Aircraft and Ground Crew Activities

Military aircraft inspections and ground crew preparations, showcasing sophisticated machinery and the teamwork required for air operations.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Joseph Perez, a crew chief assigned to the 6th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron performs pre-flight checks on a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Squadron at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands in support of North American Aerospace Defense Command's (NORAD) Operation Noble Defender (OND) June 29, 2022. As 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 missle 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 missle threats. NORAD is a bi-national Canadian and America

Ground crewmen prepare to open the crew hatch of a NATO Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS aircraft in its parking space at Nellis AFB, NV

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Joseph Perez, a crew chief assigned to the 6th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron performs pre-flight checks on a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Squadron at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands in support of North American Aerospace Defense Command's (NORAD) Operation Noble Defender (OND) June 29, 2022. As 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 missle 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 missle threats. NORAD is a bi-national Canadian and America

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Norm Metz, joint airdrop inspector, 3rd Operations Support Squadron, Joint BAse Elmendorf-Richardson, AK, inspects the container delivery systems during Air Mobility Command's Rodeo 2011, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. Rodeo is the U.S. Air Force's and AMC's premier international combat skills and flying operations competition designed to develop and improve techniques, procedures, and interoperability, while optimizing international mobility partnerships and enhancing mobility operations.

The rear cargo door of a 436th Military Airlift Wing C-5A Galaxy aircraft is open in preparation for the unloading of supplies. The aircraft is delivering food, medical supplies and other necessities as part of a U.S. humanitarian effort to provide such material to five African countries stricken by war and famine. Base: Monrovia Country: Liberia (LBR)

A ground crew works on an engine of an E-3A Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft during Operation Desert Shield. Subject Operation/Series: OPERATION DESERT SHIELD Country: Saudi Arabia (SAU)

Mechanics from Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 2 (VQ-2) work on some of their squadron's EA-3B Skywarrior aircraft in a hangar. Base: Naval Station, Rota Country: Spain (ESP)

U.S. Army Soldiers from 1st Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery Regiment, 108th Air Defense Artillery Brigade, load their Patriot launching station and HEMTT into a C-17 Globemaster III with U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 21st Expeditionary Airlift Squadron at an undisclosed location in the CENTCOM Area of Operations, Jan 6, 2024. U.S. Army air defense artillery batteries are highly mobile, capable of deploying swiftly across the globe to support and defend U.S. troops and partners.

An F/A-18 Hornet aircraft from the aircraft carrier USS MIDWAY (CV 41) trails behind an Air Force B-52G Stratofortress aircraft during an interoperability exercise. Country: Indian Ocean(IOC)

Long shot view of cargo loading in support of operations in Southwest Asia. Forklifts move palletized cargo about the flight line. A USAF C-5 Galaxy is seen in the background. This image is from the January 1999 edition of AIRMAN Magazine highlighting the Expeditionary Aerospace Force. Country: Unknown

DF-ST-87-13287. Base: Yokota Air Base Country: Japan (JPN)

Civilian lab technicians prepare to run tests on the refueling boom of a KC-10A Extender aircraft. Base: Wright-Patterson Air Force Base State: Ohio (OH) Country: United States Of America (USA)

011028-F-5795G-010. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Country: Unknown Scene Major Command Shown: CENTCOM

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Hannah Pettersson, 419th Fighter Wing crew chief, cleans the canopy of an F-35A Lightning II before the day starts during exercise Sentry Savannah at the Air Dominance Center in Savannah, Georgia on May 6, 2022. Exercises like Sentry Savannah, not only train and test the counter air capabilities of fighter pilots, but they provide critical experience and training to maintenance Airmen in the rapid employment and recovery of aircraft.

A U.S. Air Force T-38 Talon leads a formation with 9th Reconnaissance Wing U-2 Dragon Ladies and 940th Refueling Wing KC-135 Stratotankers, Jan. 4, 2024, at Beale Air Force Base, California. Beales historic elephant walk showcases the units ability to coordinate, show force, and work as a team.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Danny Johnston and Master Sgt. Justin King, C-130 Loadmasters from 130th Airlift Wing, McLaughlin Air National Guard Base, Charleston, West Virginia, perform a precheck on C-130J Hercules aircraft on the flightline during Agile Rage 22 at Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Alpena, Mich., June 9, 2022. Agile Rage 22 is a National Guard Bureau-led exercise that provides realistic training opportunities, mimicking current and future combat environments dictated by the National Defense Strategy.

