NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • In reflection: A look back at Operation Allies Refuge

    August marks the one-year anniversary of Operation Allies Refuge, the largest non-combatant evacuation operation in U.S. history to date. A photo retrospective of the event and the service members who moved heaven and Earth to finish the mission.

  • Texas ANG delivers water, aid after winter storm

    From Feb. 14-20, Winter Storm Uri ー the worst polar vortex to hit Texas since 1989 ー spread cataclysmic damage and sent temperatures plummeting into the teens and single digits for more than four million Texans.

  • US delivers humanitarian aid to Beirut

    Personnel from the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing, Air Mobility Command’s 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron and 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron on Al Udeid Air Base, and the Area Support Group-Qatar from Camp As Sayliyah worked to palletize food, water and medical supplies delivered to

  • Minnesota ANG transports aid to Honduras through Denton Program

    The shipment was originally intended to support New Horizons, a U.S. Army South-led joint humanitarian exercise that would have taken place in southern Honduras, but was cancelled due to COVID-19, and items were redirected to support local hospitals throughout Honduras.

  • Nellis AFB and RAAF team up to support Australia wildfire relief

    Members of the Royal Australian Air Force and Nellis Air Force Base teamed up to load more than 50 bundles of fire suppressant and other critical firefighting equipment onto three RAAF C-17 Globemaster III aircraft for delivery to the Australian Emergency authorities and Rural Fire Service.

  • Airmen demonstrate Rapid Global Mobility in Venezuela humanitarian mission

    Airlifting 250 tons of relief supplies to alleviate a humanitarian crisis on the other side of the hemisphere requires layers coordination between multiple military and civilian agencies in a condensed timeframe. That’s what Airmen of the 305th Air Mobility Wing accomplished Feb. 16, delivering more

  • One weekend, three countries, helps nearly 130,000 people

    Over a weekend-long combined humanitarian and training mission, three C-17 Globemaster III aircraft and their Reserve Citizen Airmen crews from the 315th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Charlston, S.C. delivered humanitarian aid to Guatemala, Haiti and Honduras, Feb. 3-4.

  • Alaska ANG mobilizes in advance of Hurricane Florence

    Thirty-six Alaska Air National Guardsmen from the 176th Wing, and approximately three short tons of Alaska Air Guard equipment, departed Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Sept. 12 to assist with emergency response efforts for Hurricane Florence.

  • Mobility Airmen deliver a mission of love to Guatemala

    The Denton Program is a Department of Defense transportation program that moves humanitarian cargo, donated by U.S. based non-governmental organizations to developing nations to ease human suffering. The approved cargo is transported by DoD land, air or sea assets on a space-available basis and is

  • Helping Haiti’s children: 315th AW delivers school buses

    Reserve Airmen of Joint Base Charleston’s 317th Airlift Squadron, with support from three additional Reserve Airmen of the 514th Air Mobility Wing from JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, transported school buses in a C-17 Globemaster III from JB Charleston to Port-au-Prince, where they were

  • Dover AFB Airmen lifeline to hurricane survivors

    Dover Air Force Base Airmen have a proud history of delivering help in dire situations all across the world. No matter the circumstance, these men and women can be on site in a short amount of time providing hope for those in need. The 3rd Airlift Squadron from the 436th Airlift Wing supported

  • Joint effort delivers relief cargo to Puerto Rico

    Members of the 15th Airlift Squadron and 437th Airlift Wing, flew a C-17 Globemaster III to Fort Drum, New York, Sept. 28, 2017, to pick up aid supplies before flying to San Juan, Puerto Rico, after Hurricane Maria, a category 4 hurricane, battered the U.S. territory.

  • 437th AW crew provides quick-response relief following Hurricane Maria

    Members of the 14th Airlift Squadron at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, the Federal Aviation Administration and the Federal Emergency Management Agency completed a humanitarian mission in support of Hurricane Maria to St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Sept. 23, 2017.

  • Joint team delivers relief in Hurricane Maria aftermath

    Members of the 14th Airlift Squadron from Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina delivered 17 pallets containing more than 129,000 pounds of food and water to St. Croix, Virgin Islands in support of relief efforts after Hurricane Maria, Sept. 24, 2017.

