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.
June 5, 2023 Benefield Anechoic Facility tests first space satellite in decades Anticipated to launch in late 2023, Navigation Technology Satellite-3 (NTS-3) will be the Department of Defense’s first experimental, integrated navigation satellite system in nearly 50 years.
May 10, 2023 DAF wins 2022 Vanguard Award The Vanguard Award recognizes the DoD Component that best exemplifies a commitment to small business industrial base competitiveness.
May 9, 2023 FY22 DAF Safety Awards released The FY22 Department of the Air Force Safety Awards Program provides organizations, teams, and individuals the opportunity to be recognized for their hard work, enhanced performance, accomplishments, and feats in safety.
May 8, 2023 Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey gives voice to civilians’ opinions The feedback civilian employees gave in 2022 has earned the service the no.9 ranking for large agencies by the Partnership for Public Service’s “Best Places to Work in the Federal Government” in 2022.
May 6, 2023 Rapid Sustainment Office’s CBM+ artificial intelligence toolkit earns Air Force System of Record designation The Air Force Rapid Sustainment Office’s Predictive Analytics and Decision Assistant leverages artificial intelligence software to transform logistics data into actionable predictive maintenance alerts.
May 3, 2023 Nigerian Air Force receives new facilities for A-29 Super Tucano fleet Less than two years after 12 A-29 Super Tucano aircraft were inducted into the Nigerian Air Force, a $38 million project to construct new facilities for the aircraft was successfully completed at Kainji Air Base.
April 28, 2023 AFMC establishes ‘Connect to Care’ construct The concept of operations includes policy, training, data collection requirements and more, ensuring that AFMC helping agencies provide the right support and care to individuals who seek help during times of need.
April 23, 2023 Food Summit looks to future of 27-plus DAF stateside dining operations With the Food 2.0 Owners Summit held in an innovative kitchen environment, attendees had the opportunity to see demonstrations of state-of-the-art culinary equipment and to taste food prepared by seasoned chefs.
April 17, 2023 Four Department of the Air Force Installations win 2023 SecDEF Environmental Awards Since 1962, installations across the Department of Defense have been recognized by these awards for their accomplishments in innovative and cost-effective environmental management that support mission readiness.
March 20, 2023 Female Fitment Program drives positive change in Air Force The Female Fitment Program continues to influence daily life and duty for female Airmen, moving history forward for generations of women.
March 16, 2023 Commander’s Accelerated Initiatives team maintains ‘pulse’ on change across AFMC With a core headquarters team of 13 augmented by a network of more than 250 change agents across the command, CDX achieves its mission by leveraging the ideas and innovations driven by Airmen and civilians across the enterprise.
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 AMC, AFMC commanders talk logistics on attack, integrated deterrence at warfare symposium The panel, titled “Logistics on the Attack,” was a conversation about the buildup and sustainment of materiel necessary to “set the theater” for the successful delivery of logistics effects.
March 5, 2023 AFSVC begins rollout of BMX stunt tour The Air Force Services Center will begin rolling out the first leg of a new free BMX stunt tour to five installations in the month of March with an expected expansion to additional installations as the schedule progresses.
Feb. 19, 2023 2023 DAF Art Contest opens March 1 For the first time, this year’s contest includes both two-dimensional and three-dimensional works of art.
Feb. 15, 2023 Air Force launches Energy-as-a-Service pilot program at Hanscom AFB The Department of the Air Force kicked off a $10 million next-generation energy performance contract that will deliver resilient and reliable energy at Hanscom Air Force Base Feb. 14.
Feb. 9, 2023 23 Department of the Air Force members selected for BEYA STEM awards Both uniformed and civilian members of the Air Force and Space Force will be recognized during the 18th Annual Stars and Stripes Awards Dinner for their accomplishments and contributions in STEM-related fields over the past year.
Feb. 8, 2023 Largest private-public collaboration in DoD history reflects commitment to clean energy The 412th Test Wing unveiled a new solar facility on the northwest corner of Edwards Air Force Base, Feb. 2. The facility, built in collaboration with Terra-Gen LLC, is a result of the Edwards Solar Enhance Use Lease Project.