F3228-SPT-96-2004-125. Subject Operation/Series: GREEN CLOVER '96 Base: Howard Air Force Base Country: Panama (PAN)

050109-F-9429S-002. Base: Karshni-Khanabad Air Base Country: Uzbekistan (UZB)

The aft cargo ramp of a U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules aircraft with the 39th Airlift Squadron is about to close as Airmen and Soldiers assigned to local units perform an orientation flight, on Chièvres Air Base, Belgium, Aug. 02, 2022.

AGM-65B Maverick Scene Magnification missiles are being unloaded from a C-141 Starlifter aircraft during Exercise Sandgroper '82. Subject Operation/Series: SANDGROPER '82 Base: Pearce Royal Australian Afb Country: Australia (AUS)

Aftermath and Relief - 26-HK-295-32. Hurricane Katrina

DF-ST-86-12566. Base: Andrews Air Force Base State: Maryland (MD) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Air Force Maj. Alejandro Rodriguez, 909th Air Refueling Squadron pilot, conducts pre-flight inspections on a KC-135 Stratotanker at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Nov. 19, 2022. The 909th ARS is the premiere force for aerial refueling operations in the Indo-Pacific theater, supporting U.S. forces and regional Allies and partners.

Numerous C-130 Hercules sit on the parking apron Oct. 17, 2014, at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. The base has more than 8,000 active-duty military and civilian members who focus on delivering premiere C-130 combat airlift and ensuring mission-ready Airmen.

C-2A Greyhound aircraft of Fleet Logistics Support Squadrons 24 and 40 (VR-24 and VRC-40) undergo preflight checks prior to takeoff. The VR-24 Greyhounds are the last C-2As of that squadron to leave the station following the decommissioning of VR-24, due to budgetary constraints, after 46 years of service. Base: Naval Air Station, Sigonella State: Sicily Country: Italy (ITA)

021230-F-7203T-015. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Country: Qatar (QAT)

Unidentified personnel operate a 10K forklift to off load a British C-130. Subject Operation/Series: TANZANIA AIRLIFT Base: Mwanza Country: United Republic Of Tanzania (TZA)

A view of a U.S. Air Force P-15 fire truck prototype in the cargo hold of a C-5 Galaxy aircraft from the Military Airlift Command. The fire truck is being tested to see if it can be airlifted by the C-5. Base: Oshkosh State: Wisconsin (WI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

110718-N-DS193-011 INDIAN OCEAN (July 18, 2011) An E-2C Hawkeye assigned to the Liberty Bells of Strike Fighter Squadron (VAW) 115 is prepared for take off from the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). George Washington is participating in Talisman Sabre 2011. Talisman Sabre is a bilateral exercise intended to train Australian and U.S. Forces in planning and conducting combined task force operations in order to improve Australian and U.S. combat readiness and interoperability.

Airman 1st Class Andrew Bracamontes (left) and Senior Airman Matthew Howard (right), Ramstein Fly Away Security Team members, assigned to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, double check equipment prior to boarding a C-130J Super Hercules, Dec. 18 on Sigonella Naval Air Station, Italy. FAST members provided security for the Airmen of the 37th Airlift Squadron during a mission to Central African Republic, Africa, delivering much-needed supplies and personnel as part of a peace-keeping mission providing support to the civilian population disrupted by the nationÕs recent conflicts.

Airmen conduct hot pit refueling for a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing during an Agile Combat Employment capstone exercise at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Tennessee, Aug. 25, 2022. The ACE concept underpins the Air Forces ability to mitigate the risks of adversarial technological advances through maneuverability and speed to prevail in conflict. The capstone exercise included 72-hours of continuous air refueling operations and a historic 56-hour KC-135 flight in a simulated contested environment focused on a notional theater of operations.

A C-17 Globemaster III from the 62d Airlift Wing, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, prepares for take off in the early morning hours during Rainier War 22B at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, Oct. 18, 2022. Exercise Rainier War is the 62d Airlift Wings most expansive exercise, where they deploy as the lead wing and provide command and control and airlift capabilities like airdrop and airland.

A CV-22 Osprey from the 1st Special Operations Wing arrives on Marine Corp Air Station Miramar, Calif., Nov. 2, 2014. The 1st SOW is conducting their fourth quarter Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise, Carbonite Archer.

