NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • AF Medical Service seeks nominations for innovation award

    Personnel assigned to the Air Force Medical Service and Air Reserve Component who have contributed an innovative achievement to the AFMS community are encouraged to compete for the AFMS Outstanding Achievement in Innovation Award and submit by Dec. 1.

  • AF pilot saves life during stand-off

    A West Virginia Air National Guard C-130 Hercules pilot was confronted with a life or death situation at Laughlin Air Force Base, in Del Rio, Texas, when he was face-to-face with a young man threatening a woman with a knife at a local Wal-Mart. His military training helped him deal with the crisis.

  • An Air Force first: ALO graduates Ranger School

    On average, more than 4,000 Soldiers go through the U.S. Army Ranger School each year. The number of Airmen who have completed the course since its inception in 1950 is only a little over 300.

  • Vance flight simulators go HD

    Instead of flying in a computer-generated world reminiscent of a Windows 95 graphics reproduction, Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training students will take to the simulated blue skies in high definition, beginning Oct 27.

  • Enlisted attaché duty applications due in November

    Active duty staff sergeants through master sergeants interested in attaché duty can apply for assignment opportunities with international affairs teams around the world, but to be considered, those interested must submit their applications by Nov. 14, Air Force officials announced Oct. 22.

  • Airman featured in Warrior Games documentary

    Master Sgt. Christopher Aguilera will be one of the wounded warriors featured on Universal Sports Network’s documentary-style special ‘Warrior Games: The Fight Continues,’ airing 8 p.m. EDT, Oct. 22.

  • Academy fliers soar above competition

    The Academy Flying Team won a top-level national flying competition for the 28th consecutive year, scoring first in overall school rankings, school flight events and school ground events.

  • 'Hurricane Hunters' busy with missions on both coasts

    It's been a busy two weeks for the Air Force Reserve's Hurricane Hunters. The 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron flew their last of 15 missions into Hurricane Ana in the Pacific Monday while gathering weather data for the Central Pacific Hurricane Center. On the other side of the globe, the

  • Airmen close out successful SALITRE exercise

    After flying more than 50 sorties, participating in two community relations events, entertaining multiple media events and experiencing a visit from the President of Chile, U.S. Airmen participating in Chile's SALITRE 2014 exercise are returning home.

  • Illinois ANG soars skies over Poland

    Airmen from the U.S. and Polish air forces started training together Oct. 15, at Powidz Air Base, Poland, for the start of Aviation Detachment rotation 15-1.

  • Wolf Pack soars at RED FLAG-Alaska 15-1

    Airmen from the 8th Fighter Wing at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, recently participated in Red Flag-Alaska (RF-A)15-1 from Oct. 6 to 17at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.

  • Kentucky ANG Airmen support 101st Airborne Division’s movement to Liberia

    The Joint Task Force-Port Opening Senegal (JTF-PO) supported the 101st Airborne Division’s departure from Léopold Sédar Senghor International Airport here Oct. 19, en route to Liberia, where the division will join hundreds of U.S. service members engaged in the fight against Ebola in West Africa.

  • AF to release small business research solicitations

    The Air Force Small Business Innovation Research and Small Business Technology Transfer (SBIR/STTR) program office is set to release its fiscal year 2015 list of topics Oct. 22, on the SBIR/STTR website.

  • U.S. resupplies Kurdish forces fighting ISIL near Kobani

    U.S. military forces conducted multiple airdrops near Kobani, Syria, Oct. 20, to resupply Kurdish forces on the ground defending the city against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists, U.S. Central Command officials reported.

  • Obama activates reserves for Operation United Assistance

    President Barack Obama has authorized the Defense Department to call up a small number of National Guard or reserve troops that possess special skills needed to aid efforts in stopping the spread of the deadly Ebola virus in West Africa.

  • Robinson takes command of PACAF

    Gen. Lori Robinson took command of Pacific Air Forces from Gen. Hawk Carlisle Oct. 16 during a change of command ceremony.

