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U.S. Air Force News

  • New AF development planning effort key to third offset

    To help the Air Force define and develop future capabilities, Air Force Materiel Command is standing up a multi-disciplinary Air Force team at the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

  • Pathways to Blue shows ROTC cadets the way

    More than 180 ROTC cadets from 22 colleges and 31 active-duty enlisted Airmen attended the second annual Pathways to Blue initiative April 15-16 hosted by Second Air Force at Keesler Air Force Base.

  • CHIEFchat: Cody discusses WAPS

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody discussed the implementation of the Weighted Airman Promotion System changes during his most recent CHIEFchat at Defense Media Activity on Fort George G. Meade. During his chat, he discussed the role of education in promotion, the continued relevance

  • PACAF Airmen stand up air contingent in Philippines

    Airmen assigned to the Pacific Air Forces stood up the first rotation of an air contingent at Clark Air Base, Philippines, April 16, following a joint announcement by Secretary of Defense Ash Carter and Philippine Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin in Manila that highlighted several initiatives aimed

  • Phoenix Ravens protect mobility mission

    A select group of Airmen are tasked with providing close-in security for mobility air forces aircraft transiting airfields where security is unknown or additional security is needed to counter local threats. They are known as Phoenix Ravens.

  • AMC relocates KC-135 simulator

    Air Mobility Command will relocate a KC-135 Stratotanker pilot simulator from McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, to Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base, Ohio, in an effort to maximize simulator utilization across the mobility enterprise.

  • Air Force Reserve: 68 years strong

    Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James spoke to the importance of total force integration during the Air Force Reserve’s 68th birthday celebration April 14 at the Pentagon.

  • Nearly 650 family members reach US from Turkey within 74 hours

    Minutes after an ordered departure of Defense Department family members and civilians assigned to locations in Turkey, mobility Airmen sprang into action around the world, preparing to execute missions that would ensure a safe and speedy airlift for them and their pets.The combined mission effort

  • Powerlifting duo competes, wins big

    Co-workers occasionally find common interests between them. For two Airmen at Scott Air Force Base that turned into powerlifting competitions.

  • Hyten announces Space Enterprise Vision

    Gen. John Hyten, the commander of Air Force Space Command, announced the command's Space Enterprise Vision April 12 at Peterson Air Force Base. The SEV is the result of an AFSPC-commissioned study that looked at how to make the nation's national security space enterprise more resilient.

  • James visits Airmen supporting Honduras mission

    The men and women of Joint Task Force-Bravo hosted Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James April 8 at Soto Cano Air Base, as she wrapped up her visit to various units in the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility.

  • AF New Parent Support Program helps families care for infants, toddlers

    The Air Force New Parent Support Program provides information, support and guidance to parents as they care for their newborns, infants and toddlers. The program helps military families learn about the growth and development of infants and toddlers, to prepare for the changes that come as a baby is

  • Air Force approves RPA initiatives

    The Air Force recently approved two initiatives for the remotely piloted aircraft career field. First, eight RPA reconnaissance squadrons will be redesignated as attack squadrons. Second, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III authorized RPA aircrews to log combat time when flying an

  • B-52 Stratofortress joins coalition team

    U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress aircraft from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, arrived at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, April 9, in support of theater requirements and Operation Inherent Resolve, the operation to eliminate the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant and the threat they pose to Iraq,

  • AF presents 2014, 2015 Sijan award winners

    Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Mark A. Welsh III presented the 2014 and 2015 Lance P. Sijan Leadership Awards to eight Airmen in the Airman’s Hall on April 7 at the Pentagon.

  • Cody engages with deployed Airmen

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody engaged with Airmen deployed to Afghanistan in support of the NATO Resolute Support mission and Operation Freedom’s Sentinel from April 4-6 through a series of Q&A format all calls, small group discussions and personal site visits.

  • AF introduces Air Superiority 2030 study

    The Air Force introduced the results of a yearlong study focused on developing capability options to ensure joint force air superiority in 2030 and beyond during an Air Force Association breakfast April 7 in Arlington, Virginia.

