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U.S. Air Force News

  • Innovation saves AMC $2 million annually

    The 437th Airlift Wing began modifying the C-17 Globemaster III aircraft with new mounts for the Electronic Flight Bag Sept. 25, 2017. The new mounts will increase flight safety in C-17s and are estimated to save Air Mobility Command $2 million in repairs annually.

  • Joint effort delivers relief cargo to Puerto Rico

    Members of the 15th Airlift Squadron and 437th Airlift Wing, flew a C-17 Globemaster III to Fort Drum, New York, Sept. 28, 2017, to pick up aid supplies before flying to San Juan, Puerto Rico, after Hurricane Maria, a category 4 hurricane, battered the U.S. territory.

  • A chip that scrambles

    The Air Force’s new Mini Crypto chip will secure communications and data between systems like unmanned aerial vehicles and explosive ordnance disposal robots, while being “losable.”

  • Minuteman III receives upgrade

    As part of move to further modernize the nuclear enterprise, Airmen from the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base recently implemented a $68 million upgrade to the LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile.First used on June 23, 2017, this new device – known as the Data Transfer

  • Be there, be aware: Help prevent suicide

    When we focus on our health, it’s easy to pay attention to physical health versus mental well-being. Ignoring mental health concerns like anxiety and depression can lead to worsening symptoms and more serious issues. For some people, these issues may include an increased risk of suicide.

  • Road Warrior exercise tests defenders’ combat capabilities

    Airmen from the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyoming; 91st MW at Minot AFB, North Dakota and the 341st MW at Malmstrom AFB, Montana, participated in the Road Warrior exercise at Camp Guernsey, Wyoming, Sept. 9-28, 2017. The 20th Air Force’s exercise has strategic and tactical

  • Competition fuels hearts, ignites relationship

    In 2015, when a Naperville, Illinois girl met a small-town boy from Eagle River, Alaska, neither knew immediately how their relationship would evolve beyond teammates; however, the now engaged pair of retired Air Force athletes would still say “teammates” will always be a word that first comes to

  • I AM: Unconquered, undefeated

    The air here is electric on the competition grounds of the 2017 Invictus Games, where 17 nations and more than 550 wounded, ill or injured athletes have come together to showcase their grit; and where one second-time athlete from the U.S. team has set her sights on dominating in the arena.

  • BEEliners bring humanitarian aid to St. Croix

    As Army and Marine Corps helicopters delivered humanitarian aid throughout St. Croix, an Air Force C-17 Globemaster III from Travis Air Force Base, California, landed Sept. 23, 2017 at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport, St. Croix, bringing humanitarian aid to residents affected by Hurricanes Irma and

  • The uniform, the rank, the badge – the attitude

    The colonel leaned back in his seat, pausing for just a moment as he scanned his memory. “Not really,” he said, recounting if the Air Force had always been a goal. “It was kind of tradition in the family – to serve. It was something the family did. I figured I’d get in, do five years and then get

  • 55th HMU: Ready to repair at a moment’s notice

    High above the desert mountains, an HH-60G Pave Hawk glided through the evening air. What was supposed to be a standard maneuvering exercise turned into an inflight emergency when the helicopter suffered a detrimental bird strike.

  • Air Force, Army partnership feeds the warfighter

    The 386th Air Expeditionary Wing plays a major logistical role in delivering critical supplies to the frontlines in the war against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. One of the ways the 386th AEW supports the Combined Joint Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve mission is by conducting airdrops

  • Air Force leaders address aircrew crisis

    More than 60 Air Force senior leaders discussed the Air Force’s aircrew crisis which has left the service more than 1,500 pilots short of its requirements Sept. 22, 2017, at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland.

  • On the Road: Chaplain's journey to higher calling

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)In Abak, Nigeria, Dec. 8, 1974, a mother, nine-months pregnant, feels that her baby is ready to arrive. The duration of the journey to the hospital is

  • Space commanders address operations, importance at AFA

    Several of the Air Force’s space commanders spoke on a panel about the significance of Air Force space operations and its undeniable importance to national defense during the Air Force Association Air, Space and Cyber Conference Sept. 19, 2017.

  • 621st CRW Airmen deploy in response to Hurricane Irma

    The 821st Contingency Response Group from Travis Air Force Base, California, alerted a 64-person contingency response element to Marathon Regional Airport, located in the Florida Keys, where they arrived in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma, Sept. 11, 2017.

  • Gold Star survivors are part of Air Force family tree

    Gold Star families are survivors of military service members who lost their lives during armed hostilities, including deployments in support of military operations against an enemy and/or during an international terrorist attack.

