Competing for Armed Overwatch | USAFE’s ACE | 21st SW Commander Found Dead

May 14, 2020

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

Textron Aviation is offering Beechcraft's AT-6E plane for U.S. Special Operations Command's armed overwatch program, after winning a small contract from the Air Force's light attack experiment. Photo courtesy of Textron.

Light Attack Providers Get Second Shot with SOCOM

By Rachel S. Cohen

Multiple companies who faced off in the Air Force’s light attack experiment will again compete for a similar contract from U.S. Special Operations Command. Textron Aviation, Air Tractor, and Leidos are offering aircraft for a three-phase armed overwatch competition that ends with live-fly demonstrations in November. That demo follows the Air Force's nearly three-year light attack effort that ultimately fell short of a full-fledged buy. SOCOM Acquisition Executive James Smith told reporters May 13 the command is very pleased with industry’s response so far. He declined to say how many proposals SOCOM received.

USAFE Puts Agile Combat Employment to the Test

By Amy McCullough

U.S. Air Forces in Europe will test its Agile Combat Employment concept of operations later this month, moving F-16s forward to another USAFE base where maintainers who typically work with mobility aircraft will apply their skills to fighter support. USAFE commander Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian told Air Force Magazine on May 13 the command recently shared its ACE concept of operations with NATO allies "and a couple key partners," saying successfully implementing the plan requires collective buy-in.

Commander of Peterson’s 21st Space Wing Found Dead at Home

By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

Col. Thomas Falzarano, commander of the 21st Space Wing at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo., was found unresponsive and pronounced dead at his home on May 12, the wing announced in a May 13 release. “The cause of death is under investigation, but initial indications are that it was due to natural causes,” the release stated, adding that no signs of COVID-19 were discovered. Falzarano’s deputy, Col. Sam Johnson, is now commanding the wing, the release added. Chief of Space Operations Gen. Jay Raymond recalled Falzarano as “an incredible leader, mentor, and friend who will be remembered for his warm personality and dedicated service to our nation."

Budget Crunch Expected to Shrink AFSOC Investments

By Rachel S. Cohen

Don’t expect much investment in new fleets of special-operations aircraft as the Pentagon braces for a budget crunch, the head of Air Force Special Operations Command said May 13. “We acknowledge that we are at a strategic inflection point,” Lt. Gen. Jim Slife said during the National Defense Industrial Association’s annual Special Operations Forces Industry Conference. “This strategic environment is going to require us to transform ourselves from the AFSOC that we needed into the AFSOC that we will need.” Adding new development programs, and revamping the command into a more digitally savvy, influence operations-focused organization, will be tougher as military funding is expected to decline.

Lakenheath F-15Es Deploy to the Middle East

By Brian W. Everstine

F-15E Strike Eagles and Airmen from RAF Lakenheath’s 492nd Fighter Squadron deployed to the Middle East in early May as part of ongoing combat operations in U.S. Central Command. The undisclosed number of aircraft and personnel from the squadron, nicknamed the “Bolars,” deployed to the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing at an undisclosed location, U.S. Air Forces in Europe announced. “Last week we sent the 492nd Fighter Squadron and Maintenance team downrange to continue the fight,” 48th Fighter Wing boss Col. William Marshall said in a statement. The wing replaces the 389th Fighter Squadron from Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.

ARCWERX Will Leverage ANG, Reserve Innovation to Enhance Total Force

By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

A new innovation organization has quietly joined the military’s WERX universe. ARCWERX—an innovation organization specifically created for the Air Force's reserve component—looks to leverage the proverbial superpowers hidden within Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve ranks, as well as strategic partnerships, to mold a more effective, ready, and lethal Total Force.

License-Plate Readers Come to USAFA

By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

Every vehicle that passes through the U.S. Air Force Academy's North and South gates will now have its license plates scanned in an effort to detect potential risks sooner, but the school says the extra base security isn’t expected to cause regular gate delays. In addition to giving security forces a heads-up if a driver is wanted by law enforcement authorities, the readers can alert them if a car is stolen or involved in the abduction of a minor, a May 12 USAFA release noted.

Virtual Events: Examining COVID-19’s Impact on Defense Aircraft Programs

By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

Today, the Aviation Week Network will host a free webinar entitled "How COVID-19 Is Affecting Top Defense Aircraft Programs." You can learn more and register for the event here.

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.

Pentagon Task Force Turns to Data to Shape COVID-19 Response

Nextgov

The Defense Department’s COVID-19 Task Force is leveraging data analytics and advanced modeling to heighten military readiness, taper uncertainty, and enable a more informed response throughout and beyond the coronavirus pandemic.

U.S.-China Commission Urges Tougher Space Cooperation Restrictions

Breaking Defense

"Ham-fisted U.S. policy has proven counterproductive in the past, and will likely continue to do so in the future," said Joan Johnson-Freese, a professor at the Naval War College.

Space Force Vice Commander: China Can’t Be Allowed to Buy Bankrupt U.S. Space Companies

Space News

Lt. Gen. David Thompson, the service’s vice commander, said the Defense Department is working with the White House and plans to work with Congress to help space companies that face bankruptcy.

Support Growing for Review of Ligado Interference Information

C4ISRNET

As the Department of Defense and its allies attempt to stop Ligado from moving forward with plans the Pentagon says will harm the Global Positioning System, consensus is growing around the idea of an independent review of the testing the Department had completed for interference.

OPINION: The GAO Is Wrong about the Air Force’s Next-Gen Battle-Management System

Defense One

“The ABMS needs to evolve quickly, not conform to industrial-age requirements and schedules,” writes Heather Penney, senior resident fellow at the Air Force Association’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.

Adm. Munsch Moving to Joint Staff

Inside Defense

Vice Adm. Stuart Munsch, who currently leads the Navy's new warfighting directorate, will move to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Defense Department disclosed Munsch's nomination for the role of director for operational plans and joint force development, or J7, in a May 13 flag officer announcement.

Meet the First Lady of Space Force: An Interview with Mollie Raymond

Air Force Times

Mollie Raymond is the wife of newly appointed Space Force Chief Gen. John “Jay” Raymond, making her the first military spouse in the newly created sixth branch of the military. Military Times freelance reporter Natalie Gross recently interviewed Raymond about what it’s like helping to shape a new branch.

Faster Acquisition

Air Force Magazine

The Air Force is leveraging emerging technologies and new legislation to accelerate acquisition decisions and streamline sustainment. Read more here.

Air Force Has 3 Programs Recognized by NCAA for Academic Progress Rate

U.S. Air Force Academy release

Air Force had three athletic programs recognized by the NCAA for their latest multiyear NCAA Division I Academic Progress Rate (APR). Football, women's gymnastics, and wrestling teams all ranked in the top 10 percent for their sport. The NCAA will release the scores for each sport later this month.

One More Thing

Air Force Band Covers ‘Cowboy Bebop’ Theme with Japanese Musicians to Lift Spirits During Pandemic

Stars and Stripes

Air Force musicians teamed up with Japanese troops and a local high school band to record a music video intended to lift people’s spirits during the coronavirus pandemic. The project yielded a version of “Tank!,” the theme song for the popular Japanese anime TV series “Cowboy Bebop.” The Air Force Band of the Pacific-Asia used social distancing to produce the project with a Tachikawa city FM radio station, Hamura city high-schoolers, and Japan Air Self-Defense Force musicians.