Protecting Aircrews During Pandemic | Space Force Movements

April 1, 2020

Edited by Amy McCullough with Rachel S. Cohen, Brian W. Everstine, Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory and John A. Tirpak

Scott AFB modernizes C-21 fleet with avionics upgrades

Maj. Taylor Todd completes a pre-flight checklist on-board a C-21 prior to take off for a training flight at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, on Dec. 17, 2018. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Daniel Garcia.

USAF Aircrews Practice ‘Isolation in Motion’ as COVID-19 Spreads Globally

By Brian W. Everstine and Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

As the new coronavirus spreads, USAF aircrews are practicing “isolation in motion” to stay healthy while flying important airlift missions. While they can’t practice social distancing in a cockpit, aircrews are isolated before missions, and they go straight from their aircraft to their billets once arriving at a base. Scott Air Force Base, Ill., is experimenting with so-called "hard crews" to minimize an aircrew's exposure risk, flying with the same crew, whenever possible, for the duration of the of the pandemic. U.S. Transportation Command also is increasing its use of the civil reserve air fleet to bring Americans affected by COVID-19 home.

USAF Taps More Missions to Join Space Force

By Rachel S. Cohen

More than 1,800 Airmen in jobs that support space operations will transfer from the Air Force to the Space Force over the next six months, the Air Force said March 31. Twenty-three intelligence, acquisition, and other organizations will become part of the Space Force, joining the thousands of employees like satellite crews and launch experts who are already assigned to the new service. The Air Force has not announced a formal timeline for moving over those space operations Airmen known as 13S officers and their 1C6 enlisted counterparts. “The missions and billets will simply be transferred to the Space Force and remain in place to leverage the talent, infrastructure, and key capabilities at their current location,” the Air Force said.

Priority Test Programs Ramping Up After COVID-19

By John A. Tirpak

Flight testing of top-priority programs is ramping back up this week at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., and other locations around the Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command chief Gen. Arnold Bunch Jr. said. New procedures are balancing urgent operational needs with the safety of personnel and the need to keep the test enterprise going for the long term. “We’re adjusting to a whole new norm. It’s causing us to flex and look at things differently, and showing the importance of good communications between the program executive officers and the program managers, the contractors and the test community, to make sure we’ve got the right people at the right place to get the testing done."

C-17 Airlifts Infant Twins Almost 7,000 Miles for Care

By Brian W. Everstine

A C-17 and Airmen from three bases flew a 41-hour, 6,866 mile emergency airlift mission across 12 time zones to bring one-month-old twins to Washington, D.C., for emergency neonatal care. The long-distance aeromedical evacuation mission came on short notice, after the twins were born to U.S. Soldiers serving in South Korea’s coronavirus epicenter. The neonatal care they needed is not available in the region, so the base reached out to Pacific Air Forces for help.

AFRICOM to Publicly Report Civilian Casualty Investigations

By Brian W. Everstine

As U.S. Africa Command has ramped up its airstrikes targeting extremist groups throughout the continent, the command announced it will begin providing quarterly public reports of its investigations into civilian casualties. The step, slated to begin next month, is similar to U.S. Central Command's policy of releasing monthly details on its investigations into civilian casualty claims.

L3Harris, Raytheon Win SATCOM Modem Contracts

By Rachel S. Cohen

L3Harris and Raytheon will develop and build specialized modems that work with the Protected Tactical Waveform, an anti-jamming technology for satellite communications, according to the Space and Missile Systems Center. The companies on March 27 each secured contracts worth up to $500 million that could last up to 10 years, after beating out Viasat to move on in the Air Force and Army Anti-Jam Modem (A3M) program. “The A3M directly supports Protected Tactical SATCOM (PTS) and is a critical capability to increase anti-jam and communications capacity for joint tactical warfighters in contested environments,” an SMC spokeswoman said. “A3M will benefit all DOD SATCOM and national security efforts and ultimately keep the nation and our allies operating safely from anywhere at any time.”