  • Dobbins ARB serves as important hub for hurricane relief efforts

    The flightline resembled a truck stop gas station this week as semitrucks were lined up in several rows behind the Transportation Proficiency Center, Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Sept. 21, 2017. Trucks carried cargo vital to the relief efforts currently underway in countries lying in the destructive

  • JB Charleston provides aid to hurricane victims

    Two C-17 Globemaster III aircraftr left Joint base Charleston carrying 30.6 tons of relief supplies to Alexandria International Airport, Alexandria, Louisiana, in response to Hurricane Harvey Aug. 29, 2017.

  • Airmen deliver aid to refugees in northern Iraq

    Reservists from the 315th Airlift Wing delivered humanitarian aid here Jan. 13 while also conducting a multifaceted training mission; the aid is bound for refugee camps in northern Iraq.

  • 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.

  • The "almost" candy bombers of Iraq

    The U.S. government provided the container delivery system bundles and the military aircraft, but something just seemed to be missing on the airdrop packages. Master Sgt. Stephen Brown had something sweet for the kids in mind to make things just right.

  • U.S. provides aid to Yezidis, strikes ISIL mortar position

    The U.S. military conducted a sixth airdrop last night of food and water for thousands of Iraqi citizens threatened by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant on Mount Sinjar, Iraq, U.S. Central Command officials said. This airdrop was conducted from multiple air bases in the CENTCOM area of

  • Airlift operations complete in Central African Republic

    A small U.S. Air Force support team and two C-17 Globemaster III aircraft began airlift operations Dec. 12 in response to a French request for airlift support. The Airmen conducted 16 flights from Burundi to the Central African Republic, Warren said, transporting 857 Burundi troops, 73 pallets of

  • C-17 crew supports Africa-led peacekeeping support mission

    The Defense Department sent another Air Force C-17 Globemaster III transport jet from Burundi to the Central African Republic today in support of the African Union-led International Support Mission in that beleaguered nation.

  • Love for Lamia: Retired general devotes life to help Afghans

    It was part of the international relationship building he spoke about to the graduating pilots from Euro NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program, Aug. 9., here that has propelled Lt. Gen. (Ret.) John Bradley into a post-military career passion.

  • Airmen deliver food, medicine to Syrian refugees

    U.S. Air Force members from the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing loaded pallets of non-lethal aid on to a C-17 aircraft early April 30 at an undisclosed airbase in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.The American Airmen, deployed to a U.S. ally nation, loaded the Air Mobility Command C-17

  • Operation 'Deep Freeze' wraps up for the season

    Following the arrival March 18 of SKIER 75 - the last LC-130 "Skibird" aircraft to depart the Operation Deep Freeze Joint Operating Area, the 2012-2013 ODF season completed another successful, yet challenging campaign.The Skibird's arrival at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam marks 55 years that

  • Airman, wife make a difference

    When this Airman dons his uniform, he flies a C-17 Globemaster III on missions transporting supplies and Airmen to where duty calls. But when he takes his uniform off, he still finds ways to make a difference in the world. First Lt. Joey Brewer, 16th Airlift Squadron pilot, and his wife, Tori,

  • AF airlift support to Mali hits 2 million-pound mark

    The Air Force reached a major milestone Feb. 12 when the service hit the 2 million pounds of cargo transported mark during airlift operations from Istres, France to Bamako, Mali and other partner nations in support of French military operations in Northern Africa. At the request of the French

  • Medical team achieves cutting-edge patient transfer

    Marking a first for military medical care in the United States, an Army and Air Force team successfully transported a critically ill woman using a special form of heart-lung bypass from San Antonio Military Medical Center to New York City in January 2013.This mission marked the military's first

  • JB Charleston reservists deliver humanitarian aid to Guatemala

    Reservists from the 300th Airlift Squadron at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., traveled more than 2,700 miles to deliver about 77,000 pounds of cargo to a children's hospice facility in Guatemala Feb. 3.The Airmen loaded a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft with a donated school bus and supplies acquired

  • AF Reservists deliver humanitarian supplies to the Caribbean

    Reservists from the 315th Airlift Wing delivered more than 38,000 pounds of humanitarian aid to the island nations of St. Lucia and Haiti Dec. 15 and 16.The missions involved two C-17 Globemaster III aircraft delivering humanitarian aid, medical and school supplies, food and construction equipment

  • HOPE provides lightweight supplies during humanitarian airdrops

    U.S. Air Force mobility Airmen investigated how to integrate "HOPE" packages into humanitarian airdrop bundles at an Airlift Tanker Association symposium in Anaheim, Calif., Nov. 1 to 4 to make delivery of valuable aid more safe and to provide the most important commodity when disaster first