Jan. 28, 2023 AEDC team members assist with bat research On a cold, drizzly day in December, Arnold Air Force Base team members ventured into a wet, muddy cave to add to the data concerning white nose syndrome and tricolored bats.
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. 11, 2023 F-35 conducts first flight with TR-3 A developmental test team from the 461st Flight Test Squadron conducted the first flight of an F-35 Lightning II in the Technology Refresh 3 configuration Jan. 6 at Edwards Air Force Base
Jan. 5, 2023 AFMC partnership drives progress in mentoring, diversity More than 2,500 uniformed and civilian Airmen and Guardians participated in a series of Cross-Cultural Mentoring Panels in 2022, which emphasized inclusivity, growth and greater understanding of mentoring relationships across all demographic groups.
Dec. 12, 2022 Air Force conducts first ARRW operational prototype missile test A B-52H Stratofortress successfully released the first All-Up-Round AGM-183A Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon off the Southern California coast, Dec. 9.
Dec. 9, 2022 Around the Air Force: Raider Unveiled, Airmen Fly HEXA, Turning Flowers into Tires In this week’s look around the Air Force, new B-21 Raider long-range bomber rolls out for public view, Airmen fly the HEXA, an electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle, and the Air Force Research Lab is creating a domestic supply of rubber for aircraft tires using dandelions.
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. 8, 2022 DAF announces 2022 Photo Contest winners The Department of the Air Force announced the winners of the 2022 Air Force Photo Contest Nov. 7.
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. 3, 2022 DAF-MIT AI Accelerator to commence CogPilot Data Challenge 2.0 The Department of the Air Force-Massachusetts Institute of Technology Artificial Intelligence Accelerator will commence the CogPilot Data Challenge 2.0, inviting participants to explore AI-based solutions.
Sept. 26, 2022 AFIMSC revamps tool to save manhours, deliver timely tracking of travel dollars Each year, AFIMSC helps the Department of the Air Force recover over $11.5 million in unused government travel tickets through the passenger movement SharePoint tool, developed by the center.
Sept. 26, 2022 ‘Accelerate Change or Lose’: Robins AFB members modernize aircraft GPS The Resilient Embedded Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System program, or R-EGI for short, is one of the AFLCMC’s solutions to building resiliency into aircraft navigation systems.
Sept. 25, 2022 NextGen 2.0 helmets on the way to security forces across DAF The Air Force Security Forces Center is rolling out the NextGen 2.0 helmet later this year with several improvements.
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.
Aug. 27, 2022 AFSC bases continue advances to support pregnant, nursing Airmen Efforts to expand support of working mothers across Air Force Sustainment Center bases continue, including access to lactation rooms and pods, reclassification of wireless breast pumps to allow entrance into secure areas and easy access to maternity uniforms.
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. 8, 2022 Dyess Rapid Airman Development Program bolsters skills, improves sense of community The Rapid Airman Development Program built for Airmen across ranks, career fields and background to bolster skills through a combination of physical challenges, academic programs and culturally immersive partnerships.
Aug. 4, 2022 SecAF receives F-35 engine update at Tinker AFB Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall visited Tinker Air Force Base July 28 for an update on the base’s support to the F-35 Lightning engine program.
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 19, 2022 National Suicide Prevention Lifeline hotline quick-dial option now live The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline hotline is launching a new quick-dial option nationwide starting July 16.
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 30, 2022 Under Secretary of the Air Force visits Tinker AFB During the visit, Jones traveled to the Oklahoma City Air Logistic Complex, which is the largest maintenance depot within the Air Force Materiel Command and supports various aircraft and engine workloads.
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 19, 2022 Father’s Day tribute: Duke Field Airman continues family legacy Capt. Brock Harrell, 859th Special Operations Squadron pilot, follows the path exemplified by his father, Chief Master Sgt. Mark Harrell, 919th Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aircraft maintenance superintendent.
June 17, 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.
June 13, 2022 Richardson takes command of AFMC Gen. Duke Z. Richardson assumed leadership of the Air Force Materiel Command during a ceremony at the National Museum of the Air Force, June 13.
