Sept. 6, 2023

Minuteman III test launch showcases readiness of U.S. nuclear force's safe, effective deterrent

BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. — A joint team of Air Force Global Strike Command Airmen and 30th Space Launch Delta Guardians launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile equipped with three test re-entry vehicles Sept. 6 at 1:26 a.m. Pacific Time from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

Aug. 31, 2023

Backbone of Deterrence: maintaining the world’s only nuclear-capable stealth bomber

KEFLAVIK, Iceland — The world’s only nuclear-capable stealth bomber requires a dedicated team of U.S. Airmen to ensure it’s ready at a moment's notice for any global strike mission. Whiteman Air Force Base maintainers work around the clock to keep the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber operational, ensuring it can complete its mission to provide strategic nuclear and conventional deterrence anytime, anywhere.

Aug. 31, 2023

Assurance, Wherever We Go: Mobile Operations Center lands in Iceland

KEFLAVIK, Iceland — The ability to deliver global strike from any location across the globe is the fulcrum of strategic deterrence against U.S. adversaries. Since 2020, members of the 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron have worked to revolutionize the concept of agile combat employment by employing U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command’s mobile operations center.

Aug. 30, 2023

Air Force, Army Battle Labs work with DARPA on ASTARTE, new C2 capability

NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. — The 805th Combat Training Squadron’s Shadow Operations Center-Nellis, also known as the U.S. Air Force’s Advanced Battle Management System Battle Lab, recently experimented with joint partners that helped evolve a new joint airspace management and joint fires capability at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Working with the U.S. Army’s Mission Command Battle Lab and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the ShOC-N hosted and collaborated on a joint experiment of the Air Space Total Awareness for Rapid Tactical Execution, or ASTARTE, system, an advanced warfighting innovation project.

Aug. 30, 2023

B-2 Spirit Conducts Historic Hot Pit Refueling in Norway

Orland, Norway — A B-2 Spirit bomber from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., conducted a historic hot pit refueling at Orland Air Base, Norway on Aug. 29, 2023. The occasion marked the first time that the B-2 has landed in Norway, signaling the shared commitment between the U.S. and Norway to deter threats and strengthen the NATO Alliance. Three B-2 Spirit bombers are currently forward deployed from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., to Keflavik Air Base, Iceland, in support of Bomber Task Force Europe 23-4. Hot pit refueling within NATO countries allows for the B-2 to expand its fuel range and minimize its time on the ground. By exercising the ability to conduct hot pit refueling in strategic locations, the U.S. and our Allies are able to increase combat airpower throughout the European theater. “Hot-pit refueling emerges as a transformative tactic in bomber operations, promising heightened versatility,” said Gen. James Hecker, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe & Africa and NATO Allied Air Command. “This clever technique extends our reach, establishing temporary operational hubs at strategically chosen and even unpredictable locations. These adaptive capabilities are the core of modern airpower projection.” The ability of U.S. forces and equipment to operate in conjunction with our Allies and Partners is critical to bolstering an extended network of alliances and partnerships capable of decisively meeting the challenges of today and tomorrow. "The long-range, penetrating strike the B-2 provides is a truly unique capability in the world; but long range requires a lot of gas. Honing our ability to interoperate with our allies and utilize partner-nation equipment and infrastructure to refuel can significantly reduce what we often call our ‘tanker bill;’ in some cases it could be the difference between mission success and failure," said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Andrew Kousgaard, 393rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron commander. As B-2 operations in Europe continue, this historic refueling highlights U.S. and Norwegian cooperation and the ability of U.S. Forces to collaborate with Allied and Partner nations to confront a broad range of global challenges. Information and imagery related to the latest BTF 23-4 can be found on USAFE official website: https://www.usafe.af.mil and on DVIDS at: https://dvidshub.net/feature/bombertaskforceeurope.

Aug. 29, 2023

Inaugural ARROW hosted by 90 CGTS

CAMP GUERNSEY, Wyo. — Convoy Response Teams from across three 20 AF missile wings participated in the inaugural ARROW course.

Aug. 28, 2023

Malmstrom Airman named Air Force Honor Guardsman of the Year

MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. — Senior Airman Alaura Tapia-Caballero, one of the countless guardsmen who live by the honor guard mantra “Nameless and Selfless Service,” recently stepped out of the anonymity when she set herself apart for her dignitary service and was named 2022’s U.S. Air Force Honor Guardsman of the Year.

Aug. 25, 2023

Dyess units integrate, maximize deployment readiness

DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas — A total of 52 members from various career fields and squadrons at Dyess Air Force Base accomplished over 2,000 pre-deployment training requirements in less than a week at Fort Bliss, Texas, Aug. 13-18, 2023.

Aug. 22, 2023

JCO hosts USSTRATCOM Commander

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — U.S. Air Force Gen. Anthony Cotton, United States Strategic Command commander, met with U.S. Army Elizabeth Helland, Joint Task Force-Space Defense deputy commander, U.S. Space Force Capt. Carl Poole, JTF-SD Commercial Operations Cell (JCO) site lead, and U.S. Air Force Capt. Rishi Patel, Air Force Research Lab’s DRAGON Army program manager, at the JCO personnel at the facility in Colorado Springs, Colo., July 27, 2023. The JCO is an extension of the National Space Defense Center operations floor, and it leverages best-of-breed commercial providers to deliver diverse, timely Space Domain Awareness (SDA) in direct support of the NSDC’s core protect and defend mission. (U.S Space Force photo by Dennis Rogers)

Aug. 21, 2023

Pathfinder operations enable Bomber Task Force 23-4

KEFLAVIK AIR BASE, Iceland — U.S. Air Force Airmen deployed to Iceland on Aug. 13 to support Bomber Task Force 23-4, which is currently underway at Keflavik Air Base. Among the Airmen are several members of the 501st Combat Support Wing who are providing base operations support to enable missions for the aircrews and ground personnel of three B-2 Spirits from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.