Military Aviation Operations

Images depict military personnel actively engaged in aviation operations aboard helicopters and Ospreys, showcasing teamwork, readiness, and training environments.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Joe Phillips, 6th Air Refueling Squadron KC-10A Extender pilot, operates a KC-10 over Northern California, Oct. 1, 2022. Airmen assigned to the 6th ARS represented Team Travis in a Parade of Heavies flyover during the California Capital Airshow at Mather Airport in Sacramento, California.

U.S. Marines with Battalion Landing Team 2/5 and the Maritime Raid Force, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit move to the back of a MV-22 Osprey with Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 262 (Rein.) to conduct fast roping drills aboard Amphibious Assault Ship USS Tripoli (LHA-7), in the Philippine Sea, Sept. 24, 2022. The fast rope, shooting drill combo prepares Marines for inserting to a contested area. The 31st MEU is operating aboard ships of the Tripoli Amphibious Ready Group in the 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

220410-N-VJ326-1310 PACIFIC OCEAN (April 10, 2022) - Naval Air Crewman (Helicopter) 3rd Class Aaron Griswald, from Zionsville, Indiana, left, and Naval Air Crewman (Helicopter) 1st Class Jesse Pedersen, from Black River Falls, Wisconsin, discuss flight operations in an MH-60S Sea Hawk assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23, April 10. HSC-23 is embarked aboard amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7), underway conducting routine operations in U.S. 3rd Fleet.

U.S. Army 1st Battalion, 244th Aviation Regiment (Assault) UH-60 Black Hawk crew chief Sgt. 1st Class James Mahan, scans his sectors of fire using a M240H machine gun en route to Besmaya, Iraq, during the Iraq Forward Air Control Course live-fire training exercise March 8, 2018. The U.S. Army, U.S. Air Force, the New Zealand army and the Australian army partnered with Iraqi security forces students as part of a three-month course tailored to conduct close air support techniques and close combat attack training.

U.S. Air Force Capt. Joe Phillips, 6th Air Refueling Squadron KC-10A Extender pilot, operates a KC-10 over Northern California, Oct. 1, 2022. Airmen assigned to the 6th ARS represented Team Travis in a Parade of Heavies flyover during the California Capital Airshow at Mather Airport in Sacramento, California.

A U.S. Army jumpmaster assigned to the 173rd Airborne Brigade provides information to his jumpmaster team during an airborne operation between U.S. and allied paratroopers at the Cherbourg-Manche Airport, France, on June 5, 2022, as part of the 78th D-Day Anniversary. On June 6, 1944, more than 150,000 troops of the Allied Forces invaded Normandy, France, by sea and air. More than 23,000 paratroopers participated in the invasion. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army's Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward deployed across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build partnerships and strengthen the alliance.

A CH-53E Super Stallion aircrewman flies with the Marine Air-Ground Task Force demonstration of the 2022 Marine Corps Air Station Miramar Air Show at MCAS Miramar, San Diego, California, Sept. 22, 2022. The MAGTF Demo displays the coordinated use of close-air support, artillery and infantry forces, and provides a visual representation of how the Marine Corps operates. The theme for the 2022 MCAS Miramar Air Show, Marines Fight, Evolve and Win, reflects the Marine Corps ongoing modernization efforts to prepare for future conflicts.

Staff Sgt. Andrew Gregory, a night systems instructor with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 773 Detachment A, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, instructs live fire shooting drills in a UH-1Y Venom during exercise Gunslinger 22 at Smoky Hill Range, Kansas on June 17, 2022. Exercise Gunslinger 22 is a joint exercise with the Kansas Air National Guard and U.S. Marine Corps designed to increase aircraft control and training for potential real world contingencies.

U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer 2 Christopher Hansen, a Clifton Park, NY, native, UH-60M Black Hawk Pilot and Aviation Mission Survivability Officer for Alpha Company, 3-142nd Assault Helicopter Battalion (AHB), based out of Latham, New York, inspects data from a center console monitor during start-up procedures of a UH-60M Black Hawk at Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Sept. 16, 2022. Hansen and his crew surveyed landing zones in the vicinity of Camp Buehring during their flight. 3-142nd AHB, attached to 36th Combat Aviation Brigade, currently supports the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve mission to advise, assist, and enable partnered forces in the enduring defeat of Da'esh, the common Arabic term for IS or ISIS, within designated areas of Iraq and Syria.

