Sept. 25, 2023 Air Force to field new body armor carrier systems for aircrew Aircrew operating across 20 different rotor, tilt-wing, and fixed-wing aircraft will receive new body armor carrier systems as part of an effort to update and replace older models.
Sept. 14, 2023 4 Air National Guard locations chosen for next C-130H to C-130J upgrades The Department of the Air Force selected 103rd Airlift Wing, 120th Airlift Wing, 133rd Airlift Wing, and 182nd Airlift Wing, as the preferred locations to receive C-130J Super Hercules to replace aging C-130Hs, pending the outcome of environmental assessments.
Sept. 5, 2023 SECURE platform enhances security enterprise capabilities A new tool called the Security Enterprise Communication and User Reporting Environment, or SECURE, aims to streamline operations, reduce data isolation and redundancy, and optimize resource usage across the security enterprise.
Sept. 2, 2023 Malmstrom AFB pilots, flight engineers attend first Grey Wolf Type 1 training The Type 1 crew began their 32-day training in the classroom together, the pilots and flight engineers separated at the 10-day mark to focus on their specific job training.
Aug. 24, 2023 New platform IGNITEs defense innovation AFWERX has launched IGNITE, a platform where defense users can search for and easily interact with thousands of small businesses that have secured previous Department of the Air Force Small Business Innovation Research or Small Business Technology Transfer awards.
July 24, 2023 12th ACCS flies last mission with KOMODO 1 crew The 12th Airborne Command and Control Squadron flew its last Joint STARS flight as KOMODO 1 at Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, on July 12.
July 16, 2023 Project Arc seeks innovators to solve DAF challenges The program is looking for Airmen and Guardians from all occupations who are obsessed with tech, have a curiosity to tinker and want to solve problems.
July 15, 2023 AFRL Airlift Challenge tests AI-based logistics for future operations The Air Force Research Laboratory, hosted an Airlift Challenge competition in January 2023. This online competition is helping to advance state-of-the-art planning algorithms for executing airlift operations for the United States Air Force.
June 18, 2023 Hanscom AFB leaders invest in energy resiliency Installation officials are demonstrating their commitment to bolster Hanscom Air Force Base’s energy resiliency and efficiency through innovative pilot programs, partnerships and prioritizing energy-related projects.
June 7, 2023 AFSFC tests new tool to streamline MWD kennel projects across DAF The Air Force Security Forces Center recently tested a new assessment tool designed to streamline the way the Department of the Air Force tracks and prioritizes repair, renovation and replacement projects at military working dog kennels.
May 31, 2023 Department of the Air Force announces preferred locations for STARCOM HQ, 3 Deltas The DAF selected Patrick SFB, Fla., as the preferred location to host the Space Training and Readiness Command HQ, along with Space Delta 10. Kirtland AFB, N.M., is the preferred location for Space Delta 11 and Schriever SFB, Colo., is the preferred location for Space Delta 12.
May 24, 2023 Environmental analysis clears Sentinel missile infrastructure construction for takeoff The construction phase of Sentinel, the Air Force’s multi-billion-dollar missile modernization effort, was cleared for takeoff May 19 as Robert Moriarty, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Installations, signed the project’s environmental record of decision.
May 17, 2023 Wright-Patterson AFB to host 76th ISR Squadron The 76th Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Squadron will be hosted at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.
May 16, 2023 Cadet team conducts robotics research The cadet-driven research focuses on gathering data and developing solutions to integrate a Ghost Robotics Vision 60 robot into base defense.
May 13, 2023 Technical training students gain learning connectivity through expanded Wi-Fi project In an effort to advance learning opportunities for Airmen, and enable training and education from any device, AETC officials have expanded a project installing commercial wireless internet across the command and into all training dormitories.
May 10, 2023 19th SFS implements new ACE training course A Security Forces Squadron implemented a new 30-day training program focused on Agile Combat Employment for Multi-Capable Airmen.
May 6, 2023 Rapid Sustainment Office’s CBM+ artificial intelligence toolkit earns Air Force System of Record designation The Air Force Rapid Sustainment Office’s Predictive Analytics and Decision Assistant leverages artificial intelligence software to transform logistics data into actionable predictive maintenance alerts.
