NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • Unique treatment helps injured airman

    In an instant, Staff Sgt. Hector Barrios’ life came crashing down like a ton of bricks.Barrios, assigned to the 96th Security Forces working dog section here, deployed to Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom. While on gate-guard duty July 15, he removed a wire

  • Unit becomes Cyberspace Technical Center of Excellence

    The Air Force Institute of Technology and the Center for Cyberspace Research here were designated as the Air Force's Cyberspace Technical Center of Excellence June 19 by the secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force. The Cyberspace Technical Center of Excellence, or CyTCoE, is chartered to be

  • Unit commanders get more control of leave program

    A recent policy change returns the authority to unit commanders to approve permissive temporary duty and terminal leave of more than 90 days.The Air Force's current instruction on military leave requires members wanting a combination of permissive TDY and terminal leave of more than 90 days to seek

  • Unit deployment manager now special duty position

    Unit deployment manager is now a two-year-controlled special duty assignment (identifier 8U000); a change Air Force officials say will help professionalize the position and improve deployment program continuity. In past the UDM retained his or her Air Force specialty code, and even though UDMs were

  • Unit deployment managers ensure readiness

    Described by officials as the squadron lifeline to deployment processes anywhere, unit deployment managers are tasked with ensuring their unit’s troops and cargo are ready for deployment.“Ask any commander who has a deployment mission, and they will tell you their UDM is invaluable,” said Lt. Col.

  • Unit fires first live air-to-air missiles in South Korea

    With the call "Fox 2," pilots here employed AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles on Aug. 16 for the first time in the history of 7th Air Force in Korea, serving as the driving force behind implementing a weapon system evaluation program here.The initiative by the 80th Fighter Squadron here to shoot live,

  • Unit keeps pesty visitors at bay

    One unit here still strives to keep the sky over a portion of Iraq a no fly zone.They also eliminate rats, loose animals and vectors, insects that can transmit diseases to animals and humans. The unit, the 407th Civil Engineer Squadron’s entomology flight provides professional pest control to ensure

  • Unit marks 50 years of NASA support

    Three NASA astronauts visited Patrick Air Force Base members April 24 to commemorate the 50th anniversary of support from the Air Force to the American space program. Current Astronaut Col. Greg Johnson and former astronauts retired Navy Capt. Jon McBride and retired Marine Col. Bob Springer shared

  • Unit puts the 'deploy' in 'deployment order'

    Television images of jets launching and bombs dropping during Operation Iraqi Freedom showed airmen doing what they are trained to do. What most viewers did not see were the people responsible for getting the jets there to put bombs on targets and patrol the sky.The Air Combat Command Air

  • Unit scrambles to guide troubled aircraft to safe landing

    Airmen of the Air Force Reserve Command's 916th Air Refueling Wing here scrambled to launch an early morning mission April 17 to rendezvous with and help safely land an Air Force aircraft that lost critical instrumentation. The NCK-135 aircrew from Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., called an in-flight

  • Unit stands up at Vandenberg

    U.S. Strategic Command officials have split a single function into two in order to transform and enhance U.S. space capabilities. The Joint Functional Component Command for Space and Global Strike has been divided into JFCC for Space and JFCC for Global Strike and Integration. The split, initially

  • Unit stands up to improve communications across, for Iraq

    Multi-National Force - Iraq officials here have recently established a new team of experts to help improve coordination of communications policy, services and infrastructure initiatives throughout Iraq. The Iraq Communications Coordination Element recently began operating under the direction of

  • Unit surpasses consecutive 7,000 days with forces in Southwest Asia

    Members of the 55th Wing from Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., and their RC-135V/W Joint Rivets have been deployed in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility every day for the past 7,000 days. The RC-135 is a reconnaissance aircraft supporting theater and national-level consumers with near

  • United Arab Emirates air force participates in first Red Flag

    United Arab Emirates air force pilots and maintainers are participating in the Red Flag exercise at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., for the first time Aug. 22 through Sept. 5. The UAE airmen spent the previous two weeks at the Arizona Air National Guard's 162nd Fighter Wing at Tucson International

  • United Arab Emirates honors Moseley

    The United Arab Emirates conferred the highest military order on Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley during a ceremony at the Dubai Air Show on Dec. 8.Lt. Gen. Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the deputy crown prince of Abu Dhabi and chief of staff of the United Arab Emirates

  • United in Love eases deployment separation at Lajes Field

    Lajes Field members are helping ease the stresses associated with the separation between Airmen and their spouses during times of deployment.While Airmen are deployed, their spouses can get support through a Lajes Field group called United in Love.As a member of that group, Angela Horton and other

