Aircraft Maintenance and Refueling

Photos portray airmen maintaining and refueling military aircraft, emphasizing the critical support roles within the air force and the intricacies of aircraft readiness.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 90th Fighter Squadron prepare to load a Captive Air Training Missile 120-C onto a U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor during exercise Polar Force 22-4 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, April 4, 2022. The F-22 increases lethality against all advanced air threats by minimizing enemy capabilities to track and engage with the jet due to its stealth, integrated avionics, and supercruise characteristics. The F-22s characteristics provide synergistic effects, increasing lethality against all advanced air threats.

Right side rear view of SENIOR AIRMAN Michael Vause, Aviano Air Base, Italy, as he refuels a C-130 Hercules after it returned from a nine-hour mission. Base: Aviano Air Base State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA)

020709-F-8425S-008. Base: Aviano Air Base State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA)

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 90th Fighter Squadron prepare to load a Captive Air Training Missile 120-C onto a U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor during exercise Polar Force 22-4 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, April 4, 2022. The F-22 increases lethality against all advanced air threats by minimizing enemy capabilities to track and engage with the jet due to its stealth, integrated avionics, and supercruise characteristics. The F-22s characteristics provide synergistic effects, increasing lethality against all advanced air threats.

DF-ST-85-09770. Subject Operation/Series: WILLIAM TELL '84 Base: Tyndall Air Force Base State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A maintenance crew troubleshoots an air conditioning malfunction on a F-16 Falcon. The 169th Fighter Wing of the South Carolina Air National Guard, McEntire Air National Guard Station, is deployed to Hill Air Force Base, Utah, to participate in Exercise Combat Hammer. It's flying squadron, the 157th Fighter Squadron, is one of several units operating in this 'live-fire' weapons testing mission. The 157th FS will fire Highspeed Anti-Radiation Missiles (H.A.R.M.) and AGM-65G 'Maverick' missiles (Not shown) to test their pilots abilities, their unit tactics, and the effectiveness of missile systems. Subject Operation/Series: COMBAT HAMMER '2000 Base: Hill Air Force Base State: Utah (UT) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DF-ST-87-00610. Base: Ellsworth Air Force Base State: South Dakota (SD) Country: United States Of America (USA)

CAPT. William B. Hayden, commanding officer of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN-72), prepares to enter the cockpit of a Fighter Squadron 114 (VF-114) F-14A Tomcat aircraft on the LINCOLN's flight deck. Country: Caribbean Sea

DF-ST-87-12696. Subject Operation/Series: COPE THUNDER '86-3 Base: Clark Air Base State: Luzon Country: Philippines (PHL)

SENIOR AIRMAN Mark Cusimano an F-15 Eagle crew chief with the 159th Fighter Group, New Orleans, LA, refills the aircraft liquid oxygen (LOX) prior to another mission sortie during Roving Sands '96, the US military's largest annual joint air defense training exercise. Subject Operation/Series: ROVING SANDS '96 Base: Cannon Air Force Base State: New Mexico (NM) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Marines with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 773 Detachment A, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Forces Reserve, conduct maintenance on an AH-1Z Viper during exercise Gunslinger 22 at Salina, Kansas on June 20, 2022. Routine aircraft maintenance is required to ensure the aircraft is operating within optimal flight conditions.

Airmen from the Idaho Air National Guards 124th Maintenance Group replace an engine on the flight line at the Combat Readiness Training Center, Alpena, MI, June 15, 2022. Exercising the multi-capable airman concept, airmen from across the maintenance group are able to cooperatively accomplish tasks that might otherwise be reserved for specific shops.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. John Jolley Jr., an aerial observer with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 464, cleans a CH-53E Super Stallion's exterior panels at an undisclosed location, Oct. 6, 2022. HMH-464 provided assault support for Marine Forces Special Operations Command during Exercise Raven 23-1 to enhance combat readiness in an unfamiliar expeditionary environment. HMH-464 is a subordinate unit of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, the aviation combat element of II Marine Expeditionary Force.

221002-N-XN177-1151 PHILIPPINE SEA (Oct. 2, 2022) - U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Edward Thomas, from Surprise, Arizona, prepare to fold the rotors of an MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Reinforced) on the flight deck aboard amphibious assault carrier USS Tripoli (LHA 7) Oct. 2, 2022. Tripoli is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Gabriel Gonzalez, A-10C Thunderbolt II Demonstration Team electrical and environmental systems technician, performs pre-flight inspections at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, March 24, 2023. During the performance, Johnson showcased different aerial maneuvers, including simulated gun runs, highlighting the capabilities of the A-10.

040820-F-0571C-041. Base: Cheddi Jagan Iap Country: Guyana (GUY)

040414-F-5833N-034. Base: Shaikh Isa Air Base State: Ar Rifa And Southern Country: Bahrain (BHR)

A U.S. Air Force pilot inspects the legion pod attached to his F-15C Eagle during a pre-flight inspection at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Jan. 26, 2022. The pilot flew in support of Cope North, a multilateral training exercise that began in 1978 with the objective of increasing combat capability and improving warfighter integration between the U.S. Air Force and Japans Air-Self Defense Force. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Raughton)

U.S. Air Force Capt. Taylor Hudson, a student pilot assigned to the 149th Fighter Wing, Air National Guard, conducts preflight checks prior to launch during Coronet Cactus, March 31, 2023, at Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona. The annual training event deploys members of the 149th Fighter Wing, headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, to another environment in order to familiarize them with accomplishing mission objectives in an unfamiliar location.

DF-ST-85-01780. Country: Unknown

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 492nd Aircraft Maintenance Unit load ordnance onto an F-15E Strike Eagle during a quarterly load crew competition at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, June 16, 2022. The 48th Fighter Wing Maintenance Units hold quarterly load crew competition to give Airmen a chance to show off their technical prowess to peers and wing leadership.

A member of the holdback/hookup crew signals to the catapult officer as the catapult crew prepares to launch an Attack Squadron 75 (VA-75) A-6E Intruder aircraft from the aircraft carrier USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CV-67). Country: Adriatic Sea

STAFF Sergeant (SSGT) Roy Eberle, US Air Force (USAF), and SSGT Matthew Allen, USAF, 437th Aircraft Generation Squadron, Charleston AFB, South Carolina, replace engine parts on a C-17A Globemaster III, on the ramp at Naval Air Station (NAS) Sigonella, Sicily, during 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 Base: Naval Air Station, Sigonella State: Sicily Country: Italy (ITA) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC

220502-N-VH871-2019 U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF OPERATIONS (May 2, 2022) Aviation Machinists Mate 3rd Class Trevor Lyons, assigned to the "Grey Knights" of Patrol Squadron (VP) 46, deployed with Commander, Task Force (CTF) 57, services the turbine of a P-8A maritime patrol aircraft, May 2nd. CTF 57 aircraft conduct missions in support of maritime operations to ensure security and stability in the Middle East region.

DF-ST-85-09920. Base: Kadena Air Base State: Okinawa Country: Japan (JPN)

DF-ST-87-08323. Base: Bitburg Air Base Country: West Germany (FRG)

Airman 1st Class Jason Shapiro, 317th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, inserts engine plugs into a C-130J Super Hercules after a training mission at Fort Campbell, Ky., May 20, 2014. The 39th AS can provide tactical airlift, airdrop and aeromedical evacuation, creating an air bridge for personnel, equipment and supplies.

030807-M-7837W-005. Base: Baghdad Country: Iraq (IRQ)

120115-N-OY799-351ARABIAN SEA (Jan. 15, 2012) Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Equipment) 3rd Class Adam Fitzgerald checks the shuttle for the launching of an F/A-18C Hornet from the Warhawks of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 97 on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations and support missions as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

060520-N-9712C-001. Base: Fallujah State: Al Anbar Country: Iraq (IRQ)

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Steven Galvan and Senior Airman Justin Cook, 86th Maintenance Squadron aerospace propulsion technicians, unscrew the cowling of a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft during Stolen Cerberus IX at Elefsis Air Base, Greece, May 3, 2022. Maintenance crews are essential to ensuring aircraft are efficient during exercises.

