Air Force Magazine
Daily Report for July 22, 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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Air Force, Space Force Release Department’s First-Ever Arctic Strategy
By Amy McCullough

The Department of the Air Force unveiled its first-ever Arctic Strategy on July
21, with Secretary Barbara M. Barrett citing the Arctic’s increasing strategic
importance as Russia builds up its military presence in the area, China looks to
normalize its presence there, and melting ice caps open up sea lanes to more
traffic, creating the potential for increased rescue operations. “The
Department of the Air Force[‘s] contributions to U.S. national security in the
Arctic are large, but relatively unknown,” states the strategy. “Given the
Arctic’s vast distances and challenges to surface operations, air and space
capabilities have long been essential to gain rapid access and provide
all-domain awareness, early warning, satellite command and control, and
effective deterrence ... the Department of the Air Force is the most active and
invested U.S. military department in the Arctic.”

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House Proposal Could Give Naval Ranks to Space Force
By Rachel S. Cohen

Space Force ranks could soon mirror those in the Navy, under a House provision
that would make the Space Force dump the Air Force’s system for the sea
service's. House lawmakers on July 20 backed Rep. Dan Crenshaw’s (R-Texas)
amendment to the fiscal 2021 defense policy bill as part of a larger package of
amendments. Even if the provision is tacked onto the House’s version of the
National Defense Authorization Act, the Senate could still turn it down as
lawmakers hash out the final bill. The Space Force, which began reorganizing as
a separate service within the Air Force in December, is still using Air Force
ranks and grades as it builds its own culture.

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Esper: No Order to Withdraw from South Korea, Though Possibility Remains
By Brian W. Everstine

While Defense Department leaders have not issued an order to draw down the
number of troops in South Korea, Pentagon leaders have left the door open to the
possibility that U.S. forces will leave the Korean Peninsula, though key weapons
systems will remain. Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper said July 21 the department
is “looking at every geographic combatant command and making sure that we are
optimized and positioned” to accomplish the National Defense Strategy. This
could include bringing troops home, while focusing more on “dynamic force
employments,” such as deploying aircraft, ships, and ground personnel as
needed without basing them on the Peninsula. This “gives us, the United
States, greater flexibility,” he said.

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Senate Confirms Next National Guard Bureau Chief, ANG Director
By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

The Senate in a pair of July 20 voice votes confirmed the next leaders of the
National Guard Bureau and the Air National Guard. Army National Guard Director
Lt. Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson will receive a fourth star to serve as the 29th
National Guard Bureau chief and become a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Hokanson will succeed USAF Gen. Joseph L. Lengyel, who has led NGB since August
2016 and is expected to formally pass the torch in early August. The Senate also
confirmed Colorado Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Michael A. Loh to receive his
third star and succeed Lt. Gen. L. Scott Rice as Air National Guard director.
Rice has led the Air National Guard since May 2016. A change-of-command date
hasn't yet been announced.

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Lockheed Martin May Go Shopping if Defense Budgets Fall Next Year
By John A. Tirpak

A downturn in defense spending may create some “attractive” pricing on
companies Lockheed Martin may want to acquire, and it has the cash to pick up
some bargains, company President and Chief Executive Officer James D. Taiclet
said in a second-quarter earnings call July 21. If there is a slowdown in
defense spending, Lockheed's backlog and cash position are such that it wouldn't
feel much pain for two or three years, and the company would advise customers on
upgrades that could make the most of what they already have, he said.

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Virtual Events: Beames on Mitchell’s ‘Space Power Forum,’ and More
By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

Today, the Air Force Association’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies
will host a Space Power Forum featuring Charles L. Beames, founder and chairman
of the SmallSat Alliance. Event video will tentatively be posted on Mitchell’s
<a
href="[link removed]">website</a>
and <a href="[link removed]">YouTube
page</a> 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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Service Members Stuck by Travel Ban to Get Lease Relief Under New Law

An amendment to the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act, or SCRA, will allow service
members to end a residential lease they've entered into at a new location if
they have been—or continue to be—affected by the Pentagon's stop movement
order.

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Pentagon Legislative Chief Calls It Quits

The Defense Department’s top legislative official will leave the agency on
July 24, two officials familiar with the matter told Foreign Policy, matching
the Trump administration’s record for civilian vacancies as the White House
scrambles to get more nominees through confirmation.

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In Memos to Force, Esper Issues Directions on Operational Security

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper has released a pair of memos to the Defense
Department, outlining concerns about operational security and issuing new
guidance on dealing with the media.

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Goldfein Hopes for ‘Gold-Star Transition’ to Next CSAF Brown

With just a few weeks left in uniform, Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein is
preparing to hand the reins to his successor, Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., in what
he hopes will be a “gold-star” transition.

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OPINION: China's Military Capabilities Are Gaining on the US. The Pentagon Needs to Take Bold Steps.

“To prevent conflict, the United States must maintain the military capability
to deter China by demonstrating the ability to deny the success of such
aggression or impose costs so high that Beijing steps back from the brink,”
write Michèle A. Flournoy, former undersecretary of defense for policy, and
Gabrielle Chefitz, senior associate at WestExec Advisors. “The problem is
this: If the Pentagon's own reported war games and analysis are to be believed,
the current force may well be insufficient to deter or defeat Chinese aggression
in the future.”

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F-15 Eagle Seen Loaded With Loyal Wingman Drone For Previously Unknown Tests

F-15s carrying loyal wingmen into the fight is a fascinating proposition, but
what these tests could be for beyond that is even more intriguing.

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From ‘Mad Hatter’ to ‘Torque:’ Kessel Run Makes Software for F-22, CV-22

Jumping off lessons learned in the ‘Mad Hatter’ effort to help fix the
F-35’s infamous ALIS system, the Air Force’s Kessel Run software
‘factory’ now is working to improve maintenance tools for the F-22 stealth
jet and the CV-22 Special Operations tiltrotor.

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Post-Merger, Raytheon Intel & Space Sees Role Gluing Together JADC2

Raytheon’s newly constituted Intelligence & Space unit is positioning itself
as a provider of the “glue” needed to hold together future systems of
systems, such as those supporting all-domain operations, explains President Roy
Azevedo.

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Florida Nominates Pinellas, Hillsborough, 6 Other Locations for Space Command Headquarters

The Air Force’s Space Command is looking for a new home. Eight Florida
communities want the new headquarters and have submitted bids. In total, 54
communities nationwide are vying to host the location, which promises new jobs
and economic development in host communities.

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OPINION: The US Needs to Take Action to Deter Near-Peer Rivals in Space

“Looking ahead, it is prudent military planning to anticipate that our vital
space-based infrastructure will be targeted in future conflicts,” write former
U.S. Strategic Command boss and retired USAF Gen. Kevin P. Chilton and former
Air Force Space Command boss and retired USAF Gen. William Shelton. “To deter
these attacks and, if necessary, defeat them, the United States must develop and
field both offensive and defensive capabilities that will make it clear to
Russia and China that we will prevail in any conflict that extends into the
space domain.”

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US and China to Launch Mars Missions, Vying for Space Supremacy

The rivalry between the U.S. and China assumes cosmic proportions this month, as
both countries prepare to send spacecraft to Mars within days of each other.

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One More Thing...
Air Force Wants a Wearable Performance Tracker to Prevent Neck and Back Pain

The Air Force revealed intentions to purchase a wrist-worn gadget that captures
data about wearers’ health—and provides individual and team analyses from
that data—to address neck and back strains felt by fighter aircrew abroad.

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