Air Force and Army helicopter forces deployed to Bagram AB, Afghanistan flew their first joint combat search and rescue training mission recently, capping the joint work they have been doing in aeromedical evacuation. The mission required months of planning and briefings, even a “dry run” and familiarization flight in the Army AH-64 Apache simulator, said Air Force Lt. Col. John Trumpfheller, 33rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron commander. “The intent of the flight is to validate standard operating procedures for the [USAF] HH-60 and AH-64 to operate together,” he said and added, “We are practicing recovering isolated personnel while the Apache suppresses any threat in and around the isolated personnel.” The HH-60s have their own firepower, two 50-caliber machine guns, but Trumpfheller said adding the Apache weapons to the mix provides that extra measure of coverage. The training, he said, enabled the two forces to coordinate “who covers what areas and how we are going to employ weapons from both.” (Bagram report by SSgt. Rachel Martinez)
Space Command Laying Foundation for Maneuver Warfare
April 20, 2026
U.S. Space Command has tasked a team of internal analysts with laying the foundation for a future maneuver warfare strategy that uses advanced, on-orbit mobility to “shatter the enemy’s cohesion,” the command’s top officer said April 13.