Aircrew from the 43rd Electronic Combat Squadron perform pre-flight inspections at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., Jan. 18, 2023. The 43rd ECS flies the EC-130H to perform its airborne electronic warfare mission as part of the only electronic combat group in the U.S. Air Force.

Ground crew members from the 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing refuel an F-15 Eagle aircraft during Exercise Quick Thrust '83-1. Subject Operation/Series: QUICK THRUST '83 Base: Charleston Air Force Base State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Isaac Kessler, a crew chief assigned to the 130th Maintenance Group, attaches a liquid oxygen service line hose to a C-130 J-30 Super Hercules aircraft at McLaughlin Air National Guard Base, Charleston, West Virginia, Feb. 4, 2024. Aircraft receive LOX service to ensure aircrew and passengers have breathable air while carrying out flying missions. Air National Guard

A U.S. Air Force pilot assigned to the 44th Fighter Squadron climbs into the cockpit of an F-15C Eagle at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Dec. 14, 2022. The 18th Wing routinely executes various training scenarios to maintain combat readiness and safeguard U.S. national interests and the collective defense of allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility.

Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Airman Austin Parks, left, from Lexington, Kentucky, and Aviation Boatswain's Mate (Handling) Airman Rebecca Manahan, from Kapleh, Hawaii, both assigned to USS Gerald R. Fords (CVN 78) air department, chain down an F/A-18E Super Hornet in the hangar bay, April 22, 2022. Ford is underway in the Atlantic Ocean conducting carrier qualifications and strike group integration as part of the ships basic training phase.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Kristina Lorelli, a crew chief from the 192nd Fighter Squadron, Virginia Air National Guard, conducts pre-flight checks on F-22 Raptors at the Air Dominance Center on May 4, 2022, in Savannah, Georgia. Sentry Savannah is a total force integrated exercise that showcases the nation's combat aircraft readiness, tests the capabilities of our warfighters in a near-peer environment and trains our next generation of fighter pilots for tomorrows fight.

DN-SC-89-08091. Base: USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN 69) Country: Mediterranean Sea (MED)

050104-F-2869F-231. Base: Bangkok International Airport State: Bangkok Country: Thailand (THA)

DN-SC-89-08037. Base: USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN 69) Country: Mediterranean Sea (MED)

Staff Sgt. Terrence Ward, 911th Maintenance Squadron aircraft fuels technician, checks a technical order after climbing out of the underfloor area of a C-17 Globemaster III at the Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station, Pennsylvania, Sept. 8, 2022. Airmen must enter the underfloor area to disconnect the advanced onboard inert gas generation system before working on the fuel system to ensure a safe working environment.

Flight deck crewmen attach an F-14A Tomcat aircraft to a catapult during flight operations aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS CARL VINSON (CVN-70). Country: Pacific Ocean (POC)

Airman 1st Class Anthony Melendrez, 5th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron electrical and environmental systems specialist, performs maintenance on a B-52H Stratofortress at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Feb. 28, 2024. Electrical and environmental systems specialists are responsible for maintaining and repairing the wiring and electrical components on an aircraft. Air Force

040621-F-7270C-012. Base: Alpena Crtc State: Michigan (MI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DN-SC-89-08083. Base: USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN 69) Country: Mediterranean Sea (MED)

030808-M-7837W-006. Base: Bagram Air Base State: Parwan Country: Afghanistan (AFG) Scene Major Command Shown: VMA-513

Members of the 509th Bomb Wing Aircraft Maintenance Squadron inspect a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber as it fuels up during Exercise Agile Tiger on Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, April 5, 2022. Exercise Agile Tiger was a 509th-led interoperability training exercise which combined and honed the skills of active duty, guard, and reserve U.S. Military Forces to ensure combat-readiness.

Aviation Structural Mechanic Airman Cruz Mendoza, assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 46, performs a pre-flight check on an MH-60R Seahawk at Naval Air station Fallon. Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7 is the offensive air and strike component of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10 and the George H.W. Bush CSG. The squadrons of CVW-7 are Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 143, VFA-103, VFA-86, VFA-136, Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 140, Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 121, Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5, and Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 46.