Marines prepare to take off for a TRAPP (Tactical Recovery of Aircraft Personnel and Property) mission during Korean Intergrated Training Program (KITP). KITP is a one and a half month joint training in conjunction with the Republic of Korea (ROK) Marines that takes place in Pohang, Korea, Marine Expeditionary Camp Pohang (MEC-P). Base: Mec-Pohang Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)

220707-N-TR141-1650 SAN DIEGO (July 7, 2022) U.S. Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technicians 1st Class Nick McFarland, left, from Huntington, West Virginia, and 2nd Class Daniel Tomicich, from Olathe, Kansas, both assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 1, act as helicopter rope suspension technique (HRST)/cast masters during a HRST/Cast from an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC-21) during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022 in Southern California. 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 th

Missouri National Guards Public Affairs Office (PAO) traveled on a UH 60 Blackhawk to train Soldiers in Mo., Sept. 21, 2022. The Public Affairs team trains units around the state about the fundamentals of social media while giving public affairs guidance to Soldiers and Airmen. (Photo by U.S. Army National Guard Spc. Rose Di Trolio)

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Kadin Rhodeback, an MV-22b osprey crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 265, conducts in flight operations prior to an external lift at a landing zone in Okinawa, Japan, Feb. 1, 2023. VMM-265 and 3rd Landing Support Battalion conducted training to increase helicopter support team proficiency and to practice expeditionary advanced base operation concepts.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. William Street, 21st Airlift Squadron commander, pilots a C-17 Globemaster III pilot, during a simulated refueling event with a KC-46A Pegasus over the Pacific Ocean during Exercise Golden Bee September 22, 2022. Exercise Golden Bee is a joint readiness exercise designed to provide training integration and rehearse strategic and operational objectives in the Indo-Pacific area of responsibility.

Senior Airman Tyler Hughes, 15th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron aerospace propulsion journeyman, inspects a C-17 Globemaster III auxiliary power unit in mission-oriented protective posture gear at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, May 24, 2022. The 15th Maintenance Group chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosive task qualification training was initiated on June 1, 2022, requiring all maintenance personnel to be qualified every 18 months on how to complete tasks while donning MOPP gear.

Marines from 1ST Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 2d Marine Division ride ashore in a CH-46 helicopter, from the USS Nassau (LHA-4). Subject Operation/Series: Combined Joint Training Field Exercise (CJTFEX) 96. Base: Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A crew chief of the 168th General Support Aviation Regiment rides on a CH-47 Chinook helicopter on Joint Base Lewis McChord, Wash., April 1, 2023.

A crew chief of the 168th General Support Aviation Regiment rides on a CH-47 Chinook helicopter on Joint Base Lewis McChord, Wash., April 1, 2023.

Crew Chief in the Tail Section of a CH-47 Chinook

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Kevin Welander, 26th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron, prepares to test fire his weapon during a mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom aboard an HH-60 Pave Hawk near Kandahar, Afghanistan, Dec. 24, 2010. HH-60 gunners test fire their weapons to ensure they are ready in case of enemy contact.

A Czech crew chief gives directions to U.S. Soldiers with Charlie Company, 1st Battalion (Attack), 3rd Aviation Regiment, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade (12th CAB) while aboard a Czech Air Force Mil Mi-17 helicopter at Namest Airfield, Czechia, Sept. 12, 2022. Select Griffins” Soldiers with 12th CAB were invited to ride along with their Czech counterparts during Ample Strike ‘22, a Czech Republic-led, multi-national live-fire exercise that offers advanced Air/Land Integration Training to Joint Terminal Attack Controllers in coordination with fighter aircraft, from Sept. 5-16, 2022

Soldiers from the 2-211th General Support Aviation Battalion, Utah National Guard, were dispatched in support of the Utah County Sheriff's Office Search & Rescue efforts to find a missing 65-year-old motorcyclist in and around Mapleton Canyon, May 9, 2022. A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter and crew members transported search and rescue volunteers up Mapleton Canyon where they were dropped off to begin their search efforts and later returned back to the incident command center. The Black Hawk crew also conducted search efforts from the air. Local search and rescue support demonstrates Utah National Guard readiness and strengthens partnerships with local civilian agencies.

Sgt. First Class David Schlapak with 2nd Battalion Combat Team, 82nd Airborne Division participate in the 2022 Jumpmaster Competition on May 17th, 2022, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. The competition consists of an intense physical fitness session, a board - testing their knowledge, aircraft inspection, jumpmaster personnel inspection (JMPI), and drop zone safety officer duties.

