Military Aircraft Operations

Images of U.S. military aircraft operations with personnel managing aircraft at air force bases, highlighting airlift capabilities and readiness during training exercises.

A U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules is being unloaded.

Mike Harden, 88th Logistics Readiness Squadron contractor, provides support to members of the 437th Airlift Wing as they arrive at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Sept. 28, 2022, from Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina. 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 Tech. Sgt. Michael Cashman, HC-130J Combat King II loadmaster assigned to the 26th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron, performs engine start procedures, at an undisclosed location within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, October 31, 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.

C-130 Hercules Hill Air Force Base Utah USA

A C-17 Globemaster III assigned to the 172d Airlift Wing, Mississippi Air National Guard, arrives at Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center during Southern Strike 2022 at Gulfport, Mississippi, April 22, 2022. Southern Strike 2022 is a large-scale, joint multinational combat exercise hosted by the Mississippi National Guard that provides tactical level training for the full spectrum of conflict.

C-130J Super Hercules of the Ramstein-based 86th Airlift wing, USAFE, with a C-17 Globemaster, Berlin, Germany.

Balad Air Base, Iraq, December 4, 2004 - A loadmaster conducts an engine start up and pre flight inspection on his C-130 Herucles prior to taking off during Operation Iraqi Freedom

A modified C-130 Hercules assigned to the 910th Airlift Wing at Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio, starts up on June 19, 2015, at Joint Base Charleston, S.C. The C-130 and aircrew sprayed to eradicate mosquitos on the Joint Base Charleston Weapons Station. The aerial spraying was performed at night to increase the chances of eliminating mosquitoes while reducing the risk of contaminating bees.

A U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules is being unloaded.

A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III aircraft with 21st Airlift Squadron, 60th Air Mobility Wing, Travis Air Force Base, California sits on a flight line during a joint training exercise at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California, July 25, 2022. This exercise included aircraft from five different Air Force squadrons and U.S. Marines with 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division to enhance their expeditionary operations in a joint-training environment. This was the first time MCAS Camp Pendleton staged five C-17 Globemaster III aircraft on the air station at one time.

100115-F-2034C-092A satellite transmitter for communications is offloaded from a C-130 Hercules Jan. 15, 2010 after arriving at Port-au-Prince, Haiti. The C-130, from the 2nd Airlift Squadron, Pope Air Force Base, Fayetteville, North Carolina, brought the Soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division and their equipment to Haiti as part of the relief efforts being conducted by the DoD. U.S. Southern Command is deploying assets to Haiti to conduct search and rescue operations, damage assessments, and transitions sustained Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief operations in order to prevent human suffering and additional loss of life.

031224-F-9629J-002. Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

Airmen from the 107th Airlift Wing give Santa a rideon a C-130 Hercules during Operation Toy Drop, Dec. 12, 2011, at Niagra Falls Air Reserve Station, Niagra Falls, N.Y. Operation Toy Drop is a week-long, philanthropic project where both American and foreign paratroopers stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C. individually contribute new, unwrapped toys to be distributed to local children's homes and social service agencies.

Several Aircrew members from the 179th Airlift Wing, Mansfield, Ohio, celebrated their final flights June 16th, 2022, at the 179th Airlift Wing, Mansfield, Ohio. The "Fini" flight tradition is one where aircrew members are hosed down with water by their peers, family, and friends upon their completion of their final flight.

U.S. Marines with 3d Battalion, 12th Marines, 3d Marine Division and Airmen with 353 Special Operations Wing conduct a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System Rapid Infiltration during Marine Aviation Support Activity 22.1 in Luzon, Philippines, June 8, 2022. MASA 22 is a bilateral exercise between the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the U.S. Marine Corps, aimed at increasing interoperability and improving aviation-related capabilities in support of U.S.-Philippine mutual defense.

A C-17 Globemaster III assigned to the 305th Air Mobility Wing, conducts touch-and-go landing tactics on a taxiway during the Tactics Advancement Course at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, Feb. 8, 2024. Airmen assigned to the 6th Airlift Squadron loaded cargo onto the C-17 to support F-22 Raptors at JBLE. The advancements course postures Air Mobility Command Airmen to execute agile operations on a global scale. Air Force

Several Aircrew members from the 179th Airlift Wing, Mansfield, Ohio, celebrated their final flights June 16th, 2022, at the 179th Airlift Wing, Mansfield, Ohio. The "Fini" flight tradition is one where aircrew members are hosed down with water by their peers, family, and friends upon their completion of their final flight.

