Sept. 14, 2023 AFWERX 'Spark Street' takes over 2023 Air, Space and Cyber Conference AFWERX showcased the innovation from Spark Cells around the world at the Air and Space Forces Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Sept. 11-13. The aisle of four booth spaces at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center was called "Spark Street" where hundreds of
Sept. 3, 2023 Popular AFRL invention supports joint military needs with mobile medical documentation BATDOK is a smartphone application for mobile medical documentation that replaces pen and paper records.
Aug. 30, 2023 AFWERX hosts first in-person Collider event since COVID-19 pandemic More than 20 industry partners attended the first in-person AFWERX Collider event in over three years to solve warfighter problems at Fed Supernova in Austin, Texas.
Aug. 25, 2023 Around the Air Force: NCO Retraining Revamp, Aviator Retention, Quantum Navigation In this week’s look around the Air Force, retraining for career Airmen evolves, a demonstration program aims to keep rated aviators in service and artificial intelligence paired with Earth’s magnetic field may guide navigators in the future. (Hosted by Staff Sgt. Jazmin Granger)
Aug. 24, 2023 New platform IGNITEs defense innovation AFWERX has launched IGNITE, a platform where defense users can search for and easily interact with thousands of small businesses that have secured previous Department of the Air Force Small Business Innovation Research or Small Business Technology Transfer awards.
Aug. 19, 2023 7th MXG leverages new technology The 7th Maintenance Group recently fielded its first-ever wireless communication system during a B-1B Lancer launch, becoming the first B-1B unit to receive and utilize the headsets.
Aug. 16, 2023 DAF selects JetZero to develop blended wing body aircraft prototype The Department of the Air Force selected JetZero for the next phase of a blended wing body prototype aircraft project Aug. 16.
Aug. 16, 2023 Recipients of Harold Brown Award 2021, 2022 honored at Pentagon ceremony Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall hosted an award ceremony at the Pentagon for recipients of the 2021 and 2022 Harold Brown Award, Aug. 8.
Aug. 14, 2023 DoD announces inaugural innovation challenge on talent management The Talent Management Innovation Challenge encourages DoD military and civilian employees at all levels to submit promising talent management ideas with potential to make an impact across the Department in recruiting, retaining, and promoting a diverse force.
Aug. 7, 2023 CMSAF Leadership Library: August 2023 Chief Bass presents four new additions to the CMSAF Leadership Library: What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, War Without Rules, Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment and The TechTank Podcast
Aug. 3, 2023 AFRL AI agents successfully pilot XQ-58A Valkyrie uncrewed jet aircraft Test units executed the flight in the Eglin Test and Training Complex. The flight builds upon four years of partnership that began with the Skyborg Vanguard and the Autonomous Aircraft Experimentation (AAx) programs.
July 31, 2023 CSAF Leadership Library: July 2023 Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. presents five new additions to the CSAF Leadership Library.
July 26, 2023 Connected battlespace modernizes fight in Indo-Pacific Utah Air National Guard’s 151st Air Refueling Wing, working with the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Test Center, sent their modified KC-135 Stratotanker to Kadena Air Base for use in the Western Pacific during Northern Edge 23-2.
July 25, 2023 Multi-capable equipment initiative wins 2023 AFIMSC Innovation Rodeo An idea to deliver multi-capable equipment for agile combat employment operations won the 2023 Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center Innovation Rodeo July 21 in San Antonio.
July 19, 2023 US Air Force, George Mason University partner to modernize Warfighter mission training, education and research Headquarters Ninth Air Force, U.S. Air Forces Central, formalized a partnership with George Mason University for joint research, rapid capability development, warfighter training and education to support command mission readiness.
July 16, 2023 Project Arc seeks innovators to solve DAF challenges The program is looking for Airmen and Guardians from all occupations who are obsessed with tech, have a curiosity to tinker and want to solve problems.
