Air Force Archives - Page 46 of 2552

Bamboo Eagle 24-3: U.S. Air Force tests Pacific readiness

Posted on August 21, 2024August 21, 2024 by alert5

Exercise Bamboo Eagle 24-3 concluded on August 9, 2024, marking a significant milestone in the U.S. Air Force’s preparation for potential conflicts in the Pacific theater. The eight-day exercise, spanning multiple locations across the western United States and eastern Pacific Ocean, involved over 3,000 service members operating more than 150 aircraft from nearly a dozen locations. This large-scale, joint exercise tested the Air Force’s ability to operate in contested environments with limited command and control, pushing the boundaries of its Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concepts.

U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles and an F-22 Raptor assigned to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron participate in exercise Bamboo Eagle 24-3 with 32nd Air Refueling Squadron air crews over the Pacific Ocean, Aug. 9, 2024. As part of the 305th Air Mobility Wing, the 32nd ARS operates the KC-46 Pegasus aircraft conducting air refueling missions necessary to support air mobility missions on a global scale. During BE 24-3, Air Mobility Command assets supported warfighters implementing all-domain combat-power generation from disaggregated basing locations throughout the western part of the U.S., along with distributed command and control, agile logistics and tactical air-to-air refueling. Bamboo Eagle provides participating units opportunities to highlight Air Force efforts to reoptimize for Great Power Competition and to focus on mission readiness to deliver cross-functional and lethal combat capabilities with the speed and agility required to meet pacing challenges. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Monica Roybal)

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Broken but not grounded: The inspiring comeback of F-16 pilot Trent Meisel

Posted on August 18, 2024August 17, 2024 by alert5

On a cloudy May morning in 2023, Air Force Capt. Trent Meisel’s routine flight near the Korean Demilitarized Zone turned into a life-altering ordeal. As his F-16 fighter jet pierced through the clouds, Meisel found himself in every pilot’s nightmare – plummeting towards earth with malfunctioning instruments and mere seconds to react.

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301st Fighter Wing receives first F-35A

Posted on August 16, 2024August 16, 2024 by alert5

The 301st Fighter Wing at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, ushered in a new chapter in its storied history on Aug. 8, with the arrival of its first F-35A Lightning II. This delivery marks a significant milestone for both the wing and the Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC), as the 301st becomes AFRC’s inaugural stand-alone F-35 wing.

An F-35A Lightning II from Hill Air Force Base, Utah arrives to the flightline at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, Aug. 8, 2024. The 301st Fighter Wing is the first Air Force Reserve Command unit to own, maintain and operate the fifth generation platform. (U.S. Air Force photo by 2nd Lt. Chad Dixon)

U.S. considers supplying JASSM cruise missiles to Ukraine, Politico reports

Posted on August 16, 2024August 16, 2024 by alert5

In an exclusive report, Politico reveals that the Biden administration is “open” to providing Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles (JASSMs) to Ukraine, marking a potential significant escalation in U.S. military aid. This long-range cruise missile, if approved, would dramatically enhance Ukraine’s strike capabilities in its ongoing conflict with Russia.

U.S. Air Force Major Jacob Rohrbach, a pilot assigned to the 40th Flight Test Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, releases the first Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile Extended Range, or JASSM-ER, from an F-16 over the Gulf of Mexico on September 19th, 2018. The test gathered data on safe separation and software integration of the JASSM-ER, and demonstrated the Eglin test range’s ability to monitor and control test items in flight over the Gulf of Mexico.

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F-35 pilot achieves 1,000-hour milestone at Luke AFB

Posted on August 15, 2024 by alert5

Lt. Col. Christopher “Lube” Lowe, a U.S. Air Force Reserve pilot assigned to the 944th Fighter Wing, recently crossed a significant milestone by accumulating 1,000 flight hours in the F-35 Lightning II. The milestone flight took place on Aug. 9 at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona.