Sept. 15, 2022 B-1s border Arctic for Baked Alaskan; enhance ACE practices Two B-1B Lancers and approximately 50 Airmen assigned to Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, engaged in an Agile Combat Employment exercise, Baked Alaskan, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, Sept. 9-10.
Sept. 9, 2022 B-1Bs conduct CONUS to CONUS Bomber Task Force Mission in support of SOUTHCOM During this mission, B-1 aircrews integrated with partner nations in the USSOUTHCOM AOR, air refueled with the support of MacDill AFB tankers, and countered illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing operations.
Sept. 7, 2022 US, Germany, Australia air forces’ generals share airspace together The desire to build upon foundational multilateral capabilities is paramount to international cooperation in maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific. Leaders often set the example for the development of international relationships.
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. 24, 2022 Airman’s innovation saves time, money One 100th Maintenance Squadron Airman has invented a new boom cover tool that has the potential to save the U.S. Air Force 40,000 man-hours and approximately $1 million per year.
Aug. 24, 2022 Grey Wolf flies with all-Air Force crew for first time The MH-139A Grey Wolf flies its first sortie since the Air Force took over ownership of the aircraft Aug. 12. It marked the first all-Air Force personnel flight in the Air Force’s newest helicopter.
Aug. 17, 2022 Exercise becomes reality: MQ-9A Reaper responds to ship fire The remotely piloted aircraft, assigned to the 163rd Attack Wing, responded to the scene of a ship fire during a training exercise in the world's largest international maritime exercise.
Aug. 9, 2022 COMUSAFE welcomes F-22s to Poland As part of NATO’s plan to bolster its collective defense posture, the 90th FS will take over the mission from the Vermont Air National Guard’s 158th Fighter Wing, which has been executing the coalition’s Air Policing mission since their arrival in theater, May 2.
Aug. 4, 2022 SecAF receives F-35 engine update at Tinker AFB Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall visited Tinker Air Force Base July 28 for an update on the base’s support to the F-35 Lightning engine program.
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. 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 26, 2022 FAA, Nellis AFB partner to expand Red Flag airspace arena The 414th CTS and the FAA collaborated to expand the available training area during Red Flag-Nellis 22-3 by almost three times the size as prior iterations.
July 25, 2022 Hawaii ANG supports Arctic air defense exercise Amalgam Dart This iteration incorporated C-17 Globemaster III support from the 204th Airlift Squadron, which performed a series of maneuvers alongside participating fighter, refueling and command and control aircraft.
July 18, 2022 US airpower, integration on display at Royal International Air Tattoo The event allowed the Air Force and U.S. Air Forces in Europe - Air Forces Africa to integrate and engage with hundreds of Airmen from 31 nations, and approximately 200,000 visitors during the three-day military air show.
July 15, 2022 The ‘Future Fight’ is here: Red Flag-Nellis 22-3 More than 20 units and approximately 2,300 participants arrived at Nellis Air Force Base to take part in the final Red Flag of 2022. Greeting them were the pilots of the newly re-activated 65th Aggressor Squadron, and the 57th Operations Group’s dedicated multi-domain aggressor force.
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.
July 14, 2022 End of an era: U-2 flies last OBC mission The Air Force’s high-altitude, all-weather reconnaissance aircraft, the U-2 Dragon Lady, recently flew Beale Air Force Base’s last Optical Bar Camera mission. This move allows processors to consolidate film closer to mission-required reconnaissance collection.
July 12, 2022 Red Tails conduct joint air integration exercise U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army and partner nation combat controllers coordinated with F-15E Strike Eagles assigned to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing and conducted Close Air Support 9-Lines with target correlation.
July 11, 2022 AFIMSC set to begin Red Hawk beddown efforts at JBSA The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center will move forward with major construction work to support the beddown of a new aircraft and training mission at JBSA-Randolph. The fifth-generation jet trainer will replace AETC's aging fleet of T-38 Talon fleet with advanced technology.
