Aviation Operations and Flight Training

Images of pilots and aircrew in training, operating various helicopters and aircraft while conducting military exercises and preparations.

Maj. Ben Jones, 815th Airlift Squadron C-130J pilot at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., prepares for a night vision goggle assault landing during a training flight at Keesler July 20, 2022. The 815th AS is an Air Force Reserve unit within the 403rd Wing capable of providing an array of aerial support functions such as airlift, airdrop, aeromedical evacuation and more.

Afghan air force Sgt. Razeg, a gunner, fires an M-240 weapon from an Mi-17 Helicopter during a mission from Kabul, Afghanistan, International Airport, Nov. 29, 2012. The flight was a check ride” mission, allowing an Afghan air force copilot and gunner to further train and qualify in their respective jobs.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Gage Garceau from Smith Center, Kansas, a UH-1Y Venom crew chief assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 269, Marine Aircraft Group 29, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing scouts for ground targets in a day-guns exercise during Weapons and Tactics Instructors (WTI) course 1-23 near Yuma, Arizona, on Oct. 13, 2022. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One, providing standardized advanced tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine aviation training and readiness, and assists in developing and employing aviation weapons and tactics.

U.S. Army Chinook helicopter crews fly from Osan Air Base to Seoul, South Korea, in support of the visit of U.S. Acting Secretary of Defense Patrick M. Shanahan, June 2, 2019.

Coast Guard Personnel - Miscellaneous - 26-HK-90-205. Coast Guardsman in cockpit6. Hurricane Katrina

020522-F-6911G-003. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Country: Unknown

LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan -- Sgt. Lucas Cordes, a native of Hillman, Mich., a sniper team leader with Company F, 2nd Aviation Assault Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade's Pathfinders, fires his customized M-16 at a target while hovering in a UH-60 Blackhawk during an aerial weapons firing platform exercise Jan. 26. The training allowed him to practice and learn the effects of bullet drop when firing from different altitudes.

220817-N-XN177-2026 PHILIPPINE SEA (Aug. 17, 2022) - U.S. Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Travis Allen, from Dallas, conducts maintenance on an MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Reinforced) aboard amphibious assault carrier USS Tripoli (LHA 7), Aug. 17, 2022. Tripoli is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Capt. Neil Brown, 301st Airlift Squadron C-17 Globemaster III pilot, looks out the window of a C-17 Globemaster III on Sept. 24, 2022. The 349th Air Mobility Wing performed a three-day mission to move humanitarian cargo to Haiti. Through the Denton Program, three school buses donated from San Diego Unified School District were transported from March Air Reserve Base, California, to Haiti.

040406-F-9624D-002. Base: Hickam Air Force Base State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Patrick Smith, a flight engineer assigned to the 1st Squadron, 214th General Support Aviation Battalion, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, looks out the window of a CH-47 Chinook helicopter in flight at Tampere, Finland, Aug. 4, 2022. 12th Combat Aviation Brigade is one of the units to support U.S. European Command theater strategy by demonstrating U.S. commitment to European Allies and Partners and highlighting U.S. capabilities to diverse audiences. 12 CAB is among other units assigned to V Corps, America's Forward Deployed Corps in Europe. They work alongside NATO Allies and regional security partners to provide combat-ready forces, execute joint and multinational training exercises, and retain command and control for all rotational and assigned units in the European Theater.

A U.S. Army 1-10 Special Forces Group jump master signals the direction of the drop zone to his team during a ceremonial D-Day airborne operation in a U.S. Air Force C-130 airframe flying over Normandy, France, June 5, 2022. The operation was part of the 78th celebration honoring the allied forces who descended from the air and stormed the beaches during World War II.

Senior Airman Caleb Roland, 4th Combat Camera aerial combat photojournalist takes photos of an airdrop from a C-17 Globemaster III at Joint Base Charleston, SC., May 12, 2022. The 4th Combat Camera Squadron provides strategic imagery capabilities for the Department of Defense.

060826-N-6240R-006. Country: Pacific Ocean (POC)

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Garrett Waltman, right, and Staff Sgt. Taran Lewis, both 9th Air Refueling Squadron KC-10 Extender boom operators, review notes in the boom operator station of a KC-10 during a flight over Southern California, Nov. 7, 2022. The 9th ARS aircrew refueled 10 A-10C Thunderbolt IIs in support of Green Flag 23-02.

