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U.S. Air Force News

  • Awards shine spotlight on Air Force's best, brightest

    The efforts of the best and the brightest scientists, technicians and engineers were honored at the Air Force Scientist & Engineer and Science & Technology Awards ceremony that took place here Oct. 4.Among the award winners was 2nd Lt. Robert Bethancourt, recognized for his outstanding contributions

  • Camera action, 3-D program promote DOD safety

    When the Secretary of Defense called for a 75 percent reduction in mishaps throughout the Department of Defense in May, two Air Force Materiel Command bases answered the call. Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., is serving as lead installation for the DOD Safety and Occupational Health Council, or DSOC,

  • Researchers fine-tune F-35 pilot-aircraft speech system

    When the first F-35 Lightning II rolls out in 2008, communications between pilot and aircraft will enter a new era thanks in part to testing and analysis conducted at the Air Force Research Laboratory's Human Effectiveness Directorate. The F-35 will be the first U.S. fighter aircraft with a speech

  • Mobility Operations School introduces new maintenance simulator

    The U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's Mobility Operations School begins its first classroom use of the new Aircraft Maintenance Production Simulator, or AMPS, in October for its Maintenance Supervision and Production Course, or MSPC. The AMPS is a conversion and upgrade of the Aircraft

  • Football: Falcons, Hall run roughshod over CSU

    At 5 feet 8 inches and 180 pounds, U.S. Air Force Academy senior Chad Hall is one of the smallest players in Division I college football. However, the Z-back (a combination wide receiver/running back) exploded for a Falcon single-game rushing record 256 yards on 31 carries and scored four

  • Soccer: Air Force downs Denver, 2-1

    Senior Andy Nigro and freshman Kyle Moses each posted a goal and an assist and senior Brian Guyette recorded a career-high 15 saves Oct. 13 to lead the Air Force men's soccer team to a 2-1 victory over Denver University at Pioneer Field.With the victory, Air Force snapped a six-game winless streak

  • Oct. 14 airpower summary: C-130s help sustain operations

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 14, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. Today's APS "So What" factor: When Soldiers and Airmen in a convoy

  • Air Force, Boeing team up for early-orbit operations

    Airmen with the 3rd Space Operations Squadron and Boeing Corporation contractors  took over early-orbit operations on Wideband Global SATCOM Satellite Vehicle 1 from a Boeing facility in El Segundo, Calif., Oct. 10, approximately 30 minutes after it launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station,

  • Air Force officials release new annual training plan details

    Air Force leaders have released the details about the new annual training requirements program for the Total Force. As of Oct. 15, all Airmen will use the new "block instruction" plan that combines nine ancillary training courses into three 30-minute blocks of training, saving more than 6 million

  • First Mach flight propels Yeager, Air Force into history

    It was just another test mission for Capt. Chuck Yeager.Captain Yeager arrived at Muroc Air Force Base, Calif., the morning of Oct. 14, 1947, for what would be his ninth powered flight piloting the Bell X-1.Each of the previous flights demonstrated incremental speed increases as the aircraft neared

  • Oct. 12 airpower summary: F-15Es target enemy positions

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 12, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle targeted an enemy

  • Oct. 11 airpower summary: C-17s provide 'best option' for force resupply

    The Combined Air and Space Operations Center's airpower summary provides a daily account of the integration and synchronization of airpower. But some folks may ask, "So what? What does this summary really mean?" The Oct. 11 airpower "So What" factor is about options. You're with a group of coalition

  • Hill fighter squadron excels with Total Force Integration mission

    Being the Air Force's first Total Force Integration fighter association, gives the phrase "one team, one fight" a whole new meaning for Hill Air Force Base's 388th and 419th Fighter Wings. As of July this year, the wings entered Phase III of TFI. Now the 419th FW, a Reserve wing, no longer flies and

  • Secretary Wynne: Airmen in Korea have unique experience

    In his first visit since March 2006, Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne visited here Oct. 6 as part of his 2007 tour throughout the Pacific theater. He arrived just in time to enjoy Air Power Day, Osan's annual aerial and ground demonstration, featuring performances by several aircraft from

  • Airmen visit schools as part of Air Force Week Atlanta

    They came from the air. They came with spinning rifles. They came showing the best they have to offer. Air Force Week Atlanta continued Oct. 9 through 11 as Airmen traveled to three Atlanta-area schools to show students from Marietta, Etowah and Lovejoy high schools what the Air Force is all about.

