News from the Air Force

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The Times They are a Changin':

The House Armed Services seapower and projection forces panel did not pose a single question to Maj. Gen. Christopher Bogdan, USAF's KC-46A tanker program executive officer, on the KC-46 during a 90-minute hearing this week to discuss the Air Force's air mobility capabilities. How the situation has changed since just a few years ago when the volatility of the Air Force's tanker acquisition efforts made frequent headlines and drew the attention of lawmakers. Instead, at Wednesday's hearing, lawmakers honed in on the proposed cuts to the airlift fleet that are included in the Air Force's Fiscal 2013 budget request. The KC-46 did come up in the written testimony of Gen. Raymond Johns, Air Mobility Command boss. Johns noted that the KC-46 program "continues to make excellent progress," with Boeing a little more than a year into the aircraft's engineering and manufacturing development. "We continue to execute the program to the cost and schedule baseline we established, along with Boeing. We will deliver a new tanker, ready for war on day one," he said.

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Tinker Loses Combat Communications Group:

Air Force Space Command announced that it will inactivate the 3rd Combat Communications Group at Tinker AFB, Okla., as part of the Air Force's overall force structure changes to meet the Obama Administration's new strategic guidance. "The inactivation of the 3rd CCG is part of a larger Air Force effort to shape the force," said Col Joseph Scherrer, commander of the 689th Combat Communications Wing at Robins AFB, Ga., the group's parent organization. As part of the new strategy, "the Air Force is reducing deployable communications capabilities to match the reduction in combat air forces, added Scherrer. The group's inactivation will affect 600 military billets at Tinker. Airmen from the group will transition to other units, said Scherrer. With the inactivation of the 3rd CCG, the 689th CCW will be left with one group: the 5th CCG at Robins.

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Air Force Sets Ground Safety Record:

The Air Force has gone since Feb. 17, 2011, without an on-duty ground fatality, said service safety officials on Monday. This span of more than one year is the longest ground-fatality-free stretch in the service's history, they said. "This wonderful feat is due to the unrelenting commitment by commanders, supervisors, safety professionals, and airmen at all levels to accomplishing the mission safety and effectively," said Maj. Gen. Greg Feest, Air Force chief of safety. He added, "It's truly a team effort." Bill Parson, Air Force chief of ground safety, applauded the commitment to safety, which he said allows "airmen [to] work more confidently and efficiently." On-duty ground safety accidents can include industrial, occupational, recreational, and traffic-related incidents, according to the Air Force Safety Center.

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Whiteman Wing Passes Nuclear Inspection:

The 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman AFB, Mo., successfully completed a nine-day nuclear surety inspection, announced wing officials. Air Force Global Strike Command inspectors thoroughly evaluated the wing's ability to carry out its nuclear mission with its B-2 stealth bombers. They scrutinized the unit's operations in 14 key areas like security, logistics movement, safety, and maintenance facilities. The wing passed the non-forgiving inspection, which is graded on a pass-fail basis, with 143 airmen recognized either as superior performers or members of superior teams. "We passed this inspection due to the quality and dedication of our airmen," said Brig. Gen. Scott Vander Hamm, wing commander. He added: "I couldn't be more proud." Vander Hamm said the wing's job is "to be ready at a moment's notice" to carry out the nuclear mission. "We've proven again that we are ready. Let this be an assurance to our allies and a deterrent to our enemies," he said. The inspection took place in late January. The wing announced the results just this month.

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Panetta Safe After Incident at Bastion Airfield:

Pentagon officials said a vehicle fire at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan, on Wednesday appeared "to be unrelated" to Defense Secretary Leon Panetta's visit. Initial press reports claimed that the driver of the vehicle may have intended to attack Panetta when the C-17 carrying Panetta arrived at the camp's airfield. However, Pentagon spokesman George Little told reporters traveling with the Secretary that there were no explosives found in the vehicle or on the driver. "At no time was the Secretary or the Secretary's delegation in danger," said Little. Defense officials said an Afghan male apparently stole a pickup truck and drove off with it at high speed on the airfield ramp, injuring a coalition member in the process. The pickup ended up in a ditch near where the C-17 was scheduled to park, they said. The driver was on fire for unknown reasons as he fled the vehicle. Security forces then apprehended him. He was being treated for his burns, they said. ISAF officials said the incident was under investigation. Panetta's visit to the region came days after a US soldier allegedly killed 16 Afghan civilians

