The Pentagon confirmed Dec. 3 that Maj. Troy L. Gilbert, the pilot whose F-16 crashed in Iraq on Nov. 27, died when the fighter crashed some 20 miles northwest of Baghdad. Officials had listed Gilbert, who was deployed to Balad AB, Iraq, from the 309th Fighter Wing at Luke AFB, Ariz., as whereabouts unknown while remains found at the crash site underwent DNA analysis. An Air Force statement says the Armed Forces Medical Examiner’s office made formal identification on Dec. 1.
AETC Launches Blueprint with AI Training for All Airmen
Sept. 10, 2026
Strategic guidance from the command in charge of Air Force training lays out a plan to train all Airmen in artificial intelligence and build “Digital Airmen” across the force’s training and education enterprise.
