Air Force World

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07.15.2015

An Atlas V rocket boosts GPS IIF-10 into space from Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla. This year marks the 20th anniversary of the GPS system achiev- ing full operational capability.

12 Magazine / August 2015 By Aaron M. U. Church, Associate Editor

SpaceX Still in Play SpaceX is still eligible to compete for national security space missions even though one of its Falcon 9 rockets exploded on June 28, Space and Missile Systems Center boss Lt. Gen. Samuel A. Greaves told Reuters. “SpaceX remains certified and can compete for the upcoming GPS III launch service,” Greaves told the wire service. The rocket was on a commercial mission carrying sup- plies to the International Space Station when it experienced an “anomaly,” SpaceX officials said. According to SpaceX Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk, a support strut failed in the Falcon 9 and most likely triggered the explosion. SpaceX is also looking at other factors that may have caused the mishap. The GPS III launch will be the first time United Launch Alliance will face competition for NSS missions since the Lockheed Martin and Boeing consortium was formed in 2006. SpaceX was certified in May after a two-year review.

Ghostrider Grounded The Air Force’s prototype AC-130J Ghostrider gunship was grounded pending investigation of an in-flight incident that occurred during a test sortie from Eglin AFB, Fla., earlier this year, according to Air Force Materiel Command.

United Launch Alliance photo

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Go Fly a Kite: A1C Jonathan Palacios-Conde and SrA. John Brown cover the engine of a KC-135 tanker at Al Udeid, Qatar, C C e C ea e C en a i n during a windstorm that had gusts of almost 60 mph. Sensi- t t t s A s t tive aircraft engines must be protected from sand and debris s t g t su g t and extreme conditions such as the heat that is common at locations in the Middle East. t s t t t t t t t 12 t us t s Ag t g The aircraft “returned to base and safely landed without s u g t t further incident or any injuries to the crew” after the April officials announced. 21 mishap, the command told Air Force Magazine in a g u g t t s s g g u A statement. t s s sts s t g t t g t A AFMC officials on June 15 elevated the accident from a t t A s u s Class C mishap after “structural analysis suggested damage s s 2015 t t st tut greater than the $2 million monetary threshold for a Class A t g t t s u s incident,” reads the statement. su t t t t s t t The AC-130J prototype suffered a similar mishap when it us t g t t s t departed controlled flight during handling trials in February, t ts t ug t t t su exceeding its structural limits and resulting in the addition tg t su u of two months to flight testing. Air Force Special Operations Command plans to purchase s t s and convert 37 airframes to the AC-130J configuration as Ag t g t s t s part of its $2.4 billion program to replace the legacy AC-130U u st u t t s s 2 100 A t ut and AC-130W fleets. A s ts s u s Ra a A ea a e t u s The US federal claims court rejected Raytheon’s appeal A s s t t t of a May decision permitting the Air Force to reopen review u / A st A of the Three-Dimensional Expeditionary Long-Range Radar ss tts u g A t A t ut system contract originally awarded to the company. s 12 s t s s s t 1 “Raytheon has not demonstrated either a likelihood of 1 ug t su t st s success or a substantial case on the merits of its appeal,” g t t A federal judge Margaret M. Sweeney concluded in a decision Aaron M. U. Church released June 18. Raytheon initially won the 3DELRR contract to provide airborne and missile threat tracking in 2014. After protests

AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 by competitors Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, the Air Force moved to “correct” its decision, based on advice en ea ie C ing ie from the Government Accountability Office. uss s t g s s t s The GAO found that the Air Force “erred in its technical evaluation of Raytheon’s proposal and ... conducted unequal t t g A 1 5s s g and misleading discussions regarding the parties’ cost/price st t g s g t t t t t proposals,” according to a court summary of the case. t s 2015 s t t t t Raytheon argued the original award was sound and that s u 5 the Air Force’s “corrective action was arbitrary, capricious, “We have been unable to conduct overflights of ei and unreasonable,” based on the GAO’s faulty evaluation. The t uss t s t t court decision clears the way for the Air Force to reconsider s t s t t competing bids. st s t t t s u t u s t s tt s u C a 10 s A KC-46A Pegasus test airframe flew in the tanker con- uss s s g ss t ts g figuration for the first time on a certification flight June 2, ts st t g t g t A manufacturer Boeing announced. Provisioned 767-2C test s t u uss u airframe EMD-1 took off with both the KC-46’s planned flying tions of Georgia, and the conflict zone in Chechnya. boom and twin, wing-tip mounted refueling pods to check t t t s t u t s s the configuration’s airworthiness, according to the company. st t t g s g t s g t u The first full-up KC-46 Pegasus tanker (EMD-2) is slated t t t t t s to fly for the first time later this summer, according to Boeing. t ssu t uss t u t st t s The company is using four test aircraft—two provisioned uss s u s uss t 767-2C freighters and, later, two KC-46A tankers—to attain us g s u t u t tu t FAA and Air Force certification. u t t s tt s A provisioned airframe flew the program’s maiden flight ss g t s t t from Paine Field in Everett, Wash., last December. The Air t uss t g t t t Pull it Apart, Put it Together: SrA. Clint White, an F-16 u s t t g g u s maintainer with the 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance s s st uss s g Squadron, takes apart a jet during a phase inspection July t s g t 7 at Bagram Airfield, . Inspectors had been at Bagram for more than two months, performing phase inspec- —Aaron M. U. Church tions on aircraft that have reached 400 flying hours. At A st

AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 Ai F e

Force is planning to purchase 179 new tankers, with 18 Hill is scheduled to receive its first F-35A in September airframes slated for delivery over the next two years. and have 15 jets on hand by August 2016 when the Air Force aims to commence F-35A operations. R e A a ening The Air Force will activate the 34th Fighter Squadron at Hill a en ea E e e e Eag e AFB, , as part of the base’s transition from F-16 to F-35A Eagles and Strike Eagles from RAF Lakenheath, UK, operations, according to a base news release. fanned out on training exercises in southern Europe while The unit, known as the “Rude Rams,” stood down in summer the base’s runway was under repair in June. 2010 as part of an Air Force-wide restructuring effort that saw Fifteen F-15Es and 300 airmen from the 492nd Fighter Hill lose 24 of its F-16s, leaving a force of 48 fighters there. Now, Squadron relocated to Aviano AB, Italy, for two weeks of with plans to establish the Air Force’s first F-35A operational dissimilar air combat training with resident F-16s. “Different location at Hill with 72 combat-ready jets, the 34th FS is returning. aircraft allow both crews to accomplish training missions that The squadron will be one of three Active Duty units, along typically wouldn’t happen,” 492nd FS Operations Director with the 4th FS and 421st FS, within the Maj. Timothy Dowling said in a release. that will fly F-35As with the support of members of Air Force Meanwhile, a dozen F-15C/Ds and 250 pilots, maintain- Reserve Command’s 419th FW. ers, and support personnel from Lakenheath’s 493rd FS took part in Exercise Anatolian Eagle at Konya AB, Turkey, officials announced. “Anatolian Eagle is a great opportunity for our aircrews to hone their operational skills from a forward operating location,” 493rd FS Commander Lt. Col. John Stratton said. NATO aircraft from Germany, , GAME CHANGER Turkey, , and Maximum Clearance, Twice the Range took part in the June exercise. I a i F C a e in A iz na An Iraqi Air Force F-16 assigned to the Arizona National Guard’s for foreign pilot training crashed during a night training sortie near Douglas, Ariz., on the state’s southern border, The Arizona Republic reported. The sole pilot, Brig. Gen. Rasid Mohammed Sadiq Hasan, was killed. The jet went down approximately five miles from the small Douglas Municipal Airport near the US-Mexican border at 8 p.m. local time, June 25, according to an ANG news release. Emergency responders controlled a brush fire started by the crash, accord- ing to the Republic. The aircraft was reportedly a Block 52 F-16D—the first delivered to . Iraq ordered 36 F-16C/Ds. The cause of the incident is under investigation.

e e Air Force Global Strike Command FLIR Systems continues to redefi ne what’s ™ B-2 and B-52 bombers staged deterrent possible with the new Star SAFIRE 380HDc. operations from RAF Fairford, UK, sup- Unmatched multi-spectral HD imaging in a porting NATO and US Strategic Com- light, compact, low profi le system designed mand exercises in the region in June. for your mission. The B-2s conducted hot-pit refueling Star SAFIRE® 380-HDc and crew changes, demonstrating rapid Long-Range Performance in a Compact System regeneration from a forward location on For more information visit www.fl ir.com/afmag their brief stopover at Fairford on June 7. Three B-52s from Minot AFB, N.D., simultaneously operated from Fairford / fl i r h q @ fl i r for exercises Baltops and Saber Strike, officials stated. The 5th Bomb Wing B-52s were originally slated to fly nonstop sorties from the to take part in a scenario off the Swedish coast dur- ing Baltops. The bombers expanded

AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 AirForce_Star Safire 380HDc hpIsl 2015.indd 1 5/15/15 11:21 AM e a n e i

Cen a C an O e a i n F ee en ine an In e en Re e

Ca a ie AR e i Again As u 1 t A s t A st g g A A t s t A g st s A s t su ss 100 000 g u s t su t t s t t t s t s g t t u s t s t t t t t u g t st 1 s s s t s t s t t t t u t s t t t t t g t t ts gs t t t tt t s u t u g g t tg ss su ss s t t g A t u 11t A t g e I a u 2 s s s t ut u t 50 t s t A s 11 t A t A t ut t s t t s ss st s u t 1st A s A s s t A s t u t s A t A 1 t t t g ss t us u u 10 the flying hours over six CENTCOM operations—Southern s s s t u t t t u g of Iraqi forces, including local tribal fighters, to improve Inherent Resolve, and Freedom’s Sentinel—according t t t ut t s g st t t s s st A u t t JSTARS clocked 100,000 post-9/11 combat flying hours st g t t st t t t t s st t g st t t u us st s s t s As s ea n s 000 t s t A 1 t t t t s t 000 u t t g s ut st u 22 u g t t s t t s t s t u A s t t ug t t 100 t s was “not due to enemy fire,” according to AFCENT’s t ss s t g s t s s t t s st st t t A u g s t g ss ut s t s t su t g t t s t t t tt ts t s t ts t t t g u t t 0 t t ut g t u 10 s t t st t t u g s g g t A st t s t s t s t s The Air Force also confirmed in June that an MQ-1 t t su ss u t s t t t st s s t g t t t s t t t s u ts t st ug t s A t The shootdown was the first reported RPA loss during s t t s g Operation Inherent Resolve and possibly the first time t t s t t t s s t t g st t without a fight despite outnumbering ISIS forces. t s t t g

the mission to fly ground-support training over Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and as part of the US Army in Europe-led Saber Strike exercise that ran through June 19. “This deployment to RAF Fairford was specifically de- By the Numbers signed … to ensure maximum opportunities to synchronize and integrate our bomber capabilities with [allied] military assets,” explained Adm. Cecil D. Haney, STRATCOM com- mander. e e n en $808 Million Lockheed Martin completed 25,000 simulated flight hours on an F-16C Block 50 aircraft as part of its full-scale durability test designed to stress the aircraft to identify potential fatigue issues, according to a June 11 company press release. gs st g t The F-16 fleet was designed to hold up under heavy stress A t g s u for 8,000 equivalent flight hours, but the FSDT results will be used to “design and verify” a service life extension program bringing the total cost of the fixed- that will extend the service life of up to 300 F-16C/D Block g A st ts 40-50 aircraft to 12,000 EFH, until USAF’s F-35 strike fight- ers come online. g ust t st u s “This testing milestone clearly demonstrates that F-16s with SLEP modification can be safely operated longer than

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RE IREME t a in t u g s ts A g ust s g A i ie n A t s t A t g t g A s OMI A IO e ie enan ene a e s t t A t A s t s t iga ie ene a st Azzan u a an t A t g t e s e A iga ie ene a e e A t g t s t t t g s a e AFRC Ma ene a a COMMA C IEF C A E gt t M Ma n C A E t s A 1 t A A g A t t s A t 1 t A A s t t A ts A A g A i n t t s s gs A E IOR E EC I E ER ICE C A E st A ea a s ut t A A t s t t A t g t A t uss an A s Can e t A t t A s s t t A s A s t u A st g u F ei A s s A s e t t g / t st t A t t g a g A s g t tt s A ea n t Ass s t t A s s t t Asst. Secy., Budget, Office of the Asst. SECAF, Financial Mgmt. & A t g t A g ust s t tg a e t Asst g O ien Asst t t t A st g t g u an i t u A t g t t Asst. Auditor General, Field Offices Directorate, Office of the Auditor t t Ra n 1 t t A t g in e an t A A s t t A g A t s s ut A s A s A t g g Ri g A g an e t A A g t s s s Ag A s Mi e t A t g t s s tst A s A u t O i a s A t g s s i e t g t A ust t t A t t g s A A Ri e n t t A s t t t t s s gs Geospatial-Intel. Agency, Springfield, Va. … Pamela C. en e A s ut g a ia e to Assoc. Dep. Asst. Secy. (Prgms.), Office of the Asst. SECAF, A g ust s t s g t t tg % A t A1 tt

Baby, You’re a Firework: Festive fireworks light up the sky July 2 behind a C-130 Hercules at Yokota AB, Japan, during Celebrate America, an annual event that provides US military members and their families at the base an opportunity to enjoy games, food, and music in recognition of America’s Independence Day. Events included a 5K run, a cake and pie contest, go-carts, a petting zoo, a water balloon toss, a scavenger hunt, a three-point basket ball shootout, and “goofy golf.” The event is sponsored by the 374th Force Support Squadron.

AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 R ian Fig e F a a eg n e E ing E ge The is negotiating an agreement with Belarus to establish a forward fighter base there to counter s t t s 2015 t t increased NATO fighter rotations to neighboring Poland and the t t g s g t g t t t g Baltic States, state-run TASS Russian News Agency reported. t s g g t t t t t t s deployed six Su-27s just across the border from t t t g s gu t US F-15s and F-16s in Poland and Lithuania last March, and In the first such strategy released since 2011, Chair Russian air force chief Col. Gen. Viktor Bondarev earlier an- t t s t A t nounced plans to permanently base Su-27s in central Belarus s t t t t t t s g s u t as early as 2016, according to the report. t s t st u t s 0 Belarusian Defense Minister Lt. Gen. Andrei Ravkov said the s s timing and location are still under discussion, but the country t t t s s u t s u t us is “ready to undertake all necessary measures” to host a Rus- s u t g s t t st t t s sian air force presence, according to TASS. st t t s t g t g t “Belarus cannot ignore changes in the military-political logical change,” added Dempsey. “Future conflicts will situation in the region that bear additional risks,” Ravkov said. st g t u more technically challenging battlefield.” a F e F a e In addition, such conflicts will “have increasing implica French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian presented t s t t t s USAF SSgt. Greggory Swarz the Legion d’Honneur medal, st t g t s uss s t u s s t honoring Swarz for risking his life to save three French airmen t s g t ts g s ts g ss t during a deadly aircraft accident in Spain in January. us t ts g s t g s t “He did not hesitate to throw himself in the flames to save st t g g s s u t s s his comrades,” said Le Drian during the award presentation t t t t u t s t u t at the Paris Air Show on June 15. st t s s t s t t s u st t Swarz dragged the airmen from the flames after a Greek s F-16 crashed into several parked aircraft during a NATO train- t s u su t u s s t t s ing event at Los Llanos AB, Spain, on Jan. 26. its neighbors, specifically Japan and the Republic of Korea. “It’s human nature. There [are] people suffering, you’ve got t su ts s s t t g to do as much as you can,” said Swarz. “I saw some stuff that g ts t g t s s t ts t s t shouldn’t really be talked about. Some pretty horrific things,” ut he said. —Amy McCullough Swarz is an aircraft electrical technician assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, UK. He received the Airman’s Medal earlier this year for his bravery. % anyone previously thought possible,” said Rod McLean, vice president and general manager of the F-16/F-22 Integrated Fighter Group at Lockheed Martin. anging a e e ig ning i e i e Le Bourget, A t t s The 62nd Fighter Squadron transitioned from the F-16 to the F-35A, becoming the second Lightning II pilot training g t t t t 5A t squadron at Luke AFB, Ariz., in a ceremony there in June. August 201 s 5 ut “As we open this new chapter in our squadron’s history, s t t t s u g t s A we will focus our efforts on what we’ve been doing for three The 3I software block for the first operational F-35A generations—training and delivering combat airpower,” said t s t s t s s t s the incoming 62nd FS commander, Lt. Col. Gregory Frana, 2 ut t t s u g s during the June 5 transition ceremony. s t t s 5 g Luke stood up the 61st FS as the first of six F-35 training ut s t t squadrons in October 2013. The 62nd FS was slated to begin A s s t ts t g t t receiving F-35s in July and will eventually host US, Italian, t t s s su s and Norwegian conversion training. t t 12 A t su they are configured correctly with USAF-specific modi fication, she said. s s s ts t ts In e A e i e t t t Aut g st s t st st s 1 A t 5A A u st t su t t st ut ss u t s s ss 5A s ss t s t t t u 5 g s s s t A s s AA t u t t t s AFA Hangar Store...... 73 t g g t t t st t AFA Individual Giving...... 74 g s t t st t AFA Member Benefits Reference...... 72 Air Force Magazine A s...... t t t g t ust s s Air Force Magazine Russian Almanac...... 7 up, Martin said, as the first aircraft delivery to Hill AFB, A t 5 t s t t t t s Cancer Care...... 74 MASA...... 70 —Marc V. Schanz Veterans Holidays...... 70 Vision Insurance...... 71

AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015