June 4, 2022 Servicing support for Airmen assigned to Space Force fully operational As the servicing major command, Air Force Materiel Command is accomplishing the roles and responsibilities traditionally performed by a major command for the Airmen supporting the Space Force.
June 2, 2022 DAF Gaming delivers gaming expo, esports championship at FORCECON 2022 The esports completion was a part of the FORCECON 2022: Innovation – Technology – Gaming convention, an event to spur collaboration between the military, industry and academia.
June 2, 2022 Barnes Center incorporates AFCLC’s mobile China, Russia courses in enlisted PME The Thomas N. Barnes Center for Enlisted Education recently partnered with the Air Force Culture and Language Center to employ AFCLC’s Culture Guide mobile app as part of its enlisted professional military education curricula.
May 23, 2022 Senior leader announcement: Week of May 23 Senior leader retirements, promotions and assignments: Week of May 23
May 17, 2022 Bunch inducted into Order of the Sword Gen. Arnold W. Bunch, Jr., was inducted into the Air Force Materiel Command Order of the Sword, which is the highest honor the enlisted force can bestow upon a military officer.
May 16, 2022 Senior leader announcement: Week of May 16 Presidential and Senate nominations and confirmations for the week of May 16
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 7, 2022 History, telework, life advice, more featured at AFMC town hall Air Force Materiel Command leadership hosted a virtual town hall, May 3, providing insights on current command issues alongside a dose of trivia and career advice to an online audience exceeding 3,000.
May 6, 2022 ACE exercise helps prepare 775th CES Airmen for deployment The Airmen participated in a simulated deployment to a forward-operating base, training and operating with limited resources.
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 Fairchild AFB joins growing Food 2.0 dining improvement program The initiative, which includes modernizing dining facilities and new menu options, celebrated its latest grand opening, the Warrior Inn Dining Facility at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington.
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 16, 2022 Air Force fields new rifle to Airmen The SDMR will replace legacy M24 Sniper Weapon Systems for security forces defenders performing base defense operations in-garrison and in contingency support.
April 10, 2022 Airman wins paint scheme fan vote contest for NASCAR team car Brockman, a 96th Maintenance Squadron senior munitions inspector, recently won the Petty Motorsports and Air Force-sponsored Paint Scheme Fan Vote Contest. All submissions came directly from Airmen.
April 7, 2022 AWACS demonstrates historic firsts, receives, processes in-air EW updates in minutes The E-3G collected EW information using its existing ESM system and transmitted the in-flight recorded data to the 36th Electronic Warfare Squadron at Eglin AFB, Florida, using its satellite communications system.
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 31, 2022 Hill AFB’s 388th OSS exploring agile communications options for F-35A The 388th Fighter Wing’s Operations Support Squadron cyber Airmen are currently exploring high-speed communications options to support F-35A Lightning II Agile Combat Employment.
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 27, 2022 Dayton, Wright-Patt AFB team up for Big Hoopla This year marked the ninth year University of Dayton Arena hosted the games that determine which four programs finish filling in the 64-team bracket, and the Big Hoopla festivities leading up to the tournament have become a tradition in their own right.
March 23, 2022 Advice from the top: Find your support, be supportive Women’s History Month is an opportunity to share stories of the past and celebrate the achievements of individuals who operated outside of societal norms and achieved success, setting the stage for future generations to follow.
March 23, 2022 Guide serves as digital campaign repository The digital guide is the authoritative source of information about products being worked for the Department of the Air Force Digital Campaign.
March 16, 2022 People are key to defending installations, missions from small UAS threats As the lead command for Counter-sUAS efforts for the Air Force, a team of seven experts from the Air Force Materiel Command Air, Space and Cyberspace Operations Directorate facilitates research and development efforts related to defensive sUAS technology.
March 15, 2022 AFWERX Agility Prime program, BETA Technologies make history with first Airman flight of electric aircraft This milestone, which took place at BETA’s Plattsburgh, New York, hangar and testing facility – just 35 miles from its South Burlington, Vermont, headquarters – is the culmination of a two-year partnership between BETA and the Agility Prime program.
