HomeNews

NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • WWII vets tour memorial, remember fallen brothers-in-arms

    Clouds lingered overhead, as young and old walked around the water fountain at the National World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C. Couples took photos of one another while mothers and fathers tried to keep track of children attempting to run free. A leather-skinned gentleman, standing upright

  • Wyatt: Diverse, experienced Air Guard must come from below

    The Air National Guard's ability to successfully conduct missions in the future depends on the development of future leaders, its top officer said Sept. 14. "It is our responsibility as an organization to develop the content of their character," said Lt. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt III, director of the Air

  • Wyatt: Air Guard is affordable, operational, accessible

    The Air National Guard is the affordable, operational, fully accessible force the Air Force needs during uncertain economic times, the director of the Air National Guard Lt. Gen. Harry Wyatt said here."The Air Guard provides to the United States Air Force 34 percent of the combat capability on seven

  • Wynne sees pride in Airmen during Southwest Asia visit

    The secretary of the Air Force said he is proud and inspired by the Airmen he visited during his trip to Southwest Asia. "I met fabulous Airmen at each base," Secretary Michael W. Wynne said. "They were very dedicated and persistent in their desire to further the Air Force mission." Secretary Wynne

  • Wynne sworn in as 21st secretary

    Michael W. Wynne was sworn in today in front of 4,200 U.S. Air Force Academy cadets, during their noontime meal, as the 21st secretary of the Air Force. In this role, he is responsible for the affairs of the Department of the Air Force, including organizing, training, equipping and providing for the

  • Wynne: AF needs to recapitalize

    With the combination of aging and heavily used equipment, the Air Force needs recapitalization across the board, Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne said. In past discussions about Air Force recapitalization, aircraft usually took center stage. Although aircraft still need to be

  • Wynne: Air Force needs more joint role

    Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne said as the Air Force evolves to a new global war on terrorism era he wants it to participate in more joint operations. The Air Force is operating “as a joint service, right now -- today," the secretary said. But he said the service needs to foster a more joint

  • Wynne: Instill Airmen with opportunity for change

    The secretary of the Air Force said the service will embark on an effort to improve itself by using private sector developed process optimization tools to become more efficient. Two optimization tools are Lean and Six Sigma. Corporations like Toyota and General Electric have used them to catapult

  • Wynne: more integrated operations in Air Force’s future

    The secretary of the Air Force said the service is headed toward more integrated operations. Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne stopped at this airlift base Dec. 23 after trips to bases in Southwest Asia and Germany. He talked about the importance of force integration, new weapons platforms

  • Wynne: We are logisticians of information

    As does its enemies, the Air Force considers cyberspace a warfighting domain. The Air Force has always been in the business of flying and fighting in the air, and in past decades, has included space in that mission. This year the Air Force expanded its mission to include cyberspace -- the domain of

  • Wynonna Judd joins Reserve Band for TV broadcast

    Members of the Band of the Air Force Reserve and Air Force Strings teamed up with Wynonna and Naomi Judd and the Palmetto State Quartet for this year's Holiday Notes from Home concert recorded Dec. 9 at the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tenn. Viewers around the world will have a chance to see

  • Wyoming Air Guard dropping hay for Colorado cattle

    The Wyoming Air National Guard arrived in Pueblo, Colo., on Jan. 3 to begin flying missions to drop hay to stranded Colorado cattle.One C-130 Hercules and 10 Airmen are assisting the Colorado National Guard with feeding cattle in the southeastern corner of the state, near Lamar."Although the

  • X-37B breaks record, lands after 780 days in orbit

    The spaceplane conducted on-orbit experiments for 780 days during its mission, recently breaking its own record by being in orbit for more than two years. As of today, the total number of days spent on-orbit for the entire test vehicle program is 2,865 days.