U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 265 scan the horizon during exercise Keen Sword 23 off the coast Kumamoto, Japan, Nov. 14, 2022. Keen Sword exercises the combined capabilities and lethality developed between the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, and the Japan Self Defense Force (JSDF). This bilateral field-training exercise between the U.S. military and JSDF strengthens interoperability and combat readiness of the U.S.-Japan Alliance.

Sgt. Charlotte Velazquez, a crew chief with 1st Infantry Division, helps navigate during a MEDEVAC training flight on May 28 at Fort Knox, Ky. Medics from 10th Mountain Division spent their Saturday training with the MEDEVAC team in preparation for Cadet Summer Training. After reviewing different injuries and how to treat them, groups of six Soldiers were taken up in a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter as part of the training. | Photo by Sarah Windmueller, U.S. Army Cadet Command Public Affairs

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Lukasz Lewandoski, a fixed-wing aircraft safety mechanic with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 122, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, inspects the seat of an F-35B Lightning II during Realistic Urban Training exercise at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, June 9, 2022. The purpose of RUT is to enhance the integration and collective capability of the MEU's command, air, ground, and logistics elements and prepare the 13th MEU to meet the nation's crisis response needs during its upcoming overseas deployment.

U.S. Marines with 3d Littoral Combat Team, 3rd Marine Littoral Regiment, and Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 prepare to take off in an MV-22 Osprey attached to VMM-268 during a Joint Air-Ground Task Force Demonstration as part of the 2022 Kaneohe Bay Air Show, Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay, Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Aug. 13, 2022. The air show provided an opportunity to showcase the aircraft, equipment and capabilities of the armed forces to the local community. The Kaneohe Bay Air Show, which contained aerial performances, static displays, demonstrations and vendors, was designed to celebrate MCBHs longstanding relationship with the local community.

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Samuel Sherwood, a UH-1Y Venom pilot with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, prepares for a simulated tactical recovery of aircraft and personnel (TRAP) mission in Bradley, California, Aug 2, 2022. The Marines of MAG-39 demonstrated their TRAP capabilities in support of exercise Summer Fury 22. Summer Fury 22 is designed to enhance Marine-Air-Ground Task Force integration and increase aviation operations proficiency with realistic, relevant training to ensure the Marine Corps largest aircraft wing remains operationally excellent, interoperable, deployable on short notice and lethal when called into action.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Mason Bengtson, Parachute instructor assigned to the 98th Flying Training Squadron, prepares to jump out an Alabama Army National Guard Ch-47F Chinook helicopter, assigned to Company B 1st Battalion, 169th Aviation Regiment, at Dannelly Field, Alabama, Feb. 9, 2024. The mission of the Wings of Blue is to serve primarily as jumpmasters and instructors, forging leaders of character through this unique training experience. Air Force

U.S. Air Force Capt. Noah Anolick, 908th expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron KC-10 Extender pilot, prepares to receive fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker over an undisclosed location in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Oct. 24, 2022. The KC-10 not only has the capability of providing air-to-air refueling to aircraft throughout the CENTCOM AOR, but can also receive fuel from other refueling aircraft.

US. Marine Corps Capt. Daphne Kelly, a UH-1Y Venom pilot from Chicago, Illinois, with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Training Squadron (HMLAT) 303, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing conduct a mass flight at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, April 28, 2022. HMLAT-303 is the fleet replacement squadron for the H-1 series aircraft, responsible for training Marines to safely fly the Marine Corps attack helicopters. The Marines with HMLAT-303 demonstrated the tactical capabilities and combat power of the H-1 platform by completing this mass flight and continue to train the next generation of warriors.