  • Air Force, Army build partnership for energy assurance

    The military’s ability to accomplish its missions -- whether executing today’s fight or training for future ones -- is dependent on electricity that powers installations. The Army and Air Force have identified energy resilience as a critical objective, advancing the capability for their systems,

  • Flares keep birds in the sky

    They are hot, bright and a visual spectacle. But they are not your run-of-the-mill fireworks being shot off in celebration. Flares used by pilots are life-saving emergency countermeasures that keep Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, aircraft in the skies delivering airlift cargo to the warfighter.

  • Gorenc discusses European Reassurance Initiative, air police mission

    The commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa said April 5 that the increase in European Reassurance Initiative funds next year will allow his command to improve its presence and facilities on the eastern side of NATO and to deter Russia. Gen. Frank Gorenc also told the Defense

  • April issue of Airman magazine now available

    The April issue of Airman magazine is now available to download and is viewable through a Web browser. Featured on our cover, “The perfect storm” gives a birds-eye view of the F-35 Lightning II as it goes through rigorous testing and evaluation in order to be declared initial operation capability

  • Vice chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff views Tinker capabilities

    The vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff visited Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, April 1 to learn more about the missions of the Air Force Sustainment Center and the contributions of associate units toward the nation's strategic nuclear deterrence.

  • Airmen discuss one of the little-known best jobs in Air Force

    If you’re an Airman with technical skills, an outstanding performer who always meets physical training standards and has completed all military and other education requirements, the 844th Communications Squadron may have a job for you. The jobs themselves vary, but all involve working as part of the

  • Families ordered to leave Turkey arriving in US

    Military dependents and pets began arriving at Baltimore Washington International Airport, Maryland, March 31 following an ordered departure of Defense Department dependents due to security concerns in some areas of Turkey. Dependents arriving at BWI were flown on Air Mobility Command’s C-17

  • Deployed together: A tale of twin brothers

    Twin brothers often share similar experiences from birth to high school graduation. But only a few can claim to serve in a deployed unit at the same time. Senior Airman Emmanuel Taveras, an electrical and environmental journeyman, and his twin brother, Senior Airman Carlos Taveras, an aircraft

  • Airfield management Airmen support combat sorties

    A team of Airmen at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, is responsible for inspecting almost 50 million square feet of pavement every day, as they support operations at the largest airfield in the U.S. Air Forces Central Command.

  • Staff sergeant LEAPs on opportunity to use native tongue

    Born and raised in Nizhnekamsk, Russia, Anastasia Stuart traveled to the U.S. as a young adult with the intention of only staying a year to improve her English. One year quickly turned into two, and before she knew it, she enlisted into the U.S. Air Force.

  • Wartime medical innovation saves lives at home

    In January, the Food and Drug Administration approved the REBOA catheter, or resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta. The REBOA is a device that’s inserted into a hemorrhaging vessel and stops or slows blood flow to that injury, while allowing blood flow to continue to other body

  • Hanscom SFS captures best in AF again

    For the second year in a row, and the third time in four years, members of the 66th Security Forces Squadron at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, are celebrating their selection as the Air Force Outstanding Small Size Security Forces Unit award.

  • Airmen reflect on B-1 bomber attacks over Libya

    Five years ago, a phone rang in the 28th Bomb Wing vice commander's office and made history. Less than 72 hours later, on March 27, 2011, more than 1,100 maintenance personnel launched four B-1B Lancer bombers from the Ellsworth Air Force Base flightline in blizzard conditions to support Operation

  • Putting the Pegasus through its paces

    As the Air Force gets ready for the arrival of its newest aerial refueling and strategic military transport aircraft, a diverse group of Airmen is working hard to make sure the KC-46A Pegasus is ready to meet the service’s needs. Lt. Col. John Mikal is one of them.

  • Evolution of GPS: From Desert Storm to today's users

    In a desert, it's easy to get lost. There are no roads, no signposts, nor vegetation to give locational clues. That was the grim situation facing U.S. and coalition forces during the 1990-1991 crisis in the Persian Gulf, known as Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm.

