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U.S. Air Force News

  • First GPS III satellite successfully launched

    The Air Force and its mission partners successfully launched the first Global Positioning Systems III satellite Dec. 23 from Space Launch Complex-40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida. The Lockheed Martin-built satellitewas carried to orbit aboard a Space Exploration Technologies

  • Fighter exercise Sentry Aloha 19-1 completed

    More than 800 Airmen, Sailors and Defense Department civilians from nine states completed exercise Sentry Aloha, a large-scale fighter exercise, , Dec. 19, at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.

  • Air Force begins work on Tyndall AFB rebuild with PMO

    Following Hurricane Michael, the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center and its partners established a program management office at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, to lead redevelopment and reconstruction efforts.

  • From start to finish: Air Force Reserve MTI's lead BMT total force flights

    Ten Air Force Reserve 433rd Training Squadron military training instructors guided four total force basic military training flights through eight and a half weeks of training and education in preparation for their Dec. 14 BMT graduation at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. It was the first

  • Joining forces: Test team completes fourth Orange Flag of 2018

    In the skies above California, an F-35 Lightning II and F-16 Fighting Falcon from Edwards Air Force Base, are joined by an F-15E Strike Eagle and F-22 Raptor from the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron out of Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, along with a Navy F-18 Hornet from Air Test and Evaluation

  • Latest OCP guidance OKs current subdued patches

    Latest Operational Camouflage Pattern uniform guidance OKs current subdued patches Airmen wearing OCP uniforms are authorized to add their former Battle Dress Uniform subdued patches until the mandatory brown subdued ones go into effect.

  • Santa, Elves jump for Operation Toy Drop 2018

    Santa Claus and his elves delivered toys to children via military freefall and static-line jumps as part of the 7th annual Operation Toy Drop event on Alzey Drop Zone, Germany Dec. 11-13, 2018.

  • Super Galaxy: Aeromedical evacuation's biggest ally

    During a cold, gloomy first week of December, total force Airmen teamed up at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, to test the capability of the Air Force’s largest aircraft to perform aeromedical evacuation during a proof of concept event.

  • 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.

  • Cyber operators host cyber certification training courses for SA youth

    In mid-2016, four Air Forces Cyber operators teamed to create a free cyber certification academy for San Antonio teenagers. Master Sgt. Shaun Herron and Staff Sgts. Charles Hackett, Justin Gonzalez and Austin Ellsworth’s dream became reality when their non-profit, GhostWire Academy, was born. Today,

  • How the Air Force got smarter about its aviation fuel use in 2018

    Did you know the Air Force is the largest consumer of fuel in the Department of Defense? This may not surprise you, if say, you’ve ever watched a sortie of F-35 Lighting IIs complete an aerial refueling, or witnessed a C-5 Galaxy lift (seemingly) effortlessly into the sky. In fact, the Air Force

  • AFSPC assumes COMSATCOM procurement responsibility for DoD

    The Air Force Space Command commander assumed responsibility for procurement of commercial satellite communications services for the Department of Defense from the Director of the Defense Information Systems Agency December 12. The move is in accordance with Section 1601(a) of the Fiscal Year 2018

  • Dover, Ramstein set standard for AMOW C-5 maintenance training

    More than 30 U.S. Air Force Reserve aircraft maintainers assigned to the 512th Airlift Wing along with a 436th Airlift Wing C-5M Super Galaxy aircraft and crew traveled to Ramstein Air Base, Nov. 23, to assist the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing with vital hands-on, airframe-specific training.

  • B-21 Raider program holds weapons system critical design review

    The Air Force successfully held a critical design review of the B-21 weapon system November 28-30, 2018. The event served as a multi-disciplined technical review that ensured the Air Force’s newest bomber has a stable and mature design as the program moves forward into manufacturing and flight

  • Grit and determination: AFSOC Airmen slide with Team USA bobsled

    Two Airmen within Air Force Special Operations Command were selected to compete with the USA Bobsled team this year. Capt. Dakota Lynch, a 34th Special Operations Squadron U-28A pilot, and Capt. Chris Walsh, a 24th Special Operations Wing special tactics officer, are push athletes who are ultimately