May 3, 2023 Nigerian Air Force receives new facilities for A-29 Super Tucano fleet Less than two years after 12 A-29 Super Tucano aircraft were inducted into the Nigerian Air Force, a $38 million project to construct new facilities for the aircraft was successfully completed at Kainji Air Base.
April 10, 2023 F-22A Raptor pilots test next-gen helmet 46th Test Squadron engineers facilitate second round of developmental testing since AF announced helmet last year.
March 22, 2023 Yokota AB AFWERX team seeks to invest, innovate, inform Twenty members from Yokota Air Base attended the Defense and Security Equipment International Japan exhibition March 16, in Tokyo, to seek out new, cutting-edge technology in a trip organized by YokoWERX.
March 16, 2023 Commander’s Accelerated Initiatives team maintains ‘pulse’ on change across AFMC With a core headquarters team of 13 augmented by a network of more than 250 change agents across the command, CDX achieves its mission by leveraging the ideas and innovations driven by Airmen and civilians across the enterprise.
March 12, 2023 3D printed parts for the C-5M deliver new capabilities Maintainers and engineers from the C-5 System Program Office began to incorporate 3D-printed parts in C-5M Super Galaxy maintenance last month.
Feb. 28, 2023 Air Force awards E-7A prototype contract The Department of the Air Force awarded The Boeing Company a contract to begin work on the E-7A weapon system, which is slated to replace the E-3 AWACS.
Feb. 27, 2023 Space Force, Air Force partner to establish new Space Test Course The U.S. Air and Space Forces have partnered on the course that will instruct Guardians on test and evaluation processes for robust and methodical system testing of space-flight equipment.
Feb. 21, 2023 Voting open now for Department of the Air Force Spark Tank 2023 finalists Airmen and Guardians may now vote for one of the top six selected ideas in Spark Tank, the Department of the Air Force’s capstone innovation campaign.
Feb. 20, 2023 705th Training Squadron implements Kessel Run's C2IMERA The 505th Command and Control Wing’s 705th Training Squadron incorporated a Kessel Run application into the curriculum of their Lead Wing Command and Control Course this past January.
Feb. 12, 2023 49th MDG trains Airmen with Medic-X initiative Medic-X is a program implemented in the 49th MDG last year and is designed to train Airmen from different medical careers to provide potentially life-saving measures in emergency situations and relief in daily operations.
Feb. 8, 2023 Largest private-public collaboration in DoD history reflects commitment to clean energy The 412th Test Wing unveiled a new solar facility on the northwest corner of Edwards Air Force Base, Feb. 2. The facility, built in collaboration with Terra-Gen LLC, is a result of the Edwards Solar Enhance Use Lease Project.
Jan. 27, 2023 DoD releases Small Business Strategy The strategy promotes a strong, dynamic, and robust small business industrial base by focusing on reducing barriers to entry, increasing set-aside competitions, and leveraging programs to grow the industrial base.
Jan. 19, 2023 Aim High application gets updated feature to help any Airman become a recruiter Air Force Recruiting Service updated their Aim High application to allow any app user to assist in the Air Force’s recruiting efforts.
Dec. 19, 2022 AFRL launches wearable biomolecular sensors program for DoD, transfers technology to Sensate Biosystems The Air Force Research Laboratory has partnered with the Nano Bio-Materials Consortium and Case Western Reserve University to create wearable sensors that measure biomarkers in Airmen and Guardians.
Dec. 9, 2022 Will Rogers ANGB selected as sole candidate to replace MC-12s with new AT-802U Sky Warden Formal Training Unit Will Rogers ANGB will receive 28 AT-802Us and about 80 personnel to support the mission of the 310th Special Operations Squadron.
Nov. 26, 2022 AFRL enhances Computed Tomography Lab with state-of-the-art infrastructure, imaging capabilities The Air Force Research Laboratory hosted an official tour of its recently renovated Computed Tomography Laboratory Nov. 9.
