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U.S. Air Force News

  • Around the Air Force: April 26

    This look around the Air Force takes us to Florida where a fallen Airman is honored, and to the Philippines where Airmen are conducting missions out of Clark Air Base.

  • Leading the next generation of AF medics

    It’s a little after 7:30 a.m. and the stampede has finally cleared the hallways. There’s a moment of silence, the first since arriving to work three hours prior. The five-story building is nearly desolate now, but a multitude of paperwork and tasks remain to be done before the 800-plus military

  • Air Force ROTC returns to Harvard

    Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James helped return the Air Force's tie to one of the country's most prestigious institutions April 22. The secretary signed an agreement at Harvard University, Massachusetts, re-establishing the Air Force ROTC detachment there.

  • Mindfulness over matter

    At 10 a.m. on any given Wednesday, one could walk into the 305th Operations Support Squadron's leadership meeting and see a strange sight. Airmen sit around the conference room table and in chairs along the walls, variously clothed in a sea of green flight suits and Airman battle uniforms. Each has

  • US, Central American firefighters train together in Honduras

    Joint Task Force-Bravo hosted firefighters from Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Panama for the Central America Sharing Mutual Operational Knowledge and Experience exercise April 18-22 at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras.

  • Lakenheath strengthens royal ties during Joint Warrior

    Airmen from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, recently completed three weeks of intense threat-reaction training missions during Joint Warrior 2016 in Scotland. Joint Warrior is a NATO exercise, which prepares rescue coalition force units for potential real-world scenarios that could be

  • Eglin pathology lab probes for answers

    On any given day, the pathology and histology lab professionals at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, handle about 125 patient specimens from livers, prostates to tonsils. They evaluate, prepare and transform tissue onto microscope slides studied by pathologists. These doctors study tissues to make a

  • McGuire hosts rapid response training with FEMA

    The 305th Aerial Port Squadron welcomed members of the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Pennsylvania Task Force 1 to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, for rapid air mobilization training April 21, as part of an ongoing partnership initiative.

  • Humanitarian aid delivered to Haiti through Denton Program

    Members from the 701st Airlift Squadron delivered humanitarian aid to Port-au-Prince on April 21 as part of ongoing Denton Program efforts. Two C-17 Globemaster IIIs were filled with 32 combined pallets as they transported more than 170,000 pounds of humanitarian aid to Haiti.

  • F-22 Raptors arrive in Romania

    Two F-22 Raptors and one KC-135 Stratotanker arrived at Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, Romania, on April 22. The F-22s and approximately 20 supporting Airmen are from the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida. The KC-135 is from the 916th Air Refueling Wing deployed from Seymour

  • Around the Air Force: April 22

    This look around the Air Force features a special centennial celebration in Paris and Airmen at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, break a world record.

  • Top 5 facts about AF energy conservation

    Earth Day, which takes place annually on April 22, serves as a day to demonstrate support for environmental protection. The Air Force's overarching Earth Day theme continues to be "Conserve Today. Secure Tomorrow."

  • Establishing a bond: AFCENT Band returns to Afghanistan

    The U.S. Air Forces Central Command Band, Galaxy, returned to Afghanistan for the first time in more than a year April 16 with three performances in front of audiences of Afghan, coalition and American troops at Hamid Karzai International Airport.

  • New AF development planning effort key to third offset

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

  • Pathways to Blue shows ROTC cadets the way

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

  • Around the Air Force: April 19

    In this look around the Air Force, Airmen provide earthquake relief in Japan and a dozen F-22 Raptors from Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, deploy to Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England.

  • Army, Air Force train for short takeoff, landing

    Airmen from the 321st Special Tactics Squadron out of Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, and Soldiers from the 173rd Brigade Support Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade out of Vicenza, Italy, secured the Hohenfels Training Area’s short takeoff and landing strip (STOL) April 13, as part of their

  • Exercise Max Thunder 16 launches at Kunsan

    U.S. Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy personnel and aircraft will train with South Korean air force counterparts in the bilateral training exercise Max Thunder 16, at Kunsan Air Base April 15-29.

  • Carter discusses ISIL, Iran with Airmen in United Arab Emirates

    Defense Secretary Ash Carter discussed the “two I’s” – ISIL and Iran -- with U.S. Airmen at Al-Dhafra Air Base in the United Arab Emirates April 16. Defeating the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is the highest priority for American forces in the region, the secretary told the Airmen.

  • Yokota aids Japan with earthquake relief

    The 374th Airlift Wing sent two C-130 Hercules aircraft and aircrew to the Kyushu region April 18, supporting the government of Japan in their relief efforts for the series of earthquakes that took place in Kumamoto Prefecture and surrounding areas.