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Final Raptor Takes Flight:

The Air Force's final F-22 Raptor—tail number 4195—conducted its first test flight in Marietta, Ga., this week, announced manufacturer Lockheed Martin. Company test pilot Bret Luedke flew the aircraft during Wednesday's sortie. This aircraft—the last of 187 production F-22s built on the company's Marietta assembly line—is slated to complete flight tests by the end of May. At that point, the company will formally deliver it to the Air Force, which plans to assign it to the 3rd Wing at JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Raptor 4195 rolled off of the assembly line in mid December, some 15 years after the first F-22.

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Cope Tiger in Full Swing:

More than 1,600 combined civilian and military personnel from the United States, Singapore, and Thailand are participating in Exercise Cope Tiger 2012 at Korat RTAB, Thailand. The two-week air-combat exercise, which runs through Friday, features field training and large-force air employments. "Our cooperation will not only ensure regional security and stability, but also provide our aircrews and personnel an opportunity to gain valuable insights and build long-lasting relationships that will benefit all nations in this region," said Col. Marc Caudill, Cope Tiger US exercise director and wing commander. The exercise includes a total of 92 aircraft and 34 air defense units. US aircraft include A-10s, C-17s, C-130, and F-15s. Participating US airmen are from JB Elmendorf-Richardson Alaska; Jacksonville ANGB, Fla., JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; Osan AB, South Korea; and Yokota AB, Japan.

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Antarctic Season Debrief:

Airmen of the 62nd Airlift Wing and associate Air Force Reserve Command 446th AW at JB Lewis-McChord, Wash., flew more Antarctic support flights during Operation Deep Freeze 2011-12 than during any previous season, according to officials from the units. Detached to Christchurch, New Zealand, the 304th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron's single C-17 shuttled a total of 5,155 personnel and 3,165 tons of cargo between Christchurch and McMurdo Station, Antarctica, they said. Taking on cargo normally shipped by sea after McMurdo's pier was damaged in high winds, the squadron flew a total of 74 sorties—besting the previous season's record by six flights. Commanded for the first time by a Reservist, the 304th EAS conducted its first South Pole airdrop and first C-17 night-vision winter-evacuation flight from McMurdo this past year. All told, the season was "pretty impressive for one small squadron with one airplane," summed 304th EAS commander Lt. Col. Bill Eberhardt. Deep Freeze's season concluded earlier this month

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Clearing the Path Ahead:

Air Force explosive ordnance disposal instructors are training Afghan National Army soldiers to take charge of the EOD mission in preparation for the eventual US drawdown in country. "We can share all the lessons we have learned the hard way, so they don't have to do the same. Eventually the ANA can take over and run missions on their own," explained SSgt. Kenneth Guinn, an advisor with the 966th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Flight assigned to ISAFs Regional Command South. After passing an EOD training course, Afghan soldiers undertake live missions under the apprenticeship of US and coalition advisors before certification. "I think being able to share real-world experiences with the Afghans is extremely beneficial," he noted. "I don't think we will be able to successfully withdraw from Afghanistan unless we train the Afghan national security forces to follow in our footsteps," added Guinn.

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Osan F-16 Crashes:

An F-16C assigned to the 36th Fighter Squadron at Osan AB, South Korea, crashed on Wednesday near Kunsan Air Base in that country during a routine training mission, announced Kunsan officials. The pilot safely ejected before the F-16 crashed into a rice field, they said. "We are grateful the pilot is safe and that no one was injured," said Col. Patrick McKenzie, commander of Osan's 51st Fighter Wing, parent unit of the 36th FS. He added, "Our main priority now is conducting an investigation to determine what happened." The Air Force will provide additional details as they become available, said the Kunsan officials.

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Cyber Age Acquisitions:

The Air Force needs a quicker, more flexible acquisition system combined with personnel capable of writing requirements tailored to the cyber domain, said Michael Papay, Northrop Grumman's cyber initiatives vice president. "Our typical contract types aren't exactly a very good fit to building cyber security systems," said Papay while speaking on an industry panel Thursday at AFA's CyberFutures Conference in National Harbor, Md. "If we see a new threat come in a week from now, we have to be able to look over there and say, 'Cover that one, too,'" explained Papay. The industry workforce also must be trained to provide solid feedback to help acquisition officials craft requirements that allow industry to meet the Air Force's mission needs, he said. "That means agility in your technology, agility in your workforce, and agility in your acquisition environment is the only way we're going to defeat this threat," stressed Papay.