  • Flying the RPA mission

    The aircraft is ready to fly, the ground control stations are up and running, and the crews have been briefed. Now it’s time to fly the remotely piloted aircraft. The pilot, sensor operator, and mission intelligence coordinator step into the control station to prepare for flight, but they’re not

  • AF Research Lab seeks to turn waste into energy

    It may seem like a scene from “Back to the Future,” but the Air Force Research Laboratory is looking to turn fiction into reality with a nearly $7 million waste-to-energy project.

  • Robinson tapped to be first female combatant commander

    Defense Secretary Ash Carter has named a new commander for U.S. Northern Command to be confirmed by the Senate. If confirmed, the new Northern Command chief will be the first woman to lead a U.S. combatant command.

  • Around the Air Force: March 18

    This look around the Air Force features the Solid State Phased Array Radar System, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James discusses offset strategies, and exercise Cope Tiger.

  • Air Force leaders present FY 2017 budget request

    The military services’ secretaries and chiefs presented their respective branch’s fiscal year 2017 budget plan March 16 on Capitol Hill.Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III testified on the Air Force’s fiscal 2017 national defense authorization

  • Goldfein addresses readiness, budget

    Military vice chiefs testified about the current state of readiness of U.S. forces before the Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support on Capitol Hill March 15.

  • Sentinel of space found in Alaskan wilderness

    Among the bears, moose, wolves and wolverines of Alaska's interior is a silent sentinel of space -- Clear Air Force Station. Its personnel keep an eye on things above for the sake of tactical warning of ballistic missile attacks against the U.S. and Canada and space situational awareness.

  • AFMC strategic plan to help carry Air Force to third offset

    Agility and innovation are cornerstones of a new Air Force Materiel Command strategic plan that will deliver war-winning capabilities. Those capabilities will propel the Air Force as a key element of the future national defense strategy known as the third offset.

  • Lessons learned from Operation Desert Storm

    Twenty five years ago, the world watched a display of military force in the Persian Gulf. America’s adversaries have spent each year since pursuing capabilities both to counter U.S. strengths and to exploit perceived weaknesses. Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein participated in a

  • Airmen to appear on ‘Weather Geeks’

    For some Airmen, being called a weather geek is a term of endearment. Two Airmen from the 557th Weather Wing recently embraced their inner geek and will share their passion and expertise on an upcoming episode of "Weather Geeks" on the Weather Channel.

  • James visits Luke AFB for more insight on F-35 ops

    Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James met with Airmen to gain a better understanding of Luke Air Force Base’s mission with a focus on F-35 Lightning II operations, and its maintenance and training facilities March 9-10. During her first visit to the base, James held an all call where she took time

  • Air Force continues to pursue total force integration

    The Air Force continues to make strides toward total force integration, according to an annual report submitted to Congress March 4. The report is based on recommendations from the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force and focuses on how the force structure should be modified to best

  • Sleep is serious: Catch your Zzzs

    “Beep. Beep. Beep,” the alarm blares. Time to get up. Do you hit snooze? On average, we spend 33 percent of our lives asleep. When assessing your overall health, have you considered your sleep habits?

  • DOD-wide Windows 10 rapid deployment to boost cybersecurity

    The Defense Department will deploy Windows 10 departmentwide by January to strengthen cybersecurity and streamline the information technology operating environment, according to a Feb. 26 memo by Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work.

  • Resilience pays off on road to Air Force

    From being a young boy who could not speak a word of English to an Airman who instructs others on the effects altitude has on the human body, Senior Airman Jae Yu, of the 21st Aerospace Medicine Squadron, practiced resilience far before he ever joined the Air Force.

  • Army Rangers exercise close air support with F-35s

    Although the Air Force separated from the Army in 1947, the two forces have a long history of working together to dominate the sky and ground in combat. This tradition continues today with the 3rd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment's recent visit to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, to conduct

  • Combat camera Airmen hone battlefield capabilities through Scorpion Lens

    More than 100 photo and broadcast journalists from the 1st Combat Camera Squadron at Joint Base Charleston and the 3rd Combat Camera Squadron from Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, are participating in Scorpion Lens 2016, an ability to survive and operate exercise at McCrady Training Center on Fort

  • AF senior leaders brief State of the Air Force

    Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III discussed the State of the Air Force during a press conference at the Pentagon March 7.

