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  • Coalition forces, Kirkuk officials partner to care for bombing victims

    The bright pink soccer ball was clearly out of place on the flightline here June 22; however, it was in just the right place to begin the healing process for a 9-year-old girl atop a stretcher being carried on board a Turkish air force C-130 to be aeromedically evacuated to Ankara, Turkey. She was

  • ESC officials award contract to meet urgent need

    Electronic Systems Center officials here awarded a contract June 24 to Northrop Grumman Corp. to field and deploy an airborne communications system that provides real-time battlefield information to warfighters. The center awarded the $276 million, 18-month contract to incorporate the Battlefield

  • Holloman Airmen honor fallen Soldier

    More than 300 Holloman Air Force Base members turned out June 11 to pay their respects to an Alamogordo resident and Army Soldier who paid the ultimate sacrifice earlier this month in Iraq. Army Spc. Christopher M. Kurth was killed in a grenade attack June 4 near Kirkuk, Iraq. He was stationed at

  • Pilot dies in F-16 accident

    Hill Air Force Base officials confirmed an F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot was killed at about 10:25 p.m. June 22 after the aircraft crashed on the Utah Test and Training Range about 35 miles south of Wendover, Utah. The pilot, Capt. George Bryan Houghton, 28, from the 388th Fighter Wing here, graduated

  • Airmen calibrate for mission success

    Airmen who work in the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory here play a vital role for warfighters as the calibrate and test equipment critical to mission accomplishmentThey service equipment from approximately 320 units in the area of responsibility

  • Airmen, aircraft on display at Paris Air Show

    Airmen stood alongside aviation industry members and an international mix of civilian and military pilots to parade a host of aircraft, reconnaissance platforms and weapon systems at this year's centenary Paris Air Show here June 18. Le Bourget airfield, located 10 miles north of Paris, drew nearly

  • Air National Guard members visit Polish air base

    Members of the 182nd Airlift Wing arrived at the 33rd Air Base here as part of the Illinois Air National Guard's role in the State Partnership Program. The visit is part of a continual endeavor by National Guard Units and European military forces to facilitate information exchange and

  • June 23 airpower summary: HH-60Gs support medical evacuations

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations June 23, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an F-15E Strike Eagle conducted a strike using a guided

  • Military unites with Hollywood on 'Transformers'

    "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" hits theaters nationwide June 24 as the culmination of more than a year of Defense Department support, ranging from script and uniform notes to C-17 Globemaster III aerial maneuvers and jumps from the Army's Golden Knights parachute demonstration team. The first

  • Kirkuk self-help project protects airfield assets, saves money

    Members from every 506th Air Expeditionary Group unit joined forces for a self-help project here to improve airfield security here in June. Security forces members, medics, civil engineers, air-freight controllers, air-traffic controllers and communications technicians united to fulfill one of the

  • Elite team provides security for airlift assets

    An elite team of hand-picked security forces Airmen here are tasked with providing security for airlift assets that travel into unsecure locations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. The 379th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron fly-away security team travels with airlift assets

  • Command, control relationships critical to close-air-support mission

    Air Force offensive aerial units operating within the Central Command area of responsibility are focused on one primary task: close-air support. "It is my opinion that close-air support is the most effective fire support asset in Afghanistan right now, and I haven't heard any different from the

  • June 22 airpower summary: KC-135s keep coalition aircraft in the fight

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations June 22, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, a Royal Air Force MQ-9 Reaper conducted a Hellfire

  • A-10 'assembly-line' maintenance concept a model of efficiency

    A-10 maintenance personnel from the 124th Wing are in the early stages of a new "assembly line" maintenance concept that may serve as a model for how Air Force aircraft maintenance is performed in the future. Dubbed the Consolidated Install Program, this program began June 1 and is projected to save

  • Ground equipment Airmen show benefits of AFSO 21

    In March 2006 when former Secretary of the Air Force Michael W. Wynne called for a new way to evaluate how the Air Force operates, called Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, or AFSO 21, he encouraged the elimination of unnecessary steps in any work process. He suggested Air Force people

  • C-17 crew uses combat offload to deliver materials to warzone

    A C-17 Globemaster III crew from the 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron used a combat offload procedure here June 20 to deliver materials that will be used to help defend the local population. Due to the austere location of the forward operating base, the personnel stationed here did not have the