Crew Chief of a US Marine Corps CH-46 Sea Knight Helicopter Scans The Distance Before a Mission to Baghdad

220127-N-YP095-1375 MEDITERRANEAN SEA (Jan. 27, 2022) Naval Air Crewman (Helicopter) 1st Class Samuel Campbell, from Tulsa, Oklahoma, assigned to the "Dragonslayers" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 11, conducts a maritime patrol over the Mediterranean Sea in an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter, in support of Neptune Strike 2022, Jan. 27, 2022. Neptune Strike 2022 highlights the natural evolution of NATO's ability to integrate the high-end maritime warfare capabilities of a carrier strike group to support the defense of the Alliance. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Abbigail Beardsley)

PACIFIC OCEAN (June 24, 2022) Sailors, assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit (EODMU) 3, ride in the cabin of an MH-60S Seahawk helicopter, assigned to the Chargers” of Helicopter Sea Combat squadron (HSC) 14, during a helicopter visit, board, search and seizure (HVBSS) drill in conjunction with the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group (ABECSG) and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force helicopter destroyer JS Izumo (DDH-184). ABECSG is underway conducting routine operations in the U.S. 3rd Fleet. An integral part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. 3rd Fleet leads naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary to flawlessly execute our Navy’s role across the full spectrum of military operations—from combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. U.S. 3rd Fleet works together with our allies and partners to advance freedom of navigation, the rule of law, and other principles that underpin security for the Indo-Pacific re

U.S. Army Sgt. Deven Scelfo, left, a flight medic, and Spc. Gabriel Thibault, a UH-60L Black Hawk crew chief prepare the hoist during medical evacuation training over Island Beach State Park, N.J., Nov. 14, 2018. Scelfo and Thibault are both with the New Jersey National Guard's Detachment 2, Charlie Company, 1-171st General Support Aviation Battalion.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Cy Snyder III, C-130 Loadmaster from the 169th Airlift Squadron, Peoria Air National Guard Base, Illinois, supports 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.

Pilots assigned to the Pennsylvania Army National Guards 28th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade check instruments on a UH-60 Black Hawk prior to takeoff at Fort Indiantown Gap, Pa., July 17, 2022.

Crew members from the West Virginia National Guard's Company C., 2-104th General Support Aviation Battalion, located in Williamstown, W.Va., prepare to deploy to South Carolina in support of Hurricane Dorian response and recovery operations Sept. 4, 2019. Eight Soldiers from the aeromedical evacuation crew will be on standby for a week to provide assistance as needed.

Missouri National Guards Public Affairs Office (PAO) traveled on a UH 60 Blackhawk to train Soldiers in Mo., Sept. 21, 2022. The Public Affairs team trains units around the state about the fundamentals of social media while giving public affairs guidance to Soldiers and Airmen. (Photo by U.S. Army National Guard Spc. Rose Di Trolio)

A loadmaster assigned to the 815th Airlift Squadron, prepares a C-130J Super Hercules for take-off in Guatemala City, Guatemala, June 11, 2022. The aircraft are in Guatemala in support of Resolute Sentinel 22, which is a multi-national training opportunity that offers real-world benefits to U.S. and partner nation military personnel and the people of Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, and El Salvador by promoting well-being and readiness in addition to building long-term partnerships.

Lieutenant Austen Wildberger, a pilot assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 2, completes a pre-flight checklist before an annual Department of Defense search and rescue exercise. The exercise is a multi-service event sponsored by the United States Coast Guard to exercise and simulate Department of Defense search and rescue coordination and recovery.

030904-F-7685H-021. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Baghdad Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

U.S. Army Sgt. Colby J. Kuberski, an M1 armor crewman gunner assigned to 2nd Battalion, 69th Armor Regiment, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division, engages in boresight operations during the Sullivan Cup at Fort Benning, Georgia, May 3, 2022. Crews will face a variety of physical events and mental test to include stress shoots, live fire exercises and physical training, all aimed at identifying the best crews and Soldiers the armor and cavalry have to offer.

SAN DIEGO (July 8, 2022) U.S. Navy aircrewmen assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 21, Explosive Ordnance Disposal technicians and U.S. Marines participate in a recovery exercise during Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022 in Southern California. 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 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 world's oceans.

LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan -- Cpl. William Hopkins, a native of Clovis, Calif., a spotter with Company F, 2nd Aviation Assault Battalion, 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade's Pathfinders, takes aim on a target with the Barrett .50 Cal. while Sgt. Lucas Cordes, a native of Hillman, Mich., a sniper team leader with Co. F, 282 CAB, watches to see if he hits the target Jan. 26. They fired the rifle at a target while moving at different speeds in a UH-60 Blackhawk at an aerial weapons platform exercise.

U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Brendan Carroll, a CH-53E pilot with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 462, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing conducts preflight checks in a CH-53E Super Stallion during Mountain Training Exercise 1-23 (MTX) at Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, Calif., Oct. 7, 2022. HMH-462 supported 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division during MTX while enhancing self-deployment capability and advancing mission skill progression in a high-altitude, austere environment.

U.S. Army Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) and 3rd Battalion, 501st Aviation Regiment, Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Armor Division conduct Fast Rope Insertion and Extraction System (FRIES) opportunity training to become certified and create a standard of FRIES operations across the battalion, at Mihail Kogălniceanu Airbase in Romania, Nov. 10, 2022. Soldiers continue to reinforce NATOs eastern flank and reaffirm the commitment to the European continent by engaging in exercises like FRIES, which increases interoperability and readiness between Allied and Partner nations.

220402-N-TT639-1255 PACIFIC OCEAN (April 2, 2022) - Naval Air Crewman (Helicopter) 3rd Class Alec Webster, from Houston, left, and Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Jacob Lake, from Virginia Beach, Va., stow a rescue basket in an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 23, April 2. HSC-23 is embarked aboard amphibious assault ship USS Tripoli (LHA 7), underway conducting routine operations in U.S. 3rd Fleet.

U.S. and Polish military members prepare for a static line airdrop, over the Bledowska drop zone, Poland, during Aviation Detachment Rotation 22-4 (ADR 22-4), Sept. 13, 2022. Continual exercises and interactions like ADR 22-4 allows the U.S. to work with partner nations to address security threats and enable all participants to contribute to international coalitions.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Joseph Ploog, a crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 261, opens a hatch on an MV-22B Osprey at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, California, Jan. 30, 2023. VMM-261 trained to support Marine ground units during Service Level Training Exercise 2-23, a series of exercises designed to prepare Marines for operations around the globe. VMM-261 is a subordinate unit of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, the aviation combat element of II Marine Expeditionary Force.

U.S. Marines with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 773 Detachment A, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, conduct maintenance on an AH-1Z Viper during exercise Gunslinger 22 at Salina, Kansas on June 20, 2022. Routine aircraft maintenance is required to ensure the aircraft is operating within optimal flight conditions.

U.S. Air Force UH-60 Blackhawk Aerial Gunner Staff. Sgt.Justin Schramm from the 33rd Rescue Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan, conducts a final check before taking off from Yokota Air Base, Japan for search operations over the north eastern coast of main land Japan in support of Operation Tomodachi March 25, 2011. As part of Operation Tomodachi, the United States military has humanitarian assistance capabilities positioned in the affected region that are supporting emergency relief efforts at the request of the government of Japan.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Robert Garcia, left, and Sgt. Liam Reynolds, UH-1Y Venom crew chiefs with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 469, scan the horizon during exercise Fuji Viper Shinka 22 at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan, June 15, 2022. VMM-265, HMH-465, and Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 469 are supporting Fuji Viper Shinka 22 in order to enhance lethality and train with 4th Marine Regiment.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Stephen Rotton, a special missions aviator with 40th Helicopter Squadron from Malmstrom Air Force Base Great Falls, Montana, poses for a portrait at Gowen Field Air National Guard Base, Idaho, May 4, 2022. Garnet Rattler is a joint training exercise between elements of the 3d Littoral Anti-Air Battalion, 3d Marine Littoral Regiment, U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force to conduct simulated sea control operations and joint time on target strikes.

U.S. Air Force HC-130J Combat King II loadmasters assigned to the 26th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron prepare a rescue bundle to be airdropped during an agile combat employment exercise within the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, Dec. 2, 2022. The ACE exercise sharpened the aircrews skills, enabling them to drop rescue bundles critical to the survival of isolated personnel in austere, hostile environments during personnel recovery and combat search and rescue operations.

