Air Force World By Amy McCullough, News Editor
Three Airmen Die in Japan Sept. 29 realigned the 9th Reconnaissance Wing at Beale Three airmen on temporary duty at Kadena Air Base on the AFB, Calif., and the 55th Wing at Offutt AFB, Neb., under Japanese island of Okinawa died Oct. 5. They were washed 25th Air Force. out to sea as Typhoon Phanfone raged around the island. SMSgt. James Swartz, 51, was pronounced dead at a local hospital after the Japanese Coast Guard pulled him from the sea. He was an aerospace propulsion superintendent with the 116th Air Control Wing, Robins AFB, Ga. screenshot HH-60s from Kadena and the Japanese Coast Guard searched for the remaining two airmen, MSgt. Daniel Paschal, 34, and SSgt. Joshua Schoenhoff, 27. Rough seas complicated the rescue efforts, but their bodies were recovered on Oct. 7 and 8. Paschal, also with the 116th Air Control Wing, was an aerospace propulsion craftsman. Schoenhoff was an instru- ment and fl ight control specialist with the 461st Air Control 10.05.2014 Wing at Robins. Airmen at Robins AFB, Ga., prepare to load a C-60 Lodestar Welcome Back, 19th Air Force aircraft into a C-5M Super Galaxy to transport it to the Air Air Education and Training Command reactivated 19th Mobility Command Museum at Dover AFB, Del. The C-5M is Air Force on Oct. 1. The new numbered air force, which had USAF’s only transport capable of carrying the World War II-era been inactivated in 2012, was brought back at the direction of aircraft. Gen. Robin Rand, AETC commander, who identifi ed a need for “realigning responsibilities to reinforce proper command relationships and training oversight,” according to an Air Force press release. The new 19th Air Force is headquartered at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, and will include 19 training locations, 10 regular Air Force wings, six Guard and Reserve wings, approximately 32,000 personnel, and 1,350 aircraft spanning 29 different models. Maj. Gen. Michael A. Keltz is commander of the numbered air force. “This restructuring within AETC will move all formal aircrew fl ying training missions under General Keltz’s command,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, accord- ing to a Sept. 29 news release. “AETC has a wide range of responsibility when it comes to training and educating air- men. Our fl ying training mission requires a signifi cant level of coordinated oversight to ensure our airmen in the skies remain the best in the world, and 19th Air Force will take on that responsibility.”
ISR Agency Becomes 25th Air Force The Air Force on Sept. 29 redesignated the Air Force Intel- ligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance Agency as 25th Air Force during a ceremony at JBSA-Lackland, Texas. The new numbered air force aligns under Air Combat Com- mand and oversees ISR matters—analysis and production, platforms and sensors, and targeting analytics—for the combat air forces, according to a news release. “Placing 25th Air Force under ACC is all about operations effectiveness,” said Gen. Gilmary Michael Hostage III, ACC commander, who offi ciated at the ceremony. “It’ll be the one- stop shop for operational ISR within the Air Force, which will streamline program accuracy and presentation by the Air Force,” he said. Maj. Gen. John N. T. “Jack” Shanahan, who led AFISRA since June 2013, became 25th Air Force commander during the ceremony. As part of the changes, the Air Force also on
22 AIR FORCE Magazine / November 2014 Nuclear Airmen Get Special Duty Pay It will take several months before these airmen will see the Airmen in selected nuclear career fi elds are now eligible bump in their pay, but the Air Force will retroactively compen- for assignment incentive pay and special duty assignment sate them back to the Oct. 1 start date, states the release. Air pay. Effective Oct. 1, selected offi cers and enlisted airmen in Force Secretary Deborah Lee James unveiled this initiative 11 nuclear career fi elds and assignment areas will receive in September. between $75 and $300 per month, according to an Oct. 2 press release. Agencies Realigned Under AFMC “The airmen selected for this incentive