  • STPSat-5 successfully launched from Vandenberg AFB

    The Air Force and its mission partners successfully launched Space Test Program Satellite 5, or STPSat-5, into orbit via Spaceflight Industries’ fully dedicated smallsat rideshare mission aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle on Dec. 3 from Space Launch Complex 4E, Vandenberg Air Force Base,

  • 89th Airlift Wing to fly tribute honoring former president

    The 89th Airlift Wing, based at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, will conduct a tribute flight in honor of former President George H. W. Bush with an Air Force VC-25A, over the interment site at College Station, Texas, at 3:55 p.m. CST on Wednesday, Dec. 5.

  • Wing partners with local cement plant, USDA to study black vultures

    The 167th Airlift Wing, Argos Cement Plant and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Wildlife Services have teamed up to research black vultures in and around Martinsburg, West Virginia, in an effort to mitigate potential aviation hazards.

  • Kentucky Air Guardsmen earn Bronze Star Medals

    Five members of the 123rd Special Tactics Squadron were awarded Bronze Star Medals during a ceremony at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base Nov. 17, for outstanding selflessness and bravery in the defense of the United States.

  • AFCENT publishes October Airpower Summary

    “Our mission is to deliver decisive air and space power on behalf of U.S. Central Command for the security and stability of the region. We do this mission proudly, alongside our international, joint and interagency partners,” said Lt. Gen. Joseph Guastella, Combined Forces Air Component commander.

  • Air Force fields next generation CBRN protective masks

    In November 2018, the Air Force will complete fielding of an improved chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear protective mask for aircrew on rotary wing aircraft, allowing operational units to achieve full operational capability.

  • 36th CRG brings relief, inspiration after devastation

    On Oct. 25, Daverrick Camacho, a firefighter from Saipan, woke-up to a nightmare turned reality. Everything he worked toward was wiped off the face of the earth. The place he called home and held family gatherings was nothing more than darkly twisted debris, scattered across the front lawn.

  • Integrating SIGINT for multi-domain total force

    The 16th Intelligence Squadron set on a path to become a reserve component partner with the 70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing, Oct. 1, 2014, creating a culture of seamless operations integration between active duty and reserve Airmen.

  • C-130 aircrew exercises combat airdrop capability

    From food and water to ammunition and equipment, ground forces in the region receive critical assets thanks to C-130 Hercules aircrews like those from the 746th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron stationed at Al Udeid Air Base.

  • Major changes to medical policies good news for Reservists

    When Col. John Buterbaugh took the helm as the command surgeon at Air Force Reserve Command in late summer 2018, he wanted to make some bold changes to improve processes for the 70,000 Reserve Citizen Airmen serving around the world.

  • 380th EMDG: Providing care to the fight

    The 380th Air Expeditionary Wing consists of four groups executing the warfighting mission. One of these groups, the 380th Expeditionary Medical Group, provides various medical care and services supporting more than 3,500 deployed personnel at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates.

  • Revitalizing squadrons efforts cross borders

    The Air Force’s Revitalizing Squadrons team recently joined together with their Royal Canadian Air Force, or RCAF, counterparts in Ottawa, Canada to collaborate and share best practices in their respective missions to strengthen squadrons across both Air Forces.

  • F-35A combat power exercise conducted at Hill AFB

    The active duty 388th Fighter Wing and Air Force Reserve 419th Fighter Wing conducted a combat power exercise Nov. 19, launching dozens of F-35A Lightning IIs within a condensed period of time.

  • Foreign Naval officers dive into Air Mobility

    Approximately 56 foreign and joint military officers from 52 foreign naval services from around the world visited Joint Base Charleston Nov. 13, 2018, to learn about the mission and capabilities of Air Mobility Command as well as JB Charleston’s role as the gateway to the Atlantic.

  • JB Charleston hosts new leadership course

    Company grade officers and senior noncommissioned officers at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., hosted Flight Commander’s edge, a new flight leadership training program, Nov. 6 to 8, 2018.

  • Air Force Safety goes mobile

    The Air Force Safety Center released a mobile version of the Airman Safety App, Nov. 15, enabling Airmen at installations Air Force-wide to voluntarily report safety issues with their devices as they encounter them.

