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U.S. Air Force News

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary. In Afghanistan May 18, A-10 Thunderbolt IIs responded to coalition troops in contact with Taliban extremists near Ghazni. The A-10s dropped general-purpose bombs, Paveway II munitions and fired cannon rounds, killing five of

  • Transient alert provides Bagram its staying power

    Imagine parking hundreds of cars and trucks in a convenience store parking lot. Now imagine parking those cars if they were the size of C-17 Globemaster IIIs. That image makes the task facing the transient alert team at the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing here a little clearer. “It’s kind of like a

  • Maintenance unit keeps aircraft flying

    Airmen from the 777th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron prepare a C-130 Hercules for takeoff from Balad Air Base, Iraq, on May 17, 2006. The squadron arrived at Balad in January 2006. Since then, the unit has flown more than 3,700 sorties and moved more than 54,200 people and 11,790 tons of cargo. The

  • Airmen call in 'air strikes' on Louisiana communities

    Fighter jets and bombers fly overhead making multiple passes to intercept and destroy enemy targets called in by Air Force joint terminal air controllers. One pass is to destroy a building with enemy snipers. Another pass is to track a man riding a motorcycle suspected of carrying a bomb in his

  • CENTAF releases combined airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for May 14 to 17. May 17 In Afghanistan, a B-1B Lancer and four A-10 Thunderbolt IIs struck Taliban extremists near Kandahar. The missions supported coalition ground forces including Afghan National Police, Afghan National Army

  • C-130J Hercules displays interoperability at Berlin Air Show

    It was interoperability in action at the Berlin Air Show on May 17 when a medium extended air defense system was loaded onto a C-130J Hercules. The system is designed as a lightweight launcher capable of shooting down aircraft, ballistic missiles and cruise missiles. It was a new missile system on a

  • Improved C-5 promises more faithful years of service

    At a roll-out ceremony May 16 at Lockheed Martin’s plant in Marietta, Ga., the Air Force accepted delivery of the first C-5M Galaxy, the first of 111 that will undergo modernization at the facility, extending the fleet’s life by more than 25 years. The Aeronautical Systems Center’s C-5 Systems Group

  • Balad remains one busy airfield

    Aircraft pack the flightline here and operations are non-stop and intense. C-130 Hercules, MQ-1 Predators, F-16 Fighting Falcons and HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters all call this busy base home. The men and women who support the aircraft say Balad has the busiest single-runway airfield in the Department

  • Suggestions garner rewards for three Airmen

    Three NCOs here recently were approved to receive $10,000 each for coming up with new ideas that saved the Air Force money. Master Sgt. Mark Gauthier and Tech. Sgt. Matthew Wilson of Air Force Special Operations Command, and Tech. Sgt. Arnoldo Cuevas, 16th Civil Engineer Squadron,  are expected to

  • Air Force flexibility on display in Iraq and Afghanistan

    Air Force fighters no longer just swoop down from the sky to drop their deadly weapons in support of ground troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. Fighters equipped with special sensor pods, developed for more precise bombing, also are warning commanders and troops fighting on the ground about enemy

  • Radar upgrade key to future B-1 combat capability

    The Air Force recently awarded a $180-million contract to the Boeing Company to upgrade the fire-control radar on the service's fleet of 67 B-1B Lancer long-range bomber aircraft. The nine-year Reliability and Maintainability Improvement Program, or RMIP, will replace two units that make up the

  • U.S. opens Berlin Air Show with ‘Spirit’

    A C-17 Globemaster III from Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., named the “Spirit of Berlin” helped kick off the Berlin Air Show when it flew today before opening day spectators. The C-17 crew, assigned to the 315th Airlift Wing, is part of a U.S. contingent joining more than 1,000 exhibitors from 42

  • Center-contractor partnership benefits warfighter

    In an ongoing effort to generate cost-effective support for the warfighter, Ogden Air Logistics Center officials signed a partnering agreement with BAE Systems on May 11.The agreement, established to make maximum use of the center's industrial and technical foundation while incorporating BAE

