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  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 24

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 24.In Afghanistan Aug. 23, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from Taliban extremists near Musah Qal'eh. The A-10s

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 23

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 23.In Afghanistan Aug. 22, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small-arms fire from Taliban extremists near Oruzgan. The A-10s conducted passes, expending cannon

  • F-16 accident investigation complete

    Air Force officials have completed their investigation of the April 11 F-16 Fighting Falcon accident near Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., which resulted in the loss of the 56th Fighter Wing aircraft. The accident investigation board determined the cause of this mishap to be an engine explosion. The

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 22

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 22. In Afghanistan Aug. 21, an Air Force B-1B Lancer provided close-air support to coalition troops in contact with anti-coalition forces near Musah Qal'eh. The B-1B expended guided bomb unit 31s and GBU-38s on

  • CENTAF releases airpower summaries for Aug. 20-21

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 20 and 21.Aug. 21In Afghanistan Aug. 20, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with Taliban extremists near Asadabad. The A-10s conducted passes, expending cannon

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 19

    In Afghanistan Aug. 18, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small arms fire from Taliban extremists in the vicinity of Musah Qal'eh. The A-10s conducted passes, expending cannon rounds and ending the engagement. Royal Air Force GR-7 Harriers also

  • Maintainers keep jets healthy, safe during Viper Lance

    While most participants involved in Exercise Viper Lance 2006 here call it a day at sunset, the workday is just beginning for maintainers on the night shift.Of the more than 250 Airmen here for the air-to-air and air-to-ground training exercise, roughly 170 support the maintenance mission. Viper

  • Viper Lance pilots trade rides

    Among the sounds of jets starting their engines and Romanian air force maintainers prepping their aircraft for departure, an American fighter pilot climbing into the back seat of a MiG-21 Lancer was a rare sight on the flightline here Aug. 11. Pilots from the 22nd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron here

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 17

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 17.In Afghanistan Aug. 16, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with Taliban extremists near Musah Qal'eh. The A-10s expended a Guided Bomb Unit-12 on the

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 16

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 16.In Afghanistan Aug. 15, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small-arms fire from Taliban extremists near Gardez. The A-10s conducted a pass, expending cannon

  • Modifications to extend service life of A-10s

    At first glance the A-10 Thunderbolt II cockpit looks like a Category 5 tornado just touched down in the middle of it. The chaotic scene, with hundreds of loose wires and instrumentation ripped from consoles, is really the beginning of modifications that will extend the service life of A-10s while

  • CENTAF releases airpower summaries for Aug. 13 and 14

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summaries for Aug. 13 and 14.Aug. 13In Afghanistan Aug. 12, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a B-1 Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with Taliban extremists near Oruzgan. The B-1 expended Guided

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 12

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 12. In Afghanistan Aug. 11, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a B-1B Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with Taliban extremists in the vicinity of Oruzgan. The B-1B expended guided

  • Comm team keeps Viper Lance participants connected

    One mile of cable, six pallets of equipment and three days to set up fully functioning communications for a forward base is standard work for members of the 1st Combat Communications Squadron. Thirteen members of the 1st CBCS, headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, are here to support Exercise

  • Fueling the fight

    The punch behind the wing's airpower footprint is fed by fuel -- nearly 12 million gallons every four months. The 332d Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron's petroleum, oil and lubricants flight provides that fuel to aircraft at the second busiest single-runway in the world. Aircraft siphon

  • Air Force Week events continue in St. Louis

    Air Force Week activities continued here Aug. 10 with a B-2 Spirit bomber, KC-135 Stratotanker and C-130 Hercules gracing the downtown skies.Local media and civic leaders were invited to fly aboard the C-130 or KC-135 for a front row seat to watch the B-2 maneuver over the city and see St. Louis

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 10

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 10.In Afghanistan Aug. 9, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a B-1 Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops taking sniper fire from Taliban extremists' near Musah Qal'eh. The A-10s conducted passes on

  • Air Force Week continues in St. Louis

    Activities celebrating the first Air Force Week continue today with the opening of the Air Force interactive exhibit "Cross Into the Blue" and special guest appearances at the St. Louis Science Center."Cross Into the Blue," a high-tech, interactive exhibit featuring an F-16 Fighting Falcon, an

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 9

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for Aug. 9.In Afghanistan Aug. 8, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and B-1 Lancers provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from Taliban extremists near Asadabad. The B-1