  • X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle lands at Vandenberg AFB

    The U.S. Air Force's first unmanned re-entry spacecraft landed here Dec. 3 at 1:16 a.m.The X-37B, named Orbital Test Vehicle 1, which launched April 22 from Cape Canaveral, Fla., conducted on-orbit experiments for more than 220 days during its maiden voyage. It fired its orbital maneuver engine in

  • X-45A successfully releases inert weapon

    The Joint-Unmanned Combat Air System X-45A successfully carried out an inert-weapons release here March 20, marking the first weapons release from the internal bay of the high-speed, stealthy unmanned aircraft."All testing leading up to (the) weapon jettison went extremely well," said Maj. Mike

  • X-51 Waverider makes historic hypersonic flight

    An X-51A Waverider flight-test vehicle successfully made the longest supersonic combustion ramjet-powered hypersonic flight May 26 off the southern California Pacific coast.The more than 200 second burn by the X-51's Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne-built air breathing scramjet engine accelerated the

  • X-51A flight ends prematurely

    The X-51A Waverider successfully launched from a B-52 Stratofortress over Point Mugu Naval Air Warfare Center Sea Range, Calif., Aug. 14, 2012, at approximately 11:36 a.m. PDT.The X-51 safely separated from the B-52 and the rocket booster fired as planned. However, after 16 seconds, a fault was

  • X-51A Waverider achieves breakthrough in final flight

    The final flight of the X-51A Waverider test program has accomplished a breakthrough in the development of flight reaching Mach 5.1 over the Pacific Ocean May 1. "It was a full mission success," said Charlie Brink, the X-51A program manager for the Air Force Research Laboratory Aerospace Systems

  • X-51A Waverider flight planned for May 25

    Weather permitting, Air Force officials said the X-51A Waverider will make its first hypersonic flight test attempt May 25 after it is released from a B-52 Stratofortress off the southern coast of California.The unmanned X-51A is expected to fly autonomously for five minutes, powered by a supersonic

  • X-51A WaveRider gets first ride aboard B-52

    The X-51A Waverider was carried aloft for the first time Dec. 9 by an Air Force Flight Test Center B-52 Stratofortressover Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.The test was a key milestone in preparation for the X-51 to light its supersonic combustion ramjet engine and propel the WaverRider at hypersonic

  • XC-99 begins piece-by-piece trip to Air Force Museum

    Several parts of a historic XC-99 aircraft located at the Kelly Annex to Lackland were hauled to the Air Force Museum near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, recently. A C-5 Galaxy from the 433rd Airlift Wing here hauled the initial load of the three-phase dismantling project.Disassembling began

  • XPX team innovates solar power comm system

    With the help of 3-D printing and community partnerships, the Plans and Programs innovation team at McConnell Air Force Base created a portable, solar-powered communications system.

  • XQ-58A Valkyrie demonstrator completes inaugural flight

    The XQ-58A Valkyrie demonstrator, a long-range, high subsonic unmanned air vehicle completed its inaugural flight March 5, 2019, at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona. The Air Force Research Laboratory partnered with Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems to develop the XQ-58A.

  • Yeager brings 'Right Stuff' to symposium

    The first person ever to travel faster than the speed of sound didn't know anything about airplanes when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps in September 1941. But retired Brig. Gen. Chuck Yeager did have a knack for fixing machines and a willingness to do whatever his duty required of him and to take

  • 'Year in Photos' capture 2009 events

    Throughout the past year, Airmen, deployed and at home, successfully carried out the Air Force mission to fly, fight and win in air, space and cyberspace. Whether it was maintaining and launching aircraft, tending to a wounded warrior or building airfields anywhere in the world, total force Airmen

  • 'Year In Photos' highlights 2008

    Throughout the past year, Airmen, deployed and at home, successfully carried out the Air Force mission to Fly, Fight and Win in air, space and cyberspace.  Whether it was maintaining and launching an unmanned aircraft, tending to a wounded warrior, helping to reinforce a levee during a major flood,

  • Year of Defender revitalizes security forces squadrons

    Security forces is the largest enlisted career field in the Air Force with approximately 38,000 defenders spanning 120 bases. In order to better care for these Airmen and ensure they have everything they need to complete their mission, 2019 was declared – Year of the Defender – by top Air Force

  • Year of the Air Force Family promotes sense of community

    The Air Force's top uniformed officer and his wife welcomed the Air Force's newest Airmen into the service during a visit here July 8 and 9.The Basic Military Training graduation at the "Gateway to the Air Force" was the perfect backdrop for Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and his wife

