NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Travis AFB hosts virtual CSO event

    A CSO is a strategy used by the Department of Defense to acquire innovative commercial items, technologies or services that directly fulfill requirements, close capability gaps, or provide potential technological advances, according to a memorandum from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense.

  • Barrett, Raymond speak with US astronaut ahead of historic launch

    The conversation with Behnken, an Air Force colonel, came six days before the scheduled May 27 launch of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft in Florida. The launch and the mission to the International Space Station (ISS) are significant because it is the first time since the space shuttle was retired in

  • Ellsworth AFB B-1s integrate with allies, partners in Nordic region

    The nonstop mission to the Nordic region – made possible with support from a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 100th Air Refueling Wing, RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom, and a Dutch KDC-10 from the 334th Squadron, Royal Netherlands Air Force’s Eindhoven Air Base, Netherlands – spanned more than 23 hours.

  • AFLCMC maintenance team airlifts to repair F-16s during COVID-19 pandemic

    To prevent a standard 14-day mandatory quarantine required by personnel traveling through commercial airports, the AFLCMC depot field team located at Hill AFB, Utah, were flown directly to Holloman AFB on a C-130 Hercules the week of April 27 to fix three F-16 Fighting Falcons in a weeks’ time and

  • Minot AFB showcases readiness during CSAF, CMSAF visit

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Kaleth O. Wright visited Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, May 14. The senior leaders saw how Minot AFB has remained mission-ready and resilient throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

  • 5th Combat Communications Group keeps warfighters connected during pandemic

    Composed of three units – 5th Combat Communications Support Squadron, the 52nd Combat Communications Squadron and the 51st Combat Communications Squadron – the group has worked tirelessly to make sure warfighters are connected with vital communications equipment despite the ongoing Coronavirus

  • First Air Force provides COVID-19 support through CAP

    CAP’s Michigan Wing has partnered with Michigan State Police, who handle emergency management and lead the state emergency operations center. The wing was available with resources from the moment the center was set up in response to the pandemic.

  • USAFE provides C-130J transport support to Italy

    The mission is the first in a planned series of U.S. Air Forces in Europe mobility support operations to Italy and helped redistribute more than 15,000 kilograms of COVID-19 relief supplies, including KN-95 masks, surgical gowns and COVID-19 test kits between Italian distribution hubs.

  • Ellsworth AFB B-1s return to European theater as part of latest BTF mission

    The nearly 24-hour, nonstop mission covered more than 9,400 nautical miles and included integration and interoperability training with Danish F-16s overflying Bornholm Island, Denmark, and Polish F-16s and MiG-29s teaming up to fly over Warsaw, Poland, as well as flights over Latvia and Lithuania.

  • World-unique tire testing capability saves millions for warfighters

    Predicting aircraft tire wear is a complex, time-intensive phenomenon, highly dependent on multiple variables. Historically, testers focused on the structural integrity of a tire prior to fielding and use. However, the ability to quickly and accurately predict tire wear remained a challenge across

  • Gen. Brown testifies at CSAF confirmation hearing

    Appearing before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Air Force Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown expressed support Thursday for meeting the National Defense Strategy, for expanding to 386 squadrons, refining and modernizing joint warfighting capabilities while safeguarding “the well-being of our Airmen and

  • PMEL continues calibration for total force during COVID-19

    As one of only seven labs that has the necessary equipment and personnel to perform air data calibration, the Otis Air National Guard Base PMEL provides precision calibration and measurement for 16 different Air Force, Air National Guard and foreign military support flying missions, as well as local

  • Nuclear command leverages academia, industry data in COVID-19 fight

    Through a partnership with the Cyber Innovation Center, Louisiana Tech University, and Virtualitics Inc., Air Force Global Strike Command officials rapidly developed a daily report consisting of infection rate projections based on a COVID-19 Susceptible, Exposed, Infected, Resistant, or SEIR, model.

  • Magellan mobility allocation planning app gets an upgrade

    Hosted on the Kessel Run platform, Magellan provides an electronic interface for operational planners to allocate mobility aircraft and their associated crews over several months, providing greater visibility and enabling them to de-conflict recurring missions and high-demand periods.

  • B-1B Lancers return to Indo-Pacific for bomber task force deployment

    Four bombers and approximately 200 Airmen from the 9th Bomb Squadron, 7th Bomb Wing, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, deployed to support Pacific Air Forces' training efforts with allies, partners and joint forces; and strategic deterrence missions to reinforce the rules-based international order in the

  • CSAF, CMSAF visit recently formed TF-Southeast

    Ninth Air Force stood up March 31 as TF-SE at the direction of the CSAF and Gen. Mike Holmes, commander of Air Combat Command, to provide defense support of civil authorities to Federal Emergency Management Agency Regions III & IV under U.S. Northern Command via U.S. Army North.

