The United States Air Forces in Europe-Africa
The U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Africa ‘USAFE-AFAFRICA’ , with headquarters at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, is a major Command of the U.S. Air Force. It is the Air component for two Department of Defense unified Commands – U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command. During most of the Cold War, USAFE-AFAFRICA was a fight-in-place Force postured for a large-scale conflict. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, it has transitioned to an Air Expeditionary Force with a Mobile and Deployable mix of people and resources that can simultaneously Operate in Multiple Locations.
In peacetime, U.S Air Forces Europe-Africa, trains and equips Air-Force Units pledged to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization ‘NATO’ and to the Peace and Stability of African States. In fulfilling its NATO responsibilities, USAFE-AFAFRICA maintains Combat-ready Wings Based from the United Kingdom to Turkey. The U.S. Air Forces in Europe -and the U.S Air Forces in Africa: Plans, Conducts, Controls, Coordinates and Supports Air and Space Operations in Europe and Africa to achieve U.S. National and NATO objectives based on tasking by the USEUCOM and USAFRICOM Commanders. The USAFE-AFAFRICA has seven main Operating Bases along with 114 geographically separated Locations, working closely with the Allied to foster Strong Europe, and maintain Security and Peace in the World. ©USAFE-AFAFRICA
News from US Air Force Europe-Africa
January 2022
The United States Armed-Forces the Freedom Defenders
After twenty years in Afghanistan……..
The United States has never launched a military entry for a territorial interests or political gains. As history marks that almost all U.S interventions have been made based on the main objective of liberating nations; liberating peoples that had been kept in the chains of the despotic systems, tyrannical laws or the authoritarian governments.
No matter in which continents, regions, countries or nations we look in depth, the United States is unceasingly ....reckoned and seen as the ultimate forces of prominent…. liberator.
The captured images of horrified Afghans running in the Kabul airport along the U.S military aircraft, on the eve of August 16, 2021 portrayed desperations.…distress and… mayhem in the aftermath of the news of the U.S military departure from Afghanistan. Yet beyond any words….. scripts and interpretations, it portrayed the authenticated tale of indelible chapter of the United States Armed-Forces, which overwhelmed friends and foes with the same degree of bewilder…..astonishment…. and…. awe.
The United States has never lost a battle, conflicts or wars as its military possesses not only the sheer military might but beyond that it has the cultural and moral appeal which attracts, enchants,…and yet wins over no matter where it sets its presence. ……..so it was,…. that happened, ……eventuated in Afghanistan.
Acknowledgments: Video Afghans Run Alongside U.S. Military Plane at Kabul Airport ©NBC August 16, 2021. By Editor in Chief, Catherine S. Schmidt (Copyrighted material)
View the article
March 2025
U.S. Forces in Japan and the open gate friendship celebration of spring festival ‘Cherry Blossom’
The presence of U.S. military in Japan has fostered a strong alliance, contributing significantly to the regional stability and security. This partnership has played a crucial role in maintaining peace in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond. 
Every spring, U.S. Forces Japan hosts the friendship cherry blossom festival, attracting upward of 17,000 visitors. This year’s open gate festivals were held on Yokosuka Naval Base and Army Camp Zama on March 22nd. Yokota Air Base has scheduled to host its celebration on March 29th.
Open gate celebration, involving U.S. military bases promotes cultural exchange and mutual understanding.
- It builds community support and partnership;
- It illustrates positive intercultural engagements and friendships;
- It provides valuable opportunities for U.S. personnel and local communities to connect;
- And it cultivates goodwill and strengthens people-to-people ties.
Get news from U.S Forces in Japan
Continue to read the article
March 2025
U.S. Air Force in the 14th African Air Chiefs Symposium 2025
This year’s African Air Chiefs Symposium co-hosted by U.S. Air Forces Europe – Air Forces Africa, and Zambia Air Force was held in Lusaka, Zambia from February 17 – 21. The thematic focus of the 14th African Air Chiefs Symposium was on ‘Strategic Collaboration and Operational Excellence: Enhancing effectiveness of the Association of African Air Forces.
