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      A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker refuels U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons during an airborne refueling exercise over Poland, Sept. 24, 2020. The KC-135 refueled F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft from the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base numerous times during sorties as part of joint multinational exercise Astral Knight. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Alison Stewart)200924-F-FW957-1751
                        
                        
                        A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker refuels U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons during an airborne refueling exercise over Poland, Sept. 24, 2020. The KC-135 refueled F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft from the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem Air Base numerous times during sorties as part of the joint multinational exercise Astral Knight. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Alison Stewart)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        A U.S. Air Force KC-10 Extender refuels a U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagle over Poland, Sept. 22, 2020. The F-15s, based out of RAF Lakenheath, participated in exercise Astral Knight along with fighter aircraft from Spangdahlem Air Base, Poland and other members of NATO. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Alison Stewart)200924-F-FW957-1746
                        
                        
                        A U.S. Air Force KC-10 Extender refuels a U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagle over Poland, Sept. 22, 2020. The F-15s, based out of RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom, participated in exercise Astral Knight along with fighter aircraft from Spangdahlem Air Base, Poland and other members of NATO. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Alison Stewart)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Spangdahlem AB Airmen integrate in joint multinational exercise Astral KnightPublished Sept. 28, 2020
                    
                    By Airman 1st Class Alison Stewart
                    
                    
                    52nd Fighter Wing Public Affairs
            **SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) --**As part of joint multinational exercise Astral Knight, a **KC-10 Extender** refueled multiple Polish and U.S. aircraft while over Polish airspace Sept. 22 and 24.
Despite the obvious complications presented by a global pandemic, the U.S. Air Force mission never stops. Astral Knight is an integrated air and missile defense exercise focused on conducting defense of key terrain. Training involved a combination of flight operations and computer-assisted scenarios.
“We are participating in Astral Knight to extend our forces and partner forces throughout the exercise,” said Capt. Hannah Riddle, 305th Air Mobility Squadron KC-10 pilot. “It demonstrates how quickly and effectively we can respond and show that we are ready to support our allies anywhere in the world.”
Astral Knight demonstrated the capabilities of land, air, and sea interoperability between multinational forces. The exercise also tested the Patriot missile system provided by the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command. Patriot is a highly mobile surface-to-air missile system that provides a coordinated, secure, integrated, mobile air defense system to USAFE.
“There are a number of countries that are all working together in order to make sure we understand how to command and control, which is to tell the aircraft where to go and how to orchestrate a battle,” said Col. David Epperson, 52nd Fighter Wing commander.
The aircraft utilized a KC-10 to refuel numerous times after performing sorties over Polish airspace. The KC-10 is capable of delivering more than 200,000 pounds of fuel to other aircraft, which included U.S. and Polish fighters over the duration of the exercise.
U.S. participation in multinational exercises enhances professional relationships and improves overall coordination and interoperability with allied and partner militaries.**U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa** have a strong relationship with the 10th Air and Missile Defense Command. Exercises like Astral Knight allows the Air Force to assess and improve the tactics and procedures in a realistic environment.
“Communication with Polish forces and airspace controllers has been a good experience for us,” Riddle said. “It’s important to practice with our partners to build our relationships and improve coordination.”
During Astral Knight, operating areas included the airspace in central and northeast Poland and locations in Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Germany, Italy and the United Kingdom.LR 



USAF 



AF 



Air Force 



Spangdahlem AB 



USAFE 



U.S. Air Forces in Europe 



exercise 



Astral Knight 



f-16 



Fighting Falcon 



KC-10 



Extender 



Poland 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