NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • T-38 pilot receives highest aviation safety award

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III presented the service's top safety award, the Koren Kolligian Jr. Trophy, to a pilot from Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, during a ceremony Oct. 8, at the Pentagon.

  • T-38 Talon crashes at Sheppard AFB

    Two pilots were killed May 1 in a T-38C Talon crash at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. A T-38C assigned to the 80th Flying Training Wing crashed at about 7:45 a.m.  The cause of the crash is under investigation. More information will be released as it becomes available.

  • T-38C fleet undergoes propulsion upgrades

    Air Education and Training Command's first T-38C Talon with modified ejectors, engines and inlets will be delivered to Moody Air Force Base, Ga., the week of Nov. 4th by pilots from the 415th Flight Test Flight here.Following on the heels of the recent avionics upgrade program, these new upgrades,

  • T-38s at Laughlin mark beginning of transition

    Laughlin AFB officials received the first T-38 Talon Oct. 4 from Moody AFB, Ga.  The aircraft's arrival denotes the start of the transition to a new training mission. "This jet marks the beginning of Laughlin's transition to our newly acquired Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals mission," said Col.

  • T-6 advisory mission ceases, Iraqi pilots teach their own

    "Iraqi air power starts here," are the words written above the doorway of the Iraqi air force's Squadron 203, a T-6A Texas II flight training squadron at Tikrit Air Base, Iraq. The words ring true, in part, because of the efforts of the U.S. Air Force's 52nd Expeditionary Flying Training Squadron,

  • T-6A accident investigation complete

    Air Force officials have completed the investigation of the Nov. 28, 2007, T-6A Texan II mid-air collision near Gunshy Auxiliary Field, Miss., which resulted in the loss of both aircraft. The accident investigation board determined the cause of this mishap was a result of pilot error. A T-6A flown

  • T-6A belly lands at Lackland

    A training aircraft landed with its gear up at Kelly Field Annex here May 10. The pilot declared an in-flight emergency because of a landing-gear malfunction. The T-6A Texan II is assigned to the 12th Flying Training Wing at nearby Randolph Air Force Base.The two-man crew of the aircraft was

  • T-6A Texan II Crash

    A 12th Flying Training Wing T-6A Texan II crashed near Rolling Oaks Mall at approximately 4 p.m. Sept. 18. The crew ejected and is safe with minor injuries reported at the site. Both were transported to the Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph Medical Clinic for evaluation and both pilots were released

  • T-6A Texan II crashes

    A T-6A Texan II assigned to the 47th Flying Training Wing here crashed at about 11:16 a.m. Sept. 24 near Spofford, Texas.The aircraft was on an undergraduate pilot training mission, and the instructor and student pilot are safe on the ground.A board of officers will investigate the accident,

  • TAAC-Air speaks of mission in its new name

    For more than seven years, NATO Air Training Command – Afghanistan has been working side-by-side with Afghan National Security Forces to build, strengthen and empower the Afghan air force.With the transition toward Resolute Support, as of Jan. 14, NATC-A has been renamed to Train, Advise, Assist

  • TAAC-Air work with Afghan AF to build sustainable force

    A small group of Train Advise Assist Command–Air advisors make up the 441st and 442nd air expeditionary advisory squadrons at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan. Both squadrons are focused on working shoulder to shoulder with the Afghan Air Force to develop a professional, capable and sustainable air

  • Tablet technology to aid maintenance Airmen

    A 10-member pilot test team assigned to Air Combat Command’s directorate of logistics set up shop at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., April 28, to work with 20th Maintenance Group Airmen testing the use of iPads to view maintenance technical orders.

