Air Force World

A Grassroots Fix to the RPA Problem teams were to visit 12 Active Duty, Air National Guard, and Air Combat Command recently launched the Culture and Reserve locations to conduct meetings and build on what Process Improvement Program, meant to address stress is gathered from the survey process. on airmen and families within the remotely piloted aircraft “We’re seeing problems in the MQ-1/9 community at community, officials announced Aug. 31. both the major command and base levels that can be To help pinpoint such concerns, the command sent 3,366 solved quickly,” said Col. Troy Jackson, C2ISR operations surveys to officers and enlisted airmen throughout the division chief and CPIP officer in charge. “Airmen in this MQ-1 and MQ-9 career fields. Beginning Sept. 8, two CPIP career field are being exhausted with no end in sight; we

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09.04.2015

F-22 Raptors from Tyndall AFB, Fla., and A-10s from White- man AFB, Mo., fl y in formation over Amari AB, Estonia. USAF has deployed airmen, aircraft, and support equipment to Europe to conduct air training with aircraft based on the continent in an ongoing reassurance effort to NATO allies in Eastern Europe.

12 AIR FORCE Magazine / October 2015 By Brian Everstine, Pentagon Editor

want to fix this.” The program is based on Air Force Global the descriptions of the Total Force in the updated Doctrine Strike Command’s Force Improvement Program. It takes a Volume 2, “Leadership,” in August. grassroots approach to identifying and solving problems. Members of the auxiliary should be referred to as airmen during the performance of their offi cial duties, and leaders Air Force Adds Civil Air Patrol to Total Force should consider CAP along with the other parts of the Total The Civil Air Patrol is now included in the Total Force Force when planning the best way to complete the mission. when conducting missions for the Air Force as the offi cial CAP has about 57,000 volunteers and 550 aircraft, and members auxiliary, the Air Force announced. The service expanded fl y nearly 100,000 hours each year for a wide range of missions.

USAF photo by TSgt. Jason Robertson

AIR FORCE Magazine / October0 2015 13 Ai F e ULA photo ULA

i ing an F Main enan e F e A Puff of Smoke: A United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket The Air Force has enough maintainers in place to meet launches a Mobile User Objective System satellite from Cape the initial operational capability deadline for the F-35 by Canaveral AFS, Fla., on Sept. 2. MUOS is a military satel- moving A-10s to backup status, transferring some Active lite designed to improve communication between mobile US Duty maintainers out of associate units, contracting one forces. maintenance unit, and converting some airmen to the F-35 from the F-16, USAF spokeswoman Ann Stefanek said. with contracting out the 62nd Aircraft Maintenance Unit at The Air Force had said it would not have enough airmen Luke AFB, Ariz., and converted F-16 maintainers at Hill to meet the IOC date of August 2016 if it could not proceed AFB, Utah, earlier than planned. The Air Force plans to with its plan to retire the A-10, but after Congress blocked meet IOC with the units at Hill. (See “Hill Gets First F-35s.”) the bulk of that move, the service was able to move 18 A-10s to backup inventory status, freeing up some maintainers, e F a i i n Stefanek said. Gen. David L. Goldfein officially became the 38th Air To add more, USAF moved some Active Duty airmen Force vice chief of staff Aug. 6 during a ceremony at JB from associate units with the Guard and Reserve, along

i e Fi F By the Numbers The first F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to Hill AFB, Utah, touched down at the base Sept. 2. Airframes AF- 77 and AF-78 are assigned to the 388th Fighter Wing 1,422 and Air Force Reserve Command associate 419th FW. Hill is slated to receive 72 F-35As by 2019, becoming Number of Air Force units eligible for the Global War on the Air Force’s first combat-coded Lightning II unit when Terrorism service streamer. The units are now authorized the jets reach initial operational capability, targeted for to add the streamer to their unit colors in recognition of the latter part of next year. direct support of combat operation since 2001. Home Hill is the fifth Air Force and 10th overall base to units, rather than expeditionary units, can retain their receive the strike fighter. It activated the 34th Fighter campaign streamers, the Air Force announced Sept. 1. Squadron as its first dedicated F-35A squadron earlier Units are eligible for deployments to Afghanistan and this summer and plans to have at least 15 aircraft there Iraq, home-station missions such as Operation Noble by next summer. Eagle, or direct combat support, such as remotely piloted aircraft operations.