July 4, 2022 Historic highway landing advances Agile Combat Employment The Air National Guard, Air Force Special Operations Command and Air Force Reserves landed, took off and performed integrated combat turns on a closed 9,000-foot section of Michigan highway M-28 during exercise Northern Agility 22-1.
June 28, 2022 Red Flag-Alaska 22-2 draws to a close Red Flag exercises are designed to simulate a deployment to a contested environment, where the battlefield strategy demands a high operations tempo and necessitates innovation, determination, and teamwork to stay ahead of ever-changing mission needs.
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 24, 2022 Little Rock AFB selected to host ANG C-130J Formal Training Unit Four C-130J Hercules will replace aging C-130Hs to establish the FTU, which will ensure aircrews gain the experience and knowledge needed to operate the newer aircraft.
June 16, 2022 First in-air refueling between KC-46, AFSOC CV-22 The 20th Special Operations Squadron and 349th Air Refueling Squadron brought a CV-22 Osprey and KC-46 Pegasus together for in-air refueling training over Cannon AFB early June.
June 15, 2022 Moody AEROnet enhances partner nations’ airpower Airmen from Moody AFB worked closely with military members from Colombia, Nigeria, Thailand, and Tunisia to demonstrate the capabilities of AEROnet software.
June 15, 2022 Hawaiian raptors strengthen regional readiness at the Keystone of the Pacific Visiting F-22 Raptors and Airmen from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, conducted a series of missions at Kadena Air Base, Japan.
June 11, 2022 B-1B Lancers deploy to Andersen AFB for Bomber Task Force Mission Air Force B-1B Lancers landed at Andersen Air Force Base for a Pacific Air Forces Bomber Task Force deployment. The deployment was held to conduct training alongside allies, partners and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command Joint Force.
June 10, 2022 65th Aggressor Squadron reactivates at Nellis AFB with aggressor force of F-35s The 65th Aggressor Squadron reactivated recently with a directed mission to know, teach and replicate fifth-generation air adversaries at Nellis Air Force Base. The decision underwent compliance with the National Environmental and Policy Act and other regulatory and planning processes.
June 7, 2022 New MH-139 Grey Wolves will go to Joint Base Andrews The 25 new helicopters will replace the base’s 21 aging UH-1N Hueys. The additional four aircraft will allow the base to execute continuation of government operations and distinguished visitor transport mission requirements without augmenting support units.
June 6, 2022 Land at your own risk: Air Guardsmen honored for valor during Operation Allies Refuge The crew of seven Airmen from the 105th Airlift Wing, New York National Guard, earned the Meritorious Service Medal for a successful completion of their military transport airlift mission at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, when Taliban forces took over the capital city.
June 1, 2022 KC-46A Pegasus approved to refuel 97% of joint force receivers Less than one year after the KC-46A was approved for its first ICR, Minihan approved daily task-able operational use of the KC-46A to refuel the B-1B Lancer, C-135 variants, E-8 Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, EC-130H Compass Call, F-35B/C Lightning II, KC-10 Extender and P-8 Poseidon
May 25, 2022 Sentry Savannah builds warfighter readiness, lethality The purpose of the exercise is to be able to bring in all of these different assets and be able to train face to face and learn from each other and learn the different tactics that each fighter brings to a fight to a near-peer adversary.
May 25, 2022 Thunder Over Dover 2022 reunites community Dover Air Force Base held the 2022 Thunder Over Dover Airshow and Open House May 21-22.
May 24, 2022 Hurricane Hunters brief mission to POTUS at interagency preseason hurricane event The Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters joined up with the NOAA Hurricane Hunters, U.S. Coast Guard, and FEMA to showcase their missions, aircraft and equipment as part of an interagency presidential briefing concerning the upcoming hurricane season.
