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  • F-35 to touch down at air shows around the world

    Aviation and F-35A Lightning II fanatics have something special to look forward to this 2016 air show season. The Lightning II qualified March 6 at the Heritage Flight Conference at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, to take part in the Air Combat Command Air Force Heritage Flight program.

  • Army Rangers exercise close air support with F-35s

    Although the Air Force separated from the Army in 1947, the two forces have a long history of working together to dominate the sky and ground in combat. This tradition continues today with the 3rd Ranger Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment's recent visit to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, to conduct

  • Biden, wife visit troops in Southwest Asia

    Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Dr. Jill Biden, met with more than 1,000 service members assigned to the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing and their coalition partners from five nations March 7 at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia.

  • AF senior leaders brief State of the Air Force

    Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III discussed the State of the Air Force during a press conference at the Pentagon March 7.

  • Raven B: Securing the perimeter from above

    Small, hand-held, unmanned, light weight and remotely operated drones describe one of the ways technology is used to ensure the safety of deployed personnel. The 379th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron secures the base perimeter with help from the Raven B Digital Data Link drone at Al Udeid Air

  • Providing critical support to the AOR

    A team of nearly 40 Airmen at Al Udeid Air Base loads and off-loads thousands of pounds of cargo into aircraft almost daily. The Airmen assigned to the 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron’s Ramp Services section are responsible for loading and unloading a wide variety of cargo including

  • Air Force next-generation bomber naming contest begins

    At the Air Force Association’s Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Florida, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James announced the newest bomber addition to the Air Force’s long history of aircraft, the B-21. Now it’s up to you to name it.

  • James, Welsh testify before Congress

    The Air Force’s top two senior leaders testified before the House Appropriations Committee on Defense March 2 and the Senate Armed Services Committee March 3. They attested to the critical need of readiness. With less than half of the Air Force’s combat forces prepared for a high-end fight, the

  • Chièvres AB: Separated, self-sufficient

    Chièvres Air Base is home to the 424th Air Base Squadron, a group of Airmen nestled in the heart of the Belgian countryside to provide airfield operations support for the Supreme Allied Commander Europe and Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), NATO transient aircraft and distinguished

  • Proficiency is key when accessing Alaska’s remote locations

    From the northernmost to the southernmost point, Alaska measures 1,420 miles -- the distance from Denver to Mexico City. Alaska has more than 600,000 square miles of land, and some locations are inaccessible, except by air. C-12F Huron pilots assigned to the 517th Airlift Squadron provide air

  • F-15 maintainers keep exercise going in Portugal

    The 493rd Aircraft Maintenance Unit is playing a major role to keep their F-15C and D Eagles flying high during exercise Real Thaw, a Portuguese-led, large joint and combined forces exercise that trains participating forces on a vast range of battlefield mission sets.

  • Becoming a boom

    From an early age, Airman 1st Class Shelby Bowling, a 350th Air Refueling Squadron boom operator, had an idea of what she wanted to do when she grew up. It wasn't until midway through her time in college that life provided her an opportunity to take a chance.

  • Keeping the C-17 in the fight

    The 8th Expeditionary Air Mobility Squadron maintenance team at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, helps keep the base’s C-17 Globemaster III fleet mission ready by performing regular maintenance on each aircraft. The unit provides the only tier two C-17 maintenance capability in the U.S. Central Command

  • High voltage Airmen keep power going at Eielson

    Driving through the mountains in the beautiful, sunshine of summer; braving the harsh, cold winters; and ensuring the light-filled airfield is always lit is something Senior Airman Travis Bothast and Airman 1st Class Anthony Cooper know all too well as electrical systems Airmen.

  • Hill's F-35s drop first weapons

    Airmen from the 388th and 419th fighter wings dropped laser-guided bombs at the Utah Test and Training Range the week of Feb. 25, marking the first time an F-35 Lightning II combat unit has deployed weapons from the F-35A.

  • State of AF: Modernizing for next offset strategy

    Budget plans are poised to keep the Air Force atop of its game, with a new bomber and advanced technology to help Airmen execute a future offset strategy, the head of the service announced at the Air Force Association’s Air Warfare Symposium Feb. 26.

