Planes over water — AIR FORCE PHOTOS

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Clouds ahead

Maj. Joshua Burress, a pilot with the U.S. Air Force Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, prepares to be refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker with the 121st Air Refueling Wing over the skies of Virginia, June 18, 2025. The Thunderbirds were traveling to the Dayton Air Show in Dayton, Ohio. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Ivy Thomas)

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Noise assessment

An F-35A Lightning II from the 187th Fighter Wing conducts a low-level flight during a noise study at Moody Air Force Base, Ga., June 18, 2025. The assessment examined the effectiveness of pilot techniques such as optimized flight paths and minimizing noise exposure. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Benjamin Williams)

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Moon ‘chute

A U.S. Air Force Academy cadet participating in the 98th Flying Training Squadron, parachutes into Davis Airfield, Colorado Springs, Colo., June 18, 2025. The 98th FTS is a premier character development program, training 600 to 1,200 cadets annually and fields nationally recognized competition and demonstration teams, all while helping cadets toward a career in the Air Force. (U.S Air Force photo by Ray Bahner)

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Patriotic performance

Honor Guard Drill Team members perform for Honor Flight Chicago veterans at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington, D.C., June 18, 2025. The team demonstrated the core values of the Air Force through their precision, discipline and professionalism, exemplifying the service’s unwavering commitment to excellence and its mission to inspire pride and confidence in all who witnessed the performance. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Geneva Nguyen)

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Fini-flight

Cindy Wilsbach, wife of Gen. Ken Wilsbach, commander of Air Combat Command, marshals him in following the completion of his final flight at Langley Air Force Base, Va., June 17, 2025. When Wilsbach received his pilot wings in 1986, he gave his wife half, to symbolize the journey they would embark on together. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Madeline Herzog)

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Reaper ops

A U.S. Air Force MQ-9 Reaper deploys for air operations during Baltic Operations 2025 at Camp Turzii, Romania, June 16, 2025. The MQ-9 is a remotely piloted aircraft designed to provide persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as precision strike capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Stephanie Serrano)

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Follow the leader

Three pararescuemen exit the ramp of an HC-130J Combat King II at 6,000 feet above ground level during a PJ Rodeo over Jean Lake Bed, Nev., June 16, 2025. The PJ Rodeo is a competition where pararescuemen from all major commands compete in events based on core pararescue mission sets like jumping, shooting, technical rescue and physical fitness. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jose Miguel T. Tamondong)

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Extreme temperatures

A T-7A Red Hawk sits under bright lights used to create heat in the McKinley Climatic Lab at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., June 16, 2025. The Air Force’s newest training aircraft experienced temperature extremes from 110 to minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit as well as heavy humidity during the month of testing to evaluate how the aircraft, its instrumentation and electronics fare under the extreme conditions it will face in the operational Air Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Matt Veasley)

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Lead and survive

Cadets participate in Combat Survival Training at the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo., June 12, 2025. More than 1,000 Academy cadets learned to lead in intense war-fighting environments, taught by cadet cadres and supervised by SERE specialists during June and July 2025. They received training on medical care, food preparation, aircraft signaling and navigation. (U.S Air Force photo by Ray Bahner)

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Under the nose

An F-15EX Eagle II from the Defense Contracting Management Agency Boeing St. Louis sits on the flightline at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., June 11, 2025. The aircraft visited the base as part of a site activation task force, an initial step to prepare the 127th Wing with the right infrastructure, personnel to support the incoming F-15EX and KC-46 Pegasus missions. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by 1st Lt. Elise Wahlstrom)

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Firing line

Airmen assigned to 21st Air Task Force participate in live-fire training during Advanced Ready Training-Contingency Location at Fort Dix, N.J., June 11, 2025. The training prepares Airmen for contested environments, increasing their combat survivability and lethality and enhancing overall readiness. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Daniel Asselta)

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Load ‘er up!

Staff Sgt. Austin McCoy, 325th Maintenance Squadron weapons load crew chief, front, and Staff Sgt. Nicolas Duran, 325th MXS weapons standardization squadron lead crew member, load munitions on an F-35A Lightning II during a “hot” integrated combat turn at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., June 11, 2025. Hot ICTs involve rearming and refueling a running aircraft, reducing the time it takes for pilots to return to flight operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Amanda Alvarez)

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Ohio pride

Tail art featuring the Ohio state flag is prominently displayed on a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 121st Air Refueling Wing at Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base in Columbus, Ohio, June 10, 2025. The artwork highlights the unit’s pride in its home state as the aircraft, a key component of the Air Force’s aerial refueling fleet for over 60 years, awaits towing on the flight line. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman Taylor Warehime)

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Transfer ready

Senior Airman Alexis Youngblood, 757th Airlift Squadron loadmaster, reviews preflight checklists aboard a C-130H Hercules ahead of its final flight from Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio, June 9, 2025. With nearly 11,000 flight hours, the aircraft is being divested from the 910th Airlift Wing and transferred to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz. (U.S. Air Force photo by Eric M. White)

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Proud embrace

Col. Keith Butler, 509th Bomb Wing commander, embraces his wife, Diane Butler, after landing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., June 6, 2025. Family and friends gathered to celebrate his final flight as wing commander. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Bryson Sherard)

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Flash bang

Air National Guard 126th Security Forces Squadron members breach a training shoot house with a flash bang at Scott Air Force Base, Ill., June 6, 2025. Each member is required to train and qualify with flash bangs for mission readiness. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Aaron Rodriguez)

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In formation

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds perform at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., June 6, 2025. The Beale Air and Space Expo 2025 invited the community to witness the power, precision and skill of some of the world’s top aerial performers, as well as enjoy a range of on-the-ground attractions including static displays, food vendors, interactive displays and family-friendly activities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Chelsea Arana)

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Light ‘er up!

An Airman participates in a heavy weapons qualifications event at the Sayler Creek Range, Idaho, June 6, 2025. Airmen qualified on the M240 machine gun, M249 squad automatic weapon and Mark 19 grenade launcher. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff. Sgt. Jadyn Eisenbrandt)

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Let it burn

Staff Sgt. Cameron Phillips, assigned to the 388th Maintenance Squadron, performs checks on an afterburner from a General Electric F110 jet engine, used to power an F-16 Fighting Falcon, during an engine test run at a hush house at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, June 6, 2025. The 388th MXS specializes in inspecting, maintaining and repairing jet engines to ensure peak performance and mission readiness. (U.S. Air Force photo by Micah Garbarino)

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Banking hours

An F-35A Lightning II assigned to the F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team performs during the Great Tennessee Air Show in Smyrna, Tenn., June 6, 2025. The team highlights the fighter’s cutting-edge maneuverability and advanced avionics, representing the Air Force’s newest fifth-generation aircraft. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Zachary Rufus)

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