Air Force Magazine
Daily Report for Jan. 7, 2020

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Edited by Amy McCullough with Brian W. Everstine, Rachel S. Cohen and Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

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Esper: No Decision to Leave Iraq Following Parliament’s Vote
By Brian W. Everstine

There are no plans to remove forces from Iraq following the Iraqi Parliament’s
non-binding resolution calling on the government to kick coalition forces from
the country, despite a mistakenly released letter detailing plans to withdraw,
top Pentagon officials said Jan. 6. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen.
Mark Milley said the release of the draft letter was a mistake. It had not been
signed, and was in coordination with other leaders when it emerged online.
“There has been no decision whatsoever to leave Iraq,” Defense Secretary
Mark Esper said.

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Democrats Push War Powers Resolutions to Defuse Iran Tensions
By Rachel S. Cohen

The House this week will vote on a war powers resolution aimed at limiting
military conflict with Iran following the Jan. 3 airstrike that killed Quds
Force commander Gen. Qassem Soleimani in Iraq, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said
Jan. 5. If passed, the resolution would stop military hostilities against Iran
within 30 days unless Congress decides to green-light further action. Freshman
Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), a former CIA and Pentagon analyst who focused on
Shiite militias, will lead the legislative push.

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Hill Conducts Massive F-35 Elephant Walk
By Brian W. Everstine

The Air Force’s F-35 operating base on Jan. 6 conducted a massive elephant
walk, launching 52 jets in a row. The Active Duty 388th and Reserve 419th
Fighter Wings conducted the Combat Power Exercise to demonstrate “their
ability to employ a large force of F-35As." Launching 52 jets simultaneously
shows an improved readiness rate in the fleet, which had been lagging for years.

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Soldier Killed in Al-Shabab Attack Identified
By Brian W. Everstine

The Jan. 5 attack on a US-operation airstrip in Kenya killed US Army Spc. Henry
Mayfield Jr., along with two American contractors who have yet to be identified.
Two more American service members were injured in the attack. Al-Shabab also
reportedly spread rumors online that US Africa Command boss Gen. Stephen
Townsend was killed in the attack, prompting him to say in a statement that
“reports of my death are greatly exaggerated. This is yet another example of
the lies, propaganda, and fake news coming from al-Shabab and other malign
actors such as Iran and its proxies.”

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SECDEF Chief of Staff Chewning Stepping Down
By Brian W. Everstine

Eric Chewning, the chief of staff to Defense Secretary Mark Esper, will step
down this month, the latest in a series of high-profile officials to leave the
Pentagon. Jen Stewart, currently the minority staff director for the House Armed
Services Committee, will take over the role. Chewning’s exit follows the
resignation of other officials, including the DARPA director, assistant
secretary for Indo-Pacific security affairs, and a senior adviser for
international cooperation. A Defense Department spokeswoman said several new
appointees are expected to join the Pentagon in the near future.

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DOD Installations Double Down on Security After Iraq Strike

Military installations near the nation’s capital are stepping up security
following the targeted killing of Qasem Soleimani on Jan. 3.

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Radar Sweep

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OPINION: Two Chiefs–One Mission

“Within the Department of the Air Force, we now have two military services and
two service chiefs,” writes AFA President retired Lt. Gen. Bruce “Orville”
Wright. “Together, they share one mission: to guarantee that America can count
on the professionalism, courage, and experience of our airmen in the Air Force
and Space Force to ensure compelling national security and warfighter
credibility in air, space, and cyberspace.”

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OPINION: To Deter War with Iran, US Should Use Its Asymmetric Edge: Air Power

“The best way to deter Iran now is to supplement the power projection
capability of US air forces in the region by forward deploying fully armed and
loaded stealth B-2 bombers, F-22s, and additional stealth F-35s to the
region—the Mullahs will get the message,” writes retired USAF Lt. Gen. David
Deptula, dean of AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. “Peace
through strength is key to deterring open conflict with Iran—projecting fear
or appeasement is not.”

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45th Space Wing Prepares for First Launch Under the US Space Force

The SpaceX launch of Starlink satellites scheduled for Jan. 6 from Cape
Canaveral Air Force Station on the Florida Space Coast will be the first launch
of 2020 and also the 45th Space Wing’s inaugural launch as part of the US
Space Force.

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'Captain Marvel' Effect? Air Force Academy Sees Most Female Applicants in 5 Years

When the Brie Larsen blockbuster "Captain Marvel" rolled out earlier this year,
the Air Force launched an all-out recruiting effort, hoping to capitalize on the
story of female fighter pilot-turned superhero Carol Danvers.

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New Weapons System Completes First Live Mission

After four years of planning, the 752nd Operations Support Squadron has
successfully completed their first live mission on the AN/TYQ-23A weapons system
at Tinker Air Force Base. The ground-based weapons system allows squadron
members at Tinker AFB to provide command and control to both live and simulated
aircraft from around the country.

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$98 Billion Expected for Military Drone Market

Global spending on unmanned aerial vehicles is poised for a major expansion in
the coming decade as militaries invest about $98 billion in new intelligence
gathering and strike capabilities, experts say. The Teal Group, an aerospace and
defense industry market analysis firm, expects worldwide
research-and-development and procurement spending on drones to rise from a
projected $11.1 billion in 2020 to $14.3 billion by 2029—nearly a 30 percent
increase.

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REPORT: The Cost of Replacing Today’s Naval Aviation Fleet

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that purchasing new aircraft to
maintain the aviation fleet of the Navy and Marine Corps at its current size
would cost about $380 billion (in 2018 dollars) from 2020 to 2050. Annual costs
would range from $7 billion to $17 billion.

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Ipsos’ Bricker on 2019 Global Security Poll

Darrell Bricker, CEO of Ipsos Public Affairs, discusses the latest global
security poll unveiled at the opening of the 2019 Halifax International Security
Forum in Nova Scotia, Canada.

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One More Thing...
Vietnam War POW Meets Widow of Pilot Who Shot His Plane Down

Lt. Col. James Williams, a Douglass High School graduate and Tennessee State
University alum, was soon to wrap up his tour when his F-4D Phantom fighter jet
got shot down on May 20, 1972. He was part of the US Air Force and US Navy’s
bombing campaign against North Vietnam known as Operation Linebacker I.

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