  • Airpower leaders stress stronger role for Airmen in future ops

    Gen. Hawk Carlisle, the commander of the Air Combat Command, and Gen. Robin Rand, the commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command, kicked off the Air Force Association’s 32nd annual Air Warfare Symposium Feb. 25 in Orlando, Florida, with a presentation on global precision strike, a group of

  • Air Force reveals B-21 Long Range Strike Bomber

    Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James revealed the first rendering of the Long Range Strike Bomber, designated the B-21, at the Air Force Association’s Air Warfare Symposium Feb. 26 in Orlando, Fla., and announced the Air Force will be taking suggestions from Airmen to help decide the name of the

  • AF discusses game-changing technologies during defense innovation hearing

    The Air Force’s pursuit of game-changing technologies and the need to attract and retain talented science, technology, engineering, and mathematics professionals were at the center of discussions during a hearing on defense innovation before the House Armed Services Committee’s subcommittee on

  • First Partner Nation Silver Flag concludes at Andersen AFB

    After spending more than a week sharing civil engineering techniques, 54 engineers from the U.S. Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force, Republic of Singapore Air Force, South Korean air force and Japan Air Self-Defense Force concluded the Partner Nation Silver Flag exercise Feb. 19 at Andersen Air

  • Welsh presents AF update at AFA

    Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Mark A. Welsh III outlined Air Force operations from 2015, the service’s plan for 2016, and what is to come in the future at the Air Force Association’s Air Warfare Symposium Feb. 25.

  • Buddy Wing 16-2 takes flight over Osan skies

    The 51st Fighter Wing hosted Buddy Wing 16-2 at Osan Air Base Feb. 22-25, showcasing Airmen from the 25th Fighter Squadron and Aircraft Maintenance Unit. South Korean air force pilots and maintainers from the 237th FS at Wonju Air Base, traveled to Osan AB in a continued effort to support the

  • 54 selected for Undergraduate Flying Training program

    Fifty-three company grade officers and one major have been selected for the Air Force's Undergraduate Flying Training program. The UFT annual selection board convened in January to consider active-duty candidates for the program. Those selected will attend pilot, remotely piloted aircraft, combat

  • Kadena launches Pacific region's first MC-130J five-ship formation flight

    Instead of the usual howl of jet engines, members of Kadena Air Base heard the growl of 120 turboprop blades chopping the air as the 17th Special Operations Squadron’s MC-130J Commando IIs dominated the airfield scene Feb. 17. Within an hour of standing by at stations, the aircraft took to the skies

  • AF rapid response unit enhances their skills during Patriot Sands

    Members from the 315th Airlift Wing’s Airlift Control Flight (ALCF) took part in Patriot Sands, a training exercise that kicked off Feb. 17 at Hunter Army Airfield. The exercise incorporated the resources of several ALCF units, as well as affiliate agencies such as the FBI’s Rapid Response Team and

  • Pacific partners practice humanitarian assistance during Cope North

    Military members from six nations joined together for a humanitarian assistance and disaster relief deployment throughout the region of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Feb. 14-18. The deployment is part of Cope North 16, a multilateral exercise, including the U.S. Air Force and air

  • Mildenhall KC-135s support French operation

    Three KC-135 Stratotankers, along with 50 Airmen from the 100th Air Refueling Wing at Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, temporarily deployed to Istres-Le Tubé Air Base, France, in support of Operation Juniper Micron.

  • Painting squadron pride

    When it comes to taking care of the F-16 Fighting Falcons at Holloman Air Force Base, aircraft structural maintenance technicians have a major responsibility. As corrosion experts, they strip and re-paint F-16 tails -- replacing Luke AFB's "LF" with Holloman's "HO."

  • Structural maintainers provide backbone of RPAs

    When people have a blemish, they see a dermatologist; when they have a physiological problem, they see an orthopedist. For the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper, aircraft structural maintainers fill both the aesthetic and structural maintenance roles to keep remotely piloted aircraft in check.

