Air Force Operations

Images of Air Force personnel preparing aircraft for missions, conducting maintenance, and participating in training exercises, emphasizing readiness and teamwork.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Diego Amezcua, 355th Aircraft Maintenance Unit avionics specialist, places a chock around an F-35A Lightning II wheel during a mini-generation on Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, Oct. 26, 2022. During the mini generation, the 355th AMU Airmen conducted servicing, equipment reconfigurations and aircraft launch and recovery procedures in Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear gear to enhance combat readiness.

Members from the 151st Wing prepare the KC-135R to depart from Roland R. Wright Air National Guard Base during Exercise PERSES on Feb. 3, 2024. The joint exercise challenges the tactics, techniques, and procedures of both Utah Air and Army National Guard units along with other component units, while testing innovative ideas and communication practices. (Utah Air National Guard

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Diego Amezcua, 355th Aircraft Maintenance Unit avionics specialist, places a chock around an F-35A Lightning II wheel during a mini-generation on Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, Oct. 26, 2022. During the mini generation, the 355th AMU Airmen conducted servicing, equipment reconfigurations and aircraft launch and recovery procedures in Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear gear to enhance combat readiness.

030923-F-5281B-048. Base: Tallil Air Base State: Dhi Qar Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

Soldiers of the 34th Infantry Division arrive at Contingency Operating Base Basra from Kuwait. The 34th ID will assume command of Multi-National Division-South from the 10th Mountain Division in a transfer of authority ceremony scheduled for later this month.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Phillip Stewart, 19th Air Force commander, deplanes a T-38C Talon on the flight line at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, Oct. 4, 2022. Stewart visited Laughlin to learn how its multi-capable Airmen are working to streamline Undergraduate Pilot Training and enhance its mission of producing the world's best pilots.

CPT Brian Udell, an F-15E pilot with the 366th Wing does a pre-flight inspection of his Eagle on the F-15 ramp. He returned to flying after battling life-threatening injuries incurred from one of the fastest ejections ever recorded when the F-15 he was flying crashed in the Atlantic Ocean. Exact Date Shot Unknown Published in AIRMAN Magazine April 1977. Base: Mountain Home Air Force Base State: Idaho (ID) Country: United States Of America (USA)

041112-F-9528H-008. Base: Biggs Army Airfield State: Texas (TX) Country: United States Of America (USA)

NASA test pilots Jim Clue” Less and Wayne Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.

Crew chiefs take a break beside a Military Airlift Command C-130 Hercules aircraft during exercise Market Square III. Subject Operation/Series: MARKET SQUARE III Base: Pope Air Force Base State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A close up view of STAFF SGT. John Maliska as he salutes 1ST LT. Jeannie Flynn as she taxis out in an F-15E for a training mission. 1ST LT. Flynn, the first F-15E female pilot assigned to the 555th Fighter Squadron, is undergoing tactical training for six months. Base: Luke Air Force Base State: Arizona (AZ) Country: United States Of America (USA)

In order to practice Agile Combat Employment, Airmen from the 151st Logistics Readiness Squadron fuels shop are challenged to defuel a KC-135R Stratotanker into an Army Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck on Aug. 24, 2022 at Roland R. Wright Air National Guard Base, Salt Lake City, Utah. This innovative process demonstrates the ability to provide fuel to other vehicles when located in austere conditions in order to complete the mission. This joint force exercise will develop new operational concepts, capabilities and plans to bolster deterrence and maintain the U.S. militarys competitive advantage for the future.

A U.S. Air Force Airman from the 354th FIghter Generation Squadron checks the oil on an A-10 Thunderbolt II during Bushwhacker 22-07 at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia, Nov. 3, 2022.. Over 300 Airmen participated in BW 22-07, an Agile Combat Employment training exercise. This operational training was a part of the Lead Wing certification process and allowed DM to prepare for the final certification exercise projected to take place in 2023.