  • Tabletop exercise helps prepare for contingencies

    When an F-16 Fighting Falcon from Spangdahlem AB crashed last fall with the pilot ejecting safely but the jet landed in a field off base, base leaders wanted to improve emergency response procedures even though no one was hurt in the incident.Local mayors and first responders were invited to the

  • Tac Sat-3 completes groundbreaking experimental mission

    Tactical Satellite-3 will transition from an experimental demonstration to an operational asset when spacecraft control authority officially transfers June 12 from the Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicles Directorate here to Air Force Space Command at Peterson AFB, Colo.Launched in May

  • TACC commander receives management award

    The commander of the Tanker Airlift Control Center has received the 2003 Eugene M. Zuckert Management Award.Secretary of the Air Force Dr. James G. Roche presented Brig. Gen. Paul J. Selva with the award during a ceremony at the Pentagon on June 16.“I have the coolest job on the planet, because I

  • TACC leading effort for retrograde cargo from Afghanistan

    For airlift aircraft transiting and moving cargo to and from the Southwest Asia, planners at the 618th Air Operations Center are leading an effort to keep those aircraft full of cargo as they return from the deployed areas to the United States.The initiative, labeled retrograde, helps to efficiently

  • Tacit farmers return to their roots at air base

    Life in Okinawa was difficult in the aftermath of World War II. For one Okinawan, recalling a single good memory from his childhood is a challenge. At the age of 13, Chosei Hamamoto was a boy with the skills of a soldier and little knowledge of books; in school, he learned to disable tanks. His

  • Tacoma Airman killed in Laos 44 years ago finally home

    After having been missing for more than 44 years, the remains of Air Force Capt. Douglas D. Ferguson, who was killed when his F-4D Phantom aircraft was shot down over Laos in 1969, returned home May 1 in Lakewood, Washington.

  • TACP Airmen build park for Air Force Enlisted Village

    After about six weeks of hard work, sweat and dedication, several Air Force Tactical Air Control Party volunteer Airmen from Hurlburt Field, Fla., completed a new park at the Air Force Enlisted Village in Shalimar, Fla. The AFEV held a ceremony recently to dedicate the newly-built park. The event

  • TACP receives second Silver Star medal

    Master Sgt. Thomas Case, a tactical air control party Airman in the 18th Air Support Operations Group here, received his second Silver Star medal Nov. 13, for heroic actions during a 2009 deployment to Afghanistan.

  • TACP run in remembrance

    More than 670 service members and coalition partners completed a total of 2,599 miles during a 24-hour Tactical Air Control Party remembrance run at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, March 27 and 28, to ensure those warriors who have made the ultimate sacrifice are never forgotten.

  • TACP: Joint effort puts bombs on target

    In the joint forces war that is fought today, the tactical air control party is the glue that brings air and ground power together.TACP Airmen serve as liaisons between Army ground commanders and pilots to coordinate close air support for ground forces with which they're embedded. "Our overall role

  • TACP-M ties it all together

    Embedded deep within an Army maneuver unit lies an Airman. Charged with orchestrating critical close-air support, oftentimes it's the effort of this combat maestro that means the difference between life and death on the battlefield - he is known as a tactical air control party or TACP for short.

  • TACPs control skies over Guam for joint training

    To practice their skills, tactical air control party Airmen assigned to the 3rd Air Support Operations Squadron from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, recently made the long journey to Guam to train with a variety of units from Joint Region Marianas.

  • TACPs provide vital link between pilots, ground troops

    Although they make up one of the Air Force's smallest career fields, their mission leaves a huge impact on the battlefield and can mean life or death for troops on the ground. Tactical air control party Airmen serve as liaisons between ground commanders and pilots in the sky to eliminate the enemy's

  • TacSat-2 launched into space with flawless liftoff

    Successfully launched onboard a Minotaur I rocket, the TacSat-2 spacecraft has commenced operations on a planned six to 12-month experimental mission Dec. 16 from the NASA's Wallops Island Flight Facility near Wallops Island, Va. Within minutes after leaving the launch pad, the micro satellite,

  • TacSat-3 to demonstrate rapid delivery of imagery

    Providing up-to-the-minute data to the in-theater commander can act as the tipping point to achieve success on the battlefield, and demonstrating that capability has been planned for the Tactical Satellite-3's upcoming, year-long mission. Serving as the spacecraft's primary payload, the Advanced

  • Tactical airlift initiatives further Air Force's total force integration

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley announced four proposed initiatives Oct. 31 concerning C-130 Hercules tactical airlift, each of which furthers the service's vision for a seamless total force. The initiatives, which would impact communities in Tennessee, New York, Georgia and

  • Tactical airlift key to winning war on terrorism

    For every 24 tons of cargo airlifted in Iraq, a supply truck and two troops are spared a trip on a dangerous road. For every 50 passengers airlifted, one more busload of servicemembers is also spared from Iraq's dangerous roads. Members of the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron moves everything

  • Tactical care makes casualties rare

    As of July 2022, Self-Aid Buddy Care was replaced by Tactical Combat Casualty Care, a training which implements the best medical practices in battlefield trauma care.

