Aircraft Operations and Maintenance

Scenes of airmen conducting maintenance and operations on aircraft, emphasizing teamwork and readiness in military aviation.

A group of Air Force Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps cadets from Abilene High School prepare to board a C-130J Super Hercules on the flightline of Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, Jan. 27, 2022. Two 317th Airlift Wing aircrews flew C-130Js with the cadets on board, providing them with the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the aircrafts capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Reilly McGuire)

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 Capt. Jason Stewart, U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Central Command G-6 operations officer, carries his fathers ashes inside an HC-130J Combat King II aircraft assigned to the 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, Sept. 1, 2022. J. Stewarts father, Rector Stewart, was an Air Force C-130 crew chief during the Vietnam War era. On Sept. 1, 2021, J. Stewart held his fathers hand during his final moments and promised to take his ashes on a C-130 for one last flight. One year after his fathers passing, J. Stewart fulfilled his promise by taking his fathers ashes on a C-130 flight that took off from MacDill AFB.

Deplaning a C-141 Starlifter, firemen assigned to the 319th Air Expeditionary Group (AEG), arrive at a forward deployed location to provide fire protection services. The 319th AEG is deployed to a classified location in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Operation ENDURING FREEDOM is in support of the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), fighting terrorism abroad. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Country: Unknown

Airmen from the 366th Fighter Wing, Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, conduct a simulated casualty exercise on the flight line at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, May 19, 2022 while participating in the Raging Gunfighter exercise. Raging Gunfighter is an Air Combat Command exercise designed to simulate operating a Lead Wing from an Austere Environment. The purpose of the exercise is to prepare the 366th Fighter Wing and its Airmen for potential future operations in accordance with the National Defense Strategy

Two C-130 Hercules aircraft from the 182nd Airlift Wing make a stop at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan, on June 28, 2022. The aircraft and crew from the Illinois Air National Guard picked up cargo and personnel to deliver to K.I. Sawyer International Airport in Michigans Upper Peninsula as part of exercise Northern Agility 22-1. NA 22-1 exercises Agile Combat Employment, a universal application to U.S. Air Force operations that enables Airmen to deliver air power anytime, anywhere to complicate an adversarys decision making.

Airmen with the Air Force Reserve Command aircrew for a C-17 Globemaster III work with Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation Regiment (1-147) of the Wisconsin National Guard on loading and unloading UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters June 10 at Sparta-Fort McCoy Airport at Fort McCoy. The 1-147th was set up with numerous Black Hawks and support equipment and personnel at the Sparta-Fort McCoy Airport throughout the first two weeks of June for annual training. The 1-147th and its UH-60s regularly support training operations at Fort McCoy as well as supporting distinguished visitor flying operations. Photo by Kevin Clark/Fort McCoy Multimedia-Visual Information Office

U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 266 help members of the French Armed Forces 33e Régiment d'Infanterie de Marine board an MV-22B Osprey during French-Caribbean exercise Caraibes 22 at Fort-de-France, Martinique, June 13, 2022. Caraibes 22 is a French-led, large-scale, joint-training exercise in the Caribbean involving naval, air, and land assets from the French, U.S., and regional forces focused on responding to simulated-natural disasters. VMM-266 is a subordinate unit to 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation combat element of II Marine Expeditionary Force.

A Team Dover total force aircrew poses for a photo in front of a Dover Air Force Base C-5M Super Galaxy during a visit to Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, Oct. 1, 2022. During the visit to Peterson SFB, the crew members were able to brief United States Air Force Academy cadets and family members on the Dover AFB mission as well as active duty and reservist career opportunities in the U.S. Air Force.

Members of 1st Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment retrograde nine UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, Jan. 29, 2024, Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo. The Soldiers were deployed to Kosovo in support of Operation Joint Guardian, a NATO peacekeeping mission under the Kosovo Force (KFOR). KFORs mission is to provide a safe and secure environment and freedom of movement in Kosovo, in accordance with United Nations Resolution (UNSC) 1244.

