Moroccan Royal Air Force fighters escorted a U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress on May 31 to help mark the 20th anniversary of the U.S.'s largest annual exercise in Africa. U.S. Africa Command's African Lion featured more than 8,100 participants from 27 nations, running from April ...
A U.S. Air Force MQ-9 suffered an engine failure flying over Africa in May 2023, forcing the drone’s pilot to down it in the ocean where it was not recovered, according to a new Air Force report. The cost of the mishap was more than ...
The U.S. Space Force, U.S. European Command, and U.S. Africa Command activated their newest service component on Dec. 8, in an expansion of USSF’s growing reach into combatant commands.
The Space Force will establish a service component for U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command in early December, Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman announced in a keynote address Sept. 12—and more may be on the way. The new component will “help, integrate, ...
The toppling of the democratically-elected president of Niger on July 26 is jeopardizing U.S. counterterrorism missions in much of Africa and raised questions about Washington’s ability to carry out military operations in that region. “If Western operations are significantly impacted by this, it’s going to ...
Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III has COVID-19 for the second time in 2022. Austin said in a statement Aug. 15 that he’d tested positive that morning. He was “experiencing mild symptoms” and planned to quarantine at home for five days in accordance with Centers ...
Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III swore in Marine Corps Gen. Michael E. Langley to lead U.S. Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany. Langley's swearing-in comes as governments such as China's and Russia's increase their influence in Africa and terrorist groups expand in Somalia and from ...
Outgoing commander of U.S. Africa Command Gen. Stephen J. Townsend said Moscow has used its mercenary Wagner Group to install air defenses in Mali, a troubled West African country that has seen a marked increase in terrorist activity under a new military government. Ruled by ...
Nominees to lead U.S. Africa Command and U.S. Special Operations Command who testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee on July 21 described the Air Force assets they would need to better fight terrorism and counter influence by China and Russia. Army Lt. Gen. Bryan ...
It’s been more than 15 months since then-President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to withdraw the majority of its troops from Somalia. Since then, service members have had to “commute to work,” flying in from places such as Kenya and Djibouti to help train Somali ...
U.S. forces July 20 conducted an airstrike targeting al-Shabab fighters in Somalia, the first such strike under President Joe Biden. The strike, which comes after most American troops have left the country, supported partner Somali forces under attack in the vicinity of Galkayo. “There were ...
The Defense Department is considering sending U.S. troops back to Somalia just about six months after pulling them all out of the country as part of a broader look at the military's force posture. In December, then-President Donald J. Trump ordered troops to leave Somalia ...