Last year, when Hurricane Irma, a monster Category 5 storm, barreled toward Florida’s southern peninsula and Homestead Air Reserve Base, The Air Force Reserve commander had a lot of decisions to make. Thankfully, history – in the form of Air Force historians – was on her side. The Air Force Reserve Command history office pulled […]

A pilot scans the screen on his helmet-mounted display, monitoring air speed and information about his ground target. Then in a quick turn and ascent, he pushes the plane through the flickering gloom of a stratus layer up to a brightly lit flight path above the clouds. For intermittent moments, his helmet-mounted display screen washes […]

All of the enduring missions of the Air Force begin with the shaping, training and education of young officers and enlisted Airmen. Airman magazine interviewed the commander of Air Education and Training Command, Lt. Gen. Steven L. Kwast at AETC headquarters at Joint Base San Antonio – Randolph, Texas, to discuss the evolution of training […]

For more than 50 years, the Northrop T-38 Talon has been the principal supersonic jet trainer used by the U.S. Air Force. The twin jet-powered aircraft, which has tandem-seats for the instructor and student pilot, is the world’s first supersonic trainer. Air Education and Training Command is the primary user of the T-38 for joint specialized undergraduate pilot […]

“Nobody kicks ass without tanker gas.” While it may sound cliché, it’s a common motto within the tanker community. For more than 60 years of continuous service, the KC-135 Stratotanker has been the core aerial refueling capability for U.S. operations around the world. The KC-135 provides the Air Force with its primary mission of global […]

Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force Kaleth O. Wright spoke directly to senior NCOs and junior officers during the 2018 Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Florida, about the need to free Airmen to innovate by eliminating the “frozen middle.” Quoting Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Goldfein, Wright said, “The boss […]

Gen. Darren W. McDew is the commander, U.S. Transportation Command, Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. USTRANSCOM is the single manager for global air, land and sea transportation for the Department of Defense. McDew was commissioned in 1982 following his graduation from Virginia Military Institute. He began his flying career at Loring AFB, Maine. His staff […]

On Oct. 14, 1947, then-Capt. Chuck Yeager flew the Bell X-1 rocket plane at Mach 1 and broke the sound barrier. Since then, the Air Force has continually stretched and pushed the limits of speed – finding new ways to make its aircraft fly faster and farther. However, the U.S. is not alone in this […]

Dr. John Paul Stapp earned the title “the fastest man on Earth” when he rode the Sonic Wind I rocket-propelled sled at the Holloman High Speed Test Track at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, on December 10, 1954, to a land speed record of 632 mph in five seconds. He sustained the greatest recorded […]

Since before cyber was even called cyber, the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio has been the center of gravity for research and education about warfare within the digital realm. Ironically, that education in operating on the digital battlefield has largely been administered within a brick and mortar schoolhouse. […]