Air Force Magazine
Daily Report for Jan. 19, 2021

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

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Second B-21 Under Construction as Bomber Moves Toward First Flight
By John A. Tirpak

The first flight of the secretive B-21 bomber has slipped to mid-2022, but the
program is moving along well, Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office director
Randall Walden said in an exclusive interview. The second copy of the B-21,
which will be used for structural testing, is now on the production line. Walden
also talked about mitigating risk with a flying surrogate for avionics and
software, and said a previous problem with inlets and thrust is resolved.

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Feds Screen National Guardsmen for Insider Threats to Inauguration
By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

The FBI and the Army are screening all National Guard troops supporting the Jan.
20 presidential inauguration for signs of an insider threat to the proceedings,
according to the National Guard Bureau. “If there’s any indication that any
of our Soldiers or Airmen are expressing things that are extremist views, it’s
either handed over to law enforcement or dealt with the chain of command
immediately,” NGB Chief Army Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson said in a Jan. 18
release.

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US Down to 5,000 Troops Across Afghanistan, Iraq
By Brian W. Everstine

U.S. military forces in Afghanistan and Iraq have dropped to 5,000 troops across
both countries, with 2,500 personnel in each, meeting a Jan. 15 deadline from
President Donald J. Trump to reduce the military’s footprint in the Middle
East. The withdrawal marks the lowest level of American troops in Afghanistan
since 2001, and comes amid ongoing peace talks between the Afghan government and
the Taliban. In Iraq, the remaining 2,500 U.S. and coalition forces will stay in
the country “to ensure the enduring defeat" of the Islamic State group.

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Pence Honors Chuck Yeager’s ‘Great American Life’ at Memorial Service
By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

Vice President Mike Pence honored the life, career, and character of World War
II ace and renowned Air Force test pilot Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager at a Jan.
15 memorial service in West Virginia. “Yeager has been an inspiration to every
American pilot, and will be throughout time," Pence said. He did not mention the
prospect of naming a military base after Yeager, an idea raised by President
Donald J. Trump last month.

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Pentagon Shifts Israel to CENTCOM Responsibility
By Brian W. Everstine

The Pentagon has changed the combatant command responsible for operations
involving Israel, from U.S. European Command to U.S. Central Command, following
White House-brokered accords between the country and multiple Persian Gulf
states. The update to the Unified Command Plan came as the Trump administration
finished its final week in office. President Donald J. Trump's White House has
touted the Abraham Accords—normalizing relations between Israel, Bahrain, and
the United Arab Emirates—as a major shift toward improved relations in the
Middle East.

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Aviano F-16s Practice ‘All-Domain Targeting’ Near Black Sea
By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

F-16 fighter jets from the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy,
practiced combat cooperation with the Romanian Air Force while conducting
“all-domain targeting operations” in a Jan. 14 bilateral exercise in the
Black Sea region, according to a U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa
release. It's another example of the growing military partnership between the
U.S. and Romania.

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30 Years After Desert Storm: Jan. 19

In commemoration of the 30th Anniversary of Operation Desert Storm, Air Force
Magazine is posting daily recollections from the six-week war, which expelled
Iraq from occupied Kuwait.

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Virtual Events: USAFA Superintendent on Mitchell’s ‘Aerospace Nation,’ and More
By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

On Jan. 21 at 11 a.m. EST, the Air Force Association's Mitchell Institute for
Aerospace Studies will host USAFA Superintendent Lt. Gen. Richard M. Clark on
the next installment of its “Aerospace Nation” series. Clark will share his
insights into how the Academy is preparing cadets to face today's global
challenges, the implications of the creation of the Space Force for the Academy,
what it means to accelerate change in an educational institution, and other
Academy priorities. Advanced registration is required. <a
href="[link removed]">Sign
up here.</a>

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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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Acting Defense Secretary: ‘I Cannot Wait to Leave This Job, Believe Me’

Acting defense secretary Christopher C. Miller told a group of reporters
traveling with him this week that he cannot wait to leave his job, according to
a transcript of the conversation posted on the Defense Department’s website.

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General Education: What Austin Can Learn from Mattis’s Rocky Relationship with Congress

Lawmakers from across the political spectrum have fretted that confirming
another retired general as defense secretary will further tilt a Pentagon
imbalance toward uniformed military voices and erode America’s founding
principle of civilian control of the military.

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Acting SECDEF Defends Capitol Reaction, Says DOD Is Prepared for This Week

Acting Defense Secretary Christopher C. Miller on Jan. 14, speaking to
reporters, said the Defense Department was well-prepared for the historically
tense high-security event this week. “At this point, there’s a machine
that’s cranking on that,” he told reporters aboard a Defense Department
plane.

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Capitol Rioters Included Highly Trained Ex-Military and Cops

An Associated Press review of public records, social media posts, and videos
shows at least 21 current or former members of the U.S. military or law
enforcement have been identified as being at or near the Capitol riot, with more
than a dozen others under investigation but not yet named. In many cases, those
who stormed the Capitol appeared to employ tactics, body armor and technology
such as two-way radio headsets that were similar to those of the very police
they were confronting.

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Policy Directive on GPS Issued in Closing Days of Trump Administration

Space Policy Directive-7 highlights the United States’ ever-growing dependence
on space-based positioning, navigation, and timing.

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No CMMC Penalty for Companies Hit By SolarWinds Hack

“SolarWinds wasn’t normal. No one is going to take that against you and take
your certification away against a nation-state actor penetrating in a way that
has never been done before — absolutely not,” said Katie Arrington, chief
information security officer for the undersecretary of defense for acquisition
and sustainment. “You’re too critical to us.”

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Aviano Airman's Death Was from Coronavirus, Family and Friends Say

A U.S. airman based in Italy has died because of the coronavirus, family and
friends say, which would mark the first Active-duty death in the Air Force and
the fourth such death among Active-duty service members.

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How British Tornados Used a Special Weapon to Ravage Saddam’s Airfields in Daring Desert Storm Raids

Slamming Iraq’s bases at ultra-low level with JP233 runway denial weapons was
among the riskiest Royal Air Force combat actions since World War II.

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One More Thing...
REPORT: Desert Storm, 30 Years Later

“It is important to remember Desert Storm, not only for the definitive
revelations and demonstrations about airpower, but also because of valuable
insights that apply to our current and future wars,” writes retired USAF Lt.
Gen. David A. Deptula, dean of the Air Force Association’s Mitchell Institute
for Aerospace Studies.

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