  • Indian airmen receive C-17 maintenance training

    The Indian air force has begun sending about 100 airmen to Joint Base Charleston, S.C.,  to receive instruction from the 373rd Training Squadron Detachment 5, on how to operate the 10 C-17 Globemaster IIIs they recently purchased."The Indian air force purchased the C-17s and they need the training

  • Hurricane relief mission hits home with N.J. Reservists

    After the historic Hurricane Sandy battered New York and New Jersey, Airmen from across the country answered the call for help, but for the Airmen of one Reserve wing, those calls for help were coming from friends, family and neighbors.Most of the Airmen assigned to the 514th Air Mobility Wing at

  • AF supports both Sandy relief and Afghanistan operations

    Mobility Airmen are playing key roles supporting humanitarian relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, while continuing to support U.S. operations around the world, including missions in Afghanistan.Since Hurricane Sandy struck the East Coast on Oct. 30, C-17 Globemaster IIIs, C-5 Galaxys, and

  • Military airlifts, aid flow to New York, New Jersey

    Another airlift, this time from Phoenix, Ariz., will bring more power restoration trucks and equipment to New York and New Jersey, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little told Pentagon reporters today.As of this morning, 12 C-5 Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft have arrived at Stewart Air

  • 305th AMW Airmen evacuate ahead of 'Sandy'

    The 305th Air Mobility Wing evacuated its C-17 Globemaster IIIs and KC-10 Extenders from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Sunday, Oct. 28, in anticipation of Hurricane Sandy's arrival to the area.The C-17s were sent to Joint Base Charleston, S.C., and MacDill Air Force Base, Fla. The KC-10 Extenders

  • Airmen showcase C-17 to New Zealanders

    Thousands of New Zealanders visited the Christchurch International Airport for a chance to get a glimpse inside the cockpit of a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft, which deployed to Christchurch from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., Sep. 29 in support of Operation Deep Freeze 2012.Airmen from the 62nd

  • U.S. military inspires South African youth

    The sun was shining almost as brightly as the smiles on the faces of hundreds of children stepping onto a C-17 Globemaster III for the first time, Sept. 20.The children arrived at the Africa Aerospace and Defense Exposition, here to participate in a Youth Development Program. The program partners

  • Airmen wrap up Winfly on the 'ice'

    Despite operating in harsh conditions and experiencing multiple weather delays, the 304th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, comprised of Airmen from the 62nd and 446th Airlift Wings at McChord Field, completed its winter flying period into McMurdo Station, Antarctica Aug. 29, in support of the U.S.

  • Air Evac Airmen test capabilities on new airframe

    Airmen from the 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron tested their aeromedical evacuation capabilities on a new airframe here Sept. 3.The civilian Gulfstream III, or G3, provides the range and speed needed to reach different parts of Africa and Eurasia in a day, something the C-21 and some of the

  • White House official honors ANG unit with rare award

    One of President Barack Obama's top advisors praised the Kentucky Air National Guard for superior achievement March 18, calling the organization "second to none" during a ceremony honoring the 123rd Airlift Wing for winning a nearly unprecedented 15th Air Force Outstanding Unit Award.Also recognized

  • One year later: Response by Airmen for Operation Tomodachi 'unprecedented'

    When the island nation of Japan was struck with an 8.9-magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami on March 11, 2011, the world answered the call with an unprecedented response -- and so did mobility and contingency Airmen. Among those leading the worldwide effort that delivered aid and support to

  • 618th AOC supports effort delivering hope to Turkey

    Mobility Airmen of the 618th Air and Space Operations Center (Tanker Airlift Control Center) here led planning efforts for an Oct. 31 flight bringing humanitarian assistance to Turkey.In the wake of the Oct. 23 earthquake that left hundreds dead in the Western Asian nation, a C-17 Globemaster III

  • JB McChord aircrew delivers aid to Turkish earthquake victims

    An aircrew from here delivered humanitarian relief supplies to eastern Turkey Nov. 1 to aid victims of a recent 7.2 magnitude earthquake.The five-member C-17 Globemaster III crew, assigned to the 10th Airlift Squadron, delivered a 75,000-pound load of tents to Erzurum Airport, Turkey."The men and

  • Airmen transport wounded Libyan fighters to U.S.