220701-N-IW125-1037 KEY WEST, Fla. (July 1, 2022) U.S. Navy firefighters engage a simulated fire in a 942 Airport Rescue Fire Fighting Vehicle during a drill on Boca Chica Field in Key West, Fla. July 1, 2022. Naval Air Station Key West is the state-of-the-art facility for combat fighter aircraft of all military services, provides world-class pierside support to U.S. and foreign naval vessels, and is the premier training center for surface and subsurface military operations.

U.S. Army Sgt. Miles Wilson, a crew chief assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 142nd Aviation Regiment, Connecticut Army National Guard, looks out over Westover Air Reserve Base during a UH-60M Blackhawk helicopter flight at Westover Air Reserve Base, Chicopee, Massachusetts, May 25, 2022. Wilson would act as a spotter during transportation of the Bambi Bucket to its target, watching out for and identifying obstacles that could impact or obstruct the bucket and potentially create safety hazards for the helicopter and its crew.

A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft pilot performs preflight checklists during an operational readiness evaluation (ORE) in Gulfport, Miss., Oct. 26, 2011. Airmen with the 437th Airlift Wing took part in the ORE, which was intended to evaluate mission effectiveness.

A C-5 Galaxy transport aircraft from 436th Airlift Wing, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, delivers cargo pallets, personnel, and two HH-60 Blackhawk helicopters from the 41st Rescue Squadron, Moody AFB, Georgia, to AFB Hoedspruit, South Africa, during Operation Atlas Response. The personnel and helicopters are the first American HH-60's delivered to aid in the distribution of relief supplies and rescue stranded flood victims in Mozambique, 7 March 2000. (Duplicate image, see also DF-SD-01-02914 or search 000307-F-5772H-503 ). Subject Operation/Series: ATLAS RESPONSE Base: Hoedspruit Air Force Base Country: South Africa (ZAF)

Staff Sgt. Austin Smith, 725th Air Mobility Squadron crew chief, reviews technical orders before inspecting the engine of a C-17 Globemaster III at Naval Station Rota, Spain, April 2, 2022. As NAVSTA Rotas only Air Mobility Command presence, the 725th AMS provides command and control, maintenance and air transportation support for all U.S. Transportation Command aircraft transiting through the base.

A front view of a B-1 aircraft as crewmen prepare it to carry members of the 9th Bomb Squadron to Brisbane, Australia to headline in the Australian Air Force 75th Anniversary Airshow. Base: Dyess Air Force Base State: Texas (TX) Country: United States Of America (USA)

011105-F-4406B-012. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Naval Air Station, Sigonella State: Sicily Country: Italy (ITA) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC

DN-ST-89-04320. Base: Naval Air Station, North Island State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

The United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, known as the Thunderbirds, perform at the Frontiers in Flight Open House and Air Show on McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, Sept. 24, 2022. The Thunderbirds represent the pride, precision and professionalism of 695,000 total force American Airmen across the globe.

An MC-130P Combat Shadow runs its engines waiting to takeoff from Sendai Airport, Japan, March 19. The specially-equipped special operations version of the C-130 Hercules is ideally suited for nighttime missions to the newly reopened runway at Sendai with its forward-looking infrared and radar as well as improved navigation equipment. The aircraft and crew are supporting U.S. military efforts to provide assistance to Japan following the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

U.S. Army Capt. Andrew C. Pfeiffer, commander of Bravo Company, 1st Squadron, 214th General Support Aviation Battalion, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, talks to a reporter during a multinational media day held at Tampere, Finland, Aug. 3, 2022.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Alex Green, 58th Airlift Squadron instructor loadmaster, waits for a C-17 Globemaster IIIs engine to start during a severe weather flyaway at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, May 4, 2022. All aircraft returned the next day to continue the bases mission: “training exceptional mobility Airmen”.

Recruits recieve training on the various exterior parts of an aircraft at the Naval Training Center, Recruit Training Command. Base: San Diego State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Senior Master Sgt. Ernie Goethe assists Senior Airman Darius Gamble to cover the aircraft's engine during post-flight maintenance, Aug. 5, 2014, at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar. During post flight inspections, maintainers inspect the aircraft from top to bottom, repair parts that aircrews have alerted them to and document the progress for the next maintenance shift. Goethe is the 340th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance unit senior and Gamble is a KC-135 Stratotanker crew chief.

