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  • 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,

  • AF Safety Center marks 20th anniversary

    This year the Air Force Safety Center commemorates the organization's 20th anniversary. Since its designation, the basic mission has remained the same: preserving lives and combat capability through mishap prevention.

  • US conducts B-52 bomber overflight in South Korea after nuke test

    A U.S. B-52 Stratofortress from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, conducted a low-level flight in the vicinity of Osan Air Base, South Korea, in response to a recent nuclear test by North Korea, according to a U.S. Pacific Command news release issued Jan. 9.

  • KC-135s surpass 100,000 combat hours

    The KC-135 Stratotanker fleet at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, flew more than 14,700 sorties in 2015 accumulating 103,419 combat hours in support of Operations Inherent Resolve and Freedom’s Sentinel.

  • Airman balances cycling with Air Guard mission

    With endurance cycling, nearly every part of the sport is tough; from the demands of distance and the quality of the competitors, to the changing natural elements on any given day. For Tech. Sgt. Dwayne Farr, those difficulties pale in comparison with splitting his time between the grind of bicycle

  • Yokota's pest control

    The role of entomology Airmen is far reaching; from performing disease vector surveillance to providing pest control services for insects and wildlife at Yokota Air Base, these Airmen utilize both preventative and immediate response maintenance practices to ensure that facilities remain pest free.

  • Deployed loadmasters fix problems ‘on the fly’

    A weasel is characterized by its tenacity, persistence and keen senses. It is an animal also known for its ability to react quickly in any given situation. An airlift squadron at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, shares these characteristics. Airmen of the 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron encompass

  • Dancing with a dragon: A pilot’s tale

    Gliding more than 13 miles above the Earth’s surface, the U-2S reconnaissance aircraft, also nicknamed Dragon Lady, flies unnoticed and silent to all but a select few. The U-2S is a single-seat, single-engine, high-altitude, reconnaissance, and surveillance aircraft capable of providing signals,

  • Maintainers keep KC-135s flying downrange

    The 340th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, maintains the largest KC-135 Stratotanker fleet in the world of more than 40 aircraft valued at roughly $2 billion.

  • Into thin air: Liquid oxygen keeps pilots flying

    As an aircraft reaches a higher altitude, the air pressure decreases, sometimes leaving aircrews little air to breathe. When this happens, pilots and crew members are able to utilize the liquid oxygen provided by Airmen from the 36th Maintenance Squadron, thus enabling them to complete the mission.

  • Top 10 most viewed AF stories of 2015

    The Air Force News Service has compiled a list of the top 10 stories on AF.mil for 2015. The stories were placed in order based on the number of views.

  • Luke F-35 team competes for first time in load crew competition

    A Luke Air Force Base F-35A Lightning II crew competed for the first time in a load crew competition Dec. 18, against legacy F-16 Fighting Falcon crews.Quarterly load crew competitions showcase the combat readiness and effectiveness of load crew teams to safely and properly arm an aircraft within

  • NATO Alliance Ground Surveillance aircraft arrives at Edwards

    NATO's first Alliance Ground Surveillance aircraft arrived at Edwards Air Force Base Dec. 19 completing its first flight. The test flight marked the start of six months of ground and airborne testing at Edwards AFB before the aircraft is sent to its new home in Sigonella, Italy.

  • CSAF awards Silver Stars to Vietnam vets

    A star pendant necklace bought in 1984 has been tucked away for 30 years since its purchase. The necklace was a gift to Sue Roberts from her husband, Eric Roberts II, as a thank you for her efforts toward getting the Distinguished Flying Cross awarded to him and Ronald Brodeur’s upgraded to a Silver

  • FAA announces small UAS registration rule

    The U.S. Department of Transportation's Federal Aviation Administration announced Dec. 14 a streamlined and user-friendly web-based aircraft registration process for owners of small unmanned aircraft systems.