    Nearly two dozen wounded Libyan fighters were evacuated from Libya to here Oct. 29 aboard a C-17 Globemaster III. At the request of State Department officials, the Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta directed two missions supporting the humanitarian assistance effort in Libya. In the first mission,

  • Air Mobility Command's response saves lives

    In wars, natural disasters and humanitarian emergencies, the Air Mobility Command's real-time global response capability saves lives and brings people home, Gen. Raymond E. Johns Jr. said this week.Johns, who commands AMC based at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., spoke to reporters here at a Defense

  • President, senior leaders pay tribute to fallen

    President Barack Obama, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, and other senior leaders paid tribute to 30 fallen heroes here during a dignified transfer Aug. 9. The Soldiers, Sailors and Airmen were killed in action Saturday when the Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter went down in Afghanistan Aug. 6. Aboard

  • McChord Airmen recognized for historic Antarctic mission

    The C-17 Globemaster III aircrew members of "Ice 68" from the 62nd and 446th Airlift Wings here were recognized by Gen. Raymond E. Johns Jr., the commander of Air Mobility Command, July 29 for their part in evacuating an ailing government contractor from McMurdo Station, Antarctica, June

  • Reservists deliver aid to Haiti over holiday weekend

    Members of the Air Force Reserve's 315th Airlift Wing departed here July 1 aboard a C-17 Globemaster III on a humanitarian aid mission to Haiti. The aircraft delivered 20 pallets of humanitarian aid containing more than 50,000 pounds of rice as well as a 24,000-pound dump truck in support of ongoing

  • Airmen successfully medevac Antarctic worker

    Using night vision equipment and navigating around volcanic ash hazards, a C-17 Globemaster III and crew from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., alongside aeromedical evacuation and critical care air transport team Airmen, successfully evacuated an ailing Antarctic government contractor June 30. The

  • Airmen provide vital link in Japan earthquake and tsunami relief

    From a windowless vault within the Pacific Air Forces headquarters building, Airmen from the 561st Network Operations Squadron, Det. 1, provided the network support required to allow more than 770 sorties to deliver aid workers and supplies to Japan, starting March 12. "I'm excited to be part of

  • Total-force team supports Operation Tomodachi

    While supporting combat operations in both Iraq and Afghanistan, a total integrated force of active, Guard and Reserve Airmen are supporting humanitarian relief efforts in Japan following the earthquake and subsequent tsunami that ravaged parts of Japan March 11.Air Force officials are increasingly

  • Special operations Airmen continue relief efforts at Sendai

    Members of the 353rd Special Operations Group at Kadena Air Base, Japan, are continuing to provide support to further relief efforts here. After helping re-open the runway March 16, Airmen from the group also assisted Japanese emergency management and Japan Ground Self-Defense Force officials in

  • First C-17 touches down in Sendai

    A C-17 Globemaster III from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, landed in Sendai March 20 to part in the relief support mission here. Members of the 517th Airlift Squadron delivered an all-terrain forklift to download supplies, including four pallets of water and six pallets of blankets and

  • Mobility Airmen supporting Japan relief effort on multiple fronts

    Every day since March 11 when the earthquake and a tsunami struck Japan, mobility Airmen have been on a busy pace.Reports show Airmen flying C-17 Globemaster III and C-130 Hercules aircraft moving cargo and personnel to support Operation Tomodachi, the operation designation for the Japan relief

  • Airmen at Misawa Air Base handle heavy airlift traffic

    Since the beginning of Operation Tomodachi, the aircraft ramps here have been a hive of activity, receiving and launching cargo planes full of relief supplies and aid workers.As of March 16, Airmen here have serviced aircraft including Air Force C-17 Globemaster IIIs, Boeing 767s and Navy C-2

  • Air transportation Airmen support Japan relief operations

    On March 11, an 8.9-magnitude earthquake struck Japan and a tsunami followed, creating widespread destruction throughout the country. Within a short time, U.S. service members were gearing up to support a response, and air transportation Airmen, also known as aerial porters, were no exception.Aerial

  • Pacific Air Forces Airmen deploy to Japan to aid relief efforts

    A C-17 Globemaster III carrying a team of Pacific Air Force Airmen departed here March 12 to support ongoing disaster relief efforts in Japan. The team of approximately 25 Airmen from a variety of Air Force specialties, traveled to Yokota Air Base, Japan, where they will provide support to efforts

  • Mobility Airmen deliver search-and-rescue teams to Japan

    Two Air Mobility Command C-17 Globemaster IIIs departed the U.S. March 12 to deliver search and rescue equipment and personnel to Japan in support of humanitarian relief efforts after an earthquake and tsunami struck the island nation March 11. President Barack Obama pledged U.S. support,