are critical members In a step toward the formal stand-up of the Air Force In- of our Air Force’s No. 1 mission,” said Col. Zannis Pappas, stallation and Mission Support Center in 2015, the Air Force nuclear and missile operations career fi eld manager on the realigned four operating agencies and two other organizations Air Staff. under Air Force Materiel Command. Eligible for the extra pay are command post airmen, nuclear As of Oct. 1, now under AFMC are: the Air Force Civil En- aircraft maintainers, security forces, missile maintainers, air- gineer Center, Air Force Financial Services Center, Air Force craft armament systems technicians, and nuclear weapons Installation Contracting Agency, Air Force Security Forces and support personnel for ICBM complexes, among others. Center, the Air Force Cost Analysis Agency’s Financial Man- USAF photo by Greg L. Davis L. Greg by photo USAF
AIR FORCE Magazine / November 2014 23 Air Force World Boeing photo Boeing
agement Center of Expertise, and the Air Force Personnel Hey, Whatcha Doin’ Up There?: X-37B Orbital Test Ve- Center’s Services Directorate. hicle (OTV-3), USAF’s unmanned reusable spaceplane, landed The Air Force activated AFIMSC in August and tempo- at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., Oct. 17 after a 674-day mission on orbit around the Earth. The nature of the mission was not rarily located it at JB Andrews, Md. The center is meant to publicly announced, but the X-37B performs risk reduction, consolidate major command-level installation and mission experimentation, and concept of operations development for support activities and save the service money. reusable space vehicle technologies.
“Centralized management of installation support capabili- Revamped AEF Construct Launches ties at AFIMSC affords opportunity to make strategic deci- sions for the Air Force on installation support, maximizing The Air Force launched its revamped air and space the available resources,” said Gen. Janet C. Wolfenbarger, expeditionary forces construct, known as AEF Next, AFMC commander, in a news release. in October. The Air Force is scheduled to select a permanent location Under the new deployment model, airmen deploying for the center from 10 candidate locations in early 2015. overseas will have a more stable one-to-two split between deployment and dwell time at home station. The new Silveria Becomes First F-35A Qualifi ed General Offi cer construct will also keep larger groups of personnel of Maj. Gen. Jay B. Silveria, commander of the Air Force the same unit together during deployments. Warfare Center at Nellis AFB, Nev., is the first general officer “Previously, Air Force specialty codes played a large to qualify as an F-35A strike fighter pilot. Silveria received role in determining an airman’s battle rhythm and deploy- his qualification Sept. 26 after landing an F-35A at Eglin ment location; the redesign focuses on aligning airmen AFB, Fla., following a flight that completed the seven-week to deploy with their unit,” said Col. Stephen Hart, chief training program. of the Air Force’s war planning and policy division. Silveria was chosen to receive the F-35 training due to his The redesign will give most, but not all, airmen a position at the Warfare Center. It is responsible for current standardized battle rhythm of six-month deployments and future F-35A operational testing, tactics development, separated by 12 months at home. There may still be and eventual advanced training exercises and weapons some airmen in high-demand specialties who deploy school, according to an Air Combat Command news release. under a different scheduling construct, stated the Sept. “The Warfare Center is so involved with the development 5 release. and future of this aircraft that it was important for me to see Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, who approved and experience this new program at the lowest tactical level” the changes in April 2013, called the new model “a more and to bring that experience to higher level discussions, effi cient way to get the job done.” said Silveria, a veteran F-15 pilot. (See “Critical Patch, Smaller Window,” p. 60).