  • AMC crew earns humanitarian award

    An aircrew from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, was recognized at the Air Force Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Sept. 18, 2017. The aircrew, assigned to the 6th Airlift Squadron, received the Berlin Airlift Veterans Association Humanitarian Mission of

  • AFMC commander: Agility, innovation to fuel future of AF logistics

    The future of Air Force logistics will find Airmen tapping into a secure digital network of archived additive manufacturing specifications, allowing for the 3D-printed creation of a weapons system component whenever and wherever needed.This agile manufacturing approach is just one way Air Force

  • FLOTUS visits military children

    First Lady Melania Trump’s focus on the well-being of children led her to visit the youth center on Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, Sept. 15, 2017.

  • Air Force Marathon celebrates 70th birthday, community

    Partly cloudy skies and warm temperatures welcomed approximately 13,500 runners and walkers from all 50 states and 16 foreign countries to take part in the 21st annual U.S. Air Force Marathon at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Sept. 16, 2017.Gen. Ellen

  • CSAF hosts POTUS during airpower demo

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein hosted President Donald J. Trump for an airpower demo during the 2017 Joint Base Andrews Air Show: America’s Air and Space Expo at JB Andrews, Maryland, Sept. 15, 2017.

  • Airman overcomes suicidal thoughts, strives to help others

    Being part of the Air Force is not an easy task. Airmen are charged with supporting and defending the U.S. from all enemies, foreign and domestic. As a result, the military life has many stressors and responsibilities. Deployments, financial strains, intensive training, long work days and adapting

  • DoD, academia test systems for GPS denial

    Navigating the globe was once done using the sun, moon and stars as references, but modern times bring modern methods, and the majority of the world now relies on GPS for its navigation needs.

  • Caregivers play critical role in lives of wounded warriors

    Tech. Sgt. Eric Fisher was two months into a five-month deployment in 2011 to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, when he suffered a heart attack after an intense rocket attack, and a day of moving heavy pallets on the flight line.

  • Air Force announces 100 percent promotion opportunity to major

    In the latest move to restore the Air Force’s readiness and lethality, senior leaders are taking a closer look at officer performance management with a focus on developing leaders and retaining the talented professionals the service needs.

  • McConnell AFB innovation saves $40K, increases safety

    The 22nd Logistics Readiness Squadron’s vehicle management flight recently constructed and installed a modification on a vehicle to enhance the safety of McConnell Air Force Base Airmen while saving the Air Force thousands of dollars.

  • US, Nepal team up for disaster response training

    Ten U.S. Air Force air advisors from the 36th Contingency Response Group, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, embarked on a journey over 4,000 miles away from their tropical duty station to the mountainous country of Nepal, where they participated in a subject-matter expert exchange with 20 members from

  • Dobbins ARB provides hurricane evacuation support

    Late on the evening of Sept. 6, 2017, the first of several KC-130 Super Hercules carrying evacuees landed at the Dobbins Air Reserve Base flightline. What began as a typical aircraft arrival scene with airfield managers guiding the planes in, became a bit more unique as Marine Corps aircrews

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: The Information Age

    FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) – This episode of Yesterday's Air Force looks at the history of the Air Force’s use of computers and how they have influenced the Air Force. Computers were originally developed to be problem solvers, but their vulnerabilities soon created a new era of problems,

  • Airmen, family feedback sought for community resources

    The Air Force invites all Airmen and their dependents to participate in the 2017 Air Force Community Feedback Tool survey which runs through Oct. 2, 2017.The volunteer survey collects feedback directly from the total force and their spouses about their community needs. Those surveyed identify gaps

  • EPLOs provide critical coordination to FEMA disaster relief efforts

    As three CH-47 Chinooks flew into Joint Base San Antonio-Seguin Auxiliary Airfield from the west, , Col. Harry Hughes, an emergency preparedness liaison officer, quickly worked through how to alleviate a back-up of overflow truck traffic onto the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Incident

  • Time Tested: Airman serves 21 years on same aircraft

    Since entering active military service in 1956, the C-130 Hercules has earned its place in the storied history of air power, time and time again. From Vietnam all the way up through Operation Inherent Resolve, the C-130 has always made a name for itself by providing critical airlift.For Master Sgt.