May 23, 2022 Joint Black Flag tests night-one capabilities, introduces RAAF E-7, first mobile C2 element Black Flag allows the Air Force to test like we fight, developing force integration techniques and discovering capabilities utilizing existing and emerging material to deliver combat capability to the warfighter.
May 21, 2022 C-17 Globemaster III dedicated in honor of ‘Candy Bomber,’ Berlin Airlift A two-day celebration honoring Col. Gail Halvorsen, the "Candy Bomber," took place in Provo, Utah.
May 19, 2022 AFGSC brings Project Tuskegee, B-1B Lancer to Maxwell AFB Maxwell Air Force Base hosted an Air Force Global Strike Command Project Tuskegee event May 12, with more than 200 students from the local area touring a B-1B Lancer and interacting with the crew.
May 19, 2022 Eielson AFB celebrates F-35 beddown completion The ceremony marked the end of a two-year beddown process that yielded two operational fighter squadrons comprised of 54 permanently assigned, combat-coded F-35A aircraft.
May 18, 2022 35th FW, joint allies participate in ACE exercise at Misawa, Yokota AB Airmen assigned to the 35th Fighter Wing showcased their ACE capabilities during readiness exercise Beverly Sunrise 22-04, at Misawa and Yokota Air Base.
May 17, 2022 RF-A 22-1 concludes at Eielson AFB RED FLAG-Alaska 22-1 officially concluded May 13 following a successful two-week training blitz.
May 10, 2022 Vermont ANG F-35s join NATO’s enhanced air policing mission As part of NATO’s plan to bolster its collective defense posture, the Vermont ANG team will take over the mission for Hill Air Force Base’s 388th FW, which has been executing the coalition’s air policing mission since their arrival Feb. 16.
May 10, 2022 AMC’s longest flight: 24.2 hours in a KC-46A The KC-46 is Air Mobility Command’s newest aerial refueling platform, and now after completing the 24-hour flight, holds AMC’s record for the longest duration flight in its history.
May 9, 2022 DAF hosts congressional delegation for ABMS update, E-7 orientation Department of the Air Force leaders hosted a congressional delegation at Nellis Air Force Base, May 6, for an update on the base’s Advanced Battle Management System initiatives and an orientation of the E-7 Wedgetail.
April 29, 2022 AFRL technology makes new weapon for sinking ships a reality The Air Force Research Laboratory and Eglin Air Force Base’s Integrated Test Team demonstrated a new low-cost, air-delivered capability for defeating maritime threats that successfully destroyed a full-scale stationary surface vessel in the Gulf of Mexico.
April 28, 2022 First T-7A Red Hawk rolls out The first T-7A Red Hawk training aircraft rolled off the production line at the Boeing Defense, Space & Security building at Lambert International Airport.
April 27, 2022 KC-46A refuels first international aircraft during Employment Capability Exercise The mission marked the first international receiver for the KC-46A Pegasus, paving the way for stronger interoperability with allies and partners.
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 24, 2022 New York’s 109th Airlift Wing preps for Greenland missions The 109th AW flies the aircraft, the largest in the world equipped with skis to land on snow and ice, to conduct resupply missions for American scientific research in Antarctica when it is winter in New York and in Greenland during the summer months.
April 21, 2022 Air Force tests oxygen system for T-7 Red Hawk Designed to produce an unlimited supply of oxygen for pilots, the On-Board Oxygen Generation System is a critical system for fighter and trainer aircraft.
April 19, 2022 Eielson AFB completes F-35A Lightning II fleet Eielson Air Force Base and the 354th Fighter Wing accepted delivery of its final F-35A Lightning II fighter aircraft making Alaska the most concentrated state for combat-coded fifth-generation fighter aircraft.
April 13, 2022 Exercise Agile Tiger: Integrated deterrence in the heartland of America The exercise enhanced participants’ ability to communicate, collaborate and operate together, ensuring unity of effort across the joint force.