AIR FORCE Magazine / October 2015 Anacostia-Bolling, D.C. Goldfein, who previously served as director of the Joint Staff at the Pentagon, also was O In ea e R A a promoted to four-star rank at the ceremony. Goldfein took over the role as the service’s No. 2 uniformed Pentagon officials are finalizing a plan for a 50 percent officer from Gen. Larry O. Spencer, who retired after nearly increase in remotely piloted aircraft missions in just four 44 years of uniformed service and now serves as president years. This will tap the Army, special operations forces, of the Air Force Association. and contractors to pick up more sorties while the Air Gen. Darren W. McDew assumed command of US Trans- Force tries to beef up the number of its RPA personnel. portation Command from Air Force Gen. Paul J. Selva during Recently authorized to drop down to 60 combat air an Aug. 26 ceremony at Scott AFB, Ill. patrols with its RPA fleet, the Air Force maintained a Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter officiated at the continuous presence of 65 CAPs just last year. The change of command, saying McDew is one of the “most reduction resulted from USAF seeking some temporary accomplished military leaders” who will now oversee a relief for the undermanned and heavily tasked RPA “vital command.” Selva is now the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. community, as the service attempts to stabilize reten The new head of Air Mobility Command, Gen. Carlton tion, training, and manning in that sector. D. Everhart II, assumed command of AMC during an Aug. The Pentagon said Aug. 17 it would increase the total 11 ceremony at Scott. number of patrols to 90 by 2019. Defense Department spokesman Army Lt. Col. Joe Sowers said the Army AF O en AR e i e Ci i ian will fly between 10 to 20 CAPs with its MQ-1C Gray The Air Force has extended more sexual assault preven- Eagle fleet, US Special Operations Command will tion and response services to civilians, service Secretary fly no more than 10 CAPs, and government-owned, Deborah Lee James said Aug. 24. contractor-operated aircraft will fly about 10 CAPs under Previously, only civilian employees stationed outside of the the plan. Contractor aircraft will fly only intelligence, United States and service members had access to sexual assault response coordinators, and civilians could only file surveillance, and reconnaissance sorties. unrestricted reports. Now, civilians can get crisis intervention and advocacy services from SARCs and victim advocates 24 hours a day, seven days a week, no matter where they are stationed, according to an Air Force news release. SARCs and victim advocates can help call the right law Electric Boogaloo: TSgt. John Rorie runs a postflight in- enforcement agency if a victim chooses to file an unrestricted spection on an EC-130H Compass Call at Bagram Airfield, Af- report, and can help find off-base support services, if nec- ghanistan. The EC-130 is an electronic warfare aircraft whose essary. DOD approved the change for one year to assess airmen operate offensive counterinformation and electronic- whether to make it permanent. Civilians who work for other attack equipment. services will not be affected. Air Force civilians still cannot USAF photo by TSgt. Joseph Swafford Joseph TSgt. by photo USAF

