Air Force Magazine
Daily Report for Jan. 28, 2021

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Edited by Amy McCullough with Rachel S. Cohen, Brian W. Everstine and John A. Tirpak

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Brown: USAF Has Been ‘Asleep at the Wheel’ Too Long When It Comes to EMS
By John A. Tirpak

The Air Force is aiming to have its internal electromagnetic spectrum combat
strategy in hand by the spring, to dovetail with a joint service version also
planned for that period. Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. said the
service “should be embarrassed” it took congressional language to force the
services to take EMS operations seriously, and USAF's posture will be far more
aggressive and offensive than it has been for the last 30 years.

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Boeing’s KC-46 Cost Overruns Surpass $5 Billion
By Brian W. Everstine

Boeing on Jan. 27 reported another $275 million charge to its KC-46 program,
pushing the total cost overruns it is responsible for to more than $5 billion in
the past six years—more than the initial contract award for the tanker. The
fourth quarter total means 2020 saw more than $1.3 billion in overruns for the
program, a cost the company said in its earnings report was “primarily due to
production inefficiencies, including impacts of COVID-19 disruption.” The 2020
total is more than any previous year, according to a review of the company’s
prior year earnings reports.

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DOD to Prioritize Climate Change Following Biden’s Executive Order
By Brian W. Everstine

The Pentagon will incorporate the “implications of climate change” in its
wargaming, analysis, simulations, and its upcoming National Defense Strategy
after President Joe Biden on Jan. 27 signed new executive actions aimed at
addressing the issue across the whole government. "The order clearly establishes
climate considerations as an essential element of U.S. foreign policy and
national security,” according to the White House. Defense Secretary Lloyd J.
Austin III, in a statement released following the executive actions, said the
Pentagon is taking immediate steps “to prioritize climate change
considerations in our activities and risk assessments, [and] to mitigate this
driver of insecurity.”

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USAF Space Acquisition Office Prepares for Handoff to New Leaders
By Rachel S. Cohen

President Joe Biden hasn’t named his Air Force Secretary pick yet, or someone
to serve as assistant secretary for space acquisition and integration. But when
they arrive, they’ll need to hit the ground running. Once a new Secretary is
nominated, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Space Acquisition and
Integration Shawn J. Barnes and other assistant secretaries will begin bringing
them up to speed on the broad ideas needed to get through the confirmation
process. Once the secretary is approved and sworn in, they’ll receive more
detail on the issues facing the Air Force and Space Force. “There are no
shortage of briefings and binders that are being prepared for incoming staff at
all levels,” Barnes said.

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Defense Committees Begin Taking Shape
By Rachel S. Cohen

Membership on congressional committees that oversee defense spending and policy
is beginning to take shape almost a month into the new session. Leadership has
named new Republicans and Democrats to the House Armed Services and
Appropriations Committees, while the Senate is still working through the details
of how it will share power on committees in a chamber now split 50-50.

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Barksdale B-52 Flies Direct to the Middle East
By Brian W. Everstine

A B-52 flew a long-range direct sortie from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., to
the Middle East on Jan. 27, the third such flight this year and the first under
the new Biden administration. The bomber from the 2nd Bomb Wing flew the
“presence patrol” over the Persian Gulf and Saudi Arabia, linking up with
Air Forces Central Command F-15Es, F-16s, KC-10s, and KC-135s, according to a
U.S. Central Command release. The bomber also flew alongside Royal Saudi Air
Force F-15s. “This long-range, short-duration, defensive mission was intended
to demonstrate the U.S. military’s ability to deploy airpower anywhere in the
world to deter potential aggression and showcase the U.S. commitment to regional
security,” CENTCOM said in the statement.

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Improperly Stored Chemicals Caused June 2020 Kadena Fire
By Brian W. Everstine

Improperly stored calcium hypochlorite caused a fire last summer that destroyed
the hazardous material storage building at Kadena Air Base, Japan, and caused
about 120 people to seek medical care, according to a recently released Air
Force investigation. The June 22, 2020, fire at the 18th Logistics Readiness
Squadron’s building destroyed the 1950s-era structure and everything inside at
a loss of $2.6 million. It forced the closure of the base’s flight line for
about an hour and 40 minutes, requiring three aircraft to divert to other bases,
according to the Air Force Ground Investigation Board report released Jan. 25.
That day, 115 U.S. military, civilian, dependent, and retiree personnel sought
medical care, with one Active duty Airman admitted to the hospital and released
the next day. Five Japanese employees also submitted injury reports.

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30 Years After Desert Storm: Jan. 28

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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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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US Space Command to Leverage AI to Maintain ‘Digital Superiority’

U.S. Space Command wants more artificial intelligence and machine learning
technology to stay ahead of adversaries, the organization’s top officer said
Jan. 26.

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ABMS Won’t Replace BACN Comms Til 2026; Northrop Wins Support Deal

The Air Force intends to get rid of three of its four BACN-equipped EQ-4 Global
Hawks, but increase the number of piloted E-11 BACN aircraft through 2026.

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2021 Is the Year the Small Drone Arms Race Heats Up

The cat-and-mouse of drone defense and offense is entering a new phase.

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Malmstrom Opens Wing1Werx Innovation Lab

A dedicated space for Airmen to focus on innovative ideas, dubbed the Innovation
Lab, has opened in the contracting building at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.
The lab is a large conference room equipped with Wi-Fi enabled tablets and a
virtual reality headset with drafting software. Airmen are able to turn their
ideas into tangible solutions by researching and corresponding with Department
of Defense organizations, academic sources and commercial partners.

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British Shell Out Seed Funding for ‘Loyal Wingman’ Combat Drone

A British initiative to develop an unmanned air vehicle known as a “loyal
wingman” has received a boost with the announcement by the Ministry of Defence
that a Spirit AeroSystems-led consortium is to build a full-scale test vehicle.
The Belfast, Northern Ireland-based arm of Spirit and partners, including
Northrop Grumman UK, have been awarded a £30 million (U.S. $41 million) deal to
lead a partnership, known as Team Mosquito, for building the demonstrator
vehicle in time to start a test flight program by the end of 2023.

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Official: Reciprocity Memos on DOD’s Cybersecurity Certification Program Are Ready

Prospective contractors will get credit toward the requirement for approvals by
three existing public and private auditing programs.

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US Space Force Acquisitions to Get Fresh Look, Lawmaker Wants Hearings

Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Tenn.) said lawmakers are concerned that Space Force programs
are not keeping up with rapid advances in commercial space technology.

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VA Secretary Nominee Faces Easy Confirmation Hearing, Difficult Task in Fixing Department

If Denis McDonough is confirmed as the next Veterans Affairs Secretary, he
won’t bring any personal military experience with him to the job, becoming
only the second non-veteran to lead the department. But on Jan. 27, the former
White House chief of staff vowed to use his unique background in navigating
federal bureaucracy and his passion for serving veterans to improve services at
the massive government agency, which has spent much of the last decade moving
from controversy to controversy.

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One More Thing...
Navy ‘UFO Patent’ Documents Talk of ‘Spacetime Modification Weapon,’ Detail Experimental Testing

The Navy spent three years and considerable sums of money testing the "Pais
Effect" and may have transferred the program to another agency.

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