Air Combat Command

Air Force pilots will be patrolling the skies above Levi’s Stadium Sunday as part of the security measures being put in place for this year’s Super Bowl. (U.S. Air Force photo by Roland Leach)

Super Bowl 50: F-15s to patrol skies after Blue Angels flyover

By Oriana Pawlyk on February 5, 2016 Air Combat Command, Air Force, Air National Guard, Football

Between the Navy’s Blue Angels, the Air Force’s Thunderbirds, and other various aircraft, flyovers for the Super Bowl have wowed audiences for decades. This year, the Blue Angels will open Super Bowl 50, at Levi’s Stadium, California, with their “signature six-jet Delta formation.” But during the game itself, there will be other aerial backup. Air Force F-15 Eagles from the California Air National Guard have been training for weeks leading up to the big game, the Air Force said. The fighter jets will be patrolling the skies for wandering aircraft who have flown into restricted airspaces (on Sunday, the skies…

Maintainers begin post-flight checks on the first Lot 1 production model QF-16 after it arrived at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., March 11. (Air Force photo)

First production QF-16 targeting drone arrives at Tyndall

By Brian Everstine on March 26, 2015 Air Combat Command, Air Force, Airframes

The first production drone version of the F-16 has touched down at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, and will get ready for its demise. On March 11, the first production version of the QF-16 aerial targeting drone landed at the base. The aircraft has been in testing to eventually replace the legacy QF-4 Phantom aerial target. “Today culminates five years of hard work and dedication beginning with a development program, completing a rigorous test and evaluation phase that has ultimately led to the first operational delivery of the QF-16,” said Michele Hafers, director, test and training division at Eglin Air…

‘Daily Strike’ not the new name for updates on airstrikes

By militaryonline on March 4, 2015 Air Combat Command, Air Force, Iraq

On Wednesday, it appeared that the daily tally of airstrikes in Iraq in Syria that is provided to reporters had been rechristened as the “Daily Strike.” That sounded like a pretty good name for a morning defense-related tip sheet, as in, “Start your day with the Daily Strike – We put warheads on foreheads.” But, after FlightLines contacted the combined joint task force in charge of the war against the Islamic State, it quickly became clear there is no “Daily Strike” morning roundup. Combined Joint Task Force – Operation Inherent Resolve regularly sends emails to reporters listing which targets in…

Carlisle to take over ACC on Nov. 4

By Brian Everstine on October 29, 2014 Air Combat Command, Leadership

The next head of Air Combat Command, Gen. Hawk Carlisle, will officially take over on Nov. 4, the Air Force announced this week. Carlisle, who previously was the head of Pacific Air Forces, will take over for retiring ACC commander Gen. Mike Hostage. Carlisle is a command pilot with 3,600 flying hours in several aircraft. Prior to PACAF, he served as the deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and requirements at Headquarters Air Force in Washington. Hostage will retire after more than 37 years of service, including more than 4,000 flying hours in fighter aircraft, including more than 600…

First general officer qualifies in the F-35A

By Brian Everstine on October 2, 2014 Air Combat Command, Air Education and Training Command, Air Force

The first general officer has completed qualification training in the F-35A. Maj. Gen. Jay Silveria, commander of the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center, completed the training on Sept. 26 at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Silveria topped off the seven-week training regimen with five hours of flying in two back-to-back sorties along with a hot pit refuel. “The Warfare Center is so involved with the development and future of this aircraft that it was important for me to see and experience this new program at the lowest tactical level and bring that knowledge base back to the higher level strategic…

65th Aggressor Squadron at Nellis deactivates

By Brian Everstine on September 30, 2014 Air Combat Command, Air Force, budget cuts

One of the two aggressor squadrons at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, has deactivated. The 65th Aggressor Squadron at Nellis, which flew F-15s, was deactivated Sept. 26, according to the Air Force. This means that Nellis will only have one squadron, the 64th Aggressor Squadron, to serve as adversaries during the large-scale Red Flag exercises at the base, along with Weapons School training. The squadron helped train pilots in F-22s, F-35s, F-15s, F-16s and F/A-18s. “It’s been a great asset for the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center to be able to have the F-15 Eagles here as an aggressor squadron…

Summer: The time of awkward Air Force safety PSAs

By Brian Everstine on July 18, 2014 Air Combat Command, Air Force, Offbeat, Video

Public affairs crews at multiple bases and major commands are doing what they can to keep airmen safe, notably uploading a series of awkward public safety announcements to YouTube. PA folks at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., have produced a series of great safety videos, with very high production and puppet value, called “Awkward Puppet Moments.” The one above reminds airmen to drink enough water while exercising in the Nevada heat. I recommend watching all of their videos. The videos focus on the typical summer safety issues: hydration, bicycle safety, water safety, etc. Air Combat Command’s entry, posted today, is…

Thunderbirds fly over the 2014 MLB All Star Game

By Brian Everstine on July 16, 2014 Air Combat Command, Air Force, Sports, Video

The Thunderbirds returned to the Major League Baseball All Star Game in Minneapolis last night, after missing last year’s midsummer classic. Twin Cities station KFAN posted this time lapse video, which included the national anthem and the flyover demonstration before the game. Last year, the demonstration team did not perform in New York City because of limits on flight hours due to sequestration.

NatGeo’s “Inside Combat Rescue: The Last Stand” airs again June 25

By Oriana Pawlyk on June 23, 2014 Afghanistan, Air Combat Command, Air Force

Airmen filed in to watch the premiere of “Inside Combat Rescue: The Last Stand” at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, on June 11 before it aired on the National Geographic channel that weekend. Air Combat Command bases held advanced showings of the follow-up series to last year’s successful miniseries “Inside Combat Rescue,” which ran as the channel’s highest-rated new series for the 2012-13 TV season, according to TVbytheNumbers. The documentary follows a unique group of Security Forces airmen whose main mission is to go outside the wire and protect expeditionary bases. “Defending air bases is not just an Army job…

Bonuses slashed, retraining cancelled — this week’s Air Force Times

By Jeff Schogol on December 2, 2013 Air Combat Command, Air Force, Airframes, budget cuts, Leadership, pay and benefits, sexual assaults, UCMJ, Uncategorized

The Air Force has announced steep cuts to re-enlistment bonuses and retraining opportunities as budget cuts force the service to get smaller. In this week’s Air Force Times, we explain who is getting a re-enlistment bonus and who isn’t as well as which career fields are no longer on the retraining list. In the next few weeks, even more bad news may be coming. Also this week: the Air Force recently selected about 1,000 staff sergeants for special duties out of an eligibility pool of roughly 7,500 nominees. You can read the five things you need to know about special…

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