  • Test cell upgrades capability, reliability

    Another piece of the digital age arrived June 14 at the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Squadron engine-test cell here as the operational test of a C-130 Hercules engine with a new 21D model engine-test cell brought the unit up to par with home station capabilities. The new digital model brought

  • Student flies last T-37 training mission

    A familiar noise was missing from the 80th Flying Training Wing's aircraft parking ramp at about 2:30 p.m. June 17, one that has been prevalent in the Air Force's pilot training mission for 50 years -- the high-pitched screech of the T-37B Tweet. The final student training mission began at 1 p.m.,

  • Air defense exercise to test NORTHCOM response

    Months of planning and preparations are being tested as Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors participate in Exercise Amalgam Dart '09, a major U.S. Northern Command air defense exercise here June 18 through 20. The exercise is one of several North American Aerospace Defense Command and USNORTHCOM exercises

  • June 18 airpower summary: C-17s help sustain ops in theater

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations June 18, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an F-15E Strike Eagle executed strikes near

  • Advanced tactical laser aircraft fires high-power laser in flight

    Members of the 413th Flight Test Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla., and contractor Boeing recently successfully fired the high-power laser aboard the Advanced Tactical Laser aircraft for the first time in flight. The combined effort between Boeing and the 413th was instrumental to the "first light" of

  • June 17 airpower summary: F-15Es deter anti-Afghan forces massing attack

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations June 17, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, B-1B Lancers conducted strikes over Tarin Kowt,

  • Air Force officials host first regional air chiefs conference

    Military and civilian leaders from Canada, Mexico and the United States attended the first North American Regional Air Chiefs Conference here June 8 to 12. It was hosted by officials of 1st Air Force (Air Forces Northern). The attendees participated in a variety of mission briefings and interactive

  • AFSO 21 alive and well for Charleston maintainers

    Officials in the 437th Maintenance Group here continue to find ways to streamline processes under Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, or AFSO 21. They strive to bring the work to the mechanics instead of the mechanics to the work. "AFSO 21 instills a warrior spirit with a business

  • Reservists help get wheelchairs to needy Iraqi children

    After a brief stop in America's Heartland, an Air Force Reserve C-130 Hercules aircrew from here took another step in a long journey for a special load of cargo headed for Iraq. On June 11, reservists from the 302nd Airlift Wing flew to Sioux City, Iowa, where they received four pallets of

  • June 15 airpower summary: F-15, A-10 execute multiple strafing runs

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations June 15, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. Two Navy F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft supported ground operations as

  • June 16 airpower summary: B-1B provides show of force

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations June 16, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, a Royal Air Force GR-9 Harrier and a coalition aircraft

  • Exercise Northern Edge 2009 kicks into high gear

    Exercise Northern Edge 2009 officially kicked off June 15 at various locations throughout Alaska. Participants from all branches of the military are training together in order to hone their tactics, techniques and procedures associated with defensive counter-air, close-air support, air interdiction

  • AFRCC coordinates search and rescue for injured hiker

    The Air Force Rescue Coordination Center here helped coordinate search and rescue operations with local and state agencies to save an injured hiker in the mountains near Wenatchee, Wash., June 15. A group of hikers witnessed a man fall nearly 1,000 feet down Mt. Stuart, the second highest

  • Coalition's Iraq withdrawal plans on track, officials say

    The withdrawal of American troops from Iraq cities is on track, Iraqi and coalition officials said this week. Iraqi security forces are set to assume responsibility for the areas, Iraqi spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh said at a June 15 news conference. "The step of withdrawal of American forces from the

  • F-16 pilot receives Kolligian safety award

    One of the most coveted Air Force safety awards was presented by Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz to an Air National Guard pilot during a ceremony here June 16. The award recipient, Lt. Col. Booth M. Johnston, received the Koren Kolligian Jr. Trophy for an October 2007 incident in which

  • Anticipation is backbone of homeland defense, commander says

    Anticipation is the key to readiness, the chief of the combatant command responsible for the military role in homeland defense said June 16. Gen. Victor E. Renuart Jr., commander of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, said that when he took over the reins more than

