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  • Air battle management system honored

    An Air Force program that cuts across service lines and allows automated and fully integrated air battle management has been selected to receive an award of excellence.The Theater Battle Management Core Systems was chosen to receive the Association for Enterprise Integration’s Government Award for

  • Committee debates tanker lease plan

    Members of the Senate Armed Services Committee do not question the Air Force’s need for new tankers, only how the service plans to get them.Air Force Secretary Dr. James G. Roche met with the committee Sept. 4. He outlined the importance of immediately upgrading the service’s aging aerial refueling

  • Airmen join nations in exercise

    More than 70 airmen from U.S. Air Forces in Europe bases arrived here Sept. 1 for Exercise Cooperative Key 2003. They joined servicemembers from eight NATO nations and 12 partner nations.According to officials here, the goal of the exercise is to enhance the interoperability of NATO and partner

  • Romanian pilot calls Pope home

    In 1991, 13-year-old Nick Radoescu took his first trip away from home. That morning, he helped his mother pack the suitcases they would carry to the airport. He was excited because this would be his first trip to another country. He was even more excited because his family would now have

  • Airmen donate items to Bulgarian children

    Airmen of the 86th Contingency Response Group at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, donated van-loads of clothing, toys, games and books to school children here Sept 2.They brought the donated goods with them as they deployed to participate in the NATO Partnership for Peace exercise, Cooperative Key

  • Roche testifies on tanker lease

    Air Force Secretary Dr. James G. Roche testified before the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation on Sept. 3 to answer questions about the 2004 Air Force Tanker Lease Proposal.The final defense committee hearing will be held Sept. 4, in the Senate Armed Services Committee.

  • Airmen supporting JTF in Cuba

    A handful of airmen are among those supporting Joint Task Force-Guantanamo charged with supporting the detainee mission here. More than 2,000 soldiers, sailors, Marines, Coast Guardsmen and airmen are supporting the war on terrorism by providing humane treatment and care to approximately 660

  • Airmen attend Army weather course

    Several experienced Air Force forecasters completed a pilot version of a new course designed to help airmen provide weather support for Army operations.The first official staff weather officer course is scheduled for October. Its instructors teach Air Force weather specialists some of the Army’s

  • Airmen help donations reach Afghanistan

    A small contingent of airmen escorted a convoy of Kazak army trucks here from the border of Kazakhstan Aug. 27. They brought supplies for the developing Afghan national army.The convoy, consisting of 10 large cargo trucks, carried winter clothing, blankets and other field supplies donated by the

  • Jumper talks uniforms, ops, tankers

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper talked to airmen here about upcoming changes in the Air Force during a visit to the base Aug. 22.He shared his thoughts on the new fitness program, the new uniform, deployment issues and the acquisition of new tankers.All of these changes were brought on by

  • Officials release accident reports

    Air Combat Command Accident officials released the results of investigations Aug. 27 for two incidents which happened in May.The first incident involved engine damage on an F-15E Strike Eagle on May 29. Air Force investigators determined incorrect installation of compressor blade locks in the

  • AFMC welcomes new commander

    Air Force Materiel Command’s new leader officially accepted command Aug. 22 during a ceremony at the Air Force Museum here.Gen. Gregory S. Martin assumed command from Gen. Lester L. Lyles who held the position since April 2000. Following the change of command, Lyles retired after 35 years of

  • Air Force teamwork saves U.N. lives

    Airmen from several Air Force units at Baghdad International Airport rescued seven U.N. employees injured when a terrorist bomb exploded outside their headquarters here Aug. 19. Approximately 90 minutes after the attack, 301st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron officials sent two combat search and rescue

  • Air Force reorganizes acquisitions team

    Air Force officials announced a major reorganization of the acquisition management structure Aug. 20.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper and Air Force Secretary Dr. James G. Roche approved the reorganization of the service’s aircraft, weapons, and command, control and combat support

  • Airmen forging ties with Russians

    Since studying Russian culture during her college years in the early 1990s, Capt. Jessica Rhyne dreamed of seeing Russia and visiting Moscow.Her dream came true Aug. 18. Not from a tour bus, but from the cockpit of her F-16 Fighting Falcon, flying high over the city and landing at this once secret

  • FAA authorizes Global Hawk flights

    Federal Aviation Administration officials granted the Air Force's Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle a national Certificate of Authorization on Aug. 21.By doing this, the FAA helped the high-altitude, long-endurance reconnaissance aircraft take a major step toward routine flight in U.S.

  • C-9 completes last U.S. mission

    Airmen prepared for Air Evac 696's Aug. 18 mission as they would for any other. But this was not like any other mission.The aircraft, a C-9A Nightingale, was embarking on the 375th Airlift Wing's last scheduled C-9 aeromedical evacuation flight. In fact, it was the last operational C-9 AE flight

  • U.S. Air Force lands at Moscow air show

    U.S. Air Force aircraft landed at Zhukovsky airfield just south of Moscow Aug. 18 to participate in the Moscow Aviation and Space Show, a first for the U.S. military.Visitors will get a close-up look at five U.S. Air Force aircraft and see a daily F-15C Eagle aerial-demonstration flight along with

  • Lab reflects mirror technology

    A milestone in telescope-mirror technology, completed recently by Air Force scientists here, is leading to lightweight, space-based telescopes much larger than NASA's Hubble Space Telescope.Rather than use a heavy, glass mirror, researchers at the Air Force Research Laboratory’s directed energy

  • T-1 rolls off Keesler runway

    A T-1A Jayhawk rolled off the runway here Aug. 16. The crew was treated and released at the Keesler Medical Center. They are assigned to the 47th Flying Training Wing at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas.The accident happened during a routine cross-country navigation-proficiency training mission.The

  • Booster launches from Vandenberg

    A ground-based interceptor prototype booster successfully launched from here Aug. 16, supporting the Ground-based Midcourse Defense program of the Missile Defense Agency.The booster, designed by Orbital Sciences Corp., is a three-stage system based on hardware that has flown 45 times on missions

  • Helicopter flight makes 350th save

    A crew from the 40th Helicopter Flight rescued an injured horseback rider who was thrown and dragged by his horse Aug. 11 in the mountains south of Livingston, Mont. This was the 350th save by the airmen of the 40th HF.The rescue of Gary Ellis took place Aug. 12 along the shore of an alpine lake at

  • Week offers officer, enlisted interaction

    For the first time in a professional military education setting, second lieutenants and senior noncommissioned officers got together to interact. The environment allowed for improved leadership, followership and mentorship between officers and enlisted airmen.During an initiative called “Combined

  • AF works to demobilize Guard, Reserve

    The Air Force is working to return the nearly 28,000 mobilized Guard and Reserve airmen to their families and civilian jobs as quickly as possible, according to the service’s senior manpower official.“There are a full range of initiatives that we’re undertaking to accomplish the mission without

  • Team evaluates combat identification

    Nearly 2,000 people participated in a joint combat-identification exercise at the Combat Readiness Training Center here Aug. 4 to 14. The exercise focused on identifying targets when systems disagree on the target’s coordinates.An example might be when an E-8C Joint Stars and a RQ-1 Predator

  • Robots display force-protection prowess

    A demonstration of the latest in robotics and sensor technology gave security forces directors from Air Force commands worldwide some new ideas in how to protect bases and people without endangering personnel.Robotics experts put 12 robots through some amazing paces during the Aug. 6 demonstration

  • DOD is transforming training

    A Marine unit facing combat runs into opposition. The call goes out for fire support. In the past, the call would likely have gone to a Marine artillery unit or air asset.Today, that call could go to an Army helicopter unit or an Air Force precision- strike aircraft. It could go to a Navy

  • First production Global Hawk rolls out

    The first production RQ-4A Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle rolled out in ceremonies held Aug. 1 at prime contractor Northrop Grumman’s Antelope Valley Manufacturing Center at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif. Drawing back a large curtain, program officials unveiled Global Hawk in its

  • B-2 drops 80 test bombs

    In an effort to increase the B-2 Spirit's operational capability, a test force here conducted an airborne release of 80 Joint Direct Attack Munitions separation test vehicles. The separation test vehicles are inert weapons used to collect data.The Aug. 6 test was one of more than nine sorties flown