ARABIAN GULF (Aug. 20, 2017) Naval Air Crewman (Helicopter) Erik Potter mans a .50-caliber machine gun aboard an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the Eightballers” of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 8 during routine operations with the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) in the Arabian Gulf. Nimitz is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. While in this region, the ship and its carrier strike group are conducting maritime security operations to reassure allies and partners, preserve freedom of navigation, and maintain the free flow of commerce.

SOUTH CHINA SEA (March 15, 2020) Marines assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) look at the Ticonderoga-class guided missile-cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) from a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 265 (Reinforced), 31st MEU, after departing the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) during a simulated visit, board, search and seizure exercise. Operating as an Expeditionary Strike Force, the Navy-Marine Corps team integrates the combat power of the Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group with the flexible capability of the America Expeditionary Strike Group and 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit to provide the fleet commander with a capable, credible combat force that can be deployed anywhere in the world.

U.S. Army paratroopers with the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 11th Airborne Division, exit a CH-47F Chinook while conducting an air assault mission during Joint Pacific Multinational Readiness Center-Alaska 23-02 over Fort Wainwright, Alaska, March 28, 2023. JPMRC-AK 23-02 helps Soldiers and leaders develop and refine the tactics, techniques, and procedures necessary to successfully operate in remote and extreme Arctic winter conditions and overcome environmental and military challenges. Army aviators with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment provided air support for the operation.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Dominick Kirk, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 163 MV-22 Osprey crew chief, walks onto a MV-22 as Maj. Charles Randolph, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 163 MV-22 Osprey pilot stands by for take off at Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, July 13, 2022. VMM 163 deployed to Camp Lemonnier in support of the Combined Joint Task Force - Horn of Africa by providing capabilities for personnel recovery and casualty evacuation of U.S. forces throughout East Africa.

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Armando Cabriales, a UH-1Y Venom crew chief with Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron (HMLA) 267, Marine Aircraft Group 39, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, writes a close-air support nine-line 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

United States Marine gunner aboard a UH-1Y Venom helicopter just prior to launching on a combat operation in the Helmand Province, Afghanistan

030206-F-7203T-006. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Camp Lemonier Country: Djibouti (DJI)

Alaska Air National Guard Master Sgt. Nicolas Blace, a 168th Air Refueling Squadron boom operator, conducts aerial refueling from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 909th Air Refueling Squadron assigned to Kadena Air Base, Japan, during RED FLAG-Alaska 22-1 over the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, May 11, 2022. RF-A is a Pacific Air Forces-directed field training exercise allowing forces to practice interoperability by providing unique opportunities to integrate into joint and multilateral training.

010811-F-3963C-002. Base: Ramstein Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

Members of the 451st Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron aerial port flight and 22nd Airlift Squadron look over the load plan as they prepare to load an F/A-18 Super Hornet onto a C-5 Galaxy on Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan, Aug. 18, 2011. This marked the first time ever that a U.S. fighter jet had been successfully loaded into a cargo aircraft for transport back to the United States. After months of coordination and planning, senior leaders at the Navys Naval Air Forces and the Air Forces Air Mobility Command approved a plan to transport the aircraft back to its home station at Naval Air Station North Island near San Diego, Calif.

A U.S. Army Green Beret from 10th Special Operations Group (Airborne) clears a room during Close Quarters Combat training with U.S. East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare Operators (SEALs), and Norwegian Naval Special Operations Commandos during Arctic Edge 24 (AE24) in Kodiak, Alaska, Feb. 24, 2024. AE24 is an annual defense exercise for the U.S. Northern Command emphasizing Joint Force operations in an extreme cold weather and high latitude environment and is designed to demonstrate Globally Integrated Layered Defense in the Arctic. Army

060507-A-6365W-048. Base: Forward Operating Base Remagen State: Baghdad Country: Iraq (IRQ)

Spc. Jackson Shoening, a combat medic with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry Regiment, Iowa National Guard, completes safety checks while testing as a Rappel Master inside a UH-60 Black Hawk at Camp Dodge in Johnston, Iowa, on Sept. 14, 2022. Nearly 30 Soldiers and Airmen participated in a Rappel Master course at Camp Dodge. The course was taught by a mobile training team from the Army National Guard Warrior Training Center in Fort Benning, Georgia.

A U.S. Marine Corps crew chief assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 361 looks toward the back of a CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter during Korean Marine Exercise Program (KMEP) 22-2 at the 1st Republic of Korea Marine Corps Division Base in Pohang, Republic of Korea, July 22, 2022. KMEP 22-2 Air Combat Element is the first bilateral air operation with ROK MAG, signifying the increased interoperability and strengthened the combined air capabilities of ROK Marines and U.S. Marines.