A group of Air Force Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps cadets from Abilene High School prepare to board a C-130J Super Hercules on the flightline of Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, Jan. 27, 2022. Two 317th Airlift Wing aircrews flew C-130Js with the cadets on board, providing them with the opportunity to gain a better understanding of the aircrafts capabilities. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Reilly McGuire)

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Ulysses Ortiz, 435 Contingency Response Group jumpmaster, prepares jumpers before a flight at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, Feb. 13, 2024. The 435th CRG participated in the joint training opportunity to demonstrate their contingency response capabilities with joint partners and allies across the European theater. Air Force

Soldiers from the U.S. Army John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School board a C-27 aircraft prior to taking part in free fall training at Camp Mackall, North Carolina September 22, 2022. The military free fall parachutists jumped from 7,000 feet and landed on Luzon Drop Zone.

Airmen with the 1st Special Operations Wing disembark from an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Sept. 27, 2022. Planes, equipment and Airmen came to Wright-Patt to get out of the way of Hurricane Ian which was bearing on the west coast of Florida.

U.S. Air Force loadmasters from the 437th Airlift Wing offload a fuel truck from a C-17 Globemaster III at North Auxiliary Airfield, North, South Carolina, in support of the Composite Training Unit Exercise, Jan. 27, 2022. The COMPTUEX was the final step before the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit and Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group were certified for deployment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Diana Cossaboom)

020412-A-8359B-076. Base: Bird International Airport Country: Antigua And Barbuda (ATG) Scene Major Command Shown: Southwest

FORT BRAGG, N.C. -- Paratroopers with 2nd Battalion, 319th Airborne Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division walk to a C-17 Globemaster for an airborne operation on April 9, 2013. The operation was part of a live-fire exercise to test the readiness of the "Black Falcons" to deploy anywhere in the world on short notice.

U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 62d Airlift Wing, Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark., conduct Combat Offload Method B at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., Jan. 11, 2024. The exercise ensures air-and-ground crew are trained for operating a pallet offload in austere conditions and to be able to successfully, efficiently and safely execute the mission in a deployed environment.

Airmen assigned to the 139th Maintenance Group, Missouri Air National Guard, work under the radome of a C-130 Hercules aircraft at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, June 28, 2022. The 139th Airlift Wing was the lead unit for Task Force Iron Herk II providing airlift support for European Commands area of responsibility.

030827-M-7837W-034. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Blaire Airfield, Al Kut State: Wasit Country: Iraq (IRQ)

Soldiers from the 10th Special Operations Group check their equipment before boarding n MC-130H aircraft at Hurlburt Field, Fla., March 01, 2011. Emerald Warrior 2011 is a U.S. Special Operations Command-sponsored, multiservice exercise designed to leverage lessons learned from Operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom to provide trained and ready forces to combatant commanders.

970225-F-0994L-018. Complete Scene Caption: Passengers deplane at Taszar Air Base, Hungary, as C-130 Hercules Air Transport loadmasters exchange cargo and personnel with Air Mobility personnel while the engines are running. The Green Hornets of the 61st Airlift Squadron (AS), Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, fly and maintain their C-130s while deployed to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, for a 100-day Temporary Duty (TDY) tour assisting Operation JOINT GUARD (previously Operation Joint Endeavor). Flying Hercules Air Transports everyday to the Former Yugoslav region (primarily Tuzla). They pickup and deliver cargo and passengers in support of JOINT GUARD. Taszar is a staging point for supplies, vehicles and personnel before heading into Bosnia. JOINT GUARD enforces the Dayton Peace Accords and with multi-national allies continues to monitor the militaries of the former warring factions and provides a climate of stability in the war-torn land of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Subject Operation/Series: JOINT

U.S. Marines of the 3rd Reconnaissance Company and Marine Forces Reserves prepare for a parachute jump at Camp Shelby Joint Forces Training Center, Mississippi, Nov. 10, 2022. The Marines parachuted into the auxiliary airfield to deliver toys to children nearby as a part of the inaugural event, "Operation Santa Drop." Operation Santa Drop was conducted in honor of Toys for Tots' 75th anniversary and conjunction with the Marine Corps' 247th birthday.

