Air Force Celebrates F-35 IOC

By Brian W. Everstine
Air Force leadership celebrated its newest operational aircraft at its main operational base, saying the F-35A will soon be the backbone of the fleet. “The F-35 will soon become the quarterback of the joint force,” Air Force Chief of Staff...

DOD Identifies Air Force Officer Who Died on Deployment

The Defense Department on Saturday identified an deployed airman who died while supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. Lt. Col. Flando E. Jackson, 45, of Lansing. Mich., died Aug. 4 while deployed to an undisclosed base in Southwest Asia from a non-combat...

Pitch Black, Down Under

By Brian W. Everstine
USAF airmen and aircraft are down under alongside eight other countries for Exercise Pitch Black 2016, a three-week exercise across two bases in Australia focused on offensive counter air and air support sorties. The Air Force contingent, which includes F-16Cs...

Texans to Argentina

By Brian W. Everstine
The State Department recently approved a $300 million deal to send T-6C Texans to Argentina to help bolster the training for that country’s air force. The deal comes shortly after Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James visited South America, where...

Eglin F-35s, Airmen Set Sortie Record

While all the focus has been on F-35 initial operating capability, the training wing at Eglin AFB, Fla., has set a new record. The 33rd Fighter Wing in early August set a record during a sortie surge, flying 111 sorties...

Beale Airman Receives Airman’s Medal for Saving Friend

An airman from Beale AFB, Calif., recently received the Airman’s Medal for saving a friend. SrA. Terron Matthews, a 9th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron assistant crew chief, recently received texts from a friend who said he was planning to commit suicide....

Lockheed Renames Rotary Division

Lockheed Martin has reshaped its Mission Systems and Training section, forming a new Rotary and Mission Systems following its purchase of Sikorsky. The new portfolio will include more than 1,000 programs, including helicopters and other areas such as missile defense,...