NATO Air Policing operations

U.S. Air Force News

  • 435th CTS hosts first full AFFORGEN Silver Flag exercise

    Silver Flag is one of the first Air Force exercise programs to align with the new AFFORGEN deployment model. Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, hosted the Air Force’s first Silver Flag course for its Airmen in the AFFORGEN deployment cycle earlier this year.

  • AOC FTU augments Austere Challenge 2023

    The exercise brought together military and civilian personnel from EUCOM forces and its components to contribute virtually across Europe in the weeklong command post exercise simulating coordinating a response to a fictional major crisis.

  • CMSAF Bass returns to Ramstein AB

    On her way to becoming the 19th chief appointed to the highest noncommissioned officer position in the service, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass had two five-year assignments at Ramstein AB, including her time as the 86th Operations Group superintendent.

  • 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.

  • CSAF visits Ramstein Air Base

    During their visit, the Browns toured agencies across Ramstein AB proper to meet face-to-face with the Airmen and families who support the Global Gateway’s diverse mission set.

  • Mindset: MxMADE

    The objective of the new program, MxMADE, is to provide a foundation for maintenance members to leverage their intellect and thirst for improvement to develop Airmen to improve mission capability and success.

  • NATO partners discuss command and control leading up to AK21

    U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa hosted the first Command and Control Commanders’ Conference with the NATO Integrated Air and Missile Defence Center of Excellence at the NATO Missile Firing Installation conference center April 20-21, in Crete, Greece.

  • Spangdahlem AB hosts USAFE large force exercise

    The exercise focused on aircrew integration of multiple platforms to enhance readiness and increase proficiency needed to maintain a ready force to ensure the collective defense of the NATO alliance.

  • NPC completes first operational patient movement

    The NPC is the latest isolated containment chamber developed to transport individuals with infectious diseases, like the novel coronavirus. This operation brings the total number of patients retrieved by the mobility Air Force using an isolation containment chamber to more than 100 across 18

  • Negatively pressurized conexes ready to save lives

    Air Mobility Command and Air Force Materiel Command leaders joined forces early April to invite creative materiel and non-materiel solutions to address a joint urgent operational need to move large numbers of COVID-19 patients should the need for that capability arise.

  • 86th VRS partners with Army to expedite repairs

    The 86th Vehicle Readiness Squadron works hard to respond to maintenance needs to get vehicles back on the road as quickly as possible. Sometimes, however, the automotive parts needed for a repair are not as readily available through standard Air Force sourcing routes.

  • USAFE provides C-130J transport support to Italy

    The mission is the first in a planned series of U.S. Air Forces in Europe mobility support operations to Italy and helped redistribute more than 15,000 kilograms of COVID-19 relief supplies, including KN-95 masks, surgical gowns and COVID-19 test kits between Italian distribution hubs.

  • AFIMSC geospatial tools help commanders manage COVID-19 risk

    Geospatial tools developed by the detachment’s GeoBase team are providing commanders with near real-time data detailing the spread of the disease in their areas of responsibility. Commanders are using this capability to make decisions to sustain mission readiness and help mitigate the threat of

  • First virtual pitch day contract awarded

    U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa A8I Operational Innovation Branch and the 764th Enterprising Solutions Squadron awarded their first virtual Pitch Day contract, Dec. 13.

  • Retiring chiefs leave wisdom for mil-to-mil couples

    After a combined 52 years of service, this couple of chief master sergeants retired from the U.S. Air Force Oct. 25, 2019. Their 14 years as military-to-military spouses were full of challenges, victories and lessons to pass on.

  • 31st Fighter Wing executes Rapid Buzzard exercise

    U.S. Airmen deployed from Aviano Air Base, Italy, and Ramstein Air Base, Germany, to Graf Ignatievo Air Base, Bulgaria, to participate in a bilateral exercise with the Bulgarian Air Force.

  • European partnership flight visits Spangdahlem AB

    The visit, which happened during an African-European Partnership Flight program at Ramstein AB, was a multilateral, military-to-military engagement and security cooperation event focused on sharing best practices.

  • Dover, Ramstein set standard for AMOW C-5 maintenance training

    More than 30 U.S. Air Force Reserve aircraft maintainers assigned to the 512th Airlift Wing along with a 436th Airlift Wing C-5M Super Galaxy aircraft and crew traveled to Ramstein Air Base, Nov. 23, to assist the 521st Air Mobility Operations Wing with vital hands-on, airframe-specific training.

