Fourteen Air Force leaders from Africa met at Ramstein AB, Germany, last week for the first African Air Chiefs Conference, reports Capt. Joel Harper. Gen. Tom Hobbins, head of US Air Forces in Europe, said the goal of the conference was to “explore ways in which strategic partnerships and regional cooperation can improve air safety and security across the continent.” According to Brig. Gen. Michael Snodgrass, USAFE’s director of plans, programs, and analysis, the conference produced “professional, vigorous debate” on airman-to-airman issues. Snodgrass also said that the African Air Chiefs seemed particularly interested in engendering training opportunities since “they recognize that the United States has a great breadth and depth of training capabilities, across the board, for their air forces.”
A semi-autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone shot down an air-to-air target in a Dec. 8 test supported by the U.S. Air Force, a notable milestone in the development of the loyal wingman-type drones that will join the fleets of the USAF, other American services, and allies and adversaries.