24 AIR FORCE Magazine / November 2014 Dover To Start Construction of New Runway The TBM-700 light business and utility turboprop airplane Dover AFB, Del., is preparing for the removal and reconstruc- bound for Naples, Fla., crashed off the coast of Jamaica on tion of the base’s primary runway, Lt. Col. Steven Sylvester, Sept. 5. It was carrying two people. the 436th Airlift Wing’s chief of safety, told Air Force Magazine. According to a CNN report, fi ghter pilots tracking the airplane The $98.3 million overhaul on the 69-year-old 01-19 run- saw a pilot slumped over. As the aircraft entered into Cuban way will address drainage issues, cracking, and spalling of airspace, the F-15 escorts returned to the base for refueling, the concrete. but continued to monitor the airplane’s whereabouts via radar, The 18 C-5s on base, he said, will remain operative over according to NORAD updates. most of the 16 months of construction, but they will have to be temporarily relocated in early 2016 for “roughly four-to-six Rosecrans Adds C-130H Weapons Instructor Course months.” Sylvester said the location of the temporary home The Advanced Airlift Tactics Training Center at Rosecrans for the C-5s is not yet known. Memorial Arpt., Mo., is adding a C-130H weapons instructor The runway is estimated to be completed “mid-June of 2016.” course to its curriculum. Rosecrans is home of the Missouri Air National Guard’s SDB II Moves Into Low-Rate Initial Production 139th Airlift Wing. The doctorate-level course is designed to Raytheon and the Air Force recently completed three teach tactics and leadership to C-130H pilots and navigators. successful tests of the Small Diameter Bomb II Guided Test On completion of the six-month course, they “will take key Vehicle, passing the last trials required for the start of low-rate positions” in Air Guard and Air Force Reserve Command initial production of the GTV. wings around the nation, “making our C-130 fleet stronger In the test drops, the SDB II’s tri-mode seeker guided the and more capable,” said Army Maj. Gen. Stephen L. Danner, bombs to direct hits against both stationary and moving tar- Missouri National Guard adjutant general. gets, Raytheon said. The seeker was able to use sensor data The center will offer two WICs a year, beginning in Febru- to determine whether the targeted vehicles were wheeled ary 2015, with each course having six students, according or tracked, enhancing target identifi cation and prioritization, to an Aug. 28 press release. The center is expected to add according to a Sept. 4 company news release. some 30 new positions for the course. The SDB II can strike targets from up to 46 miles and enables pilots to change targets after release via a secure data link. Martinsburg Gets First C-17 Two live fi re tests are scheduled that will use SDB IIs with The West Virginia Air National Guard’s 167th Airlift Wing live warheads and fuzes to strike tactically representative targets, Raytheon said. The Pentagon has validated SDB II as I Like To Move It, Move It: SSgt. John May (l) and SrA. meeting a critical combat need and has invested more than Alex Vincent (r), of the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd $700 million in its development. Contingency Response Group, carry equipment into the Joint Operations Center at Léopold Sédar Senghor Arpt., Dakar, Sen- egal, Oct. 5. The airmen were in Senegal for Operation United NORAD F-15s Track Unresponsive Aircraft Assistance. The mission funneled humanitarian supplies and Two F-15s under the direction of North American Aero- equipment into West Africa as part of the international effort space Defense Command scrambled in early September to to fi ght Ebola. DOD has committed to deploying up to 3,000 investigate and accompany an unresponsive aircraft fl ying troops for the relief operation. See “Airmen Deploy to Africa for over the Caribbean Sea. Ebola Relief Mission,” p. 27. ANG photo by Maj. Dale Greer Dale Maj. by photo ANG