  • CENTAF commander meets with Airmen in Afghanistan

    The commander of U.S. Central Command Air Forces visited with 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Airmen here and at Kandahar Airfield Oct. 8. Lt. Gen. Gary North also used the visit to Afghanistan to view the newest addition to the Air Force's close-air-support inventory -- the MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial

  • New JCS chairman visits Bagram

    The military's top servicemember visited here Oct. 7 to check on operations in Afghanistan and hear the concerns of military members. Adm. Michael G. Mullen, the new chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, thanked servicemembers for their sacrifices during an All-Hands Call for E-6s and below. The

  • The 'So What' factor puts Oct. 10 airpower summary in perspective

    The Combined Air and Space Operations Center's airpower summary provides a daily account of the integration and synchronization of airpower. But some folks may ask, "So what? What does this summary really mean?" The "So What" factor for Oct. 10's airpower summary is that five dozen coalition

  • Reaper UAV now flying in Afghanistan

    The Air Force announced Oct. 11 that the MQ-9 Reaper, the service's new hunter-killer unmanned aerial vehicle, is now flying operational missions in Afghanistan. The Reaper has completed 12 missions since its inaugural flight there Sept. 25, averaging about one sortie per day. Capable of striking

  • New Iraqi air force continues to grow

    The Coalition Air Force Transition Team, 370th Expeditionary Training Squadron, is continuing its efforts to populate the new Iraqi air force. A combined graduation was held Oct. 10 for four Iraqi air force maintenance officers, five maintenance supervisors, eight fuels supervisors and 54 enlisted

  • Team effort sets airlift standard

    Any significant group achievement can normally be attributed to a strong team, persistence and a relentless commitment to a challenging mission or task at hand. The 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, flying C-17 Globemaster IIIs, contributed the lion's share of intra-theater airlift by flying

  • First next-generation communications satellite launches

    The Air Force launched the first of a next generation of military communications satellites from here Oct. 10 at 8:22 p.m. EDT, when a United Launch Alliance Atlas V booster carried a Wideband Global SATCOM satellite into space. WGS is the nation's next-generation wideband satellite communications

  • Former Doolittle Raider passes away

    Former Lt. Nolan A. Herndon, a member of the famed Doolittle Raiders, died of pneumonia Oct. 8 at the age of 88. The lieutenant was a navigator-bombardier on one of the B-25 bombers that took off from an aircraft carrier on April 18, 1942, to strike targets in Japan. Led by Lt. Col. Jimmy Doolittle,

  • AFSOC Airman readies for rugby's wrath

    The grass feels soft on your face as you lay there peacefully, until suddenly, someone's cleat-covered foot scrapes down your unprotected side, awakening you to the game in which you find yourself--that game is rugby, and it's no flag football game. No stranger to the game, 2nd Lt. Daniel Griffin,

  • Guard unit helps protect nation's skies

    On Feb. 4, 2007, the Indianapolis Colts played the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI in Miami's Dolphin Stadium. As the Colts' offense took the field with 1:32 left in the third quarter, the crowd got to its feet and started making noise. Some cheered for the Colts, encouraging their team to get more

  • Raven B has landed in Southwest Asia

    A small unmanned aerial vehicle is now being used to increase the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing's force protection capabilities. Maintained and operated by the 380th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, the Raven B is the wing's sixth and smallest aircraft, weighing 4.2 pounds with a wing span of