July 9, 2023 Air Force innovation: Empowering Airmen Innovation across the Air Force can involve anything from work processes to physical assets and often include policy updates to long-standing Air Force regulations. For Airmen, Air Force innovation and Spark Cells, should be nothing new.
June 30, 2023 Three generations of breaking barriers: T-7A Red Hawk soars with US Air Force test pilot Maj. Bryce Turner, a test pilot from the 416th Flight Test Squadron has become the first Air Force pilot to fly the T-7A Red Hawk during a test flight at the Boeing aircraft delivery center in St. Louis, Missouri.
June 29, 2023 AFWERX integrates uncrewed traffic management to enhance safety, security AFWERX and the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Information Directorate have installed an Uncrewed Aircraft System Traffic Management, or UTM, at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
June 21, 2023 DAF chief scientist, MIT host AI workshop Dr. Victoria Coleman, chief scientist of the Air Force, in collaboration with the Department of the Air Force-Massachusetts Institute of Technology Artificial Intelligence Accelerator, hosted a foundational innovation and technology education workshop June 5-8.
June 21, 2023 MQ-9 Reaper completes first mission using dirt landing zone Air commandos conducted the first MQ-9 landing on a dirt landing zone; providing a glimpse of what is possible as transformation continues throughout the remotely piloted aircraft enterprise.
June 8, 2023 AFMC innovation team revolutionizes stealth fighter fleet An F-35A Lightning II recently took flight with a complement of software applications developed by government and industry providers previously tested on the F-22 Raptor – demonstrating for the first time the ability to use the same tactical software applications on both stealth fighters.
May 31, 2023 Seeing into the future: AF looks to AI for data analysis Tomorrow’s operating environment requires Airmen to have the most accurate and up-to-date intelligence to act quickly in real time, today. Headquarters Air Staff have developed six software programs for career fields using AI to conduct data analysis.
May 26, 2023 MagNav project successfully demonstrates real-time magnetic navigation In a groundbreaking achievement, the DAF-MIT AI Accelerator MagNav project performed real-time magnetic navigation aboard a C-17A Globemaster III in flight, becoming the first organization to successfully demonstrate the technology in real-time on a DoD aircraft.
May 23, 2023 Pacific Air Forces Airmen test Next Generation Aircrew Protection equipment Airmen with the 15th Wing and 154th Fighter Squadron on Hickam Air Force Base tested and trained new CBRN protection techniques on the F-22 Raptor.
May 16, 2023 Cadet team conducts robotics research The cadet-driven research focuses on gathering data and developing solutions to integrate a Ghost Robotics Vision 60 robot into base defense.
May 10, 2023 DAF senior leaders offer dialogue on defense innovation amid strategic competition Air Force Senior Leaders were among speakers at the Ash Carter Exchange on Innovation and National Security May 9.
April 9, 2023 Upgraded F-16 rejoins 8th FW An upgraded F-16 Fighting Falcon returned to 8th Fighter Wing operations after AFLCMC’s Post Block Integration Team provided the aircraft with the first wave of 22 modifications designed to improve lethality to meet the needs of current and future operations.
March 12, 2023 3D printed parts for the C-5M deliver new capabilities Maintainers and engineers from the C-5 System Program Office began to incorporate 3D-printed parts in C-5M Super Galaxy maintenance last month.
March 8, 2023 Spark Tank 2023 finalists take center stage at AFA Warfare Symposium Six Spark Tank finalist teams presented their ideas at the Air and Space Forces Association 2023 Warfare Symposium.
Feb. 21, 2023 Voting open now for Department of the Air Force Spark Tank 2023 finalists Airmen and Guardians may now vote for one of the top six selected ideas in Spark Tank, the Department of the Air Force’s capstone innovation campaign.
Feb. 16, 2023 Vice Chief’s Challenge calls Airmen to operationalize Agile Combat Employment The goal of the DAF 2023 Vice Chief's Challenge is to find innovative responses to challenges affecting Agile Combat Employment.
