

  • Four wings help fight wildfires

    Pilots flying eight Air Force C-130 Hercules cargo airplanes have dropped 129,600 gallons of retardant on the Simi Fire in Southern California during 48 sorties and 32 flying hours as of Oct. 29.The aircraft are equipped with the modular airborne firefighting system. The system is a self-contained,

  • Air Force role in Basra is different

    For anyone flying into Basra International Airport, the feeling certainly must be different than flying into Baghdad International.First of all, anyone stepping off the plane is immediately greeted by British Royal Air Force airmen, which is certainly different than Baghdad. Additionally, the area

  • Wildfire support continues

    Airmen from three wings flew missions from Channel Islands Air National Guard Station, Calif., Oct. 29 to help fight the California wildfires. C-130 Hercules aircraft equipped with modular airborne firefighting systems have flown more than 24 sorties and dropped more than 64,000 gallons of retardant

  • Pilot’s final flight a ‘family affair’

    After flying more than 8,700 hours in Air Force planes, an Arkansas Air National Guard C-130 Hercules pilot flew the most memorable two hours of his entire 34-year career Oct. 28.Lt. Col. Larry Hill, a 154th Training Squadron pilot, said his last two hours of flying were the best because he was

  • Airmen help fight California wildfires

    Airmen are helping combat the wildfires raging in California, officials said Oct. 28.Two C-130 Hercules equipped with modular airborne firefighting systems began operations Oct. 27, and more will follow. The system is a self-contained, 3,000-gallon aerial fluid dispersal system that fits in the

  • Falconer major player in Red Flag

    The airmen from U.S. Air Forces in Europe’s Falconer Air Operations Center are here integrating their craft with pilots and controllers who fly the missions over the “enemy” during Red Flag.The center is comprised of 100 airmen, mostly from the 32nd Air Operations Group at Ramstein Air Base,

  • Military works on all-digital targeting system

    The U.S. military is developing an advanced communications capability for tactical fighters that will tightly connect the sensors and cockpits of many aircraft.The 2-year-old Tactical Targeting Network Technologies program links tactical jet fighters' sophisticated sensors and avionics with

  • Wargame offers insight into future

    An Air Force-sponsored wargame promises to be not only leaner than similar events in the past, but more dynamic and efficient as well.The 2004 Future Capabilities Game is scheduled for Jan. 11 to 16 at the Air Force Wargaming Institute at Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala. It will test four future Air

  • Malmstrom remembers Cuban missile crisis

    Forty-one years ago, people here played a role in one of the most dangerous events of the Cold War. For 14 days during October 1962, the world held its breath as President John F. Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev tried to reach a compromise and avoid nuclear war. In May 1962, Khrushchev,

  • Air Force announces fiscal 2004 ACP program

    The Air Force is retaining the most popular Aviator Continuation Pay options under a fiscal 2004 program, with bonus options offered to eligible pilots, navigators and air battle managers.For eligible pilots, a five-year and a “to 20” years of aviation service option will be offered at $25,000 a

  • Langley names first Raptor squadron

    The 27th Fighter Squadron will be the first of three squadrons here to transition to the F/A-22 Raptor. The Air Force’s newest fighter begins arriving in late 2004, said Col. Frank Gorenc, 1st Fighter Wing commander.“A major factor in this decision is heritage,” Gorenc said. “The (27th FS) is the

  • Robins C-141 maintenance era ends

    Thirty years of C-141 Starlifter programmed depot maintenance ended here Oct. 16 as the final aircraft left the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center. Starlifters are headed for retirement in 2006.Ending Starlifter depot-maintenance comes now because the work is scheduled on a five-year rotation,

  • Inaugural Eagle Flag concludes

    In 10 days, Air Force expeditionary combat-support people opened and established a new air base here during the Air Force's newest flag-level exercise, Eagle Flag. The inaugural exercise ended Oct. 22. Eagle Flag challenged airmen to open and establish a bare base for any mission or aircraft type,

  • Moseley discusses reconstitution

    Department of Defense leaders met with the House Armed Services Committee subcommittee on readiness Oct. 21 to discuss force reconstitution. Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley told committee members that reconstitution is one of the Air Force's top concerns."Our No. 1 task is to

  • Airmen deploy for fuel-spill-response exercise

    Airmen from the 611th Civil Engineer Squadron deployed recently to a remote radar site 250 miles northwest of here for an annual three-day fuel-spill-response exercise.The airmen tested their skills at the Tatalina Long Range Radar Site, one of the 18 remote radar sites that make up the Alaska Radar