040605-F-9072P-017. Base: Mildenhall State: Suffolk Country: England / Great Britain (ENG)

The soldiers of the 1st DET / 104th BEB (BRIGADE ENG BATTALLION) are completing a two-week operation of training of the unmanned SHADOW UAS drone. This 12 foot drone with a wing span of 22 feet is a fuel base drone that can return photo and video to a base point. The SHADOW is launched from a trailer-mounted pneumatic catapult, it is recovered with the aid of arresting gear similar to jets on an aircraft carrier. Its gimbal-mounted, digitally stabilized, liquid nitrogen-cooled electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) camera relays video in real time via a C-band line-of-sight data link to the ground control station (GCS). This exercise was a Joint Base effort. The unmanned drone was launched at Lakehurst Naval Air Station and was flown over the Fort Dix, NJ Range Complex at Ranges 85 and 61. (Photos taken by the Fort Dix TSC Training Support Center)

US Air Force Captain Eric Long and Second Lieutennant Chris Lanier, both pilots with the 344th Aerial Refeuling Squadron, McConnel Air Force Base, Kansas, review charts and flight plan information during a refueling mission in a forward location. This image was shot through a Starlight, Night Vision System and is in direct support of Joint Task Force Noble Anvil. Subject Operation/Series: NOBLE ANVIL Country: Unknown

220830-N-GF955-2018BALTIC SEA (Aug. 30, 2022) U.S. Naval Aircrewman (Helicopter) 1st Class Russell Akers, from Charleston, S.C., waves to the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Paul Ignatius from a MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 79, Detachment 2, following completion of a maneuvering exercise with the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group and Swedish navy, Aug. 30, 2022. Paul Ignatius is part of the Kearsarge Amphibious Ready Group and embarked 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit, under the command and control of Task Force 61/2, on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allied and partner interests.

U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Jesse Havener, 3rd Airlift Squadron pilot, starts engines during a local evening training sortie at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, Feb. 26, 2024. The 3rd AS conducted local training in preparation to support worldwide airlift capabilities to include clandestine delivery, extraction and airdrop of special operations forces and equipment. Air Force

050107-N-9293K-142. Base: Banda Aceh State: Sumatra Country: Indonesia (IDN)

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Maggie Sanchez, a boom operator with the 161st Air Refueling Wing, conducts aircraft status checks on a KC-135 Stratotanker during a multi-day readiness exercise, at Marine Corps Base Hawaii, Oct. 12-17, 2022. The exercise focused on demonstrating the Department of the Air Forces priority of Agile Combat Employment (ACE), which uses multi-capable Airmen to facilitate a proactive and reactive operational scheme of maneuver to increase resiliency and survivability while generating combat power.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Brandon Taylor, UH-1Y Huey aviation mechanic, Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 167, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, conducts routine maintenance on a UH-1Y Huey on Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River in Jacksonville, North Carolina, Sept. 14, 2022. HMLA-167 aviation maintenance Marines conduct routine preventative maintenance on the AH-1Z Vipers and UH-1Y Hueys to ensure a constant state of readiness. MCAS New River provides aviation support, force protection, infrastructure, and community services to promote the readiness, sustainment and quality of life for II Marine Expeditionary Force and other military forces, tenant commands, personnel and their families.

A U.S. Air Force pilot sitting inside the cockpit of a McDonnell Douglas F-15C aircraft.

Panama Defense Force soldiers are air-dropped from a CH-47 Chinook helicopter into the Venado Drop Zone at Fort Kobbe, during training exercises conducted by the 193rd Infantry Brigade. Base: Fort Clayton Country: Panama (PAN)

Three Arkansas National Guard UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters attached to Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 149th Aviation Regiment, fly over Razorback Range near Ft. Smith, Arkansas May 17, 2022. The company supported 146th Air Support Operations Squadron, Oklahoma Air National Guard, fast rope insertion and extraction system training, which is designed to quickly deploy personnel from a helicopter via rope.

A U.S. Air Force CV-22 Osprey assigned to the 352nd Special Operations Wing, RAF Mildenhall, U.K., performs a flyover during the Mi Amigo 75th anniversary flypast event at Endcliffe Park, Sheffield, U.K., Feb. 22, 2019. The aircraft flew over the park where thousands of U.K. residents honored the memory of the ten fallen U.S. Airmen who died when their war-crippled B-17 Flying Fortress crash landed to avoid killing residents and nearby children.

111223-N-KA046-006GULF OF OMAN (Dec. 23, 2011) Chief Warrant Officer Robert Reyes takes notes during a vertical replenishment aboard the multipurpose amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5). Bataan is the command ship of Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and is conducting maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.