  • Year of the Air Force Family short story competition coming soon

    Air Force Services Agency officials are accepting short story competition entries Dec. 20 through Feb. 14, as part of the Year of the Air Force Family.This is an opportunity for Airmen to express what living the Air Force life means to them, their family and their friends. Entries must be be 300

  • Year of the Air Force Family T-shirt design competition under way

    Air Force Services Agency officials are promoting a T-shirt design competition on the recently launched myairforcelife.com, now through Dec. 20, as part of the Year of the Air Force Family."The site will feature programs and competitions that will roll out through the year," said Ms. Debbie Karnes,

  • 'Year of the Air Force Family' Web site launched

    Air Force officials have launched a new Web site to showcase the Year of the Air Force Family effort. Airmen and their families can log on to http://www.af.mil/yoaff/index.asp to learn about AF-wide initiatives, monthly themes and programs, as well as contact local installation Airman Family and

  • Year of the Air Force Family wraps up

    During the "Year of the Air Force Family," senior leaders examined existing support services and sought out ways to evolve and expand them to meet the changing needs and expectations of Airmen, their families and the larger Air Force family as well. As the Year of the Air Force Family initiative

  • Year of the mentor: Going beyond training

    To improve rider safety and skills, the DoW is implementing the Motorcycle Safety Foundation’s Rider Mentor Program, which pairs service members with experienced motorcyclists as an alternative path for completing advanced training.

  • Year-end recruiting goals within reach, official says

    With less than three weeks left in the fiscal year, all four military services met their active-duty recruiting goals for August and hope to maintain that momentum to reach their year-end goals, Defense Department officials said Sept. 10. The Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps all met or

  • Year-end review: 386th AEW remembers banner year

    As the world celebrated the passing of another year, and looked to the future with optimistic hope, the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing, and its leadership, reflected on its accomplishments.

  • Yellow Ribbon event provides rest, eases redeployment

    Rest and relaxation mixed with reintegration seminars and veteran resources, coupled with plenty of chocolate was the theme for the 60-day Yellow Ribbon Event April 16 to 18 at Hershey Lodge in Hershey, Pa.Yellow Ribbon coordinators from the 514th Air Mobility Wing planned this event for more than

  • Yellow Ribbon program focuses on reservists, families

    Air Force reservists in the 507th Air Refueling Wing at Tinker AFB, who return from long deployments, are finding the welcome mat waiting for them. A congressional directive in the 2007 Defense Appropriations Act mandated that Reserve components provide reservists and their families with additional

  • Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program reaches milestone

    The advisory board of a new program mandated by the 2008 National Defense Authorization Act held its inaugural meeting here March 30. The Yellow Ribbon Reintegration Program fulfills the requirement of establishing a national combat veteran reintegration program. The program's goal is to prepare

  • Yellowcard rocks servicemembers in Southwest Asia

    More than 250 servicemembers assigned to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing were infected with a special blend of rock and pop Jan. 12 when the band Yellowcard performed live for an hour at the base theater. Yellowcard, a Los Angeles-based band, entertained American servicemembers during their final

  • Yesterday’s Air Force

    The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center has been coordinating inland search and rescue missions in the United States since its creation. Today, the AFRCC works with local and federal search and rescue assets and is credited with saving more than 17,000 lives.

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: 9/11 response

    It wasn't long after the terror attacks of 9/11 that the Air Force responded in a big way. On Oct. 7, 2001, Operation Enduring Freedom began. In the initial months, Air Force bombers flew night and day, conducting strikes on Taliban and al-Qaida positions across Afghanistan. U.S. air superiority

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: AF museum opens new building

    The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton, Ohio, is showing off its brand new hangar full of historical aircraft and tons of Air Force history. It features four sections: presidential, research and development, space, and global reach.

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: Apollo 15

    Manned by an all-Air Force crew, the Apollo 15 mission was considered a great success. It was the fourth time man had landed on the moon.

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: Archie Williams

    As an Olympic gold medalist and command pilot, Lt. Col. Archie Williams proved time and again his skill, discipline and determination were among the best.

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: BMT

    Tomorrow's Airmen all get their start at Lackland Air Force Base where citizens have been transforming into Airmen since 1942. It makes no difference whether you were a pickle or faced the B.E.A.S.T., Basic Military Training is the one thing that all enlisted Airmen have in common.

