Florida deputies who fatally shot US airman burst into wrong apartment, attorney says
The family of a Black U.S. Air Force airman fatally shot by Florida sheriff's deputies at his off-base apartment will join civil rights attorney Ben Crump for a news conference calling for transparency in the investigation.
Proposed US resolution would back global efforts for an immediate and sustained cease-fire in Gaza
The United States has circulated the final draft of a United Nations Security Council resolution that would support international efforts to establish โan immediate and sustained cease-fireโ in the Israel-Hamas war.
A closer look at Jacksonville-based Navy assets in combat operations
Weโve told you about the Jacksonville-based Navy ships, helicopters and crews involved in combat operations over the past year. And, as the US Navy continues to serve in the Red Sea, engaging with Iranian-backed Houthi missiles and drones, we wanted to take a closer look at the Jacksonville-based assets involved.
US fighter jets fly over Bosnia in a sign of support to the country as Serbs call for secession
Two U.S. fighter jets flew over Bosnia in a demonstration of support for the Balkan countryโs integrity in the face of increasingly secessionist policies of the Bosnian Serb pro-Russia leader Milorad Dodik.
North Korea's Kim again threatens use of nukes as he praises troops for long-range missile launch
North Korean state media is reporting that leader Kim Jong Un says his country has a policy of not hesitating to launch a nuclear strike on its rivals if provoked, as he praised troops involved in its recent intercontinental ballistic missile test.
The Air Force is expanding a review of cancers for service members who worked with nuclear missiles
The Air Force is expanding its study of whether service members who worked with nuclear missiles have had unusually high rates of cancer after a preliminary review determined that a deeper examination is needed.
Dubai air chiefs summit, sponsored by Israeli firm, avoids discussing strikes as Hamas war rages
As Israel unleashes one of the most-intense aerial bombing campaigns the Middle East has ever seen, leaders from the worldโs top air forces are meeting in the United Arab Emirates to talk about almost anything that isnโt an airstrike.
US military says Chinese fighter jet came within 10 feet of B-52 bomber over South China Sea
A Chinese fighter jet came within 10 feet of an American B-52 bomber flying over the South China Sea, nearly causing an accident, the U.S. military says, underscoring the potential for a mishap as both countries vie for influence in the region.
Air Force fighter pilot tapped by Biden to be next Joint Chiefs chairman has history of firsts
The Air Force fighter pilot about to be nominated as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff got his callsign by ejecting from a burning F-16 fighter jet high above the Florida Everglades and falling into the watery sludge below.
Biden's shift on F-16s for Ukraine came after months of internal debate
President Joe Bidenโs decision to allow allies to train Ukrainian forces on how to operate F-16 fighter jets โ and eventually to provide the aircraft themselves โ seemed like an abrupt change in position but was in fact one that came after months of internal debate and quiet talks with allies.
Air Force relieves 6 officers at nuclear base after lapses
The Air Force says six officers who were in charge of caring for the infrastructure, fuel and logistics support for a North Dakota nuclear missile base were relieved of command due to a loss of confidence in their ability to carry out their responsibilities.
Nuclear strike chief seeks cancer review of missile crews
The top Air Force general in charge of the nationโs air- and ground-launched nuclear missiles has requested an official investigation into the number of airmen who are reporting blood cancer diagnoses after serving at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana.
Scathing reports find military failures in 2020 Kenya attack
U.S. officials tell The Associated Press that military investigations have found that poor leadership, inadequate training and a "culture of complacencyโ among U.S. forces undermined efforts to fend off a 2020 attack by militants in Kenya that killed three Americans.
EXPLAINER: Why a no-fly zone is unlikely in Ukraine
Russiaโs attack on Ukraine's Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant has renewed calls for NATO to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine, That's despite the repeated rejection of the idea by Western leaders, who are concerned about triggering a wider war in Europe.
Whistleblower: As Afghanistan fell, UK abandoned supporters
A whistleblower has alleged that Britainโs Foreign Office abandoned many of the nationโs allies in Afghanistan and left them to the mercy of the Taliban during the fall of the capital, Kabul, because of a dysfunctional and arbitrary evacuation effort.
Dad who fled Afghanistan sues US to reunite with young sons
An Afghan man who worked for the U.S. government in Afghanistan says the Biden administration has ignored his pleas for help to evacuate his two young sons from Afghanistan after their mother died of a heart attack while being threatened by the Taliban.
Human errors, mechanical woes caused Marine tank sinking
FILE - In this Aug. 12, 2020, file photo, provided by the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Marines and sailors carry a casket inside a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, in Calif., Wednesday, Aug. 12, 2020. The U.S. Marine Corps is expected to release results of its investigation into a seafaring tank that sunk off San Diego's coast last summer, killing eight Marines and one sailor. โUltimately this tragic mishap was preventable,โ wrote Lt. Gen. Steven R. Rudder, commander of U.S. Marine Corps Forces, Pacific, in his review of the investigation. It was one of the deadliest Marine training accidents in decades. After the accident, the Marine Corps adopted stricter inspections for its fleet of amphibious assault vehicles, and a majority failed to meet the standards, the report stated.