  • Special Tactics saves lives in Hurricane Harvey aftermath

    To assist in rescue efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, 38 Special Tactics Airmen deployed to Southeast Texas to provide critical disaster relief.Special Tactics Airmen with the 123rd and 125th Special Tactics Squadrons exercised their personnel rescue and global access capabilities to

  • Dobbins ARB hosts EOD teams, tests new technology

    Dobbins Air Reserve Base hosted the Eastern National Robot Rodeo Aug. 21-25, 2017, which featured explosive ordnance disposal teams from the Air Force, Navy, Army, Cobb County Police Department and the Royal Air Force.

  • Supercomputing weather with ‘Thor’

    The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Hanscom Air Force Base acquired a supercomputer that is the latest step in a long-running weather prediction arms race.

  • 774th EAS conducts first combat airdrop in more than two years

    Months of planning and weeks of preparing culminates to an airdrop lasting a few seconds. While the time and effort that goes into planning a combat airdrop may seem long for something that lasts less than a minute, for the ground troops, the equipment they received will have a lasting impact.

  • Around the Air Force: Aug 29

    On this look Around the Air Force, Air National Guard Airmen support Hurricane Harvey relief efforts and the Air Force has three new initiatives to retain pilots.

  • Cyberspace critical to nuclear treaty monitoring

    The Air Force Technical Applications Center here is charged with ensuring each and every nation across the globe complies with the ban on nuclear weapons testing, 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Members of AFTAC answer that call without fail – monitoring nuclear treaty compliance is their

  • Accepting the challenge

    Airman 1st Class Colby Morin, a member of the 66th Security Forces Squadron, volunteered to attend the U.S. Marine Corps’ Lance Corporal Seminar during a deployment to Southeast Asia.

  • Revitalizing the squadron: Support Squadron enables airpower at KAF

    A successful air campaign requires more than just aviators and maintainers—it needs Airmen to support every facet of airpower.Within the 451st Air Expeditionary Group, at Kandahar Airfield, there is a squadron designed to organically provide necessary support to project airpower in the region.

  • SecAF speaks to JAG Airmen

    Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson addressed Judge Advocate General Corps Airmen during the 2017 Horizons Summer Conference, Aug. 28, 2017, in Falls Church, Virginia.

  • It takes a village to deploy a warfighter

    Air Force Airmen prepare to deploy across the globe in support of national objectives every day. To make this possible, installation deployment readiness cells and the unit deployment managers prepare and process members for deployment to unified combatant commands.

  • Around the Air Force: Aug. 25

    On this look Around the Air Force intercontinental ballistic missile contracts are awarded to Boeing and Northrop Grumman, Sailors receive Aerospace Ground Equipment training, and a look at Desert Defender Combat Readiness training.

  • From refugee to Airman

    In the country of Liberia, Africa, a good day and bad day are extreme opposites–a difference of children playing in the street and going to war. For locals like Christiana Katta, war zone experience came at an early age. She was just 2 years old when she and her family picked up all their belongings

  • Around the Air Force: Aug. 22

    On this look Around the Air Force the new Space Operations Directorate has achieved operating capability, the Pathfinder Initiative protects cyberspace assets, and starting Sept. 1st, 2017, the Express Scripts Tricare pharmacy home delivery program begins.

  • AFwerX Vegas opens new doors to innovation

    The men and women of the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center will once again be on the leading edge of testing, tactics, and training innovation, establishing the force’s most ambitious knowledge outreach program to date.Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson announced the launch of AFwerX during her

  • AFNWC expert wins AFA Welch award

    The Air Force Association recently honored an Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center colonel with the 2017 Gen. Larry D. Welch-Officer Award.

  • New equipment gives Airmen time to breathe

    After a pilot completes their Initial Aerospace Physiology Training they occasionally go through a refresher course to maintain their flying status. In order to complete the course aircrew work with the 9th Physiological Support Squadron for a variety of reasons, including a hypoxia demonstration.

  • Annual consent for automatic prescription refills begins Sept. 1

    Beginning Sept. 1, 2017, Express Scripts will need annual consent from patients who want to receive automatic refills of their maintenance medications enrolled in TRICARE Pharmacy Home Delivery. This means that just before one of your prescriptions runs out of refills, Express Scripts will reach out

  • Iceman born abroad

    (This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series on AF.mil. These stories focus on a single Airman, highlighting their Air Force story.)Driving in the dead of night, 5-year-old Ivan Alandzak remembers seeing soldiers laying in ditches, random check points and tanks everywhere.

  • New Air Force Space Operations Directorate achieves operating capability

    The Air Force selected the senior civilian and mobilization assistant for the deputy chief of staff for Space Operations directorate, or "AF/A11," Aug. 17, 2017. Mr. Shawn Barnes will serve as the assistant deputy chief of staff for Space Operations, and Maj. Gen. Pamela Lincoln has been named as