AIRMAN 1ST Class (A1C) Todd Howard, USAF, eases the refueling boom of a KC-135R Stratotanker into an E-3 Sentry AWACS receptacle during an aerial refueling mission over the Adriatic Sea. A1C Howard, a boom operator with the 349th Air Refueling Squadron, deployed with about 20 other aircrew members and maintenance personnel from McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, to the 16th Expeditionary Operations Group, a small US detachment located on this French air base. The McConnell active duty personnel join the primarily Air National Guard flying and maintenance operations here. The group flies aerial refueling missions in support of NATO Operation JOINT FORGE, refueling US and NATO aircraft, .... Complete Scene Caption: Airman 1st Class (A1C) Todd Howard, USAF, eases the refueling boom of a KC-135R Stratotanker into an E-3 Sentry AWACS receptacle during an aerial refueling mission over the Adriatic Sea. A1C Howard, a boom operator with the 349th Air Refueling Squadron, deployed with about 20

DF-ST-85-05972. Country: Unknown

A U.S. Air Force loadmaster monitors two 352d Special Operations Wing MC-130J Commando II aircraft as the three-ship formation conducts range training operations, U.K., Aug. 3, 2022. Nighttime training with the MC-130J ensures the capability to conduct real-world airdrops and air-refuels at any time, any place.

060410-N-7586B-234. Base: Baghdad Country: Iraq (IRQ)

Sgt. Xavier Martinez, a UH60 Crew Chief from 1-228th Aviation Regiment, monitors his UH60 Blackhawk during their return flight after the Guatemalan Naval Special Forces conducted FRIES training with the Navy SEALs during CENTAM Guardian 23 in San Jose, Guatemala on March 21, 2023. CG23 is an annual Army-led combined, joint, interagency, multi-national partnership-building exercise designed to build capacity, capabilities and interoperability with Central American partner nations.

020211-F-9186F-002. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Moron Air Base State: Sevilla Country: Spain (ESP) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

Senior Master Sgt. Andrew Griggs, 66th Rescue Squadrons senior enlisted leader, watches the rotor of an HH-60G Pave Hawk from the 66th RQS at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, after its flight before retiring to the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, Sept. 21, 2022. The HH-60G Pave Hawk was flown for a variety of rescue missions during its time in service.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Nicky Drury, a UH-1Y Venom crew chief with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 267, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, performs an ammo can change on a M240D machine gun during a banking maneuver during Integrated Training Exercise 2-24 at Camp Wilson, Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Feb. 9, 2024. HMLA-267 was tasked to execute a series of different mission sets, centered around close air support, to support Marines on the ground in a simulated combat environment. ITX is designed to provide large forces the opportunity to command and control their Marines through a live-fire program incorporating every element of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force. Marine Corps

050904-N-7405P-001. Base: New Orleans State: Louisiana (LA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

The pilot of an A-10A Thunderbolt II attack aircraft from the 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing of England Air Force Base, La., communicates with his crew chief following a mission during Operation Desert Storm.. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT STORM Country: Unknown

U.S. Air Force Maj. Randy Semrau, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, 3rd Airlift Squadron C-17 Globemaster III pilot, prepares for take off during Exercise GOLDEN BEE on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Sept. 26, 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.

Polish land forces perform a static line airdrop from a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft assigned to the 37th Airlift Squadron, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, as part of Aviation Detachment Rotation 22-4 training, above the Bledowska drop zone, Poland, Sept. 13, 2022. Continual exercises and interactions like ADR 22-4 allows the U.S. and partner nations to work together to address security threats and enable all participants to contribute to international coalitions.

A U.S. Air Force pilot conducts her preflight checklist during engine start up on the flight deck.

(left to right) US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel "Hawkeye" Pierce and USAF Lieutenant Colonel Chuck Hanks, pilots, fly a Project Trans-Am mission in a C-141C Starlifter aircraft, which features new "Glass Cockpit" technologies during a landing approach. The aircraft and crew are assigned to the 89th Airlift Squadron (USAFR), Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. More than sixty aircraft in the current C-141 fleet will undergo major modification, each will receive the All Weather Flight Control System (AWFCS) consisting of a digital autopilot, advanced avionics display, and Ground Collision Avoidance System (GCAS). Other major improvements include a Defensive Systems (DS), Fuel Quantity .... Complete Scene Caption: (left to right) US Air Force Lieutenant Colonel "Hawkeye" Pierce and USAF Lieutenant Colonel Chuck Hanks, pilots, fly a Project Trans-Am mission in a C-141C Starlifter aircraft, which features new "Glass Cockpit" technologies during a landing approach. The aircraft and crew