  • AF Week in Photos

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

  • Thinking ahead: Agility Prime kicks off

    The objective of this week’s event is to reinforce the Air Force’s commitment in partnering with industry, investors and the interagency to help ensure there is a robust domestic capability in the aerospace sector.

  • Air Force realigns program executive officers

    The Air Force Materiel Command’s Air Force Life Cycle Management Center will split Fighters and Bombers Directorate into a Fighters and Advanced Aircraft Directorate and a Bombers Directorate.

  • AFCAP V increases field assistance

    If needed, the Air Force Contract Augmentation Program is standing by to support COVID-19 response for the Air Force or any federal government entity supporting National Command Authority objectives.

  • AFLCMC-led team delivers isolation container prototype for testing

    Rapidly developed in response to the United States Transportation Command's Joint Urgent Operational Need, the Negatively Pressurized Conex, or NPC, is designed to fit inside of a C-17 Globemaster III, and enable the safe transport of as many as 28 patients both ambulatory and litter, and teams of

  • Virtual conference focuses on competition, resiliency

    In lieu of the normal in-person attendance, commanders, command chiefs and directors from across Pacific Air Forces connected virtually for the spring commander’s conference, including a China Symposium, operational plan tabletop exercise and resiliency discussion April 13 – 15.

  • Squadron redesignations bolster enterprise contracting support

    In joining other enterprise sourcing squadrons, the new ESSs are positioned as “centers of excellence” for distinct business-line strategic contract support across the enterprise, eliminating duplication of effort and contract execution for the same requirements.

  • Air Force expedites N95 mask production contract awards

    The Department’s Air Force Research Lab DPA Title 3 Executive Program Office, in coordination with the Office of the Secretary of Defense Office for Industrial Policy and Department of the Air Force’s Acquisition COVID-19 Task Force, or DAF-ACT, finalized contracts within five days of White House

  • AFICC dashboard to help clean up custodial costs

    The Custodial Services Dashboard directly supports category management, a federal government-wide initiative that drives organizations to strategically manage costs for common goods and services.

  • Vertical wiper blades reduce aircraft drag, tests show

    Across the KC-135 fleet, blades are positioned horizontally on the windshield as part of the aircraft’s original 1950s design. However, as the understanding of aviation aerodynamics advanced, research indicated placing the wipers vertically when not in use could improve aerodynamic efficiency and

  • AF Week in Photos

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

  • AFIMSC geospatial tools help commanders manage COVID-19 risk

    Geospatial tools developed by the detachment’s GeoBase team are providing commanders with near real-time data detailing the spread of the disease in their areas of responsibility. Commanders are using this capability to make decisions to sustain mission readiness and help mitigate the threat of

  • Aircraft airflow tested in Nebraska to reduce COVID-19 spread

    Active duty, Reserve and Air National Guard components from AMC, in coordination with the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, worked April 4-11 at the 155th Air Refueling Wing examining airflow and particles to assess ways to prevent the spread of the

  • Illinois Air Guard C-130s join the fight against COVID-19

    Two aircrews assigned to the 182nd Airlift Wing departed Peoria Air National Guard Base, Illinois, April 7, to pick up and transport 250 medical isolation pods from the Oregon manufacturer to Chicago Midway International Airport the next day.

  • Agility Prime to hold virtual launch event

    During the week of 27 April, Dr. Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics, will officially launch Agility Prime, the Air Force program to accelerate the growth of the transformative vertical flight market for subsequent government use.

  • Dover AFB reservists support nation’s counterdrug effort

    A mission from Dover Air Force Base, supporting the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, involved hauling more than 100,000 pounds of cargo from Panama Pacifico International Airport, Panama, to San Angelo Regional Airport, Texas.

  • 459th Airlift Squadron: a life-saving evacuation team

    For the pilots of the C-12J Huron assigned to Yokota AB’s very own 459th Airlift Squadron, this delivery of hope is just a perk of the job – providing aeromedical evacuation to the individuals that need it.

  • Contracting pros deliver to COVID-19 front lines

    The Air Force Installation Contracting Center’s 763rd Specialized Contracting Squadron is one example of mission-focused agility in support of the greater fight, recently delivering a surplus of fast-tracked emergency support to Air Mobility Command in days, if not hours.