Water near Arizona Air Force base is tainted in latest case
FILE - In this April 14, 1999, file photo, F-16 Fighting Falcons sit on the tarmac at Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Calif. The U.S. Air Force says it will be distributing bottled water until at least April to thousands of residents and business owners near Luke Air Force Base in suburban Phoenix in the latest case of fire firefighting foam from a military base contaminating a nearby community's water supply. Luke Air Force Base announced this month that studies showed high levels of contaminants had affected drinking water for about 6,000 people in roughly 1,600 homes as well as a few neighboring businesses. Gen. Gregory Kreuder, commander of Luke Air Force Base, said a study showed the chemicals may have affected โsupply wells that provide drinking waterโ to properties nearby. The chemicals also have been discovered around the Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs.
Air Force orders new review into racial, ethnic disparities
FILE - In this Feb. 5, 2021, file photo Marine One, with President Joe Biden aboard, is seen past a member of the U.S. Air Force as it approaches Andrews Air Force Base, Md. The Air Force inspector general will do a second investigation into racial and ethnic disparities across the force, service leaders said Friday, expanding the review to include gender and additional racial categories such as Asian and American Indian. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File)WASHINGTON โ The Air Force inspector general will do a second investigation into racial and ethnic disparities across the force, service leaders said Friday, expanding the review to include gender and additional racial categories such as Asian and American Indian. AdActing Air Force Secretary John Roth, who ordered the latest review, said the IG will go directly to Air Force and Space Force service members for input. โThe IG team has already begun to gather information contained in a wide array of previous reports, studies and various databases across the Department of the Air Force,โ Roth said.
US puts hold on foreign arms sales, including F-35s to UAE
The Biden administration has put a temporary hold on several major foreign arms sales initiated by former President Donald Trump. Air Force via AP)WASHINGTON โ The Biden administration has put a temporary hold on several major foreign arms sales initiated by former President Donald Trump. It called the pause โa routine administrative actionโ that most incoming administrations take with large-scale arms sales. In its waning months, the Trump administration authorized tens of billions of dollars in new arms sales, including announcing plans to send 50 F-35s to the UAE. Less than a month after the Nov. 10 UAE sale was announced, an effort to block the deal fell short in the Senate, which failed to halt it.
US calls Bahrain, UAE 'major security partners'
The United States called Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates "major security partners" early Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021, a previously unheard of designation for the two countries home to major American military operations. Air Force via AP)DUBAI โ The United States called Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates โmajor security partners" early Saturday, a previously unheard of designation for the two countries home to major American military operations. Bahrain is home to the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, while the UAE's Jebel Ali port is the busiest port of call for American warships outside of the U.S. Bahrain hosts some 5,000 American troops, while the UAE hosts 3,500, many at Al-Dhafra Air Base. Already, the U.S. uses the designation of โmajor non-NATO allyโ to describe its relationship with Kuwait, which hosts the forward command of U.S. Army Central. Trump forged close ties to Gulf Arab countries during his time in office in part over his hard-line stance on Iran.
Alabama lands Space Force HQ over Florida
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. โ U.S. Space Forceโs permanent command headquarters will touch down in Alabamaโs Huntsville Redstone Arsenal area rather than Floridaโs Space Coast. U.S. Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrettโs decision to locate the headquarters in Alabama was made official Wednesday, after Patrick Space Force Base near Cape Canaveral was one of six finalists. Despite losing out to Alabama, Space Florida praised the process. โSpace Floridaโs unique toolkit, granted by the governor and Floridaโs Legislature, has paved the way in transforming the Cape Canaveral Spaceport --- one that will support the next era of national security missions.โAlong with Patrick Space Force Base and Huntsville, other finalists were Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico, Offutt Air Force Base in Nebraska, Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado and Port San Antonio in Texas. In December, DiBello argued Florida was in good position for the command headquarters before Vice President Mike Pence flew in to rename what are now known as Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and Patrick Space Force Base.
US Space Command site to be located in Huntsville, Alabama
The U.S. Air Force is expected to announce Huntsville, Ala. as the location for the U.S. Space Command headquarters, according to Gov. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster, File)MONTGOMERY, Ala. โ The U.S. Air Force announced Wednesday that the new U.S. Space Command headquarters will be in Huntsville, Alabama, after the state was selected over five others competing for the project, including Colorado, where Space Command is provisionally located. The role of Space Command is to conduct operations such as enabling satellite-based navigation and troop communication and providing warning of missile launches. That is different from the Space Force, which is a distinct military service like the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. โI couldnโt be more pleased to learn that Alabama will be the new home to the United States Space Command,โ Alabama Republican Gov.