  • Airmen keep planes, spirits flying high

    Eglin airmen working at Baghdad International Airport, Iraq, are wearing various hats to keep the airplanes in the air and airmen on the ground safe.Airmen from the 728th Air Control Squadron deployed more than three months ago and have had to learn to deal with the danger and boredom that accompany

  • Air Force leads EUCOM transformation

    U.S. European Command’s deputy commander wants the command to become a more flexible, expeditionary-based fighting force for the 21st century.Key issues within the plan that will affect airmen include securing better training areas, airspace for fighter training and new forward locations for

  • Chief facing court-martial found dead

    A chief master sergeant facing a court-martial was found dead here Aug 7. Winfred B. Harrison, from the 374th Civil Engineer Squadron, failed to appear for court-martial proceedings, prompting a search by base and law enforcement officials. A squadron member found the chief's body in one of the

  • New pamphlet explains transformation

    Transformation is on the mind of every Air Force leader, but for many airmen, understanding the Air Force's plan for transformation proves difficult.The Air Force hopes a new 20-page booklet called "The Edge" will explain the concept of transformation to the service's uniformed airmen and civilian

  • McChord couple overcomes tragedy

    Reserve Senior Airman Chris Murphy was in the hospital operating room to see the birth of his daughter, Katie, at 11:34 a.m. May 1. Moments later, he told his wife, Reserve Staff Sgt. Becky Murphy, one last "I love you," before he was told to leave so the oncologist could start the fight to save

  • Airman swaps stripes for wings

    Less than two years ago, Staff Sgt. Jerry Bennett raised his eyes to the sky as a weather forecasting instructor. Today, he takes to the sky as an Air Force pilot.On Aug. 8, the second lieutenant will complete three weeks of C-21 training with the 45th Airlift Squadron, just blocks away from the

  • OIF veterans discuss lessons

    Even though the air campaign for Operation Iraqi Freedom was successful in bringing down the Iraqi regime in 21 days, leaders met here recently to discuss ways to improve upon that effort.Among the issues they covered was the responses to increased surface-to-air threats to coalition forces

  • Team Air Force cycles across Iowa

    The Team Air Force cycling team rode into town here July 27 in military formation, met by cheers, applause and chants of “Air Force, Air Force…” The event marked the end of the seven-day, 450-mile Des Moines Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa.The team, comprising about 90 cyclists and

  • Travel into Iraq easier with 'Express' ticket

    When planning a business trip, most people do not just jump in the car and drive. They plan their trip carefully to ensure they reach their intended destination safely and on time.Servicemembers traveling into and out of the Iraqi theater of operations must do the same, according to Sharon Boynton,

  • Air Force seeks female MTIs

    Staff Sgt. Lynn Barron came to Air Force basic military training in 1995 carrying one bag and one mental image of a basic military training instructor: a big, loud, gruff man with a "Smokey the Bear" hat.When Barron first encountered her MTI, the person she met was not quite who she was

  • AF announces Boeing inquiry results

    Air Force officials announced July 24 that the Boeing Company has committed serious violations of federal law. This determination is based on the service’s review into allegations of wrongdoing by Boeing during the 1998 evolved expendable launch vehicle source selection. As a result, the Air Force

  • AMC reorganizing; activating 18th Air Force

    Gen. John W. Handy, commander of U.S. Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command here, announced a major reorganization of AMC. Key to the reorganization is the activation Oct. 1 of a new numbered Air Force with its headquarters here and the re-designation of AMC's two numbered air forces.

  • Reservist dies supporting OEF

    Master Sgt. David Scott, a reservist with the 445th Airlift Wing here, died July 20 of natural causes while supporting of Operation Enduring Freedom.Scott, 49, was deployed to the U.S. Embassy in Doha, Qatar, at the time of his death. While serving at the embassy, Scott coordinated and assisted in

  • Testimony shows congressmen science, technology highlights

    Air Force leaders showcased new technologies to members of the House Armed Services Committee at the Air Force Museum here July 19. The technologies would continue to be funded by $2.2 billion in fiscal 2004.Gen. Lester Lyles, the Air Force Materiel Command commander, and Maj. Gen. Paul Nielsen,