“The multilateral partnerships developed during the 14th African Air Chiefs Symposium are key in the preparation and response to cross-continental natural disasters,”
“Developing African-led solutions to these enduring challenges will help save lives.” elaborated U.S. Air Force Gen. James Hecker ©U.S. Air Forces Europe – Air Forces Africa
Military leaders, Air Chiefs, Liaison Officers, Women, Peace and Security Representatives, Senior Enlisted Representatives, and U.N Representatives, from 38 nations convened in African Air Chiefs Symposium 2025 to discuss crucial continental defense issues, and addressed challenges that threaten regional security, The symposium also assessed the existing capabilities and explored avenues to increase partnerships between African nations and the United States.
Among symposium’s key delivered outcomes:
- Strengthening partnerships and collaborations between U.S-African air forces, fostering mutual understanding and shared strategies to address common security challenges.
- Operational excellence:
- Improving the operational capabilities through joint multinational training exercises and interoperability;
- The exchange of best practices;
- And enhancing the air operations across the continent particularly in the natural disaster scenarios.
Continue to read the article
June 2024
An exclusive interview with Hon. General James B. Hecker Commander Allied Air Command and Commander USAFE-AFAFRICA
An exclusive interview with Hon. General James B. Hecker Commander Allied Air Command, conducted by Editor in Chief, Catherine S. Schmidt
General James B. Hecker is Commander, Allied Air Command headquartered at Ramstein Air Base, Germany; and Director, Joint Air Power Competence Centre at Kalkar, Germany.
In his capacity as Commander, Allied Air Command, General Hecker is responsible to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe for the Air and Missile Defence of NATO Alliance member nations during peacetime operations. His command ensures the preservation of Alliance territorial integrity from Northern Norway to Southern Italy and from the Azores to Eastern Türkiye, including every European NATO nation. Furthermore, in the event of a joint NATO operation he is the responsible commander of the Air Component.
General Hecker is also Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and U.S. Air Forces Africa. In this capacity, he commands U.S. airpower across more than 19 million square miles. This area also includes 104 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia and the Middle East, the Arctic, Atlantic and Indian Oceans, possesses more than a quarter of the world’s population, and generates more than a quarter of the world’s gross domestic product.
Honorable General, it’s a great privilege and real honor to have this interview with you. Thank you for your time Sir.
With your permission I start the first question about the the multinational live-fly Exercise INIOCHOS 24, which took place at Andravida Air Base in Greece from April 8 to April 18, 2024. What were the main objectives of this exercise?
Hon. Gen. James B. Hecker: Exercise INIOCHOS 24 offered a great opportunity for participants to fly complex missions, specifically designed to enhance interoperability and increase combat readiness. During the exercise, we covered the full spectrum of air operations including Air Power Contribution to Counter-Land and Maritime Operations and Combat Search and Rescue. Both offering live flying during composite air operations or COMAOs and using the Hellenic Air Force’s F-16 Tactical Simulators greatly enhanced achieving the participants’ training objectives. Participating crews (from Host Nation Greece and NATO members France, Montenegro, Romania, Spain, the United Kingdom, the United States and non-NATO members Cyprus, and Qatar) operated in a simulated complex and congested air environment with multiple modern threats and real-time live injects specially designed to enhance interoperability and increase combat readiness, building a stronger and more agile Alliance.
Continue to read the interview
June 2023
Special Edition Interview with the U.S Air Forces in Europe, Air Forces Africa (Series-2)
Special Edition Interview with the Spokesperson of U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Air Forces Africa (USAFE-AFAFRICA) conducted by Editor in Chief, Catherine S. Schmidt
Q 1: On April 4th Finland became the 31 member of NATO Alliance. How do you see the Future of NATO with Finland and the upcoming membership of Sweden? And how that can strengthen even more the partnership of U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Air Forces Africa (USAFEAFAFRICA) with Finland.
USAFE-AFAFRICA Spokesperson: USAFE-AFAFRICA welcomes Finland to NATO. We have worked together in the past, and look forward to working together in the future, demonstrating our collective resolve as NATO Allies. We see a strong future for NATO and anticipate continued development of our interoperability and military partnerships.
