Air Force Magazine
Daily Report for April 8, 2020

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

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Space Force Refining Doctrine, Deterrence Documents
By Rachel S. Cohen

The Space Force is working on its capstone space doctrine publication as well as
a new deterrence strategy to shape its way forward, Chief of Space Operations
Gen. Jay Raymond said in an April 7 discussion with AFA’s Mitchell Institute
for Aerospace Studies. New doctrine will reflect that space is increasingly
crowded and possibly dangerous, with more entities developing ways to damage and
confuse U.S. satellites and ground stations. The forthcoming deterrence strategy
will also lay out a plan for declassifying operations to the point that the
Space Force can credibly warn off potential attackers.

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Robins Contractor First USAF Coronavirus Death
By Brian W. Everstine

The Air Force has announced the first death of a service-affiliated person
because of COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus. A contractor
affiliated with Robins Air Force Base, Ga., died April 3 from suspected medical
complications related to COVID-19, the base announced April 6. The individual
was under prior treatment for medical and respiratory complications when
diagnosed as COVID-19 positive.

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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
powering the relief efforts are compromised. Ground operations must look to space to solve their
communication needs. Read the full story.
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Air Force Shortens BMT to Protect Trainees, Staff from COVID-19
By Brian W. Everstine

New trainees will graduate Basic Military Training in seven weeks instead of
eight and a half, as the Air Force looks to mitigate the coronavirus outbreak.
The temporary move is intended to “enhance social-distancing requirements”
at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, according to an Air Education and
Training Command release. The move comes as the Air Force also looks to send 60
BMT trainees to Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., as part of a beta test meant to
reduce the overall BMT class size and to see how another base can handle Basic
Military Training.

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Smith: Coronavirus Should Spur Fiscal Responsibility, Defense Industry Action
By Rachel S. Cohen

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) told reporters
April 7 the coronavirus pandemic will put more pressure on the armed forces to
make smart investments and cut down on wasteful spending as the U.S. faces
flattening budgets and tough economic times ahead. Budgetary reviews that help
the Pentagon save money will become even more important, Smith said. But he
stopped short of discussing particular programs that could be pared back to
instead fund new approaches to military capabilities or to spend that money on
pandemic response. Smith also said he doesn’t expect the National Defense
Authorization Act to be scaled back as a result of the pandemic, but suggested
it’s increasingly unlikely the NDAA will become law by the start of the next
fiscal year on Oct. 1.

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PACAF Maintains Readiness Despite COVID Challenges
By Amy McCullough

Pacific Air Forces has been fine-tuning the Agile Combat Employment concept in
training exercises for years, but the new coronavirus outbreak has required
real-world execution. As the pandemic continues to spread across the globe,
PACAF has cut back on its overall flying engagements. Some exercises have been
curtailed, or canceled altogether, such as Red Flag-Alaska. And, travel
restrictions—both from the Department of Defense and other countries—have
forced the command to get creative when it comes to partner engagements, Maj.
Gen. Scott Pleus, the command’s director of air and cyberspace operations,
told Air Force Magazine. However, COVID-19 has not impacted PACAF’s ability to
accomplish its core missions.

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In War on COVID-19, USAF Vet Ensuring Frontline Forces Get Fed
By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

Sal Speziale studied in the halls of the U.S. Air Force Academy, flew the F-4
and F-15, and worked at the Pentagon while part of the Active duty Air Force. He
later served with the District of Columbia Air National Guard, and spent over
three decades as a commercial pilot with American Airlines. But though he's hung
up his multitude of uniforms, the fighter pilot-turned-restaurateur is serving
his country in a new way: By keeping the hospital workers and first responders
on the frontlines of the war against the COVID-19 pandemic fed.

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AFGSC Eyes Hypersonic Weapons for B-1, Conventional LRSO
By John A. Tirpak

The ARRW hypersonic missile would equip B-1Bs refurbished and updated for a more
potent long-range strike capability, Global Strike Command chief Gen. Timothy
Ray said. The hypersonic missiles would be mounted on the external hardpoints
once planned to carry AGM-86B Air-Launched Cruise Missiles, but not used since
B-1s exited the nuclear mission. Ray also said that while AFGSC has not asked
for a conventional version of the Long-Range Stand-Off weapon, if a conventional
very-long-range missile is needed, he'd "start with" the LRSO.

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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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Acting Navy Secretary Modly Resigns

Acting Navy Secretary Thomas Modly resigned April 7 after traveling nearly 8,000
miles to Guam to berate thousands of sailors on April 6, later saying he stood
"by every word," and then subsequently apologizing for the remarks within the
span of about eight hours.

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Trump OKs Request to Put Coronavirus Patients Aboard Navy Hospital Ship

President Donald Trump moved rapidly on April 6 to approve a request from New
York Gov. Andrew Cuomo to make the Navy hospital ship Comfort available to treat
patients with novel coronavirus—a reversal of original plans to use the ship
to treat those not diagnosed with the disease.

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Cobham Repurposes Fighter-Jet Technology to Respond to COVID-19 Ventilator Challenge

Cobham is proud to announce that it has successfully modified its existing
hardware used for oxygen systems in military aircraft to create an air pressure
regulator, which can be used within a ventilator system to precisely control the
flow of oxygen to the patient.

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The Launch of Three U.S. Spy Satellites Is Delayed Due to COVID-19

The rapid spread of COVID-19 around the globe has delayed the launch of three
U.S. intelligence payloads from New Zealand until at least April 23, launch
provider Rocket Lab confirmed April 6.

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Lockheed, Air Force Sign $167 Million Deal for 48 LRASMs

The Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a $167 million contract for 48
Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles on behalf of the service and the Navy, according
to an April 7 Defense Department announcement.

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Soon-to-Be Space Force Officers See Opportunity for Change

The U.S. Air Force Academy class of 2020 will graduate on April 18—six weeks
ahead of schedule and without spectators due to the coronavirus pandemic. Of the
class of about 1,000 cadets who will be commissioned as lieutenants, 88 will
join the U.S. Space Force, said Chief of Space Operations Gen. Jay Raymond.

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One More Thing...
Militants Fire RPG at C-130 then an MQ-9 Reaper Crew Promptly Locates, Tracks, and Kills Them

The U.S. Air Force has released video that includes a unique clip that an MQ-9
Reaper captured of militants firing a rocket-propelled grenade at a C-130
Hercules airlifter that was performing an air drop of cargo at relatively low
altitude. In the full video, the drone's pilot and sensor operator, who later
struck those hostile forces, also offer an interesting behind-the-scenes look at
how the unmanned aircraft perform these kinds of armed overwatch missions.

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