  • F-35s begin Auto GCAS test flights

    The 461st Flight Test Squadron recently began test flight missions with the F-35 Lightning II and the Auto GCAS at Edwards Air Force Base, California.

  • Deployed security forces Airmen ensure safety of DoD assets at Bagram

    In a deployed environment, security forces Airmen perform a unique mission that differs from their traditional roles at home station. From patrolling the flightline in armored tactical vehicles to providing security for all personnel and Department of Defense assets going to austere locations in

  • AFMC unleashes $4.6M in FY18 Squadron Innovation Funds

    When Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein asked leaders to “unleash the brilliance in our Airmen,” Air Force Materiel Command answered the call, executing more than $4.6 million in Squadron Innovation Funds in fiscal year 2018.

  • F-35 maintainers at Hill AFB shaping future with BOLT

    After several months, an innovative program in the 388th Fighter Wing is proving it has the potential to deliver combat power more efficiently and may shape how the Air Force determines future requirements to sustain F-35A Lightning II operations.

  • AFRL aids NASA in lofty endeavor

    Ingenuity and collaboration were the keys to success as a group of Air Force Research Laboratory engineers took a series of tests to new heights.

  • Royal Thai AF, PACAF build upon strong partnership

    Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, hosted Air Chief Marshal Chaiyapruk Didyasarin Royal Thai air force commander in chief, to build upon the strong U.S. – Thailand partnership, at Headquarters PACAF at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Oct. 29.

  • 388th Fighter Wing completes combat exercise

    The 388th Fighter Wing’s 4th Fighter Squadron and 4th Aircraft Maintenance Unit recently completed a combat exercise where they tested and evaluated their capabilities to operate the F-35A Lightning II in a deployed environment.

  • 2nd CWSS helps restore operations after Hurricane Michael

    Just four days after Hurricane Michael’s landfall, Tech. Sgts. Jacob Reinhardt and Thomas Heath, 2nd Combat Weather Systems Squadron weather systems support cadre members from Hurlburt Field, Florida, jumped into the squadron’s pickup truck.

  • Little Rock AFB hosts Arkansas’ largest STEM Fest

    Little Rock Air Force Base hosted Arkansas’ largest Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics festival in conjunction with the Thunder Over the Rock Air and Space Show, with a field trip day Oct. 26 that drew more than 20,000 attendees, over 13,000 of whom were students.

  • AMC’s Phoenix Spark Tank competition recognizes innovation

    Air Mobility Command held its first-ever Phoenix Spark Tank competition at the Airlift/Tanker Association Symposium in Grapevine, Texas, where four finalists proposed their innovation ideas to top Air Force leaders and the president of VOX Space Oct. 26.

  • AFIMSC helps Tyndall get back in the fight

    As Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, recovers from Hurricane Michael Oct. 10, members and teams from across the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center are helping the base get back in the fight.

  • 325th LRS: Helping shape a new Tyndall AFB

    The 325th Logistics Readiness Squadron is a multi-faceted unit working diligently on Hurricane Michael recovery efforts. Two of their five sections are vehicle operations and vehicle maintenance.

  • Air Force Reserve Command activates first ISR Wing

    Born out of necessity in 2012, the 655th Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Group embraced its destiny to restructure as a wing during a ceremony at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Oct. 20.

  • Reserve maintainers take part in Air Force light attack experiment

    Senior Master Sgt. Scott Lopez, 476th Maintenance Squadron maintenance superintendent at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, and Tech. Sgt. Lauren Camarena, an electrical and environmental systems craftsman with the 476th MXS, traveled to Holloman AFB, New Mexico, for two months earlier this year to take

  • 823rd RHS delivers basic needs after Hurricane Michael

    A trip from Hurlburt Field, Florida, to Tyndall Air Force Base, typically takes two hours. In the wake of Hurricane Michael, it was a four-hour journey for 16 Airmen from the 823rd RED HORSE Squadron. Hindered by destruction and debris, they backtracked through blocked roads with little to no

  • JCAT Airman uses combat forensics to evolve the AFCENT mission

    The ideal outcome of any conflict is to achieve victory and come out the other side unscathed. However, an undesired outcome does not mean lessons cannot be learned and applied for future conflicts. The United States military has used this mentality since its inception and applies it today in the

  • 920th RQW Airmen prepare for human spaceflight

    To prepare for the arrival of human space flight tests next year, the 920th Rescue Wing along with the DoD Human Space Flight Support Office, NASA and SpaceX personnel joined forces to plan and execute a realistic medical evacuation exercise at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Oct. 25.

