NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • FTX trains Airmen for deployed environment

    While at Quantico, the 633rd SFS members, known as defenders, sharpened their skills while conducting day and night reconnaissance operations, establishing a forward operating base, and clearing villages to acquire a specific target.

  • Record-setting first sortie for wing's newest F-35A

    Aircraft tail number 5261 left Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth, Texas, production facility a little after 8 a.m. Aug. 1, landed at Hill Air Force Base at 10 a.m., and by 3 p.m. had taken off on its first combat training mission.

  • Speed wins: MacDill AFB contracting awards 100k in swift fashion

    With the success of its first Pitch Day, MacDill AFB showcased how partnerships with local businesses are an integral part of advancing innovation to improve warfighting capabilities. Even further, Pitch Day was a testament to the base’s efforts to open their doors even more to small businesses in

  • Air Force brings defense planning into 21st century through modern software

    For much of the defense community, the ease and functionality of modern technology is not translated to military planning systems. While cumbersome acquisitions processes, funding issues and security concerns are often valid causes, many Department of Defense processes (and any software associated

  • Simulators prepare Airmen for real-world scenarios

    “They blink, they breathe,” said Raymond Jernigan, 633rd MDG simulator operator. “Even the baby simulators have motion. They cry. I can program it to talk. They can be programmed to have physiological responses – I’ll set the vital signs.”

  • 509th MXS propulsion flight Airmen boost readiness to 18-year high

    The 509th Maintenance Squadron Propulsion Flight has achieved the highest engine readiness rate across the active-duty Air Force. 40 jet engine mechanics operate out of a repair center on base, ensuring the readiness of Whiteman Air Force Base’s 44 billion dollar fleet of B-2 Spirits.

  • JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst hosts first-ever base-level Pitch Day event

    The two-month process, which started in April, began when the 87th Contracting Squadron published problem statements from the 87th Air Base Wing, 305th Air Mobility Wing, 621st Contingency Response Wing and Expeditionary Operations School, requesting innovative solutions from small businesses to

  • Airman owns mistake, recovers from Article 15, becomes shining example

    Airman 1st Class Mary Kapuscinski, 7th Operations Support Squadron meteorologist, was recently recognized for an act that could have saved thousands of lives. She has won awards for her weather forecasting expertise. But it hasn’t always been positive times for her at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.

  • Air Force officials announce tour length changes

    The tour length reduction from four to three years for military training instructors, military training leaders, Air Education and Training Command technical training instructors with prefix “T”, “J”, or “X” and stateside professional military education instructors was announced July 1, renewing the

  • Travis AFB completes joint inspection with FEMA, ensures readiness

    Urban search and rescue is considered a "multi-hazard" discipline, as it may be needed for a variety of emergencies or disasters, including earthquakes, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, dam failures, technological accidents, terrorist activities and hazardous materials releases.

  • Inspector General keeps ADAB ready and compliant

    The IG office is open to all Airmen and federal employees to hear complaints of wrong doings; they also provide an independent look during exercises and inspections, giving them the ability to identify undetected non-compliance and possible risks.

  • HQ ARPC hosts 2019 Joint IRR Conference

    The Joint IRR Conference included representatives from the Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marines and Navy, educating one another on their service-specific IRR programs. While each service program has the same Office of the Secretary of Defense policies driving them, the consensus was that the

  • Running with faith: an Airman’s journey to redemption

    Six years later, Keel is not only alive, but is in as good of a space, mentally and spiritually, as he’s ever been, he said. Since that dark moment in July 2013, the Reserve Airman has a new outlook on life altogether, and he owes it all to running.

  • Civil engineer Airmen participate in IRT project

    The mission for the two-week period was to provide a concrete slab for a new science, technology, engineering and math lodge facility, clear and grade the surrounding area and begin building walls, if time allowed.

  • Flight equipment redesigned to better fit female aviators

    Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, held a Female Fitment Event, June 4, where Air Force and Navy female aviators gathered to have their measurements taken, which will be used to design new prototypes for female flight equipment.

  • Ophthalmology teams give Guyanese the gift of sight

    The ophthalmology center at the Port Mourant Hospital was established to provide aid to the Guyanese population by screening and selecting patients to receive cataract and pterygium surgery in support of NH19.

  • Maryland Guard forces join Estonian military in exercise

    The training fostered collaboration by more than 9,000 military personnel from more than a dozen NATO partner countries. The brigade-versus-brigade scenarios were implemented to test preparedness and response for wartime situations.

