When Airmen eject, the mission is clear: America leaves no warrior behind. Airmen are trained to survive, evade, resist, and escape the enemy, and everyone from ground crew to rescue personnel and commanders are committed to doing everything necessary—and possible—to bring downed Airmen home.
Epic Fury
The Air Force is extending the life of the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack plane until at least 2030, pausing the service’s plan to retire the close air support aircraft amid active combat in the Middle East.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth claimed “a historic military victory” after the U.S. and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire late April 7, even as he and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Gen. Dan Caine said American forces will remain “ready” to resume operations should the ceasefire expire without a longer peace deal.
The dramatic and sprawling two-day operation to save the crew of an F-15E Strike Eagle shot down over Iran on April 3 involved hundreds of personnel, dozens of aircraft—and multiple close calls.
The second crew member of the Air Force F-15E shot down April 3 has been rescued from Iran. U.S. forces recovered the aviator alive and all American forces involved in the operation are believed to be safe, U.S. officials told Air & Space Forces Magazine.
A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle was shot down over Iran, sparking a massive combat search and rescue effort April 3, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine. Meanwhile, a U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft was also ...
B-52 Stratofortress bombers marked a new first in Operation Epic Fury when some of the BUFFs flew over Iran carrying JDAM-guided gravity bombs, according to people familiar with the matter. The development signals a weakening of Iranian air defenses and a new use for the ...
Space Ghost “Operations to project power are very successful when you control the high ground. In wars of the past, the high ground was the air. In wars of the future—in wars of today—the high ground is space. You must...
An important U.S. Air Force E-3 Sentry AWACS command and control plane was among the aircraft damaged in a March 27 Iranian missile and drone attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.
Multiple American service members were wounded and some aircraft were damaged in a March 27 Iranian attack on Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.
A U.S. Air Force F-35A pilot suffered shrapnel wounds after their aircraft was damaged during a combat mission over Iran on March 19, people familiar with the matter told Air & Space Forces Magazine.
U.S. personnel and bases in Europe are playing a major role in enabling the war against Iran, Operation Epic Fury, the head of American forces on the continent said March 12.