NEWS
FEATURE
NEWS
LIFESTYLE
Remembering 9/11 on Ramstein, Page 3
86th Maintenance Group: Getting aircraft in the air, Page 7
New commander uses experience to lead Europe’s largest garrison, Page 10
Farm fest highlights fresh products, pumpkins, crafts, Page 16
September 21, 2018 | Volume 42, Number 38
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European leaders steer F-35 integration
A group of general officers representing the U.S. and each of the seven European and Mediterranean nations which will operate the F-35 Lightning II aircraft pose for a photo on Ramstein Air Base, Sept. 6. The group met to discuss the F-35’s implementation in Europe. Topics included establishing infrastructure, lowering procurement and maintenance costs, and basing aircraft on Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England.
Story and photo by Senior Airman Elizabeth Baker U.S. Air Forces in Europe — Air Forces Africa In the years since the release of the U.S. military’s newest fighter aircraft, the F-35 Lightning II has provided pilots unprecedented lev-
els of survivability, lethality, and situational awareness, allowing warfighters to engage and win in hostile environments. A group of general officers representing the U.S. and each of the seven European and Mediterranean nations which will operate the F-35 met on Ramstein Air Base, Sept. 6, to discuss the air-
craft’s implementation in Europe. Gen. Tod D. Wolters, U.S. Air Forces in Europe — Air Forces Africa commander and Allied Air Command commander, represented the U.S. at the user’s group meeting. “These aircraft bring revolutionary capability gains, due in large part to the F-35’s ability to seam-
lessly integrate with forces and assets in all domains: air, land, sea, space, special operations forces, and cyber,” Wolters said. “This multidomain interoperability is a force multiplier that bolsters our defenses and allows us to project combat See F35 INTEGRATION, Page 2
AF leadership provides update on Air Force Publication Reduction Initiative Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs A year ago, Air Force leadership directed a 24-month review of every Air Force directive publication, and today they announced the elimina-
tion of more than 226 publications and almost 4,795 compliance items. In the letter delivered to Airmen, Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson, Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David L. Goldfein and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force
Kaleth O. Wright said they owed the force an update. “We view this as a warfighting imperative, empowering commanders to use good judgement to accomplish the mission,” Air Force senior leaders said in the letter.
The publications in the initiative are organized into three categories — Air Force Policy Directives, Air Force Instructions and Air Force Manuals. See PUBLICATION REDUCTION, Page 2