  • Programmers earn award for innovative tablet app

    Software development programmers with the 375th Communications Support Squadron here were nationally recognized for creating an innovative iPad application designed to decrease the time it takes for KC-10 loadmasters and boom operators to do their jobs during pre-flight operations.

  • Global Strike workshop delivers key planning strategies

    Airmen from Air Force Global Strike Command, along with representatives from the Air Staff, Pacific Air Forces and the Navy, participated in the Global Strike Workshop Oct. 6-10, here, to develop plans via a joint planning group to deal with contingencies in the context of unified engagement.

  • Aircrew members traverse combat survival training challenges

    Placed in the middle of the woods, pursued by an unknown number of adversaries, and the day's last light sinking beyond the horizon is exactly the type of setting survival, evasion, resistance and escape, or SERE, instructors hope to train aircrew members in.The setting is the training ground for

  • Expert advice on sports medicine now one click away

    Under a new partnership between the Air Force Medical Service, or AFMS, and the Human Performance Resource Center, or HPRC, Air Force healthcare providers can now seek expert advice on a variety of sports medicine topics.

  • Airmen support remote arctic operations

    Located just 508 miles from the North Pole and 1,140 miles north of the Arctic Circle, Canadian Forces Station Alert and its small contingent of personnel provides signals intelligence there and for its detachment stations. Due to its remote geographic location at the northernmost inhabited location

  • Airmen train for ‘new wild, wild west’ in cyber domain

    On any given day, the Defense Department defends itself against numerous cyber-attacks at installations throughout the world. To help combat this growing threat, Airmen from the 39th Information Operations Squadron train to defend computer networks against invisible ordnance in the operational

  • T-38 pilot receives highest aviation safety award

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

  • Altus AFB Airmen deliver aid to Liberia

    Ten Airmen from the 97th Air Mobility Wing here, delivered humanitarian and medical supplies to Liberia Sept. 25 - Oct. 3, in support of Operation United Assistance to provide aid to the Ebola stricken region.

  • Hackathon to help solve real-world problems

    The Air Force Research Laboratory is preparing to co-host LabHack, a 26-hour long coding competition which will task coding-savvy individuals, or "hackers," to creatively solve challenges that AFRL researchers face every day.

  • Service, it’s in the family

    Playing in the sandbox with his brother was never a difficult task; a fist full of sand down the shirt and a trail across the kitchen floor leaves mom playing referee, but boys will be boys.

  • SecAF expresses priorities to Vandenberg Airmen

    Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James recently visited Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, to meet with Airmen and witness the successful launch of an unarmed LGM-30G Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile.

  • 3-D long-range radar contract awarded

    The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center's (LCMC) Theater Battle Control Division awarded a contract to the Raytheon Company for the service's next generation of long-range radars Oct. 6.

  • Powering the flightline

    People use electricity every day, whether by turning on a light switch or vacuuming the carpet and in the Air Force, some of the energy used every day powers a multimillion dollar flightline and ensuring the mission is accomplished.

  • Modernizing ICBM sustainment

    In an ongoing effort to better manage the sustainment of intercontinental ballistic missiles, Air Force Global Strike Command has implemented an ICBM Parts Centralized Funding program designed to help alleviate budgetary pressure on missile wing leadership.

  • Airman uses LEAP experience to enhance AFSOUTH mission

    The Air Force is made up of a diversely talented group of people whose personal skill sets often enhance their careers and one Davis-Monthan Air Force Base Airman is using his language and culture skills to support a unique Air Forces Southern mission.

  • No greater friend

    Service dogs can range from being a person's eyes, sensing a seizure or low blood sugar, to sniffing out improvised explosive devices on the battlefield. For some of the Air Force's wounded warrior athletes, service dogs provide so much more than just physical assistance.

  • Dover tail flash flies around the ‘Monster Mile’

    The Dover tail flash is blue, yellow, black and white, has the head of an eagle, depicts the Liberty Bell, proudly displays the name "Dover," and normally is only found adorning the tail section of Dover Air Force Base C-5M Super Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.