  • Behind-the-scenes work continues as air show set to begin

    One of the world’s premier air shows gets underway May 16, but military organizers have been working behind the scenes for several months to ensure a successful display of U.S. military aviation at the 2006 Berlin Air Show. Initial groundwork began two years ago when the previous Berlin Air Show

  • Global Hawk operations reach new high

    Battlefield awareness has reached new levels with Global Hawk production-model aircraft flying in the U.S. Central Command Air Forces theater. Reaching a breakthrough point in April, the Global Hawk team has maximized the aircraft’s sorties, collecting more than 96 percent of the target area --

  • CENTAF releases combined airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for May 12 to 13. May 13In Iraq, F-16 Fighting Falcons provided close-air support to coalition troops under small arms and indirect mortar fire near Ramadi. The F-16s successfully struck enemy positions and weapons caches with

  • 'Your life is our business'

    In the shadows behind every aircrew stands a life support team. These Airmen typically don’t seek the limelight. Instead, they want all “their” aircrews to come home safely. The role of life support is significant for many reasons, said Staff Sgt. Jessica McCormick, a KC-135 Stratotanker life

  • Alternate fuel-powered B-52 to fly in September

    This year, the Air Force will test fly a B-52 Stratofortress that is powered in part by fuel derived from natural gas. The Air Force Research Laboratory's propulsion directorate, a part of Air Force Materiel Command, is providing technical assistance to the test flight scheduled for September

  • Medics make air evacuation easier on wounded troops

    Wounded U.S. troops leave this base each day on military transports after their release from the contingency air staging facility at the airport waiting area. The staging area is a busy place and has all the staff and equipment needed to treat any patient awaiting air evacuation. Airmen from the

  • C-17 pilot receives Koren Kolligian Jr. Trophy

    The skies over West Texas March 10, 2005 could have come right off a picture postcard:  blue, cloudless and so clear you could see horizon to horizon. It was, as one Air Force pilot put it, a perfect day for flying. Capt. Andreas Ix and his C-17 Globemaster III aircrew were participating in a

  • Strategic maintenance gives Airmen diverse experience

    Maintainers spend thousands of hours keeping transport aircraft flying during the course of a rotation to this desert base. So when Airmen from the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron maintenance flight show up for work, they know they will be busy. The flight’s mission is to provide strategic

  • Army, Air Force open communications

    The Army talking to the Air Force from the ground to the air is not a common occurrence here. "We're in the purple (joint) business," said Army Lt. Col. Michael Shillinger, 551st Signal Battalion commander, as Staff Sgt. Robert Pangburn completed radio communications with pilots in an Air Force

  • Chief Murray reflects on 29-year career

    Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray led his last Worldwide Command Chief’s Conference here April 21-26, meeting with command chiefs from around the Air Force to exchange information and discuss challenges facing today’s Airmen.During the 12th annual conference, the chief took

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 49 close-air-support missions May 11 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. The missions supported coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities, and operations to deter and disrupt

  • Smart Operations 21 office formed at Pentagon

    In February, Air Force leaders created a new program office at the Pentagon that will take the lead in optimizing the way the Air Force conducts its mission. The Air Force Smart Operations 21 office, created in response to an initiative by Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne, will look at

  • Five selected to comm hall of fame

    Five Air Force communications pioneers are the newest members of the Communications and Information Hall of Fame located in the Air Force Communications Agency’s Ludwig Heritage Hall here. Lt. Gen. Michael Peterson, the Air Force chief of warfighting integration and chief information officer,

  • Air Force Honor Guard performs at 2006 Air and Sea Show

    After the roar of the aircraft was silenced, the steady clicking of heels could be heard marching closer and closer. Suddenly, a group of Airmen, weapons contrasting starkly against their white gloves, formed up to begin their own performance: rhythmic weapon-slapping and heel-clicking mixed with