Radar Sweep

Snapshot: DOD and COVID-19

Air Force Magazine

Here's a look at how the Defense Department is being impacted by and responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With Coronavirus Already on 97 American Military Bases, the Armed Forces Struggle with Their Many Missions

Newsweek

The military is loath to admit that it is curtailing any war-related activities in response to the global pandemic. But according to official statistics labeled "sensitive" and not publicly released, coronavirus cases have been reported at 97 domestic military bases in 37 states, service members in uniform making up over half of the total of just over 1,000 uniformed, civilian, contractor, and family members who have tested positive.

Coronavirus Is Rising around U.S. Military, Defense Infrastructure, Analysis Shows

Defense One

The coronavirus will deal a major blow to U.S. military readiness in coming weeks as it spreads to bases and manufacturing hubs in the southern and western parts of the country, a new analysis by data and analytics firm Govini predicts. Govini analysts say the forecast could help Pentagon leaders and local commanders better prepare, and help military decision makers allocate some $10 billion in virus aid approved by Congress as part of a sweeping $2 trillion stimulus package last week.

Pentagon Watchdog Tapped to Lead Committee Overseeing $2 Trillion Coronavirus Package

Politico

The nation's top government watchdogs on March 30 appointed Glenn Fine, the acting inspector general for the Pentagon, to lead the newly created committee that oversees implementation of the $2 trillion coronavirus relief bill signed by President Donald Trump last week.

House Postpones Defense Authorization Bill Mark-Up

Inside Defense

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Adam Smith (D-Wash.) on March 30 postponed the planned April 30 mark-up of the fiscal year 2021 defense authorization bill because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

U.S. Navy Evacuating Aircraft Carrier Infected by Coronavirus

Defense One

A skeleton crew will man critical stations while the USS Theodore Roosevelt is disinfected pierside in Guam, Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly said.

VA Workers Sue for Hazardous Duty Pay During Pandemic

Military.com

The union representing more than 260,000 civil service employees at the Veterans Affairs Department filed a lawsuit March 30, claiming they are owed hazardous duty pay of 25 percent above their typical salaries for working during the coronavirus epidemic that has infected more than 770 veterans nationwide.

MDA’s Future Debated as Space Force Rises

Breaking Defense

Senior Defense Department officials and top military leaders currently are pondering how to organize future missile defense acquisition, including the possible break up of the Missile Defense Agency by transferring its authorities to the Army, Air Force, Navy, and Space Force, insiders say.

Marine Corps May Not Have Enough Pilots for Its F-35 Fleet, Top General Warns

Military.com

The U.S. Marine Corps may not have enough pilots to sustain future F-35 Joint Strike Fighter units amid expected future budget shortfalls, its top general warned in a new report.

Tech Industry Voices Concerns about the Pentagon’s Cybersecurity Certification Plan

Nextgov

The Defense Department’s Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification initiative could have the opposite of its desired effect and create security risks, major companies said in a letter to top Pentagon officials on March 27 seeking clarification on a number of issues.

Workforce Cuts in April Could Hinder U.S.-South Korea Negotiations

Defense News

Barring a last-minute diplomatic breakthrough, South Korean workers servicing American bases on the peninsula will be furloughed April 1—a move that may complicate further negotiations between the two nations over a defense funding agreement.

Rapid Acquisition & Sustainment

Air Force Magazine

The Air Force and U.S. defense establishment are breaking down barriers and injecting speed, innovation, and creativity into the procurement system. Check out our new page to learn more about these efforts.

One More Thing

U.S. and Israeli Air Force Carry Out First Bilateral F-35 Exercise in Israel (with No Face-Face Activity Due to COVID-19)

The Aviationist

“Enduring Lightning” saw the IAF F-35Is and USAF F-35As operate together in the first bilateral US-Israeli fifth-generation exercise over the skies of Israel.