Air Force Magazine
Daily Report for July 7, 2020

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Edited by Brian W. Everstine with Rachel S. Cohen, Alyk Russell Kenlan, Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory and John A. Tirpak

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AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference Will Be Virtual
By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

The Air Force Association's 2020 Air, Space & Cyber Conference will be held
virtually in September because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the association
announced July 6. The digital event will take place the week of Sept. 14, as
scheduled, and feature a mix of live and on-demand conference sessions,
opportunities to interact with leaders, industry exhibits, and sessions with top
Air Force and Space Force leaders. AFA's president, retired USAF Lt. Gen. Bruce
“Orville” Wright, said the decision to hold the event online was
“extremely arduous” but necessary given that “a safe, high-caliber,
in-person” conference for 12,000 attendees would not be possible under current
conditions.

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About Half of US States Bid to Host SPACECOM
By Rachel S. Cohen

More than two dozen states are vying to become the future home of U.S. Space
Command, a far broader field than was previously considered. “The Department
of the Air Force has received nominations from 26 states,” Air Force
spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said. “We were pleased with the strong response the
Air Force received from across the country with state nominations.” Stefanek
did not say which cities or states are in the running, but communities from
Washington state to Florida have announced their candidacy.

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Air Force Closing in on 250th F-35A
By John A. Tirpak

The Air Force's F-35A fleet has become its third-largest fighter fleet—larger
than that of the F-15C/D or E variants and larger than the F-22 Raptor
fleet—and the type will likely surpass 250 air frames by the end of August,
according to the Joint Program Office. The U.S. Air Force's F-35s comprise
nearly half of all those delivered globally.

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A Path for Non-Native English Speakers To Join the Air Force
By Alyk Russell Kenlan

Ten Airmen recently became the first to graduate Basic Military Training after
English learning through an Air Force program. The Airmen were in the Defense
Language Institute English Language Center’s ECHO Flight program beta test, a
replica of an Army program that provides language training to those who don’t
have strong English abilities and want to join the military. The trainees in the
beta test were nine Spanish speakers from Puerto Rico and one Korean speaker
from South Korea.“The Air Force is looking at, How can we be more diverse and
inclusive?' ” said Col. Kouji Gillis, commander of the DLIELC and the 637th
Training Group. “[The trainees] are our future international leaders. The
international community is counting on [them] in the future.”

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B-52 Flies with Carrier Strike Groups in South China Sea
By Brian W. Everstine

A B-52 from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., flew a 28-hour mission to the Pacific
on July 2, linking up with two Navy carrier strike groups in the South China Sea
in a show of strength in international waters. The B-52 from the 96th Bomb
Squadron linked up with the U.S.S. Nimitz and U.S.S. Ronald Reagan, flying
alongside F/A-18 Super Hornets and an E-2 Hawkeye early aerial threat warning
aircraft. The maritime integration exercise aimed to show the military’s
“commitment to the security and stability of the region,” according to a
Pacific Air Forces release. That practice aims to deter Chinese aggression in
the area. The flight “demonstrates U.S. capability to rapidly deploy to a
forward operating base and execute long-range strike missions,” 96th Bomb
Squadron Commander Lt. Col. Christopher Duff said in the release.

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VanHerck Nominated to Lead NORTHCOM
By Brian W. Everstine

Lt. Gen. Glen D. VanHerck, currently the director of the Joint Staff, was
nominated July 1 to take over as the next commander of U.S. Northern Command and
North American Aerospace Defense Command. If confirmed, VanHerck will receive
his fourth star and take over for Gen. Terrence J. O’Shaughnessy, who has led
NORTHCOM since May 2018. The Pentagon has not announced O’Shaughnessy’s next
move. Before the Joint Staff, VanHerck served as the commander of the U.S. Air
Force Warfare Center and operations director at Air Force Global Strike Command.

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Virtual Events: Mitchell Rolls Out New Paper, and More
By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

On July 8, AFA's Mitchell Institute will host a virtual rollout for its newest
paper, "Building an Effective, Efficient Air Force: The Imperative for
Cost-Per-Effect Analysis." Event video will tentatively be posted on Mitchell's
website at [link removed], and on its YouTube page
at [link removed] after the event.

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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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Recently Installed Shaw AFB Leader Talks Leadership Style, Maintaining Readiness amid a Pandemic

Sullivan recently took command of the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw Air Force Base
and has used his first month or so in Sumter to get to know the squadrons, teams
and airmen who comprise the Air Force's largest F-16 combat wing. His first
focus has been to ensure the health of the Airmen.

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2019 Space Economy Solid; Pandemic a Double-Edged Sword

Last year was another good year for the space industry overall, with record
launch numbers and a spurt in both broadband and remote sensing technology
innovation, according to the Satellite Industry Association’s annual report.
While the COVID-19 pandemic has had some negative impact, especially on the
satellite manufacturing sector, the industry has seen growing demand during the
crisis for connectivity because of the huge increase in telecommuting by both
the commercial and government workforces.

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Retiring National Guard Chief Pushes Again for a 'Space Guard'

The nation needs a "Space Guard" to back up "Space Force," the outgoing chief of
the National Guard Bureau said last week, adding that there needs to be a role
for the Guard in the newest military branch. "We're in historic times as we
stand up another service. ... [There are] advantages to taking the model of the
National Guard and leveraging that in creating a space National Guard component
of the Space Force," Air Force Gen. Joseph L. Lengyel said July 2.

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L3Harris Developing a Constellation of Small Spy Satellites for US Air Force

L3Harris Technologies has launched the first satellite of a remote sensing
constellation it is developing for the U.S. Air Force. In a July 6 news release,
L3Harris said the constellation of small satellites will provide imagery to
military operators on the ground. “The company will task, command and control
the satellite system, as well as perform on-board processing of data to deliver
imagery products directly to warfighters.”

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AFMC Tests New Software to Speed F-16 Upgrades

Using new modular software tools to speed upgrades for the F-16 fighter fleet is
a priority for Air Force Materiel Command, says Commander Gen. Arnold W. Bunch
Jr.

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DEFAERO Report Daily Podcast: Legacy vs. New Aircraft

On a recent roundtable episode of the podcast, Douglas A. Birkey, executive
director of AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, discussed service
and congressional trade-off required to sundown legacy platforms while
introducing and expanding new systems and technology.

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Faster Acquisition

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

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Family, Country Lay Utah Air Force Pilot Who Died in Training Accident to Rest

1st. Lt. Kenneth “Kage” Allen was laid to rest on July 4 following a public
ceremony attended by hundreds at Box Elder High School. Friends and Family got
up to speak and share their stories of Kage Allen, a Utah native and Air Force
pilot who died when his jet crashed into the North Sea, to the crowd.

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Air Force Awards $144 Million Contract to Rebuild Offutt's 79-Year-Old Runway

The project will be the most extensive rebuilding of the Offutt runway since it
was first constructed in 1941 and extended to its current length in the
mid-1950s.

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Air Force Invests in Infertility Solutions

The Air Force has made a significant investment to help military couples combat
infertility. MFB Fertility Inc. accepted a $1.3 million contract with AFWERX
July 2 to provide Proov, a progesterone testing kit, to military couples
attempting to conceive.

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One More Thing...
‘God Bless the U.S.A.’ featuring Lee Greenwood, Home Free and the Singing Sergeants

“‘God Bless The U.S.A.’ is one of America's most iconic songs, so we are
thrilled to have been part of history in the brand new cover of this hit,
featuring Lee Greenwood, Home Free, and our very own Singing Sergeants!” the
U.S. Air Force Band wrote on YouTube.

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