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: Cheyenne Mountain

    Since April 20, 1966, Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Station in Colorado has been protecting the skies over North America. The Cheyenne Mountain Complex is near Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and falls under Air Force Space Command.

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: Flak-Bait

    During World War II, Martine B-26 Marauders dropped thousands of bombs and one of those aircraft survived more missions and dropped more bombs than any other — the Flak-Bait.

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: HH-3E

    Getting stranded behind enemy lines is a concern during every combat mission and one aircraft set the standard for combat search and rescue during the Vietnam War -- the Sikorsky HH-3E.

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: Hurricane Hunters

    What started as a dare more than 70 years ago turned into the way we predict hurricanes today. Find out how the Air Force got started in a critical mission that saves lives by flying through hurricanes.

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: ICBM evolution

    FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) – This episode of Yesterday’s Air Force looks at the evolution of the Intercontinental Ballistic Missile program from initiation during the Cold War to becoming America's most powerful nuclear deterrent.Yesterday's Air Force is a history and heritage featurette

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: Lafayette Escadrille

    A century ago, American Airmen began to fly for the French Air Service in World War I. This episode looks at their role in the war effort. Yesterday's Air Force is a history and heritage featurette series profiling significant people and missions from the Air Force's past.

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: Operation Santa

    FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) – What started as a simple typo, turned into yearly tradition where every year the North American Aerospace Defense Command helps children all over the world track Santa. Track Santa this year at www.noradsanta.org.Yesterday's Air Force is a history and heritage

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: Operation Tomodachi

    Operation Tomodachi was the U.S. and Japanese response to the devastation brought by a 9.0-magnitude earthquake, and tsunami, that struck off the coast of Japan. Airmen from all over the Pacific helped in the recovery efforts.

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: Robin Olds

    Robin Olds was one of the Air Forces' most iconic fighter pilots. Olds is rated as a triple ace, having shot down a total of 17 enemy aircraft during World War II and the Vietnam War.

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: The B-36

    After World War II the threat of nuclear weapons was felt by every man, woman and child in the country. America knew it needed a platform to help deter a nuclear strike, and the solution was the B-36 Peacemaker.

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: The Challenger disaster

    It was 30 years ago that the much-anticipated launch of Space Shuttle Challenger quickly turned to tragedy. Here's a look back at this fateful day, as well as the successes of the shuttle's previous missions.

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: The Doolittle Raid

    After a string of defeats in America’s early days of World War II, the president ordered a mission to strike Japan and to help improve the morale of the American people.

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: The Enola Gay

    The thought of using a nuclear weapon is a heavy one, and when the first nuclear bomb was dropped on Hiroshima, Japan, it sparked conversations all over the world. What does it mean to have nuclear power? How should it be used? All this started with one aircraft: the Enola Gay.

  • 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,

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: The president’s pilot

    During the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the president was hundreds of miles away from the nation’s capital. The pilot and crew of Air Force One made sure the president stayed safe and got where he needed to be to lead the country.

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: WWII Heavy Bombardment

    One of the costliest campaigns of World War II was the aerial bombing of the Axis powers in Europe. The American B-17 and B-24 bombers were the backbone of the Allied bombing campaign over Nazi occupied Europe.

  • Yesterday's Air Force: 70 years of Breaking Barriers

    American Airmen have been breaking barriers for 70 years in air, space and cyberspace, resulting in global vigilance, reach and power. They’ve shown tenacity in Korea’s MiG Alley, endurance in Vietnam’s Rolling Thunder campaign, decisiveness over the skies of Baghdad during Desert Storm and

  • Yesterday's Air Force: Airman Astronauts

    The U.S. Air Force helped propel America to the moon. Across several decades, Airmen have participated in the training, planning and flying of rockets and shuttles and even the International Space Station. The Air Force has played a vital role in the NASA's astronaut mission.