Q 2: About 40 African nations participated in the 12th annual African Air Chiefs Symposium, sponsored by U.S. Air Force Africa, in Senegal from February 27 – March 3, 2023. Can you talk about this Symposium and the importance it represented?
USAFE-AFAFRICA Spokesperson: The African Air Chiefs Symposium is a multinational security cooperation initiative intended to foster more effective military relationships between participating nations. The symposium’s goal is to improve in areas that are affecting partner nations in attendance and across Africa. The event features a diverse range of workshops as well as cultural activities. The African Air Chief Symposium is hosted each year by a different member of the Association of African Air Forces. The symposium first started in 2011 in Ethiopia and had its last in-person event in Dakar, Senegal. AACS 23 focused on various small-group sessions to foster a spirit of collaboration, a senior enlisted leader forum, and cultural events to strengthen the partnership between all nations involved.
The 38 participating nations included: Algeria, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Côte d’Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eswatini, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Lesotho, Libya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Zambia, Uganda and the United States.
Continue to read the interview
May 2021
An exclusive Interview with Captain Erik Anthony, USAFE-AFAFRICA Public Affairs Spokesperson, conducted by Editor in Chief.
Sir, it’s a great pleasure to have this interview with you. Thank you very much indeed for accepting our invitation.
- Q 1: Can you please describe the strategic mission and the intercontinental role of USAFE-AFAFRICA?
As the air component for both U.S. European Command and U.S. Africa Command, USAFE-AFAFRICA executes the Air Component missions with forward-based airpower and infrastructure to conduct and enable theater and global operations. USAFE-AFAFRICA directs air operations in a theater spanning three continents, covering more than 19 million square miles, and containing 104 independent states. Our mission is: “to forward project power across air, space and cyber domains, defend United States interests, demonstrate warfighting readiness, and forge partnerships in support of United States European Command and United States Africa Command Campaign objectives.”
- Q 2: How do you see the alignment of strategic security of the Baltic and Arctic region with USAFE-AFAFRICA’s mission?
The alignment of strategic security of the Baltic and Arctic regions is crucial to our mission. We remain committed to security throughout the Baltic and Arctic regions and a Europe that is whole, free, prosperous, and at peace. Strong relationships and continued interoperability with our allies and partners in these regions increases defense cooperation, improves the independent defense capabilities of Baltic nations and contributes to strengthening NATO’s deterrence and defense postures in the High North and on NATO’s Eastern Flank.
Through continued training, exercises and exchanges, we work alongside our allies and partners to build interoperability across all domains and bolster stability and security in the Baltics and in the Arctic. In recent years, the bonds between the U.S. and our friends in these regions have only grown stronger, and our long-standing relationships span a broad range of mutual security, economic, and global interests.
Continue to read the interview
April 2021
The U.S Air Force with France and UK in Atlantic Trident 2021
From May 17-28 next month, the multinational joint training exercise ‘Atlantic Trident 2021’ will be held in France, marking the third military event of the Atlantic Trident. The participants are the U.S Air Force, French Air and Space Force, the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom– presenting with them, to challenge and test, the most advanced proven fighter aircrafts in a range of air combat scenarios.
The two previous Atlantic Trident 2015 and 2017 were hosted by the U.S Air Force, and in a trilateral joint exercises with the same two major NATO airpower, France and the United Kingdom.
This year the objective of Atlantic Trident will place the focus on re-enhancing the interoperability, to level up the coalition’s operational capabilities, and to transform the readiness in all areas of airpower by applying and improving the fourth and fifth generation of the aircrafts.
Continue to read the article
March 2021
With the aim of of fortifying alliances and enhancing interoperability among the NATO allies and partners nations, the annual NATO Baltic region exercise Trident was executed from 15-19 of March.
As every year the U.S Air Force has been the indispensable components of this training event since the start of this exercise. This year the U.S Aircraft from the 492nd and 493rd Fighter Squadrons, and a number of Airmen from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, took part in the Trident 2021.
- The core of Trident 2021 was to signify and expand the operational concept of the Agile Combat Employment (ACE), the U.S Air Force highlighted.
