HomeNews

NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • 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

  • Controllers keep aircraft moving

    Air traffic controllers here manage the base's runway that never rests, averaging 5,100 takeoffs and landings a month, or approximately 200 each day. Members of the 379th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron are responsible for anything within the base's air space, which extends out in a 5-mile

  • May 26 airpower summary: Strike Eagles strike enemy positions

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 26, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, an Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II conducted strafing runs

  • Air Force officials test new constant-pressure fuel system

    Air Force officials officially began to test a 50-50 mixture of synthetic and JP-8 fuels in a Type 3 constant-pressure fuel hydrant system here May 18. Fuel tankers, including five trucks with 100 percent synthetic fuel and three with the 50-50 blend, arrived at the base May 17 to unload 113,000

  • 'Ironman' visits Edwards

    About 60 members of Edwards Air Force Base Scenes supported the upcoming "Ironman II" movie as extras in the film and technical advisers May 11 through 13 here. Parts of the first "Ironman" as well as other movies and television shows have also filmed at Edwards AFB in the past. "Edwards has a long

  • Air National Guard wing reaches milestone of 600 lives saved

    Air National Guardsmen from the 129th Rescue Wing based here rescued two Afghan National Army soldiers in the Oruzgan Province of Afghanistan May 15, raising the number of lives saved by the unit from 599 to 601. Two HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters were scrambled to recover the Afghan soldiers who were

  • May 24 airpower summary: A-10s outgun enemy forces

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 24, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, an extended battle took place near Oruzgan which began

  • Last Utah ANG KC-135E Stratotanker retires

    The last KC-135 "E" model Stratotanker assigned to the Utah Air National Guard's 151st Air Refueling Wing flew its final flight May 21. Aircraft tail number 57-1510 was flown approximately 15 miles from the Air Guard base in Salt Lake City to nearby Hill Air Force Base where it was officially

  • May 25 airpower summary: C-17s provide intra-theater airlift

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 25, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, a Royal Air Force GR-9 Harrier along with Navy F/A-18F

  • May 23 airpower summary: F-15Es prevent enemy confrontation

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations May 23, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, Navy F/A-18F Super Hornets conducted strafing runs against

  • May 22 airpower summary: MQ-1Bs engage enemy targets

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations May 22, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, the battle in Lashkar Gah concluded after additional

  • May 21 airpower summary: B-1Bs attack anti-Afghan forces

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations May 21, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, the battle in Lashkar Gah, which started May 18,

  • Personnel chief discusses military personnel budget

    Airmen are the focal point for winning today's fight and efforts relating to recruiting, developing and retaining a high-quality and diverse fighting force need to reflect that, the service's top manpower and personnel officer said on Capitol Hill May 20. Lt. Gen. Richard Y. Newton III, deputy chief

  • Stain-resistant boot research under way

    The Air Force Uniform Office, here, continues its research to find a stain-resistant utility boot that retains the low maintenance of the current sage green boot and is composed of material that will not stain nor absorb workplace chemicals. A request for information, or RFI, was posted on

  • Senate confirms next Air Force surgeon general

    The Senate has confirmed Maj. Gen. (Dr.) Charles Bruce Green to become the Air Force's 20th surgeon general. General Green is currently the Air Force's deputy surgeon general, a position he has held since August 2006. He will replace Lt. Gen. (Dr.) James G. Roudebush, who is retiring. General Green

  • Air Force officials mull 9th Air Force, AFCENT separation

    As Air Force leaders continue to balance mission requirements and available resources, they are proposing a separation between the stateside numbered air force and its warfighting component to the U.S. Central Command. Currently, a three-star general commands both 9th Air Force at Shaw Air Force

  • Emergency aid reaches Pakistan refugees

    A third C-17 Globemaster III aircraft landed here May 22 bringing emergency aid promised by the Department of Defense to the people of Pakistan who have evacuated the war-torn Swat Valley. During the past 24 hours, three such aircraft delivered relief supplies here, part of $10 million in supplies

  • May 20 airpower summary: A-10s provide overwatch

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 20, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, a battle in Lashkar Gah which began May 18 continued. 

  • T-38 crash claims life of Edwards' pilot

    An Air Force test pilot student died May 21 when his jet trainer crashed north of Edwards Air Force Base. Captain Mark P. Graziano, 30, died when the T-38A Talon he was piloting crashed about nine miles north of the base here, near California City, Calif. Captain Graziano was assigned to the U.S.