  • Raven B: Securing the perimeter from above

    Small, hand-held, unmanned, light weight and remotely operated drones describe one of the ways technology is used to ensure the safety of deployed personnel. The 379th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron secures the base perimeter with help from the Raven B Digital Data Link drone at Al Udeid Air

  • Flint recruiters assist community in crisis

    Recruiters are known as the face of the Air Force in communities all across the U.S., and in Flint, Michigan, local recruiters Staff Sgts. Parker Smith and David Whitney are also known as the faces of compassion and humanitarian service. The two recruiters have been volunteering every Wednesday and

  • Air Force teams win at inaugural D3 summit

    Two Air Force teams won awards at the inaugural Defense, Diplomacy and Development Innovation Summit Pitch Challenge, organized jointly by the Defense Department, State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development March 3 in Washington, D.C. The top six teams out of 500 submissions

  • James, Welsh testify before Congress

    The Air Force’s top two senior leaders testified before the House Appropriations Committee on Defense March 2 and the Senate Armed Services Committee March 3. They attested to the critical need of readiness. With less than half of the Air Force’s combat forces prepared for a high-end fight, the

  • Chièvres AB: Separated, self-sufficient

    Chièvres Air Base is home to the 424th Air Base Squadron, a group of Airmen nestled in the heart of the Belgian countryside to provide airfield operations support for the Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), NATO transient aircraft and distinguished

  • AF selects 6 enlisted Airmen for medical prep school

    The Enlisted Medical Degree Preparatory Program, which begins in July, offers enlisted members a chance to attend medical prep school full time for two years while maintaining active-duty status. The program includes coursework in a traditional classroom setting with structured pre-health advising

  • Airmen look ahead after historic GPS satellite mission

    Capt. Trung Nguyen was born the year the first of the latest series of GPS satellites was blasted into space. Twenty seven years later, the Airman helped process the final GPS IIF satellite, worth about $131 million, before it was launched on an Atlas V rocket in early February.

  • Chaplain survives aftermath of son’s suicide; spreads awareness

    While enjoying a drive through the rolling Tennessee countryside with his wife, the shrill ring of his cell phone pierced through the tranquility of the moment. Maj. William D. Logan's daughter, Blair, managed to utter, "Zac has done something really bad."

  • Tuskegee Airman reflects on diversity

    It was 1944 and the U.S. was in the midst of two battles -- a war on two sides of the world and the onslaught of cultural changes on the homefront. Meanwhile, a young African-American Soldier picked up trash on the white sandy beaches at Keesler Field, Mississippi. He had been briefed that although

  • Becoming a boom

    From an early age, Airman 1st Class Shelby Bowling, a 350th Air Refueling Squadron boom operator, had an idea of what she wanted to do when she grew up. It wasn't until midway through her time in college that life provided her an opportunity to take a chance.

  • Keeping the C-17 in the fight

    The 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron maintenance team at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, helps keep the base’s C-17 Globemaster III fleet mission ready by performing regular maintenance on each aircraft. The unit provides the only tier two C-17 maintenance capability in the U.S. Central Command

  • High voltage Airmen keep power going at Eielson

    Driving through the mountains in the beautiful, sunshine of summer; braving the harsh, cold winters; and ensuring the light-filled airfield is always lit is something Senior Airman Travis Bothast and Airman 1st Class Anthony Cooper know all too well as electrical systems Airmen.

  • Price of perfection: AF Honor Guard Drill Team

    A standard U.S. Air Force Drill Team performance features a professionally choreographed sequence of show-stopping weapon maneuvers, precise tosses, complex weapon exchanges, and a walk through the gauntlet of spinning weapons. Airman 1st Class Larry Brown has trained for more than a year for the

  • State of AF: Modernizing for next offset strategy

    Budget plans are poised to keep the Air Force atop of its game, with a new bomber and advanced technology to help Airmen execute a future offset strategy, the head of the service announced at the Air Force Association’s Air Warfare Symposium Feb. 26.