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Cellular Cyber Defense:

Given the speed and breadth of access to the Internet as well as the anonymity cyber attackers enjoy, defense agencies must constantly monitor threats rather than simply responding to attack, said Gordon Snow, the FBI's assistant cyber director, Thursday at AFA's CyberFutures Conference in National Harbor, Md. "I'm not going to [be successful] if I'm looking at things on a case-by-case basis," said Snow. He underscored the importance of a "threat-focused cell" concept where small agency teams focus on specific areas of concern. "Many of the things we see . . . are a small focused cell of individuals that are just doing an extreme amount of damage. So 1,000 intrusions . . . could be the work of four or five people," he noted. The threat-focused approach necessitates close interagency cooperation. Intelligence, defense, and law-enforcement agencies as well as the private sector must actively share pertinent information in a timely manner to be successful, he said. "That's not just domestic—that's world-wide," said Snow.

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Cyber Touchdown:

The Air Force is working to develop a "proactive" defense in cyberspace, where it can predict an adversary's actions before they impact the network, said Maj. Gen. Suzanne Vautrinot, 24th Air Force commander. This is similar to a star quarterback's preparation for a big football game, she told attendees at AFA's CyberFutures Conference in National Harbor, Md., on March 23. Vautrinot said cyber defense is kind of like watching game tapes over and over again. Eventually, just like sports, one will be able to predict the play, she said in carrying forth the analogy. "You can see the setup coming and you can get in the backfield long before the ball is released," said Vautrinot. That "simply means that you are seeing [the play] before it sets up. And, if you see the setup, and you know what the setup is going to look like, you can write a signature and help prevent that setup from infecting your network," she added.

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New Eyes in the Gulf:

Members of the 727th Expeditionary Air Control Squadron installed a TPS-75 air surveillance radar at an undisclosed air base in Southwest Asia to improve long-range, real-time coverage of Arabian Gulf airspace. The air base is the operating location of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. The TPS-75 gives radar operators of the squadron a larger and a more detailed picture as they monitor all air activity in the area, said unit officials. The squadron provides around-the-clock surveillance of the entire Arabian Gulf region, they said. The airmen began coordinating with the host nation in January to find a suitable site to support the TPS-75. A team of airman then set up the radar site in less than two days, completing the task on March 18. "This was a major goal of ours, and it's a really great feeling to get it accomplished," said Lt. Col. Steven Breitfelder, 727th EACS commander.

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Davis-Monthan Recognized for Installation Excellence:

Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., is the Air Force's top installation, recognized as the service's winner of the 2012 Commander-In-Chief's Installation Excellence Award. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta made the announcement on Monday. "I'm extremely proud of the 355th Fighter Wing and the entire Desert Lightning Team for earning this great honor," said Col. John Cherrey, commander of the base's 355th Fighter Wing, in a release. He added, "This award is a resounding confirmation of our ongoing commitment to the care and development of airmen and their families as a top priority at D-M." The award includes a $1 million prize that D-M officials will use for quality-of-life improvements. Barksdale AFB, La., was the Air Force's runner-up and will receive $500,000. The annual award recognizes one installation from each service, plus one logistics center. Spangdahlem AB, Germany, was last year's winner.

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Protecting the Triad:

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.) praised the Defense Department for its "clear commitment" to modernizing the nuclear triad despite tough economic times during Wednesday's hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee's strategic forces panel. However, he noted that sustaining and modernizing the triad will not be cheap, citing an estimated $120 billion cost just over the next decade. A modernized tried must be affordable, said Sessions, the panel's ranking member. "Uncontrollable cost, perhaps more than anything else, could be a threat to our ensuring it in the future," he asserted. He expressed his support "to do whatever is possible to modernize our nuclear weapons," but he also acknowledged that he's "been taken aback" by the estimated cost of $8 billion or more to build a new uranium-processing facility and a plutonium-handling facility for the nuclear weapons complex. Madelyn Creedon, assistant secretary of defense for global strategic affairs, said the Pentagon's Fiscal 2013 budget request generally protects the nuclear modernization initiatives despite "some adjustments in some of the schedules of programs," like the two-year slip to the fielding of the Ohio-class replacement submarine. "Where we are all concerned, and where we have work to do, is in the outyears," she said.