  • United Nations lift sanctions against Iraq

    The United Nations this morning lifted sanctions against Iraq following a 14-0 vote in the Security Council.The vote on U.N. Security Council Resolution 1483 lifts sanctions imposed on Saddam Hussein's regime following the Persian Gulf War. The resolution also gives the United States and the United

  • United Nations official assists Airmen with Haiti operations

    A member of the United Nations World Food Programme arrived at Tyndall Air Force Base Jan. 24 to assist the Haiti Flight Operations Coordination Center officials with setting up humanitarian aviation response to the earthquake-ravaged nation.Overall command and control of the HFOCC falls to members

  • United States, Bangladesh to begin Pacific Angel efforts

    U.S. officials are scheduled to provide humanitarian and civic assistance in cooperation with local authorities to residents in western Bangladesh as part of Operation Pacific Angel 2010 in mid-June. Operation Pacific Angel is a joint and combined humanitarian assistance operation conducted in the

  • Units compete in NAF-wide cyber competition

    “This competition provides our cyber community the opportunity to showcase their talents in a cyber environment, as well as teach and learn from others across the 24th Air Force,” said Tech. Sgt. Andrew Gogue, 688th Cyberspace Wing weapons and tactics noncommissioned officer in charge.

  • Unit's flight clearances initiative wins DOD recognition

    The 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center here was awarded first prize for the best operational improvement initiative during the Department of Defense's Second Annual Continuous Process Improvement Symposium June 1 to 3 at the National Conference Center in Lansdowne, Va. All military branches were

  • Units focus on bringing better capabilities to warfighters

    Senior leaders from Air Mobility Command, the Electronic System Center, and the Air Force Command and Control, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center gathered for the 11th Exchange Day among the three organizations Feb. 7 here.Beginning in 2001, the biannual event has brought

  • Units make history with Air Force's first homeland defense ORI

    Three units representing each component of the Air Force made history here May 16 through 23 when they successfully completed the first homeland defense operational readiness inspection.The ORI, held at the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center here, was administered by the Air Mobility Command

  • Universal Class program offers personal development opportunities

    You're never too old to stop learning, and Air Force libraries offer opportunities for self-improvement and personal development through the Universal Class program. Total force Airmen, families, civilians, retirees and other eligible library users may register for more than 500 online personal

  • 'Universal' ID card part of federal security upgrades

    New identification cards to be issued to Defense Department employees beginning next month will help standardize workforce identification and security access systems across the government, a senior Defense Department official said here Sept. 15. The new common access card eventually will be issued

  • University assists Air Force programmers

    Airmen are improving their programming skills with help from experts called in from Auburn University at Montgomery by Standard Systems Group officials here.Standard Systems Group manages information technology contracts and standard information system programs commonly used at all active and

  • University course teaches principles of information operations

    In the midst of the Korean War in the 1950s an American fighter pilot came up with a revolutionary concept that changed tactical, operational and strategic war planning. Based on his tactical dogfighting experience with North Korean MiGs, Col. John Boyd coined the term - OODA (observe, orient,

  • University of Idaho students study human factors on B-52

    Seven students and a professor from the University of Idaho visited several organizations here Dec. 5 for a subsystem evaluation on the B-52 Stratofortress. The University of Idaho students are attending a graduate-level course, called advanced human factors, and were assigned to a class project

  • University Relations seeks to bolster AFRL partnerships, recruiting

    Employment recruiting efforts at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) are expanding via its University Relations program. The program is part of a multi-faceted AFRL effort to seek out and attract the best and brightest scientists and engineers (S&Es) and carry out its mission of providing

  • University students help JSTARS innovate scheduling

    Operators of the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System are teaming up with Mercer University’s computer science department in Macon, Georgia, to advance an antiquated software system.

  • University students learn about cyber mission

    A group of students from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, La., got a first-hand look at how Air Force men and women conduct cyberspace operations during a tour of Air Force Cyber Command, (Provisional) here May 5. According to Louisiana Tech professor Dr. Brian Etheridge, director of the honors

  • UNLV downs Falcons in women’s soccer, 3-0

    The Air Force Academy’s women’s soccer team lost to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas, 3-0, in Mountain West Conference competition Oct. 24. The Falcons conclude the 2004 regular season with a 3-12-2 overall record and 0-5-1 in the conference.Air Force struggled to get its offense going as the