  • Tactical comm Airmen keep military ops online, on target

    Performing missions within the Nangarhar province of Afghanistan requires the U.S. military to maintain an open line of communication at all times, especially when convoys take people outside the wire. For one Airman in particular, the role of tactical communications means knowing a variety of

  • Tactical controllers stand strong

    For Air Force tactical air control party airmen, "The strong will stand, the weak will fall by the wayside," is more than just a motto; it serves as a battle cry.Wherever American military forces are found, TACP airmen are usually nearby. Unofficially nicknamed the "Air Force infantry" because they

  • Tactical recon paying dividends with TARS

    A little-known capability here is paying big dividends for warfighters on the ground. Air National Guard F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 332nd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron are using the Theater Airborne Reconnaissance System, or TARS pod, to provide high-quality still imagery to ground commanders

  • Tactical Satellite-3 completes successful first month of operations

    The Tactical Satellite-3 has exceeded expectations and is performing well a month after being launched, according to the program manager of the experimental spacecraft. Launched May 19, TacSat-3 is managed by the Air Force Research Laboratory's Space Vehicles Directorate officials here. The TacSat-3

  • Tae Bo creator helps open fitness center

    Pounding music, NBA-style introductions and cheers of more than 500 people accompanied the base’s 18-person fitness team as they ran onto the new basketball court Nov. 7 to workout with Billy Blanks, the creator of Tae Bo.The mix of military and civilians, spouses, children and friends turned out

  • Tail swap enables Afghan mission support and humanitarian effort

    A 317th Airlift Group C-130J and aircrew already assigned to deploy to Afghanistan on a tail-swap mission were given the perfect opportunity to conduct their mission and help the people of Afghanistan as well by participating in the Denton Program and transporting school supplies to students and

  • Taji Law Enforcement Academy graduates last Iraqi police class

    Airmen from the 732nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron, Det. 3, graduated the last 15 of more than 400 Iraqi police students at the Taji Law Enforcement Academy here June 3. With the closing of TLEA, the training is moving from the local level to the directorate level at a regional training

  • Take a break

    Master Sgt. Mark Kuntz (right) takes a break during a survival, evasion, resistance and escape exercise here. As part of exercise Foal Eagle, Kuntz, a SERE instructor, is helping to train Korean air force members to navigate and guide Air Force rescue units to their location. (U.S. Air Force photo

  • Take anti-flu drugs only after diagnosis, military doc says

    Senior military health officials are warning against taking antiviral medicines to fight the H1N1 flu virus until a doctor has confirmed the diagnosis. Most patients treated at military medical treatment facilities for flu-like symptoms don't actually have the H1N1 or any other kind of flu virus,

  • Take Back the Night 2015: 'Shattering the Silence'

    Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James, along with the first survivor to speak out nationally about date rape, spoke to cadets during the U.S. Air Force Academy's second annual Take Back the Night (TBN) event April 16 at the Academy's Clune Arena in Colorado.

  • Take 'FIVE' to get free money for your TSP account

    The Thrift Savings Plan has launched the "Take FIVE for Your Future" educational campaign encouraging civilian employees to take advantage of free government TSP matching contributions by putting at least 5 percent from each paycheck into their account.

  • Take me out to the ballgame, warrior style

    Wounded Warrior Amputee Softball Team members and athletes from the NFL joined forces to compete in the 3rd annual Amputee Warrior Softball Classic June 6 at Prince George's Stadium in Bowie, Maryland.