  • Bearing assembly failure caused F-16 crash in Utah

    A bearing assembly failure caused an F-16 Fighting Falcon to crash in an unpopulated dry area close to Carrington Island in the Great Salt Lake, Utah, during a training mission March 30, according to an Air Force report released Aug. 7. The pilot ejected safely from the aircraft, sustaining minor

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 8

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 8.In Afghanistan Aug. 7, an Air Force B-1 Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from Taliban extremists near Oruzgan. The B-1 expended Guided

  • Airpark dedication honors Tuskegee Airmen

    More than 50 Tuskegee Airmen attended an airpark dedication ceremony in their honor Aug. 2 in front of the 944th Fighter Wing headquarters here. The airpark features an F-16 Fighting Falcon static aircraft painted in World War II Tuskegee colors in recognition of the "Red Tail" warriors of the

  • CENTAF releases airpower summaries for Aug. 6-7

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summaries for Aug. 6 and 7.Aug. 7In Afghanistan Aug. 6, an Air Force B-1 Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with Taliban extremists near Musah Qal'eh. The B-1B expended a Guided Bomb Unit-38 on the

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for Aug. 4

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 4. In Afghanistan Aug. 3, a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle conducted a precision strike against Taliban extremists in the vicinity of Kandahar, expending Hellfire missiles on the extremists' location. Also in the

  • Transformation redefines multi-national exercise

    As the Air Force transforms the way it does things, Pacific Air Forces is changing the way it conducts combat training exercises.At the forefront of this effort is PACAF's largest multi-national exercise, Cooperative Cope Thunder, soon to be renamed Red Flag Alaska. The exercise incorporates the

  • PACAF leaders see flash of future in Georgia

    Senior leaders from Pacific Air Forces toured the F-22 Raptor production facility here Aug. 3 and got a look at the command's first 5th-generation fighter aircraft. Raptor 4087, bearing "AK" on its tail, is bound for Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska. It will be the first of 36 Raptors, in two

  • How to catch a falcon by the tail

    The tension must be right on, down to a thousandth of an inch. If the measurement is off, it means a multimillion dollar F-16 Fighting Falcon could careen off the runway at nearly 150 mph. And if the system fails completely, that same gray metal beast, filled with jet fuel, and its pilot will meet

  • Officials prepare for F-22 arrival

    As Pacific Air Forces prepares to bring the F-22 to the command next year, the Headquarters PACAF F-22 Program Integration Office is working to ensure no detail is overlooked. The job is not a small task. The integration office staff is responsible for guiding, coordinating and synchronizing the

  • CENTAF releases airpower, space support summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower and space support summary for Aug. 3.In Afghanistan Aug. 2, Royal Air Force Harrier GR-7s provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small-arms fire from Taliban extremists near Musah Qal'eh. The GR-7s expended an

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 2.In Afghanistan Aug. 1, a B-1 Lancer and Royal Air Force Harrier GR-7s provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with anti-coalition forces near Musah Qal'eh. The B-1 expended a Guided Bomb

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for Aug. 1.In Afghanistan July 31, the Air Force provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with anti-coalition forces near Musah Qal’eh. In two separate engagements A-10 Thunderbolt IIs expended cannon

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for July 31.In Afghanistan July 30, an Air Force B-1 Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small arms fire from Taliban extremists near Khowst. The B-1 expended a guided bomb unit-31 and a GBU-38 against

  • New aggressor unit will stand up in Alaska

    The Air Force will activate the 18th Aggressor Squadron at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.The mission of the 18th AS will be to provide realistic combat adversary training in air, space and information operations. Aggressor squadrons use enemy tactics, techniques, and procedures to give a realistic

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for July 30

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for July 30. In Afghanistan July 29, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close air-support for coalition troops taking small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from Taliban extremists in the vicinity of Tarin Kowt. The

  • Two F-16s reach milestone

    Two F-16 Fighting Falcons assigned to the 421st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron passed 6,000 flying hours during two recent Operation Iraqi Freedom combat missions over Iraq. Flown by Lt. Col. Mark Cline, 421st EFS commander, and Capt. Nick Edwards, aircraft numbers 88-0471 and 88-0428 were the first

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for July 28.In Afghanistan July 27, an Air Force Predator unmanned aerial vehicle conducted a strike against Taliban extremists gathering in a building in the vicinity of Kandahar. The UAV expended Hellfire missiles, destroying