  • Al Udeid shop operates most productive AF wheel, tire repair facility

    The 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron operates the only wheel and tire repair facility in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility and the most productive facility in the Air Force. In the past year, the squadron’s wheel and tire maintenance team produced 3,000 serviceable tires, more

  • Air Force senior leaders share lessons learned from Desert Storm

    During recent visits to Howard University and the University of Maryland, two Air Force senior leaders shared memories and lessons learned from Operation Desert Storm with more than 160 Washington, D.C., area Air Force ROTC cadets as part of the Air Force’s focus on the 25th anniversary of the

  • KC-135 crew saves F-16 pilot from ejecting over enemy lines

    A KC-135 Stratotanker crew from McConnell Air Force Base saved an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot from ejecting over Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant-held territory in 2015, which could have resulted in the Airman's captivity or death.

  • Tuskegee Airmen share life lessons

    Three members of the famed Tuskegee Airmen visited with Airmen at the Pentagon during a meet and greet hosted by Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James Feb. 16. Retired Col. Charles McGee and former Cadets William Fauntroy Jr. and Walter Robinson Sr. shared stories and insights about their lives as

  • It’s a bird, it’s a plane … it’s a drone

    Due to popularity and past holiday sales, the amount of drones has soared. The Federal Aviation Administration estimated more than one million drones were sold during the year-end holiday season. With that many new drones added to existing numbers, federal, state and local officials are concerned

  • GAO denies protest, Air Force proceeds with LRS-B

    The Government Accountability Office denied The Boeing Company’s protest of the Long Range Strike Bomber contract award following a comprehensive review of the source selection process. The Air Force was confident that the source selection team followed a deliberate, disciplined and impartial

  • 33rd FW hosts first F-35A load competition

    The 33rd Fighter Wing held its first weapons load competition with the F-35A Lightning II at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, Feb. 5 to find the best weapons load crew in the 33rd Maintenance Group.

  • Out of the shadows: ACMS Airmen provide missing link

    Preparing to support remotely piloted aircraft operations is no easy task. Still, Airmen assigned to the 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing recently spent time showing leadership exactly what it takes to provide RPA intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support at any time.

  • Avionics flight ensures aircraft equipment mission ready

    Avionics specialists with the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, manage an $83 million electronic warfare pod fleet and provide critical support to ensure aircraft stay mission ready.

  • AF remembers pioneer of DOD transportation

    Retired Gen. Duane F. Cassidy, the first "dual-hatted" commander of both U.S. Transportation Command and Military Airlift Command, passed away Feb. 8 at the age of 82.

  • First simulated F-35A deployment conducted at Mountain Home AFB

    A much anticipated and important test mission for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program is underway with the "deployment" of six operational test and evaluation F-35s and more than 85 Airmen from the 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron, who arrived Feb. 8-9.

  • SecAF, CSAF testify on FY 2017 AF posture

    Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III testified before the Senate Appropriations Committee on the fiscal year 2017 Air Force posture on Capitol Hill Feb. 10.

  • MacDill Airmen watch over DOD aircraft in foreign nations

    A single error on an airport approach procedure can put the lives of pilots, crew members and their passengers in danger. To protect Defense Department aircraft, specialized teams of air traffic controllers personally ensure they land safely when flying abroad.

  • Attachés use C-12 to support humanitarian efforts in Maldives

    Members of the Bangkok Defense Attaché Office recently completed a humanitarian mission to the Maldives. Working with DAO Colombo, the Colombo U.S. Embassy political office and the Special Operations Command-Pacific, the Bangkok DAO delivered medical supplies and books to some of the more remote

  • AF presents fiscal year 2017 budget

    The Air Force presented its fiscal year 2017 president's budget request Feb. 9 following the Defense Department and sister services’ budget briefings. The Air Force requested a top-line budget of $120.4 billion in Air Force-controlled funding that continues to take care of people, strike the right

  • KC-135 integral to F-16 training in Greece

    The first time the Air Force attempted to refuel an aircraft in flight, aircrews successfully stayed aloft for 151 hours. That was over 85 years ago, and the Air Force today has made quite a few innovations since then.

  • Biking brings hope to wounded, recovering veterans

    Members from Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, volunteered as part of the Ride 2 Recovery (R2R) program and brought more than 20 wounded and recovering veterans together for the Vegas Challenge Feb. 1-3 in Blue Diamond, Nevada.