  • Mechanics keep fleet rolling through dust, mud

    Working on vehicles in the desert presents challenges. Mechanics sometimes have to scrape off layers of dirt and mud just to get to the broken part. Then there’s the parts themselves -- it is not like they can simply call an automotive supply store in Baghdad to deliver a part. “Back home, you could

  • Agency works to bring all Americans home alive

    Every day, officials at the Joint Personnel Recovery Agency track the status of efforts to find 20 Americans believed to still be alive but "isolated" outside the United States. In recovery terminology, isolated personnel are U.S. servicemembers, Defense Department civilians or contractors separated

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.Coalition aircraft flew 48 close-air-support missions May 10 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt

  • Raptors to bring air superiority to Northern Edge 2006

    The Air Force’s newest fighter, the F-22A Raptor, will make its Pacific-region debut in exercise Northern Edge 2006 in June. Twelve F-22As from the 1st Fighter Wing at Langley Air Force Base, Va., along with U.S. military units stationed in the continental United States and the Pacific theater, will

  • Unique aircraft repair saves millions

    It was a long time in coming, but the repair of an F-16 damaged in an accident here December 2000 will save taxpayers tens of millions of dollars. Originally in for depot modifications to extend the life of the aircraft, the Virginia Air National Guard Fighting Falcon experienced an involuntary gear

  • Fighters 'take down' mountain

    Some people move mountains, others destroy them. On Tuesday, May 2, four 336th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron Airmen did just that. Two F-15E Strike Eagle crews flew out from here on a mission in support of Operation Mountain Lion. Their assignment -- a preplanned attack to destroy caves inside a

  • Air Force plans for cleaner, greener future

    In the 1980s, firefighter training was straightforward: light a fire and see how quickly and safely it can be extinguished. So in fire-training pits at Air Force bases around the world, jet fuel was regularly sprayed onto old aircraft carcasses and the surrounding ground. The fuel was ignited and

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.Coalition aircraft flew 58 close-air-support missions May 9 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities, and operations to deter and disrupt

  • Next-generation radar to undergo testing aboard Proteus

    A smaller, next-generation radar that will improve the Global Hawk’s surveillance capacity will soon undergo testing aboard a Proteus aircraft here. The 851st Electronic Systems Group is preparing for a year-long test of the smaller version of the Multi-Platform Radar Technology Insertion Program,

  • Missing World War II Airmen identified

    The Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office, or DPMO, announced today that two members of a four-man Army Air Forces crew missing in action from World War II have been identified. They are being returned to their families for burial with full military honors. The crew is pilot Capt. Douglas Wight of

  • 'Hanoi Taxi' arrives at National Museum of the Air Force

    The first aircraft to return Vietnam prisoners of war to the United States arrived at the National Museum of the United States Air Force at 9:30 a.m. May 6. The C-141 "Hanoi Taxi" was the first aircraft to arrive in Hanoi in February 1973 to pick up POWs returning to the United States. The "Hanoi

  • Air Force B-1B damaged

    An Air Force B-1B Lancer was heavily damaged during a landing at a forward operating location May 8. The aircraft, with its crew of four, slid 7,500 feet before coming to rest on the runway with its landing gear in the retracted position. All four crewmembers exited the aircraft safely. The B-1B is

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.In Afghanistan May 8, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and a Predator unmanned aerial vehicle successfully struck an enemy cave complex near Shkin. The aircraft expended precision-guided munitions on the target, killing four

  • Red Flag-Alaska wraps up

    More than 84 aircraft and 1,500 Air Force active duty, Reserve, and National Guard Airmen here and at Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, wrapped up the first Red Flag-Alaska, held April 24 through May 5. Until this year, the exercise had been known as Cope Thunder.Pilots, maintainers, weapons

  • Airborne Airmen, Soldiers train together

    The Air Force lost a shade of blue last week when more than 30 airborne-qualified Airmen and their counterparts from the Army’s 82nd Airborne Division jumped into a simulated unusable airfield during a Joint Forced Entry Exercise here. The exercise tested the teams’ abilities to “jump out of a

