Several Air Force aircraft including F-16s, C-130s, and KC-135s have deployed to northern Africa for the continent’s largest exercise involving 7,000 participants from nine nations. The African Lion exercise wraps up June 18, with USAF aircraft flying alongside Moroccan aircraft in close air support training ...
Since U.S. forces withdrew from Somalia earlier this year, they have been “commuting to work” via aircraft to help train Somali troops, but without a ground presence there is limited intelligence understanding, the head of U.S. Africa Command told lawmakers. In December 2020, former President ...
The proliferation of small unmanned aerial systems, usually commercially available drones that can be outfitted to drop weapons, is the most “persistent and dangerous” threat to troops in the Middle East in decades. “These small- and medium-sized UAS proliferating across the [area of operations] present ...
Airmen and C-130s from Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., recently returned from a four-month deployment supporting combat operations in the Middle East and Africa. The Airmen and aircraft from the 41st Airlift Squadron, along with Airmen from the 19th Operations Group, 19th Aircraft Maintenance ...
The Jan. 6 violence at the Capitol building has prompted senior military officials, including the Acting Defense Secretary, to reiterate the Pentagon's commitment to a peaceful transfer of power and to address concerns among troops. Acting Defense Secretary Christopher C. Miller, in a statement released ...
U.S. Africa Command stood up a task force and began withdrawing forces from Somalia, while at the same time conducting a live-fire exercise to show that American airpower will remain active in the country despite the move. On Dec. 19, AFRICOM activated Joint Task Force-Quartz ...
Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper on Oct. 20 said that the Pentagon's proposed posture shift in Europe, which is slated to pull nearly 12,000 troops out of Germany, end Spangdahlem Air Base's fighter mission, and relocate U.S. Africa Command's headquarters, looks to more effectively deter ...
Bipartisan lawmakers on Sept. 30 blasted the Pentagon for failing to provide details of its planned force structure changes in Europe, saying the proposed removal of almost 12,000 troops from Germany could harm U.S. alliances. Under the proposal, first announced in July, DOD would shift ...
Three B-1Bs flew a long-range bomber task force mission on Sept. 10, starting from Texas and transiting through the East Siberian Sea near the Arctic before touching down at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, to prepare for more missions, U.S. European Command announced. The three ...
U.S. European Command boss Gen. Tod D. Wolters issued a memo explaining the strategic rationale behind the Pentagon's proposed posture shift within the European theater, and cautioned that any moves will take time to implement. Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper said July 29 the U.S. ...
Russian private military contractors have expanded their presence in Libya, bringing in additional aircraft and air defense systems, U.S. Africa Command alleges through newly released surveillance photographs. The private Wagner Group deployed to Libya to support military commander Khalifa Haftar’s offensive against the United Nations-backed ...
16th Air Force achieved full operational capability July 13, less than a year after the former 24th and 26th Air Forces were combined into a single number air force headquartered in San Antonio. It combines intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, cyber, electronic warfare, and information operations. ...