Passing rain clouds, during sunrise, frame a C-5B Galaxy that is parked on one of Malmstrom Air Force Base's taxiways. The C-5 was used to transport personnel and equipment for the Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI), which tests a unit's ability to operate in a simulated wartime environment. Subject Operation/Series: CRISIS REACH 95-02NORTHERN PIKE Base: Malstrom Air Force Base State: Montana (MT) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken holds a Meet and Greet with National Science Foundation and Air National Guard, in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland on May 20, 2021.

U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft from the 130th Airlift Wing, McLaughlin Air National Guard Base, Charleston, West Virginia, A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft from the 124th Fighter Wing, Gowen Field Air National Guard Base, Boise, Idaho, and F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft, assigned to the Ohio Air National Guards 180th Fighter Wing, Swanton, Ohio, are parked on the flightline during Agile Rage 22 at Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Alpena, Mich., June 8, 2022. Agile Rage 22 is a National Guard Bureau-led exercise that provides realistic training opportunities, mimicking current and future combat environments dictated by the National Defense Strategy.

A munitions load crew from the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing (4th TFW) uses an MV-1 bomb loader to load bombs onto an F-15E Eagle aircraft prior to a training mission. The 4th TFW is the first Air Force unit to have an operational F-15E squadron. Base: Seymour Johnson Air Force Base State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. airmen from the 302 Airlift Wing from Peterson Air Force Base use the MAFFS-equipped C-130 Hercules aircraft to respond to the Waldo Canyon wild fire in Colorado Springs, Colo., June 27, 2012. MAFFS is a self-contained aerial firefighting system that can discharge 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant in less than five seconds, covering an area one-quarter of a mile long by 100 feet wide.

A crewmember from Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron One Two Four (VAW-124) signals the pilot in an E-2C "Hawkeye" on board the USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN 71), as he turns the props on the flight deck. This mission is in direct support of Operation Allied Force. Subject Operation/Series: ALLIED FORCE Country: Adriatic Sea

U.S. Air Force Maj. Michael Meek, left, 21st Airlift Squadron C-17 Globemaster III instructor pilot, Capt. Tanner Carlock, center, 21st AS flight surgeon, and 1st Lt. Joshua Englebert, C-17 pilot, inspect the aircraft in preparation for its participation in Exercise Golden Bee, Travis Air Force Base, Sept. 22, 2022. Exercise Golden Bee is a joint readiness exercise designed to provide training integration and rehearse strategic and operational objectives in the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility.

Ground crewmen from the 410th Organizational Maintenance Squadron examine a damaged engine on a B-52 Stratofortress aircraft. Technological modifications and parts obtained from decommissioned bombers enable maintenance specialists to keep the aging aircraft on their flight schedules and increase mean time between breakdowns. Base: K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base State: Michigan (MI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

060823-N-3013W-011. Base: Naval Air Station, Sigonella State: Sicily Country: Italy (ITA)

Lance Cpl. Jamaal Smith, a Bakersfield, Calif. native and freight clerk for Headquarters and Headquarters Squadron, Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, directs a KC-130J Super Hercules cargo aircraft to the runway here March 18. III MEF Marines and sailors are supporting Government of Japan-led humanitarian assistance/ disaster relief operations in mainland Japan following the 9.0 magnitude earthquake and subsequent tsunami that struck northern Japan March 11.

U.S. Air Force Maj. Keegan Reilly, 50th Air Refueling Squadron pilot, sits in the cockpit of a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing during hot pit refueling at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base, Tennessee, Aug. 25, 2022. Hot pit refueling, the fueling of aircraft with at least one engine running, enabled KC-135 aircraft to operate longer during an Agile Combat Employment capstone exercise. The capstone exercise included 72-hours of continuous air refueling operations and a historic 56-hour KC-135 flight in a simulated contested environment focused on a national theater of operations.

