 |
 |
|
Sept. 4, 2020
|
|
Edited by Amy McCullough with Rachel S. Cohen, Brian W. Everstine and Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory
|
| View In Browser |
 Illustration of the novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19. Illustration: Courtesy Food and Drug Administration |
Editor’s Note
There will not be a Daily Report on Monday, Sept. 7 due to the Labor Day holiday. We'll be back in your inboxes on Tuesday, Sept. 8.
|
| |
|
By Rachel S. Cohen
Volunteers at five military medical facilities across the U.S. will become part of the Phase III trial to vet biopharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca’s coronavirus vaccine, the Pentagon announced Sept. 3. Naval Medical Center San Diego, Calif.,; Joint Base San Antonio’s Brooke Army Medical Center and Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center in Texas; Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Md.; and Fort Belvoir Community Hospital, Va., will take part. The trial is part of the push to safely create a COVID-19 vaccine by January 2021.
|
|
|
By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory
When it comes to telling its troops how to suit up and stay sharp-looking, the Air Force wants to make sure Airmen feel like their perspectives matter. Thus, the Department of the Air Force has created a crowdsourcing campaign that will empower Airmen and USAF civilians to share their ideas about how it can improve its uniforms, gear, and dress and appearance rules, the service announced Sept. 3. Beginning the same day, service members and civilians can submit their ideas by logging into USAF's IdeaScale platform, navigating to its homepage, and locating the “Dress and Appearance” tile there, a USAF release stated. Idea categories include grooming and appearance standards, physical training gear, maternity uniforms, and more, according to the release. Airmen may
also share their thoughts on Air Force policy regarding accessories, badges, and specialty insignia.
|
 |
|
By Amy McCullough
An MQ-9 Reaper assigned to the 49th Wing at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., was damaged when it skidded off the runway on Sept. 2, the base announced. The incident remains under investigation.
|
|
|
By Brian W. Everstine
Air Force B-1s and B-2s deployed to the Indo-Pacific came together to train with U.S. and Australian joint terminal attack controllers down under, dropping training bombs at three different training ranges throughout August. The B-1s, deployed to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, and B-2s deployed to Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia, made multiple passes over the Delamere, Bradshaw, and Mount Bundley training areas where Marine Rotational Force-Darwin and Australian JTACs controlled the strikes, according to a Pacific Air Forces release. The bombers were refueled by KC-135s deployed to Australia from Kadena Air Base, Japan.
|
 |
|
By Rachel S. Cohen
Two spaceflight experiments on object tracking and atmospheric ionization won the Air Force Research Laboratory’s latest competition for promising technologies, the lab said Sept. 2. The “Precise” project and the Cislunar Highway Patrol System beat out 25 other internal proposals in a six-month bid to win further military backing. That competition, dubbed Space Warfighting Operationally Resilient Demonstrations (SWORD), will become an annual event within AFRL’s Space Vehicles Directorate. The programs must still submit their budgets, anticipated timelines, and technical objectives to the lab but are slated to begin work Oct. 1.
|
|
|
By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory
On Sept. 8, the Air Force Association's Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies will host Brig. Gen. Adrian L. Spain, director of plans, programs, and analyses at U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa on the latest installment of its “Aerospace Nation” series. Event video will tentatively be posted to the think tank's website and YouTube page afterward.
|
 |
| |
| |
Radar Sweep
|
| |
Register Now for Virtual Air, Space & Cyber Conference
Air Force Magazine
The Air Force Association's annual Air, Space & Cyber Conference kicks off Sept. 14 with Air Force Secretary Barbara M. Barrett and Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. The annual conference, which will be held virtually this year for the first time, runs through Sept. 16. Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond speaks on Tuesday, Sept. 15. Registration is open now and space is limited, so early registration is encouraged.
|
|
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.
|
|
7th US Service Member Has Died from COVID-19
Military Times
The Pentagon’s latest update, on Sept. 2, showed an increase from the previous tally of six COVID-19 troop deaths, but did not identify the individual or service branch of the deceased. Pentagon officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Military Times seeking more details.
|
|
Poland, Romania Tee Up Helicopter Tenders, Target 2 Percent Defense Spending
Defense News
A number of Eastern European allies aim to maintain their defense expenditures at 2 percent of their respective gross domestic products despite the current economic downturn. Poland and Romania are at the forefront of the region’s military modernization efforts, and both plan to spend billions of dollars on helicopters in the near future. However, local observers say the countries’ defense acquisitions are facing delays due to organizational limitations.
|
|
Air Force Tests New Bomb That Could Replace Controversial Cluster Munitions
Military.com
The Air Force recently tested a new next-generation fragmentation bomb on the F-16 Fighting Falcon meant to be an alternative to cluster munitions that diminishes the risk of unexploded ordnance, according to a news release.
|
|
The Latest on JADC2
Air Force Magazine
Joint all-domain command and control is redefining how the U.S. military will operate in the future joint fight—and how systems must be designed today. For the latest on all things JADC2 and to stay tuned to the latest developments, check out our JADC2 landing page.
|
|
 |
|
Joint Air Defense Exercise 20-2 Increases Readiness, Strengthens Partnerships
USAF release
U.S. Central Command Airmen, Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and space warfighters joined regional and coalition partners last week for Joint Air Defense Exercise 20-2. Led by U.S. Air Forces Central Command, the bi-annual exercise focused on improving readiness of air defense assets within the CENTCOM area of responsibility.
|
|
AUAB, Qatar Sign Agreement on Air Space Operations
USAF release
An Air Traffic Control Letter of Agreement was signed by U.S. personnel, the Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF), and Qatar Civil Aviation Authority (QCAA) to better work together to ensure safe air space operations at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar.
|
|
Davis-Monthan Airmen Rescue Injured Chinese Mariner
USAF release
The 55th Rescue Squadron and a combat systems operator from the 79th RQS executed a long-range mission off the California coast to rescue an injured Chinese mariner on Aug. 28. The Chinese mariner was severely injured from a 33-foot fall on the bulk carrier, Ocean Applaud, 1,100 nautical miles west of San Francisco on Aug. 26. The Chinese mariner was working aboard the Ocean Applaud, which was transferring cargo to Stockton, Calif.
|
|
Boeing Delivers SOCOM’s First Next-Gen Chinook Helicopter
Aerotech News
Boeing’s Philadelphia team recently delivered the first MH-47G Block II Chinook to SOCOM on time. “This delivery marks a major step for the Chinook program,” said Andy Builta, vice president and H-47 program manager. “The new Chinook will give U.S. Special Operations Forces significantly more capability for extremely challenging missions and will enable them to conduct those missions on the future battlefield.”
|
|
Proposal Would Give Some TRICARE Users a Wider Choice of Health Care Providers
Military.com
The next iteration of TRICARE will give some military families and retirees the option to choose a health network other than the two selected to manage the TRICARE East and West regions, according to a report delivered by the Pentagon to Congress in August.
|
| |
One More Thing
Air Force Academy Names Newest Mascot ‘Nova’
Air Force Magazine
The female gyrfalcon, who was hatched in May, was the USAFA Falconry Team’s first feathery addition since the October 2019 passing of Aurora, another gyrfalcon, at the age of 23, Air Force Magazine previously reported.
|
|
| |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
 
|
|