March 8, 2022 Digital University offers more educational opportunities for Airmen A team of Digital University designers revamped the educational platform based on user feedback with upgrades including new courses, new learning paths for data science, cloud engineering and secured app development.
Feb. 28, 2022 Cross Cultural Mentoring Panel highlights mentorship challenges, opportunities Coinciding with the annual Black History Month Observance, the virtual event featured a panel of Black leaders from across the command.
Feb. 23, 2022 AFMC marks progress in diversity initiatives, continues change, implementation The Air Force Materiel Command continues to emphasize diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility across the enterprise as it implements commander-driven expectations to drive cultural change in the organization.
Feb. 22, 2022 AFRL's Lightfoot named Black Engineer of the Year Dr. Leonard Lightfoot received the 2022 Black Engineer of the Year Award in STEM for Professional Achievement, after being nominated by the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Sensors Directorate.
Feb. 21, 2022 Respite Care available for EFMP families The program provides active duty Air Force families with short-term, specialized childcare to reduce the stressors associated with caring for a child with exceptional needs.
Jan. 27, 2022 DAF announces Spark Tank ‘22 finalists As the Department’s flagship innovation event, Spark Tank plays a central role in establishing the Department’s strategic mindset for delivering future capabilities.
Jan. 25, 2022 AFICC oversees COVID-19 relief efforts as part of DAF ACT, awards contract for critical test kit materials The Air Force Installation Contracting Center is overseeing the execution of billions of dollars in COVID-19 relief, with a recent contract award providing critical materials used in the production of rapid, point-of-care COVID-19 test kits.
Jan. 19, 2022 Agile Patriot grows AFMC leaders of tomorrow Air Force Materiel Command held its 2021 Agile Patriot professional development conference, Jan. 10-13, providing both mid-tier military and civilian Airmen with the tools and training to be successful leaders in the future. Airmen attended virtually via Microsoft Teams.
Jan. 19, 2022 Aerial Networks Summit provides roadmaps for JADC2, ABMS The Aerial Networks Division hosted general officers and members of the senior executive service for a summit aimed at developing aerial networking roadmaps to meet Advanced Battle Management System and Joint All-Domain Command and Control objectives.
Jan. 11, 2022 AFMC town hall addresses vaccines, telework, enterprise readiness More than 200 questions were fielded during the live Air Force Materiel Command virtual town hall, with a large number focused on the current efforts related to the coronavirus pandemic and vaccinations.
Jan. 9, 2022 Modern logistics system aids, tracks Air Force inventory The Integrated Logistics System – Supply or ILS-S enables the Air Force to track inventory across the Total Force
Dec. 22, 2021 Tribal partnerships help Air Force archaeologists understand surprising discovery The groundbreaking find – 12,300-year-old tobacco seeds located in an ancient hearth on the Utah Test and Training Range – suggests tobacco’s cultural roots date back nearly 9,000 years earlier than previously thought.
Dec. 14, 2021 AFIMSC announces 2022 I-WEPTAC topics, seeks working group volunteers I-WEPTAC is an annual event that examines fundamental installation and mission support challenges to identify deficiencies, shortfalls and developmental gaps that limit the Air Force's and Space Force’s ability to execute and operate efficiently.
Dec. 14, 2021 Air Force announces Spark Tank 2022 semifinalists A panel of nearly 30 subject matter experts from across the Department of the Air Force met Nov. 16, 2021 at the Basic Research Innovation and Collaboration Center in Arlington and via a virtual teleconferencing platform to conduct the Spark Tank 2022 quarterfinals.
Dec. 10, 2021 Multi-state ceremony to celebrate first human flight Wright-Patterson Air Force Base will honor the local foundation of innovation and grit its mission is built upon Dec. 17 at 10 a.m., commemorating the Wright brothers’ accomplishments 118 years ago with the annual First Flight ceremony.
Dec. 7, 2021 Workshop unites digital-first experts on transformation More than 250 individuals joined the online event, which leveraged the DTO Metaverse to engage participants in a virtual reality ecosystem designed to drive innovative thinking and digital-first thought strategies across the community.