April 10, 2022 B-1B Lancer makes first appearance at Sun ‘n Fun air show Members of the 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron flew to Lakeland, Florida, to participate in the Sun ‘n Fun Aerospace Expo, one of the world’s largest annual aviation events April 5-10.
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 6, 2022 Air Force awards B-21 Raider advance procurement to support acquisition of long lead items for production Advance procurement funds will directly support the acquisition of long lead items necessary to build the first lot of production B-21 aircraft.
April 6, 2022 Air Force delivers E-4B simulator The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Simulator Division delivered the first ever high fidelity, full motion simulator designed to replicate E-4B flying operations and aerial refueling capability April 1.
April 6, 2022 Shaw AFB hosts Air and Space Expo, connects with community The show provided an up close and personal look at the military, from the celebrating significant milestones from the U.S. Air Force’s 75 years of service and Shaw’s 80 years in Sumter.
April 2, 2022 US B-52s bring region together through Middle East presence patrol The non-stop B-52 Stratofortress and F-22 Raptors presence patrol mission included fighter escorts from the Royal Air Force and regional partner nations, enhancing regional stability and security through a show of combined strength and capability.
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 29, 2022 Eielson AFB exercises readiness, capability Airmen and aircraft from Eielson Air Force Base participated in an exercise designed to hone readiness capabilities in response to potential real-world contingencies.
March 24, 2022 B-2 conducts mission in Indo-Pacific, integrates with US, Royal Australian Air Force fighters The U.S. and Australia maintain a robust relationship underpinned by shared democratic values, common interests, and cultural affinities. The alliance is an anchor for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world.
March 24, 2022 COMACC certifies Thunderbirds for 2022 show season The U.S. Air Force's aerial demonstration team, known as the “Thunderbirds,” completed their certification for the 2022 show season March 10.
March 16, 2022 People are key to defending installations, missions from small UAS threats As the lead command for Counter-sUAS efforts for the Air Force, a team of seven experts from the Air Force Materiel Command Air, Space and Cyberspace Operations Directorate facilitates research and development efforts related to defensive sUAS technology.
Feb. 12, 2022 Legion Pod reaches IOC The Legion Pod is a sensor that uses the infrared spectrum to help pilots to track and engage enemy aircraft in environments where traditional radar technology is denied.
Feb. 11, 2022 US Air Force B-52s arrive at RAF Fairford for BTF Europe 22-2 Occurring since 2018, bomber rotations through Europe maintain readiness to execute a wide variety of missions across two continents, sustaining peace through deterrence.
Feb. 1, 2022 Department of the Air Force launches pilot program to incentivize optimized flying As part of its effort to streamline operations and increase aircraft range and capability, the Department of the Air Force launched the pilot Mission Execution Excellence Program to incentivize optimized flying on aircraft that consume the most fuel across the enterprise.
Jan. 31, 2022 Eagle II fires first missile during live-fire event The 40th Flight Test Squadron aircrew and aircraft fired the weapon pursuing a BQM-167 aerial target drone as part of the 53rd Wing’s Combat Archer, an air-to-air weapons system evaluation program.
Jan. 24, 2022 March ARB named preferred location for next KC-46A Pegasus The Department of the Air Force selected March Air Reserve Base, California, as the preferred location to host the next KC-46A Pegasus aircraft.
Jan. 24, 2022 Air Force Heritage Flight flyover scheduled to support Super Bowl LVI in Los Angeles Five aircraft representing the Air Force’s 75 years as a service will conduct a first-of-its-kind flyover during the national anthem performance at Super Bowl LVI, Feb. 13, over SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
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. 13, 2022 Seymour Johnson AFB tests lead wing, ACE during exercise at Kinston Regional Jetport The 4th Fighter Wing is one of four wings from Air Combat Command that is designated as a lead wing, which creates deployed teams composed of several Air Force operational capabilities.