U. S. Air Force Airmen from the 127th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, Selfridge Air National Guard Base, (SANGB) Mich. performs Agile Combat Employment (ACE) training while loading bombs onto an A-10 Thunderbolt II also from SANGB during an Integrated Combat Turn (ICT) during Northern Agility 22-2/Northern Strike 22, at Cherry Capital Airport in Traverse City, Mich., Aug. 8, 2022. Northern Agility 22-2 and Northern Strike 22 executing currently demonstrate how the Air Forces new Agile Combat Employment concept can be integrated into the joint fight. Northern Strike provides the perfect backdrop for the Michigan Air National Guard to establish Michigan as a center of excellence for ACE.

DF-ST-88-10413. Base: Pope Air Force Base State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Alaska Air and Army National Guardsmen return to Fairbanks, Alaska, Sept. 30 from assisting Nome community residents affected by the remnants of Typhoon Merbok. The Alaska Joint Task Force members removed more than 180,000 pounds of storm-related debris and logged more than 3,000 work hours across 32 communities. (Alaska National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Julie Avey)

Airmen assigned to the Vermont Air National Guard's 158th Fighter Wing, from South Burlington, Vermont, onboard a C-17A Globemaster III flown by the New York Air National Guard's 105th Airlift Wing from Newburg, New York, land at Wheeler-Sack Army Airfield , Fort Drum, New York, April 2, 2023. The Airmen are participating in an Agile Combat Employment exercise which tests the wing's ability to deploy and conduct tactical missions with minimal personnel and resources.

A U.S. Air Force Airman guides a vehicle onto a C-17 Globemaster III on May 20, 2022, at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey. Airmen assigned to the 321st CRS conducted training on different skill sets used in the CR to develop mission-capable Airmen.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 378 Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron conduct hot pit refueling operations with a U.S. KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 50th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron in support of a routine agile combat employment exercise at Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, Aug. 16, 2022. Continual training in ACE competencies enhances mission proficiency and increased readiness to deter regional aggression.

U.S. Marines with 3d Reconnaissance Battalion, 3d Marine Division prepare to board a C-130 Hercules to conduct open water free fall operations at Kadena Air Force Base, Okinawa, Japan, April 25, 2022. This specialized training provided Marines with enhanced skills and confidence for deliberate water parachute operations, ensuring they are prepared to execute a diverse set of waterborne reconnaissance and surveillance missions in order to maintain regional security in the Indo-Pacific. (United States Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Jackson Dukes)

U.S. Marine Corps Brig. Gen. Andrew Priddy, commanding general of 2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade and deputy commanding general of II Marine Expeditionary Force, left, speaks with Col. Calvin Powell, 39th Air Base Wing commander, right, after arriving at Incirlik Air Base, Türkiye, Feb 9, 2023. The U.S. Marines and U.S. Navy personnel were tasked to assist with leading the response force following a series of earthquakes that struck central-southern Türkiye on Feb 6, 2023. As a fellow NATO ally, the U.S. Government mobilized personnel to assist in Türkiye in their response efforts.

U.S. Marines with III Marine Expeditionary Force receive a brief prior to boarding a C-130 Hercules at Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan, May 31, 2022. The Marines traveled to Iwo To for a professional military education where they learned about the Battle of Iwo Jima.

U.S. Marines with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 267, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, prepare to load an AH-1Z Viper into a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III from the 3rd Airlift Squadron, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California, June 29, 2022. Embarking rotary wing aircraft into C-17 Globe Master IIIs demonstrates expeditionary logistics enabling offensive air support in austere, distributed environments and validates HMLA operational concepts as lethal, networked, and persistent. 3rd Marine Aircraft Wings warfighting readiness directly enables aviation superiority in support of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force and joint operations. (U.S. Marine Corps photos by Cpl. Rachaelanne Woodward)

U.S. Marines with Battery Q, 5th Battalion, 11th Marine Regiment, board a C-17 Globemaster III during exercise Steel Knight, at Camp Pendleton, California, Dec. 2, 2022. The 21st Airlift Squadron transported 15 Marines and approximately 68,000 pounds of equipment during their annual exercise which included live-fire training in controlled environments.