041109-F-9629J-169. Base: Little Rock State: Arkansas (AR) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Air Transportation Specialists from the 615th Aerial Port Squadron, Travis Air Force Base, California, brave the ever changing weather conditions at Taszar Air Base, Hungary, to offload an arriving C-141 Starlifter aircraft. Base: Taszar Air Base Country: Hungary (HUN)

Members from the 151st Wing prepare the KC-135R to depart from Roland R. Wright Air National Guard Base during Exercise PERSES on Feb. 3, 2024. The joint exercise challenges the tactics, techniques, and procedures of both Utah Air and Army National Guard units along with other component units, while testing innovative ideas and communication practices. (Utah Air National Guard

Airmen from the 28th Bomb Wing salute two returning B-1B Lancers as they taxi to their parking area on Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., March 30, 2011. The B-1s struck targets in Libya in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Zachary Foster, 6th Air Refueling Wing public affairs specialist, documents the departure of a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft assigned to the 6th ARW at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, Sept. 23, 2022. Air Force public affairs specialists share the Air Forces story by managing various media and conducting community engagement events.

U.S. Air Force ROTC cadets from the University of Southern Alabama Detachment 875 gather in the weapons load barn during a tour at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., Sept. 22, 2022. To prepare for a career as an Air Force or Space Force officer, cadets take courses that focus on the importance of effective leadership, application of leadership concepts and the role of a military leader in todays society.

040817-F-4884R-007. Country: Iraq (IRQ)

010419-F-7253S-016. Base: Fairchild Air Force Base State: Washington (WA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC

Military personnel disembark from a 433rd Military Airlift Wing C-5 Galaxy aircraft upon their arrival in support of Operation Desert Shield. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT SHIELD Country: Saudi Arabia (SAU)

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Robert Garcia, left, and Sgt. Liam Reynolds, UH-1Y Venom crew chiefs with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 469, prepare for takeoff during exercise Fuji Viper Shinka 22 at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan, June 15, 2022.VMM-265, HMH-465, and Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 469 are supporting Fuji Viper Shinka 22 in order to enhance lethality and train with 4th Marine Regiment.

A U.S. Sailor with Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 2, Naval Air Station Lemoore, California, watches two Mirage F-1s taxi during Weapons System Evaluation Program East-22.12 at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, Sept. 12, 2022. WSEP is a formal, two-week evaluation exercise designed to test a squadrons capabilities to conduct live-fire weapons systems during air-to-air combat training missions.

OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM (AFIE) -- A crew chief guides in a C-17A Globemaster III carrying Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld, at Camp Stronghold Freedom in Uzbekistan. He was there to visit troops deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom on Dec. 16.

U.S. Marines with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 152 off-load a Polaris MRZR light tactical all-terrain vehicle at Iejima, Japan, Oct. 15, 2022. VMGR-152 supported Marines and Sailors with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit and Marine Wing Support Squadron 171, transporting personnel, equipment, and fuel across the Indo-Pacific region.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Corey Martin, 18th Air Force commander, speaks to Col. Elizabeth Hanson, 305th Air Mobility Wing commander, and Col. Timothy Mach, 305th AMW vice commander, on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J., Sept. 13, 2022. Martin visited Joint Base MDL to gain insight on how the 305th AMW is innovating the aerial port and flightline, as well as creating and implementing Mobility Air Force Force Generation and Multi-Capable Airmen concepts.

DF-ST-85-12542. Base: Pohakuloa State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Air Force Security police stand guard as a Cuban national, captured on Grenada during the multiservice, multinational Operation Urgent Fury, exits from a C-130 Hercules aircraft. He is being escorted to an airliner that will return him to Cuba. Subject Operation/Series: URGENT FURY Base: Seawell International Airport Country: Bangladesh (BGD)

030401-F-2034C-004. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Country: Iraq (IRQ)

A view of the tail on an A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft as a ground crewman performs post-flight maintenance during Reforger-Crested Cap I. Subject Operation/Series: REFORGERCRESTED CAP I Base: Leck Air Base Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

981204-M-8902P-002. Base: Mcas, Cherry Point State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

011022-F-0308N-031. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Al Udeid Air Base, Doha Country: Qatar (QAT) Scene Major Command Shown: CENTCOM

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Pierce Bender, 6th Air Refueling Squadron KC-10 Extender flight engineer, inspects aircraft during Exercise Agile Tiger on April 6, 2022, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. Exercise Agile Tiger will employ agile combat employment concepts. Forces will be challenged to execute operations from various locations with integrated capabilities and interoperability.