Under the direction of STAFF Sergeant John P. Hosey, right, a jumpmaster of the 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron comes forward to observe the drop zone during tactical air control training. Base: Shaw Air Force Base State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

NORTH SEA (Nov. 9, 2018) Military Sealift Command civil service mariner Brad Musselman works in the control tower during flight quarters aboard the Blue Ridge-class command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20), Nov. 9, 2018. Mount Whitney, forward-deployed to Gaeta, Italy, operates with a combined crew of U.S. Navy Sailors and Military Sealift Command civil service mariners.

A U.S. Marine with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 469, observes the training area during Jungle Leaders Course at Jungle Warfare Training Center, Okinawa, Japan on Aug. 10, 2022. The training is designed to test the physical and mental resilience of Marine Corps leaders in a harsh jungle environment.

Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne and aides to Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona, for touring, discussions with National Park Service, Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Geological Survey staff, Park volunteers, and visitors

U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Eric Hill, Air Force Special Operations Command deputy commander, fires a .50 caliber machine gun on board a CV-22 Osprey during the final flight of his military career, at Hurlburt Field, Florida, July 27, 2022. In his 32 years of service, Hill has more than 3,100 flight hours in aircraft including the MH-60G Pave Hawk, HH-60G Pave Hawk, T-34C Mentor, C-12C Huron, MV-22B Osprey and CV-22B Osprey.

SGT Anthony Doran, 33rd Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team Rakkasans, 101st Airborne Division (AASLT), rides in a UH-60 Blackhawk while heading to a firing range on Fort Campbell, KY, June 23, 2022. The aerial sniper training helps him maintain his skills regardless of environment or conditions.

U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Andrew Martin, a crew chief with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (MAW), rides in a UH-1Y Venom during Exercise Steel Knight 23, onMarine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California, Dec. 6, 2022. Exercise Steel Knight provides 3rd MAW an opportunity to refine Wing-level warfighting in support of I Marine Expeditionary Forceand fleet maneuver. Martin is a Birmingham, Alabama, native.

041025-F-6440B-010. Subject Operation/Series: OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Unknown Country: Iraq (IRQ)

U.S. Army Spc. Eric Saum, a security force team member and gunner for Provincial Reconstruction (PRT) Farah, maintains a watchful eye during a convoy in Pusht-e Rod district, Farah province, Afghanistan, Nov. 19. PRT Farah's mission is to train, advise, and assist Afghan government leaders at the municipal, district, and provincial levels in Farah Province Afghanistan. Their civil military team is comprised of members of the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).

U.S. Marine Cpl. Joshua Primm, a crew chief with Marine Motor Tiltrotor Squadron 262 (Reinforced), 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit gets ready for an air delivery aboard an MV-22B Osprey above Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan, June 29, 2022. The training is used to improve crew chiefs accuracy in air deliveries, a way to quickly resupply targets on the ground without needing a landing area. The 31st MEU, the Marine Corps only continuously forward-deployed MEU, provides a flexible and lethal force ready to perform a wide range of military operations as the premier crisis response force in the Indo-Pacific region.

U.S. Air Force Maj. William Smith, a KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft pilot assigned to the 91st Air Refueling Squadron, tests new Aircrew Laser Eye Protection glasses while flying a KC-135 during a training mission over Charleston, South Carolina, June 23, 2022. Smith participated in a developmental test of the new ALEP glasses conducted by the 46th Test and Evaluation Squadron from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Juan Gutierrez from Revere, Massachusetts, a crew chief assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268, Marine Aircraft Group 24, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing fires an M240D 7.62mm machine gun at ground targets during Weapons and Tactics Instructors (WTI) course 1-23 at Yodaville, near Yuma, Arizona, Oct. 5, 2022. WTI is a seven-week training event hosted by Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One, providing standardized advanced tactical training and certification of unit instructor qualifications to support Marine aviation training and readiness, and assists in developing and employing aviation weapons and tactics.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Richard Conner, an HC-130J Combat King II loadmaster assigned to the 26th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron, looks out the window of the aircraft during a combat search and rescue exercise at an undisclosed location, July 5, 2022. Air Force Central Command's ERQSs are organized, trained, equipped and postured to conduct full spectrum personnel recovery to include both conventional and unconventional combat rescue operations within the Central Command theater of operations. Special warfare operators assigned throughout the combined joint operational area conduct operations in support of Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve.