  • Airmen fly Marines to Liberia

    Air Force HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters flew a Marine antiterrorism security team to the U.S. Embassy in Monrovia, Liberia, on July 21, according to officials here. They also evacuated 23 people.The airmen and helicopters are assigned to the 56th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron from Naval Air Station

  • Five students earn COF Awards

    Five high-school students from across the nation were awarded cash prizes totaling $17,000 during the Century of Flight Awards ceremony July 17 at the 2003 Dayton Air Show.The students, chosen from 175 competitors, received their awards from Maj. Gen. Paul Nielsen, Air Force Research Laboratory

  • PACAF names first responders

    Military commanders used to look at a deployment location and ask, “Who’s going in first?” Gen. William J. Begert, Pacific Air Forces commander, answered that question for PACAF by creating the 613th Contingency Response Group here. “We were developed to provide a short-notice, light and lean,

  • Guardsmen detail close-air support

    Three days into Operation Iraqi Freedom, Lt. Col. Dave Kennedy got a new mission: Go to Tallil Air Base in Iraq and ready it for A-10 Thunderbolt II missions.Kennedy, the commander of the Michigan Air National Guard's 110th Operations Group, knew the mission could be an enormous asset in the war

  • Mars rovers using AFRL batteries

    As the Mars exploration rovers "Spirit" and "Opportunity" race toward the Red Planet, part of the Air Force Research Laboratory is soaring with them.The two rovers, expected to touch down and explore opposite sides of Mars in early 2004, are powered by rechargeable lithium-ion batteries researched

  • Airmen support operations in Liberia

    It is a hot, humid, rainy day here, and airmen from the 56th Rescue Squadron out of Naval Air Station Keflavik, Iceland, are feeling the heat. The airmen, along with others from the 786th Security Forces Squadron at Sembach Air Base, Germany, deployed here July 13 to support operations in Liberia.

  • Museum welcomes pioneering technology

    Two aircraft technology demonstrators will become part of the U.S. Air Force Museum in a turnover ceremony July 16.The Bird of Prey and X-36 technology demonstrators will be officially transferred to the museum during the ceremony.Featuring a shape similar to its Klingon namesake from “Star Trek”

  • AF sends tanker report to Congress

    Air Force officials July 14 took the next step in replacing its 43-year-old KC-135 Stratotanker fleet by sending Congress a report outlining the proposed lease of Boeing KC-767A tankers.Under the lease, 100 aircraft would be delivered five years sooner than under a traditional procurement plan,

  • AWACS techs get paperless link

    The E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System became the first weapon system to provide technicians with a paperless link between an aircraft parts manual and the base supply system.Technicians from the 552nd Equipment Maintenance Squadron here have been participating in a test program for a

  • Air Force names top combat controllers

    Four veterans of Operation Enduring Freedom earned top honors as the Air Force’s 2002 Combat Controllers of the Year, according to officials.Capt. Patrick Ward, from the 23rd Special Tactics Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla., is the Combat Control Company Grade Officer of the Year.Ward served as the

  • Lancer drops joint standoff weapons

    A B-1B Lancer test crew here recently dropped the Joint Standoff Weapon for the first time from the long-range bomber, according to Air Force Flight Test Center officials here.The four-person test team from the 419th Flight Test Squadron released two standoff weapons as part of ongoing separation

  • Combat training goes rangeless

    The P5 Combat Training System introduced recently promises to revolutionize training by allowing warfighting pilots to test their skills anywhere, versus in limited air space, according to Air Armament Center officials here.The system uses pods that communicate with each other. The pods enable

  • KC-135 adds communications-relay capability

    While mostly known as a “flying gas station,” the KC-135 Stratotanker has served in many mission roles throughout its 45-plus years of service.The aircraft has been a flying command post, an observation platform for the Open Skies Treaty, a zero-gravity simulator and a flying hospital.Soon, this

  • Space is ‘ultimate high ground’

    Integration of hardware, software and can-do spirit has allowed America to move into an era of space-enabled warfare, a senior Air Force space official said.And given the significant advantages space gives those who use it, that is a very good thing, according to Brig. Gen. C. Robert Kehler, Air