Feb. 2, 2023 53rd Wing’s MUSTANGS: the future of agile data capture and ACE capability Part of the Crowd-Sourced Flight Data program, MUSTANGS is a mobile vehicle that can download, process, and offload important data from Quick Reaction Instrumentation Package-equipped aircraft without the need for fixed, operational test infrastructure.
Jan. 31, 2023 Department of the Air Force to conduct hackathon The Air Force will conduct its next “BRAVO” hackathon in March, and any U.S. citizen may apply.
Jan. 29, 2023 Innovation Industry Days 2023 fosters partnerships, delivers solutions to I&MS challenges More than 2,000 small business, academic and government officials gathered Jan. 24-26 in San Antonio for Innovation Industry Days.
Jan. 23, 2023 US Air Force selects Howard University for science research partnership The Air Force has selected Howard University to lead a university affiliated research center.
Jan. 21, 2023 Yokota AB aids Space Systems Command in historic US-Japan space partnership The 374th Mission Support Group and 730th Air Mobility Squadron assisted the USSF Space Systems Command to deliver the first of two payloads on Japan’s Geo-based Quasi-Zenith Satellite System, Jan. 17.
Jan. 14, 2023 AFMC releases 2023 Strategic Plan The AFMC plan directly aligns to the seven DAF Operational Imperatives and focuses on critical organize, train and equip functions and capabilities delivered through an integrated center construct across the materiel lifecycle.
Jan. 9, 2023 ABMS moves forward on cloud-based C2 The DAF’s Advanced Battle Management System program awarded a $112 million contract to Science Applications International Corporation as the ABMS cloud-based command and control software integrator.
Dec. 19, 2022 AFRL launches wearable biomolecular sensors program for DoD, transfers technology to Sensate Biosystems The Air Force Research Laboratory has partnered with the Nano Bio-Materials Consortium and Case Western Reserve University to create wearable sensors that measure biomarkers in Airmen and Guardians.
Dec. 6, 2022 Aerodynamic technologies for mobility aircraft promise high return on investment As part of its effort to increase readiness and capability, the Air Force is working to introduce aerodynamic technologies on mobility aircraft to improve airflow, reduce maintenance issues, increase payload capability, and decrease fuel demand.
Dec. 5, 2022 AFCENT’s innovation Task Force 99 establishes ops, HQ Less than two months following the establishment of Task Force 99, Lt. Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) commander, visited the team at their new location for a peek behind the curtain of the command’s innovation powerhouse Dec. 1.
Dec. 4, 2022 AFGSC takes next steps in making Air Force’s first hypersonic weapon Barksdale AFB personnel have successfully taken the first steps toward implementing the Air Force’s first air-launched hypersonic weapon. The Air-Launched Rapid Response Weapon, or ARRW, is scheduled to be operational as early as fall 2023.
Dec. 3, 2022 New 'Spirit Realm’ B-2 Spirit software factory keeps fleet operational — enabling combat relevancy for years to come A new software factory using the Department of Defense reference design has pushed the aircraft’s evolution further forward.
Nov. 25, 2022 Air, Space Forces transition to AFWERX 3.0 AFWERX will release a series of new initiatives in support of its 3.0 evolution. Air and Space Force leaders will detail new opportunities for stakeholder engagement during a live broadcast Dec. 14.
Nov. 19, 2022 Airmen innovate, ensure HH-60W’s first deployment A team of 41st Rescue Squadron and Rescue Generation Squadron Airmen overcame a shortfall with an innovative solution, ensuring the HH-60W Jolly Green II aircraft's first deployment.
Nov. 12, 2022 Missile wings conduct remote code change with ICU II The 90th, 91st and 341st Missile Wings have begun the process of converting their missile alert and launch facilities to ICU II, a system that allows for a remote code change – and will save the Air Force millions of dollars in resources and labor hours.
Nov. 9, 2022 Autonomous aircraft testing arrives at Eglin AFB The 40th Flight Test Squadron at Eglin AFB took possession of the first of two government-owned Kratos XQ‑58A Valkyrie, a low-cost, high-performance uncrewed air vehicle.