981011-F-3588H-008. Base: RAF Fairford State: Gloucestershire Country: England / Great Britain (ENG) Scene Major Command Shown: AIR COMBAT COMMAND

Airmen assigned to the 45th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron run towards a C-130J Super Hercules aircraft assigned to the 19th Airlift Wing, Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, at MacDill AFB, Florida, Dec. 5, 2022. The 45th AES conducted an aeromedical evacuation operations team exercise in a simulated deployment setting. This exercise enhanced the capabilities of the Airmen to rescue wounded warriors from the battlefield with an aircrafts engines running.

DF-ST-89-00667. Subject Operation/Series: FLINTLOCK Base: Unknown

US Air Force C-17 Globemaster on the ground.

Nine LC130s with the 109th Airlift Wing conducted the units first ever Elephant Walk on September 10th 2022. An elephant walk is a United States Air Force term for thetaxiing of military aircraft in close formation; often employed to project air power through the rapid deployment of multiple aircraft at once.

Two C17 Globemaster III Aircraft from 86AW/37th Airlift Squadron bearing Paratroopers assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade, prepare to depart Aviano Air Base, in Pordenone, Italy Sept. 7, 2022 for an airborne operation onto Hohenfels Drop Zone, Germany as part of Exercise Saber Junction 22. Saber Junction 22 is a multinational rotational exercise designed to assess the readiness of the U.S. Armys 173rd Airborne Brigade to execute unified land operations in a joint, combined environment and to promote interoperability with more than 4,500 participants from the U.S. and Allied and partner nations at the U.S. Armys Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels training areas from August 29 to September 20, 2022.

A 910th Airlift Wing C-130H Hercules aircraft prepares for takeoff, Jan. 18, 2023, at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. The C-130 was grounded by an Air Mobility Command time compliance technical order on Sept. 27, 2022, while flying an aerial spray mission over MHAFB. The 910th AW dispatched a maintenance recovery team, Jan. 9-20, to inspect and repair the C-130 for its return to service trip home.

Airman Brandon Parker, 911th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, conducts a pre-flight inspection on a C-17 Globemaster III the Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station, Pennsylvania, June 9, 2022. Crew chiefs conduct pre-flight inspections before every flight to ensure mission readiness of the aircraft.

011118-F-2520E-015. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Naval Air Station, Sigonella State: Sicily Country: Italy (ITA) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC

Five C-130 Hercules aircraft from the Georgia Air National Guard taxi in on the flight line after completing a 5-ship formation flight at the 165th Airlift Wing in Garden City, Georgia, on Sept. 11, 2022. This large formation flight tested the wings ability to synchronize large-formation take-offs, showed of the force of the fleet and to showcased the recently completed modernization of the C-130 Hercules fleet.

040913-F-3005G-022. Base: Hurlburt Field State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

KC-135Rs from the 151st Wing take off from Roland R. Wright Air National Guard Base during Exercise PERSES on Feb. 3, 2024. The joint exercise challenges the tactics, techniques, and procedures of both Utah Air and Army National Guard units along with other component units, while testing innovative ideas and communication practices. (Utah Air National Guard

A U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III airplane attached to 204th Airlift Squadron is unloaded by U.S. Marines on Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan, Jan. 27, 2022. The C-17 carried two U.S. Marine Corps AH-1Z viper helicopters assigned to Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369 from Hawaii to Okinawa, Japan as part of a routine effort to rotate aircraft in and out of Japan to lower maintenance problems and to train interoperability with the heavy lift capabilities of the U.S. Air Force. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Pfc. Justin J. Marty)

A 352d Special Operations Wing MC-130J Commando II loadmaster completes a pre-flight check during local training, U.K., Aug. 3, 2022. Training using the unique capabilities of the MC-130J Commando II ensures continued operational readiness for low-level resupply and refueling missions.

A C-17 Globemaster III from the 62d Airlift Wing, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, taxis onto the runway during Exercise Rainier War 22B at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, Oct. 18, 2022. 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.

