Air Forces Africa launched the inaugural Africa Partnership Flight, bringing several air forces from East Africa together for military-to-military exchange at Accra, Ghana. “At the end, if we do nothing more than strengthen relationships, old and new, that’s value added,” said Col. Dave Poage, APF mission commander, of the two-week event that began on Monday. “Just getting to know each other and creating partnerships among a myriad of organizations will make it successful,” he added. Hosted by the Ghanaian Air Force, airmen from several major commands, including AFAFRICA and US Air Forces in Europe, are meeting with more than 160 personnel from Benin, Ghana, Nigeria, and Senegal. “Good knowledge of best practices . . . is very crucial to the success of any modern air force,” said Air Commodore Emanuel Ahadome, GAF logistics chief. US Africa Command is incorporating APF into its outreach activities this year as a routine, small-footprint capacity-building tool. (Accra report by SSgt. Brok McCarthy)
A little more than two months into his new job as the Air Force’s program executive officer overseeing acquisition for the service’s ambitious Advanced Battle Management System, Brig. Gen. Luke C.G. Cropsey has identified three integration issues he’ll have to help solve—but is still assessing which of the many efforts…