A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III assigned to the 437th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Charleston, taxis the flight line at North Auxiliary Airfield, North, South Carolina, Jan. 25, 2022. The airfield directly supports C-17 aircrew training and proficiency training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Bailee A. Darbasie)

The United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron "Thunderbirds" practice in El Centro, California, Feb. 22 - Mar. 1, 2024. The Thunderbirds travel to El Centro every year to practice alongside their counterparts, the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. Air Force

Duth soldiers watch as a 60th Military Airlift Wing C-5A Galaxy aircraft taxis to a stop on the ramp at the Amsterdam airport. Aboard the aircraft is a U.S. Army unit that will take part in exercise Reforger '91. Subject Operation/Series: REFORGER '91 Base: Amsterdam Country: Holland / Netherlands(HOL)

Crewmembers use an MD-3 tow tractor to move aircraft on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS KITTY HAWK (CV 63). In the background is an E-3 Hawkeye Airborne Early Warning (AEW) aircraft. Base: USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63)

DF-ST-85-13205. Subject Operation/Series: REFORGER Country: West Germany (FRG)

A U.S. Air Force KC-10 Extender receives an expedited load of cargo while a C-5M Super Galaxy flies overhead during Exercise Dragon Spark at Travis Air Force Base, California, Oct. 13, 2022. Exercise Dragon Spark provided units from the 60th Air Mobility Wing and the 621st Contingency Response Wing an opportunity to sync operations in preparation for a national disaster.

A C-130 takes off on a dirt landing strip in Qalat, Afghanistan, Aug. 14. The C-130 transported Army passengers and cargo.

DF-ST-87-07759. Base: Pago Pago State: Tutuila Island Country: American Samoa (ASM)

Airmen from the 436th Aerial Port Squadron position a K-loader to the ramp of a plane before loading pallets of ammunition, weapons and other equipment bound for Ukraine during a foreign military sales mission at Dover Air Force base, Delaware, Jan. 27, 2022. Since 2014, the United States has committed more than $5.4 billion in total assistance to Ukraine, including security and non-security assistance. The United States reaffirms its steadfast commitment to Ukraines sovereignty and territorial integrity in support of a secure and prosperous Ukraine. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Faith Schaefer)

DF-ST-88-06844. Subject Operation/Series: CORONET TITAN Base: George Air Force Base State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DF-SC-88-10059. Base: Edwards Air Force Base State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DF-ST-86-12210. Base: Norton Air Force Base State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

030916-F-1663P-001. Base: Dover Air Force Base State: Delaware (DE) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC

A right side close-up of a P-3B Orion aircraft of Naval Air Reserve Patrol Squadron 68 (VP-68) on the flight line. VP-68 is in Rota for active duty training. Exact Date Shot Unknown. Base: Naval Station, Rota Country: Spain (ESP)

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Landon Marks, center, 660th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron avionics and flying crew chief, talks with members of the public during the California Capital Airshow on a KC-10 Extender at Mather Airport in Sacramento, California, Oct. 1, 2022. Airmen representing various units from Travis Air Force Base participated in the event to educate, inspire and share the mission of Air Mobility Command and displayed a static KC-10 Extender, C-5M Super Galaxy and C-17 Globemaster III.

NASA, Roscosmos, and JAXA team members, along with Russian Search and Recovery Forces, arrive at the Zhezkazgan, Kazakhstan Airport to stage for the Soyuz landing of Expedition 55 crew members Anton Shkaplerov of Roscosmos, Scott Tingle of NASA, Norishige Kanai of the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) Sunday, June 3, 2018. Shkaplerov, Tingle, and Kanai are returning after 168 days in space where they served as members of the Expedition 54 and 55 crews onboard the International Space Station.

030130-F-0073C-001. Base: March Air Reserve Base State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Mike Harden, 88th Logistics Readiness Squadron contractor, directs a 437th Airlift Wing C-17 Globemaster III from Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, to its parking spot Sept. 29, 2022, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. Planes, equipment and Airmen came to Wright-Patt to get out of the way of Hurricane Ian which had crossed Florida and turned North.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Timothy Togafay, 43d Fighter Generation Squadron dedicated crew chief, squats underneath an F-22 Raptor at Savannah Hilton Head International Airport, Georgia, May 3, 2022. The 325th Fighter Wing sent more than 200 personnel and 22 aircraft to participate in Sentry Savannah, a near-peer training exercise hosted by the Air National Guards Air Dominance Center.

Pallets of ammunition sit ready to be uploaded as a C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 86th Airlift Wing departs Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Aug. 7, 2022. The security assistance the U.S. is providing to Ukraine is enabling critical success on the battlefield against the Russian invading force.