  • Mobility Airmen support Canadian exercise in High Arctic

    Fifty Airmen from the New York Air National Guard's 109th Airlift Wing and two ski-equipped LC-130 Hercules are in the High Arctic supporting the Canadian Armed Forces’ annual Operation Nunalivut exercise in Canada's Nunavut territory.

  • Phoenix Ravens protect mobility mission

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

  • DCMO leading continuous process improvement

    The Air Force Deputy Chief Management Officer is leading continuous process improvement by finding innovative ways to maximize Air Force resources and increase efficiency in areas concerning people, money and time.

  • Around the Air Force: April 15

    In this look around the Air Force, two remotely-piloted aircraft initiatives are approved and F-35 Lightning II candidate bases are named.

  • US, Dominican Republic strengthen partnerships while building hospitals

    Through a joint training exercise, civil engineers with the 820th RED HORSE Squadron from Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, have been working together with their Dominican partners throughout April to build four clinics and a vocational school in the Maria Trinidad Sanchez Province.

  • Air Force Reserve: 68 years strong

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

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

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

  • Online registration for 2016 DOD Warrior Games now open

    Online registration is now open to participate in the 2016 Department of Defense Warrior Games at cvent.com. Volunteers, media and distinguished visitors -- as well as selected athletes, family members, non-medical attendants, staff and coaches -- must register online to participate.

  • Hyten announces Space Enterprise Vision

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

  • Around the Air Force: April 12

    This look around the Air Force includes information about the shooting at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas;B-52 Stratofortresses from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, deploy to support Operation Inherent Resolve; and the Air Force conducted an air superiority survey.

  • F-22s deploy to Europe to show support for allies

    F-22 Raptors, Airmen and associated equipment were deployed to Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, on April 11 to conduct air training with other Europe-based aircraft. The F-22s come from the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, and will continue training until May.

  • AF presents 2014, 2015 Sijan award winners

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

  • Around the Air Force: April 8

    This look around the Air Force takes us to Alaska where two F-35A Lightning II squadrons will join Eielson Air Force Base, and to the Philippines where service members are participating in the Balikatan exercise.

  • AF talks diversity of opportunities at annual engineers conference

    What do measuring earthquakes, creating lightning and applying space-like pressure to marshmallows all have in common? They each were demonstrations of science and technology used to intrigue the next generation of engineers on the Air Force’s capabilities and opportunities during the National

  • Around the Air Force: April 5

    This look around the Air Force takes us to Baltimore where military family members arrived after departing Turkey. Defense Secretary Ash Carter announces the creation of the Operation Inherent Resolve campaign medal and the 148th Fighter Wing, from Duluth, Minnesota, prepares for a deployment to

  • Flares keep birds in the sky

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

  • Gorenc discusses European Reassurance Initiative, air police mission

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

  • B-52 conducts long-range training with Colombian forces

    A B-52 Stratofortress from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, conducted a long-range training sortie to engage with South American military partners April 1-2. During the course of the 27-hour, nonstop mission, the aircrew trained with the Colombian air force before executing a flyover of the

  • F-16 crews soar in South Korean exercise

    F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots from the 80th Fighter Squadron practiced combined flying operations March 28-31 alongside counterparts from the South Korean air force’s 19th Fighter Wing at Jungwon Air Base during Buddy Wing 16-3.

  • April issue of Airman magazine now available

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

  • Vice chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff views Tinker capabilities

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

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

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

  • Around the Air Force: April 1

    This look around the Air Force takes us to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, where family members arrived from Turkey. Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook also explains the ordered departure from Turkey, which occurred because of security concerns.

  • C-17 drag reduction testing aims at saving fuel

    From testing synthetic biofuels to "vortex surfing," Edwards Air Force Base, California, is on the forefront of finding new ways to cut fuel costs for the Air Force. The latest venture is currently underway at the 418th Flight Test Squadron where a test team of Air Force and Boeing personnel

  • Airfield management Airmen support combat sorties

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

  • Tech Report: A-29 Super Tucano

    The A-29 Super Tucano is a turboprop aircraft designed for light attack, counter insurgency and close air support. In January 2016, the U.S. Air Force delivered the first four of 20 A-29s to the Afghan Air Force. The Super Tucano will replace the Mi-35 attack helicopter providing a monumental leap

  • Wartime medical innovation saves lives at home

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

  • Around the Air Force: March 29

    This look around the Air Force features Air Fest in Florida, female missileers and a JASDF NCO exchange at Yokota Air Base. Hosted by Senior Airman Nicholas Koetz.