AIR FORCE Magazine / October 2015 Ai F e b oto o o

receive legal and nonemergency medical services, which No Light in the Night: A C-17 from JB Lewis-McChord, are restricted by law. Wash., rests on the ice at Pegasus Airfield near McMurdo Station, Antarctica, for Operation Deep Freeze. Resupplying a e ene a Fai e Ca e Rea e C a McMurdo was limited to the six months of the year that Ant- A starter-generator failure caused the crash of an MQ- arctica had sunlight, but night vision capabilities now mean pilots are able to successfully navigate to and land safely on 9A Reaper in February in the US Africa Command area of the runway even in pitch darkness. operations, according to an investigation report released Aug. 19. The aircraft belonged to the 432nd Wing at Creech AFB, ega anning a Ai M i i C an Nev., but was assigned to the 435th Air Expeditionary Wing, USAF built plans around the delivery of 18 Boeing-built when it crashed. It took off at 5:30 a.m. Zulu on Feb. 4 and KC-46 tankers by 2017, so any significant delays in field- flew normally for about three hours before the generator ing the Pegasus would have cascading effects, said US exhaust fan began to malfunction and the starter-generator Transportation Command boss Gen. Darren W. McDew, in failed. an interview with Air Force Magazine. He was at the time The crew tried to fly the aircraft back to base and turned commander of Air Mobility Command. off equipment to maximize battery life, but the starter- Many airmen assignments will be affected when KC- generator failed again and could not be restarted. Instead, 46s enter the inventory to replace old KC-135s. There are they programmed the Reaper to return to base. A second “real people at the end of that,” he said. Similarly, military crew took control of the RPA around 10:30 a.m. and saw construction work, test activities, and training regimes are the battery power was very low. The crew put the Reaper in a holding pattern, but the battery power was so low the In e A e i e aircraft could have become unstable, so the joint force air component commander ordered the crew to crash it into oe o er international waters, states the report. ce o er t eo ete55 Re F ag Fa n F e a e i o er A pair of Air Force Reserve Command F-16s from NAS- o c t o o r te JRB Fort Worth, Texas, collided just after touching down on the runway at Nellis AFB, Nev., on Aug. 15, according or or te e ber to Nellis officials. r tore 5 The 301st Fighter Wing pilots were flying a local famil- o r iarization sortie ahead of Exercise Red Flag 15-4, a base AFA Member Benefits Reference...... 71 spokesman said. e ber 5 e The pilots were taken to a hospital for medical evaluation. r o er c oo The officials are convening an accident investigation board o b e e er to probe the mishap. o er re

AIR FORCE Magazine / October 2015 e a n e i

Ca a ie o er tor e t e e e o co c t o e t 1 er c e O er t o to integrate with other in-theater assets. For example, ree o e t e t e e er c some 400 “buddy lase” events—where RPAs use a combat e O er t o ere t e o e r r laser to guide weapons on target, while another aircraft e tot c e 12 troo o e e rt e t o releases the weapons—were carried out by MQ-1 Predator Defense civilian. Of these deaths, five were killed in action and MQ-9 Reaper aircrews. with the enemy while eight died in noncombat incidents. a ing Rea I I There have been 52 troops wounded in action during The US has been battling ISIS terrorists through Opera O /O tion Inherent Resolve for a year now, and Gen. Darren W. A g ani an In ea e e en e en ing McDew, the commander of US Transportation Command, Afghanistan’s defense spending grew by more than 18 said he does not anticipate this fight ending anytime soon. percent over the past four years, with further increases ISIS represents a “generational threat,” McDew said in expected as the number of International Security As an interview with Air Force Magazine. e t o t sistance Force troops decrease, according to a new be involved in this particular fight “for a decade or more.” e e e t re ort He said the mobility community has worked ISIS-related Afghanistan’s defense spending grew from $0.9 billion demands into its overall operational structure because in 2011 to $1.8 billion in 2015, and in 2020 is expected of the global nature of Air Mobility Command, which he to reach $3.4 billion, 11.6 percent of the country’s gross re o e domestic product, according to the report by the British “There’s not an operation” going on anywhere in the think tank Strategic Defense Intelligence. world that AMC does not touch, he stated, and the com e o e e to reco tr ct t e co tr e t re t e c ct to e to e military—focuses on countering threats from the Taliban t e occ o r e o t o ct t e r tr er ccor to t e re ort e A g an a e e i en a in CA Ai historically the country has focused on outfitting its military Afghan forces still have a “capability gap” in aviation and through deals negotiated by NATO, since 2014 Afghanistan close air support capabilities and will require continued has been able to buy from foreign defense manufacturers US assistance over the next few years, Army Brig. Gen. t ro o er e t to o er e t e o o er e t c e o t or co c t o R A an e n I I for NATO’s Resolute Support mission, said at an Aug. 13 The 432nd Wing at Creech AFB, Nev., has played a Pentagon briefing. cr t c ro e t e r c t orce c While Afghan forces have held their own in battles this cor to o er t o te year, they have been much less effective when they do Several wing officials, speaking on background about not coordinate with air and fire support, Shoffner said. t e ro e t e t re ote ote rcr t e e e co t o ct t ecre e the campaign since August 2014, note the initial phase forces have been actively engaged against Taliban and o O er t o ere t e o e oc e o t er other insurgent forces, seeing 46 percent more casualties then grew into proactive support of real-time operations. t e r co re to t Wing aircrews and assets have contributed some 4,300 This comes as the Afghan troops are carrying their biggest sorties and employed some 1,000 weapons on targets. As share of the war, with total coalition forces at 10 percent of Aug. 7, a total of 10,684 targets have been struck in OIR. the amount that was there three years ago, Shoffner said. all set up with the expectation that KC-46s will be available incident, jettisoned his fuel tanks over an unpopulated area at the predicted times in the predicted quantities. before ejecting. The F-16 was not carrying live ordnance, McDew called the KC-46 “vital” to AMC and the No. 1 but was flying with six 25-pound, inert training munitions modernization priority for the command. He said he is “a bit at the time of the crash. concerned” about Boeing’s progress along the schedule, but The 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem canceled flying his bigger concern is what would happen if sequestration operations for 24 hours following the mishap. The crash is were to return. Officials have called stable and predictable under investigation. funding essential to the health of the KC-46 program. ACC n ei a egi an ang F C a e in e an i a e Air Combat Command boss Gen. Herbert J. “Hawk” An Air Force F-16 pilot was safe after ejecting during a Carlisle unveiled ACC’s newest command strategy Aug. training flight the morning of Aug. 11 over the Bavaria re- 10, entitled “Securing the High Ground.” It lays out how gion of Germany, according to 52nd Fighter Wing officials. ACC will modernize and transform the US Air Force combat The pilot, assigned to the 480th Fighter Squadron at forces to better meet 21st century threats and challenges. Spangdahlem AB, Germany, ejected around 9:38 a.m. local The document outlines Carlisle’s priorities for his tenure time near Engelmannreuth, Germany, while on a training as ACC commander, he said in statement, and will provide flight to a range near US Army Garrison Bavaria in Grafen- a “roadmap to ensure the Combat Air Force can provide woehr, Germany, according to the officials. unmatched air dominance for our nation now and into the The pilot, who experienced nonserious injuries and under- foreseeable future.” went treatment at a local German hospital shortly after the As it prepares the force for future fights, it must invest