Nov. 5, 2022 Project Arc team works to make technical Airmen more operationally relevant Project Arc, one of the latest groups aiming to empower Airmen, is working to make technical Airmen more operationally relevant across the Air Force.
Nov. 2, 2022 McConnell AFB completes KC-46 flight with limited crew The 22nd Air Refueling Wing flew a KC-46A Pegasus without a copilot to validate procedures for operating with a limited aircrew for certain potential high-end combat scenarios.
Oct. 31, 2022 DAF-MIT AI Accelerator tackles challenge of cultivating, growing world-class AI workforce This month, the Department of the Air Force-Massachusetts Institute of Technology Artificial Intelligence Accelerator commenced their Lead AI pilot.
Oct. 27, 2022 386th AEW stands up satellite innovation cell The 386th Air Expeditionary Wing stood up Task Force 99.M, the first satellite innovation cell under U.S. Air Forces Central Command’s Task Force 99 at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait.
Oct. 21, 2022 Commentary: Lessons from our past – Claire Chennault on Agile Combat Employment As the Air Force leans into Agile Combat Employment, lessons can be learned from Claire Chennault's Flying Tigers and how they operated in China during WWII.
Oct. 17, 2022 1st FW: removing barriers, conquering challenges, always innovating The 1st Fighter Wing developed a team to transform its Airmen’s innovative ideas into reality. The team became known as the innovation cell and is responsible for improving the 1st FW, one Airman at a time.
Oct. 4, 2022 36th EWS conceptualize Reclamation of Electronic Attack Pods program The 36th Electronic Warfare Squadron used their skills and ingenuity to conceptualize the Reclamation of Electronic Attack Pods program for ALQ-184 and ALQ-131 Electronic Attack Pods.
Oct. 2, 2022 AFTC kicks off new digital engineering efforts The office will focus on creating a digital governance structure and facilitate on-going and new digital acquisition transformation activities across the enterprise.
Sept. 28, 2022 Operational Test Airman builds radar range, sets standard for Air Force innovation An Operational Test imagery analyst at the 410th Test and Evaluation Squadron built an entire range of radar targets used to test the accuracy of U-2 and RQ-4 Global Hawk sensors.
Sept. 23, 2022 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.
Sept. 20, 2022 AFCENT commander conducts first round of regional partner engagements Building relationships within the force and with allies and partners, Lt. Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) commander, travelled across the USCENTCOM AOR to meet with U.S. embassy, coalition, regional, and U.S. military leaders.
Sept. 16, 2022 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.
Sept. 12, 2022 Virtual event kicks off Digital Agents of Change campaign The Department of the Air Force Digital Transformation Office has launched a new initiative to recognize individuals across the enterprise who are driving change in the digital domain.
Sept. 7, 2022 Airman accelerates change through persistence, develops tool for RPAs Master Sgt. Bridget Carroll reduced cargo taken on an MQ-1 Predator alert package with the creation of a “bird-in-a-box” later known as the Digital Aircraft Link Emulator, or DALE.
Sept. 7, 2022 AGR program changes on the horizon Air Force Reserve Command is instituting changes to the Active Guard and Reserve program effective Oct. 1.
Sept. 3, 2022 Joint Battle Labs assess DARPA program, reduce joint-fires execution time In partnership with the Army and Air Force, ASTARTE is a DARPA-sponsored program designed to enable efficient and effective airspace operations and deconfliction in a highly congested battlespace.
Aug. 24, 2022 Airman’s innovation saves time, money One 100th Maintenance Squadron Airman has invented a new boom cover tool that has the potential to save the U.S. Air Force 40,000 man-hours and approximately $1 million per year.
Aug. 24, 2022 Grey Wolf flies with all-Air Force crew for first time The MH-139A Grey Wolf flies its first sortie since the Air Force took over ownership of the aircraft Aug. 12. It marked the first all-Air Force personnel flight in the Air Force’s newest helicopter.