  • Weather data pilot includes Hurricane Michael

    A prototype project providing the Air Force access to commercial weather data began Oct. 1, nine days before Hurricane Michael devastated the Florida Panhandle. The prototype is managed at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts.

  • CCAF no longer required for promotion

    Due to an update to the enlisted personnel handbook, an associate’s degree from the Community College of the Air Force is no longer required for promotions, however, master sergeants still have to keep education in mind for their enlisted performance reports.

  • AFIMSC seeks I-WEPTAC topic inputs

    Organizers from the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center are offering Airmen an opportunity to help shape the future of combat support by submitting topics for the third annual Installation and Mission Support Weapons and Tactics Conference.

  • Washington Air Guard analyzes imagery after Hurricane Michael

    Airmen from the Washington Air National Guard’s 194th Intelligence Squadron are growing their skillset and learning new ways of operating as they support Georgia in the aftermath of Hurricane Michael. The squadron recently took on a new capability: Unclassified Processing Assessment and

  • President Trump visits Luke AFB

    President Donald J. Trump visited Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, Oct. 19, to discuss military weapons and technology capabilities and learn about the 56th Fighter Wing’s pilot training mission.

  • The enlisted Airmen perspective: Success in the MDO world

    The mission of the recently-formed Air Force Strategic Integration Group blends senior leader’s perspectives of The Force We Need, the Future of Multi-Domain Operations, and the Airmen We Need to implement lasting change across the service. These changes include direct and indirect improvements for

  • Air Force responds to Hurricane Michael

    Hurricane Michael hit the Florida Panhandle as a Category 4 hurricane Oct. 10, with Tyndall Air Force Base directly in its path. Active-duty and National Guard service members were pre-positioned to provide assistance during the storm. And within hours after the hurricane ended, additional Airmen

  • U.S. and NATO firefighters forge through the flames

    U.S. Air Forces in Europe Fire Academy members, assigned to the 435th Construction and Training Squadron, hosted a burn training during a USAFE NATO Firefighter Partnership course, Oct. 5, on Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

  • CRG provides hope to Tyndall AFB after Hurricane Michael wreaks havoc

    On the afternoon of Oct. 10, Hurricane Michael, a Category 4 hurricane, ripped through Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, and the surrounding area leaving severe damage through its path. Airmen from the 821st Contingency Response Group, Travis Air Force Base, California, received the alert call the

  • Travis AFB poised to deliver after Hurricane Michael

    Within hours of Hurricane Michael’s landfall on the Florida Panhandle, a Travis Air Force Base, California, C-17 Globemaster III, with a crew from the 21st Airlift Squadron and the 860th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, took off to support civil authorities in humanitarian relief operations.

  • Air Force, Hollywood partner during making of “First Man”

    Since the inception of the Air Force in 1947, film makers, novelists and even creators of video games have wanted to tell the tales of Airmen. The Air Force Public Affairs Entertainment Liaison office works to project and protect the image of the U.S. Air Force within the global entertainment

  • 563rd RQG realigns to the 355th FW

    The 563rd Rescue Group, a geographically-separated unit out of Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, was realigned from the 23rd Wing to Davis-Monthan AFB’s 355th Fighter Wing Oct. 1, 2018.

  • Air Force awards three Launch Service Agreements

    The U.S. Air Force announced today the award of three Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) Launch Service Agreements to (in alphabetical order) Blue Origin, Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, and United Launch Alliance.

  • AFIMSC observes two years of innovation, support to AF

    AFIMSC celebrated its second year of full operational capability Oct. 1. The standup represented the Air Force’s largest change in more than 20 years as the service centralized 155 installation and mission support functions previously executed by the major commands and Headquarters Air Force into a