Nov. 25, 2022 Air, Space Forces transition to AFWERX 3.0 AFWERX will release a series of new initiatives in support of its 3.0 evolution. Air and Space Force leaders will detail new opportunities for stakeholder engagement during a live broadcast Dec. 14.
Nov. 3, 2022 AFSOC receives final AC-130J Air Force Special Operations command received its final AC-130J Ghostrider, which completes the command's transition from its legacy AC-130 variants.
Oct. 6, 2022 DAF reaches DAF365 Enterprise Services migration milestone The Air Force Enterprise Information Services SharePoint Team has completed the final major migration milestone to the Microsoft Office 365 collaboration platform.
Oct. 4, 2022 36th EWS conceptualize Reclamation of Electronic Attack Pods program The 36th Electronic Warfare Squadron used their skills and ingenuity to conceptualize the Reclamation of Electronic Attack Pods program for ALQ-184 and ALQ-131 Electronic Attack Pods.
Oct. 3, 2022 Department of the Air Force recognizes Energy Action Month This year, the DAF launched a new three-year theme, “Powering Possibility,” which highlights the Department’s forward-looking approach to energy innovation and powering the future force.
Oct. 2, 2022 AFTC kicks off new digital engineering efforts The office will focus on creating a digital governance structure and facilitate on-going and new digital acquisition transformation activities across the enterprise.
Sept. 26, 2022 ‘Accelerate Change or Lose’: Robins AFB members modernize aircraft GPS The Resilient Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System program, or R-EGI for short, is one of the AFLCMC’s solutions to building resiliency into aircraft navigation systems.
Sept. 25, 2022 NextGen 2.0 helmets on the way to security forces across DAF The Air Force Security Forces Center is rolling out the NextGen 2.0 helmet later this year with several improvements.
Sept. 18, 2022 Hurlburt Field wing takes ACE C2 to next level for lead wings The 705th Training Squadron executed Air Combat Command’s first Lead Wing Command and Control Course at Hurlburt Field, Florida, Aug. 23-26
Sept. 12, 2022 Virtual event kicks off Digital Agents of Change campaign The Department of the Air Force Digital Transformation Office has launched a new initiative to recognize individuals across the enterprise who are driving change in the digital domain.
Sept. 10, 2022 Air Force creates Special Warfare programs for ROTC, USAFA cadets Air Force Special Warfare created a formalized special warfare cadet program to help Air Force ROTC and U.S. Air Force Academy cadets prepare to be special tactics, combat rescue, or tactical air control party officers.
Sept. 7, 2022 52nd FW first in AF to upgrade F-16s with AESA radar systems The AESA upgrade provides F-16s enhancement in combat capabilities, improving pilot effectiveness, air defenses and overall aircraft survivability when faced by enemy forces.
Aug. 31, 2022 ACC Federal Laboratory flies combat apps on F-22 with new open software stack The achievement is the first instance of third-party software running on a fifth-generation fighter and the first in-flight use of open-source container orchestration software on any fighter aircraft.
Aug. 29, 2022 The National Guard: Truly at the heart of it all Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. spoke with National Guard leaders and discussed how the service is transforming.
Aug. 20, 2022 CCAF electronic transcripts now available, faster delivery time Community College of the Air Force students can now order their transcripts electronically and have them processed within a week instead of what usually took up to 45 days.
Aug. 16, 2022 DoD releases first departmentwide social media policy The Defense Department released a policy that spells out how DoD military and civilian personnel should use official social media accounts to best advance the mission of the U.S. military and further instill trust in the credibility of the DoD.
Aug. 10, 2022 ‘Communication and Information’ career field changes name On July 1, the “Communication and Information” career field changed its name to “Cyberspace and Information Technology.”
Aug. 10, 2022 AFRL commander headlines digital summit in Dayton The three-day event served to educate and align the Dayton region and interested local and national parties to support the department’s digital transformation efforts.
Aug. 3, 2022 AFOTEC Detachment 6 participates in first F-15EX live-fire missile shots Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center Detachment 6 team members recently participated in two of the first developmental and operational test missile shots for the F-15EX Eagle II.