  • T-38 crashes north of Edwards

    An Air Force T-38 Talon crashed at 1:15 p.m. May 21, about nine miles north of Edwards Air Force Base. The Edwards aircraft was on a flight-test training mission at the time of the accident. Two crewmembers were on board; their condition is unknown at this time. A board of officers will investigate

  • North Dakota floods tested Air Force EPLOs

    When Col. Stacy Collins became an Air Force emergency preparedness liaison officer last November, she couldn't have predicted that in less than five months, she'd be assisting in one of the worst natural disasters to hit North Dakota in years: the flooding of several rivers including the Red and

  • Four charged with terror plot against Air Guard base, Jewish facilities

    Less than a month after the sentencing of five defendants found guilty in a terror plot to kill soldiers at Fort Dix, N.J., authorities say they have foiled another terrorist plot against an Air National Guard base and a synagogue and Jewish community center in New York. The FBI and New York police

  • May 19 airpower summary: Reapers engage anti-Afghan forces

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 19, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, numerous Air Force and coalition aircraft engaged

  • Keesler officials open gates to military bloggers

    Airmen in the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron here hosted the Air Force's first ever orientation flight for military bloggers May 19. The flight, which took place aboard one of the Reserve unit's WC-130J Hercules, was designed to give the bloggers a taste of what it's like to fly on a military

  • Airmen airlift aid to Pakistan's war-torn Swat Valley

    In response to specific requests for support from the government of Pakistan, the Department of Defense has arranged for the delivery of humanitarian assistance to aid the estimated 1.7 million Pakistanis displaced by current military operations against extremists in the country's northwestern

  • May 18 airpower summary: C-130s provide intra-theater airlift

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 18, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs and an F-15E Strike Eagle

  • AF officials announce Combat Air Forces restructure plan

    Following the May 7 roll-out of the fiscal year 2010 budget proposal for the Department of Defense, Air Force officials announced plans to retire legacy fighters to fund a smaller and more capable force and redistribute people for higher priority missions. The Combat Air Forces restructuring plan

  • Huge crowd turns out for Night at the Air Force Museum

    More than 10,000 visitors came face-to-face with aviation history May 15 during a Night at the Air Force Museum at the National Museum of the United States Air Force here. The sizeable crowd had the opportunity to look into the cockpits of aircraft such as the B-24D Liberator and SR-71A Blackbird

  • Airmen support Soldiers by putting bombs on targets

    On a battlefield they plan, request and direct air strikes against enemy targets in close proximity to friendly forces, namely the army units on the frontlines who may need close-air support in the blink of an eye. "I get a lot of satisfaction knowing I am supporting my Army counterparts," said

  • Combat controller receives two Bronze Stars with valor

    A combat controller, who is now charged with helping fill the special tactics ranks, was presented with two Bronze Stars with valor during a ceremony held recently at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas. Master Sgt. Ken Huhman, a special tactics recruiter in San Antonio, received the medals for his

  • May 17 airpower summary: F-15Es support coalition forces

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 17, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, an Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II carried out strafing

  • 'Today's Air Force' features the new CMSAF

    This edition of "Today's Air Force" highlights the next chief master sergeant of the Air Force, unmanned aircraft systems operated from Creech Air Force Base, Nev., the dangers of supplements and an F-16 Fighting Falcon that passed 7,000 hours of flight time. The 16th chief master sergeant of the

  • Pacific Command strategy centers on partnership, readiness, presence

    The three major tenets of the U.S. Pacific Command strategy -- partnership, readiness and presence -- are having a powerful impact in bringing together the joint, interagency and international capabilities required to promote regional stability, the command's top officer told American Forces Press

  • May 14 airpower summary: F-16s provide armed reconnaissance

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 14, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles conducted strafing runs

  • May 15 airpower summary: KC-135 tankers fueled 174 sorties

    Coalition airpower integrated with Coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan in the following operations May 15, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, a B-1B Lancer Bomber struck anti-Afghan forces'

  • May 16 airpower summary: Lancer turns back enemy forces

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 16, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, a firefight near Morghab prompted Air Force F-15E Strike

  • Air Force leaders chart way forward for service

    The Air Force has made tough choices and some prudent trade-offs to balance the service across the spectrum of capabilities needed for the future, Air Force leaders said.Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley and Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz discussed the service's efforts to balance

  • CSAF reflects on importance of PACAF

    The chief of staff of the Air Force wrapped up a week-long, four-base tour of Pacific Air Forces here May 13 on his first visit to the region since becoming the nation's top-ranking uniformed Airman last August. Gen. Norton Schwartz said the United States has a vested interest in the Asia-Pacific

  • Predator crashes in eastern Afghanistan

    An Air Force MQ-1 Predator unmanned aircraft crashed May 14 in eastern Afghanistan. The crash was not due to hostile fire. The aircraft is a medium-altitude, long-endurance, remotely piloted aircraft. The Predator's primary mission is conducting armed reconnaissance. A board of Air Force officials