  • UNLV edges AF in 42-39 shootout

    The University of Nevada-Las Vegas defeated the U.S. Air Force Academy 42-39 in Las Vegas Nov. 24. The win snaps a 10-game losing streak by UNLV. The Falcons had beaten the Runnin' Rebels eight out of 11 times, including the last four straight games. Despite the odds against them, the Runnin' Rebels

  • Unmanned aircraft capabilities expanding in war on terrorism

    Once used only for remote reconnaissance, unmanned aircraft technology has rapidly evolved in recent years. Such systems now feature strike capabilities and are being used for force-protection and signals-collection missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.Unmanned aerial systems "have helped reduce the

  • Unmanned aircraft crews strive to support warfighters

    As Pentagon officials look for ways to increase intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support for warfighters in Afghanistan, the Air Force's first unmanned aircraft systems wing already is on the case in its never-ending quest to provide more and better intelligence through the systems they

  • Unmanned aircraft gain starring role in terror war

    Unmanned aerial vehicles are earning star status in the war on terrorism. They are becoming the most-requested capability among combatant commanders in Southwest Asia and use has increased fourfold in that theater during the last year alone, said the deputy director of the Pentagon's UAV planning

  • Unmanned aircraft kills three insurgents

    An MQ-1B Predator unmanned aerial vehicle engaged three insurgents in the process of planting a homemade bomb along a road near Balad Air Base, Iraq, March 28 and launched an AGM-114 Hellfire missile against the group. The Predator monitored the three insurgents for about a half hour while they used

  • Unmanned aircraft maintenance partnership to increase production

    The Air Force Sustainment Center or AFSC and General Atomics reached a partnership agreement Nov. 9, for the maintenance of unmanned aircraft systems or UAS, including the Predator/Reaper and the Army's version, the "Gray Eagle." The an enterprise-level, public-private agreement, signed by Lt. Gen.

  • Unmanned aircraft take on increased importance

    The U.S. military's expanded overseas use of unmanned aircraft highlights the increased importance of such aerial platforms to current and future military operations, senior Air Force officers said here July 23. The Unmanned Aircraft Systems Flight Plan announced July 23 will serve as a template for

  • Unmanned coalition aircraft crashes

    A U.S. Air Force MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle crashed Feb. 23 approximately 60 miles northeast of Jalalabad, Afghanistan at approximately 1 p.m. local time. Initial indications are that the crash was due to mechanical failure. There is no indication the Predator was fired upon. The Predator

  • Unmanned drone crashes at Tyndall

    An unmanned QF-4 drone, assigned here to the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group, crashed on the drone runway during take-off at 8:25 a.m., July 17, 2013. No personnel were injured during the incident.Base and local police officials have closed the highway near the crash site as a precautionary measure

  • Unmanned QF-4 crashes near Holloman

    An unmanned QF-4 Aerial Target assigned to the 82nd Aerial Target Squadron here, crashed Feb. 7. The crash site is located inside the White Sands National Monument, which was closed in advance of the test mission.

  • Unmanned vehicle provides reusable test capabilities in space

    The Air Force is working on a space vehicle that will allow government scientists to transport advanced technology into orbit, test its capability there, then bring it home to see how it fared in the harsh environment of space. The X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle is similar to the space shuttle, except

  • Unpowered gliders resume flight

    The 94th Flying Training Squadron here resumed unpowered glider flights June 23.The flights were suspended in mid-May to “address glider operations guidance shortcomings, and leadership and cultural issues in the squadron,” said Brig. Gen. John Weida, the academy’s acting superintendent.Officer

  • Unprotected nevermore

    An Air Force security forces Phoenix Raven stands guard as a C-130 Hercules from the 320th Air Expeditionary Wing taxis at an austere landing zone in Afghanistan. Ravens are groups of specially trained security forces people who provide force protection for aircrews and resources that transit high

  • Unsafe choice kills two airmen

    People may think “it’s not going to happen to me.” But they need to think again. No one is immune; preventable vehicle crashes happen all the time, according to safety officials here. Automobile crashes do not mean just cuts, bruises and broken bones. They can mean permanent disfigurement or

  • Unusual sport calls fuels Airman to France

    Cycle polo? What in the world is cycle polo? That's a thing? These are questions Staff Sgt. Jonathan MacPherson, a 673rd Logistics Readiness Squadron Fuels Management Flight fuels service center controller, is accustomed to hearing.

  • 'Unwavering professionalism' encouraged in all servicemembers

    U.S. Forces in Japan's mission to keep peace and security in its area of responsibility is shouldered by each military member serving in the region, and USFJ leaders are encouraging all servicemembers to practice unwavering professionalism in everything they do. Unwavering professionalism is a

  • UOTT pushes boundaries of F-35 operational testing

    A team of engineers, analysts, and pilots are pushing the boundaries of F-35 combat aircraft operational testing. The United States Operational Test Team is partnered with Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center Detachment 6.

