This week, US airmen are in Senegal participating in an African Partnership Flight exchange with airmen from eight African partner air forces as part of continuing Air Force efforts to strengthen ties with them. In addition to the Senegalese, airmen from Benin, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, and Togo are taking part in the AFP events in Dakar, according to a June 16 Air Force release. “African Partnership Flight is used to develop interoperability and regional cooperation between African countries,” said Maj. James Renfro, APF mission commander. “We want to develop communication between the separate countries so that if something does happen, they are already familiar with each other and can assist their partners in a time of need,” he said. The Air Force launched the APF initiative in 2012 as part of the US military’s outreach on the African continent. In April, the Air Force held an APF event in Angola. (Dakar report by SSgt. Ryan Crane)
The Air Force's fiscal 2026 combat aircraft budget request goes big on the new F-47 and B-21, but only buys 45 new fighters, less than half its traditional goal. The service said it can only buy what industry can make, and the desired 72 fighters is "not...achievable."