AIR FORCE Magazine / November 2014 25 Ai F e in Martinsburg received its first C-17 transport as part of its transition from operating C-5As to the newer airlifter. e A a e en i n ee E a a i n The C-17 touched down at Eastern West Virginia Airport e r or e or r m eme e on Sept. 25—the same day the unit flew its final training b o e o e 4 re omme o rom r sortie with the C-5. o r omm re or o o o “I know that [wing] members are excited to be moving to reve ve e re o o e a weapons system with a strong future,” said Col. Shaun J. e m o or o over me Perkowski, 167th Airlift Wing commander. Accountability Office report, released Sept. 9. The 167th is slated to take delivery of its full comple- o ever e erv e o e me o ment of eight C-17s by July 2015. The wing is scheduled o ev e e e e ve e o orre ve o to officially introduce the C-17 in early December and then states the report. commence C-17 flying operations in January. o e b over r me or The wing has been operating C-5As since March 2007. or ev e e e ve e o o o reve Its remaining C-5s are scheduled to depart by May 2015 for e r b r e r or e retirement in the Air Force’s aircraft “Boneyard” at Davis- o o e er o e e or m e Monthan AFB, Ariz. mented or undertake different actions,” states the report. R ian Agg e i n i igi an Eag e or ere omm ve o 2012 after 34 basic military training instructors at JBSA- A multilateral exercise with the US, Canada, and Rus- e ere m e e sia was canceled because of Russia’s continued military or other improper sexual actions with recruits. The aggression in Ukraine, according to several news reports. re re or re omme e 4 o e e Vigilant Eagle has typically been conducted near Alaska, o o e m o o e v o or in August or September, since 2007. During last year’s better serve the victims. exercise, which utilized both US and Russian airspace, ve e e r or e re o e o Canadian CF-18s and Russian Sukhois scrambled to iden- it had fully implemented 39 of the recommendations, tify and follow a “hijacked” aircraft. Air Force and Russian partially implemented six, and took no action on one. command and control aircraft also participated. re omme e e r or e e b over Alaska’s News-Miner newspaper reported that the 2014 framework to evaluate the effectiveness of its efforts. exercise would have included the Japan Self-Defense Force for the first time.
Ai a i na a a e a in A O E e i e Europe. The exercise took place over Estonia, Germany, Nearly 140 Air National Guardsmen participated in the Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. NATO-led exercise, Steadfast Javelin II, in Eastern Europe. The airmen from six ANG bases supported the exercise F C n Fina O e a i na e “by providing personnel air drop and air landings in support The Air Force closed out the development phase of the of forcible entry, force projection, and reinforcing the joint QF-16 program on Sept. 5 when an unmanned Viper was commitment,” states a Sept. 10 release. shot down over the Gulf of Mexico. The US supplied 10 ANG C-130 aircraft to provide airlift The final operational test was a joint effort between the support. Air National Guardsmen from the 166th Airlift Wing Test and Training Division at Eglin AFB, Fla., and the 82nd in Delaware, California’s 146th AW, the 123rd AW from Aerial Target Squadron at Tyndall AFB, Fla. Kentucky, Missouri’s 139th AW, 182nd AW from Illinois, and It “was the culmination of years of planning and aircrew the 143rd AW from Rhode Island all participated. training specifically tailored to stand up the next generation Steadfast Javelin II spanned Sept. 2-8 and was part of of full-scale aerial targets,” said Lt. Col. Ryan Inman, 82nd another two-week exercise, Sabre Junction, led by US Army ATRS commander.