Brazilian military personnel use a fork lift to load a pallet of supplies aboard a 50th Tactical Airlift Squadron C-130E Hercules aircraft for a container delivery system airdrop during the joint U.S./Brazilian exercise Saci '84. Subject Operation/Series: SACI '84 Base: Rio De Janeiro Country: Brazil (BRA)

DF-ST-88-06771. Base: Warner Robins Air Force Base State: Georgia (GA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DA-ST-85-04877. Subject Operation/Series: GALLANT EAGLE '84 Base: Los Angeles State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DF-ST-87-03951. Subject Operation/Series: COPE NORTH '86-3 Base: Komatsu Air Base Country: Japan (JPN)

030318-F-7449W-011. Base: Spangdahlem Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

221012-N-KU796-1009 PACIFIC OCEAN (Oct. 12, 2022) U.S. Navy Aviation Electrician's Mate Airman Cody Roach, from Hamlin W.Va., performs maintenance on a helicopter rescue hoist in the hangar bay of the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Nimitz Strike Group is underway preparing for an upcoming deployment.

A ground crew member performs postflight maintenance on a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft during Exercise Glad Customer '82. Subject Operation/Series: GLAD CUSTOMER '82 Base: Andersen Air Base State: Guam (GU) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Japanese aircrewmen load a MK-46 air launched torpedo into the bomb bay of a P-3 Orion aircraft as US Navy ordnancemen from VP-47 watch. Base: Naval Air Station, Barbers Point State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DN-SC-93-04524. Subject Operation/Series: DENY FLIGHT Country: Adriatic Sea

U.S. Marines with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 773 Detachment A, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Forces Reserve, conduct maintenance on an AH-1Z Viper during exercise Gunslinger 22 at Salina, Kansas on June 20, 2022. Routine aircraft maintenance is required to ensure the aircraft is operating within optimal flight conditions.

030623-F-7685H-016. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Baghdad International Airport Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: AFSPC

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Nathan Buck, loads a C-130 Hercules at Buckley Space Force Base, Colo., Sep. 22, 2022 during a readiness exercise, Operation Thundercat. This four-day exercise provides a simulated combat environment that allows Airmen to practice real-world warfighting capabilities.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 335th Expeditionary Maintenance observe a U.S. F-15E Strike Eagle, assigned to the 335th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, receiving fuel during a routine agile combat employment exercise at an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia, Aug. 15, 2022. Continual training in ACE competencies enhances mission proficiency and increases readiness to deter regional aggression.

DN-ST-89-01348. Base: San Diego State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

US Air Force SENIOR AIRMAN Austin B. Mayer, Hydraulics Technician, 363rd Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron, Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, places a cover over a USAF RC-135 Rivet Joint Reconnaissance aircraft engine as part of his post-flight procedures at the base, on October 26th, 2000. SRA Mayer is part of the coalition force here to support Operation SOUTHERN WATCH, a military effort to enforce the no-fly and no-drive zone in Southern Iraq. Subject Operation/Series: SOUTHERN WATCH Base: Prince Sultan Air Base Country: Saudi Arabia (SAU)

Japan Air Self-Defense Force and U.S. Pacific Air Forces Airmen perform pre-flight checks during bilateral training on a Kawasaki C-2 at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Sept. 26, 2022. The training was held to learn the capabilities and procedures of two different airlift airframes, learning best practices and techniques to utilize in future interoperable missions.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Aubrey Buddy, refuels a C-130 Hercules at Buckley Space Force Base, Colo., Sep. 22, 2022 during a readiness exercise, Operation Thundercat. This four-day exercise provides a simulated combat environment that allows Airmen to practice real-world warfighting capabilities.

030326-F-9528H-010. Country: Unknown

Robert Kjos, 509th Bomb Wing lead aircraft mechanic, inspects a T-38 Talon jet fighter trainer at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, Aug. 25, 2022. The skill and experience of Whitemans mechanics are invaluable for keeping older aircraft like the T-38 mission ready.