021101-F-6701P-001. Base: Ramstein Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

One U.S. Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft taxis as another takes off from Yeo Ju airstrip during the joint U.S./South Korean Exercise Team Spirit '84. Subject Operation/Series: TEAM SPIRIT '84 Country: South Korea

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Seth Rifkin, front, and Senior Airman Thomas Bell, both 860th Aircraft Maintence Squadron flying crew chiefs, observe the arrival of military equipment for Exercise Golden Bee at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Sept. 25, 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.

A C-17 Globemaster III is prepared for a local training mission at Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, June 15, 2022. Maintained by the 736th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and operated by the 3rd Airlift Squadron, the Dover AFB C-17s provide global reach with unique, outsized airlift capability.

Aircrew members assigned to the 15th Airlift Squadron conduct preflight inspections on a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, Nov. 30, 2022. Airmen assigned to the 437th Airlift Wing departed Joint Base Charleston to conduct off-station training in the U.S. Northern Command and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibilities to hone global reach and readiness capabilities.

Left side rear view medium long shot as US Air Force members of MacDill's 6th Aircraft Generation Squadron's crew walks alongside the KC-135 that they have under tow to the fuel pits (Not shown). Base: Macdill Air Force Base State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

100115-F-2034C-144Staff Sgt. Rich Mumma conducts engine start up checks on his C-130 Hercules Jan. 15, 2010 prior to leaving Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Sgt. Mumma is a loadmaster from the 43rd Operations Support Squadron, Pope Air Force Base, Fayetteville, North Carolina. U.S. Southern Command is deploying assets to Haiti to conduct search and rescue operations, damage assessments, and transitions sustained Humanitarian Assistance/Disaster Relief operations in order to prevent human suffering and additional loss of life.

Airmen from Pennsylvania Air National Guards 193rd Special Operations Wing partner with the 1st Special Operations Maintenance Squadron to participate in a joint training exercise to lift an MC-130H on May 17, 2022, at Hurlburt Field, Florida. This training event demonstrated the ability to perform an aircraft lift under circumstances where traditional equipment may not be available.

332d Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron loads cargo onto C-130 Hercules to be transported to an undisclosed location August 30, 2022. The C-130 is designed to transport troops and cargo and is capable of using unprepared runways for takeoffs and landings.

Soldiers from the Tennessee National Guards 1-230th Assault Helicopter Battalion offload from a C-17 aircraft piloted by the 164th Airlift Wing at Grayling Army Airfield in Grayling, MI August 1, 2022. The 1-230th AHB is in Grayling to take part in Northern Strike 22. Northern Strike 22 tests multi-component and coalition forces through a challenging, realistic and detailed scenario based on relevant real-world security challenges and future conflicts (Michigan Army National Guard Photo by Sgt. Chris Estrada).

A US Air Force C-130 Hercules lands on the air strip at the Holland Drop Zone. Subject Operation/Series: BIG DROP II Base: Fort Bragg State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Air Force C-130J Hercules touching down at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.

980620-F-9580Z-012. Base: Mcchord Air Force Base State: Washington (WA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress is parked on the tarmac prior to the start of The Great Texas Airshow Apr. 21, 2022, at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. The U.S. Air Force is celebrating its 75th anniversary with a The Great Texas Airshow as a key event. The airshow features the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron Thunderbirds performing for people to display the pride, precision and professionalism the U.S. Air Force represents. Through air shows and flyovers, they aim to excite and inspire. In addition to showcasing the elite skills all pilots must possess, the Thunderbirds demonstrate the incredible capabilities of the Air Forces premier multi-role fighter jet, the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

Soldiers from the 4th Battalion, 60th Air Defense Artillery Regiment load various military vehicles into a Boeing C-17 in preparation for an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise (EDRE) at the National Training Center (NTC).

030807-M-7837W-008. Base: Baghdad Country: Iraq (IRQ)

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Christian Magliocca, a loadmaster assigned to the 15th Airlift Squadron, performs preflight procedures on a C-17 Globemaster III on Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, June 28, 2022. The aircrew members performed nighttime airdrop maneuvers in South Carolina to sharpen their mission readiness.