Special Operations Surgical Team members from the 24th Special Operations Wing walk across the flightline to board CV-22s from the 1st Special Operations Wing during a joint Special Operations Forces exercise Nov. 1, 2022, at Hurlburt Field, Fla. SOST provides a unique expeditionary battlefield surgery capability to support multi-service SOF activities around the world.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing board a C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 86th Airlift Wing to support NATO Air Shielding efforts at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, Aug. 5, 2022. The 48th Fighter Wing is engaged, postured and ready with credible force to assure, deter and defend in an increasingly complex security environment.

U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules from the 133rd Airlift Wing transports Airmen and cargo as part of a first-of-its-kind wing-wide Agile Combat Employment (ACE) exercise, Volk Field, Wisc., June 11, 2022. The ability to project combat power anytime, anywhere, while remaining operationally capable is the competitive edge the wing intends to sharpen over the coming days.

Members of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force observe U.S. Marines with 3d Battalion, 12th Marines and Marine Air Control Squadron 4 off-load ammunition from a KC-130J Super Hercules aircraft during Resolute Dragon 22 on Camp Betsukai, Hokkaido, Japan, Oct. 13, 2022. Resolute Dragon 22 is an annual bilateral exercise designed to strengthen the defensive capabilities of the U.S.-Japan Alliance by exercising integrated command and control, targeting, combined arms, and maneuver across multiple domains.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 23rd Wing tour the newly arrived HC-130J Combat King II at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Sept. 8, 2022. The additional aircraft gives the 71st Rescue Squadron and 71st Rescue Generation Squadron a new asset to provide rapidly deployable, expeditionary personnel recovery forces to theater commanders for contingency and crisis response operations worldwide.

U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 1st Special Operations Wing, Hurlburt Field, Florida unload baggage from an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio Sept. 27, 2022. Aircraft, equipment and Airmen were repositioned to WPAFB in preparation for possible impacts from Hurricane Ian.

Airmen assigned to the 732nd Airlift Squadron and 111th Operations Group approach a C-17 Globemaster on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, Aug. 24, 2022. Members of the 111th OG, Tactical Air Control Party specialists from the 148th Air Support Operations Squadron, and members of the 305th Air Mobility Wing and its associate reserve unit, the 514th Air Mobility Wing, took part in a multifaceted exercise that included the integration of an MQ-9 Reapers ability to support ground troops and coordinate support for a C-17 Globemaster III flying over hostile territory at training at Fort Indiantown Gaps Bollen Range.

Australian Army soldiers and 436th Aerial Port Squadron ramp services personnel load a CH-47F Chinook helicopter onto a C-5M Super Galaxy during a foreign military sales mission atDover Air Force Base, Delaware, June 16, 2022. The U.S. and Australia maintain a robust relationship that serves as an anchor for peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world. Due to its strategic location, Dover AFB supports approximately $3.5 billion worth of foreign military sales annually.

Civilian employers of Illinois National Guard and Reserve service members attend an Employer Support of Guard and Reserve "Breakfast with the Boss" at the 182nd Airlift Wing in Peoria, Illinois, May 19, 2022. The ESGR event invites employers to experience and better understand the employment and military service of members of the National Guard and Reserve.

Air Force Senior Airman Andrea Plaugher (middle left), and Tech. Sgt. Logan Wild (middle right), 445th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, lead a group of Airmen carrying a mock casualty during a joint training exercise at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, Nov. 9, 2022. The 445th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and the 88th Medical Group Critical Care Air Transport Team conducted the training, simulating a live-flight environment where Airmen learn to prepare for challenges such as turbulence, changes in temperatures and air pressure, as they care for critically ill patients.

020823-F-0158T-018. Base: Mcchord Air Force Base State: Washington (WA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC

040321-F-0451J-048. Base: Moody Air Force Base State: Georgia (GA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

151st Air Operations come out to celebrate Lt Col Dan Hale during his fini-flight at Roland Wright Air Base on 08 June. Hale had over 4000 hours of flight time. (Air National Guard Photo by Staff Sgt. Nicholas Perez)

110724-N-BM186-051SAN DIEGO (July 24, 2011) Sailors assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 11 board a C-5 Galaxy transport aircraft for Bahrain. EODMU-11 will conduct underwater salvage and EOD warfare operations in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