  • Maintenance is key to keeping Yokota, Kadena aircraft flying

    The aircraft at Yokota and Kadena air bases in Japan rely on the 374th Maintenance Squadron’s phase docks to receive their maintenance and keep them going. Every 540 days, a C-130 Hercules or MC-130 Talon II enters the phase docks for an inspection and repairs. During the 14- to 16-day process,

  • Airmen reflect on B-1 bomber attacks over Libya

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

  • Crosstalks aimed at improving KC-135 service

    Experts from the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, the Air Force Reserve, National Guard Bureau and the Legacy Tanker Division conducted a customer support visit to Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, and at two other bases March 14-18 to listen to unit concerns regarding KC-135 Stratotanker

  • Putting the Pegasus through its paces

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

  • JB Charleston Airmen support presidential mission to Cuba

    As President Barack Obama landed in Havana, Cuba, it marked the first time a sitting U.S. president visited the communist nation in over 88 years, and Airmen from Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, played a pivotal role in the historic mission.

  • AFSVA on trend with mystery escape rooms

    Interactive, immersive escape rooms, such as Moriarty’s Parlor, are gaining popularity worldwide as entertainment and team-building experiences. The Air Force Services Activity is offering a choice of six room scenarios to 20 Air Force installations enterprise-wide as part of its Recharge for

  • Airmen’s Week marks first anniversary

    The 37th Training Wing will mark the first year of the Airmen’s Week program on March 25 at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. Airmen’s Week is a five-day course that helps Airmen better prepare for technical training school and beyond.

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

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

  • Malmstrom mechanics testing new bio-based vehicle oil

    Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana is one of four bases across the service chosen to test out a new bio-based synthetic oil in its vehicles. The experiment, being carried out by the 341st Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle management flight, is headed by the Defense Logistics Agency and the 441st

  • Flying the RPA mission

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

  • AF Research Lab seeks to turn waste into energy

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

  • AF space leader attends AFA breakfast

    The Air Force deputy undersecretary for space spoke on the importance of safeguarding the space enterprise during an Air Force Association breakfast on March 17 at the Sheraton Hotel in Arlington, Virginia.

  • US, Turkish KC-135 units fly together for first time

    To better understand how each nation completes the vital air refueling mission, the U.S. Air Force and Turkish air force flew KC-135 Stratotankers together in formation for the first time March 8 over the Nevada Test and Training Range, northeast of Nellis Air Force Base.

  • Andrews Airmen enable Obama’s historic Cuba visit

    President Barack Obama touched down in Cuba on the iconic Air Force One on March 20, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to visit the country in nearly 90 years. While world leaders and citizens tuned into national news broadcasts of the visit, the men and women of the 89th Airlift Wing

  • Cope Tiger 2016 enhances capabilities through teamwork

    Readiness and continued development of multilateral interoperability remains a key priority for Indo-Asia-Pacific partners participating in the 22nd year of exercise Cope Tiger, a joint multilateral field training exercise that began March 7 at Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base. During the two-week

  • Around the Air Force: March 18

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

  • ACC commander addresses RPA health to Senate Armed Services Committee

    Gen. Hawk Carlisle, the commander of Air Combat Command, addressed plans to improve the health of the Air Force remotely piloted aircraft enterprise March 16 during a hearing of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee’s Airland subcommittee in Washington, D.C. The purpose of the hearing was to

  • Fall prevention video challenge

    Air Force Occupational Safety invites Airmen to challenge their creativity and participate in a safety video challenge to help promote the prevention of mishaps due to falls.

  • Air Force leaders present FY 2017 budget request

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

  • Goldfein addresses readiness, budget

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

  • Sentinel of space found in Alaskan wilderness

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

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

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

  • Louisiana guardsmen rescue thousands in floods

    Louisiana National Guardsmen have rescued more than 4,000 people in the floods that have inundated the state over the past week, a state Guard spokesman said. About 1,200 Louisiana Army and Air National Guard members have been mobilized and are working with local partners to support the mission

  • Goldfein: Optimistic about future of airpower

    Equals part challenge and opportunity -- that’s how Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein described as the current state of the Air Force March 10 during a Defense Programs Conference in Washington, D.C.

  • Total force team moves the mission in defending South Korea

    In an effort to deter aggression, fighter aircraft routinely fly while troops on the ground mobilize and train to defend South Korea. However, there still lies another piece to the puzzle. That puzzle piece is none other than the 607th Air Mobility Division.

  • 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