Aug. 3, 2022 DAF’s first Data and AI Forum open for registration This summit will feature subject matter experts who will share their vast knowledge of data, AI and analytics as a part of an effort to support initiatives like the DoD’s JADC2 and the Air Force’s ABMS to respond to a critical need, connecting sensors with shooters across all services in all
Aug. 2, 2022 Introducing the new 908th AW MVPs Following the July 2022 Unit Training Assembly, the 908th Airlift Wing at Maxwell Air Force Base announced its new mission, vision and priorities.
July 28, 2022 CSAF visits Shaw AFB During the visit, Brown discussed modernization, innovation, and Airmen initiatives related to efforts in the strategic plan Accelerate Change or Lose and the associated Action Orders.
July 21, 2022 Introducing the 908th Airlift Wing’s Program Integration Office The 908th Airlift Wing at Maxwell Air Force Base said goodbye to its aging C-130H Hercules aircraft as it begins the transition to providing MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopter training; bringing together AETC, AFGSC and AFRC for the first time.
July 20, 2022 US Air and Space Forces senior leaders emphasize need for strong alliances and ‘interoperability’ on European tour The senior-most civilian and military leaders of the Air and Space Forces crisscrossed Europe the week of July 10 carrying separate itineraries but a singular message - the importance of tight relationships with allies and partners, and the need to forge seamless "day-zero interoperability" that is
July 17, 2022 How drones will transform battlefield medicine, save lives The use of drones for future near-peer conflicts is starting to filter down into the operational forces as a potential solution in the near term.
July 16, 2022 New medical profile system to enhance communication, readiness Medical profile systems are communication tools that act as a conduit between medical providers, ill or injured service members and their supervisors or commanders.
July 14, 2022 New flight milestone in Hexa testing The test was an important first step toward the incorporating the LIFT Hexa, an electric, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, into operations at a controlled military airfield.
June 27, 2022 Kendall outlines progress on ‘transformation’ tempered by continuing threats, need for ‘urgency’ Offering a report card on the state of transformation across the Air and Space Forces, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall said June 24 that progress has been made but more is needed, and the pace of change must quicken to reshape and refocus the services to meet fast evolving global threats.
June 26, 2022 New BLOS capability on the horizon for B-52s, first IRIS air demo complete The Air Force has moved one step closer to equipping B-52s with a new capability called IRIS. The 49th Test and Evaluation Squadron executed the first air demonstration utilizing the BLOS communication system paired with an Iridium Certus terminal on a B-52 Stratofortress.
June 25, 2022 Air Force selects future aircrew helmet The helmet prototype was chosen after Air Combat Command initiated the search for a next-generation helmet to address issues with long-term neck and back injuries, optimize aircraft technology, improve pilot longevity, and provide better fitment to diverse aircrews.
June 23, 2022 AESA radar launches F-16 into next generation of airpower The AESA reinforces the viability of the F-16 to execute its homeland defense mission while remaining ahead of near-peer threats.
May 21, 2022 DoD’s largest annual IT, cyberpower event resumes in-person attendance Over the last two years, the Department of the Air Force IT and Cyberpower Education and Training Event was held virtually due to the pandemic. This year the event returns from its virtual home to its physical home in Montgomery, Aug. 29-31.
May 18, 2022 Future of nursing: Telehealth, more innovation, maybe some robots The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has fast-tracked many changes to the Military Health System and forced all providers - especially nurses - to innovate at near-quantum speed with agility and flexibility.
April 26, 2022 Air Force identifies Boeing E-7 as solution to replace the E-3 capability Based on market research, the Department of the Air Force has decided to replace a portion of the E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System fleet with the E-7 Wedgetail, which is produced by The Boeing Company.
April 25, 2022 Fairchild AFB joins growing Food 2.0 dining improvement program The initiative, which includes modernizing dining facilities and new menu options, celebrated its latest grand opening, the Warrior Inn Dining Facility at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington.
April 25, 2022 Countering small unmanned aircraft takes a team Keeping military installations safe from threat is a partnership. As lead command for the Air Force Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems effort, Headquarters, Air Force Materiel Command, has established a symbiotic relationship between two of its directorates to accomplish the mission.