  • Robins officer makes a splash with Air Force swim team

    When not crunching numbers as a budget analyst, one Air Force first lieutenant is busy making a splash in the pool. Ryan Fitzgerald, former team captain for the Air Force Academy swim team was recently selected for the Air Force swim team. Fitzgerald, who specialized in long distance events, is a

  • AF's first active associate unit deploying to Balad

    The Air Force's first active associate unit is preparing to deploy here this month to support the war on terrorism.Activated in July 2006, the 30th Airlift Squadron is the first active duty Air Mobility Command squadron to operationally report to an Air National Guard unit, the 153rd Airlift Wing in

  • Air Force week showcases Tops In Blue Airmen

    The Air Force's Heritage to Horizons motto took on a musical twist as the Air Force's premier entertainment group performed in front of 1,000 Georgians Oct. 9 at the Mableton Amphitheater here. The Airmen of Tops In Blue serenaded the Peach State audience as part of Air Force Week Atlanta to

  • 'Letter to Airmen' reports modernization progress

    In the latest Letter to Airmen, the secretary of the Air Force discusses how a concerted effort towards modernizing the aging fleet will set the Air Force on a path to success. "A few years ago we set out to recapitalize our aging fleet while maintaining the quality of life for our people and their

  • DCFACC talks airpower, Airmen

    The mobility machine came to the forefront again just as recently as Airmen assigned to Air and Space Expeditionary Forces 7 and 8 rotated out of the theater and AEFs 9 and 10 came in. According to Maj. Gen. Maury Forsyth, deputy combined forces air component commander, the transition was seamless.

  • Oct. 9 airpower summary: A-10s bring firepower to the fight

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 9, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, a show of force was conducted by Air Force A-10

  • Airmen patrol the streets of Baghdad

    Baghdad's international zone is surrounded by a network of security and entry control points aimed at keeping insurgents out of the area. However, law and order within the area rests solely in the hands of Airmen.Approximately 45 security forces Airmen from Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England; Grand

  • Expeditionary entertainers need musicians for 2008 tour

    Every year, Tops In Blue brings smooth choreography, flashy costumes and great singers to audiences across the world with help from a group of performers who cause toes to tap at every show. The group, a live 10-piece band, sets Tops In Blue apart from other touring shows and keeps the pulse of the

  • Ehn scores two goals in 4-1 win over Calgary

    Senior center Eric Ehn scored two goals to lead Air Force to a 4-1 win over Calgary in an exhibition college hockey game Oct. 8 at the Cadet Ice Arena. Air Force opened the scoring at the 9:12 mark of the first period when freshman Sean Bertsch scored with a wrister from the left faceoff circle.

  • Teamwork, skepticism lead to early finish for project

    The motivation to prove skeptics wrong and a strong foundation of teamwork set the stage for the recent completion of an important new ramp here. The $8.9 million construction project, started in 2005, created a 270,000 square-foot concrete ramp to replace the corrugated "steel beach" that had

  • Oct. 8 airpower summary: F-16s stay close overhead

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 8, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an enemy position in Asadabad was successfully struck

  • Falcons back on winning track, 31-14

    Air Force capitalized on long touchdown runs by Chad Hall and Shaun Carney to beat the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, 31-14, sending the Oct. 6 Falcon Stadium crowd of 35,583 home happy. Bluesuiter head coach Troy Calhoun was not among them. Despite the win, which snapped a two game losing skid and

  • Operation Deep Freeze main season underway

    Air operations in support of the 52nd Operation Deep Freeze main season are underway.A C-17 Globemaster III from the 62nd Airlift Wing, at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., completed three missions this past week from Christchurch, New Zealand, kicking off the 2007 to 2008 season for the 13th Air

  • Congressional delegates visit U.S. CENTAF Airmen

    Five congressional delegates visited Airmen at the Combined Air and Space Operations Center and the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing here Oct. 6. Congressmen F. Allen Boyd, Jr. (D-FL); Wayne Gilchrest (D-MD); Roger Wicker (R-MS); Steven Cohen (D-TN); and Congresswoman Betty Sutton (D-OH) met with Lt.