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for July 27. In Afghanistan July 26, an Air Force B-1 Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small arms fire from Taliban extremists in the vicinity of Musah Qal'eh. The B-1 expended a joint direct attack

  • Exercise strengthens U.S., international combat skills

    Cooperative Cope Thunder 06-3 is the largest multi-lateral air combat exercise in the Pacific bringing together about 1,300 participants to train in Alaska.The operations officer for the exercise said Cope Thunder is very air forces centric -- providing realistic training in joint and combined

  • Long days, flexibility part of tanker crew's life

    Air Force tankers refueled fighters over a stretch of the North Sea off England's East Anglia coast Tuesday in support of a joint NATO exercise. The scenario is nothing new for the two KC-135 Stratotanker crews that flew the mission from Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England. About 100 miles off the

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for July 26.In Afghanistan July 25, an Air Force B-1 Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small arms fire from Taliban extremists near Musah Qal'eh. The B-1 expended guided bomb unit-31s and 38s on

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for July 25. In Afghanistan July 24, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with enemy forces near Asadabad. The aircraft expended cannon rounds against enemy troop positions,

  • CENTAF release airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for July 24.In Afghanistan July 23, French Air Force M-2000s and Royal Air Force GR-7s provided close-air support for coalition troops ambushed and taking small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from Taliban extremists near

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for July 22 and 23

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for July 22 and 23.July 23In Afghanistan July 22, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a B-1 Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small-arms fire from Taliban extremists near Now Zad. The A-10s conducted

  • No matter the nationality, pilots speak same language

    United States and European pilots may have language barriers but at the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program, they all speak the same language -- aviation. In the 55-week ENJJPT program, approximately 250 American and European students earn their wings yearly. Of those graduating, about 65

  • Misawa F-16 unit flying high at Cooperative Cope Thunder

    Pilots and support staff from Misawa Air Base, Japan, are taking advantage of realistic air combat training here during Cooperative Cope Thunder, Pacific Air Forces' largest joint and bilateral air combat exercise. The 13th Fighter Squadron brought about 40 pilots and support Airmen and 12 F-16

  • Guard, Reserve medics gear up at Patriot '06

    More than 2,200 Airmen and Soldiers are gathering in Wisconsin at Ft. McCoy and Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center as part of Patriot '06, an Air National Guard-led exercise held July 15 to 28.Servicemembers are also participating at Jefferson Barracks Air National Guard Station, Mo."The

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for July 21.In Afghanistan July 20, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and B-1 Lancers provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with anti-coalition forces near Lashkar Gah and Now Zad. A B-1 also provided close-air

  • Shaw hosts Operation Iron Thunder

    More than 100 aircraft from the U.S. military and NATO forces participated here this week in Operation Iron Thunder. Hosted by the 77th Fighter Squadron, the exercise offered a chance for players to be exposed to missions nearly identical to those faced in combat. "Operation Iron Thunder is a large

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 20.In Afghanistan July 19, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a B-1 Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with anti-coalition forces near Qalat. The B-1 expended guided-bomb-unit 31s and

  • Engineers go beyond virtual reality to test systems

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

  • CENTAF releases air power summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 19. In Afghanistan July 18, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a B-1 Lancer provided close-air support for coalition troops taking small arms fire near Musah Qal'eh. An A-10 expended guided bomb unit-12s on enemy

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 18.In Afghanistan July 17, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, a B-1B Lancer, a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle and Royal Air Force GR-7s provided close-air support for coalition troops in contact with anti-coalition

  • Airmen, Soldiers thwart terrorists emplacing IED

    The combined efforts of Air Force Airmen and Multi-national Division-Baghdad Soldiers foiled the efforts of terrorists today attempting to put into place an improvised-explosive device south of Baghdad.Airmen from the 11th Expeditionary Air Support Operations Squadron's Joint Terminal Attack

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 17.In Afghanistan July 16, an Air Force B-1B Lancer conducted precision strikes on Taliban extremist locations near Musah Qal'eh. The B-1B expended guided bomb unit-38s on extremists' buildings, destroying the

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 15. In Afghanistan July 14, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and French Air Force M-2000s provided close-air support for coalition forces taking small arms fire from Taliban extremists near Tarin Kowt. The A-10s

  • A potential for disaster

    The two green lights staring down 1st Lt. Michael Seltzer were a problem. A third light, which remained dark, indicated trouble: the landing gear at the nose of the lieutenant's F-16 Fighting Falcon was not down and locked into place. Low on fuel after a five-hour mission over Iraq, and flying hot