AIR FORCE Magazine / October 2015 Ai F e

and continue to refine practices such as live, virtual, and constructive training, which joins up live-fly events with A C ea e a R E i a e E computer simulations, and to invest in science and tech- e c r r e ber o t e e te nology research, because it could generate leap-forward capabilities and concepts, the strategy states. r e er ce o ttee e re e te er e o re ort e e t ro t e r orce o t e Ri e in Fi e Fin ing co t e t te ro ect o re r t e o During initial takeoff from Offutt AFB, Neb., on April 30, a e tr e o ber o o t e re o o leak in the high-pressure oxygen system in the rear cabin of an rece t O re ort o t e ro r o ter co t RC-135V Rivet Joint assigned to the 343rd Reconnaissance 2 etter to e e e ecret r to Squadron, led to a fire that burned a hole through the aircraft’s rter r e o c r upper fuselage, according to an Air Force investigation. The pilot aborted the mission and evacuated the aircraft as Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.) criticized DOD for “significant fire crews arrived. The fire occurred during a training mission error t e ro r o ter co t e t te e and burned through the rear galley area of the aircraft, dam- to o re rt o re ort aging both the aircraft’s structure and its control and mission e re ort et t e e t o 10 e r c e r systems. Repair costs are estimated at $62.4 million, according e o e te t e 10 e r e t te or to the accident investigation board findings. the LRS-B program as $58.4 billion, a figure USAF Depot maintenance personnel from L3 Communications e er ce error e er ce failed to properly tighten a retaining nut connecting a metal oxygen tube to a fitting above the galley, causing the oxygen re e t t ber o to 1 b o ot t leak. This led to a “highly flammable oxygen-rich environment c e re e rc e e o e t te t o er t o that ignited.” The fire then melted the retaining nut, leading ort b t ot o er e the tubing to detach. This fed more oxygen into the fire, caus- e etter o re e t e e re ort or t e ing “severe damage” to the galley area. Four crew members co re o e e e co ttee t correcte received treatment for minor smoke inhalation. or t o et e cco t o t e e e e t e to e t te t e 10 e r ro ect o e t o e a Ai F e Lt. Gen. David J. Buck took command of Air Force Space or t e ecre e o t e correcte co t ere Command’s 14th Air Force (Air Forces Strategic), and the c c te o ot er e e t o t e ro r Joint Functional Component for space, US Strategic Com- mand, at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., on Aug. 14, according to a news release. Buck assumed command from Lt. Gen. John Look Out Below: An Alaska ANG C-17 drops a Humvee fit- ted with a parachute over JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, W. “Jay” Raymond, who is the Air Force’s new deputy chief during Pacific Airlift Rally. Pacific Air Forces hosts the of staff for operations. biennial military aircraft symposium for nations in the Indo- Asia-Pacific region. PAR uses a humanitarian disaster relief AR e Fina i i e scenario to train participating nations in interoperability and Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman are the to advance airlift issues specific to the region. finalists in the hunt to replace the E-8C Joint Surveillance USAF photo by SSgt. Edward Eagerton Edward SSgt. by photo USAF