By the Numbers 120 e n e i e i ing in e Ai F e C A ega an e
AIR FORCE Magazine / November 2014 e a n e i
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Ca a ie re o e o ro er o e e r re robe 21 o o 2 4 mer e would have identified friendlies. The B-1’s Sniper targeting er o r ree om e o e 2 4 roo o o ee e robe o r e r me o e e e v e e e 1 04 ere e o e e em e 0 e A g an e i Ag ee en igne o omb e er mo o er o o e e e o ere ve bee 20 02 roo o e o r o ee re e m r e e or re e r o e 0 e e o e e b er e r reeme e e C ni a i n Mi a e e F a i i e o o o o or e reeme N omm o mo e ro or e re e r b m r e e reeme ve r or e o erm o ro er m e bo e bo N or e e e e r e ro e o r e b o 1 rov o e r or e o rem o r v e o o to the “friendly fire” incident that killed five US soldiers and e e o e er o e r e or e o e o er e e er or m o e ember o e r omm ve o re e e e 4 “The BSA reflects our continued commitment to support e e member e e e o e r or m o e e over me e oo or r o o e ve e o e e ve e e e e me or e over me o eme e r re e oor o re e m ro er r er re e overe b target identification,” the investigating officer, Air Force Maj. ro er o r b e o o r re e e re rr e re or goal of defeating al Qaeda and its extremist affiliates,” e om e omb o re e e b m e e o r m e e e m er oo e r er o m e e N e re r e er system’s capabilities,” executed standard tactics, and com e reeme o e e er or oo er o municated effectively, “this tragic incident was avoidable.” be ee N o r r er e N o e r r e o rre e ro or e Security Forces.” took fire from insurgents and the six soldiers moved to e e N rov e e e b or e er ro o orm e r omm er e e o o o m o bbe er o e o e rm e ro omm er m oo or be o 1 201 m e group’s muzzle flashes for insurgents and directed the B-1 N o rem omm e o e v e o ro o bomb o o er e er e e r or e ro 201
The QF-16 was targeted by air-to-air missiles after an manitarian relief operations in countries suffering Ebola auto-takeoff from Tyndall, stated a news release. outbreaks. “The aging fleet of the QF-4s and their limited capabili- The airmen, accompanied by the Expeditionary Medical ties against modern fighters have rendered the aerial target Support System (EMEDS), supported a 25-bed deploy- workhorse, Phantom II, at its technological limit,” Inman said. able hospital facility designed to treat a population of up “The QF-16 initiates the next chapter in advanced aerial to 6,500, according to a press release. While in Africa, the targets, predominately in support of more technologically airmen will train the international health workers on the superior air-to-air weapons test and evaluation programs.” proper use and application of the medical equipment in the new pop-up facility. Ai en e A i a E a Re ie Mi i n Generally, EMEDS are set up for trauma care, said Navy Airmen from the 633rd Medical Group at JB Langley- Rear Adm. Scott Giberson, acting deputy surgeon general Eustis, Va., departed for Africa Sept. 26 to support hu- for the US Public Health Service. The use of an EMEDS unit for “an infectious pathogen and treatment of international In e A e i e health care workers” may set a precedent, he said. oe 1 1 21 2 C e ing i e a Can e Re ea e o e 1 With budgets getting tighter, the Air Force is seeking to 11 adopt a cost-saving practice the trucking industry has used e er om for decades, putting new tread on worn-out tires instead of o ee r 4 throwing them away. er er 1 Nor ro r mm over over To advance that effort, the C-17 Global Reach Integrated Test Team at Edwards AFB, Calif., has been putting new over Dunlop tires through rigorous testing to ensure they can handle the widely varying runway surfaces, weather condi- Airpower Classics oo tions, and operational considerations they will face. or or e ember r ore “While structural integrity and load capability are tested AFA Legal Benefits...... 90 in a laboratory, parameters such as wet-runway stopping AFA Member Benefits Guide ...... 45-48 distance and minimum aircraft turning radius have to be o r b o tested in the real world with a wet runway,” said Michael
AIR FORCE Magazine / November 2014 Ai F e
The shorter course will allow the college to increase the F Main enan e C n i a i n egin number of students from 3,600 to 4,700 a year and will go into effect on Oct. 1. That should enable all Active Duty e o o o o e o m e e or e 22 captains to attend the school and open more slots for Air or be e ember e National Guard, Air Force Reserve, Defense Department reme r er o or rom o ee r civilians, and international officers. The change also is o e r o om e r or e expected to save $1.9 million annually. er e omm o e e The shorter course will be a modification of the existing e e o o o e r e o e or e o curriculum that focuses on leadership, communications, modification and heavy maintenance, currently split warfare, the profession of arms, and international security be ee e o ee m e studies. Calif., is intended to improve efficiency and reduce cost. A