  • Yesterday's Air Force: F-104 Starfighter

    This episode of Yesterday's Air Force looks at the F-104 Starfighter. It was a technological marvel when it first took to the sky in the 1950s. It broke a number of records and was used by many air forces around the world. The F-104 had a long service life; it wasn't retired from active service with

  • Yesterday's Air Force: Luxembourg

    On July 12, 1944, two U.S. B-17 Flying Fortress bombers collided over the small town of Perle, Luxembourg.Though 71 years have passed, the event has changed the lives of many people, including Roger Feller, who witnessed the crash. He has since dedicated his life to never forgetting the American

  • Yesterday's Air Force: Pilot training

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

  • Yesterday's Air Force: Reverse Lend-Lease

    The logistics of war are complicated and having the right aircraft at the right place and time is a key to victory. At the beginning of U.S. involvement in World War II the Reverse Lend-Lease program set the U.S. up for success.

  • Yesterday's Air Force: RPAs

    This episode of Yesterday's Air Force looks at the history of Remotely Piloted Aircraft. RPAs are not a new war-fighting technology, in fact their development goes back to the early 20th century. Roger Connor with the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum takes us through their evolution.

  • Yesterday's Air Force: Secret Squirrel

    Operation Senior Surprise (Secret Squirrel) began the bombing campaign against Iraq during the Gulf War in 1991. It kicked off Operation Desert Storm and the liberation of Kuwait.

  • Yesterday's Air Force: Tankers

    The KC-46A Pegasus is the newest member of the aerial refueling team. This episode of Yesterday's Air Force takes a look back at where it all started -- from wing walkers to the most recent KC-135 Stratotanker.

  • Yesterday's Air Force: The pilot who killed King Kong

    There was only one man who took part in the hunt for Pancho Villa, the Doolittle Raid, the Flying Tigers, the Japanese surrender on the USS Missouri and even stopping King Kong’s rampage in New York City. He was one of the Air Force's most innovative, exceptional, and adventurous leaders. That man

  • Yesterday's Air Force: The president's pilot

    On Sep 11, 2001, America was under attack and the president was hundreds of miles away. The pilot and crew of Air Force One made sure the commander in chief stayed safe and helped get him where he needed to be to lead the country.

  • Yeti joins Air Force academy mascots

    The cast of falcon mascots here increased with the addition of its newest bird, Yeti.A hybrid cross between a white gyrfalcon and a Middle Eastern saker, Yeti is a large, athletic bird, said Lt. Col. Jim Imlay, 34th Training Wing director of staff and academy falconry director.The idea for the new

  • Yokota ‘Dirt Boys’ train Japan forces in Kanoya

    Members of the 374th Civil Engineer Squadron from Yokota Air Base, Japan, traveled to Kanoya Air Base, Japan, to demonstrate a spall repair for Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force civil engineers, May 15.

  • Yokota AB airlifters deliver fuel to power Sendai Airport

    Airmen from the 36th Airlift Squadron here delivered more than 2,300 gallons of diesel fuel to Sendai Airport, Japan, aboard a C-130H Hercules in support of Operation Tomodachi March 24. The Airmen delivered the fuel to Sendai where it will be used to fuel generators and provide power. Until

  • Yokota AB Airman Earns Bronze Star Downrange

    From Sept. 27, 2017 to Sept. 26, 2018, Charles was assigned to the 438th Air Expeditionary Wing. During this time, he operated outside of the coalition-controlled airfield, where he endured 19 indirect fire rocket attacks and was exposed to a persistent threat of insider attacks.

  • Yokota AB Airmen deliver fuels truck to aid Japan's relief efforts

    Senior Airman Jason Barbieri guides a fuels truck onto a C-130H Hercules March 15, 2011, at Yokota Air Base, Japan. The fuels truck was taken to Yamagota Airport to support Japan's earthquake and tsunami relief efforts. Airman Barbieri is assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron. (U.S. Air Force

  • Yokota AB Airmen play vital role in cooling Fukushima power plant

    A team of Airmen from here labored nonstop March 25 through 27 to design and create essential components for water pumps to be used at a nuclear power plant in northern Japan. The power plant, located roughly 130 miles north of here in Fukushima Prefecture, incurred catastrophic damage to its

  • Yokota AB Airmen provide Afghan military with 'props'

    Airmen from here helped airmen in the Afghan National Army Air Corps get off the ground and take control of maintaining Afghan national security.The Yokota AB Airmen were tasked to package and ship 15 sets of propellers, three blades per set, to the ANAAC for their growing fleet of C-27A