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U.S. Air Force News

  • AF rolls out fiscal 2018 space budget

    Air Force leaders met with media to discuss specifics of the service’s fiscal 2018 space investment budget at the Pentagon May 24, 2017. The request totals $7.75 billion, an approximately 20 percent increase from fiscal year 2017.

  • AF selects 1,303 officers for field grade promotions

    The Air Force has selected 1,303 active-duty officers for promotion to colonel, lieutenant colonel and major during the 2017A Colonel Medical Service Corps, Lieutenant Colonel Line of the Air Force and Medical Service Corps, and Major Medical Service Corps central selection boards.

  • AF selects 5,166 for promotion to master sergeant

    The Air Force has selected 5,166 technical sergeants for promotion to master sergeant of the 20,169 eligible. The overall selection rate was 25.61 percent, with an average selectee overall score of 523.22. Selectees’ average time-in-grade was 3.86 years, time-in-service was 14.36 years and the

  • AF presents fiscal year 2018 budget

    The Air Force presented its fiscal year 2018 president's budget request May 23, 2017, following the Defense Department and sister services’ budget briefings.

  • Air Force selects 2017 triathlon team

    The Air Force recently selected the 2017 Air Force Triathlon Team that will represent the service at the 2017 Armed Forces Triathlon Championship June 7-11, 2017, at Naval Base Ventura County, California.

  • Enlisted Airmen selected for 2017 nursing program

    Almost three dozen active-duty enlisted Airmen have been selected for the 2017 Nurse Enlisted Commissioning Program following the April 17-19, 2017, selection board at the Air Force Personnel Center.

  • Yesterday's Air Force: Pilot training

    This episode of Yesterday’s Air Force takes a look back at the history of the Air Force's Pilot Training Program, from its humble beginnings in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, to its modern day pursuit of air superiority.

  • AF showcases game-changing technologies at DOD Lab Day

    Scientists and engineers from the Air Force Research Laboratory presented 16 technology research projects in various stages of maturity during the second biennial Department of Defense Lab Day May 18, 2017, in the Pentagon center courtyard.

  • Dragon Lady makes historic appearance at Northern Edge

    Looking across the flightline at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson during previous Northern Edge exercises you would have seen a mass of gray and white aircraft, but this year the distinctly black U-2S Dragon Lady from Beale Air Force Base, California, made its presence known for the first time at

  • Senior leaders discuss US space posture

    On May 17, 2017, Air Force senior leaders testified before the Senate Armed Service Committee Strategic Forces subcommittee on military space, organization, policy and programs.

  • 45th Space Wing enables nation's space mission

    Space launches may soon be an almost weekly sight on Florida's Space Coast. As the need for space lift grows globally, partnerships between the Air Force, other government agencies and the commercial space industry are enhancing the 45th Space Wing's vision of remaining the world's premier gateway

  • 386th AEW navigator commission’s daughter on graduation day

    Now a newly minted second lieutenant, Brittany Peters was set to graduate the ROTC program at the University of North Carolina, and commission into the North Carolina Army National Guard. While deployed to Southwest Asia, Bret Peters made sure he had the technology to swear-in his daughter, via

  • AF Repair Enhancement Program saves millions of dollars

    The Air Force Repair Enhancement Program here performs marvels all the time. Recently, the four-person shop repaired a $20,000 power supply headed for the trash by replacing a $5 resistor, the equivalent of fixing a $300 phone with an eight-cent paper clip.

  • AFOSI spouse earns Military Spouse of the Year

    Brittany Boccher, the spouse of Master Sgt. Adam Boccher, an Air Force Office of Special Investigations special agent, from Detachment 327 at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, had a memorable year in 2016. Boccher was selected as the 2016 Little Rock AFB Military Spouse of the Year and the AFOSI

  • Air Force to Release F-35 Weight Restrictions

    Air Force leaders recently removed the restriction that kept pilots weighing less than 136 pounds from flying the F-35A. The restriction was imposed in 2015 due to concerns about the risk during ejections in a portion of the flight envelope.