Straight on medium shot from a low angle loking up as US Army troops from the 1ST of the 508th Infantry Airborne Battalion Combat Team (ABCT), 173rd Airborne Brigade, from Vicenza, Italy, board a US Air Force C-130 Hercules from the 37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, before a drop into Bunker Drop Zone at Grafenwohr, Germany for Lion Drop 12 on 09 August 2000. Subject Operation/Series: LION DROP 12 Base: Ramstein Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

220923-N-OZ224-051 JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (Sept. 23, 2022) - Cdr. James Reeves, Executive Officer of the Fighting Tigers, Patrol Squadron (VP) EIGHT, discusses features of the P-8A Poseidon with members of the U.S. Air Force on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Sept. 23, 2022. VP-8 is currently deployed to NAF Misawa, Japan conducting maritime patrol and reconnaissance and theater outreach operations within U.S. 7th Fleet (C7F) area of operations in support of Commander, Task Force 72, C7F, and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command objectives throughout the region.

220923-N-OZ224-051 JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (Sept. 23, 2022) - Cdr. James Reeves, Executive Officer of the Fighting Tigers, Patrol Squadron (VP) EIGHT, discusses features of the P-8A Poseidon with members of the U.S. Air Force on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Sept. 23, 2022. VP-8 is currently deployed to NAF Misawa, Japan conducting maritime patrol and reconnaissance and theater outreach operations within U.S. 7th Fleet (C7F) area of operations in support of Commander, Task Force 72, C7F, and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command objectives throughout the region.

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 75th Fighter Generation Squadron, prepare to place remove before flight tags on an A-10C Thunderbolt II during exercise Agile Flag 22-2 at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, July 24, 2022. Agile Flag 22-2 is Air Combat Commands first lead-wing certification event designed to demonstrate the 23rd Wings capability to generate combat air power while continuing to move, maneuver, and sustain the Wing and subordinate force elements in a dynamic and contested environment.

Reserve Citizen Airmen with the 924th Fighter Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, arrive in support RIMPAC 22 at Marine Corps Base Hawaii July 21, 2022. Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, three submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel - including Reserve Citizen Airmen from the 624 RSG -- are participating in #RIMPAC2022 from June 29 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The world's largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the worlds oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971, which aims to strengthen partners' collective forces and promote a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Two C-130 Hercules aircraft from the 182nd Airlift Wing make a stop at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan, on June 28, 2022. The aircraft and crew from the Illinois Air National Guard picked up cargo and personnel to deliver to K.I. Sawyer International Airport in Michigans Upper Peninsula as part of exercise Northern Agility 22-1. NA 22-1 exercises Agile Combat Employment, a universal application to U.S. Air Force operations that enables Airmen to deliver air power anytime, anywhere to complicate an adversarys decision making.

U.S. Army Paratroopers assigned to the 1st Brigade Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division, board an aircraft before an Airborne operation during "Devil Strike" at Fort Bragg, N.C., Sep. 14, 2022. Operation "Devil Strike" is a field training exercise meant to validate the tactical readiness of the brigade and ensure efficiency in combat operations.

Airmen from the 146th Airlift Wing, California Air National Guard, unload baggage from a C-130J Hercules during firefighting operations at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, May 2. The C-130 is bringing new maintenance and air crews to Dyess AFB. The crews swap out periodically to ensure that they are fresh and able to perform at their peak performance.

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Julian Flores (left), 47th Student Squadron student pilot, and 1st Lt. Gabriel Martinez (right), 87th Flying Training Squadron instructor pilot, inspect each part of a T-38 Talon aircraft to make sure that it is suitable for flight at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, July 25, 2022. Laughlin trains the most pilots of any training base in the Air Force and is dedicated to producing combat-ready Airmen, leaders and pilots.

U.S. Air Force 2nd Lt. Sharon Cardenas, 9th Reconnaissance Wing public affairs officer, shoots on the runway during Beales historic elephant walk Jan. 4, 2024, at Beale Air Force Base, California. Cardenas was one of 6 photographers who captured the elephant walk including the U-2 Dragon Lady, T-38 Talon, and 940th Refueling Wing KC-135 Stratotanker.

U.S. Airmen assigned to the 424th Air Base Squadron roll barrels used to perform a combat offload, method B from a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft on Chièvres Air Base, Belgium, Aug 02, 2022.

