Maj. Gen. Jim Owoyesigire, Ugandan air force chief, visited 17th Air Force (Air Forces Africa) at Ramstein AB, Germany, becoming the first African air chief to call on 17th AF headquarters since the numbered air force stood up in October 2008. The meetings Nov. 9-11 were the latest step in the strengthening of an “already fantastic” relationship, said Maj. Gen. Margaret Woodward, 17th AF boss. Owoyesigire said 17th has been a key in helping his young air service develop an airlift capability so that it could contribute to peacekeeping activities in Africa, such as the African Union Mission in Somalia. He said lessons learned from the Ramstein visit will shape the next steps in cooperation. “[R]ight now, we are asking 17th AF to come and help us establish a squadron officers’ school and NCO academy in Uganda,” he said. (Ramstein report by MSgt. Jim Fisher)
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.