  • Taking care of Air Force families in Katrina's wake

    "I have U.S. Air Force on my uniform, he has U.S. Air Force on his. That's enough for me," said Col. Scott Walker about why he had no worries about inviting an Airman and his family displaced by Hurricane Katrina to stay with him.The colonel was talking about the base's "Adopt-a-Family" program,

  • Taking care of caregivers

    Deployments are a way of life in today's Air Force. Accordingly, Air Force members plan ahead and anticipate all contingencies while they are deployed.One plan that is required by all Air Force members with families is a family care plan that reasonably covers all situations, short and long term.

  • Taking care of patients in air

    Most military aircraft are not well known for passenger comfort.But when passengers are seriously ill or injured, a team of medical experts is always on hand to ensure as comfortable a ride as possible.“We are responsible for moving casualties in-theater as well as between theaters,” said Capt. Karl

  • Taking care of people for mission’s sake

    Military members are often told the mission comes first, but for Jane-Marie Kopycinski, military members and their families are the mission -- and some might argue the most critical component of the force.

  • Taking care of their own, Airmen donate $6.7 million

    Airmen have given more than $6.7 million to this year's Air Force Assistance Fund campaign, $800,000 more than last year.The fund raises money for four Air Force-related charities that benefit active-duty, Reserve, Guard, retired Airmen, surviving spouses and families. "The 2004 campaign raised

  • Taking fight to the enemy

    Once the plane is airborne and the fasten seatbelt light goes off, there is a flurry of activity as crewmembers hustle to get their various tasks done. As the aircraft continues on its heading, the crew of the E-3 Sentry, with its many buttons, switches and gadgets, gets set for their part in a

  • Taking Jared's flight

    As one of his young Soldiers lay defenseless on a mountain path, Army Staff Sgt. Jared Monti dropped his radio and stepped in front of the enemy forces pinning down his unit -- exposing himself to a barrage of small-arms fire and rocket-propelled grenades as he attempted to pull his wounded comrade

  • Taking second step: BRAC commissioner visits Pope AFB

    A Base Realignment and Closure commissioner met with base leaders here May 24 to discuss the base’s inclusion on the 2005 BRAC list, the units that could potentially be affected and the land that comprises the base.“My visit is not to announce Pope will be closed. Rather I am here to get a personal

  • Taking steps out of respect at Bataan Memorial Death March

    As the sun rose above the New Mexican desert, thousands of people from the United States and countries around the world gathered to begin the 24th Annual Bataan Memorial Death March at White Sands Missile Range, N.M., March 17.The Bataan Memorial Death March honors the 80,000 Filipino and American

  • Taking the fight to the cyberspace frontier

    In a highly secure, underground facility in Colorado Springs, crews of operators in a room full of computers keep an ever vigilant eye, protecting worldwide U.S. assets around the clock. This facility is not underneath tons of granite in the midst of Cheyenne Mountain, like a more well-known part of

  • Talking it out -- getting through deployment

    "The hardest part of my deployment was being away from my wonderful and beautiful wife," said Senior Airman Daniel Bolt, a 28th Munitions Squadron aircraft armament systems journeyman. Airman Bolt was part of a group of Airmen who returned home July 28 from a deployment to Southwest Asia in support

  • Tallil airman hears child’s birth

    Being in a deployed location is difficult on most servicemembers. That difficulty is only compounded when a wife back home is pregnant.Staff Sgt. Brian Schmied, a survival equipment craftsman assigned to Pope Air Force Base, N.C., was faced with that problem when he arrived here more than 100 days

  • Tallil airmen donate clothes to Iraqis

    Airmen here have found a way to become involved with the local Iraqi community through a joint operation with the Army.As airmen leave the base after their tours of duty, many dispose of their civilian clothes. Officials here decided to collect the discarded clothes, clean them and give them to

  • Tallil joint security force upholds law, order

    Airmen of the 407th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron have joined forces with military policemen of the Texas Army National Guard’s 36th Infantry Division to uphold law and order here.The base is an air hub and ground logistical supply point that has a growing population of coalition military

  • Tallil NCO makes history

    With history occurring here every day, there needs to be someone to make sure it is never lost. The person who makes sure that happens is Tech. Sgt. Yancy Mailes, 332nd Expeditionary Air Wing historian, deployed from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.“I collect the raw documentation that allows