  • Joint Chiefs officials meet with Afghan leaders

    Less than three months after the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited this small southern district, three additional members of the Washington-based Joint Staff stopped by for a meeting with the provincial governor here Oct. 7. Marine Lt. Gen. John Sattler, the Strategic Plans and Policy

  • 'Today's Air Force' highlights heritage, medical practices

    This week's edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights Airman Appreciation Day at Okinawa Air Base, Japan, medical practices and Air Force heritage.The 30-minute, weekly news show can be seen daily on The Pentagon Channel, American Forces Radio and Television Service stations around the world, and is

  • Airlifters deliver the goods

    To keep troops off the road is an important consideration in the war on terrorism. One way to keep more troops off the road is with airdrop operations. Recently, Airmen from the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron used two C-130 Hercules aircraft to drop 31 Container Delivery System bundles over a

  • Oct. 6 airpower summary: Refuelers provide global reach

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 6, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, a B-1B Lancer over Kajaki Dam targeted an enemy

  • Total force tanker operation comes to Andersen

    Airmen here are used to seeing tanker units come and go, but this time a deployed contingent of aerial refueling specialists from Ohio are here to stay for about two months instead of the usual two or three weeks. "We want to fully integrate with the 36th Wing and be a part of team Andersen," said

  • Oct. 5 airpower summary: Maintainers keep fleet flying

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 5, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs fired cannon rounds onto an

  • Kunsan receives upgraded fighters

    The 8th Fighter Wing received its initial group of Block 40 F-16 Fighting Falcons here this week under the Common Configuration Implementation Program. The aircraft arrival marked the first group of upgraded F-16s flown to Korea. The aircraft were flown here from Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, by

  • Basic trainees begin to receive ABUs

    A huge step in the Air Force's transformation to the Airman battle uniform occurred Oct. 3 at the basic training equipment issue at Lackland Air Force Base. The trainees who entered the door at the uniform facility this week got a little something different in their duffel bags than the previous

  • Rescue Flight crew makes toughest save of careers

    When a rescue team that's been saving lives for more than a decade calls one rescue "by far the toughest," you know it's time to sit up and listen, they've got a story to tell. The life-saving men of the 36th Rescue Flight performed the memorable rescue Oct. 1. Over the course of that evening and

  • Fall 2007 Airman now available online

    The F-22 Raptor is coming into its own, flying high and turning heads. Its pilots and maintainers are discovering just how much the stealth jet can do. The Airmen are finding there is no other aircraft that even comes close to matching the Raptor's capabilities -- the new benchmark for

  • Volleyball: Falcons fall to San Diego State

    U.S. Air Force Academy senior Kim Kallabis accounted for three service aces, but the Air Force volleyball team dropped a straight-set match to San Diego State in Mountain West Conference action Oct. 4 in San Diego. The Falcons fell in three straight sets, 30-13, 30-16 and 30-17. San Diego State

  • Air Force Reserve stands up first F-22 Raptor unit

    Air Force Reserve officials activated the first F-22 Raptor unit, the 477th Fighter Group, in a ceremony here Oct. 2, giving the Reserve a valuable part of America's newest and most sophisticated weapons system. "This is a most wonderful day for the AFRC because we have officially stood up our first

  • Iraqi air force flying training school opens at Kikuk

    The Iraqi air force flying training school opened its doors Oct. 1 and began to train Iraqi aviators with the assistance of American Airmen. The planning for the school has been in the works for approximately two years and is all part of the plan to return Kirkuk Air Base back to the Iraqi air

  • 40 years later, Airman still serves

    A retired Airman and avid United Services Organization volunteer was honored Sept. 21 with the first USO Volunteer of the Year award. More than 40 years after serving in the jungles of Vietnam, Dave Wilson, was presented the award during the USO World Gala ceremony in Washington. For Mr. Wilson, the