Jan. 11, 2022 AATC participates in multi-service, multi-aircraft exercise Southern Lightning Strike The multi-service exercise tested units’ abilities to deploy with minimal personnel and equipment to austere locations while completing their mission.
Jan. 10, 2022 Idaho ANG A-10, Marine F-35 pilots train together Fourth and fifth-generation aircraft and their pilots from the Idaho Air National Guard and the U.S. Marines, train for combat operations in the joint environment.
Jan. 8, 2022 US F-16s strengthen air policing mission with long-planned Poland deployment The Belgian, Polish and U.S. fighters will practice advanced airborne maneuvers and work closely with Combined Air Operations Centre Uedem (CAOCUE) to enhance command and control procedures.
Dec. 31, 2021 F-15C Eagle Weapons School ends at Nellis AFB The years of tradition came to an end Dec. 8, as the last cadre of students and instructors flew the final defensive counter air vulnerability for Weapons Instructor Course 21-B.
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.
Dec. 22, 2021 F-15C Eagle Weapons School sunsets at Nellis The single-seat F-15C aircraft entered the U.S. Air Force inventory in 1979, and weapons officers have been trained on the aircraft’s tactics at the Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base since 1978. Those years of tradition came to an end Dec. 8, as the last cadre of students and instructors flew
Dec. 16, 2021 New F-35 Lightning IIs join USAFE, RAF Lakenheath fleet for first time RAF Lakenheath was selected in 2015 to host the first U.S. F-35A squadrons in Europe based on very close ties with the RAF, existing infrastructure and combined training opportunities.
Dec. 12, 2021 Swap in, swap out: McChord Airmen deploy to Al Udeid Periodically throughout the year, the expeditionary squadron receives a turnover of pilots, loadmasters, flying crew chiefs, security force Ravens, communications and intelligence Airmen.
Dec. 9, 2021 Niger receives second US C-130 to support enduring Sahel operations The delivery marks the enduring commitment of the U.S. Air Force to support continued humanitarian operations and counter violent extremist organizations missions throughout the Sahel alongside Nigerien air force partners.
Dec. 7, 2021 173rd Fighter Wing structural innovation helps keep aircraft aloft For years, structural maintainers have emerged as artisans of sorts, creating parts by hand, meticulously shaping them from custom wood forms and delicate hand-tool work.
Dec. 5, 2021 Robins AFB remote control aircraft tug creates safer work environment F-15 aircraft maintenance workers with the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex (WR-ALC) have 10 TowFLEXX 5.4 (TF-5), low profile aircraft tugs to move the aircraft around hangars where traditional tugs can’t maneuver.
Nov. 24, 2021 AFCEC leads beddown efforts for B-21 Raider Stealth Bomber The B-21 will incrementally replace the B-1 Lancer and B-2 Spirit to perform both conventional and nuclear missions alongside the B-52 Stratofortress. As the Air Force transitions to a two-bomber fleet, the strategy to beddown the new bomber has been to minimize operational impacts, maximize reuse
Nov. 23, 2021 Checkered Flag 22-1 comes to a close at Tyndall AFB Checkered Flag, hosted by the 325th Fighter Wing, is one of the DoD’s largest air-to-air exercises. It serves to integrate fourth and fifth-generation aircraft to train and test enhanced mobility, pre-deployment qualifications, and rapid response employment capabilities of pilots and aircrew.
Nov. 22, 2021 F-15Es take part in weapons evaluations, enhance readiness In this iteration of DCA NucWSEP, aircrew and maintenance professionals flew and loaded B61-3 and B61-4 Joint Test Assemblies, known as JTAs, on F-15Es provided by the 391st Fighter Squadron, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.
Nov. 19, 2021 TOC: enhancing readiness one task at a time Leadership from the 35th Maintenance Group realized this mentality was not practical, since it causes stress on personnel and delays essential maintenance. This is where the Theory of Constraints (TOC) concept comes into play.
