Air Force Magazine
Daily Report for Jan. 14, 2020

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Edited by Amy McCullough with Rachel S. Cohen, Jennifer Hlad and Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

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Report: MQ-9 Crash Caused by Faulty Engine Design
By Rachel S. Cohen

An MQ-9 Reaper’s engine design led the drone to crash about 20 minutes after
takeoff while deployed overseas in September 2018, a recently released Air Force
accident investigation concluded. “Engineering analysis of the data logs,
engine components, and propeller governor, as well as reports from Honeywell
Aerospace, Woodward, Inc., and [General Atomics] in this mishap prove, by the
preponderance of the evidence, this mishap was caused by the design of the
engine installed in the MQ-9A aircraft due to the possibility of failure at
higher altitudes and low power settings,” Lt. Col. Ryan Kennedy, who ran the
investigation board, wrote in the report. General Atomics, which builds the
MQ-9, declined to answer whether the company is redesigning the engine as a
result of the investigation.

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Grassroots Kadena Exercise Tests Base Defenses, Expeditionary Capabilities
By Jennifer Hlad

More than 50 aircraft from three US bases took to the air over Kadena AB, Japan,
Jan. 10 for a complex joint exercise simulating an attack on the largest USAF
base in the Pacific. “Kadena was defending itself today,” explained Capt.
Brian Davis, the exercise director and a pilot with the 67th Fighter Squadron.
The exercise, dubbed West Pac Rumrunner, included Navy aircraft from Marine
Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Marines from Marine Corps Air Station Futenma,
soldiers from the 1st Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment, and Air
Force special operators, along with airmen and several types of aircraft from
Kadena. In addition to the main defensive counter-air scenario, it also
incorporated water rescue training, agile combat employment, forward air
refueling. As part of the exercise, troops had to accomplish their mission even
though the communication channel to the main headquarters was cut off. “One of
the main focuses of West Pac Rumrunner is, ‘What do we have and what can we do
with it,’” Davis said.

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AG Calls NAS Pensacola Shooting Terrorism; Saudi Arabia Recalls 21 Cadets

US Attorney General William Barr on Jan. 13 declared the Dec. 6, 2019, shooting
at NAS Pensacola, Fla., “an act of terrorism." Three US Navy sailors were
killed in the attack and eight more Americans were “severely wounded."
Although the FBI’s counterterrorism investigation has determined, thus far,
the shooter acted alone, Saudi Arabia is immediately recalling 21 of its
military cadets after the bureau’s deep-dive revealed actions it deemed
“unbecoming an officer” in its air force and naval ranks.

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USAF Wants Electronic Warfare Prototypes for Possible Demo
By Rachel S. Cohen

The Air Force is calling on defense contractors to offer new technologies that
can launch attacks via the electromagnetic spectrum and protect against enemy
signal jamming, according to a Jan. 13 solicitation. "Traditional EW system
acquisition approaches lead to stagnant and irrelevant capabilities,” the Air
Force said. Hoping to move faster than the typical, years-long Pentagon
procurement process, the service is looking for a “rapidly configurable EW
system” with electronic attack and support capabilities that can take on
existing and future threats.

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“Bad Day” PT Policy Coming Soon
By Amy McCullough

The Air Force plans to implement diagnostic fitness testing across the force as
early as February, while Air Force Materiel Command will roll out a beta version
of the no-fail trial tests on Jan. 20. Currently, airmen are tested once or
twice a year, depending on their fitness scores, but under AFMC’s beta
program, airmen can take up to three “mock tests” as long as they are
current on their fitness assessments. “Physical fitness is crucial to our
ability to meet mission requirements,” Air Force Materiel Command boss Gen.
Arnold Bunch said in a USAF release. “The diagnostic assessments will give
airmen an idea of their current fitness level and where they may need to improve
prior to their test due date. This is part of an overall effort to continue to
encourage a culture of fitness among all of our airmen that includes year-round
physical conditioning and healthy eating habits.”

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USAF Officer May Become DOD’s First Female Muslim Chaplain
By Jennifer-Leigh Oprihory

Air Force Second Lt. Saleha Jabeen is on the road to becoming the first female
Muslim chaplain in the US military. The former Army Medical Corpsman received
her Ecclesiastical Endorsement from the Islamic Society of North America and
commissioned into the Air Force as a chaplain candidate on Dec. 18, 2019,
according to a Jan. 10 USAF release.

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Radar Sweep

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Esper Says He ‘Didn't See’ Specific Evidence Showing Iranian Threat to 4 US Embassies

In a Jan. 12 appearance on CBS’ “Face the Nation,” Defense Secretary Mark
Esper said he "didn't see" specific evidence that top Iranian military commander
Qassem Soleimani was planning attacks on four US embassies, but said he believed
such attacks would have occurred.

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Army Generals Converge on Classified Air Force Conference for JADC2 Talks

The Air Force’s annual classified conference on command and control will host
an unprecedented Army delegation as the two services wrestle with how to
coordinate better in a future war. In fact, senior officers from all four
services will attend the C2 Summit 2020, which has traditionally been an Air
Force event, at Nellis Air Force Base.

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Calhoun Assumes Duties as Boeing CEO, Sets 2020 Goals

David Calhoun, a former GE executive, laid out his priorities for the year in a
letter to Boeing as he formally assumed the role of president and CEO of the US
aerospace giant. As expected, his first priority lies with returning the 737 Max
to service. “We’ll get it done, and we’ll get it done right,” he
proclaimed.

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Former DARPA Director Walker Named Lockheed Martin’s Chief Technology Officer

Former Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Director Steven Walker has been
named vice president and chief technology officer of Lockheed Martin Corp.,
effective Jan. 13. Walker replaces Keoki Jackson, who will become Lockheed
Martin’s chief engineer and vice president of engineering and program
operations, the company said in a statement Jan. 9.

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General Officer Announcements

Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced Jan. 13 that President Donald Trump has
promoted 35 USAF colonels to brigadier general.

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House Passes Trio of 5G Security Bills

Together, the measures aim to promote a safer rollout of the highly-anticipated,
next-generation mobile networks.

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DRAGON Simulator to Augment AWACS Training

A new Air Force Life Cycle Management Center simulator will train pilots and
flight engineers operating the E-3 Sentry, or AWACS, aircraft updated with
cockpit modifications known as DRAGON, which stands for Diminishing
Manufacturing Sources Replacement of Avionics for Global Operations and
Navigation.

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Air Force Agrees to Pease Health Study Amid Cancer Concerns

Officials at the Air National Guard’s 157th Air Refueling Wing at Pease ANGB,
N.H., announced that the Air Force will conduct “an occupational health study
at the base” beginning this year.

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Ruling Barring Discharge of HIV-Positive Airmen Upheld for Now

The airmen sued in 2018, arguing that there is no rational basis for prohibiting
deployment of service members with HIV. The men argue that major advancements in
treatment mean the airmen can easily be given appropriate medical care and
present no real risk of transmission to others.

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One More Thing...
Pentagon Tells Military Personnel Not to Use at-Home DNA Kits

The tests might be sold without independent confirmation of their claims, the
officials said—a fact that poses more risk to military members than regular
consumers. Inaccuracies could negatively affect the required disclosure of those
members' medical information, a Dec. 20, 2019, memo obtained by NBC News said.
“Moreover, there is increased concern in the scientific community that outside
parties are exploiting the use of genetic materials for questionable purposes,
including mass surveillance and the ability to track individuals without their
authorization or awareness,” the memo said.

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