Members from the Belize Defence Force tour the Hammond Regional Airport aircraft control tower operated by the Louisiana National Guard in Hammond, Louisiana, July 14, 2022. The LANG and BDF are partners in the State Partnership Program. The purpose of the SPP is to foster mutual interests and establish habitual long-term relationships across all levels of society, and encourages the development of economic, political and military ties between states and partner nations.

010918-F-9186F-006. Base: Ramstein Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

December 16, 2009 - A bundle of donated goods drifts to an island after being dropped out the back of a C-130 Hercules during Operation Christmas Drop. The operation, the longest-running humanitarian airlift mission in the world, delivers supplies to remote islands of the Federated States of Micronesia.

220630-N-KD380-1095 SAN DIEGO - (June 30,2022) - Royal Australian Navy Able Seaman Clearance Diver Shane Humphreys, from Perth, Australia, receives a guided tour of an MH-60S Seahawk, attached to the Blackjacks of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21, onboard Naval Air Station North Island during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022. Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, four submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 29 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The worlds 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.

060317-N-7526R-075. Country: Unknown Scene Major Command Shown: USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19)

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Michael Shahen (right), 492nd Special Operations Training Group operations officer, speaks to 14th Flying Training Wing student pilots, June 24, 2022, on Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. The 492nd Special Operations Wing is responsible for preparing Air Commandos for worldwide missions in support of joint and coalition special operations through training, innovation, development, and operational testing.

A U.S. Airmen with 353rd Special Operations Wing conducts a military freefall with Philippine Marines during Balikatan 22 at Cagayan North International Airport, Philippines, March 31, 2022. Balikatan is an annual exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and U.S. military designed to strengthen bilateral interoperability, capabilities, trust, and cooperation built over decades of shared experiences. Balikatan, Tagalog for shoulder-to-shoulder, is a long-standing bilateral exercise between the Philippines and the United States highlighting the deep-rooted partnership between both countries. Balikatan 22 is the 37th iteration of the exercise and coincides with the 75th anniversary of the U.S.-Philippine security cooperation.

A U.S. Air Force Special Tactics operator assigned to the 352d Special Operations Wing and members of El Escuadron de Zapadores Paracaidistas (EZAPAC) execute a military free fall from a Spanish C-295 aircraft assigned to the 35 Tactical Transport Wing, near Allcantarilla Air Base, Spain, July 25, 2022. Training with our joint and combined allies and partners increases our lethality and enhances our interoperability, allowing our forces to counter military aggression and coercion by sharing responsibilities for a common defense.

120131-N-JN612-034 ARABIAN GULF (Jan.31, 2012) Capt. Kevin G. Meenaghan, chief of staff, Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 9, administers the oath of enlistment to Operations Specialist 2nd Class Edward Chopp while airborne in an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the Golden Falcons of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 12. The Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

020123-F-5872L-010. Subject Operation/Series: COPE TIGER '02 Country: Thailand (THA) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC

164th Airlift Squadron members conduct the ceremonial final formation flight of two C-130H Hercules during the 179th Airlift Wing Flying Legacy ceremony at Mansfield Lahm ANGB, Ohio, April 23, 2022. After being selected to become the nation's first Air National Guard Cyber Wing, the unit is transitioning from flying a C-130H Hercules and honored their unit's historical heritage as a flying unit dating back to 1948 with lineage reaching back to 1942 including the 363rd Fighter Squadron of World War II.

Coast Guard Air Station - Clearwater, Florida - Katrina Relief - 26-HK-217-26. Hurricane Katrina

980930-N-6346W-002. Subject Operation/Series: SOUTHERN WATCH Base: Uss Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72)

JSC2010-E-119551 (25 Aug. 2010) --- NASA astronaut Michael Fincke, STS-134 mission specialist, prepares for a flight in a NASA T-38 trainer jet at Ellington Field near NASA's Johnson Space Center.