Aug. 15, 2022 In assessing his first year, Kendall sees achievement but many challenges ahead Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall reflects on his first year on the job.
Aug. 1, 2022 AFA legends weave together past, present, future Former Air Force leaders visited Nellis Air Force Base to connect Airmen and Guardians with their living heritage as well as to provide mentorship, advice and encouragement to those currently serving in uniform during the the Air and Space Forces Association’s Air Force 75th Anniversary Legends
July 28, 2022 CSAF visits Shaw AFB During the visit, Brown discussed modernization, innovation, and Airmen initiatives related to efforts in the strategic plan Accelerate Change or Lose and the associated Action Orders.
July 27, 2022 Keeping civilians in fighting shape The Civilian Health Promotion Services was established in the Air Force Materiel Command to keep its civilian Airmen as fit as their active-duty counterparts. Its success has led to its recent expansion CONUS-wide.
July 23, 2022 GearFit shortens feedback loop A new application called GearFit is giving Airmen a direct line to share feedback on fitment and utility of the gear they wear to perform their missions.
July 17, 2022 How drones will transform battlefield medicine, save lives The use of drones for future near-peer conflicts is starting to filter down into the operational forces as a potential solution in the near term.
July 14, 2022 New flight milestone in Hexa testing The test was an important first step toward the incorporating the LIFT Hexa, an electric, vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, into operations at a controlled military airfield.
July 7, 2022 New technologies drive Tyndall AFB’s ‘Installation of the Future’ rebuild Tyndall Air Force Base has been on a continuous innovation journey to become the Installation of the Future since Hurricane Michael devastated the installation in 2018.
July 6, 2022 Richardson: Teamwork, collaboration key to AFMC success The AFMC change of command ceremony was more than just an opportunity to welcome Gen. Duke Z. Richardson to the organizational helm; it was also a homecoming for the new commander who has spent nearly half of his career as part of the enterprise.
June 27, 2022 DAF seeking science research partnerships with HBCUs DAF is working with the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering to create the first University Affiliated Research Center led by a Historically Black College or University.
June 26, 2022 New BLOS capability on the horizon for B-52s, first IRIS air demo complete The Air Force has moved one step closer to equipping B-52s with a new capability called IRIS. The 49th Test and Evaluation Squadron executed the first air demonstration utilizing the BLOS communication system paired with an Iridium Certus terminal on a B-52 Stratofortress.
June 25, 2022 Air Force selects future aircrew helmet The helmet prototype was chosen after Air Combat Command initiated the search for a next-generation helmet to address issues with long-term neck and back injuries, optimize aircraft technology, improve pilot longevity, and provide better fitment to diverse aircrews.
June 22, 2022 Airmen and Guardians can learn anytime, anywhere, on any device with myLearning username and password Beginning June 23, Total Force Airmen and Guardians will have the capability to learn anywhere, anytime, and on any device, with the help of a myLearning username and password.
June 22, 2022 AFMC releases $8 million towards accelerating change, innovation The funded projects support ongoing AFMC We Need efforts with an emphasis on technology, innovation, talent management and infrastructure across the mission.
June 13, 2022 Air Force, Space Force hackathon applications close June 21 A hackathon is an innovation and software development event commonly employed by technology companies, in which teams self-form and urgently develop working prototypes that are later presented to senior leaders.
June 5, 2022 ShOC-N battle lab hosts distributed command and control event The 805th Combat Training Squadron’s Shadow Operations Center - Nellis is the U.S. Air Force’s premier battle lab supporting the development, advancement, and maturation of key technologies and capabilities designed to compress the kill-chain for joint and coalition warfighters.
May 29, 2022 ‘FORCECON 2022’ spurs collaboration, innovation for Air Force, industry, academia FORCECON 2022 is an interactive industry and academia collider event where participants can connect with industry and small business advisors.