  • Oct. 4 airpower summary: F-16s deter enemy activity

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 4, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II dropped a guided bomb

  • CCAF recognizes 300,000th degree milestone

    The Community College of the Air Force recognized its 300,000th degree recipient during a ceremony at the Air Force Association's 2007 Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition in Washington, D.C. The milestone highlights the significant role advanced education plays in sustaining a highly

  • Beale hosts Boy Scout expo

    Thousands of Boy Scouts from across the northern California region came to Beale Air Force Base Sept. 28 to 30 to celebrate 100 years of scouting. The event was a cooperative effort to bring more than 6,500 scouts and leaders to the base for a weekend of camping and activities. "We're very

  • Balad medic takes 'fit-to-fight' to extremes for charity

    Fitness training is vital for Airmen to be prepared to meet the physical challenges of being deployed. An Airman here has taken physical fitness to a new level by using it to help others. Senior Airman Brendan Brustad, with the 332nd Expeditionary Medical Group, is preparing for a 100-mile marathon

  • Team re-engineers network environment

    What was a maze of 35 antiquated routers, switches and load balancers used to direct millions of e-mails each day is now a streamlined set of seven all-in-one nodes that saves time, money and resources. "It's like trading in your Chevy truck for a BMW," said Capt. Drew Masur, a network and boundary

  • Prime BEEF stamps hoof prints on Gitmo

    Airmen from the 474th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron have started the process to transform Guantanamo's McCalla Airfield into an expeditonary legal complex here last month. The airfield resembles a military construction site in Iraq, complete with blowing dust, heavy equipment and a sprawling

  • Special agent proves Airmen are 'in the fight'

    A special agent assigned to the Office of Special Investigations detachment here recently received the Bronze Star with Valor for his heroism in Iraq. Special Agent Greg Carmack saved the lives of several individuals near Kirkuk, Iraq, June 14, 2006, when he went one-on-one with a suicide bomber,

  • Oct. 3 airpower summary: B-1Bs provide show of force

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 3, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs fired cannon rounds onto

  • Aeromedical evacuation team tops 500 transports

    The only Air Force medical unit in Afghanistan with the mission of transporting injured military warriors, as well as injured civilians and enemy combatants, has cared for, and transported, more than 508 patients since May. The members of the 455th Expeditionary Aeromedical Evacuation Flight team,

  • Air Force helicopter crew rescues man injured in wilderness

    A helicopter crew dispatched from the 36th Rescue Flight here successfully rescued a 77-year-old man critically injured Oct. 2 in the Selway Wilderness near Mink Peak, Idaho. At approximately 5 p.m. Oct. 1, members of the 36th RQF dispatched a UH-1N Huey to the coordinates provided via satellite

  • General Corley takes command of ACC

    Gen. John D.W. Corley assumed the reins of Air Combat Command from Gen. Ronald E. Keys Oct. 2 in a ceremony here. "Today we transition Air Combat Command from one great American to another," said Gen. T. Michael Moseley, the Air Force chief of staff. "I'm proud to be able to hand over the watch to

  • Oct. 2 airpower summary: Air mobility sets record

    The Combined Air and Space Operations Center's airpower summary provides a daily account of the integration and synchronization of coalition airpower with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan. As the final numbers came in for the month of

  • Force Protection Battlelab inactivates

    In a reunion-like setting, current and past members of the Air Force's Force Protection Battlelab gathered at the Air Force Security Forces Center here Sept. 28 to mark the end of an era in force protection, the inactivation of the battlelab. This ceremony served as both personal and professional

  • Eglin team receives national award

    The Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center's Small Diameter Bomb Test Team received the Air Force Association's 2007 Test and Evaluation Team of the Year Award Sept. 24 at the Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition in Washington. The nine-member test team from Eglin Air Force

  • Manas Airmen honor village elderly

    Airmen from Manas Air Base handed out gift packages Oct. 1 to senior citizens in nearby Oktyabra'skoe Village as part of Kyrgyzstan's recognition of World Elders' Day. World Elder's Day, or Elderly Day, is set aside to honor older citizens each year Oct. 1, and this year the Oktyabra'skoe Village,