  • AGE mechanics provide vital mission support

    The 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron’s Aerospace Ground Equipment Flight at Al Udeid Air Base is the largest AGE flight in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. The section also provides ground equipment maintenance support to six bases across the CENTCOM AOR, which consists of 20

  • Super Bowl air coverage provided by Air Force

    The skies above Levi's Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers, in Santa Clara, California, will be a well-protected fortress, defended by one of the most feared weapon systems in the Defense Department's inventory. F-15 Eagles, from the California Air National Guard, have been training in the

  • Carter talks budget, readiness with Nellis community

    Defense Secretary Ash Carter visited Nellis Air Force Base Feb. 4, during the last leg of his defense budget installation visits. After meeting with service members at the California-based Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Carter spoke to Nellis Airmen to

  • Luke pilot flies 500th hour in F-35

    A 61st Fighter Squadron pilot made history Feb. 2 as the first Luke Air Force Base pilot to achieve 500 flight hours in an F-35 Lightning II. Lt. Col. Matthew Hayden, also the 56th Fighter Wing chief of safety, achieved this milestone flying his 270th sortie, a routine training mission.

  • Airfield management keeps flights on time

    Takeoff, refuel, land, repeat. When a KC-135 Stratotanker takes off to refuel the mission, its crew relies on a secure airfield to complete its duty in a safe and timely manner. A secure airfield would not be possible without the work of the Airmen in airfield management.

  • Success through total force integration at Red Flag 16-1

    It’s a given that no aircraft leaves the ground unless it is working properly. But that maintenance challenge has been multiplied here during the three-week Red Flag 16-1 exercise. With almost 80 aircraft taking off twice daily during Red Flag, hundreds of aircraft maintainers assigned to flying

  • Predator crashes in southern Turkey

    An Air Force MQ-1B Predator remotely piloted aircraft crashed in an unpopulated area in southern Turkey at approximately 1:40 a.m. local time, Feb. 3.

  • Comms program hits 100,000 hours of warfighter connectivity

    The Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) program reached 100,000 combat flight hours Jan. 30. The system, which provides coalition interoperability among air, space and surface systems by forwarding and translating voice and data across disparate networks, began operating in theater in

  • AF Selective Re-enlistment Bonus program list triples

    Air Force officials released details on the fiscal year 2016 Selective Re-enlistment Bonus program Feb. 1. This year’s program, consisting of 117 Air Force specialties eligible to receive bonuses, is a substantial increase from the previous year’s program where 40 Air Force specialty codes were

  • Maintainers put the fight in fighter at Souda Bay

    More than 15 F-16 Fighter Falcons assigned to the 480th Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, are on a forward training deployment at Souda Bay, Greece, for bilateral training with the Hellenic Air Force until Feb. 15.

  • Yokota Airmen help prepare Sailors for refuels

    Airmen fuelers from the 374th Logistics Readiness Squadron provided essential training on the R-11 refueling trucks to Sailors from Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan, at Yokota Air Base Jan. 25-29. The training allowed members to prepare to support Navy aircraft at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam,

  • AF awards contract for next Air Force One

    The Boeing Company was awarded a contract Jan. 29 for risk reduction activities for the Presidential Aircraft Recapitalization program, which will field the next Air Force One.

  • Buddy Wing showcases South Korea, US alliance

    U.S. Airmen from the 36th Fighter Squadron and Aircraft Maintenance Unit traveled to Seosan Air Base, South Korea, to participate in exercise Buddy Wing with South Korean air force personnel from the 121st Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Wing, from Jan. 25-29.

  • Airmen work in concert to execute rapid global mobility

    Airmen like Staff Sgt. Justin Worcester, a KC-135 Stratotanker crew chief, defend their country by making sure the U.S. can quickly move people and equipment around the world at a moment's notice. This is executing rapid global mobility, Air Mobility Command's top priority.