040610-M-7514K-002. Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: Navy Sea Bees

Sgt. Jerome M. Williams, crew chief, Archangel DUSTOFF, C CO, 2-4 GSAB, 4th Combat Aviation Brigade conducts hoist operations from a HH-60 Blackhawk during the Jack L. Clark Jr., Army Best Medic Competition 27 Jan. at Fort Hood, Tx.

220615-N-QI061-1072NORFOLK, Va. (June 15, 2022) Command Master Chief Huben Phillips, U.S. 2nd Fleet, left, and Royal Marines Commando Warrant Officer 1st Class Mick Stanion, Command Senior Enlisted Leader of NATO's Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM), fly in an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 26 during a tour on June 15. Stanion is the senior enlisted leader for MARCOM , the command that run NATO operations in the maritime domains, visited the Hampton Roads area to learn more about the U.S. Navys capabilities and how they integrate within the Alliance.

221209-N-YV347-1121 PACIFIC OCEAN (Dec, 9 2022) U.S. Navy Lt. Jacob Hastings, from Lakewood, Colo., gets carried out of an MH-60R helicopter by U.S. Navy Fireman Bishawn Deonaraine, from Jersey City, N.J., during an aviation firefighting drill on the flight deck of the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52). Bunker Hill, part of the Nimitz Carrier Strike Group, is currently underway conducting routine operations.

U.S. Airmen assigned to the 60th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron set up medical stations inside a C-17 Globemaster III at Travis Air Force Base, California, Nov. 16, 2022. Airmen assigned to the 21st Airlift Squadron and 60th AES performed a local flying mission to enhance operational knowledge and experience.

U.S. Marines Cpl. Ryan L. Avery, left, a crew chief and Lance Cpl. Michael J. McGrath, a CH-53E Super Stallion mechanic, both with Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron 462 (HMH-462), provide aerial security over Helmand province, Afghanistan, Oct. 28, 2013. HMH-462 supported Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, during an interdiction operation in Gurjat Village.

Captain Thomas Bodine, Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic (AIRLANT), left, and Senior Chief Naval Aircrewman (helicopter) Rabea Shaiboon, right, fly during a gun exercise with Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 5 at Naval Air Station Fallon, April 26, 2022. Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7 is the offensive air and strike component of Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 10 and the George H.W. Bush CSG. The squadrons of CVW-7 are Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 143; VFA-103; VFA-86; VFA-136; Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 140; Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 121; HSC-5; and Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 46.

U.S. Marine Sgt. Dennis Hernandez, a platoon sergeant with India Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, rides on an MV-22B Osprey during Readiness Exercise 22.2 at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California, July 26, 2022. The purpose of REDEX 22.2 is to validate worldwide crisis-response capabilities and demonstrate deployment readiness.

A member from the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, 1st Airborne Brigade, approaches the paratroop door inside a C-130J Super Hercules near Fuji Training Center, 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. This event optimizes mission effectiveness through interoperability and the sharing of information, enabling commanders to utilize the full potential of their combined force. (Photo by Tech. Sgt. Gustavo Castillo)

Kite and observer in the cockpit of an Alouette III of 300 squadron sneaking over the Veluwe.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Breyden Knight, 36th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron (EAS), sits on the ramp of a C-130J Super Hercules before a supply drop 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.

030517-M-5266H-001. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: An Nasariyah State: Dhi Qar Country: Iraq (IRQ)

Sgt. Dakota Meyer and Combat Roadie (monkey) in Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Meyer will be receiving the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest award for valor, from President Barack Obama in Washington, Sept. 15, making him the first living Marine recipient since the Vietnam War. Meyer was assigned to Embedded Training Team 2-8 advising the Afghan National Army in the eastern provinces bordering Pakistan. He will be awarded for heroic actions in Ganjgal, Afghanistan, Sept. 8, 2009.

U.S. Soldiers from Company A, 1-111th Aviation Battalion, South Carolina Army National Guard, load a UH-60 Black Hawk onto a C-17 Globemaster III from the 701ST Airlift Squadron, 315th Airlift Wing, Joint Base Charleston, during drill weekend at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, Eastover, S.C., Jan. 10, 2015. The joint training exercise allows both units to gain knowledge, practice, and experience loading a UH-60 Black Hawk, and provides an opportunity for the South Carolina Army National Guard to meet the Armys Future Force projection of a knowledge-based component of a joint, interagency, intergovernmental, multinational (JIIM) force.