  • Fighters strike enemy caves in Afghanistan

    Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles from the 336th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron here struck two caves with precision-guided Joint Direct Attack Munitions near Asadabad, Afghanistan, on May 2. The caves, carved into the side of a 7,000-foot-tall mountain, were used by enemy forces to store weapons and

  • CENTAF releases combined airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the combined airpower summary for May 5 to 7. May 7 Coalition aircraft flew 56 close-air-support missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities, and

  • Former POWs relive freedom flights

    More than 120 former prisoners of war continued a 33-year layover of freedom by reliving the flights that carried them home from North Vietnam. The Hanoi Taxi -- the last C-141 Starlifter still serving in the Air Force -- made two of its final three flights May 5. Former POWs gathered in Fairborn,

  • Predator maintenance team is a ‘total force’

    Total force is more than just a concept for one squadron here. It is a way of life that brings the skills and talents of various groups into one unit to accomplish the mission.The 46th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit is responsible for maintaining the RQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicles

  • Streamlined operations merit award for Warner Robins

    The Warner Robins Air Logistics Center received an award for its efforts to streamline its C-5 Galaxy aircraft repair and overhaul processes. The Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences announced May 1 that the center won the 2006 Franz Edelman Award for Achievement in

  • Air Force earns three DOD environmental awards

    Three Air Force installations received awards for their environmental stewardship at a Pentagon ceremony May 3. Dyess Air Force Base, Texas; Tinker AFB, Okla.; and Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, earned 2005 Secretary of Defense Environmental awards. Representatives from each base were at the ceremony

  • C-5 recovery efforts continue at Dover

    One month after a C-5 Galaxy crash-landed less than a mile short of the runway here, recovery operations are proceeding on schedule, officials said. All 17 people on board survived the April 3 crash.“We started the recovery effort the same day of the mishap and have been working every day since,”

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.Coalition aircraft flew 50 close-air-support missions May 3 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities and operations to deter and disrupt

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 54 close-air-support missions May 4 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities, and operations to deter and disrupt

  • TV writer embeds with medical teams in Iraq

    In a first for Hollywood, the Air Force was able to embed a screenwriter with a medical unit in Iraq for research on a proposed television series. Jeff Eckerle visited the Air Force Theater Hospital at Balad Air Base, Iraq, from April 7 to 16 in order to help develop the series, based in part on the

  • Guam reservists support cargo hub at Incirlik

    Twelve reservists temporarily assigned to the 728th Air Mobility Squadron had to travel a long, long way from home to get here. The Airmen, who are with the Air Force Reserve Command's 44th Aerial Port Squadron at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, traveled more than 72 hours to participate in a

  • 'Hanoi Taxi' to retire at National Museum of the Air Force

    More than 120 former prisoners from the Vietnam War and their families will help the Air Force Reserve Command's 445th Airlift Wing retire the Air Force's last C-141 Starlifter, the "Hanoi Taxi," during festivities May 5 to 6. The aircraft was the first one to arrive in Hanoi, Vietnam, in February

  • Test pilot school selection board date set

    Air Force officials plan to hold the next test pilot school selection board here Oct. 30 through Nov. 3. The U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School trains pilots, navigators and engineers to test and evaluate the newest aircraft and weapons systems. Applicants from all aircraft types and backgrounds must

  • Airmen help Iraqi pilots fly again

    Pilots from the Iraqi Air Force are waiting patiently for a team of Airmen to arrive from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. It’s this team that can get them up in the air and flying again. The mission of the Iraqi 3rd Squadron hinges on the work of the Air Force Flight Test Center. The center sent a

  • B-52 presence welcomed by U.S., coalition forces

    Thirty thousand feet above Afghan terrain, the presence of B-52 Stratofortresses is felt. Their presence is welcomed by U.S. and coalition forces fighting in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, but not welcomed by the terrorists who operate from there. Maintaining the fleet of B-52s here is no