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 14.In Afghanistan July 13, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a B-1B Lancer provided close-air support for coalition forces taking small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from Taliban extremists near Musah

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 13. In Afghanistan July 12, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle provided close-air support for coalition forces under small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from Taliban

  • Program offers chance to work with foreign air force

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

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 12.In Afghanistan July 11, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, a B-1B Lancer and a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle provided close-air support for coalition forces taking small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire

  • ACC releases details on Shaw F-16 crash

    An F-16CJ Fighting Falcon pilot ejected from his aircraft over the Atlantic Ocean April 5 after experiencing a gravity-induced loss of consciousness and awaking to find his aircraft in an unrecoverable dive, according to an Air Combat Command report released today. The pilot suffered serious

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 11. In Afghanistan July 10, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support for coalition troops under fire from enemy forces near Musah Qal‘eh. The A-10 expended guided bomb unit-12s destroying an enemy

  • Airmen are battlefield innovators

    Airmen are adapting to the battle space and an evolving enemy in Iraq and Afghanistan, said the commander of U.S. Central Command Air Forces. Lt. Gen. Gary North told Airmen here during a visit July 5, they are always ready to support ground commanders despite an increased operations tempo. "This

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 10. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a B-1B Lancer provided close-air support to coalition troops taking small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from Taliban extremists in the vicinity of

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 9. In Afghanistan July 8, an Air Force B-1B Lancer conducted a precision strike on a cave complex used by Taliban extremists in the vicinity of Orgun-E. The aircraft expended joint direct attack munitions. Air

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 8. In Afghanistan July 7, an Air Force B-1B Lancer provided close-air support for coalition forces taking small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from Taliban extremists in the vicinity of Khowst. The aircraft

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for July 7.In Afghanistan July 6, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a B-1 Lancer provided close-air support for coalition forces taking small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from Taliban extremists near Asadabad.

  • Future Air Force Medical Service specialists train at Wilford Hall

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

  • Kirkuk control tower keeps watch day, night

    Organized chaos. Sounds like a contradiction, doesn't it?But that is exactly what the 506th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron air traffic control tower technicans keep their eyes on -- all day, every day. "It's something different every day," said Senior Airman Adam Guerrero, an air traffic

  • CENTAF releases combined airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for July 1 to 2.July 2In Afghanistan July 1, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and B-1 Lancers provided close-air support for coalition forces taking small-arms fire from Taliban extremists near Gereshk. A B-1B expended a guided

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for June 30.In Afghanistan June 29, Air Force B-1B Lancers provided close-air support for coalition forces taking small-arms and mortar fire from Taliban extremists near Tarin Kowt. The aircraft expended guided bomb unit-31s and

  • Air Force oversees popular name selections

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

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for June 28.In Iraq June 27, Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons conducted a precision strike against an anti-Iraqi forces compound near Baghdad. The F-16s expended a guided bomb unit-38, destroying the compound. F-16s provided

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for June 27.In Afghanistan June 26, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and Royal Air Force Harrier GR-7s provided close-air support to coalition forces taking small-arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from Taliban extremists

  • Allied aircrews train for action

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

  • CENTAF releases combined airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for June 24 to 26.June 26In Afghanistan June 25, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support for coalition forces taking small-arms fire from Taliban extremists near Asadabad. The aircraft expended guided bomb

  • F-22 excels at establishing air dominance

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

  • Testers set sights on joint strike fighter

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

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary for June 23

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for June 23.In Afghanistan June 22, an Air Force B-1B Lancer and MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle, French air force Mirages and Royal Air Force Harrier GR-7s provided close-air support to coalition forces taking small-arms

  • Air Force announces new mission at Cannon AFB

    Cannon Air Force Base, N.M., will be the new home for an Air Force special operations wing, Air Force officials announced June 20.Air Force Special Operations Command will accept ownership of Cannon AFB and the Melrose Range effective Oct. 1, 2007. The decision came as a result of an eight-step

  • Ice blaster saves money, manpower

    To remove sealant from the wings of F-16 Fighting Falcons, Airmen here are replacing elbow grease and plastic scrapers with dry ice.The new process, which uses a machine to blast material with dry ice pellets, saves time, money and manpower, and is easy to clean up, said officials from the 574th