  • Red Tail Express makes final delivery

    Trucks. Lots of trucks. Trucks with aircraft parts, refrigerators, wall lockers, office desks, computer equipment, construction vehicles -- some even hauling other trucks, along with hundreds of other odds and ends. All these items are loaded and strapped onto 18-wheelers and flatbed trailers,

  • AFIT honors 2003 distinguished alumni

    The Air Force Institute of Technology honored two 2003 distinguished alumni here Oct. 16. Retired Gen. Lawrence A. Skantze and Retired Lt. Gen. Richard K. Saxer were selected for their pioneering roles in science, engineering and education.“The title of ‘distinguished alumnus’ is the highest honor

  • Eagle Flag's importance stressed

    The Air Force’s top two leaders got a first-hand look Oct. 15 at the service’s newest flag-level exercise, Eagle Flag. They also talked about what they want every airman to know about the exercise.Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper

  • Workshops help parents with school transfers

    "If you'd been here two weeks earlier, we could have gotten this taken care of, and your child would be graduating with the rest of the class."That is one of the last things military parents want to hear a counselor say when their children transfer from one school to another around the globe,

  • Falconer will control Red Flag sky

    America’s ability to dominate air and space during war is being tested Oct. 19 to 31. About 90 airmen from U.S. Air Forces in Europe’s 32nd Air Operations Group will descend on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., to participate in Red Flag 2003.The airmen comprise what is called a Falconer Air Operations

  • NORAD monitors U.S. sky to protect homeland

    On the morning of Sept. 11, 2001, the staff at the North American Aerospace Defense Command was poised to identify a missile test or space launch anywhere in the world, or to tell exactly how many items of "space junk" were circling the globe.What they did not know was that four commercial

  • First Eagle Flag exercise begins

    More than 150 expeditionary combat-support leaders from around the Air Force arrived here Oct. 13 for the inaugural Eagle Flag, the Air Force’s newest flag-level exercise. The goal of the exercise is to test the ability of the participants to open and establish an air base to an initial operating

  • Pace: U.S. troop strength in Korea can be cut

    United States troop strength in South Korea can be reduced because of technological advances in military art and lessons learned from combat in Afghanistan and Iraq, the nation's No. 2 military officer said here Oct. 10."I personally believe that the numbers of U.S. troops in Korea can, in fact, be

  • LASIK available for airmen

    The Air Force’s “warfighter” corneal refractive surgery program expanded its services to include Laser-Assisted In Situ Keratomileusis, or LASIK, for qualified people at its centers.Gen. T. Michael Moseley, Air Force vice chief of staff, approved a memorandum written by Lt. Gen. George “Peach”

  • Karl Malone guarantees POW/MIA recognition

    It is said that passionate people wear their hearts on their sleeves. For Los Angeles Lakers’ forward Karl Malone, he chooses to wear his on his shoe.There are more than 88,000 Americans still unaccounted for in all conflicts. The Lakers could sell out every home game and be well into the sixth

  • AF unveils force development plan

    Air Force leaders are launching a spread-the-word tour in November to explain force development, a new system that transforms how the service will train, educate and assign people to meet mission challenges.Teams led by major command general officers will visit every base to explain the details of

  • C-17 replica becomes recruiting tool

    What started as a multipurpose vehicle will be transformed into an Air Force recruiting tool when a small-scale replica of a C-17A Globemaster III being built is completed. Volunteers from the 315th and 437th airlift wings here are working on the project.The idea for the project came from Michael

  • New supercomputer doubles capacity

    A new, $15.1 million supercomputer formally began operations here Oct. 6, giving the Aeronautical Systems Center's Major Shared Resource Center here more than double the computing capability and available compute-hours.The new system is the largest such computer in the world. It has a computing

  • Final tests begin on C-130J systems

    An electronic warfare test team here began the final phase of testing Oct. 7 of an integrated defensive system installed on a C-130J Hercules. Testing should be complete by Thanksgiving, with publication of the final test report scheduled for February 2004.The C-130J, a medium-range tactical

  • Board releases F-16 accident report

    An F-16 pilot's failure to follow emergency checklist procedures for a failed hydraulic pump caused the F-16CG Fighting Falcon he was taxiing to collide with a parked F-16 at a forward-operating location June 15.The aircraft, assigned to the 388th Fighter Wing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, was

  • Warfighters reach back to Langley

    Each day during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Airman 1st Class Jamie O'Connell would drive home from Langley Air Force Base after fighting the war in Iraq, and with traffic, it took her about 15 minutes.She is an imagery analyst in the 30th Intelligence Squadron, working at Distributed Ground System 1