  • Enhanced Global Hawk to roll out June 25

    Air Force and Northrop Grumman officials will roll out the first Block 40 RQ-4 Global Hawk June 25 at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif. The Block 40 carries the Multi-platform Radar Technology Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) enhanced sensor suite. The Air Force plans to purchase 15 of the Block 40

  • Texas students get taste of Air Force science, engineering

    Air Force Personnel Center officials here hope to whet the appetites of young science, math and engineering students, so they might later seek "blue chip" career paths, hopefully Air Force blue. Toward this end, AFPC's science and engineering career field management team have partnered with the

  • Iraqi air force builds ISR foundation with help from Airmen

    The Iraqi air force is taking shape under the watchful guidance and support of Airmen. A team of air advisors from the Coalition Air Force Training Team, part of Multinational Security Transition Command - Iraq, has introduced current intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance technology to the

  • Altus AFSO21 initiative improves C-17 inspection process

    The Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century program office teamed up with the 97th Maintenance Directorate improving the way Altus performs home station checks on C-17 Globemaster IIIs. The team performed a study on maintenance operations and quickly found room for improvement following the

  • June 14 airpower summary: A-10s provide convoy security

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations June 14, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-1B Lancer and a coalition aircraft

  • Super Car documentary debuts on airforce.com

    The making of the Air Force's newest national mobile marketing assets, the X-1 and Vapor, can now be seen in a 22-minute documentary featured on airforce.com. The documentary captures a team of Airmen chosen to work with a crew at Galpin Auto Sports to customize a white Ford Mustang (X-1) and a

  • American hospital in Afghanistan holds health fair

    The Staff Sgt. Heathe N. Craig Joint Theater Hospital here opened its doors June 13 to highlight a number of services available to servicemembers in the regional command east area of operations. In an event that involved weeks of planning, the hospital staff came together to construct unique

  • Airmen take over C-21 maintenance mission

    For the first time in the history of the U.S. Central Command, the C-21s, the military version of the Learjet 35A, are being maintained by Airmen rather than contractors. The 119th Aircraft Maintenance Unit stood up May 30 after 25 Airmen deployed here for 60 days from the North Dakota Air National

  • Afghan officer earns pilot wings

    The first Afghan officer to train in the United States in nearly 50 years earned his pilot wings in a ceremony today at Columbus Air Force Base. Lt. Faiz Mohammed Ramaki was presented his pilot wings by Col. Roger Watkins, 14th Flying Training Wing commander, after completing the Aviation Leadership

  • Airmen execute Project Liberty

    Eighteen months ago officials created a plan to bolster the Air Force's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission by adding a new platform to the ISR inventory. Now the Airmen assigned to the 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron Detachment 1 here at Camp Liberty, Iraq, are charged

  • Weapons school instructors validate first UAS, Raptor courses

    U.S. Air Force Weapons School instructors completed the school's first unmanned aircraft systems and F-22 Raptor validation course June 13. Consisting of 17 squadrons, the weapons school teaches graduate-level instructor courses that provide the world's most advanced training in weapons and tactics

  • SECAF visits Paris to honor memorial and support air show

    The Secretary of the Air Force, Michael Donley, accompanied a congressional delegation of six senators that arrived in Paris June 13 to partake in a wreath laying ceremony at the Memorial de l'Escadrille Lafayette, in Marnes-la-Coquette. The members of the congressional delegation, who were also on

  • June 13 airpower summary: F-15E targets enemy spotter

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations June 13, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an F-15E Strike Eagle dropped a guided bomb

  • June 12 airpower summary: Predator targets enemy

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations June 12, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, a B-1B Lancer conducted a strike against an

  • June 11 airpower summary: F-15Es respond to enemy attack

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations June 11, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, F-15E Strike Eagles dropped guided bomb

  • June 10 airpower summary: C-17s move outsized loads

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations June 10, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle and B-1B Lancer

  • Pararescuemen demonstrate special jump capabilities

    Pararescuemen from the 58th Rescue Squadron stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., demonstrated the rigged alternate method zodiac, or RAMZ, capabilities in the Caribbean June 9 for members of the Belize National Coast Guard and local media. Before the team jumped out of a C-130J Hercules into