  • Sheppard T-38 veers off runway

    A Sheppard Air Force Base T-38 Talon veered off the runway during takeoff at about 2:10 p.m. CDT May 14 here. The crew of two experienced minor injuries and are receiving treatment. The T-38, assigned to the 80th Flying Training Wing, is a twin-engine, high-altitude, supersonic jet trainer.The

  • Ramstein Airmen support NASA shuttle launch

    Ramstein Air Base Airmen teamed up with New York Air National Guard members to support NASA's launch of Space Shuttle Atlantis in May here. Members of the 37th Airlift Squadron, 1st Combat Communications Squadron and the Guard's 101st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron loaded rescue cargo into two C-130

  • Airman spots aircraft fuel leak at 35,000 feet

    Most of us hear stories of Airmen saving lives in combat, but an Airman who saves the lives of more than 300 passengers is definitely a story worth hearing. A fuel leak on a civilian aircraft caught the attention of Staff Sgt. Bartek Bachleda, 909th Air Refueling Squadron boom operator, during a

  • Airmen take heed for those in need

    Ten Airmen from Manas Air Base visited the Umut-Nadjeshda Children's Rehabilitation Center in Bishkek May 9 to help fix the center for more than 60 local children. The off-duty Airmen painted playground equipment, installed a new stove and to make other improvements to the center for the youths aged

  • Exercise to test aerospace response over Washington

    The North American Aerospace Defense Command will conduct an exercise over the nation's capital and its suburbs May 15, Defense Department officials said May 13. Exercise Falcon Virgo tests the aerospace defense of the national capital area. F-16 Fighting Falcon jets, Coast Guard Dolphin choppers

  • May 13 airpower summary: A-10 strikes enemy positions

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations May 13, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II conducted strafing runs

  • U.S. pilots train Finns in aerial refueling operations

    A group of Airmen with the 100th Air Refueling Wing traveled to Tampere, Finland, May 2 to participate in a week-long exercise with Navy  and Finnish Air Force F-18 Hornet pilots.The Airmen helped teach the Finnish pilots how to refuel in-air from a KC-135 Stratotanker.The exercise marks the first

  • U.S. Air Force to deploy Raptors to Japan, Guam

    The Air Force is deploying two contingents of F-22A Raptors to the Pacific theater this month for approximately 120 days. Current plans call for 12 of the fighters to deploy to Kadena Air Base, Japan, from the 94th Fighter Squadron at Langley Air Force Base, Va., and another 12 to deploy to Andersen

  • Korean War ace passes away

    As an Air Force pilot, Col. Harold E. Fischer Jr. achieved the designation of ace during the Korean conflict and was a high-profile prisoner of war. Colonel Fischer died April 30 in Las Vegas, Nev. He was 83. Originally from Iowa, he joined the Navy after graduating from high school in 1944. He

  • Test center officials link mobility to 'boots on the ground'

    In the Southern Arizona desert, three C-130 Hercules aircraft recently rumbled over the saguaros and airdropped training bundles to a waiting combat controller. The historic drop was conducted digitally with a tactical data link known as the Situational Awareness Data Link, or SADL. It was the first

  • Airmen deliver 30,000 H1N1 prevention kits to Haiti and Central America

    An Air Mobility Command C-17 Globemaster III and its crew, operating in conjunction with U.S. Southern Command efforts, delivered 30,000 H1N1 influenza prevention kits to Haiti and five Central American countries May 8 to 10, according to AMC officials. The H1N1 flu virus, first detected in April,

  • May 12 airpower summary: B-1B strikes enemy facility

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

  • May 11 airpower summary: C-17s provide heavy airlift

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 11, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, a flight of Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs carried out

  • USAF, ROKAF put Max Thunder into full swing

    U.S. and Republic of Korea Air Force personnel began the second 7th Air Force-designed Max Thunder bilateral air training exercise here May 7. The training opportunity aims to test aircrews' warfighting skills in realistic combat situations that combine both ROKAF and USAF flying and maintenance

  • B-1B makes impact throughout Southwest Asia

    Before late 2008, the B-1B Lancer was known primarily as a bomber, but since then the aircraft was modified to include the Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod now provides nontraditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to ground forces. "Before the B-1B was equipped with the sniper pod, we

  • May 10 airpower summary: Airlift brings supplies to troops

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

  • May 9 airpower summary: A-10s thwart enemy activity

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan during operations May 9, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs responded to an anti-Afghan

  • May 8 airpower summary: A-10s provide overwatch

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 8, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt IIs conducted strikes on

  • Idea earns maintainer big money

    A simple suggestion earned one Misawa maintainer $10,000 and saved the Air Force thousands more. Staff Sgt. Jerome Latham, an engine craftsman with the 35th Maintenance Squadron, suggested a technical order change to the Innovative Development through Employee Awareness, or IDEA, program. His idea

  • Air Force unmanned aircraft featured on '60 Minutes'