May 26, 2022 ‘Power of partnerships’: Austin gives commencement speech to AF Academy’s Class of 2022 Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin III gave the commencement speech for the Class of 2022 at the U.S. Air Force Academy’s graduation ceremony in Falcon Stadium May 25.
May 25, 2022 AETC Det. 23 ‘rebrands’ to transform 21st century Air Force learning and readiness The detachment’s focus will be on completing the building and fielding of a force development-focused data engine using the latest technologies.
May 21, 2022 DoD’s largest annual IT, cyberpower event resumes in-person attendance Over the last two years, the Department of the Air Force IT and Cyberpower Education and Training Event was held virtually due to the pandemic. This year the event returns from its virtual home to its physical home in Montgomery, Aug. 29-31.
May 18, 2022 Future of nursing: Telehealth, more innovation, maybe some robots The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has fast-tracked many changes to the Military Health System and forced all providers - especially nurses - to innovate at near-quantum speed with agility and flexibility.
May 14, 2022 Record construction contract awarded for F-35 facilities at Tyndall AFB Accounting for contingencies and contract oversight, this represents a $604 million investment in the #BuildTyndallStrong effort and is the single largest military construction contract on record in the Air Force database, which dates to 2008.
May 6, 2022 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.
May 6, 2022 Revised ‘Brown, Blue Book’ released Tradition and heritage are themes found within the revamped foundational guides for Airmen to emulate throughout their career.
April 29, 2022 AFRL technology makes new weapon for sinking ships a reality The Air Force Research Laboratory and Eglin Air Force Base’s Integrated Test Team demonstrated a new low-cost, air-delivered capability for defeating maritime threats that successfully destroyed a full-scale stationary surface vessel in the Gulf of Mexico.
April 26, 2022 AFRL altitude chambers hit rare 50,000-foot mark for manned research There’s only one place to find them in all the Department of Defense, and that’s at the Air Force Research Laboratory.
April 25, 2022 Countering small unmanned aircraft takes a team Keeping military installations safe from threat is a partnership. As lead command for the Air Force Counter-Small Unmanned Aircraft Systems effort, Headquarters, Air Force Materiel Command, has established a symbiotic relationship between two of its directorates to accomplish the mission.
April 18, 2022 Spark Tank idea comes to life through AFRL engineers Two 711th Human Performance Wing teams created a prototype of a more efficient workstation for clinicians to use in austere environments to significantly improve patient care.
April 3, 2022 Thinking outside the mailbox: Robins AFB first base to get Intelligent Lockers Robins Air Force Base held a ribbon cutting ceremony for its recently installed Intelligent Lockers, giving the Airmen at the dormitories a centralized location to receive their packages after hours.
March 30, 2022 Acquisition Instructor Course updates provide Airmen with opportunities to innovate, collaborate Acquisition Instructor Course program mission is to train highly skilled acquisition instructors and leaders in tactical and strategic knowledge to meet the operational needs of tomorrow’s multi‐domain battlespace.
March 29, 2022 On National Vietnam War Veterans Day, AFMS celebrates aeromedical's role While more than 58,000 Americans paid the ultimate sacrifice in Vietnam, Air Force Medical Service improvements in aeromedical evacuation helped ensure wounded service members had a better chance for survival than ever before.
March 19, 2022 Ideas wanted for 2022 AFIMSC Innovation Rodeo; at least $1M up for grabs The campaign, open through June 6, gives military and civilian members of the Department of the Air Force’s mission and installation support community a chance to win part of $1 million or more in funding and resources to pursue their ideas.
March 17, 2022 Empowered Airmen from 109th AW modernize LC-130 for future fight Propulsion specialists with the 109th Airlift Wing assembled the first Air National Guard-built T56 3.5 turbo engine. The modification is part of an Air Force initiative to update C-130 aircraft.
March 16, 2022 SNCO Academy’s enhanced curriculum development takes center stage during CSAF inaugural visit Air Force SNCOA students took the opportunity to share their enhanced curriculum development with Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., during his visit to Gunter Annex.