Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      COMUSAFE attends Africa Air Force Forum in SenegalPublished Nov. 1, 2022
                    
                    By Master Sgt. Michael Battles
                    
                    
                    U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa Public Affairs
            **RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) --**U.S. Air Force Gen. James Hecker, U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa commander, visited Senegal to participate in the 2022 Africa Air Forces Forum, Oct. 26-27, in Dakar, Senegal.
The Senegalese air force-hosted Africa Air Force Forum is a launching point to build connections and promote dialogue between partners to bridge capability gaps, promote integration, and assure peace throughout the continent.
“The most important thing we can do to guarantee future success is to stand shoulder-to-shoulder, build trust in one another, and face challenges together,” Hecker said. “We continue to lean into forums like this and others such as the African Partner Flights and the Association of African Air Forces events. Each occasion should remind us that we are in the fight together."
The conference marks Hecker’s first visit to the African continent as the USAFE-AFAFRICA commander. During the conference, Hecker spoke on the growing presence of international air forces in Africa and their ability to support partners beyond counterterrorism and counterinsurgency efforts.
“We have a long history of working side by side to fight terrorism and violent extremist organizations across the continent ... and that fight is not done,” he said. “As our air forces have responded to new and emerging challenges, our partnerships have also evolved and grown stronger to adapt to the dynamic environment. These partnerships will be the foundation of our future success.”
He continued by stating, to be a successful air force, we need one another.
“To be effective, we all need equipment, training resources, and technology ... but, most importantly, we need each other,” Hecker said. “This doesn’t just hold true in Africa ... we’re seeing this need arise across Europe as well. No matter where we are in the world, today’s challenges demand a united, multinational coalition working in lockstep to counter malign influence and actors.”
The forum kicked off with welcome remarks by Brig. Gen. Papa Souleymane Sarr, Senegal air chief of staff. Also included was an open panel discussion on Leadership and Cooperation in Action with France, Brazil and China, a discussion on The Air Force Modernization Imperative with Senegal, South Africa, Zambia, Ghana and several other key discussions involving the theme of the conference, “Aviation in Low Intensity Conflicts.”
According to U.S. Air Force Col. Beth Lane, AAAF secretary general, the forum afforded the participants an opportunity to come together and learn from each other.
 “The Africa Air Force Forum in Dakar was a Senegalese-led event that brought together air forces from all over Africa and the world, along with aviation industry partners,” Lane said. “We partook as equal participants and active listeners, interested in continuing our partnerships on the continent. Our presence showed we care about what our partners care about ... countering malign actors to enable security and prosperity. We all understand the need to work together toward this common goal.”
The 2022 Africa Air Force Forum was the first iteration of the event. In early 2023, U.S. Air Forces Africa will co-host the 12th annual African Air Chiefs Symposium with the Senegalese air force in Senegal themed “African Air Forces in the Fight Against Transnational Threats.”FS 



USAF 



AF 



Air Force 



mission 



training 



Air Forces Africa 



AAAF 



2022 Africa Air Forces Forum 



trust 



Association of African Air Forces 



Africa 



U.S. Africa Command 



partnership 



Gen. James Hecker 



USAFE-AFAFRICA 



Senegal 



One Team One Fight 



strengthening relationships 



One Air Force 



African Partner Flights Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil