Air Force Magazine
Daily Report for April 3, 2020

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

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USAF, Boeing Reach Plan to Replace KC-46’s Problematic Remote Vision System
By Brian W. Everstine

The Air Force and Boeing have agreed on a plan to replace the cameras and other
components of the KC-46’s remote vision system, addressing the biggest flaw
with the service's new tanker. As part of the deal, the company will receive
$882 million of previously withheld money, providing Boeing with additional cash
flow. The announcement came the same day Boeing offered more than 153,000
employees a voluntary buyout. The new system will include an overhaul of the
plane’s technology, to include new 4k color cameras with proper viewing
geometry, larger and higher definition screens for the boom operator, a laser
ranger for refueling aircraft distance measurement, and augmented reality. “We
wanted to send a clear signal in the deal that this is our tanker for the
future,” USAF acquisition chief Will Roper said.

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Air Force Readying Isolation Pods for Transporting COVID-19 Patients
By John A. Tirpak

Aeromedical flight crews are training at Joint Base Charleston, S.C., on an
older isolation system for transporting highly infectious patients by air, even
as the Air Force rapidly develops and tests a newer and more elaborate system
for the mission. Testing on the C-17 is underway, and test flights are expected
later this month. The capability is being readied in response to the need to
move COVID-19-infected personnel. Air Force Materiel Command said it is working
“in the most expeditious manner possible.” An initial flight test of the new
isolation pod is expected in April.

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Empowering Disaster Response and Recovery From Space
When a natural disaster or emergency occur, an immediate and seamless response is necessary to
save lives. Operational and situational awareness becomes increasingly important to responders.
If critical infrastructure is down in the disaster zone, then the systems and networks required for
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communication needs. Read the full story.
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DOD Seeks 5G Prototypes for USAF Bases
By Rachel S. Cohen

Work is kicking off to bring fifth-generation wireless network-enabled tools to
Hill Air Force Base, Utah, and Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash. The Defense
Department recently released its final requests for prototype proposals as it
looks to experiment with 5G’s military applications at Hill, JBLM, Naval Base
San Diego, Calif., and Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Ga. The new
generation of wireless technology promises to be a game-changer for the
Pentagon, though it has much to learn about the specifics of using that
technology.

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Inspector General Blasts USAF, AFRICOM for Niger Air Base Construction Effort
By Brian W. Everstine

The Air Force and U.S. Africa Command skirted Congressional oversight, didn’t
adequately complete a site survey, and didn’t meet safety requirements in
building a new operating base in Niger, leading to extended delays, cost
overruns, and possibly unsafe conditions for personnel at Air Base 201,
according to a newly released report from the Defense Department’s Inspector
General. Niger Air Base 201 is the largest Air Force-led construction project in
the service’s history, expected to be a hub of intelligence, surveillance, and
reconnaissance operations in the Sahel region of Africa and capable of C-17
operations. The IG report, released April 2, outlines a list of issues with the
construction process, though U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa
disputed the findings, saying it "accomplished the construction of an ISR and
C-17 capable airfield in an operationally challenging environment with changing
requirements during the construction period.”

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SDA’s First Satellites Aim to Enable JADC2
By Rachel S. Cohen

The Space Development Agency has released its draft request for proposals for an
initial batch of 20 data-relay satellites known as the “Tranche 0 transport
layer.” Pentagon officials see the transport layer as a way to unify the
various space-based sensors that are part of the Air Force-led joint all-domain
command-and-control vision, SDA Director Derek Tournear told reporters April 2.
SDA will accept feedback on its draft RFP through mid-April, publish the final
solicitation May 1, and issue contracts to at least two companies in August. The
agency aims to launch a functional transport layer for test and training
purposes at the end of fiscal 2022.

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Radar Sweep

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Snapshot: DOD and COVID-19

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

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OPINION: COVID-19 Shows Why Military Health Care Shouldn’t Be Downsized

“The Military Health System is arguably among the most effective medicine
systems in the world and is our nation’s strategic medical reserve,” writes
retired USAF Lt. Gen. Bruce “Orville” Wright, Air Force Association
president, and retired USAF Col. Keith Zuegel, AFA’s senior director for
government relations. “This recent pandemic highlights the imperative to
maintain such capacity rather than risk reducing it in size and scope.”

