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      Airmen from the 321st Special Tactics Squadron out of Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, and Soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade out of Vicenza, Italy, conduct fast-paced landing and takeoff maneuvers during Saber Junction 16 April 13, 2016. Saber Junction 16 was the U.S. Army Europe’s 173rd AB’s combat training center certification exercise. It took place at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, March 31-April 24, 2016. (U.S. Army photo/Spc. Sarah K. Anwar)Army, Air Force train for short takeoff, landing
                        
                        
                        Airmen from the 321st Special Tactics Squadron out of Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, and Soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade out of Vicenza, Italy, conduct fast-paced landing and takeoff maneuvers during Saber Junction 16 April 13, 2016. Saber Junction 16 was the U.S. Army Europe’s 173rd AB’s combat training center certification exercise. It took place at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, March 31-April 24, 2016. (U.S. Army photo/Spc. Sarah K. Anwar)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Airmen from the 321st Special Tactics Squadron out of Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, and Soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade out of Vicenza, Italy, conduct fast-paced landing and takeoff maneuvers during Saber Junction 16 April 13, 2016. Saber Junction 16 was the U.S. Army Europe’s 173rd AB’s combat training center certification exercise. It took place at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, March 31-April 24, 2016. (U.S. Army photo/Spc. Sarah K. Anwar)Army, Air Force train for short takeoff, landing
                        
                        
                        Airmen from the 321st Special Tactics Squadron out of Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, and Soldiers from the 173rd Airborne Brigade out of Vicenza, Italy, conduct fast-paced landing and takeoff maneuvers during Saber Junction 16 April 13, 2016. Saber Junction 16 was the U.S. Army Europe’s 173rd AB’s combat training center certification exercise. It took place at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, March 31-April 24, 2016. (U.S. Army photo/Spc. Sarah K. Anwar)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Army, Air Force train for short takeoff, landingPublished April 18, 2016
                    
                    By Spc. Sarah K. Anwar
                    
                    
                    304th Public Affairs Detachement
            **HOHENFELS, Germany (AFNS) --**Airmen from the 321st Special Tactics Squadron out of Royal Air Force Mildenhall, England, and Soldiers from the 173rd Brigade Support Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade out of Vicenza, Italy, secured the Hohenfels Training Area’s short takeoff and landing strip (STOL) April 13, as part of their certification at Saber Junction 16.The airfield team from the 321st STS practiced seizing the STOL and assessed it for suitability by looking for obstacles and barriers that would be in the way of aircraft, explained Master Sgt. Christopher B. Sones, assigned to the 321st STS and the airfield team leader for the crew accessing the STOL. They also conducted fast-paced landing and takeoff maneuvers for several hours, refining their timing, efficiency and communication.Sones also said Hohenfels Training Area’s STOL differs from other military landing strips."It's unique because it's right at 3,000 feet, which is our bare minimum for C-130s," Sones said. "The composition is something we call "rhino-slide;" it's a dirt aggregate kind of concrete mix."Sones added that even the concrete mix is still tough enough for aircraft to land.Saber Junction 16, which lasts from March 31-April 24, is a multinational exercise for U.S. Army Europe's 173rd Airborne Brigade, in which they’re evaluated on the readiness of their combat units to conduct unified land operations and promote interoperability. The STOL supports this effort because is it the only semi-prepared, dirt landing zone in Germany, distinguishing it from other landing zones.Sones says it is essential for his team be able to work in joint operations and share best practices, just as they are doing with the 173rd AB.C-130s usually land on an average of a 4,600 foot strip. The STOL is 3,600 feet, but only 3,000 feet are usable for takeoff and landing due to the requirement for 300 unused feet to be on either end of a strip for safety.Germany 



RAF Mildhenhall 



USAFE 



joint 



training 



Army 



C-130 Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF Kendall visits Bangor ANG Base
                    
                    Vice President Harris congratulates USAFA Class of ‘24
                    
                    Senate confirms Melissa Dalton as next Under Secretary of the Air Force
                    
                    ‘One Team, One Fight’: SecAF visits Keesler AFB
                    
                    SecAF Kendall experiences VISTA of future flight test at Edwards AFBInnovation
                AFSFC reaches final phase of fielding Model Defender gear
                    
                    Around the Air Force: PCS Allowances, Air Task Forces, All-Volunteer Force
                    
                    AFIMSC focuses I-WEPTAC topics on GPC solutions
                    
                    Optimizing AI, Air University hosts Artificial Intelligence Symposium
                    
                    AFIMSC tools deliver data-driven solutions across DAFMAJCOM News
                AFMC to expand AcqDemo workforce
                    
                    AFMC empowers small businesses for Air Force reoptimization
                    
                    Acquisition Instructor Course Class 25A open for nominations
                    
                    Air Guard leaders host 2024 Wing Leader Conference
                    
                    Referral bonuses aim to help fill mission-critical vacancies
 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