Maintenance is done on an A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft during a reserve rescue exercise. Base: Phelps Collins Ang Base State: Michigan (MI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DN-SC-89-09369. Base: Naval Air Station, Alameda State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A crew chief for a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 265 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, waits next to his aircraft after landing aboard the USS Denver at sea, March 29, 2014. The aircraft picked up the Marines with the 31st MEU's Amphibious Reconnaissance Platoon to participate in Exercise SSang Yong 2014. This training shows the interoperability of the Republic of Korea and U.S. forces and demonstrates their abilities to conduct amphibious operations and exercise expeditionary capabilities.

010804-F-9631D-015. Subject Operation/Series: PATRIOT HOOK Base: Naval Air Station, Miramar State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Marines with 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, 3d Marine Division, load a KC-130J Herculesattached to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 153, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1stMarine Aircraft Wing, at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, Jan. 17, 2024. TheMarines are preparing to depart for the Big Island of Hawaii to participate in Bougainville III, a3d LCT live-fire exercise focused on decentralized operations to prepare the battalion tocommand and control forces from dispersed locations.

Aircraft maintainers, assigned to 34th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, prepare a U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer, assigned to 34th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, to takeoff from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, to support a Bomber Task Force mission, June 29. Bomber Task Force missions provide opportunities to train alongside our allies and partners to build interoperability and bolster our collective ability to support a free and open Indo-Pacific.

040923-F-5469R-007. Base: Volk Field State: Wisconsin (WI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Members of the U.S. Air Force debark from a C-141B Starlifter aircraft upon their arrival in support of Operation Desert Shield. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT SHIELD Country: Saudi Arabia (SAU)

U. S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots from the 124th Fighter Wing, Gowen Field Air National Guard Base, Boise, Idaho, walks off the flightline after conducting flight operations during Agile Combat Employment (ACE) training at Agile Rage 22, Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center, Mich., June 16, 2022. Agile Rage 22 provides realistic training opportunities, mimicking current and future combat environments dictated by the National Defense Strategy.

A U.S. Air Force HC-130J Combat King II, assigned to the 79th Rescue Squadron, taxis down the flight line at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, Oct. 8, 2022. Members with the 355th Wing returned home on two C-130s after an overseas deployment.

U.S. Marines with the Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron (H&HS) color guard execute a drill movement during a change of command ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma, Arizona, June 30, 2022. Lt. Col. Robert Reinoehl commanded H&HS for two years and relinquished command to Lt. Col. Michael Hayes, previously the MCAS Yuma operations officer.

U.S. Air Force AIRMAN First Class Mark Crider, a tactical aircraft maintenance specialist from the 95th Fighter Squadron, Tyndall Air Force Base Florida, is ready to launch an F-15 pilot for a mission during Roving Sands 99, June 19, 1999. The 95th is temporaily assigned to Davis Mothan Air Force Base Arizona, to support the exercise. Roving Sands is a one-of-a-kind event that is the world's largest Joint Tactical Air Operations exercise. It melds the Command, Control, Communications, and Computer Elements; Air Defense Artillery; and Aircraft; of the Army, Air Force, Marines, Navy, and Multinational Forces, into a Joint Integrated Air Defense System (IADs). Subject Operation/Series: ROVING SANDS '99 Base: Davis-Monthan Air Force Base State: Arizona (AZ) Country: United States Of America (USA)

970129-F-2829R-506. Complete Scene Caption: Major Leonard Heavner, the Deputy Commander of the 4100 Group (Provisional), completes another engine-running off load of a C-130 Hercules transport aircraft on a taxiway of Tulza Air Base in support of Operation JOINT GUARD. He and the personnel that support the aircraft meet an arriving aircraft with in five seconds. The complete offload takes well under thirty minutes. On December 20, 1996, the Implementation Force (IFOR) mission came to a conclusion and the 1ST Infantry Division was selected to continue serving in Bosnia as part of the new Stabilization Force (SFOR). This decision brought to close the peace mission of Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR and has been the beginning for the current operation known as Operation JOINT GUARD. JOINT GUARD will continue to monitor the militaries of the former warring factions and provide a climate of stability. Subject Operation/Series: JOINT GUARD Base: Tuzla Country: Bosnia And/I Herzegovina (BIH)

Staff Sgt. Eric Morris a loadmaster with the 4th Air Lift Squadron at McChord Air Force Base, Wash., marshals a U.S. Army Light Medium Tactical Vehicle onto a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft headed to Haiti for earthquake relief efforts Jan. 20, 2010, at Pope Air Force Base, N.C. Pope AFB is a component of Air Mobility Command, which is participating in a swift and coordinated relief effort to save lives and alleviate human suffering in the aftermath of the earthquake.

