Air Force Magazine
Daily Report for Jan. 2, 2020

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14th Air Force Redesignated as Space Operations Command
By Amy McCullough

Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett redesignated 14th Air Force as Space
Operations Command following the Dec. 20 establishment of US Space Force as the
sixth military service. Airmen that were assigned to the numbered Air Force,
which was previously responsible for the organization, training, equipping,
command and control, and employment of USAF space forces, are now assigned to
SPOC. The new command, whose redesignation also went into effect on Dec. 20,
“directly supports the US Space Force’s mission to protect the interests of
the United States in space; deter aggression in, from, and to space; and conduct
space operations,” according to a Dec. 30 USAF release.

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US, Japanese F-35 Airmen Collaborate for Maintenance Symposium
By Jennifer Hlad

Maintainers from Hill AFB, Utah, recently traveled to Japan for an F-35
maintenance symposium designed to increase interoperability at every level.
Eight airmen from the 388th Maintenance Group worked with a Japan Air
Self-Defense Force F-35 maintenance squadron, first discussing lessons learned
and then working hands-on in the Japanese facilities on specific maintenance
tasks. The JASDF requested the subject matter expert exchange, and since the
F-35 program is still in its early stages, it seemed like the “perfect
opportunity to come in on the ground level and grow our interoperability
together,” explained CMSgt. Brian Kruzelnick, command chief master sergeant
for Fifth Air Force. However, Fifth Air Force doesn’t have any Joint Strike
Fighters. So they reached out to the 388th Fighter Wing—the only USAF combat
unit with F-35s.

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Empowering Disaster Response and Recovery From Space
When a natural disaster or emergency occur, an immediate and seamless response is necessary to
save lives. Operational and situational awareness becomes increasingly important to responders.
If critical infrastructure is down in the disaster zone, then the systems and networks required for
powering the relief efforts are compromised. Ground operations must look to space to solve their
communication needs. Read the full story.
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USAF Practices Joint All Domain C2, Expects $185 Million in Initial Funding
By Brian W. Everstine

The Air Force has kicked off its exercise and development of joint, all domain
command and control and is expecting the initiative to start in earnest with
$185 million in funding. The service recently trained for the first time with
its new Advanced Battle Management System at Eglin AFB, Fla.

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F-16 Downs Drone With Rocket for Cruise Missile Defense Test
By Brian W. Everstine

An Air Force F-16 recently shot down a targeting drone with an AGR-20A Advanced
Precision Kill Weapon System rocket queued by the Viper’s targeting pod for
the first time in a demonstration of future cruise missile defense.

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Let it Snow: Misawa Civil Engineers Welcome Winter Weather
By Jennifer Hlad

With an average snowfall of 150 inches per year over the last seven years, civil
engineers at Misawa AB, Japan, stay busy with 24-hour operations during the snow
season, priding themselves on keeping the airfield open regardless of weather
conditions. “We have the largest snow fleet in the entire Air Force here,”
said Col. Kristopher Struve, commander of the 35th Fighter Wing. “We can get a
foot of snow and we’ll be up and flying by 8 or 9 in the morning. It’s
pretty amazing.”

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Unoccupied Hangar at Minot Catches Fire
By Amy McCullough

The Air Force is investigating to see what caused a fire to break out in an
unoccupied hangar typically used for overflow snow removal equipment and
transient alert equipment at Minot AFB, N.D., days after Christmas. The fire,
which started around 5:15 p.m. local time on Dec. 28, burned for nearly 24 hours
before it was successfully extinguished at 2:57 p.m. on Dec. 29.


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Radar Sweep

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New in 2020: Top Uniformed Leaders Depart

The Air Force in 2020 will see the departure of its top uniformed
leaders—Chief of Staff Gen. Dave Goldfein and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air
Force Kaleth Wright.

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The Air Force’s Lifesaving U-2 Space Suit Is Evolving to Meet Modern Challenges

The aircraft's decades-long mission is to gather intelligence, and its
capabilities take pilots to the brink of space. But it would be impossible
without pressurized space suits. As the custom-made, smart-tech flight suits
continue to improve, there’s no shortage of cutting-edge ideas to keep U-2
pilots soaring, and engineers are using emerging technologies to add mobility
and develop even sleeker pressurized suits for the next batch of NASA astronauts
who are getting ready to head out into the final frontier.

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Air Force Studies Fatigue, Sleep to Enhance Readiness

The Air Force is studying sleep habits among airmen to find ways to improve
performance and ensure their readiness to support the mission. Researchers with
the Air Force Research Laboratory 711th Human Performance Wing, Wright-Patterson
AFB, Ohio, are looking for ways to better equip airmen and their leadership with
crucial data to ensure that airmen are getting the necessary rest to maximize
mission execution.

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Air Force Mourns Death of Longtime Football Assistant Coach Tom Miller

Longtime Air Force football assistant coach Tom Miller died Dec. 22 in Arizona,
an academy spokesman said. Miller coached for 23 years for the Falcons under
head coach Fisher DeBerry. He led the defensive line from 1984-89, outside
linebackers from 1990-2004, and was the special teams coordinator from 2000-05.
He coached kickers in 2005.

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Boeing to Deliver WGS-11 Communications Satellite to US Air Force by 2024

Boeing will deliver the 11th satellite of the Wideband Global Satellite
Communication (WGS) constellation to the US Air Force by 2024, the company said
Dec. 26. The announcement comes eight months after Boeing received a $605
million contract for the production of the WGS-11 satellite that Congress funded
in 2018.

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Air Force Surgeon Tells Story of How He Saved Life of CIA Officer with Shrapnel Brain Injury

An Air Force surgeon recounted the harrowing night he saved the life of a CIA
officer who had been injured in an explosion at a small base in Afghanistan a
decade ago.

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Air Force Base Announces New Restrictions on Personal Weapons

Beginning Jan. 2, airmen at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., will no longer be able
to carry their personal firearms on base, even if they lock them up in their
cars first.

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One More Thing...
Air Force Academy Planetarium, Closed for 15 years, Back to Life with Free Film

The renovated Air Force Academy Planetarium, which is in one of the academy’s
oldest buildings and had been closed for 15 years, has something modern to offer
new audiences and students. And it’s all about “Superpower Dogs.” These
superhero canines, who save lives, rescue avalanche victims and save endangered
species, are on the screen with the planetariums’ new state-of-the-art
projection and immersive surround sound.

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