A ground crew member points at the port exhaust nozzle of a Fighter Squadron 124 (VF-124) F-14A Tomcat aircraft engine prior to cleaning it. Base: Naval Air Station, Miramar State: California(CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Technical Sgt. Tung B. Tran and Staff Sgt. Korey Hunt, 927th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chiefs, replace landing gear brakes of a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft on MacDill Air Force Base, July 9, 2022. The KC-135 provides in-air refueling in support of a wide variety of mission-sets.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Joden Werlin, an A-10 Warthog fighter pilot with the 357th Fighter Squadron, 355th Fighter Wing, briefs Marines on the capabilities of the A-10 Warthog at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, Twentynine Palms, Calif., on July 18, 2022. Marines from Marine Air Control Squadron 24 controlled the U.S. Air Force A-10s as they landed and then received fuel from Marines with MWSS-473. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by. Cpl. Ryan Schmid)

United States Marine Corps aircraft maintenance specialist working on an engine housed inside an engine nacelle of an MV-22 Osprey, Camp Bastion, Helmand Province, Afghanistan

DF-ST-87-11088. Subject Operation/Series: SALTY DEMO Base: Spangdahlem Air Base Country: West Germany (FRG)

US Air Force AIRMAN First Class James S. Conklin installs an oriface onto an F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. Base: Cannon Air Force Base State: New Mexico (NM) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Crew chiefs with the 124th Fighter Wing, Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, service and launch an A-10 Thunderbolt II from the Combat Readiness Training Center, Alpena, Michigan, June 13, 2022. The 124th FW, along with a number of other guard units, is participating in Agile Rage 22, a National Guard Bureau-led effort to train on the Air Forces agile combat employment mission.

US Air Force STAFF Sergeant Andrew Hegwood from the 37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, guides his K-loader towards the back ramp of a C-130 Hercules aircraft. The K-loader is carrying equipment to be used in the upcoming Mass Tactical Exercise (MASSTAC) CRIMSON BAYONET. (Duplicate image, see also DF-SD-02-02787 or search 010305-F-3329S-506). Subject Operation/Series: CRIMSON BAYONET Base: Ramstein Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

DF-ST-86-08670`. Base: George Air Force Base State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Staff Sgt. Bryan Holloway, 510th Aircraft Maintenance Unit avionics craftsman, prepares to perform scheduled radar threat warning maintenance on an F-16 Fighting Falcon March 21, 2011, at Aviano Air Base, Italy. The aircraft will deploy in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn. Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn is the U.S. Africa Command task force established to support the larger international response to the unrest in Libya. A broad coalition of nations are partnering to enforce U.N. Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1973, which authorizes all necessary means to protect civilians in Libya under threat of attack by Qadhafi regime forces. JTF Odyssey Dawn is commanded by Admiral Samuel J. Locklear, III.

110411-N-ZZ999-004 CHINA LAKE, Calif. (April 11, 2011) Aviation Ordnancemen assigned to the Vampires of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 9 install AGM-88 Echo advanced anti-radiation guided missiles on an F/A-18D Hornet for test launches at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.

United States Marine Corps aircraft maintenance specialist working on an engine housed inside an engine nacelle of an MV-22 Osprey, Camp Bastion, Helmand Province, Afghanistan

061125-N-8907D-001. Base: USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN 69)

A flight deck crew member services an aircraft aboard the aircraft carrier USS SARATOGA (CV-60) during Operation Desert Storm. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT STORM Country: Red Sea

U.S. Air Force Airman Robert Adams, B-52 crew chief from the 5th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, supports a B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Feb. 26, 2024. Members of the EBS and their aircraft are deployed to Guam as part of a Bomber Task Force, allowing the Department of Defense to remain fully committed to the defense and deterrence of any actors that would look to undermine or threaten U.S. shared interests. Air Force

DF-ST-88-03938. Subject Operation/Series: SILVER FLAG ALPHA 87-1 Base: Decker Field, Wendover State: Utah (UT) Country: United States Of America (USA)

031004-F-8039C-055. Base: Joe Foss Field State: South Dakota (SD) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

DF-ST-86-07937. Base: Cairo West Country: Egypt (EGY)