  • Two Memphians bring much-needed supplies home

    Two C-17 Globemaster III pilots transported 972,000 COVID-19 swab kits from Italy April 2, the seventh load of kits delivered in two weeks for distribution around the United States.

  • Jolly Green II taken to extremes

    The Air Force’s newest combat search and rescue helicopter and crews experienced temperature extremes from 120 to minus 60 degrees Fahrenheit as well as torrential rain during the month of testing.

  • AFIMSC leans on technology to keep mission going

    When the pandemic began limiting movement and placing challenges on the entire Air Force, AFIMSC started leveraging technology to keep delivering support across the installation and mission support portfolio and helping installations maintain readiness.

  • 419th Fighter Wing hosts F-35 virtual field trip

    During the virtual field trip, Silkey provided an overview of the aircraft’s capabilities to his online audience to include details on its stealth technology and how it gives pilots a significant advantage on the battlefield.

  • Air Force Reserve mobilizes medics to New York for COVID-19 response

    Air Force Reserve Command units mobilized more than 40 doctors, more than 70 nurses and approximately 13 respiratory technicians who departed their home stations for JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst for further inprocessing with the U.S. Northern Command’s Joint Forces Land Component Command, based out of

  • AF Week in Photos

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

  • 355th wing sustains CSAR capabilities

    The exercise, organized by the 563rd and 355th Operations Support Squadrons, included assets from different agencies and units across the wing.

  • US, Japanese forces join for Pacific Weasel exercise

    The 35th Fighter Wing began practicing large-force exercises in 2018, and each iteration has been refined and improved upon since its inception. Air Force members had the opportunity to integrate with Japan Ground Self-Defense Force members and assets.

  • BMT safety efforts protect trainers, pipeline

    Specific mitigation measures that have been implemented across BMT include implementation of a 14-day restriction of movement upon arrival, as well as social distancing, symptom monitoring and increased sanitation.

  • AFLCMC delivers C-37B early

    The program, managed by the Presidential and Executive Airlift Division, delivered the aircraft one week ahead of schedule.

  • Air Force is protecting Airmen while protecting the nation

    The critical responsibilities and missions of our 685,000 Total Force active duty, Guard and Reserve Airmen do not fade even during a pandemic. Across a worldwide enterprise, our Airmen must remain healthy so they can maintain full readiness and the capability to protect our nation’s security and

  • AFRL team selected for Excellence in Tech Transfer Award

    Dr. Brian Simpson, 711 HPW sensory psychologist and one of the inventors of MMC along with Dr. James Kearns, 711 HPW program manager were selected for the successful technology transfer of MMC, which is a system invented to manage complex communication environments.

  • USAFE supports Italy COVID-19 response

    In response to the ongoing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, an 86th Airlift Wing C-130J Super Hercules out of Ramstein Air Base, Germany, transported an En-Route Patient Staging System (ERPSS) to Aviano Air Base, Italy, for delivery to the Italian Ministry of Defense.

  • National Guard ramps up COVID-19 response

    Air Force Gen. Joseph L. Lengyel told reporters at a Pentagon briefing that it is even possible that tens of thousands of Guard members could be activated as the situation unfolds, depending on the needs of communities.

  • Scheduling training is about to get easier for C-17 crews

    The digital interface, which will start using live data March 20, enables planners to visualize flight schedules and generates recommended schedules for each crew member while taking into consideration required qualifications, crew rest and conflicting events.

  • Fairchild AFB Airmen create maintenance vehicle of the future

    The base leases utility vans to service aircraft on the flightline, which get replaced every 20 years once they have reached their end of life. These vans, however, have a stripped interior, with the exception of the driver and passenger seats, and come without insulation.

  • 48th Fighter Wing wraps up exercise Valiant Liberty

    The training was designed to increase the 48th Fighter Wing's capability to rapidly support joint operations across the European theater, normalizing interoperability between air and ground force assets.

  • Air Force Materiel Command top Airmen honored

    Command headquarters, centers and wings were represented by nominees in nine categories: Airman, non-commissioned officer, senior non-commissioned officer, first sergeant, company grade officer, field grade officer, civilian category I, civilian category II and civilian category III to compete for

  • AFIMSC innovation project receives $3 million award

    The project uses drones and machine learning to revolutionize how the Air Force Civil Engineer Center collects data for its environmental mission. The initiative is powered by a partnership between AFIMSC, Air Force Innovation Hub Network (AFWERX) and Aerial Applications, a small business providing

  • AF Week in Photos

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