  • McChord Airmen survive New Zealand earthquake unscathed

    About 35 McChord Airmen, 15 of them from the Air Force Reserve Command's 446th Airlift Wing, are in Christchurch, New Zealand, where a 6.3 magnitude earthquake hit Feb. 22. The remaining McChord Airmen in Christchurch belong to the active-duty 62nd Airlift Wing here.Based in Christchurch with their

  • Airmen help transport clothes, shoes to Kyrgyzstan

    More than 6,500 pounds of humanitarian goods were loaded onto a C-17 Globemaster III here Feb. 7. The goods are being shipped to Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, as part of the Denton Program, which allows private citizens and organizations to use space available on military cargo planes to transport

  • Reservists load humanitarian aid bound for Nicaragua

    A C-17 Globemaster III from the Air Force Reserve Command's 315th Airlift Wing at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., landed here Dec. 30 to load humanitarian aid headed for Managua, Nicaragua.A fire truck along with nearly three and a half tons of medical supplies and firefighting equipment donated by

  • Contingency response wing returns from Pakistan relief mission

    Airmen from the 621st Contingency Response Wing have completed operations in Pakistan in support of flood relief distribution efforts after torrential rains and flooding affected more than 20 million people and left one-fifth of the agricultural country under water.The last seven members of the 37

  • Ceremony marks end of Pakistan flood relief operations

    U.S. troops supporting the humanitarian relief effort to flood-stricken Pakistan ended their mission Dec. 2.Pakistani officials hosted a ceremony marking the occasion in Islamabad, the country's capital.At the end of operations, 18 U.S. military helicopters and about 350 U.S. servicemembers were

  • Big Brothers Big Sisters visits 3rd Operations Group

    As he dangled from parachute risers, 12-year old Keegan Hall looked down at a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier sailing in the Pacific. Deftly controlling his parachute's toggles, Keegan successfully maneuvered into a stand-up landing on the ship's pitching deck.Peering through virtual reality

  • Mobility Airmen reach 20-million-pound milestone

    Though C-17 Globemaster III and C-130 Hercules flights subsided on Oct. 3, mobility Airmen with a contingency response element at Pakistan Air Force Base Chaklala are among more than 600 U.S. servicemembers who've helped achieve a new milestone of 20 million pounds of aid delivered.Officials with

  • Mission complete for C-130, C-17 aircrews supporting flood relief

    As flood waters recede and Pakistan's aid delivery shifts focus from air to ground transportation, the Pakistan government informed the U.S. recently that U.S. military aircraft and other international cargo plane airlift support was no longer required. At Pakistan's request, the U.S. military has

  • Pakistan flood aid tops 5 million pounds

    U.S. military aircraft supporting Pakistan's flood relief efforts achieved a significant milestone Sept. 11, exceeding 5 million pounds of relief supplies delivered since U.S. military relief flight operations in Pakistan began Aug. 5.To date, U.S. military helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft have

  • Airlift moves mountains for Afghanistan surge

    During a recent commander's call, Gen. Raymond E. Johns Jr., commander of Air Mobility Command, may have best cited the importance of airlift to today's military when he said, "One mission can change the world."As one of AMC's core capabilities, airlift remains a staple in getting the "beans and

  • Airmen respond to Pakistan relief efforts

    Active duty and Reserve aircrews assigned to the 62nd and 446th airlift wings departed here Aug. 23 for Pakistan humanitarian relief operations.Officials said the U.S. has responded immediately and generously to Pakistan's call for assistance following the tragic and devastating floods that started

  • Teamwork provides relief

    More than 76 thousand pounds of food was carried aboard a C-17 Globemaster III Aug. 2 en route to the flood-ravaged areas of northwest Pakistan.Those 38 tons of halal meals, ready-to-eat meals that don't contain pork products, were only a small part of the 345 thousand meals that have been

  • Airmen provide humanitarian assistance in Tajikistan

    More than 17,000 pounds of humanitarian cargo was delivered to Tajikistan May 21, in an ongoing effort to provide relief and medical aid to displaced Tajiks after floods and mudslides devastated the Kulyab District earlier this month.A C-130 Hercules crew from the 774th Expeditionary Airlift

  • U.S. Air Force delivers humanitarian cargo to flood-stricken Tajikistan

    An Air Mobility Command C-17 Globemaster III aircrew delivered approximately 100,000 pounds of humanitarian supplies valued at $250,000 to Tajikistan May 16, following two weeks of flooding and mudslides in the nation.The flooding, caused by heavy annual rains, killed at least 24 people, destroyed