Crew chiefs stand in front of their aircraft and wait their turn to marshal their charges into the taxi line during Exercise GRYPHON WARRIOR 99-01. The aircraft of the 43rd Airlift Wing are excellently maintained a difficult task considering the newest C-130 on Pope Air Force Base is 29 years old. Subject Operation/Series: GRYPHON WARRIOR 99-01 Base: Pope Air Force Base State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

041109-F-9528H-015. Base: Mcchord Air Force Base State: Washington (WA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DF-ST-89-04226. Subject Operation/Series: BEVERLY MORNING 88-2 Base: Yokota Air Base Country: Japan (JPN)

A U.S. Air Force McDonnell Douglas C-17 Globemaster III from Air Mobility Command, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware, arrives at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point in support of Exercise Diavoli Vale, MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, Feb 26, 2024. The 621st Contingency Response Group conducted Exercise Diavoli Vale to show interoperability with other forces as well as its self-sufficient capabilities, which allow it to open, operate and/or close any airfield around the globe. Marine Corps

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan -- A Royal Australian Air Force C-17 Globemaster III carrying a water pump lands at Yokota March 22. The equipment will be transported from Yokota to Fukushima, Japan.

A line of C-130H Hercules aircraft assigned to the 910th Airlift Wing taxi to the runway at Youngstown Air Reserve Station, Ohio, Sept. 15, 2022. The formation flight was part of the 757th Airlift Squadron's annual TAC week, a condensed week of flight training highlighted by a six-aircraft formation flight.

041023-F-9032T-007. Subject Operation/Series: OPERATION SILVERBACK EXPRESS Base: Kigali Country: Rwanda (RWA)

Airmen assigned to the 437th Airlift Wing, stationed at Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, conduct preflight inspections on a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III at John Rogers Airport, Hawaii, Dec. 3, 2022. Airmen assigned to the 437th AW conducted off-station training in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command area of responsibilities to hone global reach and readiness capabilities.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Chad Kotce, 921st Contingency Response Squadron emergency management craftsman, marshals a C-130 Hercules in eastern Europe, April 13, 2022. The 621st Contingency Response Wing recently deployed Airmen as a Contingency Response Element to move resources in support of U.S. European Command operations.

U.S. Air Force Airmen from the 123rd Contingency Response Group, are removing cargo from a C-130 Hercules from the 133rd Airlift Wing during an engine running offload in Little Falls, Camp Ripley, Minn., Aug. 8, 2022. The Airmen are participating in a fieldcraft contingency response exercise in which they and other Airmen are simulating they have moved to a location where air operations are nonexistent or insufficient.

A C-17 Globemaster aircrew assigned to the Washington National Guard lands at Gray Army Airfield, Wash. on Oct 20, 2022. The aircrew trained with Soldiers on AH-64E Apache helicopter loading and unloading procedures.

Various aircrews attended the Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Centers Advanced Tactics Aircrew Course in Fort Huachuca, Arizona, from April 11-15, 2022 including the U.S. Air Force Reserve Commands 302nd Airlift Wing, Rhode Island Air National Guards 143rd Airlift Wing, New York ANGs 105th Airlift Wing, the Royal Danish Air Forces 721 Squadron, and the U.S. Air Forces 517th Airlift Squadron. During ATAC, students spend their first week at Rosecrans Air National Guard Base in St. Joseph, Missouri, and their second week at Fort Huachuca.

011203-F-4884R-001. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM 2001 Country: Unknown Scene Major Command Shown: AMC

The last Br1150 Atlantic in service with Italian Air Force at Sigonella, Sicily, Italy.

Relief supplies and equipment destined for Rwandan refugee camps are downloaded from a French C-160 Transall transport at the airport. Subject Operation/Series: SUPPORT HOPE Base: Goma Country: Zaire (ZAR)

Loadmasters from the 415th Special Operations Squadron prepare to load equipment during a combat offload quick drop drill at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, Jan. 25, 2023. The training exercise exists to keep loadmasters proficient in their skills to unload supplies during an emergency situation.

Maintenance professionals from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, WA, prepare C-17 Globemaster IIIs for mission operations during exercise Gunfighter Flag 23-1 at Mountain Home Air Force Base, ID, October 18, 2022. The Mountain Home Rang Complex terrain and airspace provides 9,600 miles of unique and challenging training opportunities for the Department of Defense.

Extreme long shot. A heavily laden C-5 Galaxy begins to lift as it departs for Royal Air Force Base Mildenhall, United Kingdom, as they assist in the re-deployment from Air Force Base Hoedspruit, South Africa. U.S. Forces were deployed to southern Africa as part of Operation Atlas Response, a humantiarian relief mission in South Africa and Mozambique. Subject Operation/Series: ATLAS RESPONSE Base: Hoedspruit Air Force Base Country: South Africa (ZAF)

A MC-130H Combat Talon II aircraft from Hurlburt Field, Florida, departs for home from Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, Sept. 29, 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.