AIR FORCE Magazine / October 2015 USAF photo by A1C Stormy Archer Stormy A1C by photo USAF

Let Me Educate You: 2nd Lt. Duston O’Brien, a 435th Fighter ing technology maturity, to “reduce system integration risk Training Squadron upgrade pilot, readies for takeoff in a T-38C and lower life cycle cost by virtue of design.” USAF said it Talon at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, on Sept. 3. The 435th FTS received four offers and picked three. trains some 150 students each year from the US, Iraq, Japan, An Air Force official said the contractors will conduct a Poland, Saudi Arabia, and Singapore. full system review and a preliminary design review and build subsystem prototype demonstrators. The contracts were Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS), the Air Force an- to be followed in early September by a Milestone A review nounced Aug. 7. Boeing received a $9.95 million contract, by Pentagon acquisition, technology, and logistics chief while Lockheed Martin received $11.5 million, and Northrop Frank Kendall. In mid-July, USAF acquisition chief William Grumman received a $10 million award, all identically worded. A. LaPlante said there could be a contract award within They will pursue “pre-engineering and manufacturing three years. The Air Force wants to reach initial operational development efforts” on the recapitalization project, assess- capability with a replacement system in 2023. %

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RE IREME r e o e e r e o Calvin D. i ia ro e te ot orce te r t o t e te e g r e r e e DCS, Manpower, Personnel, & Svcs., USAF, Pentagon, to Command e c e e z r e e re M anie e e re t rr i ia t e r Ra a e rr O en from Command Chief, 515th Air Mobility Ops. Wg., AMC, JB Pearl e e c e g r e e et Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, to Command Chief, USAF Expeditionary Center, AMC, JB McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, N.J. C A E e o i ro r O O O c to / O O c E IOR E EC I E ER ICE C A E o na a to Dir., Log., Engineering, & Force Protection, AFSPC, Peterson COMMA C IEF MA ER ER EA RE IREME t o o Fie ig to Dir., Engineering & Tech. Mgmt., AF err e Sustainment Center, AFMC, Hill AFB, Utah … David A. a to t Dep. Under SECAF (Space), Office of the Under SECAF, Pentagon CCM C A E t o e ze ro e e Ma e to Dep. Dir., Ops. & Readiness, DCS, Ops., Master Sergeant Office, DCS, Manpower, Personnel, & Svcs., Pen USAF, Pentagon … Valerie L. M to Assoc. Dep. Asst. Secy. (Acq. t o to o e 1 t cott t Integration), Office of the Asst. SECAF (Acq.), SECAF, Pentagon … r to er an ge from Supt., AFOSI, 6th Field Investigations Anthony P. Rea n to Asst. DCS, Strat. Plans & Rqmts., Office Regions, IG of the AF, OSAF, JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, to of the DCS, Strat. Plans & Rqmts., USAF, Pentagon … Teresa M. o e O o t e O t co t a aza to Vice Dir., C4/Cyber, Jt. Staff, Pentagon. J

AIR FORCE Magazine / October 2015