  • Tallil’s post office delivers

    As the Air Expeditionary Force “Blue” rotation gains momentum, so does life at one organization here. The Air Force’s local post office helps troops stockpile goodies from home and lighten their load when they leave.The post office has come a long way since it opened and continually tackles

  • Tallil’s Predators on patrol in Iraq

    Information. Today, it may be the world’s hottest commodity. It is often the key to success in all walks of life: sports, business and definitely, in the military. The MQ/RQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle has been providing information to the military since the beginning of Operation Iraqi

  • Tampa Bay Buccaneers hold pre-game practice at MacDill AFB

    The Tampa Bay Buccaneers broke training camp Thursday and in an unprecedented move for the team, held its day-before-game walk-through at MacDill AFB, Fla. The Buccaneers, who play their second pre-season game against the Miami Dolphins Saturday, have a long-standing relationship and community

  • Tanker aircraft delivers 1 billionth pound of fuel

    If you were to count from one to 1 billion it would take about 95 years. It took a little over a year for U.S. Central Command’s Combined Force Air Component Command-controlled tanker airlift to deliver 1 billion pounds of jet fuel. A KC-135 Stratotanker delivered 84,000 pounds of fuel to three

  • Tanker aircrews help in fight against ISIL

    With 16 KC-135 Stratotankers on its installation, Airmen from MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, waste no time when answering the call to defend the nation -- even when there is little to no notice. As these planes can be seen and heard overhead, one has to wonder where in the world they are flying.

  • Tanker aircrews support exercise in Chile

    Airmen aboard two Arizona Air National Guard KC-135 Stratotankers are flying daily refueling sorties above Chile to support a multinational force of fighters during Exercise Salitre II. The Airmen from the 161st Air Refueling Wing in Phoenix are participating in the Chilean-led exercise that runs

  • Tanker contract award announced

    Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne and Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Duncan J. McNabb announced the selection of Northrop Grumman as the winner of the KC-X competition for development and procurement of up to 179 tanker aircraft for approximately $35 billion. The initial

  • Tanker crews launch combat support missions

    While most people were waking up and drinking their first cups of coffee, the first of several KC-135 Stratotanker aircrews from the 401st Air Expeditionary Wing launched combat support missions from their deployed location March 19."It was definitely a team effort all the way around today," said

  • Tanker Directorate team installs ADS-B Out on KC-135 fleet

    The ADS-B Out program was established to upgrade the KC-135 fleet with the next-generation transponder system that is critical for air traffic control’s visibility into their respective airspace. The system broadcasts the precise position and location of aircraft in real time, giving air traffic

  • Tanker hits top of the charts for recapitalization priority

    The Air Force's new No. 1 procurement priority is the KC-X tanker, replacing the F-22 Raptor. "Our priorities for procurement are the following," said Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. T. Michael Moseley.  "The KC-X, the new tanker, is No. 1. CSAR-X, the new combat rescue helicopter, is No. 2.

  • Tanker lease vital to global operations

    To quickly begin the recapitalization of its tanker fleet, the Air Force is pursuing a deal to lease 100 Boeing 767s converted into tankers.The proposal awaiting Department of Defense approval is vital to sustaining the Air Force’s tanker fleet, said Dr. Marvin R. Sambur, assistant secretary of the

  • Tanker pilots fly with a little more in common

    Flying missions in Operation Iraqi Freedom has truly been an experience for Capt. Joel Higley and 1st Lt. Matt Mierek, 28th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron pilots deployed here from Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash.When they initially met back at their home station, they found they had a little

  • Tanker recapitalization proposal released

    Air Force leaders officially released a request for proposal for a replacement tanker aircraft Jan. 30. The RFP is the official invitation to manufacturers to begin making offers to build a replacement for the Air Force's aging "Eisenhower-era" fleet of KC-135 Stratotankers, said Sue Payton, the

  • Tanker solicitation seeks fair competition, best value

    The final request for proposals to solicit bids for a new aerial tanker was designed to promote fair, open competition that provides the best warfighting capability for the best value, Deputy Defense Secretary William J. Lynn III said Feb. 24 here. Meanwhile, the process will serve as a model for