  • Astronaut rescue exercise proves Airmen ready to support space mission

    It's not common an astronaut must be rescued out of rough open waters after descending home to Earth in a crewed capsule; but when those space race-era days of human space flight return, a small Air Force detachment knows they will be ready. The 45th Operations Group’s Detachment 3 joined NASA's

  • Offutt gives students a chance at mechanics

    Students studying airframe and power plant disciplines at Iowa Western Community College have a unique opportunity to intern with the 55th Maintenance Squadron at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, after the squadron cut roughly 300 military slots and replaced them with approximately 150 civilian

  • Airman helps search for Vietnam War remains

    When Tech. Sgt. Robin Bailon enlisted in Air Force in 2000, she didn't expect her career to place her in Vietnam, serving as a life science investigator. But Bailon, an aircrew flight equipment specialist by trade, had the opportunity to venture far outside the scope of her traditional duties,

  • F-35 fires first AIM-9X missile

    An F-35 fighter jet from the 461st Flight Test Squadron launched an AIM-9X missile for the first time over the Pacific Sea Test Range Jan. 12.

  • Operation Desert Storm changed the Air Force through innovation

    Lt. Gen. John Raymond, the Air Force deputy chief of staff for operations, addressed the Air Force Association on innovations that took place during Operation Desert Storm at the first AFA breakfast of the year Jan. 20 at the Key Bridge Marriott in Arlington, Virginia.

  • B-52 veteran recalls close call on Desert Storm mission

    “Pilot, we have a lock-on,” the B-52 Stratofortress electronic warfare officer called out in surprise. Capt. Jim Bowles, a B-52 instructor pilot, gritted his teeth, looked downward and sure enough, an SA-6 surface-to-air missile had been launched in his direction.

  • CE Airmen help keep Yokota operational

    From keeping the flightline mission ready to maintaining the roads and sidewalks, the behind scenes work done by a small group of Airmen known as the “Dirt Boys” keeps Yokota Air Base's mission going.

  • A look back at Desert Storm, 25 years later

    Twenty-five years ago, the Air Force participated in Operation Desert Storm, the largest air campaign since the conflict in Southeast Asia. The campaign’s purpose was to drive the Iraqi military out of Kuwait, release the country from Saddam Hussein’s invasion and reestablish its sovereignty.

  • SecAF speaks at CSIS for Smart Women, Smart Power series

    Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James spoke at the Center for Strategic and International Studies as part of its Smart Women, Smart Power series Jan. 14. SWSP launched in December 2014 and convenes top-level women leaders to discuss critical and timely issues in their respective fields, reflect on

  • Desert Storm: 2nd Bomb Wing leads the air war

    In the early morning of Jan. 16, 1991, the 2nd Bomb Wing deployed seven B-52G Stratofortresses and crews to Iraq in a single, secret mission that would mark the beginning of Operation Desert Storm.

  • Yesterday’s Air Force: Robin Olds

    Robin Olds was one of the Air Forces' most iconic fighter pilots. Olds is rated as a triple ace, having shot down a total of 17 enemy aircraft during World War II and the Vietnam War.

  • Remembering Desert Storm: Where we are today in the Total Force Continuum

    A quarter of a century ago this week marked the opening salvo in Operation Desert Storm. The operation was an American shock and awe campaign to evict Saddam Hussein from Kuwait and displayed airpower that the world had not seen since Operation Linebacker II over Vietnam. I was honored to be part of

  • Shipping blood, saving lives

    The Blood Transshipment Center (BTC) at Al Udeid Air Base provides blood to more than 30 forward operating locations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. In 2015, the center shipped nearly 23,000 units of blood to nine countries, including Iraq and Afghanistan. The blood was used in

  • B-1B Lancer sets rotational records before leaving downrange

    A B-1B Lancer that achieved rotational milestones is scheduled to leave Al Udeid Air Base soon for a six-month hiatus for aircraft modifications stateside. The B-1 has been under the operational support of the 379th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron,and has set records during the

  • Avionics technicians provide brains behind brawn

    Air Force avionics technicians provide the brains behind the brawn that keeps the F-15 Eagle flying. Despite its size, nearly 64 feet from nose to tail and almost 43 feet from wingtip to wingtip, the F-15 is a highly maneuverable mechanical monster in the air. Avionics technicians help ensure these

  • Test team aims at new machine gun for Pave Hawk

    Arriving in the rain, an HH-60G Pave Hawk landed Jan. 5 at Edwards Air Force Base to begin testing the ballistic dispersion of a GAU-21 .50-caliber machine gun. The Pave Hawk will be at Edwards AFB until Jan. 22 where the 412th Test Wing and 418th Flight Test Squadron are providing the facilities,