  • Software helps put bombs on target

    Since March 19, warfighters have dropped 21,300 munitions in Operation Iraqi Freedom. Tens of thousands more have been dropped or launched during Operation Enduring Freedom and that many more stand ready if and when the call comes.To account for all the munitions the Air Force owns, ammunition

  • October issue of Airman available

    Learn about what it took to make the air war over Iraq a success, read about the end of an era in Saudi Arabia, and take a look into a drag-racing teen’s lifelong obstacles. These features and more highlight the October issue of Airman magazine, now available in print and online at

  • Young Iraqis arrive at Ramstein

    Eighteen Iraqi children are now receiving long-awaited medical care from the state of Rheinland-Pfalz, Germany, thanks to the help of the U. S. Air Force.The children, ages 6 months to 16 years, arrived here Oct. 6 on a C-141 Starlifter from McGuire Air Force Base, N.J., out of Baghdad International

  • Eberhart: U.S. better prepared against terror

    The United States is now better prepared to face terrorist threats and the U.S. Northern Command will continue to improve U.S. capabilities, according to its commander, Gen. Ralph Eberhart.Eberhart said Northern Command brings a focus on planning and training to the homeland-defense mission that was

  • AMC reactivates 18th Air Force

    The first major change in the Air Force’s organizational structure in more than a decade occurred here Oct. 1. During a formal ceremony, Air Mobility Command officials reactivated 18th Air Force, to lead the command’s global airlift, air refueling and aeromedical evacuation operations.During the

  • System integrates military pay, personnel

    A new Web-based system will integrate all of the services' military personnel and pay systems, Department of Defense officials announced Sept. 29.The Defense Integrated Military Human Resources System will provide "one-stop shopping" for servicemembers when it is fully implemented, officials

  • NCO gives wife priceless gift

    Flowers, chocolates and jewelry are gifts any woman would love from her husband. There is even the famous saying: "Diamonds are a girl’s best friend." Sometimes though, the most precious gifts are ones that cannot be bought -- like the one Staff Sgt. Anthony Lucas gave to his high-school

  • First Raptor arrives at Tyndall

    The first operational F/A-22 Raptor was delivered to the Air Force’s F/A-22 schoolhouse here Sept. 26. Tyndall, once known as “The Home of Air Superiority” became “The Home of Air Dominance,” with the arrival of its first F/A-22. The Raptor will eventually replace the F-15 Eagle and sets the

  • Fighters benefit from Link 16

    A recent Electronic Systems Center effort has improved targeting accuracy and allowed air operations centers to change F-15 Eagle and F-15E Strike Eagle mission variables “on the fly.”Members of the Tactical Data Link System Program Office equipped all 22 operational F-15 active-duty and Air

  • Travis team treats battlefield wounded

    The aeromedical staging facility at David Grant Medical Center here cares for some of the most precious cargo in the Air Force: its people."Since the beginning of hostilities in Iraq … earlier this year, Travis' ASF has seen more than 200 patients come through (its) staging facility and departure

  • Guardsmen, reservists essential to war effort

    National Guard and Reserve forces "have been absolutely essential" to the war on terrorism, the commander of U.S. Central Command told the Senate Appropriations Committee. His comments came during a Sept. 24 hearing about the fiscal 2004 supplemental funding request for Iraq and Afghanistan."We

  • Reservists support Operation Deep Freeze

    Reservists from the 445th Airlift Wing here headed to Antarctica on Sept. 26 in a C-141 Starlifter supporting Operation Deep Freeze.Aircrew members will move passengers and cargo for the National Science Foundation's research facilities in Antarctica. This mission is the second of three phases to

  • C-130 maintainers finish Herculean effort

    For two years, maintenance crews from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, have kept the 317th Airlift Group’s C-130 Hercules aircraft flying over lands far removed from the Lone Star State.This week, the unit ends 24 consecutive months of deployment and is heading home.Hercules aircrews with the 777th

  • Elmendorf opens multiplatform center

    On Sept. 24, the 3rd Wing officially opened the Air Force’s first multiplatform mission training center that uses advanced technology to maximize operational effectiveness and combat capability. The center will house multiple weapon systems simulators -- built and operated by multiple contractors

  • AF announces team-excellence awards

    Air Force officials announced the five teams selected for the 2003 Chief of Staff Team Excellence Award on Sept. 16 during the Air Force Association convention in Washington, D.C.A total of 15 teams were nominated for this year’s award, which recognizes outstanding team performance and promotes