070320-M-2166H-001. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Al Asad Air Base State: Al Anbar Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: VMAQ-1

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Brian W. Cavanaugh, the commanding general of Fleet Marine Force, Atlantic, Marine Forces Command, Marine Forces Northern Command, converses with Marines from Marine Aircraft Group (MAG) 29, Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, Feb. 2, 2023. MAG-29 is a subordinate unit of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, the aviation combat element of II Marine Expeditionary Force (II MEF). Cavanaugh and respective leadership visited II MEF to tour subordinate commands, discuss capabilities, innovations and meet with Marines.

GEN George A. Joulwan (USA), Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), Secretary of Defense William Cohen, COL Meade (USAF), Commander 4100th Group Provisional (USAF), review SFOR (Stabilization Force) troops on the tarmac at Tuzla Air Base, Bosnia-Herzegovina, during the Secretary's visit to Bosnia during Operation Joint Guard. In the background is the 17th Airlift Squadron C-17 Globemaster III that flew the Secretary to Tuzla. Operation Joint Guard is part of Operation Joint Endeavor, which is a peacekeeping effort by a multinational Implementation Force (IFOR), comprised of NATO and non-NATO military forces, deployed to Bosnia in support of the Dayton Peace Accords. Subject Operation/Series: JOINT GUARDJOINT ENDEAVOR Base: Tuzla Air Base Country: Bosnia And/I Herzegovina (BIH)

041109-F-2295B-212. Base: Tyndall Air Force Base State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Military personnel carry a Cuban migrant medical patient from a US Air Force C-130 aircraft. The migrants will be ferried to the base's windward side for processing. Subject Operation/Series: SEA SIGNAL Base: Guantanamo Bay Country: Cuba (CUB)

000316-A-0030T-002. Base: Hunter Army Air Field State: Georgia (GA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Airmen with an Air Force Reserve Command aircrew for a C-17 Globemaster III work with Soldiers with the 1st Battalion, 147th Aviation Regiment (1-147) of the Wisconsin National Guard on loading and unloading UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters June 10, 2022, at Sparta-Fort McCoy Airport at Fort McCoy, Wis. The 1-147th was set up with numerous Black Hawks and support equipment and personnel at the Sparta-Fort McCoy Airport throughout the first two weeks of June for annual training. The 1-147th and its UH-60s regularly support training operations at Fort McCoy as well as supporting distinguished visitor flying operations.

U.S Air Force reservists from Travis Air Force Base, Army National Guard members from Fairfield, and U.S. Airmen with the 129th Rescue Wing are participating in Exercise Nexus Rising, Moffett Federal Airfield, Calif., June 3-5, 2022. Nexus Rising is a readiness exercise designed to test the ability of the 349th Air Mobility Wing to generate, employ and sustain air operations in a simulated combat environment. Missions in NEXUS RISING include air rescue, aeromedical evacuation, airlift for cargo and personnel, aerial refueling deployment processing, aerial port operations, and command and control.

Airman 1st Class Daniel Brody, 22d Aircraft Maintenance Squadron hydraulics apprentice, inspects a KC-135 Stratotanker boom at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas July 7, 2022. Over the next several years, McConnell plans to transition from the KC-135 to the KC-46 Pegasus as their main refueling aircraft.

Airmen with the 8th Medical Group perform a litter carry to a UH-60 Black Hawk during a training event at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Aug. 18, 2022. The 8th MDG is devoted to optimizing the installations readiness in preparation of follow-on forces.

DF-ST-86-07948. Base: Cairo West Country: Egypt (EGY)

U.S. Air Force Airmen hold a mission brief behind a C-130H Hercules aircraft from the 169th Airlift Squadron, Peoria Air National Guard Base, Peoria, Illinois, 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.

U.S. Airmen assigned to the 356th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, 354h Air Expeditionary Wing, and Marines from Marine Fighter Attack Squadrons (VMFA) 242 and 121, observe a weapons loading procedure during Agile Combat Employment training at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, July 6, 2022. ACE leverages interoperability between joint forces to maintain the strategic initiative, present lethal credible combat power with operational unpredictability that will ultimately win in conflict.

