Seventeenth
Air Force, the air component of US Africa Command, earlier this month hosted the first visit by a delegation of Burkina Faso officers to an American military base in Germany. The three-member group from the West African nation spent a week studying security practices at Ramstein Air Base, 17th AF headquarters, as well as Spangdahlem Air Base and the Vogelweh military complex. During the visit, the delegation witnessed demonstrations of entrance security, flightline procedures, arms room protocols, canine training, and overall base security command and control activities. Such exchanges are part of 17th AF’s outreach efforts to build partnerships with African nations. In March, 17th AF sent delegations to Rwanda and Ethiopia for talks on improving those nations’ air domain safety and security. (Includes Ramstein report by TSgt. Alec Lloyd)
The U.S. military is sending more fighter jets to the Middle East to step up its war with Iran, adding to what is already the largest buildup of airpower in the region since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. For now, the operation shows little sign of coming to a quick…