    CBS correspondent Lara Logan hosted a 60 Minutes segment May 10 on the Air Force's unmanned aircraft systems and featured the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper. During the piece she interviewed Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz and Col. Chris Chambliss, commander of the 432d Wing and 432d

  • Aircrews, maintainers gear up for wildfire season

    Reserve and Air National Guard Airmen earned their certifications on the Military Airborne Firefighting System during training May 3 through 9 here. C-130 Hercules aircrews flew MAFFS training missions from the Tucson International Airport from sun up to sundown to finalize their annual

  • May 7 airpower summary: F-15Es cover friendly units

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 7, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here.In Afghanistan, an Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II conducted a show of

  • Manas hosts symposium for medical partners

    A gathering of medical minds met here recently for a coalition medical symposium sponsored by the 376th Expeditionary Medical Group. Guests attending the symposium included personnel from the Spanish coalition medical staff, U.S. Embassy medical unit, Peace Corps medical staff and the Bishkek

  • Airmen, Soldiers make first jump from Ramstein C-130J

    As the ramp let down at 3,000 feet and the sunlight slipped into the cargo bay of a new C-130J Super Hercules, Air Force and Army paratroopers stood ready to execute the first jump from Ramstein Air Base's newest aircraft. As Ramstein transitions from the older C-130E Hercules, some 35 Airmen and

  • Officials test commercial fuel to replace JP-8 fuel

    In an ongoing analysis of alternatives to reduce aviation fuel costs, the Air Force Petroleum Agency here has launched an initiative to use commercial jet fuel in place of military standard JP-8 fuel. The Air Force annually uses about 2.5 billion gallons of fuel, resulting in the service's second

  • May 6 airpower summary: Reaper targets IED emplacers

    Coalition airpower integrated with coalition ground forces in Iraq and International Security Assistance Force troops in Afghanistan during operations May 6, according to Combined Air and Space Operations Center officials here. In Afghanistan, an F-15E Strike Eagle used guided bomb unit-38s to

  • Officials release Kandahar C-17 accident investigation report

    Air Mobility Command officials here May 8 released the results of its investigation into the Dec. 3, 2008, mishap involving a C-17 Globemaster III at Kandahar Air Base, Afghanistan. Following an uneventful flight from Germany to Kandahar AB, the mishap aircraft entered its final parking spot and the

  • Air Force officials release C-17 accident investigation report

    Air Mobility Command here May 7 released the results of its investigation into the Jan. 30 mishap involving a C-17 Globemaster III that landed with retracted gear at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. The Accident Investigation Board, convened by AMC officials, concluded the primary cause of the mishap

  • Predator crashes in eastern Afghanistan

    An Air Force MQ-1 Predator unmanned Aircraft crashed in eastern Afghanistan May 8 in the early afternoon hours. The crash was not due to hostile fire, and there were no injuries or damage to property as a result of the crash. The aircraft is a medium-altitude, long-endurance, remotely piloted

  • Reserve, Air Guard maintain aerial firefighting certification

    Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard crews and aerial firefighters are participating in a week-long annual certification hosted by the U.S. Forest Service to be qualified and prepared to fight forest fires at a moment's notice. About 40 military air crews and aerial firefighters are

  • Nellis to stand up new aircraft maintenance squadron

    Air Force Reserve Command officials will activate a new aircraft maintenance squadron in a May 15 ceremony here. The 926th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, part of the 926th Group, supports the Air Force Warfare Center at Nellis Air Force Base. Under the Total Force Integration initiative, the Air

  • Air Force fiscal 2010 budget reflects rebalanced priorities

    Air Force officials here May 7 announced that its portion of the president's fiscal 2010 budget reflects a balanced strategy to prevail in today's joint fight and sustain air, space and cyberspace dominance. The two overarching principles guiding next year's budget are rebalancing the Air Force's

  • Better-equipped National Guard still faces critical shortages

    Equipment critical to both domestic and warfighting missions and aircraft essential to guarding the nation's air sovereignty remain areas of concern for the National Guard. That was the message Lt. Gen. Harry M. Wyatt III, director of the Air National Guard, and Army Maj. Gen. Raymond W. Carpenter,

  • May 5 airpower summary: A-10s unleash lethal firepower

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

  • Levitow's pilot lands at Peterson for leadership visit

    "I don't need to tell you about character, if you didn't have it, you wouldn't be here," retired Maj. Kenneth Carpenter said to approximately 200 Airmen who gathered in the base auditorium April 28 to support his Year of Leadership program visit here. During his hour-long chat with the audience,

  • Nellis Airmen locate missing aircraft

    An HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue crew from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., found the wreckage an overdue aircraft in the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range May 1.The missing aircraft was the subject of the large-scale search by state officials and Civil Air Patrol members, but there were no survivors from the