NASA test pilots Jim Clue” Less and Wayne Ringo” Ringelberg step to the F/A-18 research aircraft at Ellington Field and conduct pre-flight safety checks on the aircraft prior to a supersonic research flight for the QSF18 series.

020103-F-2034C-053. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Thumrait Air Base Country: Oman (OMN) Scene Major Command Shown: 405th Air Expeditionary Wing

021217-F-3356N-006. Base: Whiteman Air Force Base State: Missouri (MO) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: Acc

U.S. Army soldiers, 5th Special Forces Group, load onto a C-130J Super Hercules at Fort Campbell, Ky., May 20, 2014. The 5th SF is conducting static line jump training with the 39th Airlift Squadron from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas.

Aircrew from the 2nd Bomb Wing prepare to board a B-52H Stratofortress for a CONUS-to-CONUS (C2C) training mission, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, Sept. 29, 2022. Bomber missions to the Into-Pacific region deter aggression by demonstrating U.S. Air Force ability to operate anywhere in the world at any time in support of U.S. Allies and partners.

U.S. Air Force Col. Jesse J. Friedel, 35th Fighter Wing commander, Japan Air Self-Defense Force Maj. Gen. Takahiro Kubota, 3rd Air Wing commander, and U.S. Navy Capt. Paul Hockran, Naval Air Facility Misawa commanding officer, walk back from a base capabilities demonstration that culminated a week-long readiness exercise at Misawa Air Base, Japan, May 13, 2022. The large formation displays the joint, bilateral capabilities of Misawa Air Base, with a mission to protect U.S. interests in the Pacific, defend Japan and deter adversaries through our presence, readiness, and ability to project combat air power.

The Civil Engineering Squadron of the 147th Attack Wing on Joint Reserve Base Ellington, TX board onto a C-130 jet for mission-ready airman training in Pennsylvania. The Connecticut National Guard piloted the flight for the unit. (Texas Air National Guard Photo by Airman First Class Asiah Phillips) (Photo enhanced to emphasize the subject.)

A ground crew member gives a thumbs-up to C-141B Starlifter, assigned to the 62nd Aircraft Generation Squadron, McChord Air Force Base, Washington, as it prepares to depart for McMurdo Base, Antarctica. The aircraft and personnel are participating in the joint, U.S. Armed Forces and New Zealand Defense Force, military operation which provides logistic support to the U.S. National Science Foundation's Program on Antarctica. Subject Operation/Series: DEEP FREEZE Base: Christchurch State: Canterbury Country: New Zealand (NZL)

ST. THOMAS, U.S. Virgin Islands (Sept. 23, 2017) Marine Cpl. Bradley Roach helps members of the media onto an MV-22 Osprey, attached to the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3), at Cyril E. King Airport. Kearsarge is assisting with relief efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria. The Department of Defense is supporting the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the lead federal agency, in helping those affected by Hurricane Irma to minimize suffering and is one component of the overall whole-of-government response effort.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Gavin Ball inspects a KC-135 Stratotanker at the 121st Air Refueling Wing, August 2, 2022. Inspections are needed to ensure aircraft are ready for any mission.

Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division board a C-141B Starlifter aircraft for a parachute drop during Exercise SAND EAGLE '89. Subject Operation/Series: SAND EAGLE '89 Base: Saint Mary'S State: Georgia (GA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

An Airman from the Florida Air National Guard's 125th Fighter Wing, Detachment 1, marshalls an F-15 at Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida in support of North American Aerospace Defense Command's (NORAD) Operation Noble Defender (OND), June 29, 2022. As a part of OND, which is a recurring operation, the Continental U.S. NORAD Region (CONR) coordinated and conducted joint operations with the U.S. Navy while concurrently launching jets from different locations across the United States' gulf coast and Puerto Rico. OND, is an integrated air and missile defense operation designed to ensure the defense and security of the northern and southern approaches to North America. This particular OND allowed NORAD units to exercise maneuvers designed to defend the southern approach to the United States from simulated cruise missile threats. NORAD is a bi-national Canadian and American command that employs a network of aerial, ground-based, and space-based sensors, air-to-air refueling tankers, and fi

Dr. Victoria Coleman, right, Air Force Chief Scientist, and a 67th Fighter Squadron pilot, left, perform pre-flight checks on an F-15D Eagle at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Sept. 26, 2022. Dr. Coleman serves as the Chief Scientific Adviser to the Secretary of the Air Force, Air Force Chief of Staff, and Chief of Space Operations, providing assessments on a wide range of scientific and technical issues affecting the departments mission.