  • Civilians gain leadership, warfighter support skills through program

    The Department of Defense Executive Leadership Development Program has been molding leaders for more than 30 years. In keeping with that tradition, the ELDP class of 2017 gained valuable knowledge of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and cyber missions and capabilities while visiting

  • AFLCMC awards major long range radar contract

    The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center here awarded the Raytheon Company a $52.6 million contract May 11, 2017, for the three-dimensional expeditionary long-range radar system.

  • Surviving the storm: My journey to recovery

    Last fall, I felt like I was losing my foundation. Within a short time frame, my best friend got a new assignment to California, and my supervisor, who had become my biggest mentor, left for a deployment. Soon after, I found myself significantly struggling to find my place as a new Airman, and

  • Endpoint cybersecurity technology deployed through AF agreement

    The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center electronic systems development division here and Carbon Black, a locally-based security company, signed a cooperative research and development agreement to improve cybersecurity for the Hanscom Air Force Base Collaboration and Innovation Center.

  • Around the Air Force: May 9

    On this look around the Air Force, the X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle-4 returns from its 718-day mission and the U.S. Air Force Academy superintendent testifies before Congress on the Academy’s sexual assault prevention and response programs.

  • Accelerating hypersonics development

    On May 3, 2017, Air Force senior leaders met to consider options to accelerate hypersonics research and development to break even more speed barriers and ensure continued technological superiority.Hypersonics refers to flying at five times the speed of sound, also known as “Mach 5,” or higher.

  • Airmen transport dolphins to San Diego NMMP

    Airmen from the 301st Airlift Squadron transported four Bottlenose Dolphins and their handlers from Naval Air Station Key West, Florida, to the U.S. Naval Marine Mammal Program, San Diego April 29, 2017.

  • Focus on fall prevention can reduce serious injuries

    Air Force Occupational Safety will focus on the importance of life-saving fall prevention measures during Fall Prevention Focus, May 8 – 19, 2017, marking the fourth year the Air Force has partnered with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the National Institute of Occupation

  • New program delivers emergency-ready masks to Airmen

    Talk to any Air Force emergency manager and they’ll probably tell you a clean and serviceable M50 mask is the most important piece of equipment Airmen can have in a war-time environment. Now, thanks to a small joint service team in Albany, Georgia, that equipment will have more reliability after

  • AFOSI Academy, basic course earn re-accreditation

    The Federal Law Enforcement Training Accreditation Board announced April 27, 2017, it granted reaccreditation status to the U.S. Air Force Special Investigations Academy and the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Basic Special Investigators Course at a meeting in Naval Station Mayport, Fla.

  • Medal of Honor recipient passes away at 85

    Col. Leo K. Thorsness, Medal of Honor recipient, passed away May 2, 2017, in St. Augustine, Florida, at the age of 85, according to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society.

  • AF Academy superintendent testifies on SAPR

    The results of the 2016 Service Academy Gender Relations Survey and Sexual Assault and Violence Report indicate the U.S. Air Force Academy is moving in the right direction but still has work to do in its combat against sexual assault, according to the Academy’s superintendent.On May 2, Lt. Gen.

  • Malmstrom tests Minuteman III missile with launch from Vandenberg

    A team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen from the 341st Missile Wing at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with a single test reentry vehicle May 3, 2017, at 12:02 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time from Vandenberg AFB,

  • Around the Air Force: May 2

    On this look around the Air Force, the Air Force Research Lab helps reduce the C-5M Super Galaxy’s energy footprint, the Alpha Warrior fitness program is on tour and the first three enlisted RPA Airmen complete their training.

  • Air Force implements changes to joint matters, joint tour credit

    The definition of “joint matters” and the authorized length of joint tours, two major joint officer management laws affecting active and reserve component Air Force officers, have recently changed following publication of guidance from the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

  • Hill F-16s train in NATO exercise

    Eight F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft and more than 200 Airmen from the active duty 388th Fighter Wing and Air Force Reserve 419th FW from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, are currently at Albacete Air Base, Spain, to participate in the NATO Tactical Leadership Program through May 19, 2017.

