Air Force photograph Airmen from the 62nd and 446th Airlift Wings at Joint Base Lewis-McChord deployed to Christchurch International Airport, New Zealand, to conduct winter flying into McMurdo Station, Antarctica, Aug. 29, 2012, in support of the U.S. Antarctic Program and the National Science Foundation. During the period, crews transported 388 passengers and 265,000 pounds…

Air Force photograph by SrA. Natasha Stannard A-10 Thunderbolt IIs from the 81st Fighter Squadron line up for takeoff in support of a close air support mission during Ramstein Rover 2012 at Namest Air Base, Czech Republic, Sept. 10, 2012. RARO 12 is a NATO partnership-building exercise involving more than 16 nations. Participating in exercises…

Navy photograph Navy and Insitu personnel lift the RQ-21A Small Tactical Unmanned Aircraft System on to launcher in preparation for flight at Naval Air Station China Lake, Calif., Sept. 10. The Navy successfully launched its newest small unmanned aircraft without using a runway Sept. 10 at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, Calif. A little…

Photograph courtesy of the National Geographic Society In this image released by the National Geographic Society, a peregrine falcon is shown similar to one of the falcons that will be used in McConnell Air Force Base’s Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard program. The 22nd Air Refueling Wing Bird Aircraft Strike Hazard program at McConnell Air Force…

The U.S. Army is bringing coalition partners into its future tactical communications network through the Network Integration Evaluation process. During a risk reduction event held last month at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., the Army demonstrated the ability to share information at the company level across the various mission command systems used by the United Kingdom,…

Navy photograph The X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System demonstrator aircraft completes a successful roll-in arrestment with a modified arresting hook point designed and manufactured by Fleet Readiness Center Southwest Aug.14 at Patuxent River, Md. FRCSW delivered the hook point just 46 days after receiving a request from the Navy UCAS program office. The Fleet Readiness…

The fleet is addressing the evolving needs of modern day warfare by converting the traditional unguided bomb with a near-precision guided “smart” weapon. The Navy recently awarded a $23 million full-rate production contract to Boeing Inc. for the Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition (Laser JDAM), after successfully completing integrated test. The weapon expands the capability…

Cabinet secretaries, service chiefs and other government and military leaders gathered Sept. 7 for a Pentagon ceremony marking a change in leaders for the nation’s National Guard Bureau. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke during the event marking the end of Air Force Gen. Craig R. McKinley’s term…