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F-15E Crash Claims Life of Crew Member:

Capt. Francis D. Imlay, 31, of Vacaville, Calif., died Wednesday when his F-15E crashed approximately 15 miles outside of a base in Southwest Asia, announced the Pentagon. Imlay's fellow crew member was injured in the mishap, stated Air Forces Central officials in a release. Emergency response personnel brought the injured crew member to a military medical facility for treatment of minor injuries, they said. Imlay was assigned to the 391st Fighter Squadron at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho. "This is obviously a very sad day for the Gunfighters, as we mourn the loss of one of our warriors," said Col. Ron Buckley, commander of Mountain Home's 366th Fighter Wing, the squadron's parent unit, in a release. Buckley added, "Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends during this time." The cause of the incident is under investigation. More details will be released as they become available, said the AFCENT officials

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Eagles in the Gulf:

After years of absence, F-15C Eagles are flying in Southwest Asia once again, operating from the undisclosed air base in the region that is home to the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. Air Forces Central spokesman Maj. James Bressendorff told the Daily Report that the F-15s "arrived at the 380th AEW in January 2011" and "help provide regional stability and security." AFCENT did not directly address if the Eagles are meant to help dissuade Iranian aggression; that seems to be a likely reason for their presence. While in the region, the F-15s are also training with partner air forces, including exercises at the host nation's Air Warfare Center, said Bressendorff. Expeditionary contingents of airmen and F-15s from Kadena AB, Japan, have been filling the rotations. As of last month, an expeditionary unit from Kadena's 44th Fighter Squadron was deployed, according to a 380th AEW release. The Kadena F-15s, equipped with advanced electronically scanned area radars, are some of the Air Force's most sophisticated Eagles. While multirole F-15E Strike Eagles and F-16s have been steady fixtures in Southwest Asia in recent years, F-15Cs have not. The Air Force pulled them from there after the early stages of Operation Iraqi Freedom since there was no role for the dedicated air-to-air fighters once coalition aircraft established air supremacy over Iraq.

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SBIRS GEO-2 Closer to Launch:

GEO-2, the second Space Based Infrared System geosynchronous satellite, successfully completed its final integrated system test and is on schedule for launch into orbit from Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., as early as July, announced prime contractor Lockheed Martin. The FIST verified the satellite's performance and functionality, said company officials. Lt. Col. Jonathon Whitney, the Air Force's GEO-2 space vehicle integration and launch branch chief, said the lessons learned from GEO-1, the first SBIRS satellite, "have allowed the joint government and industry team to perform the assembly, integration, and test of GEO-2 in a more efficient manner." He added, "We are looking forward to delivering the satellite for launch." SBIRS satellites are designed to provide missile warning and ancillary intelligence collection. GEO-1, placed into orbit last May, already is exceeding expectations, announced Air Force Space Command officials last month. The exact launch date for GEO-2 will depend on launch range and booster availability, according to Lockheed Martin.

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Airman Awarded Bronze Star with Valor Medal:

SrA. Michael Malarsie received the Bronze Star with Valor Medal for his heroic actions as a Tactical Air Control Party member in Afghanistan in January 2010 during a firefight that cost him his eyesight. "Words are not worthy of the heroism that Mike has displayed. He is a role model to us all," said Maj. Gen. Byron Hepburn, commander of the 59th Medical Wing, who presented Malarsie with the medal during a March 30 ceremony at JBSA-Lackland, Tex. On Jan. 3, 2010, improvised explosive devices badly injured Malarsie and took his eyesight, and also killed several of his colleagues, during a mission to clear a small foot bridge of explosives. Despite his serious wounds, Malarsie continued to support his teammates until rescue came. Today, Malarsie remains on active duty. With the help of his seeing-eye dog Xxon, he administers the Air Force Recovering Airman Mentorship Program. "When I learned of those men who were never coming home, it changed my life. It motivated me. I decided I wasn't going to let being blind hold me back. I am going to live my life, if not for me, then for them," he said.