  • F-35s forward deploy to Bulgaria

    Two F-35A Lightning IIs and about 20 supporting Airmen arrived at Graf Ignatievo Air Base April 28 from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England.

  • Air Force holds 100th uniform board meeting

    The 100th meeting of the Air Force Uniform Board convened this month to review ideas and recommendations submitted by Airmen in order to improve or change Air Force uniforms, wear policy and grooming standards.

  • AF family navigates autism together

    Michael Christi is a three year old who loves animals, enjoys playing outside and adores school. He is like any other child who learns new subjects and socializes, but he performs differently due to having autism spectrum disorder, a developmental condition that is characterized by difficulty with

  • Art of War: fifth-gen, allies train to defeat future adversaries

    Imagine an enemy who knows how you operate. They know your game plans, have been in your position and used your gear. On top of that, they outnumber your team and have the ability to regenerate. The 27th Fighter Training Squadron's T-38 Talon red air pilots were that opposing force during the allied

  • Do you have what it takes to ‘Hack the Air Force’?

    The Air Force is inviting vetted computer security specialists from across the U.S. and select partner nations to do their best to hack some of its key public websites.The initiative is part of the Cyber Secure campaign sponsored by the Air Force’s Chief Information Office as a measure to further

  • F-35As deploy to Estonia for the first time

    Two F-35A Lightning II aircraft and about 20 supporting Airmen arrived at Ämari Air Base April 25, 2017, from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England. The F-35As are participating in their first training deployment to Europe. The aircraft and total force Airmen are from the 34th Fighter Squadron and the

  • MacDill first in AF to host Alpha Warrior tour

    MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, hosted the Air Force’s first stop for the Air Force Alpha Warrior Tour, April 18-19, 2017. The Air Force Services Activity partnered with the Alpha Warrior team to continue building Comprehensive Airman Fitness through the newly initiated Air Force Alpha Warrior

  • Travis AFB earns DOD environmental restoration award

    Dedication to using green and sustainable remediation technologies and biological processes that breakdown contaminates in groundwater has earned Travis Air Force Base, California, its first Defense Secretary Environmental Restoration Award for Installations.

  • McConnell tankers enable first F-35 European deployment

    When the F-35A Lightning II deployed to Europe for the first time April 15, it was made possible by the backbone of the aerial refueling fleet, the KC-135 Stratotanker. “The mission of the 22nd Air Refueling Wing is to refuel the fight,” said Col. Albert Miller, the 22nd Air Refueling Wing

  • Airmen earn Gen. Lew Allen Jr. Award

    Four Airmen received the Gen. Lew Allen Jr. Award on April 21, 2017, during a ceremony at the Pentagon. Lt. Gen. Jerry Harris, the deputy chief of staff for Air Force strategic plans, programs and requirements, presented the awards on behalf of the chief of staff of the Air Force.

  • Astronaut Airman launched to International Space Station

    On April 20, 2017, Col. Jack D. Fischer became the most recent American Airman to travel to space in support of the International Space Station mission. He was joined in flight by Fyodor Yurchikin, a Russian cosmonaut.

  • AF seeks 2017 Gen. Mark A. Welsh III One Air Force Award submissions

    Air Force officials are seeking nominations for the 2017 Gen. Mark A. Welsh III One Air Force Award. This Air Force-level award, which recognizes mission success achieved by a team of two or more total force components, will be presented to the top team that demonstrates improved effectiveness,

  • Air Force, Walt Disney Co. receive operations research award

    Members of the Air Force Studies, Analysis and Assessments directorate joined leaders of the Walt Disney Company as co-awardees of the INFORMS Prize at a gala in Las Vegas, Nevada, April 3, 2017, for their pioneering and enduring integration of operations research and analytics programs. The award

  • America’s cryptologic wing develops cyberspace warriors

    As one of Air Combat Command’s integral assets, the 70th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Wing is home to several types of cyberspace warriors, including the exploitation analysts (EA) of the 41st Intelligence Squadron.

  • F-35A deployment brings advanced airpower capability to Europe

    This weekend’s deployment of an initial six F-35A Lightning II fighters and several hundred Airmen to Europe demonstrates the aircraft’s readiness to conduct operations with America’s European partners, according to Air Force leaders.