April 18, 2022 ACC begins fielding tools to analyze, protect base EMS Electromagnetic radiation is constantly traveling at the speed of light with most of it being invisible to the naked eye. Now, with the use of new spectrum monitoring tools, Air Combat Command can track EM radiation from sources like radio and aircraft communication.
April 8, 2022 Air Force Cryptologic Office establishes new information dominance initiative As one of the new initiatives within the cryptologic component of the 16th Air Force (Air Forces Cyber), CAFEM is steering the enterprise away from the platform-centered intelligence analysis standard to a sensor agnostic and problem-centric architecture.
April 7, 2022 AWACS demonstrates historic firsts, receives, processes in-air EW updates in minutes The E-3G collected EW information using its existing ESM system and transmitted the in-flight recorded data to the 36th Electronic Warfare Squadron at Eglin AFB, Florida, using its satellite communications system.
April 5, 2022 Kendall highlights space’s importance, need to ‘transform’ operations and thinking for the domain Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall talks space during his keynote address at the 37th Space Symposium.
April 5, 2022 Air Force’s new intercontinental ballistic missile system has a name: Sentinel Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall approved the designation for the system that modernizes the ICBM leg of the Nation’s nuclear triad.
April 3, 2022 Thinking outside the mailbox: Robins AFB first base to get Intelligent Lockers Robins Air Force Base held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its recently installed Intelligent Lockers, giving the Airmen at the dormitories a centralized location to receive their packages after hours.
March 31, 2022 Hill AFB’s 388th OSS exploring agile communications options for F-35A The 388th Fighter Wing’s Operations Support Squadron cyber Airmen are currently exploring high-speed communications options to support F-35A Lightning II Agile Combat Employment.
March 30, 2022 965th AACS brings future to AWACS with DRAGON mod at Red Flag The 965th AACS is one of 14 units from across the coalition core function forces participating in Red Flag-Nellis 22-2. The exercise provides realistic combat training that saves lives while increasing combat effectiveness, by providing aircrews the experience of multiple, intensive air combat
March 19, 2022 Ideas wanted for 2022 AFIMSC Innovation Rodeo; at least $1M up for grabs The campaign, open through June 6, gives military and civilian members of the Department of the Air Force’s mission and installation support community a chance to win part of $1 million or more in funding and resources to pursue their ideas.
March 17, 2022 Empowered Airmen from 109th AW modernize LC-130 for future fight Propulsion specialists with the 109th Airlift Wing assembled the first Air National Guard-built T56 3.5 turbo engine. The modification is part of an Air Force initiative to update C-130 aircraft.
March 15, 2022 AFWERX Agility Prime program, BETA Technologies make history with first Airman flight of electric aircraft This milestone, which took place at BETA’s Plattsburgh, New York, hangar and testing facility – just 35 miles from its South Burlington, Vermont, headquarters – is the culmination of a two-year partnership between BETA and the Agility Prime program.
March 10, 2022 Kendall, Brown, Raymond outline changes necessary to defend the nation, the need to go fast and succeed Speaking separately at an influential gathering two blocks from the White House March 9, the Department of the Air Force’s highest ranking civilian and military leaders offered emphatic variations on a similar theme – the need to modernize faster, think faster, and nurture the cultures needed to
March 9, 2022 Air University opens new Civilian Leadership Development School The Civilian Leadership Development School within the Ira C. Eaker Center for Leadership Development at Air University, is accelerating the focus on civilian-centric professional education across the Air Force.
March 8, 2022 Digital University offers more educational opportunities for Airmen A team of Digital University designers revamped the educational platform based on user feedback with upgrades including new courses, new learning paths for data science, cloud engineering and secured app development.
March 4, 2022 ‘Project Arcwater’ reigns as 2022 Spark Tank winner “Project Arcwater,” is a simple, green, expedited way to save energy and provide drinking water by using solar fabric and environmental water harvesting in an agile combat employment.
Feb. 26, 2022 Air Force Operational Energy has breakthrough year The year 2021 proved to be a pivotal one for Air Force Operational Energy as programs received unprecedented support – enabling many long-hoped-for initiatives to get the greenlight and progress to the next stage of development.