  • CENTAF releases air power summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's air power summary. In Afghanistan May 2, Air Force F-15 Eagles successfully struck two caves near Asadabad with precision-guided JDAMs. Initial reports indicate secondary explosions were seen from the caves, used by enemy forces to store

  • Managing ‘million’ means mission might

    Some people just can’t seem to manage their back yards. But the small team of experts at the 56th Range Management Office here can’t afford not to, despite the fact that their back yard is 1.05 million acres of land known as the Barry M. Goldwater Range. This range supports more than 45,000 flying

  • Long hours the norm for deployed Globemaster crews

    It is contrary to what common sense dictates. A series of short C-17 Globemaster III flights demand intense aircrew energy and stamina. But longer sorties remain more physically manageable. “Either way you look at it, our C-17 crews put in long hours that place physical and mental demands on the

  • Airmen make history in Iraq

    Five Airmen have joined aviation pioneers Gen. Henry H. “Hap” Arnold, Gen. James H. "Jimmy" Doolittle and Brig. Gen. Charles “Chuck” Yeager in a select group -- all are recipients of the Clarence Mackay Trophy. To the five-person crew, the flight over northern Iraq that put them in the record books

  • Andrews radio operators assist crewmembers worldwide

    As an Air Force aircraft approaches Yokota Air Base, Japan, the pilot sets his radio to a specified frequency and says, “Main Sail, Main Sail” -- the call sign for any global radio station. Within seconds, the pilot hears, “This is the Yokota operator.” That operator is actually with the 789th

  • Air Force sergeants MIA from Vietnam War identified

    The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office, or DPMO, announced May 2 that the remains of two Airmen, missing in action from the Vietnam War, have been identified. They were crewmembers on a C-130 Hercules that was shot down in 1972.The Airmen are Tech. Sgt. Donald Hoskins of Madison,

  • Retreat reconnects couples before, after deployments

    On the banks of the Guadalupe River, a veterans group hosts a retreat that helps couples reconnect so they can better cope with life after deployments. Six couples attended the retreat hosted by the Military, Veteran and Family Assistance Foundation at the Heart of the Hills Camp here from April 20

  • Collaborative tools assist initiatives during JEFX '06

    The Air Force Command and Control Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center sponsored a new collaborative tool that was part of the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2006 here. The Integrated Battlespace Collaborative Communications tool, known as IBC2, was tested over the new Tactical

  • Air Force leaders highlight contribution to warfighters

    Participants in the Joint Civilian Orientation Course touring the U.S. Central Command area of operations April 29 learned about the mission the Air Force carries out in support of troops on the ground. Lt. Gen. Gary North, commander of U.S. Central Command Air Forces, described the magnitude of the

  • Air Force flight bring smiles to Iraqi children

    As they stepped into the large, gray military cargo plane, their eyes widened and their expressions were equal parts wonder and bewilderment. This was the first time many of the Iraqi children and their parents had ever flown in an airplane, and none had ever been in an aircraft as large as the Air

  • Air Force automates training records process

    Airmen in logistics career fields soon will have access to an online tool that takes an Airman's training records out of a desk drawer and makes them available through a desktop computer. The automated training records and management application, called "Training Business Area," or TBA, on the Air

  • ‘Paintbarn’ Airmen improve mission, preserve environment

    Airmen at the paintbarn here not only are working more efficiently, they also are doing their part to help preserve the environment. Thanks to a paint gun and equipment-cleaning system, the Airmen have reduced the amount of paint thinner contaminant waste they create by 99.991 percent. The base,

  • CENTAF releases air power summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's air power summary.Coalition aircraft flew 34 close-air-support missions May 1 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities, and operations to deter and disrupt

  • Guard, Reserve leaders testify before appropriations committee

    In recent testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee Subcommittee on Defense, representatives of the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve updated senators on the status of the forces. The panel questioned Lt. Gen. John A. Bradley, chief of Air Force Reserve and commander of the Air

  • Chief McKinley selected as 15th CMSAF

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley has named Chief Master Sgt. Rodney J. McKinley to serve as the 15th chief master sergeant of the Air Force. Chief McKinley will assume his new position July 1, following the June 30 retirement of Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Gerald R. Murray.