  • Addition extends weapon’s range

    Workers here have begun work to create greater range and accuracy for wind-corrected munitions dispensers.Area attack systems program office workers are helping design and develop wings for the dispensers as well as adding a global positioning system to aid the weapon’s inertial-guidance system.Both

  • Roadmap outlines tanker fleet changes

    The Air Force released a plan June 18 outlining the retirement of the remaining 133 E-model KC-135 Stratotankers and the proposed integration of the 100 KC-767A tankers it is leasing from Boeing.Through the “tanker roadmap,” the Air Force is laying out the initial stages of tanker recapitalization

  • Morale center keeps troops in touch

    Experts from the 5th Combat Communications Group here are providing more than just communications at Tallil Air Base, Iraq. They are boosting morale by providing phones and computers to American and coalition forces there.Word has gotten around about the 5th CCG's efforts to bridge the distance

  • Reserve air fleet call-up ending

    Gen. John W. Handy, commander of U.S. Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command, has determined that continuing the Civil Reserve Air Fleet call-up is not required. Fleet carriers have been notified that passenger aircraft called up to support Operation Iraqi Freedom will be released June

  • McGuire Starlifters thrive

    The 6th Airlift Squadron here may be the last active-duty squadron in the Air Force still flying C-141B Starlifters; however, the aircraft is far from being retired.Though the squadron is being drawn down to make way for the C-17 Globemaster III, its operations tempo has been on the rise. The

  • Ramstein continues Algerian relief

    More humanitarian relief supplies were in the sky June 5 as three C-130 Hercules aircraft flew from Ramstein to earthquake-stricken Algeria. This is the second humanitarian mission bringing eight pallets containing more than 6 tons of much-needed supplies to the people in the areas surrounding

  • U.S. forces moving in South Korea

    U.S. and South Korean officials have agreed to a plan to realign American forces stationed in "The Land of the Morning Calm."In meetings held June 4 and 5 in Seoul, according to a joint U.S.-South Korean statement, the operation will consist of two phases:Phase 1 -- U.S. forces at installations

  • Leaders hold town-hall meeting

    Battle lessons learned, professional military education and air and space expeditionary force issues headlined discussions between Air Force leaders and 300 military and civilian people here during a first Air Force Town Hall meeting June 5.Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche; Gen. John P.

  • ANG is a family tradition

    For the McCann family of Minneapolis, serving in the Minnesota Air National Guard has become a family tradition, one that has been carried on for three generations.Jack McCann laid the groundwork by serving 30 years as a flight engineer, retiring as a chief master sergeant in 1983.Growing up with a

  • Air Force teams win acquisition awards

    Two Air Force teams received the 2003 David Packard Excellence in Acquisition Award during a ceremony June 4 at Fort Belvoir, Va.The Air Force winners of the Department of Defense’s most prestigious team award for acquisition excellence are the Joint Direct Attack Munition’s joint program office and

  • Cooperative Cope Thunder kicks off

    Pacific Air Force's premier simulated combat-airpower employment exercise kicked off June 5, bringing allied nations to two bases in Alaska for training.Cooperative Cope Thunder runs through June 20 with operations here and at Eielson Air Force Base.The exercise showcases multinational airlift

  • Crew chief circles Earth 104 times

    Tech. Sgt. Rodger Folkerts is the first person to reach the 5,000-hour mark in a C-17 Globemaster III.It has been an “amazing” journey, said the aircraft pneudraulics specialist and flying crew chief.Folkerts reached the 5,000-hour mark during a recent Operation Enduring Freedom mission, according

  • OIF aircrews donate to museum

    Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans started the OIF page in the Air Force Museum's history book here June 4 by donating items they used on combat missions.Aircrews presented the items during a ceremony at the museum. The items will be displayed to show one of many Air Force undertakings that are being

  • Airman gets wounded brother-in-law home

    Capt. Mike Lentz has always taken pride in his work. As a special-assignment airlift-missions planner at Air Mobility Command's Tanker Airlift Control Center here, Lentz coordinates airlift for dignitaries such as the president, secretary of defense and other high-profile individuals.The importance

  • June issue of Airman available

    Learn about some of the famous firsts in military aviation, read about the continuing mission in Afghanistan and take a look at the “Warriors of the North” at Grand Forks Air Force Base, N.D. These features and more highlight the June issue of Airman magazine, now available in print and online at