Feb. 23, 2022 Barksdale AFB first to implement upgrade to nuclear enterprise 'in more than 30 years' Air Force Global Strike Command is modernizing older infrastructure by implementing the largest upgrade to its Nuclear Command, Control and Communication systems in more than 30 years.
Feb. 23, 2022 Senior enlisted leaders answer Enlisted Force Development Action Plan questions on Reddit ‘AMA’ Senior enlisted leaders answered both serious and fun questions from Airmen with a mixture of humility and humor for more than hour on the social platform, Reddit’s Air Force thread.
Feb. 13, 2022 AFRL holds directed, kinetic energy wargaming experiment The experiment placed pilots, weapon systems officers and air battle managers in a series of virtual vignettes exploring mission sets that relate to the combined use of directed and kinetic energy systems, linking past studies and future concepts.
Feb. 3, 2022 BRAVO 0 hackathon proves Air Force can develop weapons capabilities in under one week The Air Force concluded its first department-wide, secret classification innovation hackathon following six days of operations with more than 100 hackers, engineers, scientists and other supporting staff.
Feb. 1, 2022 In Air Force first, 388th FW uses Red Flag to demonstrate all-military ALIS deployment The Autonomic Logistics Information System is a network, housing both classified and unclassified applications, and if it is not accessible or working properly, launching F-35 sorties is either difficult or impossible.
Jan. 30, 2022 347 RQS tests new vehicle drop for Lead Wing Rescue squadrons team up to airdrop their newest tactical vehicle while honing their Lead-Wing capabilities.
Jan. 26, 2022 AFGSC applies the Art of the Possible Based on a wealth of knowledge and experience from across the ranks of the Air Force, the Art of the Possible is a concept which standardizes a process, identifies a system’s constraints, and helps users manage their process optimally.
Jan. 22, 2022 Building the ‘Aerial port of the future’ The Configured Air Load Building Tool system consists of light detection and ranging cameras to create 3D images of cargo received by the 436th APS, also known as the Super Port, along with hand-held tablets and software that enable pallet building efficiency.
Jan. 21, 2022 AFWERX Agility Prime completes first USAF-piloted flight of an eVTOL vehicle with partner Kitty Hawk Capt. Terrence McKenna, an Air Force Reserve pilot with the 370th Flight Test Squadron and the Test and Experimentation Lead for AFWERX Agility Prime, participated in remote pilot in control, or rPIC, training on the Heaviside aircraft at the Kitty Hawk Corporation’s facility in Palo Alto,
Jan. 19, 2022 Kendall Outlines ‘Operational Imperatives,’ Choices During Think Tank Appearance Kendall offered the assessment during a 45-minute “virtual fireside chat” sponsored by the Center for a New American Security or CNAS, a Washington-based think tank that is influential on questions of national security and defense policy.
Jan. 19, 2022 Agile Patriot grows AFMC leaders of tomorrow Air Force Materiel Command held its 2021 Agile Patriot professional development conference, Jan. 10-13, providing both mid-tier military and civilian Airmen with the tools and training to be successful leaders in the future. Airmen attended virtually via Microsoft Teams.
Jan. 19, 2022 Aerial Networks Summit provides roadmaps for JADC2, ABMS The Aerial Networks Division hosted general officers and members of the senior executive service for a summit aimed at developing aerial networking roadmaps to meet Advanced Battle Management System and Joint All-Domain Command and Control objectives.
Jan. 16, 2022 ATAC provides recommendations for NAOC replacement ATAC Team 11, comprised of junior to mid-level civilian and military acquisition employees from across DAF, took up the challenge in August to provide recommendations for implementing digital acquisition methods for the Survivable Airborne Operations Center.
Jan. 9, 2022 Modern logistics system aids, tracks Air Force inventory The Integrated Logistics System – Supply or ILS-S enables the Air Force to track inventory across the Total Force
Dec. 28, 2021 568th AMXS completes first year of depot production at new KC-46A campus The 568th AMXS is the first Federal Aviation Administration designated Military Repair Station, which authorizes maintenance of commercial derivative aircraft such as the Boeing 767-based KC-46A Pegasus.