Air Force Magazine
Daily Report for July 23, 2020

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Edited by Amy McCullough with Rachel S. Cohen and Brian W. Everstine

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Space Force Debuts New Delta Logo, Motto
By Rachel S. Cohen

The Space Force is continuing its delta theme with a triangular new logo
unveiled July 22. The silver, arrowhead-like delta symbol honors the heritage of
the Air Force and Air Force Space Command, the predecessor to the Space Force,
according to a USSF release. “The silver outer border of the delta signifies
defense and protection from all adversaries and threats emanating from the space
domain. The black area inside embodies the vast darkness of deep space,” the
Space Force said. “Inside the delta, the two spires represent the action of a
rocket launching into the outer atmosphere in support of the central role of the
Space Force in defending the space domain.”

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House Oversight Probes F-35 Sustainment Problems
By Rachel S. Cohen

House lawmakers hammered Lockheed Martin for persistent problems in the F-35
Joint Strike Fighter enterprise during a July 22 hearing, as the defense giant
declined to promise it would fully reimburse the Pentagon for defective
equipment files. At issue are electronic equipment logs, which act as digital
medical records to show the history of the most crucial F-35 parts throughout
their lifespans. The files help track when a part will fail, what parts are
compatible with which planes, and more. Lockheed is trying to use logs only for
400 parts that need them, down from 1,000 parts that use them now, and grow the
number of parts delivered with complete histories.

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OIR: Withdrawing Forces From Iraq a Sign of Success in ISIS Fight
By Brian W. Everstine

The U.S. will hand over control of bases in Iraq and is likely to reduce its
overall troop level within the country as progress against the remnants of the
Islamic State group continues, a senior official with the American-led coalition
said. USAF Maj. Gen. Kenneth P. Ekman, the deputy commander of Combined Joint
Task Force-Operation Inherent Resolve, told reporters via videoconference July
22 the group’s military, logistics, and media power is a “shadow of what it
used to be.” While the group still has fighters largely hiding out in the
mountains and caves of Iraq and Syria, it “does not, and cannot, control
terrain,” Ekman said. While ISIS will likely never be fully eradicated, the
coalition’s focus is limiting the group’s influence as much as possible, and
ensuring it is not more than a “low-level insurgency,” he said.

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USAFE Conducts All-Domain Training Mission in the Black Sea
By Brian W. Everstine

USAF F-16s, KC-135s, MC-130Js, and MQ-9s linked up with U.S. Navy aircraft and
ships as well as support from U.S. Space Command during a large-scale exercise
in the Black Sea on July 22. The mission in Eastern Europe, with Russia
watching, “was designed to train U.S. forces to integrate, operate, and
communicate while executing all-domain operations,” U.S. Air Forces in Europe
said in a release. The same day, the Russian Ministry of Defense posted a video
claiming to show an intercept of a P-8 in the Black Sea region, adding its
forces also identified a U.S. U-2 and a German P-3. USAFE said in a statement
that no USAF aircraft came in contact with any Russian aircraft on July 22.

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Rolls-Royce Formally Enters B-52 Re-Engining Competition
By Brian W. Everstine

Rolls-Royce formally entered the competition to re-engine the B-52 as expected,
offering its F130 engine already in use in some USAF aircraft to power the
bomber. The Air Force on May 19 issued its request for proposals for the B-52
Commercial Engine Replacement Program, with responses due on July 22 and a
contract award expected in June 2021. In addition to Rolls-Royce, GE Aviation
and Raytheon Technologies’ Pratt & Whitney will compete for the award. The
service wants to buy 608 engines for 76 B-52s to keep the bomber flying through
2050.

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Virtual Events: Mitchell, ANWA DC Host Verdon on NNSA Series, and More
By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

On July 29, AFA's Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, in partnership with
the Advanced Nuclear Weapons Alliance Deterrence Center, will present a Nuclear
Deterrence Forum with Charles Verdon, deputy administrator for defense programs
at the National Nuclear Security Administration, as part of their NNSA Series.
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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In Error, TRICARE Tells 600K Beneficiaries They've Had COVID-19

More than 600,000 Tricare users in the military health system's East Region
received emails Friday asking them to consider donating blood for research as
"survivors of COVID-19." But given that just 31,000 persons affiliated with the
U.S. military have been diagnosed with the coronavirus, the email came as a
surprise to beneficiaries.

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BlackSky Gets U.S. Air Force Contract to Monitor Coronavirus Outbreaks

Earth-observation company BlackSky announced July 21 it received a U.S. Air
Force contract to monitor overseas U.S. military bases, detect outbreaks, and
analyze the spread of COVID-19.

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Chinese Hackers Indicted for Stealing Trade Secrets, Coronavirus Research

The indictment charges the defendants with conspiring to steal trade secrets
from at least eight known victims, which consisted of technology designs,
manufacturing processes, test mechanisms and results, source code, and
pharmaceutical chemical structures. Such information would give competitors a
market edge by providing insight into proprietary business plans and savings on
research and development costs in creating competing products, the Justice
Department announced July 21.

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Mitchell Institute Space Power Forum Featuring Chuck Beames

Chuck Beames, founder and chairman of the SmallSat Alliance and former principal
director of space and intelligence systems in the Pentagon, discusses how the
U.S. government can better partner with space industry to promote innovation and
deliver lower-cost, more resilient space capabilities.

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Pentagon's Number 2 Officer Says Military Must Do Better on Diversity

Air Force Gen. John E. Hyten, the No. 2 American military officer as vice
chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spoke with National Public Radio on
efforts to create a diverse force, the rising problem of sexual misconduct (as
well as addressing allegations that were made against himself), and the
military’s efforts to tackle and trace the coronavirus.

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'I Never Looked Back': Goldfein Says Trump's Joint Chiefs Chairman Pick Wasn't Personal

The Air Force's top general said he doesn't dwell on losing out on the
chairmanship of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, after President Donald J. Trump
picked Army Gen. Mark A. Milley over him.

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OPINION: F-35 Is Performing Far Better Than Critics Would Have You Think

“The F-35 has not had a trouble-free path in its fielding—nor has any new
combat aircraft,” writes retired USAF Lt. Gen. David Deptula, dean of AFA’s
Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. “The reality is that each generation
of combat aircraft push technology to the edge and this involves distinct
challenges and a learning curve. The real question is whether the trends of
mission capability, availability, unit, and operational costs are headed in the
right direction. In the case of the F-35, this is certainly the case.”

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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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Kunsan Airman Who Died after Being Found Unresponsive in Dorm Room Identified

The Airman from the 8th Fighter Wing at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, who died
on July 20 has been identified as Air Force Tech. Sgt. Joshua Arndt.

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‘This Is Discrimination’: Germany Seeks Income Taxes from US Airman Because He's Married to Local Woman

Tax authorities are demanding a Ramstein-based Airman pay German income taxes
because he is married to a local woman, setting up a potentially
precedent-setting case that could have financial implications for scores of U.S.
troops in the country. The move levies double taxation on an Airman who already
pays U.S. income taxes and potentially threatens service members who marry
Germans or take any number of steps to integrate into life outside the base
gates.

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One More Thing...
Fully Armed Kadena F-15 Eagles Soar over Saudi Arabia Wearing Some Awesome Nose Art

U.S. Air Force F-15 squadrons lead the way when it comes to keeping the
tradition alive of painting-up their aircraft while on deployment.

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