  • C-17 weapons instructor course set for July

    This summer, a very select group of C-17 instructor pilots will head back to school in an effort to earn their Globemaster III doctorate.Starting July 3, the four students will become the first class at the new five-and-a-half-month C-17 Weapons Instructor Course at McGuire Air Force Base, N.J.“The

  • Phoenix Readiness training ends

    Air Mobility Command’s Phoenix Readiness combat training has ended and will be replaced in October by the Air Force's expeditionary combat-support training program, Eagle Flag. The training cadre at the Air Mobility Warfare Center here are excited about Eagle Flag.“It's exciting for us to be

  • Air Force helps Iraqi dog immigrate

    A German shepherd of Iraqi descent arrived here May 30 aboard a C-17 Globemaster III after putting his life on the line to guard U.S. special forces.Fluffy, a dog from northern Iraq with visible scars, will retire at Fort Bragg, N.C., as an honorary military working dog.When Fluffy first joined Sgt.

  • Reservists deliver earthquake relief

    Answering the need for help after a devastating earthquake, Air Force crews delivered more than seven and a half tons of relief supplies May 30 to the rattled city of Algiers, Algeria.A 6.8-magnitude earthquake shook the coastal capital city of more than 2.3 million at 7:44 p.m. May 21. More than

  • Lab techs ensure precision engagement

    Air Force precision munitions, used with great success during Operation Iraqi Freedom, could only achieve those results through expertly calibrated weapon systems, said the service’s metrology and calibration program manager at the Pentagon.That job, said Senior Master Sgt. Maurice Hubbard, is the

  • Reserve unit takes ‘active’ role at Ramstein

    An air and space expeditionary force rotation to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, turned into a mission to move people and pallets of cargo to numerous airfields around the world, including battle-damaged runways in Iraq.In January, more than 200 activated reservists and six C-130 Hercules aircraft from

  • Japanese fighters join Alaskan exercise

    Fighters from the Japanese air self-defense force touched down on North American soil for the first time to take part in an exercise. Cooperative Cope Thunder, a Pacific Air Forces-sponsored air-combat training exercise, is set for June 5 to 20. “The Japanese involvement is very significant in the

  • Merger creates new health organization

    Two organizations here merged recently to form the Air Force Institute for Operational Health to enhance public health, improve disease surveillance and detection, and make sure America's warfighters are fit and healthy.The institute merges the Air Force Institute for Environment, Safety and

  • Guardsmen open Baghdad facility

    The 379th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron has opened a 10-bed mobile medical staging facility near the military flightline at Baghdad International Airport. Facility workers there conduct joint service, coalition and civilian air evacuation missions.In the field, after self-aid and

  • Space is ultimate high ground

    Space is the ultimate high ground and gives American forces a tremendous advantage on the battlefield, according to the Air Force’s director of space operations and integration at the Pentagon.“We must dominate space,” said Maj. Gen. Judd Blaisdell, “because it would be very difficult to conduct a

  • DOD announces details of tanker lease program

    The approval of the Air Force KC-767 tanker lease initiative was announced May 23 by Edward C. "Pete" Aldridge, under secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics.The agreement provides for leasing 100 KC-767 aircraft from the Boeing Co. for six years starting in 2006, at a cost of

  • Dover's 'first airman' visits base

    As he flew over the area on approach to the dirt "runway," he saw the farmhouse that would double as his office.There were no dorms, no paved runway lined with C-5 Galaxies, and certainly no Super Port.The year was 1941, and that was the first view of what Dover Air Force Base had to offer Drexel

  • Civil Air Patrol supports TOPOFF exercise

    May 12 to 16, Civil Air Patrol volunteers supported counterterrorism exercise TOPOFF 2 in Chicago and Seattle.The U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Department of State, in cooperation with federal, state, local and Canadian partners, sponsored the five-day, full-scale exercise and

  • Team performs sacred act at mortuary

    Sixteen airmen with the 459th Services Flight here returned home after deploying to the Dover Air Force Base, Del., mortuary in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.For these airmen, returning home had a special meaning. While deployed, they made sure those who paid the ultimate price during the war