A U.S. Navy P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft.

U.S. Marines with Combat Logistics Company 21, Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, North Carolina; U.S. Airmen with 16th Airlift Squadron, stationed at Charleston Air Force Base, South Carolina; and U.S. Soldiers with Battery B and Company E, 1st Battalion, 7th Air Defense Artillery stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, load a heavy expanded mobility tactical truck onto a C-17 Globemaster III during exercise Operation Panther Talon at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina, March 31, 2023. MCAS Cherry Points training facilities, special-use air space, and proximity to Fort Bragg and Seymour Johnson Air Force Base allows the execution of expeditionary deployment operations to maintain and ensure mission readiness and strengthen joint service relations.

An Airman with the 352d Special Operations Wing conducts preflight operations on an MC-130J Commando II during ATREUS 22-4 at Andøya Space Defense Range, Norway, Nov. 8, 2022. Two Air Force Special Operations Command wings partnered in a total force initiative to conduct the first live-fire demonstration in the European theater of Rapid Dragon, a long-range palletized munitions system, in U.S. European Command region.

A C-130 Hercules aircraft from the 86th Air Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany, delivers supplies (not shown) to the 4100th Group Provisional at Tuzla Air Base, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The C-130s will also transport military personnel and equipment to be assigned to Tuzla AB and other US military camps in the surrounding area in support of Operation JOINT ENDEAVOR. Subject Operation/Series: JOINT ENDEAVOR Base: Tuzla Air Base Country: Bosnia And/I Herzegovina (BIH)

A contractor from the 88th Logistics Readiness Squadron at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio directs an AC-130J Ghostrider gunship to the runway as it departs WPAFB Sept. 29, 2022. Aircraft, equipment and Airmen were repositioned from Hurlburt Field, Florida to WPAFB in preparation for possible impacts from Hurricane Ian.

030602-F-3354H-013. Base: Middletown State: Pennsylvania (PA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A Air Mobility Command C-141 Starlifter from McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey sits on the flight line ramp in front of a maintenance hangar. The aircraft and crew are deployed to support a pending air movement of troops and equipment for the humanitarian mission in Central Africa. Subject Operation/Series: PHOENIX TUSK Base: Rhein-Main Air Base Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

010710-F-4728F-002. Base: Aviano Air Base State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA)

A KC-10 Extender participates in Exercise Agile Tiger on April 6, 2022, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri. Exercise Agile Tiger brings together Airmen and aircraft from AFGSC, ACC, AMC and the Air National Guard to promote interoperability with a variety of platforms.

Soldiers from the 4th Battalion, 60th Air Defense Artillery Regiment load various military vehicles into a Boeing C-17 in preparation for an Emergency Deployment Readiness Exercise (EDRE) at the National Training Center (NTC).

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) paratroopers from the 1st Airborne Brigade, jump out of a U.S. Air Force (USAF) C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron during the annual New Year's Jump at Camp Narashino, Chiba, Japan, Jan. 7, 2024. The New Years Jump not only brought together the U.S. and Japanese forces but also created a platform for international allies and partners to collaborate. The diverse representation showcased the strength of multinational cooperation in the face of shared challenges.

041016-F-9429S-001. Base: Alpena State: Michigan (MI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

980620-F-3645W-007. Base: Mcchord Air Force Base State: Washington (WA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A U.S. Marine Corps KC-130J Super Hercules aircraft, assigned to Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron (VMGR) 252, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, prepares to land in preparation for Exercise Nordic Response 24 at Andenes, Norway, Feb. 25, 2024. Exercise Nordic Response, formerly known as Cold Response, is a NATO training event conducted every two years to promote military competency in arctic environments and to foster interoperability between the U.S. Marine Corps and allied nations. Marine Corps

A U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 86th Airlift Wing takes off to deliver cargo and personnel in support of NATO Air Shielding at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, Aug. 5, 2022. Air Shielding allows the alliance to to deter and mitigate any potential air and missile threat to NATO territory along its eastern flank.