Dec. 5, 2021 Robins AFB remote control aircraft tug creates safer work environment F-15 aircraft maintenance workers with the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex (WR-ALC) have 10 TowFLEXX 5.4 (TF-5), low profile aircraft tugs to move the aircraft around hangars where traditional tugs can’t maneuver.
Dec. 1, 2021 Air Force to field new bladder relief device, works toward ‘suite of options’ The Air Force recognized that current devices were not optimized for long-duration sorties, and as a result, aircrew were routinely dehydrating themselves to delay the need for bladder relief. Dehydration can lead to reduced endurance and G-force tolerance while in the aircraft, as well as other
Dec. 1, 2021 AFRL’s drone killer THOR wins Popular Science ‘Best of’ award Each year, Popular Science reviews thousands of new products and innovations, to choose the top 100 winners across 10 categories. To win, the technology must represent a significant advancement in its category.
Nov. 23, 2021 AFMC puts 75 years of history on display The United States Air Force turns 75 years old on Sept. 18, 2022, and the new exhibit showcases significant events throughout the service’s history.
Nov. 18, 2021 AFTC Airmen spark data solutions at hackathon The national security environment is affected by the rapid development of new technologies involving “big data” analytics, and the protection and proper utilization of our data is vital to advancing test capabilities at the Air Force Test Center. In order to merge data, tools and relevant problems,
Nov. 13, 2021 AFSFC initiatives modernize Total Force Defenders The Air Force Security Forces Center Logistics Directorate is modernizing and upgrading security forces members equipment ranging from individual requirements and equipment to deployable equipment, weapons management and ground munitions.
Nov. 10, 2021 Reduced hiring timelines continue to fulfill AFMC talent needs The Air Force Materiel Command continues to expedite civilian hiring timelines across the enterprise, ensuring the organization has the skilled manpower it needs now to execute its critical missions in support of the warfighter.
Nov. 9, 2021 Air Force’s first Energy Assurance Lease signed at Tyndall AFB Under the terms of the agreement, during normal grid operations, power from the microgrid will support GPC’s regular retail customers, including Tyndall AFB. During grid outages, the Air Force will have first right of refusal to backup power for support of three mission-critical facilities via
Nov. 6, 2021 AFCEC announces winners of 2021 Air Force Design Awards The design awards program, in its 46th year, honors the Air Force’s top projects. Since 1976, the program and the Air Force’s private-sector partners have recognized those projects that achieve design excellence related to the natural and built environment.
Nov. 4, 2021 CSAF delivers new C-37B to JB Andrews Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. flew the first of two new C-37B aircraft, which was assigned the tail number 1941 in honor of the year the Tuskegee Airmen were founded.
Nov. 4, 2021 Test Trifecta: Orange, Emerald, Black Flag combine to enhance large-scale test For the first time, the three independently executed large force test events collaborated in real-time for simultaneous execution focusing on securing electronic data sharing across geographically-separated battlespaces to enable long-range kill chains.
Nov. 2, 2021 AFMC leadership team meets with Space Airmen, discusses MAJCOM servicing role for Space Force The trip was an opportunity for the team to talk directly to Airmen about what it means for AFMC to be the servicing major command to U.S. Space Force and answer questions related to how it would impact their career and personal growth as they serve under the newest Department of Defense
Nov. 1, 2021 AFIMSC centralizes critical communication capability with standup of PMO The PMO will provide centralized management of the core LMR network and subscriber procurements for all Airmen and Guardians. Traditionally, management of the program was handled at the major command level. Through this initiative, the office aims to improve service and save the Air and Space Forces
Oct. 31, 2021 Shutterbugs capture ‘wonderful world’ in photo contest This year’s theme for the 2021 Air Force Photo Contest was “What a Wonderful World.” Participants could enter up to two images for one of the categories. A panel judged each photo on impact, creativity and technical excellence. Entries were accepted July 1 - Aug. 13.
Oct. 30, 2021 Native Seed Program grows DAF readiness The Department of the Air Force Native Seed Program, part of the National Seed Strategy, is a Bureau of Land Management initiative that brings together 12 federal agencies and more than 300 non-federal partners to champion ecological restoration nationwide.