Battle Over Divesting Aircraft Continues | No Naval Ranks for Space Force

Dec. 7, 2020

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

Senior Airman Anton Yakovenko, 25th Aircraft Maintenance Unit avionics journeyman, goes over a ground collision avoidance system malfunction with the pilot Dec. 5, 2014, during Exercise Beverly Bulldog 15-01 at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman David Owsianka.

Here’s What the Air Force Can’t Get Rid Of, According to the Draft NDAA

By Rachel S. Cohen

Every year, Congress and the military debate which combat assets should head to the boneyard and which have more life left in them. Lawmakers often opt to keep Air Force systems that bring jobs to their districts, which complicates matters as the service looks to modernize and ditch certain platforms. Sometimes the Air Force opposes congressional efforts to divest planes as well. While the final draft of the 2021 defense policy bill, released Dec. 3, is open to letting go of some worn airframes, several others will stick around.

Congress Won’t Impose Naval Ranks on the Space Force

By Rachel S. Cohen

Congress has backed off on requiring the Space Force to adopt naval ranks, allowing the new service to choose its own military rank system and a name for its members. Former Navy SEAL Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) earlier this year floated the idea of calling Space Force personnel admirals or ensigns, for example, instead of their current Air Force ranks like general and staff sergeant. His provision landed in the House’s version of the fiscal 2021 defense policy bill now making its way through Congress. But the Senate did not have a similar provision, and ultimately won out in stripping Crenshaw’s language from the bipartisan compromise between the two chambers.

‘License Plates’ for Satellites Among Tech Showcased in New Space Force Accelerator

By Shaun Waterman

Space is getting more crowded, and ensuring U.S freedom of action in this vital domain is one of the missions of the U.S. Space Force. Technology that might help—including a digital “license plate” for satellites—was showcased in the latest competition hosted by the Space Force Accelerator Program.

Maintenance Issues Force B-52 to Divert During Bomber Task Force Mission

By Brian W. Everstine

The Air Force sent two bomber task force missions to the Pacific and Europe on Dec. 3, with a B-52 linking up with Greek and Norwegian fighters after another was forced to divert, and B-1s headed back to Guam. Two B-52s took off from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., and were en route to the Barents Sea when one of the Stratofortresses experienced a maintenance issue and had to divert to RAF Fairford, United Kingdom. The remaining B-52 continued, and joined with Greek and Norwegian F-16s along with U.S. and Turkish KC-135s for training, according to U.S. European Command.

Trump Orders Pentagon to Withdraw Most Forces from Somalia

By Brian W. Everstine

The U.S. military will withdraw the “majority” of its personnel and assets from Somalia by early 2021, the Pentagon announced without providing specifics. President Donald J. Trump ordered the move, though the Defense Department in a Dec. 4 statement said the “U.S. is not withdrawing or disengaging from Africa. We remain committed to our African partners and enduring support through a whole-of-government approach.” The Pentagon has not disclosed how many personnel are in the African nation, where they train Somali forces and have conducted operations against al-Shabab, though the Defense Department Inspector General in a November report said between 650 and 800 troops were operating in the country. The withdrawal comes weeks after Trump also ordered the Defense Department to reduce its footprint in both Afghanistan and Iraq.

U.S. Approved More than $175 Billion in Weapons Sales in 2020

By Brian W. Everstine

Authorized U.S. arms sales abroad jumped 2.8 percent, climbing to $175.08 billion in 2020 from $170.09 in 2019, fueled largely by major F-35 sales, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced Dec. 4. The total reflects all deals DSCA has approved in the fiscal year, $50.78 billion of which is implemented government-to-government foreign military sales. The increase in approved buys coincided with the State Department’s efforts to reform arms transfers, including the loosening of restrictions governing the export of remotely piloted aircraft. The $50.78 billion for FMS is a drop from 2019’s total of $55.39 billion for a three-year rolling average of about $54 billion, according to DSCA. Major implemented sales included $23.1 billion for F-35s to Japan, $4.5 billion for F-15J modernization to Japan, $4.25 billion for AH-64E helicopters to Morocco, and $3 billion for aviation fuel to Israel, among others. Additionally, DSCA issued 28,800 export licenses via Direct Commercial Sales, for a total of $124.3 billion.

Virtual Events: Guastella on Mitchell’s ‘Aerospace Nation,’ and More

By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

On Dec. 8 at 9:30 a.m. EST, the Air Force Association's Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies will host USAF Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Lt. Gen. Joseph T. Guastella for a discussion about how the service is maintaining aircraft and pilot readiness, the development of the Advanced Battle Management System, and what it means to optimize force structure design to counter future threats as part of the think tank's “Aerospace Nation” series. Advanced registration is required. Click here to sign up for the live event.

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.

US Air Force Appeals Ruling Against Urban Training in Idaho

The Associated Press

The U.S. Air Force is appealing a federal court ruling preventing exercises that had military jets coordinating with plain-clothed soldiers on the ground in cities in Idaho as part of an urban warfare training program. The Air Force filed the appeal with the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Nov. 30. The military says air support for ground forces is increasingly required in urban combat areas.

Airmen Praised for Helping Teenager Off Bridge

The Dayton Daily News

Two Wright-Patterson Air Force Base Airmen are being lauded for their quick action to help save a distressed teenager who was considering jumping from a Fairborn, Ohio, overpass.

Air Force Expands Experimental Pilot Training Across Aircraft, Helo Fleets

Breaking Defense

"We flew the F-22 like it was an F-15. We flew the F-15E like an F-111. APT-X will figure out how can we can fly the T-7 differently - not like a T-38," says Brig. Gen. Brenda Cartier, 19th Air Force vice commander.

Cadet Joint Domain Exercise Incorporates Cyber, Proves Successful

USAFA release

During the exercise, cadets acted as members of an Air Operations Center (AOC), directing two other cadets as remotely piloted aircraft pilots during an intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance mission leading to a simulated kinetic strike on an Islamic State group leadership meeting. Cadet Cyber Team members served as a cyber effects cell and cyber liaison officers who were providing cyber ISR to help track the target, and identify who was actually at the meeting.

Opinion: Are We at the Start of a New Cold War Between the US and China?

Military.com

“The U.S. and China are involved in a wide-ranging economic competition, one that spills over into American bilateral relations with other countries, and also impacts the "rules" of an international system that has evolved, largely under American leadership, in the postwar period. The U.S. competes economically with other countries, most notably Japan and the European Union, but this rivalry is different from the Sino-American one,” writes Joseph V. Micallef, a best-selling military history and world affairs author.

Video: Dunlap Speaks on the Navy, Air Force, Army, & JADC2

Breaking Defense

The Air Force and Army signed an MOU earlier this year to force lower ranking people to come on board and drive greater cooperation between the services as they build JADC2. The Navy has markedly stood back over the last three years as the Army and Air Force have forged ahead, making All Domain Operations one of their top priorities. Dunlap discusses how the three services are working together.

Spouses Still Waiting Months for Professional Credentials after Military Moves, DOD Survey Shows

Military Times

About one out of five military spouses who are in professions requiring licensing and certification said they waited 10 months or more to get their credential after a permanent change of station move, according to a 2019 survey of active duty spouses conducted by the Department of Defense.

One More Thing

He Escaped Death as a Kamikaze Pilot. 70 Years Later, He Told His Story.

The New York Times (Subscription Required)

Kazuo Odachi is one of the last living members of a group never meant to survive. He wants to remind Japan that before its modern success came the sacrifices of the young pilots who gave their lives.