120716-N-XL102-056 ATLANTIC OCEAN (July 16, 2012) Naval Aircrewman 1st Class Michael Reilly removes a direction low frequency analysis and reporting capsule from an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to the Swamp Foxes of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 74, on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Truman is underway conducting a flight deck certification and carrier qualifications.

U.S. Marines with the Maritime Special Purpose Force (MSPF), 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), conduct a free fall insertion into Marine Corps Auxiliary Landing Field Bogue, North Carolina, Dec. 1, 2022.This was one of multiple training events during a Marine Air Ground Task Force (MAGTF) Interoperability Course which provided an evaluation from the Expeditionary Operations Training Group in combining elements of a MAGTF during the intermediate training phase of the 26th MEU pre-deployment training program.

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Schuyler Williams, an aerial gunner with the 4th Special Operations Squadron, participates in a training sortie on an AC-130J Ghostrider, April 14, 2022 at Hurlburt Field, Florida. The 4 SOS regularly performs training sorties on the AC-130J in order to ensure readiness to perform special operations missions any time, any place.

040926-F-0201C-011. Base: Aviano Air Base State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA)

060218-A-2718K-002. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Mosul Country: Iraq (IRQ)

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Cameron Stewart, left, Air Force Special Operations Command administrator, sits on the loading ramp of an HC-130J Combat King II aircraft assigned to the 920th Rescue Wing, Patrick Space Force Base, Florida, over Tampa, Florida, Sept. 1, 2022. Stewart flew with the ashes of his grandfather who was an Air Force C-130 crew chief during the Vietnam War era.

Staff Sgt. Mike Landauer, B Company, 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, NY National Guard prepares to take off from Greater Rochester International Airport, Rochester NY, Sept. 28 2022. Soldiers and crew were called up in support of emergency measures in Florida, brought on by Hurricane Ian. Air National Guard photo by 1st Lt. Jason Carr

Staff Sgt. Mike Landauer, B Company, 3rd Battalion, 126th Aviation Regiment, NY National Guard prepares to take off from Greater Rochester International Airport, Rochester NY, Sept. 28 2022. Soldiers and crew were called up in support of emergency measures in Florida, brought on by Hurricane Ian. Air National Guard photo by 1st Lt. Jason Carr

US Marine Corps soldiers from Company 4 step off a US Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft at Davis Airfield, North Carolina, for Final Training Exercise (FTX) III, COOPERATIVE OSPREY 96. FTX III encompasses Airfield Security, Convoy Operations, and Humanitarian Assistance. Subject Operation/Series: COOPERATIVE OSPREY '96 Base: Davis Air Field State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Members of the Armée de l'Air et de lEspace (French Air and Space Force) prepare to execute a military free fall a U.S. Air Force MC-130J Commando II assigned to the 352d Special Operations Wing, near Cazaux Air Base, France, May 10, 2022. The MFF was part of exercise Athena, a French-led joint and combined Special Operation Forces exercise that validates the full spectrum of integrated component and partner capabilities. Exercises like Athena allow U.S. service members to train at the operational and tactical echelon as a combined, joint force with SOF setting the conditions for larger operations.

UH-60 Black Hawk and UH-72 Lakota helicopters assigned to the 3rd Battalion, 238th Aviation Regiment, General Support Aviation Battalion, Michigan Army National Guard, transport Latvian delegates and Michigan National Guard (MING) leadership during a key leader engagement to Alpena Combat Readiness Training Center in Alpena, Michigan, May 26, 2021. The two-day engagement, supported through the State Partnership Program, offered the opportunity for key leaders to discuss personnel exchanges, continued cooperation, and MING and Latvian National Armed Forces participation in large-scale global exercise events and Northern Strike exercises.

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

A U.S. Army Soldier with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 228th Aviation Regiment, guides a pallet onto a CH-47 Chinook for a U.S. Southern Command Situational Assessment Team capability exercise at Soto Cano Air Base, Honduras, Jan. 8, 2024. The S-SAT is a quick-reaction deployable team comprised of experts that provide the commander of the U.S. Southern Command an immediate assessment of conditions and unique requirements needed during a Humanitarian Assistance or Disaster Response event in the Central America AOR.