  • Servicemen missing from Vietnam War identified

    Officials from the Department of Defense Prisoner of War and Missing Personnel Office announced Oct. 3 that the remains of two U.S. servicemen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified and will be returned to their families for burial with full military honors. They are Airman

  • Air Force Heritage Week wraps up in Columbus

    Approximately 250,000 spectators gathered at Rickenbacker International Airport Sept. 29 and 30 as the Columbus airport hosted the Gathering of Mustangs and Legends Air Show in conjunction with Air Force Heritage Week. Visitors saw aircraft ranging from vintage P-51 Mustangs to state-of-the-art F-22

  • 'Setting the Conditions for Victory' video premieres online

    The secretary of the Air Force video "Setting the Conditions for Victory" made its online debut Oct. 3. The 8-minute video, a follow-up to last year's "How We Fight" presentation, outlines the Air Force role in the war on terrorism and how the service succeeds in its domains of air, space and

  • Oct. 1 airpower summary: Predators on the prowl

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Oct. 1, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. An Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle dropped a guided bomb unit-38 on a

  • Active-duty, Guard wings pave future alliances

    Two Fairchild Air Force Base air refueling wings merged Oct. 1 and forged into Air National Guard and active-duty wings. In response to the Congress-mandated 2005 Base Realignment and Closure process, the last of the KC-135 Stratotankers belonging to the Washington ANG's 141st Air Refueling Wing

  • Servicemembers receive 'Outstanding Americans by Choice' award

    Four Airmen, a Soldier and Coast Guard member each received an "Outstanding American by Choice" award from the chief of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services during a ceremony Sept. 30 in Washington. The award recognizes naturalized citizens who have demonstrated a commitment to the country

  • Football: Falcons fall to Navy, 31-20

    The 40th meeting between the U.S. Air Force Academy and U.S. Naval Academy football teams saw the Midshipmen come from behind to win 31-20 Sept. 29 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Md. Before a record crowd of 37,615, the Falcons lost for the fifth straight time to their service

  • Free computer-based training resources available

    In an effort to fill the gap between tight budgets and training requirements, officials here are reminding Airmen and Air Force civilians that there is a place to go for free computer-based training. Hosted on the Air Force Portal, the IT e-Learning program primarily offers continuing education to

  • CENTAF Mobility director visits Airmen at Camp Lemonier

    The U.S. Central Command Air Forces director of Mobility visited Airmen assigned to Camp Lemonier, Djibouti recently as part of his first visit of the Southwest Asia area of operations since assuming his position. "My purpose is to find out what (the) requirements are and how we can help (the

  • Servicemembers make mountain trek to deliver food

    What started as a small group of friends wanting to explore the Comayagua Mountain Valley in Honduras quickly grew to a large group of servicemembers on a hike for a "higher power."A group of approximately 55 military volunteers delivered 450 pounds of donated dry goods, consisting of items such as

  • Sept. 30 airpower summary: A-10 Thunderbolts on target

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 30, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. An Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle struck buildings in an enemy compound in

  • Mullen becomes 17th JCS chairman

    Navy Adm. Michael G. Mullen took the helm Oct. 1 as the 17th chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, vowing to work to give servicemembers "clear direction, outstanding equipment and focused policies" to accomplish current missions and prepare for future ones. Admiral Mullen paused following his

  • Hypersonic vehicle completes inaugural flight

    A hypersonic vehicle comprising five innovative payloads accomplished a successful, six-minute flight during its initial mission Sept. 20 here. The hypersonic vehicle was designed and developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicles Directorate at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.