  • AF introduces enlisted Global Hawk pilots

    Air Force officials announced a new initiative Dec. 17 to enhance the Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance mission by integrating enlisted remotely piloted aircraft pilots into the force.

  • McChord performs during Rainier War exercise

    In today's military, aircrews have to be trained and ready to handle any type of combat scenario, and recently, members of Joint Base Lewis-McChord and other bases participated in exercise Rainier War to help hone their skills.

  • Norwegian F-35 flies for first time under Norwegian command

    Maj. Morten Hanche, a Royal Norwegian Air Force F-35 Lightning II student pilot training with the 62nd Fighter Squadron, flew the first Norwegian F-35 sortie here Dec. 14. Hanche has been training at Luke Air Force Base under the instruction of American pilots for the past several months in order to

  • 2,500th C-130 lands at Moody

    Fifty-nine years after the first C-130 Hercules was delivered to the Air Force, the 2,500th Lockheed Martin Corp. manufactured C-130 joined the 71st Rescue Squadron's fleet and legacy here Dec. 11.

  • Storied career of a flight engineer

    Everyone waits for his approval before the plane takes off.He is Master Sgt. Curtis Stark, the 7th Expeditionary Airborne Command and Control Squadron superintendent. In nearly three decades of service, Stark has flown more than 400 combat missions in the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar

  • ACC charts path for remote aircrews, units

    Air Combat Command officials announced the results of their study into the remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) community in an attempt to normalize operations and ensure long-term mission success.

  • Comm Airmen keep OIR mission connected

    The demand for communication capabilities is on the rise at Incirlik Air Base with the addition of aircraft and service members in support of Operation Inherent Resolve missions. The 39th Communications Squadron is hard at work meeting those demands, keeping the lines of communication open and

  • Aircraft with a cold shoulder

    While the roads and parking lots on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, have snow plows clearing the way, global ground-support aircraft deicers clear aircraft for the skies.

  • Airman achieves lifelong dream of becoming pro bodybuilder

    The technical sergeant stood on the 2015 National Physique Committee National Bodybuilding Championships stage, Nov. 21, in Miami, Florida, in front of thousands of people. The blazing spotlights were on him as the announcer read off the winners -- the moment when his dream came true.

  • AMC C-17 facilitates airdrop for Missile Defense Agency test

    Over the summer, the Air Force Test Center sent a C-17 Globemaster III with air and maintenance crews from Edwards Air Force Base to Hawaii, but it was no vacation. The crews worked 24-hour shifts for several months to support a Missile Defense Agency test of the Ballistic Missile Defense System

  • AF twins receive French Legion of Honor for WWII service

    Seventy-one years after their World War II service in the Army Air Forces, identical twin brothers -- retired Air Force Reserve Majs. Raymond "Glenn" Clanin and Russell "Lynn" Clanin -- received the French government's highest distinction, the Legion of Honor medal.

  • PACAF Airmen show C-17 medical capability to Indian defense minister

    Pacific Air Forces Airmen showcased aeromedical evacuation capabilities of the C-17 Globemaster III as they hosted Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar and Arun K. Singh, the Indian ambassador to the U.S. on Dec. 7, as a part of a U.S. Pacific Command visit designed to enhance the U.S.-Indian

  • Remembering Pearl Harbor: A ‘body blow’ to America

    When the first bombs exploded on a nearby airfield, marking the start of the Japanese sneak attack on the morning of Dec. 7, 1941, Edward Davis and others scrambled from a chow hall. The 94-year-old Army veteran said he and other Soldiers were having breakfast at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, when

  • Keeping the C-5 fleet in check

    The 436th Maintenance Squadron Isochronal Maintenance Dock helps keep the largest aircraft in the Air Force inventory, the C-5 Galaxy, in the air to deliver cargo, combat equipment and humanitarian relief supplies to anywhere in the world whenever called upon.

