Air chiefs from 17 African nations are convening in Douala, Cameroon, this week with US Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa leadership for a symposium on how African air forces can best work together to respond to regional challenges, according to a release. USAFE-AFAFRICA is co-hosting the event with the Cameroon air force. Gen. Frank Gorenc, USAFE-AFAFRICA commander, will deliver remarks at the Sept. 9 opening ceremony, states the release. Lt. Gen. Darryl Roberson, 3rd Air Force commander, is also scheduled to attend the symposium, as is Heidi Grant, the Air Force’s deputy undersecretary for international affairs. She’s slated to deliver remarks at the closing ceremony on Sept. 11. Roundtable discussions will deal with air force development strategies, airfield security, countering violent extremist organizations, formalizing a network of African airmen, and peacekeeping operations. Scheduled to participate are the air chiefs from Angola, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Chad, Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Gabon, Ghana, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, and Uganda.
The Air Force displayed all the firepower it has amassed on Okinawa in an unusually diverse show of force this week. IIn a May 6 “Elephant Walk,” Kadena Air Base showcased 24 F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters, eight F-15E Strike Eagles; two U.S. Army Patriot anti-missile batteries near the runway; and…