  • CENTAF vice commander: Airmen performing wonderfully

    America's Airmen across the globe are performing well, said the deputy commander of U.S. Central Command Air Forces recently during a tour of Southwest Asia. Maj. Gen. William L. Holland, who is also the vice commander of 9th Air Force, visited 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Airmen Sept. 30 and Oct. 1

  • Task force readies Eglin for F-35 mission

    With the next generation of fighter aircraft slated to arrive here in less than three years, the Eglin Air Force Base F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter Site Activation Task Force is already working to get the base ready. Led by Col. George Ross and consisting of a 12-man, joint-service team,

  • Navy Seabees train with Kadena RED HORSE members

    Navy Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion 7 "crossed into the blue" and worked with Airmen during a joint-training exercise held Sept. 24 to 26 at Kadena Air Base. More than 87 NMCB 7 members participated in the Rapid Runway Repair and trained with Kadena AB Rapid Engineer

  • FOL Manta firefighters assist local firefighters

    Members of the Forward Operating Location Manta Fire Department and medical team responded to a fishing boat fire Sept. 26 here at the request of the local authorities. The boat, which is owned and operated by a local company here in Manta was only a few miles off shore near FOL Manta when the

  • Chief of staff addresses future of airpower at conference

    The Air Force chief of staff wrapped up the three-day Air Force Association's 2007 Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition with an address before a crowd of several hundred Sept. 26 here. In his address, titled "To fly, fight and win in the 21st century," Gen. T. Michael Moseley drove

  • Flag officers complete warfighting course

    Flag officers from four of the military services and a senior civilian recently gathered here to prepare for their future roles as senior warfighting planners. The senior leaders took part in Air University's two-week Joint Flag Officer Warfighting Course, and had the opportunity to talk with

  • Sept. 29 airpower summary: airlift is backbone of OEF, OIF

    Coalition airpower supported coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 29, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle strafed enemy firing positions

  • Sept. 28 airpower summary: maintainers keep airpower soaring

    Coalition airpower supported coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 28, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle conducted a show of

  • Air University working with Congress to offer new degrees

    Air University officials are working with members of Congress for authorization to grant three new degrees. U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Mobile, recently proposed an amendment to the defense authorization bill that will give the university degree-granting authority for a doctorate of philosophy in

  • AFA honors 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year

    The Air Force's top 12 enlisted Airmen were treated to a gala affair Sept. 24 during the Air Force Association's Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition here. Each year, the AFA honors the 12 Airmen at its annual convention in Washington, D.C. Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Rodney J.

  • Gen. Chilton confirmed to head USSTRATCOM

    The commander of Air Force Space Command received Senate confirmation Sept. 28 to be the new commander of U.S. Strategic Command at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb."I am humbled by the confidence that the secretary of Defense and the president have put in me with the nomination, and humbled by (the

  • F-22 performs first drop of small diameter bomb

    The F-22 Raptor Combined Test Force staff conducted the first airborne separation of a small diameter bomb from the internal weapons bay of an F-22 during a September test mission here. "This is a major milestone for the F-22 modernization roadmap," said Lt. Col. Daniel Daetz, the 411th Flight Test

  • C-5 lands at Bagram, opens galaxy of capabilities

    The Sept. 22 landing and launching of one of the Air Force's largest aircraft at Bagram Air Base promises to bring "tremendous" capability for the movement of critical cargo across the region, 455th Air Expeditionary Wing officials said here. The Air Force's C-5 Galaxy landed here without

  • Session advances Tinker efforts to realign supply processes

    In preparation for the transition of part of the 776th Maintenance Support Squadron here to the Defense Logistics Agency in February 2008, Air Force and DLA officials conducted a kickoff session here in mid-September. The support squadron, part of Tinker's 76th Maintenance Wing, is one of the

  • Data shared across systems, services, intel communities

    By providing interoperability among 19 systems, four security domains, four networks, six countries and three continents, members of the Electronic Systems Center here recently demonstrated a level of connectivity some previously thought impossible. When the 950th Electronic Systems Group's DIB

  • Sept. 27 airpower summary: F-16s project power

    Coalition airpower supported coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations Sept. 27, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs targeted an enemy cave in