  • Allies in a new era

    Two captains stationed at Kadena Air Base, Japan, discovered that their military roots go deeper than they had anticipated. Both Airmen are descendants of sailors who fought in the Battle of Midway in World War II, although fighting on opposite sides.

  • Moody deploys first HC-130Js

    The 71st Rescue Squadron deployed two HC-130J Combat King II aircraft for the first time Nov. 27. The HC-130Js, which deployed with more than 60 aircrew, support and maintenance personnel, bring a new set of capabilities to the airspace in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.

  • Yesterday's Air Force: Reverse Lend-Lease

    The logistics of war are complicated and having the right aircraft at the right place and time is a key to victory. At the beginning of U.S. involvement in World War II the Reverse Lend-Lease program set the U.S. up for success.

  • Atlas V booster lands at Vandenberg

    One of the world’s largest cargo aircraft recently delivered an Atlas V booster to Vandenberg Air Force Base. The Antonov AN-124 made its way from a production facility in Decatur, Alabama, to deliver the booster Nov. 20.

  • James discusses priorities with Stuttgart-area Airmen

    Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James met with senior leaders and Airmen during a visit to U.S. Africa Command Nov. 18. The visit to AFRICOM was the culmination of a weeklong trip where James made stops in Morocco, Egypt and Djibouti, among other locations.

  • How we quit smokin'

    Major components of the Childers Filtration System include sets of filters, air hoses to and from the filter sets and oil drain tubing which send collected oil to a catch bottle, at Dover Air Force Base, Deleware. The CFS was created by a team led by retired Master Sgt. Michael Childers, the former

  • Upgraded E-3 Sentry deploys to combat theater

    The first E-3G Sentry (AWACS) arrived in Southwest Asia Nov. 18, marking the deployment of the most comprehensive modification to the weapon system in its 38-year history. The Block 40/45 improved communications, computer processing power, threat tracking and other capabilities.

  • SecAF makes first visit to Djibouti

    Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James met with Airmen and senior leaders stationed at Camp Lemonnier and the U.S. Embassy, as well as senior members from the Djiboutian military, during her first visit to the country Nov. 12.

  • Cadet research project designed to improve flight training

    Cadet researchers at the U.S. Air Force Academy are using the latest technology to improve pilot training. It's a seat. But it's not just any seat. It's a dynamic motion seat, a replica of a pilot seat with electric components that allow it to function like an actual crew seat and imitate the

  • Eglin crew chiefs advance with F-35

    As the Air Force continues to develop their newest fighter jet, the F-35 Lightning II, the 33rd Fighter Wing ensures the Airmen tasked with taking care of it receive the training they need to advance with it.

  • Veterans in Blue: honoring those who served

    The Air Force maintains a special portrait display in the Pentagon as part of its commitment to honoring the devotion and service of veterans. Volume VI will replace volume V of the Veterans in Blue project this November.

  • Obama: U.S., allies will redouble efforts in wake of ISIL attacks

    The G-20 meeting in Antalya, Turkey, that ended Nov. 16 was supposed to address the economy. But the Nov. 13 terrorist attack on Paris changed that agenda, and President Barack Obama pledged to redouble efforts against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

  • Yokota enhances capabilities through exercise

    Members of the 374th Airlift Wing participated in exercise Vigilant Ace 16 from Nov. 1-10, in conjunction with a Samurai Readiness Inspection at Yokota Air Base. Vigilant Ace is a large-scale exercise on the Korean Peninsula designed to enhance the interoperability of U.S. and allied forces through

  • F-15Es arrive at Inclirlik Air Base

    Six F-15E Strike Eagles arrived at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, Nov. 12 in a demonstration of the United States' unwavering support to peace and stability in the region.

  • ACC commander attends DWG breakfast

    Air Combat Command commander, Gen. Herbert Carlisle, hosted reporters from the Defense Writer’s Group during a breakfast at the Fairmont Washington Hotel in Washington, D.C., Nov. 10.