U.S Air Force Maj. Richard Wiseman, left, and Capt. Joshua Frizzell, right, both KC-135 Stratotanker pilots assigned to the 22nd Air Refueling Wing, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, prepare to take off for a refueling mission during RED FLAG-Alaska 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Oct. 14, 2022. RF-A provides integrated joint and multilateral training opportunities in the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, an expansive co-located air and land range with significant potential for co-located air and sea ranges.

Soldier mans a machine gun in a helicopter conveys taking food to villages outside Baidoa, Somalia.

030225-F-4338B-004. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Country: Unknown

U.S. Air Force aircrew members watch and wave from the ramp of a C-130J as parachutes open on supply bundles dropped over Ulithi Atoll, the Caroline Islands, Western Pacific during Operation Christmas Drop 2022, Dec. 6, 2022. Operation Christmas Drop is the longest running Department of Defense humanitarian mission that delivers critical aid to island communities throughout the western Pacific while also providing an opportunity for aircrew to hone important skills needed for future operations.

Members of Langdale/Ambleside Mountain Rescue team and an RAF whinch man in an RAF Sea King helicopter during a rescue in Dungeon Ghyll in the Langdale Pikes, UK.

U.S. Army National Guard Capt. Christopher Arndt and Chief Warrant Officer 4 George Millsaps, pilots with the North Carolina Detachment 1 Bravo Company, 2nd 151st Aviation Regiment, along with crew chief Staff Sgt. Kathy Mcquay, conduct aerial search missions from a UH-72A Lakota Light Utility Helicopter, Sept. 17, 2018. The support and security crew scanned homes and structures for individuals in distress focusing efforts along the Cape Fear river including the North Carolina areas of New Bern, Wilmington, and Lumberton.

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. James Campbell, a pilot with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 232, poses for a photo after arriving at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Jan. 19, 2024. Nicknamed the Red Devils, VMFA-232 traveled from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan to Guam as a part of their Aviation Training Relocation Program deployment to train multilaterally with allies and partners, and enhance the squadrons combat readiness.

June 3, 2008 - An HC-130 King aircraft loadmaster throws a smoke grenade out of an HC-130 during a training mission off the coast of Djibouti.

Service members of U.S. Army 1-10 Special Forces Group, U.S. Special Operations Command Europe, U.S. Special Operations Command Africa and U.S. Air Force 352nd Special Operations Wing jump from the ramp of a U.S. Air Force C-130 during a ceremonial D-Day freefall operation over Normandy, France, June 5, 2022. The operation was part of the 78th celebration honoring the allied forces who descended from the air and stormed the beaches during World War II.

U.S. Army Boeing CH-47 Chinook from 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, flies from Pohakuloa Training Grounds back to Oahu, Hawaii, Nov. 7, 2022. Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center 23-01 is a realistic training rotation that allows us to rehearse strategic movement, and train in unique environments and conditions where they are most likely to be employed in the event of crisis or conflict.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Richard Margerison, 21st Airlift Squadron C-17 Globemaster III pilot, descends for landing during Exercise Golden Bee at Kaneohe Marine Corps Air Station, Oahu, Hawaii, Sept. 29, 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.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Kimberley Bracken, 60th Operations Support Squadron KC-10 Extender pilot, goes through a flight checklist prior to performing in the Parade of Heavies for the Wings Over Solano open house and air show at Travis Air Force Base, California, May 14, 2022. The two-day event also featured performances by the Wings of Blue parachute team, F-16 Demo Team and F-35 Demo Team.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Brian Puranen, 37th Helicopter Squadron flight engineer, prepares to assist the pilot with landing the helicopter in central Ireland Nov. 1, 2022. The U.S. team visited the Irish Air Corps to enhance their understanding of the AW139 helicopter in preparation for their transition to the MH-139.

Japan Air Self-Defense Force Chief Master Sgt. Tatsuhiro Kurimoto and Staff Sgt. Ikkei Ono, C-130H Hercules loadmasters, prepare to push a package out over the island of Ruo during Operation Christmas Drop, Dec. 6, 2022. Operation Christmas Drop is an annual U.S. Air Force tradition of packaging and delivering donated supplies such as food, fishing equipment, school books, and clothing to more than 20 thousand islanders across 56 remote islands throughout the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic ofPalau.

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