An aircrewman performs maintenace on a B-52 Stratofortress aircraft during the Strategic Air Command's bombing/navigation competition PROUD SHEILD"88. Subject Operation/Series: PROUD SHEILD '88 Base: Minot Air Force Base State: North Dakota (ND) Country: United States Of America (USA)

020609-F-5646C-005. Base: Malstrom Air Force Base State: Montana (MT) Country: United States Of America (USA)

000622-N-4106M-002. Subject Operation/Series: RIMPAC 2000 Country: Pacific Ocean (POC) Scene Major Command Shown: FLTCOMBATCAMGRUPAC

DF-ST-88-05076. Subject Operation/Series: COBBLER FREEZE Base: Deadhorse State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Chuck Mangold performs a preflight check on the Champaign Gal, a World War II B-25 bomber, on July 15, 2022, at Grimes Field in Urbana, Ohio. Mangold, among the Champaign Aviation Museum volunteer pilots, has a day job as a flight safety officer in one of the Air Force Life Cycle Management Centers system program offices. He is a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and C-130 pilot.

U.S. Airmen assigned to the 334th Fighter Generation Squadron load munitions on an F-15E Strike Eagle during an annual load crew competition at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, on February 23, 2024. The teams consisted of Airmen assigned to the 333rd, 334th, 335th and 336th Fighter Generations Squadrons, as well as the 414th Fighter Group. Air Force

030710-F-5098W-002. Base: RAF Mildenhall State: Suffolk Country: England / Great Britain (ENG) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

030418-F-1389C-003. Country: Unknown Scene Major Command Shown: 398th AEG

SSGT Reese Ardes, crew chief with the 90th Aircraft Maintenance Unit, updates records on an F-4 Phantom II aircraft during Cope North 90-1, a joint U.S. Air Force/JASDF exercise. Subject Operation/Series: COPE NORTH 90-1 Base: Chitose Air Base Country: Japan (JPN)

040610-F-0375W-008. Base: Elmendorf Air Force Base State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Airmen work on the engines of a C-130 Hercules aircraft during exercise Purple Duck, a deployment from Yokota Air Base, Japan, to Kwang Ju Air Base for joint operation readiness maneuvers with Korean troopers. Airmen work on the engines of a C-130 Hercules aircraft during exercise Purple Duck, a deployment from Yokota Air Base, Japan, to Kwang Ju Air Base for joint operation readiness maneuvers with Korean troopers.

U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Nicholas Stacks, a load master with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 152, conducts an air delivered ground refueling (ADGR) on multiple aircraft at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, Oct. 25, 2022. VMGR-152 conducted ADGR to train toward rapid-refueling in austere environments for aircraft that cannot be refueled in flight, allowing them to stay in the fight.

DN-ST-88-00674. Base: USS Dwight D Eisenhower (CVN 69) Country: Atlantic Ocean (AOC)

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Nicholas Powell, a 727th Special Operations Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, conducts repairs on a CV-22 Osprey at Hurlburt Field, Fla., March 23, 2023. The CV-22 Osprey has a top speed of 351 mph and a cruise speed of 311 mph.

011118-F-4406B-001. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Naval Air Station, Sigonella State: Sicily Country: Italy (ITA) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC

Medium shot, low angle, SENIOR Airmen Brian Martin and Richard Carlton, USAF Crew Chiefs, 305th Aircraft Generation Squadron, McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, change the wing formation light on a C-141B Starlifter. They preflighted the plane prior to its takeoff for a mission to airdrop troops from the 82nd Airborne Division, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, onto the Sicily drop zone on Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The exercise, called Large Package Week involves the airdropping of 1200 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne and their heavy equipment onto the drop zone. Large Package Week is a quarterly training exercise designed to build cohesiveness between the 82nd Airborne and Air Mobility .... Complete Scene Caption: Medium shot, low angle, Senior Airmen Brian Martin and Richard Carlton, USAF Crew Chiefs, 305th Aircraft Generation Squadron, McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey, change the wing formation light on a C-141B Starlifter. They preflighted the plane prior to its takeoff for a

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