The future role of US Air Forces in Europe where Africa is concerned has yet to be defined since announcement of the establishment of US Africa Command, reports USAF journalist MSgt. Ron Przysucha. A transition team in Stuttgart, Germany, is working to delineate responsibilities for the new AFRICOM, which will be absorbing work overseen by US European Command, US Central Command, and US Pacific Command. USAFE airmen have been providing varied assistance—from medical to construction to airfield management—to African countries since 1970. Currently, USAFE has explosive ordinance disposal technicians working in Western Africa to help clear landmines from a civil war.
The Air Force is moving forward with a new, algorithm-driven system to help U.S. Northern Command better detect airborne threats. NORTHCOM and the North American Aerospace Defense Command, which are tasked with protecting the homeland from attack, depend on a slew of radars and other data systems to monitor U.S.…