  • AFRCC coordinates SAR for downed N.M. helicopter

    Controllers from the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center here helped local and state agencies search for a missing helicopter in the mountains near Santa Fe, N.M., late Tuesday night. The New Mexico State Police contacted AFRCC to ask for federal assistance in finding the helicopter and its three

  • Maintainers keep F-22s ready in Guam

    To support F-22 Raptors deployed here as part of U.S. Pacific Command's Theater Security Packages, a team of maintenance personnel are working behind the scenes to ensure that each flying mission is a success. The team of 150 Airmen from the 525th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Unit at Elmendorf

  • MC-12 flies first combat mission

    The Air Force's newest intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance aircraft flew its first combat sortie June 10 over Iraq.The MC-12 Liberty, assigned to the 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, arrived in Iraq June 8 and took off from Joint Base Balad at approximately 2:30 p.m. local time

  • MC-12 joins the fight in Iraq

    The Air Force's new MC-12 Liberty aircraft, a manned special-mission turboprop aircraft designed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to support coalition and joint ground forces, arrived June 8 to Joint Base Balad. Following the MC-12's arrival, the 362nd Expeditionary Reconnaissance

  • June 9 airpower summary: Reaper targets anti-Afghan forces

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations June 9, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an A-10 Thunderbolt II conducted strafing attacks

  • Wing surpasses combat hour milestone

    The 455th Air Expeditionary Wing surpassed a milestone after two fighter squadrons deployed here accumulated more than 5,000 combat flight hours in a single month. Aircrews flying A-10 Thunderbolt IIs from the 74th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and F-15E Strike Eagles from the 336th EFS

  • June 8 airpower aummary: B-1 targets IED factory

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations June 8, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force B-1B Lancer, a Navy F/A-18F Super

  • Report points to irregularities in Farah air strike incident

    The investigation into a May 4 close-air-support incident in Afghanistan's Farah province that caused civilian casualties has pointed to some deviations from established tactics, techniques and procedures, but those involved showed extraordinary care in the incident, the Pentagon's press secretary

  • 'AOR Week in Photos' highlights deployed Airmen in Southwest Asia

    A new product is highlighting Air Force equipment, weapons systems and Airmen deployed to Southwest Asia. "AOR Week in Photos" features photos of Airmen deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan and other bases in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility. Created weekly by the staff of the Combined Air

  • CORONA yields personnel decisions, mission requirements

    Air Force senior leaders addressed numerous strategic and personnel issues, from manpower re-alignment to uniform changes to nuclear enterprise initiatives, when they met here for CORONA TOP June 4 through 6. "This is a forum where we need to address everything from fundamental strategic issues to

  • Research officials study energy harvesting for future unmanned aircraft

    The University of Washington's Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative project team is working on airborne solar cells that are dye-sensitized solar cells and expected to power Air Force unmanned aircraft in the future because they are an optimum energy harvesting source that may lead to

  • Mobility Airmen, aircraft begin moving Strykers into Afghanistan

    Members of Air Mobility Command's hub for global airlift, air refueling and aeromedical evacuation here are "all in" with its commitment to support joint worldwide operations, kicking off efforts this week to airlift more than 300 Stryker vehicles to military forces in Afghanistan. The term Stryker

  • Air Force flight surgeons hand over training mission to Iraqis

    As U.S. forces withdraw over the next year, Iraqi air force members have begun the process of taking over the new missions and responsibilities including the aeromedical training of flight medical technicians here. The four-week training course is now taught by Iraqi flight medics with coalition

  • June 4 airpower summary: Predator takes out enemy shooters

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations June 4, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, a Royal Air Force GR-9 Harrier carried out a Paveway

  • June 5 airpower summary

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations June 5, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, a Royal Air Force GR-9 Harrier and a coalition aircraft

  • Airmen test emergency response at Joint Base Balad

    Airmen in the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing here participated in a major accident response exercise June 5 at Joint Base Balad. "A MARE is an opportunity for the 332nd AEW disaster response force to conduct response actions, evaluate emergency response plans, solidify tactics, techniques and

  • Mildenhall tanker crew deploys to Sweden for exercise support

    Air and ground crews from U.S. Air Forces in Europe joined military units from 10 other nations June 8 for Exercise Loyal Arrow 2009, a 10-day exercise hosted by the Swedish air force's Norrbotten Wing here. A team of 15 Airmen from the 100th Air Refueling Wing from Royal Air Force Mildenhall,

  • June 6 airpower summary: F-15Es strike enemy cave complex

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan durng operations June 6, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, a Navy F/A-18C Hornet conducted strafes against an

  • Thunderbirds honor local school teacher with Hometown Hero flight

    A flight suit, G-suit, harness and helmet: not the usual daily outfit Megan Funk wears to work. As a second grade teacher at Majestic Elementary School in Ogden, Utah, she is used to working in normal business clothes. However, June 4 was not a normal day for the Ogden native as she was about to

  • Misawa Airmen complete reconstitution, gear up for exercise

    Since returning from a deployment to Iraq, Airmen of the 14th Fighter Squadron here spent the last three months executing a training plan to get all the pilots current and proficient in their home station mission. The training plan to build proficiency, also known as reconstitution, will culminate

  • FEMA says National Guard essential to hurricane response

    The National Guard is essential to hurricane response, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency told lawmakers here June 5. And the National Guard and U.S. Northern Command stand ready to support civil authorities in the 2009 hurricane season, added NORTHCOM's director of operations, Army

  • Air mobility maintains the fight in Afghanistan

    Being in a fight is easy; it is having the ability to stay in the fight until you win that is the hard part. This is especially true in the new type of war being fought by the coalition forces in Afghanistan where the enemy's strategy is to outlast the resolve and sustainment capability of U.S. and

  • Barksdale bombers arrive at Andersen

    Approximately 300 Airmen from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., deployed here May 30 as part of the rotational bomber deployment here to maintain stability and security in the Western Pacific. Three Barksdale AFB B-52 Stratofortress arrived here May 30 after a 17-hour flight to support the Pacific

  • June 3 airpower summary: A-10s hunt snipers

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations June 3, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, a flight of Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs hunted enemy

  • Swedish airmen reflect on Raven training

    Two Swedish airmen working to build up a cooperative between their country and the U.S. Air Force Expeditionary Center's Phoenix Raven Training Course, recently reflected on attending the Raven instruction April 14 to May 1.Lieutenants Fredrile Gartborn and Fredrik Andersson, both Swedish air force

  • June 2 airpower summary: KC-135s provide fuel support

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations June 2, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, an Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II strafed enemy forces in

  • Law enforcement officials capture Airman on the run for 8 months

    An Airman who escaped Air Force custody in September 2008 after being charged with possession of child pornography and sentenced to three years of confinement in July 2008 was apprehended by law enforcement officials June 3 at approximately 8 p.m. in Ipswich, England. Airman Basic Jeremy Parrott was

  • Air Forces Southern officials commit to 'summer of engagement'

    Active-duty, Air Guard and Reserve Airmen from across the Air Force are set to begin a host of missions with the Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern) team in South and Central America during the summer months of 2009. The surge in theater security cooperation missions in the U.S. Southern Command

  • Photo Essay: Shuttle transitions through bases

    Space Shuttle Atlantis riding atop a NASA-modified Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft taxies after landing June 2 at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. Columbus AFB was the shuttle's final stop for fuel before finishing its journey to Kennedy Space Center, Fla. View the shuttle slideshow

  • General cites importance of airpower for Afghanistan

    The Afghan National Army Air Corps is a vital and rapidly growing component of Afghanistan's security forces and is building airpower to deny terrorists a safe haven in Afghanistan, a U.S. Air Force general here said. Afghanistan's vast and forbidding terrain, the threat posed by roadside bombs and

  • Quick recognition, action saves C-130 aircrew, Soldiers

    A C-130 Hercules crew rapidly and correctly analyzed a developing situation, applied emergency procedures and recovered an aircraft, its passengers and crew without incident after encountering unforeseen wind shear May 20 in Southwest Asia. The 737th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron C-130 and its

  • Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft makes first flight

    Members of the Air Force Research Laboratory and Lockheed Martin's famed 'Skunk Works' launched a new era of aircraft manufacturing technology and performance with the successful initial demonstration flight of the Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft June 2 at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif.