U.S. Army soldier, assigned to the 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, inspects their vehicle during Motorpool Monday. Motorpool Monday is conducted weekly to ensure all vehicles are working efficiently.

CPT John F. Hozey, co-pilot, 71st Air Rescue Squadron (71st ARS), inspects an HH-3E Jolly Green Giant helicopter prior to a flight. The helicopter is one of two squadron HH-3Es being relocated in preparation for the 71st ARS deactivation on June 1, 1991. The 210th Air Rescue Squadron, Air National Guard, will take over Alaskan rescue missions. Country: Unknown

U.S. Army Spc. Bryant Sanchez, a Winter Haven, FL, native and crew chief for B Company, 3-142nd Assault Helicopter Battalion, based out of Ronkonkoma, NY. clears the area around a UH-60M Black Hawk departing from Camp Buehring, Kuwait, Sept. 16, 2022. Sanchez assisted the aircrafts pilots in landing at areas with heavy clouds of dust and debris during their training mission. Crew chiefs also perform the day-to-day maintenance required to keep aircraft safe to fly. assisted the aircrafts pilots in landing at areas with heavy clouds of dust and debris during their training mission. Crew chiefs also perform the day-to-day maintenance required to keep aircraft safe to fly. 3-142nd AHB, attached to 36th Combat Aviation Brigade, currently supports the Combined Joint Task Force - Operation Inherent Resolve mission to advise, assist, and enable partnered forces in the enduring defeat of Da'esh, the common Arabic term for IS or ISIS, within designated areas of Iraq and Syria.

HH-60G Pave HawkUS Air ForceSri Lanka

U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 355th Wing fly on a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook over Virginia Beach, Virginia, during Bushwhacker 22-07, Nov. 5, 2022. Over 300 Airmen participated in BW 22-07, an Agile Combat Employment training exercise. This operational training was a part of the Lead Wing certification process and allowed DM to prepare for the final certification exercise, which is projected to take place in 2023.

PHILIPPINE SEA (May 16, 2022) Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Jessica Woods, from Phoenix, Ariz., prepares a blood transfusion in the cabin of an MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter, assigned to the Chargers” of Helicopter Sea Combat squadron (HSC) 14, during a training evolution in conjunction with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and the Arleigh-burke guided missile destroyer USS Spruance (DDG 111). Abraham Lincoln Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability through alliances and partnerships while serving as a ready-response force in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

From left, Maj. David Whitney, director of operations for 133rd Air Refueling Squadron, 157th Air Refueling Wing, New Hampshire Air National Guard, guides a tour of a KC-46A Pegasus cockpit for visiting Gen. Daniel Hokanson, chief, National Guard Bureau, on May 3, 2022, at Pease Air National Guard Base in Newington, New Hampshire. Hokanson also convened senior New Hampshire Army and Air National Guard leaders during the visit, including adjutants and assistant adjutants general from 11 states, to discuss various strategic initiatives in an information-sharing forum.

U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Mitchell Hoffman, a High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) operator with Fox Battery, 2nd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, fixes long-range radio equipment on a HIMARS before commencing a HIMARS Rapid Infiltration, also known as a HIRAIN, during exercise Arctic Edge 2024 at Eielson Air Force, Alaska, Feb. 24, 2024. Fox Battery, 2nd Battalion, 14th Marine Regiment, 4th Marine Division, became the first unit to use HIMARS in combat in 2007. Arctic Edge 2024 (AE24) is a U.S. Northern Command-led homeland defense exercise demonstrating the U.S. militarys capabilities in extreme cold weather, joint force readiness, and U.S. military commitment to mutual strategic security interests in the arctic region. Hoffman is a native of Skiatook, Oklahoma. Marine Corps

U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Colton Davis, a crew chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 165, Marine Aircraft Group 16, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, secures a supply drop near the coast of California, July 26, 2022. The U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey increases the survivability, range and lethality of a forward deployed naval vessel by conducting resupply missions.

U.S. Marines with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 162 prepare for takeoff at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, Sept. 19, 2022. VMM-162 prepared personnel and aircraft in support of a Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona. VMM-162 is a subordinate unit of 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, the aviation combat element of II Marine Expeditionary Force.

Marine aircrewman with Marine Aerial Refueling Squadron (VMGR-352), 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (MEU(SOC)) unload cargo from the rear of a Marine KC-130 at a Forward Aerial Refueling Point (FRAP) at an undisclosed location in the area of operations during OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM. (Substandard image). Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Country: Unknown

of 4