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INDOPACOM Chief’s Bold $20 Billion Plan for Pacific; What Will Hill Do?

The bold new Pacific plan "is designed to persuade potential adversaries that
any preemptive military action will be extremely costly and likely fail," Adm.
Philip Davidson writes.

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Navy Fires USS Theodore Roosevelt Captain Days after He Pleaded for Help for Sailors with Coronavirus

Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly announced that Navy Capt. Brett Crozier was
relieved for loss of confidence. "I just know that he exercised extremely poor
judgment," Modly said.

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Just 18 Total Patients Were Sent This Week to the USNS Mercy, Comfort

Neither the Comfort nor the Mercy are accepting walk-in patients, the captains
said. Rather, patients are referred to the ships from local hospitals, who are
screening and conducting COVID-19 tests on patients before boarding the vessels
to prevent the spread of the virus.

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Russian Cargo Plane with Medical Supplies Lands in New York

A Russian Air Force cargo plane reportedly carrying medical supplies for
coronavirus patients landed at New York’s John F. Kennedy Airport just after 4
p.m. April 1. Moscow seized the chance to publicize the rare instance of a
Russian plane bringing humanitarian aid to a U.S. airport, flooding social media
with pictures and video shortly after the plane’s arrival. State media even
had a live video feed of forklifts carrying brown boxes off the plane.

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Military Memo from 2017 Warned of Pandemic’s Impact on Combat Readiness and Risk of War

An internal Defense Department document from 2017 warned about the potentially
catastrophic impact of a pandemic like the coronavirus, one that could “result
in debilitating illness in military forces at levels significant enough to
degrade combat readiness.” The internal Defense Department document, first
reported by The Nation magazine on April 1, says a pandemic like the one
currently spreading across the United States may impact U.S. Northern
Command’s “operating environment for up to 24 months,” according to the
document made available online.

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Trump Warns Iran of 'Very Heavy Price' if There's 'Sneak Attack' on U.S. Forces in Iraq

President Donald Trump on April 1 warned Iran and its proxies against carrying
out what he alleged is a planned “sneak attack” on U.S. troops in Iraq. At a
White House press briefing later, Trump said "we just have information that they
were planning something, and it's very good information."

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Amid Pandemic Crisis, Military Sending 540 More Troops to the Border

The military will be sending 540 more troops to the southern border to help
prevent crossings by migrants potentially infected with coronavirus, U.S.
Northern Command generals said April 1. The upcoming deployment to the border
will take place "very soon" to guard against the spread of COVID-19, said Lt.
Gen. Laura Richardson, commander of U.S. Army North.

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Air Force, Lockheed Martin Finalize $818 Million JASSM-ER Contract

The Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin an $818 million contract to produce
790 extended-range variants of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile
(JASSM-ER), according to a notice the Defense Department released April 1. Under
the agreement, Lockheed will provide 360 missiles in Lot 17 and 390 missiles in
Lot 18 to the service, along with 40 missiles to support foreign military sales
programs.

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Rapid Acquisition & Sustainment

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.

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Innovative App Improves Training for KC-46 Pilots

With new aircraft and systems comes the task of setting up programs to train
aviators. Members of the 56th Air Refueling Squadron updated the training
process by releasing a mobile application for their Electronic Flight Bag. The
app emulates the KC-46 flight and navigation computer software, the
Multi-Function Control and Display Unit, to allow students to study the MCDU in
their free time.

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Bill Marion Announces Departure from Air Force

Bill Marion, the longtime Air Force IT and cybersecurity official and current
deputy CIO, will leave the service after a 28-year career in which he started as
an intern. Marion told FedScoop he will depart at the end of April to move home
to Austin, Texas, and take a role in industry. Marion couldn’t yet reveal his
next role but said it will be closely tied to digital transformation, “but on
the other side of the wall, if you will.”

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One More Thing...
The Navy's New Aircraft Carrier Has a Revolutionary Video System That Sees Everywhere All the Time

America's carriers are going from having a sailor film deck operations through a
window to recording the entire deck with no cameraman at all.

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