  • Air Force Reserve support continuing

    As Operation Iraqi Freedom shifts from combat to reconstruction, hundreds of mobilized Air Force reservists are returning home to family and civilian life. Thousands more, however, remain on active duty, and Air Force Reserve Command officials here say they have no clear picture as of May 21 as to

  • New bearing system could cut costs

    Advances in bearing systems for engines powering target drones and cruise missiles could cut costs by 20 percent and increase fuel efficiency.Scientists and engineers in the Air Force Research Laboratory's Propulsion Directorate are testing a bearing using a compliant foil -- a thin, flexible sheet

  • KC-135 receiving communications relay ability

    The KC-135 Stratotanker will soon add a communications capability to its mission.The installation of Roll-on Beyond Line of Sight Enhancement equipment, will help the flow of information on KC-135s while the aircraft conduct their primary mission of air refueling.Used primarily as a "flying gas

  • Predator proves worth in war against terrorism

    The Air Force officer is a transport plane pilot, but these days his aircraft flies "solo," and he doesn't leave the ground.Capt. Sam J. Vanzanten, is an earthbound controller of the Predator unmanned aerial vehicle. He's been in the Predator program for the past two years, the eight-year military

  • Speed of Iraq battle tested U.S. logistics efforts

    The speed of the battle in Iraq strained the logistics effort, but the service men and women were up to the task, said Army logistics officials in Iraq and the United States.Speaking via a teleconference call from Iraq, Brig. Gen. Jack C. Stultz Jr. said the unprecedented speed of the coalition

  • Bandwidth increasing for some bases

    The Department of Defense is planning to beef up Internet access at 92 military installations by the end of fiscal 2004 as part of the global information grid bandwidth expansion project.A little over a third of those installations will be Air Force bases, said John Gilligan, the service's chief

  • B-52 undergoes worldwide testing

    The B-52H Avionics Midlife Improvement project recently completed two missions to test new hardware and software upgrades in extreme conditions around the world.The missions were part of the research and developmental test for the project before it moves to operational test and evaluation, allowing

  • Tech conference stresses 'partnerships'

    "Partnerships for War-Winning Capability" was the theme here May 13 to 15 as military and industry representatives discussed changes in military operations, requirements, challenges and solutions at the fourth annual National Aeronautical Systems and Technology Conference.Operation Iraqi Freedom's

  • Air Force negotiates extra Raptor

    Air Force officials have negotiated the procurement of one additional F/A-22 Raptor as part of a recent purchase, raising the total to 21 aircraft, according to service acquisition officials.The F/A-22 acquisition has a “buy-to-budget” philosophy, said Dr. Marvin R. Sambur, assistant secretary of

  • Zettler: People first in reconstituting force

    As the dust of Operation Iraqi Freedom settles, the Air Force installations and logistics community is turning its attention to the challenge that lies ahead: readying the service for the next big contingency.Replenishing the materiel and equipment reserved for wartime use, rebuilding the munitions

  • Myers praises 64th AEW during visit

    America’s top general stopped briefly at a forward-deployed location May 11 to thank the people of the 64th Air Expeditionary Wing for their contributions to Operation Iraqi Freedom.Gen. Richard B. Myers, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, addressed a crowd of active-duty, Guard and Reserve

  • Air Staff move recognizes CAP security role

    One of the newest names in homeland defense is actually more than 60 years old.The Air Force Auxiliary, also known as the Civil Air Patrol, has been in the defense business since Dec. 1, 1941, when it was chartered to support national defense by providing submarine reconnaissance.In recognition of

  • Unit puts the 'deploy' in 'deployment order'

    Television images of jets launching and bombs dropping during Operation Iraqi Freedom showed airmen doing what they are trained to do. What most viewers did not see were the people responsible for getting the jets there to put bombs on targets and patrol the sky.The Air Combat Command Air

  • Air Force journalists win DOD awards

    Air Force print and broadcast journalists won 12 categories in the 2002 Thomas Jefferson Awards for excellence in military media. The results were announced May 6 by Defense Information School officials at Fort Meade, Md.Air Force winners in the print-media category are:-- Print Journalist of the