  • U.S. and NATO firefighters forge through the flames

    U.S. Air Forces in Europe Fire Academy members, assigned to the 435th Construction and Training Squadron, hosted a burn training during a USAFE NATO Firefighter Partnership course, Oct. 5, on Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

  • Air Force announces photo contest winners

    Congratulations to this year’s Air Force photo contest winners in the adult and youth categories. This year’s theme “Freedom,” managed by the Air Force Services Activity, received more than 1,200 photo submissions.

  • 86th MXG Airmen achieve perfection

    May 18, 2018, the maintainers launched a ‘Black Letter’ aircraft, a plane with zero maintenance issues from nose to tail, inside and out.

  • German-American partnership on display during air show

    The 2018 Berlin Air and Trade Show fell under the same year as the 70th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift, in which U.S. and allied forces airlifted supplies into West Berlin following a Soviet blockade of the city.

  • WPC executes milestone Air Force-Army integration exercise

    United States Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa’s Warrior Preparation Center held exercise Spartan Shield 18-6, April 12-19, 2018. Spartan Shield was a simulated air and missile defense exercise and included members from the 134th Air Control Squadron; 10th Army Air and Missile Defense

  • 21st OWS: Writers of the storm

    Planning for operations in the military takes information from multiple sources. Weather is one of the most important factors determining mission safety. Airmen assigned to the 21st Operational Weather Squadron began tracking winter storm Friederike from infancy to a record storm persisting three

  • Ramstein AB welcomes new Ravens

    Security forces Airmen from across the Kaiserslautern military community graduated from a Phoenix Raven Qualification Course at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Feb. 12, 2018.

  • Resources and support for pregnancy and infant loss

    October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, where organizations and communities everywhere host events to commemorate the lives parents and families have lost due to miscarriage, stillbirth and infant loss. However, Rendon is on a mission to make pregnancy and infant loss awareness more

  • Four MAJCOMs join forces, upgrade C2 systems

    Four Air Force major commands joined forces to overhaul command and control systems at Naval Station Rota, Spain, Dec. 4, 2017.Airmen assigned to U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, Air Mobility Command, Air Force Space Command, and Air Force Materiel command conducted major upgrades to

  • Ramstein AB Airmen honor U.S. veterans in Belgium

    Bad weather did not deter Airmen from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, from celebrating Veteran’s Day Nov. 11, 2017, at Henri-Chapelle American Cemetery and Memorial in Belgium. The ethereal curtain of fog and delicate rainfall only added to the poignancy of the ceremony.

  • Nordic Air Chiefs sign letter, develop Arctic Challenge

    Defense officials from four Nordic countries signed a letter of intent alongside Gen. Tod D. Wolters, U.S. Air Forces in Europe Air Forces Africa commander, Oct. 16, 2017, in a formal acknowledgment that opens doors to the development of a European flag-level exercise.

  • AF awards contracts for next-generation ICBM airborne launch control system

    The Air Force awarded two contracts Oct. 3, 2017, for upgrading the system that enables an aircraft to control an intercontinental ballistic missile’s launch from a silo in the ground.The three-year contracts of about $81 million each were awarded to Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Littleton,

  • A base in a box: 86th MMS keeps AF ready for action

    Somewhere in the Luxembourg countryside, armed guards keep watch over a compound of non-descript warehouses and storage containers. Each warehouse in the facility holds a different surprise, but those coming in will find most of these treasures hidden under lock and key.Stacks of metal boxes tower

  • Paper or Plastic? CSAF returns to Ramstein roots

    Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein recently visited the Ramstein Air Base Commissary, but this was not his first time here. As a teenager, he worked as a bagger in the 1970s while his family was stationed at Ramstein Air Base.

  • 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.

  • Fighting against violence in the KMC

    Interpersonal violence can happen to anyone. It not only affects the people it happens to, but also those around them. Potential assailants may target someone’s friend, relative, colleague, or even themselves, hurling roadblocks into the missions of their units. Airmen and civilians in the

  • US, Israeli airmen fortify airlift capabilities

    Two C-130J Super Hercules along with about 80 Airmen attached to the 86th Airlift Wing from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, deployed to Israel in support of exercise Juniper Falcon from May 7-18, 2017.