  • Up to 1,000 Guard members respond to Massachusetts tornadoes

    Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick ordered up to 1,000 National Guard members to support civilian authorities after tornadoes caused property damage and power outages across the state June 1.About 450 Soldiers and Airmen already were on duty June 2, Massachusetts National Guard officials said.Among

  • Upcoming energy fair spotlights energy-efficient technology

    San Antonio residents and visitors soon will have an opportunity to see the latest energy-saving technology, including some products that are being used to make Randolph Air Force Base and the rest of the Air Force more energy efficient.The second annual Randolph Energy Fair, which takes place Oct.

  • Upcoming show to display military land, sea, ground robots

    More than 6,000 experts from 30 countries will be gathering here Aug. 16-19 for this year's largest robot and unmanned systems show.Hosted by the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International, called AUVSI, Unmanned Systems North America 2011 will feature workshops, panels and

  • Upcoming summit shapes new sexual-assault policies

    Decisions made at a senior-leader summit are expected to have a sweeping effect on the Defense Department's sexual-assault prevention and response efforts, said the task force commander charged with turning the group's recommendations into DOD-wide policies.The Oct. 6 summit, made up of senior

  • Upcoming survey to assess post-op deployment health care

    A telephone survey of ill or injured servicemembers who have returned from operational deployment will begin May 1 to examine post-deployment health care experiences. This health care survey is being conducted in response to the Secretary of Defense's request to comprehensively assess the quality of

  • Upcoming VA forum to help build women veterans communities, networks

    Department of Veterans Affairs officials opened registration on July 8 for a women veterans forum that will address the quality of VA health care, the provision of benefits for women and ways for VA to continue improving access to the care and benefits for women veterans."The VA forum will bring

  • Update on cadet test cheating investigation

    Air Force Academy officials have indicated that some of the Cadet Sanctions Recommendation Panels for cadets who admitted cheating on a recent Fourth Class Knowledge Test are being conducted by the cadet honor executive committee this week. Furthermore, of the 36 cadets whose cases were forwarded

  • Update on recent DAF efforts

    In a memorandum to commanders, the SecAF and CSAF said: “The Air Force must be prepared to fly and fix so we can fight and win. We will maintain this posture through increased focus on readiness and modernization in a commander-focused service.”

  • Update: Air Force BMT graduation and schedule

    The revised schedule will allow BMT to restructure and enhance social-distancing requirements across the training campus to ensure the safety and security not just for the trainees, but for the Military Training Instructors, other active-duty members, civilians and contractors that support the

  • Update: Officials identify Airmen killed in Lackland shooting

    The 502nd Air Base Wing and Joint Base San Antonio commander, Brig. Gen. Robert LaBrutta, confirmed the identities of the two Airmen killed in a workplace violence incident April 8 at the Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Medina Annex, according to a news release.

  • UPDATE: Selfridge ANG Base selected as next location for KC-46A Pegasus

    The Department of the Air Force selected Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan, as the preferred location to host the next KC-46A Pegasus pending the outcome of a planned environmental impact analysis in 2025.Twelve KC-46As are expected to replace the aging A-10C Thunderbolt IIs and KC-135

  • UPDATE: Spangdahlem A-10 crashes

    An Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II crashed about 3:57 p.m. local time April 1 north of the city of Wittlich, Germany. The aircraft was from Spangdahlem Air Base. At the time of the accident, it was on a routine local training mission. The pilot is at a local hospital and is reported to be in good

  • UPDATE: USAFE Airmen killed in shooting were from Ramstein, Lakenheath

    One of the Airmen killed in the shooting at Frankfurt International Airport March 2 was a vehicle operator stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, while the other Airman killed was part of a security forces team stationed at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England. The two injured Airmen are being

  • UPDATED - SECAF salutes Airmen during ceremony

    Beneath the spires of the Air Force Memorial erected under his watch, the secretary of the Air Force bid farewell to Airmen June 20, his last day as their senior civilian official. Secretary Michael W. Wynne addressed the crowd of Airmen, civilians and media in a ceremony at the memorial, speaking

  • Updated Professional Development Guide available online

    The latest version of the Air Force Professional Development Guide is now available online for all Airmen. The 500 page, 30.8 MB document is of particular interest to enlisted Airmen in the ranks of staff sergeant through senior master sergeant who want to begin studying for their next promotion

