Air Force Magazine
Daily Report for Jan. 13, 2020

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

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Due Date Looms for Space Force’s First Org Chart
By Rachel S. Cohen

The Space Force has three weeks to come up with an initial organization plan
that Congress wants by Feb. 1, a service official said Jan. 10. Maj. Gen. John
Shaw, who serves as both US Space Command’s combined force space component
commander as well as the Space Force’s Space Operations Command boss, said at
an AFA Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies breakfast that they’re
considering who the Space Force should recruit and how, what new groups should
comprise the service, and how doctrine will shape the path forward.

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Investigation: Instructor Pilot Error Caused May T-6 Crash
By Brian W. Everstine

An instructor pilot’s lack of spatial awareness and a failure to follow a
stall recovery checklist caused the May 1 crash of a T-6 Texan II during a
training flight at Sheppard AFB, Texas, the Air Force states in a recently
released investigation. The pilots were able to eject and sustained minor
injuries, and the T-6 was completely destroyed in the crash at a loss of about
$5.7 million, according to the Air Education and Training Command accident
investigation board report released last month.

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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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Esper Pushes Readiness, Reform in New Year’s Message
By Rachel S. Cohen

Defense Secretary Mark Esper rallied the troops for the New Year in a letter
telling Pentagon employees to work hard, spend money wisely, and prioritize
their time well to maintain global military dominance. In a Jan. 2 memo to all
Defense Department personnel, Esper urged the armed forces to accept that they
will need to make sacrifices for the sake of the National Defense Strategy and
the “aggressive reforms” it requires.

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Walter Boyne, 1929-2020
By John A. Tirpak

Aviation author Walter Boyne, who wrote more than 50 books, had a noteworthy Air
Force career, and was a former director of the National Air & Space Museum, died
Jan. 9, at the age of 90. Boyne flew mainly bombers in the Air Force and, as
part of a special unit, was a “nuclear ace,” dropping five nuclear weapons
for testing. Several of his books made the New York Times bestseller list, and
he did foundational work creating the downtown Washington, D.C., National Air
and Space Museum, as well as its annex at Dulles Airport in Virginia. He also
worked in aviation-themed cable television, was chairman of the National
Aeronautic Association, and received numerous awards, including induction into
the National Aviation Hall of Fame.

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MacDill Resumes Normal Ops After Active Shooter Scare
By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

MacDill AFB, Fla., resumed normal operations around 9:14 a.m. on Jan. 10 after
reports of an active shooter on the base prompted a lockdown about two hours
earlier. After a search of the base, no suspect was found, and base officials
emphasized that no shots were fired and no employees were harmed in the
situation, according to a Facebook post.

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52nd Fighter Wing Identifies 2 Airmen Found Dead in Spangdahlem Dorm
By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

The 52nd Fighter Wing identified the two airmen whose bodies were discovered
“unresponsive” Jan. 9 in a dorm at Spangdahlem AB, Germany. Pronounced dead
soon after were A1C Xavier Leapheart and A1C Aziess Whitehurst, both 20. The two
airmen were assigned to the wing’s 52nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron,
according to a Jan. 12 release. The causes of death were still under
investigation as of Jan. 11, according to the wing.

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Radar Sweep

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On the Day US Forces Killed Soleimani, They Launched Another Secret Operation Targeting a Senior Iranian Official in Yemen

On the day the US military killed a top Iranian commander in Baghdad, US forces
carried out another top secret mission against a senior Iranian military
official in Yemen, according to US officials. The strike targeting Abdul Reza
Shahlai, a financier and key commander of Iran’s elite Quds Force who has been
active in Yemen, did not result in his death, according to four US officials
familiar with the matter.

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The Eagles Have Landed

US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles with the 494th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron,
deployed from RAF Lakenheath, UK, found a new home in the 378th Expeditionary
Operations Group. These F-15Es, known as the “Mighty Black Panthers,” are
capable of executing strategic attack, interdiction, and counter air missions in
support of joint and coalition combat operations.

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Boeing's Former CEO Muilenburg Denied Millions in Severance but Keeping Millions as Well

Boeing's former CEO Dennis Muilenburg, who resigned last month after 30 years
with the planemaker amid the Max Jet 737 crisis, is being denied millions in
severance but will still walk away with millions more.

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REPORT: The American AI Century: A Blueprint for Action

This report from the Center for a New American Security offers sensible ways to
ensure US leadership in the coming “AI century.” The recommendations provide
a framework for a national strategy for AI leadership.

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Senior US Africa Command Officials Visit Troops at Manda Bay

Senior US Africa Command officials visited partner forces and US troops
stationed at Camp Simba and Manda Bay Airfield, Kenya, Jan 9, following the Jan.
5 attack by al-Shabab militants at the airfield.

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Air Force Announces Spark Tank 2020 Selectees

The Air Force has selected six more ideas to be shared directly with Air Force
senior leaders at the Air Force Association’s Air Warfare Symposium, Feb. 28
in Orlando, Fla. The selection process looked at the need for specific
capabilities as well as concerns of safety, policy, Air Force-wide
implementation, technical feasibility, and scalability.

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IG Survey of Military Moves Finds Late Shipments, Missed Warnings

More than 40 percent of service members who moved in 2018 received their
shipments at least five days late because of "scheduling and equipment
problems," according to a Defense Department Inspector General report released
Jan. 9.

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New Mexico Fines Air Force $1.7 Million Over Groundwater

The New Mexico Environment Department on Jan. 10 assessed the US Air Force a
nearly $1.7 million fine for not complying with rules aimed at protecting
groundwater. The agency claims Cannon Air Force Base has released wastewater
despite not having a permit since March 2019.

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‘Chaos Is the Point’: Russian Hackers and Trolls Grow Stealthier in 2020

Groups linked to Russia’s intelligence agencies have recently been uncovered
boring into the network of an elite Iranian hacking unit and attacking
governments and private companies in the Middle East and Britain—hoping Tehran
would be blamed for the havoc. For federal and state officials charged with
readying defenses for the 2020 election, it was a clear message that the next
cyberwar was not going to be like the last.

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One More Thing...
Air Force Displays Model of Exotic and Potentially Revolutionary Hybrid Electric Airlifter

The propulsion concept, where gas turbines provide power for electric fans,
offers benefits in redundancy, performance, fuel economy, and more.

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