060601-A-5168K-094. Base: Fort Hood State: Texas (TX) Country: United States Of America (USA)

980623-F-2171A-016. Base: Mcchord Air Force Base State: Washington (WA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 79th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and the 79th Expeditionary Fighter Generation Squadron pose for a group photo, Oct. 23, 2022, at Prince Sultan Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The mission of the 79th "Tigers" is to project combat airpower across the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, support personnel, improve force movement, and show U.S. and partner nations resolve in the region.

U.S. Army and Egyptian Army troops file off an Egyptian Air Force C-130 transport at Cairo-West airport. In the foreground a USAF C-130 Hercules and in the background a USAF KC-10 tanker. Personnel and aircraft are participating in BRIGHT STAR '83, the joint U.S. and Egyptian military training exercise. Exact Date Shot Unknown. Subject Operation/Series: BRIGHT STAR '83 Country: Egypt (EGY)

Tech Sgt. Steven Coope, a crew chief with the 134th Air Refueling Wing, wraps up cable after an exercise here. Crew chiefs play a vital role in maintaining the KC-135s stay operational.

A U.S. Air Force aircraft fuels systems specialist assigned to the 157th Fighter Squadron, South Carolina Air National Guard, fuels an F-16 Fighting Falcon post-flight during exercise Sentry Savannah 22-1 at the Air Dominance Center in Savannah, Georgia, May 11, 2022. Sentry Savannah is the Air National Guards premier counter air exercise, encompassing 10 units of fourth- and fifth- generation fighter aircraft, which tests the capabilities of warfighters in a simulated near-peer environment and trains the next generation of fighter pilots for tomorrows fight.

CAMP LEMONNIER, Djibouti (August 31, 2022) U.S. Africa Command Commander, U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley speaks to U.S. Marines who are deployed to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti (CLDJ). Langley came to CLDJ to meet AFRICOM troops as a top priority after assuming command Aug. 9 (U.S. Navy photograph by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Randi Brown)

Student pilots take in the views on the flightline on Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, June 15. Team Vance is proud to deliver world-class pilots every single day.

Soldiers of the 7th Light Infantry Division disembark from a C-5 Galaxy aircraft. Base: Howard Air Force Base Country: Panama (PAN)

At Byrd Field/Richmond International Airport, SENIOR AIRMAN (SRA) Fernandus Branch, a security forces specialist from the Air National Guard's 192nd Fighter Wing (FW), stands next to his High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) performing a spot check while on guard duty on the flight line in support of Operation NOBLE EAGLE. SRA Branch has his Colt 5.56mm M16A2 Assault Rifle at hand. The 192 FW is located just outside of Richmond in Sandston, Virginia. NOBLE EAGLE is a partial mobilization of the reserves for homeland defense and civil support missions in response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 at the New York World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Subject Operation/Series: NOBLE EAGLE Base: Byrd Field State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Joseph Aliotti and U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Kevin Shereck, 9th Maintenance Squadron avionics specialists, return to the pogo truck during the elephant walk on Jan. 4, 2024, at Beale Air Force Base, California. The pogo truck is used by the maintainers to assist U-2s on the runway.

041117-F-1740G-014. Base: Hyakuri Japanese Air Base Country: Japan (JPN)

U.S. Marine Cpl. Jessica Seward, High Mobility Artillery Rocket System driver with the 2nd Battalion, 10th Marines, waits for instructions at North Auxiliary Airfield, South Carolina, Oct. 19, 2022. The HIMARS is an air-transportable precision rocket system capable of firing a variety of conventional, precision-guided ballistic munitions.