DF-SC-90-00408. Base: Offutt Air Force Base State: Nebraska (NE) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Flight deck crewmen transport an NAN-2 nitrogen servicing unit across the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS JOHN F. KENNEDY (CV 67) during operations off the coast of Lebanon. The nose section of an A-6E Intruder aircraft is visible on the right. Country: Mediterranean Sea (MED)

(220526-N-OI810-0304) KEY WEST, Florida (May 26, 2022) Steelworker 1st Class Leonardo Gomez, from Bogota, Colombia, assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion (NMCB) 14, uses a uses a concrete saw to cut a damaged section of runway at Boca Chica Field, Naval Air Station Key West (NASKW), May 26, 2022. NMCB-14 teamed up with NASKW Public Works and NASKW Air Operations Department to complete the needed airfield damage repair. Seabees assigned to NMCB-14 travelled to NASKW to perform on-site training and assist with facility and compound maintenance. NMCB-14 provides advance base construction, battle damage repair, contingency engineering, humanitarian assistance and disaster recovery support to our fleet and unified commanders.

A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 480th Fighter Squadron prepares to take off at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Sept. 21, 2022. 480th FS pilots are trained to conduct routine operations in a variety of different environments, any time, anywhere.

220809-N-AS200-4712 POINT MUGU, Calif. (Aug. 9, 2022) - The crew of an E-2D Advanced Hawkeye assigned to the "Wallbangers" Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 117 complete flight checks after arriving at Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) following a seven-month deployment to U.S. 3rd Fleet and 7th Fleet areas of operations with Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9, embarked aboard USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). CVW-9 deployed with a combination of fourth and fifth-generation platforms that predominantly represent the Airwing of the Future, executing more than 21,307 fixed-wing and helicopter flight hours comprising of 10,250 sorties, 8,437 launches and 8,487 aircraft arrestments.

The first instructor pilots board the T-1A on the flightline. Base: Columbus Air Force Base State: Mississippi (MS) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Cargo is loaded aboard a 747 Flying Tiger aircraft at night during exercise Ocean Venture '82. Subject Operation/Series: OCEAN VENTURE '82 Base: Mcas, Beaufort State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

960826-F-2829R-007. Subject Operation/Series: SOUTHERN WATCH Base: Prince Sultan Air Base Country: Saudi Arabia (SAU)

Air Force Master Sgt. Stephen Mallory, a loadmaster stationed at the 517th Airlift Squadron, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, marshals a 10KAT forklift offloading humanitarian relief supplies from a C-17 at Misawa Air Base, Japan. The 47,000 lbs of water delivered by this aircraft will be provided to those impacted by the recent earthquake and tsunami

U.S. Air Force Capt. Samuel RaZZ” Larson, F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team commander and pilot, flies over the flightline at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, Jan. 6, 2023. This demonstration was a part of a practice flight, in addition to being a flyover performance celebrating the 71st Fighter Generation Squadron assumption of command.

An Mi-17 helicopter is loaded on to a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, June 9, 2022. The Department of Defense is delivering Mi-17 helicopters to aid Ukrainian troops around the battlefield and augment the Mi-17 helicopters sent to Ukraine earlier this year.

A High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV) is driven off a C-5 Galaxy in the early morning hours.Exact date unknown. Subject Operation/Series: DISTANT HAVEN Base: Zanderij Airport Country: Suriname (SUR)

Pallets of cargo are loaded into a 6th Air Refueling Squadron, 22nd Air Refueling Wing, KC-10A Extender aircraft in preparation for a Military Airlift Command channel cargo mission. Base: Hickam Air Force Base State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

031104-F-3378P-049. Base: Great Falls Intl Airport State: Montana (MT) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: Air National Guard

DF-ST-85-11596. Base: Ramstein Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

A crew cheif marshals a British airbus upon arrival on the flightline at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, Aug. 17, 2022. More than 60 Ukrainian athletes, families, coaches, caregivers, and staff traveled to MacDill AFB en route to Orlando where theyll compete in the 2022 Department of Defense Warrior Games held at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, August 19 to 28. The Warrior Games consists of nearly 300 wounded, ill, and injured active duty service members and veterans who will participate in a series of adaptive sporting events and represent the U.S. Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Special Operations Command. The DOD Warrior Games is a celebration of not only U.S. service members, but those of international teams. Warrior athletes from Canada and Ukraine will compete in this year's events.

030421-F-9528H-006. Country: Unknown

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Owen Lawton, 357th Fighter Generation Squadron weapon armament technician, transports a crate containing air-to-ground missiles at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, Sept. 13, 2022. Once the flying schedule calls for live munitions on flying sorties, aircraft are positioned at LOLA and weapons load crews are dispatched to perform the live loading operations.

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