  • Lab earns DOD modeling, simulation award

    Showcasing better and more effective ways to train, warfighter training research division experts here captured top honors in the Defense Department's 2003 Modeling and Simulation Award training category.The training systems technology team earned the award that recognizes units, organizational

  • B-2 exercises 'spirit' through deployment

    B-2 Spirit bomber crews and support teams are in Guam to participate in Coronet Dragon 49, an exercise to test their deployment capabilities and the ability to fly and fight from a forward location. The exercise sent airmen from the 325th Bomb Squadron and 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base,

  • B-2 drops 80 test JDAMs

    A B-2 Spirit bomber here released 80 inert joint direct attack munitions Sept. 10 for the first time, clearing the way for warfighters to attack that many individual targets on a single bomb run.After an 11-sortie buildup toward qualifying the B-2 for the maximum munitions load, B-2 global power

  • Fuels branch airmen repair tanks, increase storage

    With a little bit of ingenuity and hard work, airmen in the 506th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels branch here were able to salvage enemy assets and use them to their advantage.The airmen recently repaired eight underground fuel tanks to increase the branch's capability to store JP-8

  • Aircraft go through decon demo

    The final phase of a two-year long test to discover solutions to aircraft chemical and biological contamination is being conducted by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency here Sept. 8 to 24. The Large Frame Aircraft Decontamination Demonstration examined the return of once-contaminated aircraft to a

  • Squadron wins DOD maintenance award

    The 74th Fighter Squadron here has been named winner of the 2003 Secretary of Defense Maintenance Award in the small category.The A-10 Thunderbolt II unit was the only Air Force winner out of six units in the small, medium and large categories.The selection panel looked at mission accomplishments,

  • Global chiefs discuss air power

    More than 90 air power leaders from around the world convened here to interact with each other, members of Congress, national dignitaries, industry leaders and diplomats.The last Global Air Chiefs Conference, held in Las Vegas in 1997, was during the Air Force's 50th anniversary. This year's

  • AWACS airmen get noise-reduction headsets

    Interior aircraft noise has been a longtime problem when it comes to aircrews communicating with each other and protecting themselves from hearing loss. This is certainly true for aircrews who work aboard the E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft. The persistent noise the aircrews

  • Some AEF airmen will deploy longer

    Air Force officials have determined that some airmen in Air and Space Expeditionary Force Blue will remain deployed longer than the scheduled 120 days.Blue is the first of two transitional AEFs designed to bring the schedule back to a normal rotation. Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom

  • KC-135s stay perfect during 17-day hot streak

    Really good or just lucky – which describes the 376th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron?From Aug. 25 to Sept. 10, all of the KC-135 Stratotankers here were ready, willing and able to get the job done in the sky over Afghanistan.The mission-capable rate target for Air Mobility Command

  • Myers sends AF birthday message

    The following is a message from Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff:“The 18th of September this year marks the 56th birthday of the U.S. Air Force -- an important milestone on both the paths of aviation history and the defense of our Nation. This year is also the centennial

  • Officials set holiday mailing dates, policies

    The dates for mailing items to and from overseas locations in time for the holidays are fast approaching, and Military Postal Service Agency officials have suggestions for ensuring packages and letters arrive on time.In fact, customers who mail early may save money and still have an on-time

  • Airmen set up staging facility in Bulgaria

    Airmen from the 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron set up an active mobile aeromedical staging facility here for Exercise Cooperative Key 2003.The squadron is one of four in the Air Force capable of the task.“Some of us have prior real-world (staging facility) experience in (operations) Enduring

  • Miss America contestants visit Andrews

    As part of their tribute to America’s armed forces, Miss America 2003 and the 51 women competing for her crown came here Sept. 5 to join airmen for breakfast at the Andrews Officers’ Club.The airmen ate with the contestant from each of their states.The contestants signed autographs and had their

  • Deployed aircraft given ISO inspection

    Maintainers recently completed a comprehensive inspection of a deployed aircraft here for the first time when a Kentucky Air National Guard C-130 Hercules underwent a complete isochronal inspection.Isochronal inspections examine numerous essential aircraft systems like propulsion and hydraulics,

  • Airmen arrive in Poland for air meet

    U.S. pilots and maintainers arrived here Sept. 4 for an operation placing them with, and pitting them against, the world’s foremost fighter aircraft. NATO Air Meet 2003, a major recurring exercise, kicked off live-flying exercises Sept. 5 and runs through Sept. 19 here and at Powidz Air Base,