  • Airmen keep F-16s rolling

    The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a highly technological, maneuverable, multirole fighter aircraft capable of reaching speeds of Mach 2 when in the air, but without wheels and tires, it is nothing more than a static display.

  • Former AF ISR Agency now numbered Air Force

    As the Air Force's premier intelligence organization approaches its 66th Anniversary, it will mark the occasion under a new unit name and structure.The Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency is now the Twenty-Fifth Air Force, following its re-designation ceremony Sept. 29 in

  • Volleyball: Army too much for AF in bronze medal round

    Fans and players from the Air Force and the Army flooded into the U.S Olympic Training Center gymnasium Oct. 1, to watch as the two services clashed in this one last game with the 2014 Warrior Games sitting volleyball bronze medal on the line.

  • 1,882 officers selected for promotion to captain

    The calendar year 2014B Line of the Air Force, Chaplain, LAF-Judge Advocate, Nurse Corps, Medical Services Corps, Biomedical Sciences Corps Quarterly Selection Process selected 1,882 first lieutenants for promotion to captain.

  • Fairchild crews support mission against ISIL

    Fairchild aircrews are actively participating in support of the mission against Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant known as ISIL. U.S. military forces and partner nations, including the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab

  • For Dyess maintainers, little shop pays big dividends

    For most maintainers, the answer to a broken part is easy: replace the part, continue the mission. For the Air Force Repair Enhancement Program shop, the broken part is the mission. AFREP Airmen are responsible for repairing especially costly pieces of equipment or equipment essential to the

  • CSAF to Academy: 'Adapting to change key to success'

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III arrived at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado, Sept. 29, as part of a week-long stay.Welsh wanted to take some time to thank Academy Airmen for the part they play here and in the Air Force.

  • Altus AFB produces mission capable boom operators

    For the past 16 years, the 97th Air Mobility Wing has been the only schoolhouse for training initial KC-135 Stratotanker boom operator students, which trains around 265 Airmen and international students a year.

  • 3T program eases transition to civilian life

    Preparing for life after the military can be tough, but the Air Force is working to make it a little easier with a tractor trailer training program called 3T.The Military Commercial Driver's License Act of 2012 allows states to accept a military operator's license and training certificate, along

  • Academy hits conservation target

    In light of October being Energy Action Month, developed by the Department of Energy, U.S. Air Force Academy mission elements gathered Sept. 23, to discuss energy and utility savings for the year and analyze new efforts here to reduce costs and save energy.

  • 'Decisive' air power thwarts ISIL's capabilities, official says

    Air power has stymied Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists, with the Air Force accomplishing 74 percent of the more than 240 airstrikes in Iraq and Syria since Aug. 8, a senior Air Force official told reporters at the Pentagon Sept. 29.

  • Global Strike provides deterrence for the modern era

    The Air Force recently demonstrated its nuclear deterrence and power projection capabilities through a coordinated display of strategic combat power.Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen -- responsible for two legs of the nation's nuclear triad -- conducted the demonstrations, which included

  • Weathering the storm: AF eyes in the sky provide global weather data

    Detachment 1, 50th Operations Group, a small contingent of four Air Force officers, is responsible for seven satellites that comprise the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program, or DMSP. The team coordinates with the space experts of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, contractor

  • ISR agency remembers, honors its legacy

    Four of the most influential leaders of the Air Force intelligence community were forever enshrined into the heritage of the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency, during a ceremony here Sept. 27.

  • Airmen deliver Ebola treatment facility to West Africa

    Airmen from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, partnered with representatives from the U.S. Public Health Service Sept. 26, to deliver a modular medical treatment center, as part of a government-wide effort to support humanitarian relief operations in Ebola-stricken African nations.

  • TACP-M ties it all together

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

  • Hagel: Defeating ISIL is long-term endeavor

    Defeating the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant will require a long-term commitment by the United States and its allies on many fronts and will not be achieved by airstrikes alone, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told reporters Sept. 26.