  • Aircraft maintenance accident investigation complete

    Air Mobility Command today released the results of its investigation into the Dec. 17, 2005, mishap involving an aircraft maintenance technician assigned to the 60th Air Mobility Wing at Travis Air Force Base, Calif. The Accident Investigation Board, convened by AMC, concluded the primary cause of

  • CENTAF releases combined airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary for April 28 to 30.April 30In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-52 Stratofortress provided close-air support to coalition troops in contact with enemy forces near Asadabad. The B-52 successfully expended precision-guided JDAMs against

  • Loadmasters use new parachute jettison device

    An emergency parachute jettison device was used for the first time during a Joint Forcible Entry Exercise here April 25. Loadmasters from Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., and Dyess AFB, Texas, participated in the exercise. Chief Master Sgt. Steven Pyszka and Master Sgt. Lee McDaniel, loadmaster

  • Air refueling squadron takes flight to fuel the fight

    Fighters are in the air 24 hours a day, providing constant support to ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Without midair refueling, that coverage would be lost. The 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron provides fuel to those thirsty fighters as they keep troops on the ground safe, said Lt.

  • Tyndall receives F-22 maintenance trainer

    An F-22A Raptor touched down at Tyndall April 19 on its final flight. The aircraft will now be the new ground instructional trainer, solely dedicated as the airframe for aircraft maintenance technical school students. "Previously, the 43rd Aircraft Maintenance Unit was required to provide an

  • SECAF discusses current, future personnel issues

    Ensuring the Air Force operates fiscally is akin to anyone budgeting and paying for household and living expenses. The costs involved must be balanced and paid in order to maintain a certain lifestyle. For the Air Force, some of the business costs reside in the targeted reduction of 40,000 full-time

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.Coalition aircraft flew 34 close-air-support missions April 27 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction activities, and operations to deter and disrupt

  • Air Force test team launches 'overhauled' Iraqi aircraft

    Airmen from several Air Force bases spent two months preparing, disassembling, rebuilding and testing an Iraqi Air Force Comp Air 7SLX, which had its first test flight here April 25.The aircraft is considered experimental, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. It is designed to be an

  • Reward of dangerous job is saving lives

    One might think explosive ordnance disposal troops are adrenalin junkies. But they are meticulous about their work and don’t take unnecessary risks. However, because they deal with explosives placed by the enemy, the risk is real. “We all know the consequences,” said Tech. Sgt. William Sistler, a

  • FAST Airmen fly thousands of miles to keep aircraft safe

    Gathering equipment and getting weapons from the armory in preparation for the day’s patrol is something security forces Airmen do every day. But for the members of the 332nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron’s fly-away security team, the patrol will take them to five airfields and cover almost

  • Exercise lets Airmen prepare for real thing

    Surface-to-air “threats” are frequent at Red Flag-Alaska 06-2, as aircrews try to slip past simulated, enemy ground fire during the exercise that began here April 24. The challenge helps aircrews practice their warfighting skills over the Pacific-Alaska Range. There are Airmen from some 20 Air Force

  • Program aims to eliminate threat to aircraft

    The team of four works to save lives, aircraft and money, usually behind the scenes. They are vital to the mission of this forward operating location serving Operation Enduring Freedom by running the Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard, or BASH, program. The 40th Air Expeditionary Group safety office

  • Munitions distribution involves detailed accuracy

    Not all of the Airmen assigned to the 23rd Maintenance Squadron’s munitions flight build bombs. “Having munitions issued to any customer, whether it is for the A-10 (Thunderbolt II) or C-130 (Hercules) aircraft, a special tactics troop or a cop, involves a significantly detailed process,” said