  • Balancing capability portfolios key to Air Force success

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

  • Warfighting integration reduces inaccuracy, inefficiency

    Over the next decade, the Air Force will continue to use information technology to leverage the capability of its people and weapons systems. During a conference here June 13, Lt. Gen. Michael W. Peterson, Air Force chief of warfighting integration and chief information officer, told members of the

  • CENTAF releases combined airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the combined airpower summary for June 16 to 18.June 18In Afghanistan June 17, an Air Force B-1B Lancer provided close-air support for coalition forces taking small arms and rocket-propelled grenade fire from Taliban extremists near Ghazni. The

  • Zarqawi air strike shows aerial flexibility, general says

    The attack that killed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi demonstrates the flexibility that air assets give commanders, officials here said. Brig. Gen. Stephen Hoog, an air planner with Multinational Force Iraq, gave a timeline of the operation that resulted in the death June 7 of the most wanted terrorist in

  • Exercise tests intelligence platform

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

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for June 16.In Afghanistan June 15, French Mirage fighter aircraft conducted precision strikes on Taliban extremists near Qalat. The Mirages expended guided bomb unit-12 munitions on extremists hiding in a tree line. In a

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials have released the airpower summary for June 14.In Afghanistan June 13, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and Royal Air Force Harrier GR-7s conducted precision strikes on Taliban extremists in the open and by a cave entrance near Khowst. The A-10s expended

  • Virtual 'heavies' key to Northern Edge simulations

    The days of deploying an E-3 Sentry and other command and control aircraft to military exercises may soon be a rarity. With a large crew and an aging airframe, airborne warning and control systems, or AWACS, are expensive to deploy for a two-week training opportunity. But thanks to powerful computer

  • CENTAF releases combined airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for June 9 to 11.June 11 In Afghanistan June 10, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs conducted several strafing passes, firing cannon rounds against Taliban extremists near Oruzgan. In a second engagement, an MQ-1 Predator unmanned

  • Bracing for the storm

    It’s hurricane season again, and Air Force bases along the Southern coastline are bracing for what many experts are predicting could be another busy summer. In 2005, four major hurricanes -- Dennis, Katrina, Rita and Wilma -- combined to produce more than $1 billion in damage to Air Force

  • Northern Edge aims for air, sea dominance

    “Our end result (of Northern Edge 2006) is to establish complete dominance in the air and at sea,” said Col. John Marselus, chief of the Joint Exercise Division, or JED, for U.S. Alaskan Command.The focus of the annual joint-service exercise is to prepare joint forces to respond to crises in the

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for June 8.In Afghanistan June 7, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support to coalition forces taking small-arms fire near Tarin Kowt. The A-10s conducted strafing passes expending cannon rounds, successfully

  • AFMC delivers capability that helps take out al-Zarqawi

    The Air Force’s latest contribution to the ongoing war on terrorism took center stage June 7 when an air strike against an identified, isolated safe house north of Baghdad killed terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, head of al-Qaida in Iraq. Air Force Materiel Command developed, acquired, tested

  • Air Force F-16 airstrike kills al-Zarqawi

    Two U.S. Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcons, supporting coalition actions in Operation Iraqi Freedom, dropped precision munitions near Baquba, Iraq, on June 7, killing al Qaida’s leader in Iraq, Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and other terrorists. The aircraft, assigned to U.S. Central Command Air Forces,

  • Coalition forces kill Abu Musab al-Zarqawi

    Gen. George W. Casey Jr., Multi-National Force-Iraq commanding general, announced the death of al-Qaida in Iraq leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi in the following statement during a press conference with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad on June 8: “Ladies

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for June 7. In Afghanistan June 6, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a B-1 Lancer conducted close-air support to coalition forces engaged in direct fire from Taliban extremists near Tarin Kowt. The B-1B expended

  • Air Force family members participate in national spelling bee

    Four Air Force families from around the world gathered here to support their children who were participating in the Scripps-Howard National Spelling Bee May 31 to June 1. These four families formed an unofficial team of support that came from their military connection and shared pride in their

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for June 5.In Afghanistan June 4, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a B-1 Lancer responded to coalition forces taking mortar, rocket-propelled-grenade and small-arms fire from Taliban extremists near Qalat. The B-1 expended

  • Airman $9,000 richer for maintenance suggestion

    A $9,000 award was given to a technical sergeant from the 2nd Maintenance Squadron here for his suggestion through the Air Force Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program, known as IDEA.Tech. Sgt. John Biery received recognition for correcting a maintenance problem on F-16 Fighting