  • Service secretaries tackle employment challenges for overseas spouses

    The joint memorandum directs each service assistant secretary for manpower and reserve affairs to support a tri-service team that seeks to understand the barriers to military spouse employment overseas. The team is expected to make recommendations to policies, programs and laws that would make

  • Air Force completes test of combat support innovation

    The Combat Support Wing proof-of-concept capstone exercise developed by the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center and hosted by Air Combat Command’s 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, tested the ability of three teams of about 30 Airmen each to establish

  • Secretary of the Air Force announces Grand Forks AFB re-designation

    The re-designation, initiated by Gen. Mike Holmes, Air Combat Command commander, aligns Grand Forks AFB’s host wing and the 69th Reconnaissance Group. The 69th RG, which flies the high-altitude, remotely-piloted RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft, has been aligned under the 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale

  • Operation Restore Paradise enhances readiness through adaptive basing

    Airmen deploy frequently, leaving their work centers behind. But what if Airmen stayed and their work centers deployed?The Air Force has two deployable Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratories called a Rapid Assistance Support for Calibration unit. Mountain Home Air Force Base is trusted with

  • Leaders discuss Tyndall AFB rebuild at second Industry Day

    John Henderson, assistant secretary of the Air Force for installations, environment and energy, reaffirmed the Air Force’s commitment to rebuild Tyndall Air Force Base during a symposium with industry representatives May 2, at Florida State University-Panama City.

  • Exercise Rapid Weasel enhances 52nd Fighter Wing innovation, readiness

    “Rapid Weasel was a demonstration of the 52nd FW’s ability to rapidly project combat power by opening an airfield, refueling and re-arming fighter aircraft, then quickly departing to other locations,” said Lt. Col. Leonardo Tongko, 435th Contingency Response Squadron commander.

  • AFMETCAL updates NextGen

    The updates included fixes to software bugs and automated support capability for pieces of old and new Test, Measurement and Diagnostic Equipment.

  • Military working dog hunts down aircrew

    Staff Sgt. Antonio Padilla, 336th Security Forces Squadron military working dog trainer, and Alf, 366th SFS military working dog, acting as opposition forces, hunt down pilots to enhance the combat readiness of both parties during a search and rescue operation as part of a Gunfighter Flag exercise

  • ARPC’s top 10 things to know about AGR assignments

    The implementation of the new policy is expected to take place with the publishing of a new Air Force Instruction. Until the new policy is published, here are the top ten things Airmen should know or can expect with the new program:

  • CSAF stresses importance of mission support role at I-WEPTAC

    The Air Force’s top general stressed the installation and mission support community’s role in the National Defense Strategy when he kicked off the 3rd Annual Installation and Mission Support Weapons and Tactics Conference, or I-WEPTAC, at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, April 8.

  • PACAF hosts first U.S.-Mongolia Airman-to-Airman talks

    Pacific Air Forces hosted a delegation from the Mongolian Air Force Command for Airman-to-Airman talks here, March 26-28. The multi-day event marked the first A2A talks between the U.S. and MAFC, a newly separated branch of the Mongolian Armed Forces.

  • Military to bring eye care to front lines with mobile app

    Eye injuries in a deployed setting can be a significant setback for any Airman, but new telemedicine capabilities are helping to keep them in the fight. With funding from the 59th Medical Wing, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, Air Force and Army medical researchers are developing a HIPAA-compliant

  • Firefighter training goes virtual

    Firefighters train weekly to maintain readiness, so when the call comes to put their lives at risk for the people they serve, they are prepared.Whether in training or on a live fire, they are susceptible to various carcinogenic toxins - until now.

  • CMSAF Wright visits Recce Town

    Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Kaleth O. Wright visited multiple units and hosted an all call at Beale Air Force Base, March 20-21.

  • U.S. Air Force B-52s deploy to Europe

    A Bomber Task Force deployment of B-52 Stratofortress aircraft, Airmen and support equipment from the 2nd Bomb Wing, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, have arrived in the U.S. European Command area of operations for a deployment to conduct theater integration and flying training.

  • AF Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • EQ-4 Global Hawk Controlled‘Beyond Line of Sight’

    One of the assets flying missions from Al Dhafra Air Base, is the EQ-4 Global Hawk. This remotely piloted aircraft previously required coordination with other bases to control it while in the air. Now by utilizing technology this process can be conducted locally.

  • AF Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • Davis-Monthan AFB exercise balances flexibility, survivability, lethality

    Landing in an austere location, a small number of Airmen move at a rapid pace to accomplish a very specific mission. With only the supplies needed to survive for a week, they begin to unload food, shelter and equipment. After unloading, they set up a campsite as home base for their operations.

  • Donovan: Readiness, force lethality begins with training

    Under Secretary of the Air Force Matthew P. Donovan, the second highest ranking civilian in the Department of the Air Force, visited Sheppard on Feb. 14, 2019, to see how the Air Force’s largest and most diverse technical and undergraduate pilot training base is employing technology to train today’s

  • Army therapy dog visits maintenance Airmen

    Maintenance personnel got a surprise visit from a therapy dog as part of an effort to showcase the various mental health resources available at Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan Feb. 2, 2019.

  • 'Trial by Flag' for new F-35A pilots

    F-35A pilots who recently graduated their initial training and are currently deployed to Nellis Air Force Base as part of exercise Red-Flag 19-1. Now they are being battle-tested.