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary.In Iraq April 25, coalition forces killed 12 terrorists during a raid of a foreign terrorist safe house. Upon arrival at the target, coalition ground troops came under direct fire and called for an air strike to neutralize

  • C-130 Hercules support coalition operations

    The 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron here has been supporting Operation Mountain Lion since it began April 12. The squadron’s C-130 Hercules aircraft have delivered supplies such as food, water and ammunition for coalition combat operations. “Our crews helped position personnel and equipment to

  • Warfare flight works behind the scenes

    The hum of computer fans, the tapping of fingers on keyboards and the occasional ring of a telephone are all that are normally heard in this office. But don't let the quiet fool you -- the office staff is working to ensure that technological advances aren’t being used against the Air Force. The 8th

  • JEFX focuses on battle operations, communications

    The Theater Battle Operation Net-centric Environment and the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node -- known as TBONE and BACN -- are two of the initiatives being tested during the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2006. The combined air operations center, or CAOC, is the experiment’s

  • Air Force issues request for information on tanker recapitalization

    The Air Force has issued a request for information, or RFI, today for its tanker recapitalization program.The Tanker Systems Modernization Systems Squadron of Aeronautical Systems Center’s Mobility Systems Wing here sent out the RFI for publication in Federal Business Opportunities and will manage

  • Luke Airmen share environmental innovation

    A small group of Airmen here have spent the past several days sharing an Air Force environmental innovation and educating some leaders of tomorrow. These environmentally conscious Airmen are volunteers in the base’s environmental quality program. The innovation is a new environment-friendly

  • Tactical recon paying dividends with TARS

    A little-known capability here is paying big dividends for warfighters on the ground. Air National Guard F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 332nd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron are using the Theater Airborne Reconnaissance System, or TARS pod, to provide high-quality still imagery to ground commanders

  • Worn aircraft parts safer, more reliable after innovations

    Big business 21st century style comes with the obvious mandates of increased production, quality and efficiency. Now, that same mindset is being embraced by institutions that, while not having the typical bottom line for stockholders, have customers who demand top quality for their dollar just the

  • CENTAF releases airpower summary report

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary report.In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-52 Stratofortress and A-10 Thunderbolt IIs provided close-air support to coalition troops in contact with enemy forces near Asadabad during Operation Mountain Lion. The B-52 dropped

  • Center provides life-like situations for real-time training

    A civilian aircraft exploded over the skies of western Virginia, shot down by two F-16 Fighting Falcons flying nearby, while an unmanned aerial vehicle was blasted away as it buzzed up the Potomac River toward the nation’s capitol April 19.But no one was ever in any danger. That’s because the

  • CENTAF releases combined airpower summary report

    U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released the airpower summary report for April 22 through today.April 24Coalition aircraft flew 52 close-air-support missions April 23 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. These missions included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstruction

  • NCO awarded $10,000 for IDEA

    A good idea led to a good reward for an Airman from the 5th Maintenance Squadron here. Tech. Sgt. James Mazurek was awarded $10,000 from the Air Force Innovative Development through Employee Awareness program April 13. He submitted an idea to insert a warning paragraph to the technical orders for

  • Hot stuff: Firefighters test gear for Air Force

    Being a firefighter is arguably one of the most physically demanding jobs. For that reason, the Air Force is finding ways to make the job easier. Sixteen firefighters here are testing new protective gear that may increase comfort, mobility and mission effectiveness for more than 3,600 active-duty

  • Rough conditions take their toll on vehicles

    Vehicles -- everybody needs one, everybody wants one. But without proper upkeep, they break. That is where the mechanics with the 407th Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron’s vehicle maintenance flight come in. The flight’s 27 technicians and two supply Airmen maintain about 400 vehicles here.

  • F-22 CTF tests missile noise, vibration

    The F-22 Combined Test Force here achieved another first when an F-22A Raptor flew with an AIM-120D missile in its weapons bay to test the effect of noise and vibration on the missile.What was unique about the April 14 flight was that the weapon on board, the latest version of the AIM-120 Advanced