  • Squadron develops process, trains new mobility Airmen across Europe

    For many new Airmen, completing upgrade training within their career field can feel like an uphill battle. There are career development courses and on-the-job training to complete, all while keeping up with the day-to-day demands of the job.The 721st Aerial Port Squadron at Ramstein Air Base has

  • Overcoming the shadow of death: An Airman’s fight against depression

    Staff Sgt. Srun Sookmeewiriya or Sook, as many people know him, may seem like a happy and carefree Airman at first glance. The 313th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron NCO in charge of reports regularly puts forth an earnest effort to keep his unit alive and running, so his dark past and

  • Around the Air Force: March 1

    On this look around the Air Force, the Air Force plans to retire the MQ-1B Predator, the trials for the Air Force Warrior Games are underway, and a C-5 Galaxy transported Apache helicopters for the Army.

  • Air mobility squadron keeps C-17s ready for fight

    Winning the fight against an adversary requires much more than just dropping bombs on targets and taking out key leaders. It requires coordinating the precise movement of necessary supplies to arrive at the right location at the right time; which is why logistics plays such an important role in the

  • Airmen deliver aid to refugees in northern Iraq

    Reservists from the 315th Airlift Wing delivered humanitarian aid here Jan. 13 while also conducting a multifaceted training mission; the aid is bound for refugee camps in northern Iraq.

  • AFCENT helps deployed Airmen reach for their dreams

    Deployed Airmen often miss opportunities afforded to those back home; but personnel specialists at Air Forces Central Command headquarters here ensured deployed enlisted Airmen did not miss one opportunity – to pursue their ambitions of becoming part of the first group of enlisted pilots since World

  • Around the Air Force: Aug. 12

    On this look around the Air Force, the secretary of the Air Force and chief of staff of the Air Force discuss the budget and operations during the State of the Air Force; the B-1B Lancer, B-2 Spirit and B-52 Straotofortress make history in Guam; and U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa

  • WWII veteran retires after 70 years of military, civil service

    This September, Anthony “Tony” Duno will celebrate his retirement from the Air Force after 70 years of service, making him the longest serving civilian in Air Force history. Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James recognized Duno’s accomplishments during a ceremony at the Pentagon in

  • Air Force trailblazer returns to Ramstein after 54 years

    It doesn’t happen often but occasionally Airmen get the opportunity to meet an Airman who, in 1947, was there when the Air Force first stood on its own -- those trailblazers who laid the first bricks of airpower on the long blue line.

  • Ramstein airlift squadron kicks off exercise in Romania

    The 37th Airlift Squadron from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, kicked off exercise Carpathian Summer 2016 on May 9 at Otopeni AB, Romania. The 11-day, off-station training is a bilateral exercise to enhance interoperability and readiness with Romania by conducting combined air operations.

  • Air Force civic leaders visit USAFE

    The Air Force Civic Leader Program is an Air Staff-level program whose membership is comprised of community leaders selected by the Air Force major commands, National Guard Bureau and Headquarters Air Force.

  • VCSAF, spouse take in Ramstein mission sets

    The Air Force's vice chief of staff and his spouse visited Ramstein Air Base on April 18 to meet with Airmen and familiarize themselves with the mission sets of Ramstein’s three different wings.

  • Nearly 650 family members reach US from Turkey within 74 hours

    Minutes after an ordered departure of Defense Department family members and civilians assigned to locations in Turkey, mobility Airmen sprang into action around the world, preparing to execute missions that would ensure a safe and speedy airlift for them and their pets.The combined mission effort

  • Families ordered to leave Turkey arriving in US

    Military dependents and pets began arriving at Baltimore Washington International Airport, Maryland, March 31 following an ordered departure of Defense Department dependents due to security concerns in some areas of Turkey. Dependents arriving at BWI were flown on Air Mobility Command’s C-17

  • Around the Air Force: April 1

    This look around the Air Force takes us to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, where family members arrived from Turkey. Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook also explains the ordered departure from Turkey, which occurred because of security concerns.

  • Ramstein units step up to help military families leaving Turkey

    An ordered departure for U.S. military family members to leave Turkey due to security concerns March 29, resulted in many of them traveling through Ramstein Air Base, Germany. Members of the Kaiserslautern military community, including Ramstein personnel, pitched in to assist fellow military

  • First families arrive at Ramstein from Turkey

    The first group of families arrived at Ramstein Air Base March 30 after the State Department and the secretary of defense approved the ordered departure of dependents of service members and Defense Department civilian personnel currently stationed in Adana, Izmir, and Mugla, Turkey.

  • Chièvres AB: Separated, self-sufficient

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