  • Gates visits Elmendorf, addresses servicemembers

    The secretary of Defense held a town hall meeting and visited military members June 1 at Elmendorf Air Force Base. Some of the topics Secretary Robert M. Gates spoke about deployment increases and return dates, Air Force cutbacks, future replacement aircraft and weapon upgrades. "What I'm here for,

  • Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors to conduct air defense exercise

    An Oregon National Guard base will host nearly 200 Soldiers and Airmen, and a U.S. Navy destroyer will patrol coastal waters while participating in a major U.S. Northern Command air defense exercise in mid-June. Exercise Amalgam Dart '09 will take place at Camp Rilea and nearby Warrenton, Ore., June

  • Air Force jobs, people on display during Air Force Week Salt Lake City

    Pioneer Park here has been transformed into an Air Force "playground" during Air Force Week Salt Lake City. The park is the site for the "Our Nation's Defenders Showcase," an event that highlights Air Force specialties, skills and people through exhibits, interactive games and various

  • World War II vets visit former home

    A group of veterans, college students and faculty members were joined by members of the 100th Air Refueling Wing to honor the heroes of World War II, particularly those who participated in the allied invasion of Normandy on D-Day June 1 at Thorpe Abbots, England. The airfield at Thorpe Abbots was

  • May 31 airpower summary: C-130s deliver for warfighters

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 31, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, several Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs were called in

  • June 1 airpower summary: C-17s support coalition forces

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations June 1, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, a Navy F/A-18C Hornet strafed an enemy compound in

  • Tuskegee Airman passes away

    An original Tuskegee Airman passed away May 26 in Cleveland.Retired Sgt. James F. Travis Sr. served in the Army Air Corps from 1943 to 1946 and became an aerial engineer, gunner and crew chief attached to the 477th Bombardment Group during World War II.Trained at Tuskegee, Ala., he flew in P-47 and

  • Whiteman Airmen prepare to redeploy back home

    Airmen here are preparing to redeploy to Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., after completing more than 120 flights, or sorties, in three and a half months while supporting the continuous bomber presence here. "We have been here as part of the continuous bomber presence in support of Pacific Command's

  • May 28 airpower summary: F-15E Strike Eagles destroy enemy cave complex

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 28, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, F-15E Strike Eagles and

  • May 29 airpower summary: F-16 provides show of force

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 29, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II conducted a strafing

  • May 30 airpower summary: A-10 destroys weapons cache

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 30, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs flying a

  • AFSO 21 makes processes smarter, faster, cheaper

    Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century, more commonly referred to as AFSO 21, is the Air Force's version of Lean Six Sigma. Lean Six Sigma is a civilian business strategy which is designed around the idea of making a product or procedure "smarter, faster and cheaper."For many corporations

  • AFSOUTH set to begin Operation Southern Partner in Caribbean

    More than 60 Airmen from across the Air Force are preparing to board a C-130J Hercules on May 30 to participate in the second iteration of "Operation Southern Partner" in seven Caribbean and Latin American nations. The Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern)-led event is aimed at providing

  • Gates downplays rhetoric on North Korea

    As the plane flying him to a security conference in Singapore travels into a storm of regional unrest stirred up by this week's North Korean nuclear tests, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates May 29 downplayed the swirling rhetoric and said he sees no need to adjust U.S. military forces levels in the

  • May 27 airpower summary: Reaper takes out RPG team

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 27, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, an Air Force MQ-9A Reaper carried out a guided bomb

  • Air Force team conducts air-assault training from Army helos

    Airmen from the 532nd Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron jumped in and out of helicopters from the Army C Company, 1-137th Aviation Regiment during air-assault training here May 23. "The purpose of air-assault training is to add another option of infiltrating a targeted area," said Master Sgt.

  • ESC officials complete milestone for advanced radar system

    Equipping warfighters with the technology to detect moving targets in combat gained momentum when Electronic Systems Center officials here, in concert with prime contractors and other organizations, recently completed a key flight milestone for the Multiplatform Radar Technology Insertion Program.

  • Defense officials identify Air Force casualties

    The Department of Defense officials announced May 27 the death of two Airmen who were supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. They died May 26 near Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, of wounds sustained from an improvised explosive device. Killed was Lt. Col. Mark E. Stratton II, 39, of Houston, who was