A fish eye view of a security policeman and his dog guarding A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft during exercise Thunderhog II '80. Subject Operation/Series: THUNDERHOG II '98 Base: Myrtle Beach Air Force Base State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Army personnel from A Company, 1 of 6 Infantry, Baumholder, Germany, deplane from a C-17 Globemaster III at Tirana, Albania. U.S. forces are currently deployed to Albania to provide humanitarian aid to the Kosovo Albanian refugees (not shown) in support of Operation Sustain Hope, the U.S. effort to bring in food, water, medicine, relief supplies, and to establish camps for the refugees (not shown) fleeing from the Former Republic of Yugoslavia into Albania and Macedonia. Subject Operation/Series: SUSTAIN HOPE Country: Unknown

Airmen from the 728th Air Mobility Squadron and the 496th Air Base Squadron offload cargo from a KC-10 Extender at Morón Air Base, Spain, April 5, 2022. Airmen from the 728th AMS were deployed from Incirlik Air Base, Turkey, to Morón AB to augment aerial port capabilities in support of the first Air Mobility Command KC-46 Pegasus Employment Concept Exercise (ECE) and real world operations. While this is not the first time the KC-46 has operated under the scope of the 521st AMOW, the ECE is designed to enhance operational fielding and sustainment of the KC-46.

AIRMAN watch as 48th Tactical Fighter Wing F-111F aircraft prepare to depart for Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Desert Shield. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT SHIELD Base: Raf Mildenhall Country: Great Britain / England (GBR)

U.S. Marine Corps Private First Class Vincent Gibson, left, fixed-wing aircraft mechanic, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 312, Marine Air Group (MAG) 31, shakes hands with Lt. Col. Clayton Gard, commanding officer, VMFA-312, MAG-31, Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, Oct. 2, 2022. Pilots with VMFA-312 departed for the Unit Deployment Program in order to provide forward presence and assist commanders around the globe.

021218-F-7203T-011. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Bagram Air Base State: Parwan Country: Afghanistan (AFG)

332d Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron loads cargo onto C-130 Hercules to be transported to an undisclosed location August 30, 2022. The C-130 is designed to transport troops and cargo and is capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings.

The United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron "Thunderbirds" train in Edwards Air Force Base, California, Jan. 22 - Feb. 5, 2024. This marked the third annual Thunderbirds winter training trip, which allows the team to rehearse the show prior to kickstarting the season in March. Air Force

Airmen assigned to the 15th Special Operations Squadron (15th SOS), Hurlburt Field, Fla., demonstrate Forward Area Refueling Point (FAP) procedures to the 77th Fighter Generation Squadron at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., July 6, 2022. FARP training prepares U.S. and Allied forces to effectively refuel aircraft in austere locations when air-to-air refueling is not possible or when fueling stations are not accessible.

Airborne troops prepare to board a U.S. Air Force HC-130 Hercules aircraft for a combined air drop, called a friendship jump, during the joint Thai-U.S. training exercise Cobra Gold '92. Subject Operation/Series: COBRA GOLD '92 Base: Korat Country: Thailand (THA)

U.S. Marines run to greet Marines with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 352, Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, after a deployment with Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa, on MCAS Miramar, California, Aug. 22, 2022. The deployment was a successful integration of elements of three Fleet Marine Force squadrons to provide critical rapid personnel recovery and medical evacuation capabilities to U.S. and partner forces operating in East Africa.

U.S. Marines with 3d Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, 3d Marine Division and a U.S. Army soldier conduct a battlespace turnover on Okinawa, Japan, Jan. 27, 2022. The Marines Corps, Army, and Air Force conducted joint reconnaissance operations to prepare the battlespace for follow-on actions. The training demonstrates the joint forces ability to integrate command and control, expand battlefield awareness, and conduct long-range precision strikes as an enduring, stand-in-force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Lorenzo Ducato)

Technical Sergeant (TSGT) Jerry Holik, USAF, a TALCE (Tanker Airlift Control Element) crewchief, marshals a Navy C-2A Greyhound into a parking spot at a classified location. TSGT Holick deployed with the 615th Tanker Airlift Control Element, from Travis Air Force Base, California, in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. In response to the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 at the New York World Trade Center and the Pentagon, President George W. Bush initiated Operation ENDURING FREEDOM in support of the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), fighting terrorism abroad. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Country: Unknown

Aircrew from the 5th Bomb Wing rush to their vehicles May 17, 2022, at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota. While at the alert facility the aircrew resides on standby in order to rapidly respond and quickly transit to their aircraft.