U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Joseph Valenzuela, left, 445th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron medical technician, directs U.S. Air Force critical care air transport teams (CCATTs) back to the aircraft to offload mannequin patients at the Cincinnati Municipal Airport, April 6, 2023. The CCATTs trained with the 445th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron on trauma and critical care aboard an aircraft as part of the Center for the Sustainment of Trauma and Readiness Skills (C-STARS) program at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center. A U.S. Air Force C-130J Hercules aircraft with the Air National Guards 123rd Airlift Wing out of Louisville, Kentucky, provided the backdrop for training.

Airmen from the 420th Munitions Squadron push pallets aboard a C-17 Globemaster III, assigned to the 21st Airlift Squadron, for airlift transport at RAF Fairford, England, Feb. 9, 2024. Operations like this allow the 501st Combat Support Wing to fulfill higher-headquarter directed taskings faster than the standard process and enable a larger quantity of munitions to be shipped. A single airlift mission can save over seven weeks worth of work as well as highlight the agile combat employment capabilities that the 501st offers. Air Force

Airmen from the 176th and 718th Aircraft Maintenance Squadrons off-load an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter from a 144th Airlift Squadron C-17 Globemaster III after transporting the helicopter to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richadson, Alaska. The Pave Hawk experienced a malfunction after completing a medevac mission in Western Alaska. The aircraft landed safely at the Alaska Army National Guard hangar in Bethel after the mission but was unable to complete the trip back to JBER. The ability to seamlessly transition from rescue operations to global mobility provides the 176th Wing with a strategic edge, showcasing the Wings commitment to agile combat employment and effectiveness when handling complex situations, both within the state and across the globe. (Alaska National Guard

DF-ST-89-09189. Country: West Germany (FRG)

030429-F-4441R-023. Base: March Air Reserve Base State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

030623-A-XXXXX-7429. Country: Iraq (IRQ)

U.S. Airmen board a C-17 Globemaster III on the flight line at Travis Air Force Base, California, April 10, 2022. The C-17 played a prominent role in exercise Roundel Perun 22-01 by ensuring prompt distribution of both defensive and offensive capabilities to forward deployed locations during the training. The base exercise was designed to enhance the capabilities of multiple squadrons in responding to possible real-world scenarios.

U.S. Air Force personnel disembark from a 37th Military Air Wing C-141B Starlifter aircraft upon their arrival during Operation Desert Shield. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT SHIELD Country: Saudi Arabia (SAU)

050903-F-7564C-082. Base: Alexandria State: Louisiana (LA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DF-ST-85-13436. Base: Seymour Johnson Air Force Base State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

030915-F-6849F-036. Base: Spangdahlem Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Michael Gesford, 26th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron HC-130J Combat King II loadmaster, performs engine start procedures, at an undisclosed location within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, November 4, 2022. The HC-130J is a rapidly deployable, multi-capable airframe, capable of performing combat search and rescue, aerial refueling, and combat airlift missions within the CENTCOM AOR.

U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 366th Fighter Wing, 517th Airlift Squadron and Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni personnel off load equipment from a C-17 Globemaster III as part of Northern Edge 23-2 on Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, June 28, 2023. NE 23-2 provides interoperability training vital to the successful accomplishment of future joint and multinational endeavors.

Marines and sailors with Marine Expeditionary Brigade in Afghanistan load onto a KC-130 aircraft on the Camp Bastion flightline, Oct. 27, 2014. The Marine Corps ended its mission in Helmand province, Afghanistan the day prior and all Marines, sailors and service members from the United Kingdom withdrew from southwestern Afghanistan.