  • 'Day in the Life' project showcases right Airman, right job, right time

    The 86th Airlift Wing at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, spent months of pre-planning, coordination and post-production efforts to create a multimedia project titled, "Day in the Life of the 86th Airlift Wing" showing how the wing supports multiple Air Force, joint and international missions daily.

  • F-22 Raptor team recipient of DOD maintenance award

    A team responsible for depot maintenance on the F-22 Raptor is one of the recipients of the Secretary of Defense Maintenance Award for depot and field-level units. These awards are presented annually to recognize outstanding achievements in weapon system and military equipment maintenance. The

  • CMSAF visits Keesler

    A common subject for discussion during Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody's visit to Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, was the impending changes to enlisted evaluation and promotion systems.

  • Tanker aircrews help in fight against ISIL

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

  • Surviving the altitude

    Many issues may arise when flying as aircrew, including hypoxia, which can be life-threatening if the proper procedures are not taken to correct it.

  • PACAF hosts Pacific Rim Air Power Symposium

    Pacific Air Forces hosted military leaders from 20 countries throughout the Pacific region during the annual Pacific Rim Air Power Symposium held here Sept. 22-25. The PACRIM Airpower Symposium, previously known as the PACAF Director of Operations Conference, builds and improves multilateral

  • Prevention is the best medicine for enterovirus D-68

    With recent cases of the respiratory illness enterovirus D-68 being reported in multiple states within the U.S., doctors want to ensure all the members of the military community are informed and safe when confronting this illness.

  • AF firefighters qualify to train Central American counterparts

    Twelve members from the 612th Air Base Squadron Fire Emergency Services completed the Air Advisor Academy’s five-day academic mobile training team course Sept. 15-19, to become the first group to receive air advisor training qualified to provide partner nation firefighting training.

  • AF EOD mission completed in Afghanistan

    From the front lines, explosive ordnance disposal Airmen have been clearing the way during Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom for the past 12 years, providing safe passage for all other warriors to follow.

  • Air Force fighters, bombers conduct strikes against ISIL targets in Syria

    U.S. military forces and partner nations, including the Kingdom of Bahrain, the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, undertook military action against ISIL terrorists in Syria overnight, using a mix of fighter, bomber, remotely piloted

  • Army, AF share joint information network

    During September, the Army and Air Force achieved major network security and capacity upgrades at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, in partnership with the Defense Information Systems Agency, or DISA.

  • Simulators train aircrew at fraction of cost

    Using simulators for the majority of pilot training is a huge advantage. They operate at about 5 percent of the cost of real jets. One hour of flying in a C-17 costs approximately $23,424 -- a substantial difference compared to the simulator.

  • Injured Idaho hiker rescued by Fairchild crews

    Airmen from Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, rescued a 36-year-old female rock climber Sept. 20, near Priest Lake, Idaho, after she suffered injuries to her face, lower leg and foot.

  • Phased rollout to improve enlisted evaluation system

    The Air Force chief of enlisted force policy outlined the implementation of the new enlisted evaluation and promotion systems at the 2014 Air Force Association’s Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition here Sept. 17.

  • Airmen support firefighting efforts in California

    Two 146th Airlift Wing C-130 Hercules equipped with U.S. Forest Service Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems, or MAFFS, will be assisting with wildfire suppression efforts in California and the Northwest at the request of the National Interagency Fire Center in Boise, Idaho, U.S. Northern Command

  • PIKE nears end of service

    The 22nd Space Operations Squadron will decommission the Colorado Tracking Station Sept. 29, during a ceremony here, signaling the end of operations for one of the Air Force Satellite Control Network's most valued assets of the past two decades.

  • Guam RED HORSE Airmen provide lifesaving training

    Firefighters from Andersen Air Force Base and Naval Base Guam joined with their island partners from the Guam Fire Department to develop the skills to perform high-risk rescues by participating in a three-week Defense Department Rescue Technician Course here in September.

  • CMSAF fields questions, speaks about EPRs

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force James A. Cody addressed the future of enlisted performance reports during a Q-and-A format session at the 2014 Air Force Association’s Air and Space Conference and Technology Exposition here Sept. 17.