  • AMC civic leaders learn about global reach execution

    Headquarters Air Mobility Command hosted 30 civic leaders at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, from April 10-12, 2017, to provide an interactive look into what it takes to execute the rapid global mobility mission every day.

  • Immigrant joins Air Force to give back

    Staff Sgt. Fadi Chreim, a 386th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle operations dispatch chief, joined the military to give back to the country that brought him in as an immigrant a decade ago.

  • AF Alpha Warrior program ensures Airmen’s functional fitness

    The Air Force Services Activity, or AFSVA, is teaming with obstacle race specialists Alpha Warrior, using equipment similar to that used on the television competition series American Ninja Warrior, to continue building on Comprehensive Airman Fitness.

  • Green Dot training prompts suicide intervention

    An Air Force Life Cycle Management Center program manager at Hanscom Air Force Base credits her efforts to help a woman she worried was suicidal to Green Dot training she received.

  • Military Treatment Facility leadership conference stresses Trusted Care

    If medical error could be classified as a disease, it would rank as the third deadliest disease in America. A medical error is a mistake by a medical provider which results in harm to a patient. For example, misdiagnosis of a condition or administering the improper dosage of a medicine.

  • Cadets learn about AF through Pathways to Blue

    The third annual Pathways to Blue event, designed to help ROTC cadets make their Air Force career choices, was April 7-8, 2017.The diversity and inclusion event, attended by more than 175 ROTC cadets from seven universities, is a 2nd Air Force initiative aimed to help build future leaders in the Air

  • CSAF Prestigious Captains Ph.D. Program application window open

    The application window is open for active-duty Air Force captains interested in applying for the Chief of Staff of the Air Force Captains Prestigious Ph.D. Program which exposes rising officers to a unique learning experience at a top-tier university.

  • 480th ISRG fills training gap

    The transition from technical school to duty station created issues within the intelligence community that couldn’t be addressed with on-the-job training alone.

  • Operation Homefront recognizes 2017 AF Military Child of the Year

    Eighteen-year-old Jamal Braxton has a busy schedule. The high school senior holds various leadership positions with the Red Cross, participates in multiple varsity sport programs and is a lifeguard. He accomplishes all this as a military child and the challenges inherent in military family life.

  • AF selects 471 for promotion to captain

    The Air Force selected 471 first lieutenants for promotion to captain during the 2016D Captain Line of the Air Force, chaplain, Line of the Air Force-judge advocate, nurse corps, medical service corps and biomedical service corps quarterly selection process.

  • Airmen’s Week: Changing the culture of Airmen

    After the completion of Basic Military Training, but before Airmen depart for their various technical training locations, lies a relatively new, yet crucial program geared toward the betterment of the Air Force: Airmen’s Week. Airmen’s Week is a 31-hour, values-based course with a mission to

  • Innovation enhances safety, leads to international recognition

    Air traffic control is serious business. Every day thousands of flights take off and land all across the U.S. Dedicated professionals known as air traffic controllers are responsible for monitoring every flight and coordinating with aircrews and people on the ground.

  • Intelligence communications systems migrate worldwide

    While protecting the nation and seeking out the enemy, U.S. military forces must exchange sensitive information safely and securely. The Air Force Joint Worldwide Intelligence Communications System allows multi-media communications between authorized individuals by secure means, and in a timely

  • 250th Air Force Community Partnership signed

    Leaders from Joint Base Charleston and the surrounding community signed the 250th Air Force community partnership agreement last week. This one aims to reduce emergency response time for local military and civilian first responders.

  • Airmen train, advise, assist Iraqi AF

    Airmen of the 370th and 770th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadrons play an important role in assisting the Iraqi military by sending critical cargo and forces downrange to support the fight against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. These Airmen are responsible for advising and assisting the Iraqi air

  • AF addresses pilot shortage

    Lt. Gen. Gina Grosso, the Air Force manpower, personnel and services deputy chief of staff, testified on the pilot shortage before the House Armed Services subcommittee on military personnel in Washington, D.C., March 29, 2017.