970910-F-8748C-002. Complete Scene Caption: United States, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan Army personnel prepare to board a United States Air Force C-17A Globemaster III aircraft from the 14th Airlift Squadron out of Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina, at Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, during a airdrop mission. United States Army Task Force 3-504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, from the 82nd Airborne Division will host the military platoon during Exercise CENTRAL ASIAN BATTALION (CENTRAZBAT) 97. The countries will conduct combined airborne operations, weapons training, and cultural activities in order to strengthen partnership between CENTRAZBAT participants and Task Force 3-504 and to set the conditions for a successful Partnership for Peace exercise (PfP). Subject Operation/Series: CENTRAZBAT 97 Base: Pope Air Force Base State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A member of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, 1st Airborne Brigade, waits to board a C-130J Super Hercules on the flightline at Yokota Air Base, Japan, prior to a static-line jump, Jan. 25, 2022, as part of Airborne 22. Airborne 22 demonstrates the JGSDF's capability to employ large-scale airborne insertion anywhere. The training event allowed U.S. and Japanese units to work alongside one another while improving the readiness of both forces. (Photo by Tech. Sgt. Gustavo Castillo)

U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Wilbur Oles, commanding officer of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 163, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, celebrates the safe return of his Marines from deployment on Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Oct. 7, 2022. VMM-163 deployed to Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, in support of Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa (CJTF-HOA), providing capabilities for personnel recovery and casualty evacuation of U.S. forces throughout East Africa. Oles is a native of Delhi, New York.

Air Force ROTC cadets from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University visited the 149th Fighter Wing to get a first hand look and what an operational fighter wing looks like behind the scenes at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, June 10, 2022. The tour was put together by members of our various maintenance units who gave gave unique insights into what it takes to be successful as a leader in todays military. (Air National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Ryan Mancuso)

A member of the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force observes a U.S. Air Force HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter at Yokota Air Base, Japan, March 13, 2011. JGSDF members and a joint team of U.S. Air Force and Marine personnel discussed the possibility of using Yamagata as a fuel staging area to refuel aircraft assisting with Japan's earthquake and tsunami recovery efforts.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Stelios Drakoulakis, 921st Contingency Response Squadron air transportation specialist, signals all clear for a C-5M Super Galaxy to taxi through a narrow ramp during Exercise Dragon Spark at Travis Air Force Base, California, Oct. 14, 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.

Airmen from the 621st Contingency Response Wing from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, N.J., depart a Little Rock Air Force Base C-130 at the Port-au-Prince International Airport, Haiti, Jan. 14 to support the earthquake relief effort in Haiti. The 621st CRW airmen are highly-specialized to quickly open airfields and establish, expand, sustain, and coordinate air mobility operations. From wartime taskings to disaster relief, the 621st extends Air Mobility Command's reach in deploying people and equipment around the globe (USAF

030831-F-2869F-115. Subject Operation/Series: COOPERATIVE KEY 2003 Base: Graf Ignatievo Air Base Country: Bulgaria (BGR)

040324-F-4441R-077. Base: Fort Polk State: Louisiana (LA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC

U.S. Marines Corps Cpl. Anthony Neese, a tiltrotor crew chief from San Diego, California, attached to Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One (MAWTS-1), refuels an MV-22B Osprey, during Weapons and Tactics Instructor (WTI) course 2-22, at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, March 31, 2022. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by MAWTS-1, providing standardized advanced tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine aviation training and readiness, and assist in developing and employing aviation weapons and tactics.

U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Justin Petree, 131st Bomb Wing crew chief, talks shop with Master Sgt. Kieth Meadows during a tour of the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, Aug. 10, 2022. Meadows was the first dedicated crew chief for tail number 80329, the Spirit of Missouri, from 1991-1996, and Petree is the current dedicated crew chief for the aircraft.

Soldiers assigned to the 118th Military Police Company (Airborne) and 503rd MP Battalion (Airborne) return to Fort Bragg, N.C. to reunite with their families July 5, 2022 following a five-month deployment to the U.S. European Command area-of-responsibility. The battalion and company were rapidly deployed to Europe in February to reinforce and reassure our NATO allies.

Aircrew from the 2nd Bomb Wing prepare to board a B-52H Stratofortress for a CONUS-to-CONUS (C2C) training mission, Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, Sept. 29, 2022. Bomber missions to the Into-Pacific region deter aggression by demonstrating U.S. Air Force ability to operate anywhere in the world at any time in support of U.S. Allies and partners.

U.S. Marines with Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron (VMX) 1 attend a briefing before executing operation OBSIDIAN ICEBERG at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, May 25, 2022. OBSIDIAN ICEBERG is an Expeditionary Advanced Base Operation exercise designed to develop emerging tactics to ensure the Marine Corps is war fighting ready and lethal.

of 4