  • Airpower leaders stress stronger role for Airmen in future ops

    Gen. Hawk Carlisle, the commander of the Air Combat Command, and Gen. Robin Rand, the commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command, kicked off the Air Force Association’s 32nd annual Air Warfare Symposium Feb. 25 in Orlando, Florida, with a presentation on global precision strike, a group of

  • Air Force reveals B-21 Long Range Strike Bomber

    Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James revealed the first rendering of the Long Range Strike Bomber, designated the B-21, at the Air Force Association’s Air Warfare Symposium Feb. 26 in Orlando, Fla., and announced the Air Force will be taking suggestions from Airmen to help decide the name of the

  • AF discusses game-changing technologies during defense innovation hearing

    The Air Force’s pursuit of game-changing technologies and the need to attract and retain talented science, technology, engineering, and mathematics professionals were at the center of discussions during a hearing on defense innovation before the House Armed Services Committee’s subcommittee on

  • First Partner Nation Silver Flag concludes at Andersen AFB

    After spending more than a week sharing civil engineering techniques, 54 engineers from the U.S. Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Republic of Singapore Air Force, South Korean air force and Japan Air Self-Defense Force concluded the Partner Nation Silver Flag exercise Feb. 19 at Andersen Air

  • Cody gives enlisted perspective at AFA

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody spoke to a room of Airmen and civilians about today’s generation of Airmen and their families during the Air Force Association Air Warfare Symposium Feb. 25.

  • 54 selected for Undergraduate Flying Training program

    Fifty-three company grade officers and one major have been selected for the Air Force's Undergraduate Flying Training program. The UFT annual selection board convened in January to consider active-duty candidates for the program. Those selected will attend pilot, remotely piloted aircraft, combat

  • Kadena launches Pacific region's first MC-130J five-ship formation flight

    Instead of the usual howl of jet engines, members of Kadena Air Base heard the growl of 120 turboprop blades chopping the air as the 17th Special Operations Squadron’s MC-130J Commando IIs dominated the airfield scene Feb. 17. Within an hour of standing by at stations, the aircraft took to the skies

  • Mildenhall KC-135s support French operation

    Three KC-135 Stratotankers, along with 50 Airmen from the 100th Air Refueling Wing at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, temporarily deployed to Istres-Le Tubé Air Base, France, in support of Operation Juniper Micron.

  • Dudette passes 1,000 combat flight hours

    Maj. Jennifer received a hero’s welcome from members of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing as she surpassed the 1,000 combat-hour milestone in the F-15E Strike Eagle at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, Feb. 13. Achieving this milestone is a career defining moment for any F-15E aircrew

  • Minot tests Minuteman III with launch from Vandenberg AFB

    A team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen from the 91st Missile Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, and the 625th Strategic Operations Squadron at Offutt AFB, Nebraska, aboard the Airborne Launch Control System, launched an unarmed LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic

  • KC-135 crew saves F-16 pilot from ejecting over enemy lines

    A KC-135 Stratotanker crew from McConnell Air Force Base saved an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot from ejecting over Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant-held territory in 2015, which could have resulted in the Airman's captivity or death.

  • It’s a bird, it’s a plane … it’s a drone

    Due to popularity and past holiday sales, the amount of drones has soared. The Federal Aviation Administration estimated more than one million drones were sold during the year-end holiday season. With that many new drones added to existing numbers, federal, state and local officials are concerned

  • GAO denies protest, Air Force proceeds with LRS-B

    The Government Accountability Office denied The Boeing Company’s protest of the Long Range Strike Bomber contract award following a comprehensive review of the source selection process. The Air Force was confident that the source selection team followed a deliberate, disciplined and impartial

  • Air Force continues to improve care in the air

    The Air Mobility Command Surgeon General’s office and researchers across the Air Force, to include the 711th Human Resource Wing at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, have been working together to improve how the Air Force provides care in the air. The AMC/SG is responsible for clinical

  • 33rd FW hosts first F-35A load competition

    The 33rd Fighter Wing held its first weapons load competition with the F-35A Lightning II at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, Feb. 5 to find the best weapons load crew in the 33rd Maintenance Group.