020326-F-8966D-001. Base: Altus Air Force Base State: Oklahoma (OK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

030813-M-7837W-028. Base: Camp Snoopy, Doha Country: Qatar (QAT) Scene Major Command Shown: VMGR-234

DF-ST-87-13111. Base: Yokota Air Base Country: Japan (JPN)

A U.S. Air Force C-130J Super Hercules assigned to the 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Base, Japan, performs dirt strip operations at Donnelly Training Area, Alaska, in support of RED FLAG-Alaska 22-2, June 17, 2022. This exercise provides unique opportunities to integrate various forces into joint, coalition and multilateral training from simulated forward operating bases.

Airmen from the 355th Logistics Readiness Squadron's Petroleum, Oil and Lubricants section from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, prepare equipment for a Forward Area Refueling Point (FARP) during Black Flag 22-1 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, May 11, 2022. A Black Flag 22-1 objective is to accelerate current Tactics Improvement Proposal (TIP) progression and weapons system test and integration requirements to field advanced capabilities faster.

A KC-46A Pegasus assigned to the 22nd Air Refueling Wing is parked on the flightline at Kadena Air Base, Japan, Oct. Oct. 13, 2022. Airmen from the 22nd ARW visited Kadena Air Base to enhance Agile Combat Employment capabilities.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Nicholas Spangler, 71st Rescue Generation Squadron dedicated crew chief, and Senior Airman Clark Ivey, 71st RGS assistant dedicated crew chief, watch over preflight checks for their Black Letter flight on July 12, 2022, at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. Spangler and Ivey eliminated all discrepancies and defects for the aircraft over the past two years, culminating in a rare Black Letter flight.

A KC-10 Extender aircraft assigned to the 305th Air Mobility Wing at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey, arrives at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, May 14, 2022. U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa are committed to standing side-by-side with NATO allies and partners to ensure the independence and security of Europe.

980620-F-2171A-013. Base: Mcchord Air Force Base State: Washington (WA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

An airmen from the 103rd Air Wing holds an American flag out of the hatch C-130 Hercules aircraft after it landed at Bradley International Airport, Nov. 7, 2019. The 103rd Air Wing returned from a four month deployment to Kuwait in support of Operations Spartan Shield and Inherent Resolve.

Working under frigid conditions, crew chief and ground support personnel de-ice a 40th Airlift Squadron (AS) C-130H on the snow covered ramp at this United States Air Force Europe (USAFE) base. The 40th AS is assigned to the 7th Wing, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas and is deployed to Ramstein to support Operations Joint Endeavor and Joint Guard from 4 Dec. 1996 to 23 Jan. 1997. Exact Date Shot Unknown. Subject Operation/Series: JOINT ENDEAVORJOINT GUARD Base: Ramstein Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

980618-F-4900H-001. Base: Mcchord Air Force Base State: Washington (WA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

030410-F-7203T-001. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Baghdad International Airport Country: Iraq (IRQ)

DM-ST-86-08439. Base: Mcas, Cherry Point State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

NATO German Air Force Airbus A400M A German Air Force Airbus A400M during a NATO exercise: modern military transport aircraft in camouflage livery, taking off from a field airstrip, loaded with equipment and troops, mission coordination Copyright: xZoonar.com/ThomasxFuhrmannx 22601722

A C-141B aircraft from McChord Air Force Base, Washington is about to land at an airfield in Jordan. The aircraft is carrying cargo and personnel that are participating in the Air Power Expeditionary Force that is taking place in the country of Jordan. An ancillary mission of the Force is to assist US Air Force and other multinational forces operating in Saudi Arabia and other nearby countries patrol the no-fly zone over southern Iraq. Subject Operation/Series: AIR POWER EXPEDITIONARY FORCE Country: Jordan (JOR)

A US Marine Corps C-130J Hercules Prepares to Launch from Al Asad Air Base in Iraq's Al Anbar Province Under a Rising Sun

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- A C-17 prepares to make a heavy drop on Malamute Drop Zone at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. Soldiers assigned to U.S. Army Alaska's 425th Brigade Special Troops Battalion airdropped a Humvee on JBER's Malemute Drop Zone, followed by approximately 60 Paratroopers from a C-17 aircraft, Wed. April 17, 2013. The paratroopers of the 4th Brigade Combat Team (Airborne) 25th Infantry Division recently completed post-deployment RESET, and are transitioning the brigade to assuming part of the quick reaction force mission for the Pacific Theater.

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