  • Updating education just clicks away for civilians

    Air Force civilian employees who wish to update education information in their civilian personnel records have a new, easier way to do so: through the "MyBiz" Web site. MyBiz is the self-service module in the Defense Civilian Personnel Data System. Instead of faxing their transcripts and waiting for

  • UPE Integration Team lead visits Wright-Patt

    Brig. Gen. Edward L. Vaughan, the new Air Force Unexplained Physiological Events Integration Team lead, visited Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Aug. 27 to tour the 711th Human Performance Wing’s Onboard Oxygen Generating System lab and learn how 711HPW is collaborating with Air Force Life Cycle

  • Upgrade advances A-10s search capability

    A-10C Thunderbolt IIs assigned to active duty fighter squadrons at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base are in the process of having new lightweight airborne recovery systems installed.The LARS V-12 is designed to allow A-10 pilots to communicate more effectively with individuals on the ground such as

  • Upgrade allows civilians to update awards online

    Civilian employees can now update their non-monetary awards through the self-service module in the Defense Civilian Personnel Data System using the "Awards and Bonuses" tab in "My Biz." The ability to update non-monetary awards, such as length of service recognition, exemplary civilian service award

  • Upgrade brings resume writer offline

    People will be unable to complete or update online resumes for Air Force civilian employment June 18 to 26 because of a computer system upgrade.New job vacancies will not be posted during this time, and deadlines for those already posted will be extended. People will not be able to volunteer for

  • Upgrade gives B-52 more teeth

    The B-52 Stratofortress is set to receive an upgrade that will significantly increase its weapons payload, officials said.

  • Upgrade halts service temporarily

    An upgrade to the Defense Civilian Personnel Data System will shut down its services July 18 to 31, according to Air Force Personnel Center officials here.The improvement, which affects the servicing of more than 130,000 Air Force civilian employees, will allow all Department of Defense civilians to

  • Upgrade makes electronic forms more user friendly

    Air Force officials recently rolled out a new software upgrade that makes it easier for Airmen to view and print electronic forms. Feedback from Airmen revealed problems with blank lines appearing on paper copies of electronic forms that were not visible on digital versions. "The issue was with the

  • Upgraded A-10s prove worth in Iraq

    A new version of the A-10 Thunderbolt II has been flying over Iraq providing close-air support for the ground troops from Al Asad Air Base for nearly two months. As part of the Precision Engagement Upgrade Program, the Maryland Air National Guard's 175th Wing has been converting it's A-10s from A to

  • Upgraded airborne firefighting system approved

    A long anticipated upgrade to the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) that's used to battle the nation's wildfires was recently approved for operational use, months before the next fire season.MAFFS II was approved for use on the California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing C-130J

  • Upgraded armored vehicles aid Moody's war training

    Warfighters preparing for combat deployments are now using the same highly armored combat vehicles during stateside training missions as they will use in theater. The 820th Security Forces Group recently received 18 Humvees outfitted with the safest and thickest armor modifications, known as Frag 5,

  • Upgraded AWACS platform tested at Northern Edge

    Calmly soaring at 30,000 feet in the midst of nearly 100 fighters, bombers and refueling tankers executing a battle scenario, an E-3G Sentry (AWACS) surveys every aircraft in a 300-mile radius, calling out commands, verifying target hits and sending aircraft back home safely.

  • Upgraded B-52 still on cutting edge

    The B-52 Stratofortress is continually modified with new technology making the 50-year-old airframe one of the Air Force's most effective long-range heavy bombers. Modified B-52 aircraft with modern technology are capable of delivering a full range of joint-developed weapons and will continue to be

  • Upgraded E-3 Sentry deploys to combat theater

    The first E-3G Sentry (AWACS) arrived in Southwest Asia Nov. 18, marking the deployment of the most comprehensive modification to the weapon system in its 38-year history. The Block 40/45 improved communications, computer processing power, threat tracking and other capabilities.

  • Upgraded F-16 rejoins 8th FW

    An upgraded F-16 Fighting Falcon returned to 8th Fighter Wing operations after AFLCMC’s Post Block Integration Team provided the aircraft with the first wave of 22 modifications designed to improve lethality to meet the needs of current and future operations.

  • Upgraded KC-135 Stratotankers integral to joint force

    The Air Force's KC-135 Stratotanker fleet celebrates 50 years this month of enhancing fighter, bomber and cargo aircraft missions. The multi-role tanker's primary mission is to refuel Air Force, sister service and coalition aircraft, but it also fills other jobs, including airlifting cargo,