Nov. 10, 2021 US, Bulgarian air forces share best practices in Operation Castle Forge These short-notice forward deployments demonstrate the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment, a strategy that leverages strong teamwork with allies and partners to generate air power anytime, anywhere.
Nov. 4, 2021 CSAF delivers new C-37B to JB Andrews Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. flew the first of two new C-37B aircraft, which was assigned the tail number 1941 in honor of the year the Tuskegee Airmen were founded.
Nov. 4, 2021 Test Trifecta: Orange, Emerald, Black Flag combine to enhance large-scale test For the first time, the three independently executed large force test events collaborated in real-time for simultaneous execution focusing on securing electronic data sharing across geographically-separated battlespaces to enable long-range kill chains.
Nov. 1, 2021 Southern Beach boosts lethality, strengthens partnerships Exercise Southern Beach primarily focused on offensive and defensive counter air operations, personnel rescue and airdrop missions. This was the first time since the inception of Southern Beach in which the majority of the mission sets and a Japan-U.S. training program were conducted during night
Oct. 30, 2021 Hurricane Hunters testing new SATCOM capabilities The aerial reconnaissance weather officer sits adjacent, quality checking the figures from the dropsonde, as it plummets to the ocean’s surface, and from the stepped frequency microwave radiometer attached to the wing of the aircraft.
Oct. 29, 2021 US Air Force awards F-15EX engine contract The United States Air Force awarded a $1,579,662,187 contract to General Electric, GE Edison Works, Cincinnati, Oct. 29, for the purchase of 29 engines — installs and spares — in support of the production of 12 F-15EX Eagle II aircraft.
Oct. 26, 2021 Eielson AFB F-35s participate in WSEP, make strides towards first IOC squadron in PACAF Successful completion of Weapon System Evaluation Program East 22.01 marks another milestone for the 356th FS, as they take a crucial step towards becoming the first Initial Operational Capability F-35A squadron in PACAF.
Oct. 25, 2021 F-15EX undergoes first operational test mission at Nellis AFB The F-15EX Eagle ll is undergoing its first-ever operational test mission paired with F-15Cs and F-15Es at Nellis Air Force Base Oct. 18-25.
Oct. 18, 2021 AMC approves F-15, F-16 receivers as third KC-46 ICR milestone Gen. Mike Minihan, commander of Air Mobility Command, approved a third Interim Capability Release mission set for the KC-46A Pegasus, Oct. 13.
Oct. 6, 2021 F-35A complete 5th generation fighter test milestone with refurbished B61-12 nuclear gravity bombs Two F-35A Lightning II aircraft recently released B61-12 Joint Test Assemblies, or JTAs, during the F-35A’s first Full Weapon System Demonstration, completing the final flight test exercise of the nuclear design certification process.
Sept. 30, 2021 New York Air Guard's Skibirds wrap up 2021 Greenland mission The New York Air National Guard’s 109th Airlift Wing has wrapped up its annual support to the National Science Foundation in Greenland as Airmen and LC-130 “Skibirds” returned to Stratton Air National Guard Base Sept. 22.
Sept. 24, 2021 DAF awards Rolls-Royce B-52H engine contract The competitive single award contract provides for 608 military derivative commercial engines, plus spare engines, associated support equipment and commercial engineering data, to include sustainment activities, to be used on the B-52H bomber fleet.
Sept. 24, 2021 AFGSC wraps up divestiture of 17 B-1B aircraft, moves toward B-21 The divestiture of the aircraft is in support of the U.S. Air Force’s efforts to modernize America’s bomber fleet, as authorized by the National Defense Authorization Act.
Sept. 15, 2021 Reserve C-130 aerial firefighting teams fly during second busiest wildfire season Since first being activated July 20, the 302 AW has been working together with other military aircraft from Nevada Air National Guard’s 152nd AW, Wyoming ANG’s 153rd AW, and California ANG’s 146th AW to drop millions of gallons of fire retardant in support of fire suppression efforts in California.