Air Force

News from across the U.S. Air Force.

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Air Force bonus

Air Force offers up to $50,000 annual bonuses to keep aviators in the service

By Jeff Schogol

Posted 16 Hours Ago

Team Fairchild Airmen congratulate U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Gabrielle Stallings, 93rd Air Refueling Squadron KC-135 Stratotanker boom operator, during a decoration ceremony at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, March 31, 2026. The receiving line following an official ceremony allows family, friends and supervisors to personally express their pride and congratulations for honorees. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Emilee Seiler)

A boom operator on an Air Force tanker earned two DFCs for combat flights

By Nicholas Slayton, Matt White

Posted 17 Hours Ago

U.S. Army MH-60M Black Hawks assigned to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) fly in formation during a helicopter air-to-air refueling exercise above the Southeastern United States, Jan. 23, 2026. Air to air refueling extends a helicopter’s non-stop flight distance, a capability necessary for joint special operations missions far from established airfields and logistical support. These exercises demonstrate the 1 SOW’s ability to project specialized airpower whenever and wherever needed. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Isabel Tanner)

What we know about the commando raid to recover the F-15 crew member in Iran

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Apr 5, 2026

Four U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning IIs from the 466th Fighter Squadron and two French Dassault Rafales fly over the Balau Games, Palau, July 9, 2023. The fighter jets, in Palau for Northern Edge 23-2, a Pacific Air Forces led multilateral, joint field training exercise, showed their commitment to the Indo-Pacific region by performing this movement at the closing game of the annual local olympic tournament in which all 13 states of Palau participate. (U.S. Air Force photo by 1st Lt. Michelle Chang)

Former airman pleads guilty to defrauding Air Force of $37 million

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Apr 4, 2026

F-15s in Middle East

What we know about a downed US F-15 and its crew in Iran

By Jeff Schogol

Posted on Apr 3, 2026

U.S. Air Force Airman assigned to the 174th Attack Wing, New York Air National Guard, conduct pre-flight operations on an MQ-9 Reaper aircraft during exercise Sentry South 26-2 in Gulfport, Mississippi, March 3, 2026. Sentry South 26-2 is a large force employment exercise focused on major combat operations and joint maritime opportunities in a contested or degraded operational environment. Sentry South 26-2 applies joint and combined warfighting doctrine against realistic and robust enemy integrated threat systems, all while under safe and controlled conditions. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Dylan McCrink)

Air Force reactivates Reaper drone squadron at Nevada base

By Patty Nieberg

Posted on Mar 31, 2026

A New Hampshire Air National Guard KC-46 tanker following the engine test that left the airport's tarmac littered with chunks of asphalt.

Air Force jet tore up asphalt at Alaska airport during engine test

Posted on Mar 25, 2026

More than 500 Airmen assigned to the 324th Training Squadron graduated from Basic Military Training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, Sept 7-8, 2022. Maj. Gen. Craig Wills, 19th Air Force commander, reviewed the ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo by C Arce)

Air Force training instructor faces court-martial for sleeping with trainees

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Mar 20, 2026

Top row: Maj. John A. Klinner, Tech. Sgt. Ashley B. Pruitt, Capt. Ariana G. Savino. Bottom row: Capt. Seth Koval, Capt. Curtis J. Angst, and Tech Sgt. Tyler H. Simmons. Air Force/courtesy photos.

These are the 6 airmen killed in the KC-135 crash in Iraq

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Mar 16, 2026

NELLIS AFB, NV - APRIL 25: A United States Air Force pilot (L) and weapons system officer look out the cockpit of their F-15E Strike Eagle as the jet is prepared for takeoff at Nellis Air Force Base while participating in the Joint Expeditionary Force Experiment 2006 (JEFX 06) April 25, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada. JEFX is a biannual test of new systems and technologies by every branch of the military in an attempt to speed their introduction into the modern battlefield. This year's tests involve about 1,400 personnel from the United States, Great Britain, Canada and Australia studying new technologies during mock combat over the Nevada desert and center on finding better ways to communicate critical information between armed forces. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Former fighter pilots explain what it’s like to eject, following Kuwait shoot downs

Posted on Mar 3, 2026

From left, U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Levi Grant and Senior Airman Ivan Chen, 137th Airlift Squadron flying crew chiefs, 105th Airlift Wing, Stewart Air National Guard Base, Newburgh, New York, sit and kneel on the ramp of a C-17 Globemaster III, assigned to the 105th AW, while preparing to transport 177th Medical Group (MDG) airmen, 177th Fighter Wing, New Jersey Air National Guard, at the 177FW, Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, Sept. 13, 2024. More than 30 airmen with the 177th MDG will attend clinical rotations at Naval Medical Center San Diego, San Diego, California, as part of Medical Facility Annual Training, Operation Pacific Surge. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Airman 1st Class Connor Taggart)

Air Guard and Reserve troops say new Air Force rules add to confusion over benefits

Posted on Feb 27, 2026

U.S. Air Force Airmen work at the 18 Wing medical building pharmacy on Kadena Air Base, Japan, Aug. 13, 2025. The 18th MDSS team supports deployed personnel and ensures mission readiness by providing essential medications to Airmen and their families. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Karina Lopez)

Davis-Monthan airman indicted in plot to defraud the military of millions in medical equipment

By Nicholas Slayton

Posted on Feb 22, 2026

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Lauren Sweitzer, 380th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, marshals an E-3 Sentry, assigned to the 968th Expeditionary Airborne Air Control Squadron, at Al Dhafra Air Base, United Arab Emirates, March 6, 2022. The aircraft provides an accurate, real-time picture of the battlespace to the Joint Air Operations Center. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Nicholas Ross)

As aging Air Force AWACS heads to Middle East, where is its replacement?

Posted on Feb 20, 2026

Guinness World Records

This Air Force officer has set 17 Guinness World Records — so far

By Jeff Schogol

Posted on Feb 19, 2026

Task Force Pegasus Troopers stand silhouetted before attempting to complete the Norwegian Foot March on Forward Operating Site Powidz, Poland, Aug. 8, 2024. Task Force Pegasus has joined with Allied Nation Soldiers and local community members to attempt the 18.6-mile march. The march was first held in 1915 as a test of marching endurance for soldiers in the Norwegian Army. The goal today is to stimulate the general interest of marching over extended distances amongst military and civilian personnel. (U.S. Army photo by Pfc. Julian Winston)

Military leaders should assume an absent troop is ‘in danger,’ watchdog finds

By Patty Nieberg

Posted on Feb 19, 2026

Lt. Col. Jeff Budis, center, Air Forces Southern operations directorate, chief of exercises and airshows, Capt. Nate Delaney, right, 55th Rescue Squadron chief of plans and exercises and Staff Sgt. James Delaura, left, special missions aviator with the 563rd Operations Support Squadron pose for a photo in front of an HH-60W Jolly Green II at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, after returning from a successful rescue mission, Feb. 6, 2026. The mission demonstrated the Air Force rescue community’s ability to rapidly integrate qualified personnel across multiple units to respond when time, distance and personnel availability converge. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Rachel Maxwell)

Air Force crews scrambled to find a pilot to fly rescue mission far out to sea

Posted on Feb 13, 2026