DF-ST-88-05204. Base: Pope Air Force Base State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Various aircrews attended the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Centers Advanced Tactics Aircrew Course in Fort Huachuca, Arizona, from April 11-15, 2022 including the U.S. Air Force Reserve Commands 302nd Airlift Wing, Rhode Island Air National Guards 143rd Airlift Wing, New York ANGs 105th Airlift Wing, the Royal Danish Air Forces 721 Squadron, and the U.S. Air Forces 517th Airlift Squadron. During ATAC, students spend their first week at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base in St. Joseph, Missouri, and their second week at Fort Huachuca.

Navy AIRMAN Kimberly Linzy, 72nd Security Forces Squadron, patrols the flight line near an E-6A Mercury aircraft, an airborne communications platform, during the exercise GLOBAL GUARDIAN '98. Subject Operation/Series: GLOBAL GUARDIAN '98 Base: Tinker Air Force Base State: Oklahoma (OK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Air National Guard aeromedical evacuation teams from multiple units along with members of the Birmingham Fire and Rescue Service Department simulate unloading patients from a C-130 Hercules from the 130th Airlift Wing, West Virginia Air National Guard during PATRIOT South 19 in Birmingham, Ala., Mar. 7, 2019. PATRIOT South 19 is an annual, accredited Joint National Training Capability exercise that provides a simulated natural disaster environment for units to test their response and capabilities to conduct domestic operations.

Aircrew from the 43rd Electronic Combat Squadron walk towards an EC-130H Compass Call on the flight line at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., Jan. 18, 2023. The EC-130H is an airborne tactical weapon system using a heavily modified version of the C-130 Hercules airframe.

020111-F-1851B-017. Subject Operation/Series: SOUTHERN WATCH Base: Prince Sultan Air Base Country: Saudi Arabia (SAU) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

Members of the 175th Security Forces Squadron apprehend a red team suspect during a simulated attack on Warfield Air National Guard Base at Martin State Airport, Middle River, Md., during an Anti-terrorism/force protection exercise on September 9, 2022. The exercise was held from September 8-10 and tested the emergency response of the entire base populace in an elevated FPCON level.

The Interior Alaska Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps visits 168th Wing as part of summer camp and learns about the 168th Wing, pilot, boom operator, aircraft maintenance, security forces, and civil engineering missions. The Interior JROTC cadets are students at West Valley High School Marine Corps JROTC, Lathrop High School Army JROTC, Eielson Air Force Base High School Air Force JROTC, and North Pole High School Air Force JROTC.

Maj. Luke Stouffer and Maj. Ryan Cooley, both aircrew members assigned to the 757th Airlift Squadron, watch preparations before flying a C-130H Hercules aircraft and installed prototype modular aerial spray system for its first test flight at Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio, July 25, 2022. The prototype system looks to replace the unit's decades old modular aerial spray system. The 910th Airlift Wing operates the Department of Defense's only large-area, fixed-wing aerial spray capability to eliminate pest and disease-carrying insects, remove invasive and wildfire-causing vegetation and disperse oil spills in large bodies of water. (U.S. Air Force photo Eric M. White)

U.S Soldiers with the 143rd Airborne Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, Charlie Company, from Rhode Island, completed their annual training session at Camp Ripley Training Center on 31 July 2022. During their annual event, they dominated the platoon live fire course, weapons qualifications, and a night jump to complete their airborne mission in conjunction with the 133rd Air Wing. Their mission as an airborne unit is highly specialized, and the unit trains to be the best in their field. (Minnesota National Guard photo by Army Sgt. Austyn Flippin)

US Air Force AIRMAN First Class Ed Wells, 23rd Fighter Squadron, runs for cover at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, during a Phase II Local Salty Nation exercise. Spangdahlem personnel participated in a Phase I at the beginning of the week followed up by a Phase II in preparation for a Phase I Operational Readiness Inspection and a NATO Tactical Evaluation. Base: Spangdahlem Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

Members of a US Central Command team, from the MacDill AFB, Fla. deployment team load a commercial aircraft before deploying to Southwest Asia (SWA). Subject Operation/Series: VIGILANT WARRIOR Base: Macdill Air Force Base State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

of 3