“The exercise was an incredible success,” “The team overcame every challenge we faced and achieved every objective for the exercise.” explained Captain Aaron Hieronymus, 429nd Fighter Squadron weapons and tactics flight commander. ©U.S Air Force Europe and Africa/ Airman 1st Class Jessi Monte. March 22,2021.
U.S 493rd Fighter Squadron F-15C Eagles fly back to Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, from Estonia after completion of Baltic Trident March 19, 2021
See more on NATO Trident: U.S solidifies NATO, allied partnership at Trident Juncture 2015
Continue to read the article
January 2017
Commitment, partnership…..from 1942 to 2017 the 75th anniversary of U.S. Air Forces in Europe…..flying for a Nobel cause…… Freedom.
January 19,2017 ©U.S Air Force Europe-Africa
From the creation of Eighth Air Force in 1942 to Operation Atlantic Resolve in 2017, U.S. Air Forces in Europe has answered the call to service for 75 years.
USAFE’s 75th anniversary is Jan. 19, but the command will celebrate the diamond anniversary of the U.S. Air Force presence in Europe on Jan. 23. Announced by USAFE Pubic Affairs January 19, 2017 RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany.
November 2016
The Air-Forces of France, UK and the US in Exercise Tonnerre Lightning
Started on October 31, Exercise Tonnerre Lightning with the Air-Forces of France, the United Kingdom and the U.S reached its final stage on November 9th. The exercise was in the series of two years phase executed at RAF Waddington in England.
September 2016
Northern Challenge 16 is under way in Keflavik, Iceland. The Exercise is a multinational counter explosive device in NATO’s counter-terrorism programme and hosted by Iceland.
September 22, 2016
© U.S Mission to NATO
The U.S Air Force Europe and the 52nd EOD ( Explosive Ordnance Disposal) Airmen have been holding a crucial role for executing this multinational exercise along with Iceland as the host country.
Announced by the U.S Air Base in Germany, the 52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs: “The Exercise is to bring U.S and European counterparts from allied and partner nations to become familiar with each other’s Military procedures and achieve greater interoperability in combating terrorism.”
The participating Armed-Forces are from NATO allies, Partnership for Peace, including: Iceland, Germany, Denmark, Poland, Norway, Belgium, Canada, Sweden, Finland, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Sources: U.S Air Force in Europe-Africa/52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs/ Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany/ U.S Mission to NATO
August 2016
The new Combat Ready Eagles from United States Air-Force F35A has expanded further the NATO Allies Air-Space Defense Capabilities.
August 3, 2016 © US Mission NATO
March 2016
The U.S Air Forces Europe in NATO Training Exercise Real Thaw
U.S. Airmen and NATO Forces in the opening ceremony of Real Thaw at Beja Air Base, Portugal, February 21, 2016 © USAFEU-Africa/Senior Airman Dawn M. Weber
The U.S Air Force from Europe participated in one of NATO’s recent Training Exercise ‘Real Thaw’ hosted by Portuguese Armed-Forces. The Training aimed to upgrade the participants Nations’ skills in the non-Combat Operations while increasing the Allied Interoperability and effectiveness in both Offensive and Defensive Air Operations.
The Real Thaw was carried out from February 22- March 3, with the participation of Air Forces from Belgium, Denmark, France, Norway, Portugal, Spain, the Netherlands, the United States, and other NATO Forces.
“It’s an incredible opportunity to be here in Portugal,” “We’re excited to be here working side by side with our NATO Allies honing our Joint Air Interoperability as well as Tactical Skills.” stated Lt. Col. Rob Fowler, from U.S 493rd Fighter Squadron Operations Supervisor.
“Real Thaw gives us the opportunity to train and learn from other Countries experiences,” “Here we are able to effectively learn how to use each other’s assets and how to play together if there is ever a time we come together in a Deployed Theater.” expressed Officer Buzzer from 301st Portuguese Air Base F-16M Pilot.
See more news from the US Air force Europe-Africa
Legal Conditions
All the materials on US-EU World Affairs (articles, news, photos, videos, media) are from various Governmental Agencies and are strictly Copy-righted. Redistribution, reproduction, copying, or linking the content of this organization, in any kind, are prohibited by Law.
All rights reserved.
US-Europe World Affairs 