comprehensive business case analysis by the A aining a n A i a e a M F-22 System Program Office determined the consoli The 81st Fighter Squadron at Moody AFB, Ga., formally stood up on Oct. 1. It will train Afghan pilots to fly the A-29 dation could save more than $300 million over the life Super Tucano. The squadron was slated to begin training o e ro r m by the end of October, stated a release. Based on those findings, the program office, Ogden, The 81st Fighter Squadron is a geographically separated o ee m eme e 21 mo reme unit of the 14th Flying Training Wing, based at Columbus AFB, transition plan that will require improvements at the Miss., and is responsible for training international airmen. ALC, movement of support equipment, and hiring of The squadron is expected to train 30 Afghan pilots and some 200 new workers at Ogden. 90 maintainers under a requirement from the International The consolidation “will create greater efficiency in Security Assistance Force, leader of the NATO-supported e 22 ro r m b o e r or e o o effort to support Afghanistan in its fight against the Taliban effectively maintain the F-22 and ensure this critical insurgency. front-line weapon system is readily available to the The A-29 light air support aircraft will replace the Mi-35 warfighter,” said Maj. Gen. H. Brent Baker Sr., Ogden attack helicopters currently flown by the Afghan Air Force. omm er The Tucanos will be “a monumental leap in capabilities,” said Ogden will add six production lines—the first opened Lt. Col. Jeffrey Hogan, the A-29 light air support training e ember re ebr unit commander. ary 2015. a gain C A g an C n i n C an Sixteen of the 20 C-27A transports the Air Force bought for the Afghan Air Force for $486 million did not to meet Quinton, 773rd Test Squadron project engineer, according operational requirements in Afghanistan and were sold to a Sept. 10 news release. as scrap for $32,000, the Special Inspector General for The Dunlop tires are intended to replace the Michelin Afghanistan Reconstruction said. tires that have been used on C-17s. The key difference is In letters addressed to Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel that the Dunlops incorporate tighter geometric tolerances and Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James, SIGAR John designed to facilitate retreading. F. Sopko said the transports, also designated as G222, sat on the tarmac at Kabul Airport for a considerable e e Rea e time “experiencing continuous and severe operational Members of the New York Air National Guard’s 107th Airlift difficulties, including a lack of spare parts,” before they Wing at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station flew the unit’s final were sold to the Afghan construction company for six mission at the controls of a C-130 transport before converting cents a pound. to their new mission: operating MQ-9 remotely piloted aircraft. The fate of the other four C-27s, currently at Ramstein “We are transitioning from the C-130, which we’ve been AB, Germany, has not been decided. Sopko said he was flying since 2008 and have become comfortable with, having “concerned the officials responsible for planning and deployed with it to Iraq and Afghanistan,” said Col. John J. executing the scrapping of the planes may not have con- Higgins, the wing’s commander, in an Oct. 1 unit release. sidered other possible alternatives in order to salvage “However, we look to the future with excitement as we take taxpayers’ dollars.” on the MQ-9 mission.” He requested DOD and US Central Command provide The flight took place on Sept. 25. It ended the Air Guard all communications and documents associated with the unit’s C-130 association with Air Force Reserve Command’s decision to scrap the aircraft for use in his continuing 914th Airlift Wing. investigation. Members of the 107th are now training as RPA pilots, sen- sor operators, intelligence coordinators, and communications e Me O specialists. The unit is expected to be fully operational in The Defense Department’s general counsel has ruled that the RPA mission by 2017. airmen may choose to omit the words “So help me God” The Reservists of the 914th AW will continue to fly the from enlistment and officer appointment oaths. C-130s from Niagara. The Air Force requested the opinion after an airman at Creech AFB, Nev., omitted the words while taking his M e a n O i e en verbal oath. The Squadron Officer College at Maxwell AFB, Ala., “We take any instance in which airmen report concerns has shortened the Squadron Officer School course from regarding religious freedom seriously,” said Air Force eight to five weeks to give more captains an opportunity to Secretary Deborah Lee James in a Sept. 17 news release. attend, according to a Sept. 10 Air Education and Training “We are making the appropriate adjustments to ensure our Command news release. airmen’s rights are protected.” %
AIR FORCE Magazine / November 2014