  • Pegasus Wings its way to 97th AMW

    The 97th Air Mobility Wing welcomed its newest weapon system, the KC-46A Pegasus, to the official training unit of the Air Force’s state-of-the-art tanker aircraft at Altus Air Force Base, Feb. 8.

  • Project HeRO improves squadron health habits

    A new Air Force Health and Readiness Optimization program, or HeRO, seeks to partner with squadrons by using data to help Airmen improve health habits that impact readiness.HeRO represents a reboot of Air Force Health Promotion efforts. It is designed to target at-risk squadrons using data and

  • Growing Air Force’s space medicine culture

    As space continues to play an increasingly critical role in our nation’s defense, the need for the space medicine specialty grows. Medical Airmen within U.S. Air Force Space Command are making sure space operators are ready for future readiness requirements.

  • Not all heroes wear capes

    As U.S. Air Force Airmen, it is our job to meet the Air Force’s priorities of restoring readiness, strengthening alliances, driving innovation and developing exceptional leaders.With innovation and readiness at the forefront of our force, one Airman found a way to use those ideas to aid Incirlik Air

  • How the Air Force got smarter about its aviation fuel use in 2018

    Did you know the Air Force is the largest consumer of fuel in the Department of Defense? This may not surprise you, if say, you’ve ever watched a sortie of F-35 Lighting IIs complete an aerial refueling, or witnessed a C-5 Galaxy lift (seemingly) effortlessly into the sky. In fact, the Air Force

  • Around the Air Force: Tactical Leadership Programme / Tyndall rebuilds

    On this look Around the Air Force, the Tactical Leadership Programme trains NATO allied Airmen, about 600 Airmen participate in a readiness exercise at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, and an update on the recovery of Tyndall Air Force Base after Hurricane Michael. Hosted by Staff Sgt. Braden

  • Major changes to medical policies good news for Reservists

    When Col. John Buterbaugh took the helm as the command surgeon at Air Force Reserve Command in late summer 2018, he wanted to make some bold changes to improve processes for the 70,000 Reserve Citizen Airmen serving around the world.

  • Revitalizing squadrons efforts cross borders

    The Air Force’s Revitalizing Squadrons team recently joined together with their Royal Canadian Air Force, or RCAF, counterparts in Ottawa, Canada to collaborate and share best practices in their respective missions to strengthen squadrons across both Air Forces.

  • F-35A combat power exercise conducted at Hill AFB

    The active duty 388th Fighter Wing and Air Force Reserve 419th Fighter Wing conducted a combat power exercise Nov. 19, launching dozens of F-35A Lightning IIs within a condensed period of time.

  • AF Week in Photos

    This week's photos feature Airmen from around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

  • Kunsan Air Base revitalizes energy utilization

    The 8th Civil Engineer Squadron has launched its latest project to help Kunsan Air Base take its first steps in becoming more energy efficient and environmentally conscious by rolling out phase one of an infrastructure refresh plan with assistance from the Energy Savings Performance Contract.

  • AMC’s Phoenix Spark Tank competition recognizes innovation

    Air Mobility Command held its first-ever Phoenix Spark Tank competition at the Airlift/Tanker Association Symposium in Grapevine, Texas, where four finalists proposed their innovation ideas to top Air Force leaders and the president of VOX Space Oct. 26.

  • JCAT Airman uses combat forensics to evolve the AFCENT mission

    The ideal outcome of any conflict is to achieve victory and come out the other side unscathed. However, an undesired outcome does not mean lessons cannot be learned and applied for future conflicts. The United States military has used this mentality since its inception and applies it today in the

  • 920th RQW Airmen prepare for human spaceflight

    To prepare for the arrival of human space flight tests next year, the 920th Rescue Wing along with the DoD Human Space Flight Support Office, NASA and SpaceX personnel joined forces to plan and execute a realistic medical evacuation exercise at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Oct. 25.

  • The enlisted Airmen perspective: Success in the MDO world

    The mission of the recently-formed Air Force Strategic Integration Group blends senior leader’s perspectives of The Force We Need, the Future of Multi-Domain Operations, and the Airmen We Need to implement lasting change across the service. These changes include direct and indirect improvements for

  • Air Force leaders say increased funding is improving readiness

    Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein thanked Congress for providing the resources necessary to restore the service’s readiness while testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee’s Subcommittee on Readiness and Management

  • CMSAF Wright: The Airmen We Need must be resilient

    In order to win tomorrow’s war, defend the homeland and remain a safe and secure nuclear deterrent, Airmen must be well trained, well led, agile and resilient, according to the Air Force’s most senior enlisted leader.Building upon Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson’s discussion of the “Air

  • AFCENT command and control operations weather the storm

    The force smashed into their northern and western flank, but still, the Airmen stayed focused on the U.S. Central Command mission, a fight thousands of miles away. The opposing force was no enemy, however. These Airmen of the 609th Air Operations Center, Detachment 1, Shaw Air Force Base, South