Air Force Magazine
Daily Report for Feb. 24, 2021

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

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AFA’s Virtual Aerospace Warfare Symposium Starts Feb. 24

The Air Force Association’s virtual Aerospace Warfare Symposium kicks off Feb.
24, opening three days of non-stop activity featuring 40 panels and
presentations and the top leaders from the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force.

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USAF’s 2020 Accidents Include A-29 Crash That Disabled Airman
By Rachel S. Cohen

The Air Force saw 72 aviation accidents over the course of fiscal 2020—up from
62 in fiscal 2019—including an A-29 crash that partially disabled an American
Airman, according to Air Force Safety Center data. Thirteen of the 72 total
accidents caused injury or death. The most destructive accidents have increased
slightly since fiscal 2019, and those that incurred less damage rose as well.

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Lockheed, Government Negotiating New ‘Skinny’ F-35 Sustainment Deal
By John A. Tirpak

Lockheed Martin and the U.S. government are working on a new version of the F-35
performance-based logistics deal the company pitched 18 months ago. The
government was reluctant to give Lockheed as much sway over sustainment as it
originally offered, but the new plan will also see reduced savings, although
performance should increase and hourly operating costs decline.

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C-17s, C-130s Fly Dozens of Missions Delivering Water to Texans
By Brian W. Everstine

Several Air Mobility Command and Air National Guard C-17s and C-130s have
delivered dozens of pallets of bottled water to help people across Texas dealing
with water outages in the aftermath of winter storms. Beginning Feb. 19, Active
duty C-17s from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., and Joint Base Charleston, S.C.,
began flying missions into Texas to deliver water to several locations across
the state, while Texas Air National Guard C-130s have also transported loads of
water within the state. At the peak of the crisis, more than 12 million people
in the state were under boil water notices after record low temperatures.

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Ground Test T-7A Next-Gen Trainer Taking Shape
By John A. Tirpak

Boeing is assembling the first T-7A static ground test article and should have
it completed in a couple of months, company officials said Feb. 23. The ground
test article will serve to guarantee an 8,000-hour service life on the
production aircraft, the first of which will arrive early next year. Boeing
expects to build about 60 T-7As per year to meet the Air Force's requirement for
246 airframes.

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Brown Challenges Airmen to Cut Through Bureaucracy, Develop Bold Ideas
By Brian W. Everstine

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. is calling on Airmen to find
ways to cut through red tape and bureaucracy in order to meet mission needs
quickly, as the service is working to develop Airmen who are capable in jobs
outside their core career field. In a Feb. 22 letter to the force, Brown said he
has ordered wing commanders to find ways to empower Airmen at all levels, and
get out of the way. “Organizational structure is necessary, but we need Airmen
who can cut through slow, ineffective processes and accelerate positive
change,” Brown wrote in the memo.

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30 Years After Desert Storm: Feb. 24

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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GAO Calls for Stop to VA's Electronic Medical Record Rollout Until Early Problems Get Fixed

The federal government's watchdog agency has recommended that the Department of
Veterans Affairs postpone the rollout of its electronic health records system
until problems encountered in the initial deployment are fixed.

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OPINION: Keep All B-1 and B-2 Bombers Until the New B-21 is Available

“In its defense plans last year, the Air Force anticipated cutting its bomber
force by incrementally retiring all B-1s and B-2s in anticipation of entering
production of the new B-21 in the mid-2020s,” writes retired Air Force Lt.
Gen. John Michael Loh, a former Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force and Air
Combat Command boss. “The Air Force should rethink those baffling plans now
that bombers are playing a larger role.”

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AFRL Plans New Round of Low-Cost Attritable Aircraft Testing

The Air Force Research Laboratory released a call for proposals Feb. 22 inviting
companies to participate in a new low-cost attritable aircraft program focused
on reducing life-cycle and maintenance needs.

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GAO: Pentagon Didn't Fully Evaluate Costs, Readiness Effects of Deploying Troops to Border

The Pentagon did not fully evaluate potential costs and effects on readiness
before deploying troops to the U.S.-Mexico border during the Trump
administration, a watchdog report said Feb. 23.

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Russia Provides a Glimpse of Its Orion Drone Executing Combat Trials in Syria

The Orion drone, now said to be in production for Russia, is seen releasing both
apparent guided munitions and dumb bombs.

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Rocket Attack in Iraq Marks Third in One Week

Two rockets fell near the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on Feb. 22, the third such
attack in Iraq in the span of one week.

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Nearly 176,000 Troops Are Among Texans Getting Tax Deadline Extensions

Nearly 176,000 military members are among the residents of Texas who have
received a two-month extension for filing their federal income tax returns and
making tax payments, because of the recent winter storm that slammed many areas
of the state.

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Top Senate Republican Has ‘Serious Concerns’ over Pentagon Policy Pick

The top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee has "serious concerns"
over the nomination of Colin Kahl, President Joe Biden's pick to run the
Pentagon's policy shop. The news comes as the committee plans to hold a
confirmation hearing on March 4 for Kahl, according to three congressional
aides.

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From Master Sergeant to Master’s Degree and Doctorate, Shawna Hudson Finds Her Place

Overcoming a learning disability, this South L.A. native and Air Force veteran
fulfilled her dream of graduating from University of Southern California and now
teaches corporate America a lesson in racial bias.

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One More Thing...
The First F-15EX Fighter Jet Has Now Flown In Its Air Force Colors

The aircraft is slated to be one of the first two F-15EXs to be handed over to
the Air Force for test work in the coming months.

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