US Air Force deploys airmen, drones to base in Romania
The U.S. Air Force has deployed on Monday, Jan. 4, 2021, about 90 airmen and an unspecified number of drone aircraft to a base in central Romania, boosting its military presence in the region where there are allied concerns that Russia is trying to display its military strength. The Romanian Defense Ministry said Wednesday that the U.S. deployment in its Campia Turzii Air Base will be for โa few monthsโ to conduct information gathering, surveillance and research missions in support of NATO operations. NATO-member Romania shares the Black Sea border with Russia, and Moscow has lately been arming its neighbor Serbia with military aircraft, tanks and other armored vehicles. The Pentagon has spent millions of dollars in recent years to upgrade the Cold War communist-era base in central Romania where its air force hosts two squadrons of modernized version MiG-21 aircraft and two Puma helicopter squadrons. The United States and Romania enjoy a close military-to-military relationship as NATO allies and cooperate on numerous regional security issues, the U.S. statement said.
US bomber mission over Persian Gulf aimed at cautioning Iran
A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., is refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020. The United States flew strategic bombers over the Persian Gulf on Wednesday for the second time this month, a show of force meant to deter Iran from attacking American or allied targets in the Middle East. Because of the potential for escalation that could lead to a wider war, the U.S. has sought to deter Iran from additional attacks. Iran denied involvement but was blamed by the United States for that attack. That flight was repeated this week, with two B-52s flying nonstop from Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota and heading home Wednesday after cruising over the western side of the Gulf.
Air Force: Black people more often investigated, punished
FILE - This Friday, Aug. 10, 2007, file photo, shows the logo of the Department of the U.S. Air Force at the United Staes embassy, in Berlin. And it concluded that โracial disparity exists" for Black service members, but that the data did not explain why it happens. It said that a large number of Black service members reported experiences with bias and racism. "Black service members need to work twice as hard and you canโt mess up.โDiscrimination beliefs cut across the ranks. Gen. Charles Brown Jr., chief of staff of the Air Force, said service leaders must rebuild trust with their force.
Senate falls short of halting Trump's $23B arms sales to UAE
But on Wednesday the effort to turn back the arms sales failed to reach the 51-vote majority needed for passage. The Senate will take up the broader defense bill soon. Israeli officials have previously expressed some concern about an F-35 sale. On Wednesday, senators narrowly rejected one resolution to disapprove of the F-35 sales, 47-49, and the other over the sale of armed drones, 46-50, in procedural votes largely along party lines. Even after Wednesday's setback, Congress is poised to approve the sweeping annual defense bill despite Trump's objections.
James Meredith film weighs 'complicated' civil rights figure
FILE - In this July 19, 2018, file photo, civil rights movement activist James Meredith, right, greets a friend with a black power salute as he takes a coffee break at a north Jackson, Miss., grocery store. It was one of the most violent moments of the Civil Rights Movement and it forever changed life in the American Deep South. (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis, File)RIO RANCHO, N.M. โ A new documentary is diving into the complicated, and sometimes contradictory life of James Meredith, a Black civil rights figure who helped change Mississippi. It was one of the most violent moments of the Civil Rights Movement and Meredith's determination to enroll in Ole Miss forever transformed life in the American Deep South. โI hope that people will see this from the viewpoint from the first person ... almost as if they are James Meredith going through this.โ___Russell Contreras is a member of The Associated Pressโ Race and Ethnicity Team.
First US spring flight to Antarctica aims to keep out virus
Staff board a U.S. Air Force C-17 as they prepare to take the season's first flight to McMurdo Station in Antarctica from Christchurch Airport, New Zealand, Monday, Sept. 14, 2020. The first U.S. flight into Antarctica following months of winter darkness left from New Zealand Monday with crews extra vigilant about keeping out the coronavirus. (AP Photo/Mark Baker)WELLINGTON โ The first U.S. flight into Antarctica following months of winter darkness left from New Zealand on Monday with crews taking extra precautions to keep out the coronavirus. Antarctica is the only continent without the virus, and there is a global effort to make sure incoming scientists and workers donโt bring it with them. The U.S. Air Force flight left from the gateway city of Christchurch carrying 106 passengers and crew, said Tony German, the U.S. Antarctic program's representative in New Zealand.
Pilot of US Air Force jet that crashed in North Sea is dead
LONDON โ The pilot of a fighter jet that crashed into the North Sea, off the coast of northern England, has been found dead, the U.S. Air Force said Monday. Britain's coast guard located wreckage from the downed fighter, and recovery efforts were underway, the U.S. Air Force said in a statement. Coast guard officials said in a statement that they received reports the plane went down 74 nautical miles off Flamborough Head on the Yorkshire coast. โOther vessels nearby are heading to the area,โ the coast guard said in a statement. Lakenheath is a Royal Air Force base that hosts the U.S. Air Force's 48th Fighter Wing, known as the Liberty Wing.