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32 38 FEATURES 4 Editorial: Powers, Back on 46 Volcanic Observatory Top By Amy McCullough By Adam J. Hebert AFSPC and AFRL track objects in eclipses the threat from ISIS. the skies from a 10,000-foot dormant volcano on Maui. 20 Bombers on Guam By Amy McCullough 50 The View From Langley The continuous bomber presence By John A. Tirpak is a visible show of USAF’s commit- The ACC commander presented un- ment to Pacific security. varnished thoughts on war and the future at a recent Associa- 26 A Prelude to War tion-sponsored event. By Rebecca Grant Twenty-five years ago this month, 54 The Year of the the Air Force moved to save Saudi By John T. Correll Arabia and began tense prepara- The suicide pilots were sent to die tions for the first . for the emperor—regardless of what the emperor thought about it. 32 Fifth Gen Flight Test By John A. Tirpak 60 The Goering Interrogation The F-22 and F-35 are put through By Frederick A. Johnsen the wringer at Edwards AFB, Calif. The captured head was surprisingly open when questioned by Spaatz, Vandenberg, and other 38 ISR’s Iron Triad About the cover: Maj. Luke Dellenbach By Marc V. Schanz Air Force leaders just after VE Day. pushes the throttle of a B-52. See “Bomb- USAF is reorienting its ISR invest- ers on Guam,” p. 20. USAF photo by SrA. ments, but its “big ” fleet isn’t 64 2015-16 AFA Nominees going anywhere. Candidates for national offices and Malia Jenkins. Board of Directors. 42 The Sequestration Zombie By Megan Scully If Congress doesn’t act, sequestration comes back to life.

AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 1 Publisher: Mark A. Barrett Editor in Chief: Adam J. Hebert

Managing Editor: Juliette Kelsey Chagnon Special Content Director: Michael C. Sirak Editorial Director: John A. Tirpak News Editor: Amy McCullough Senior Editor: Marc V. Schanz Senior Designer: Heather Lewis 8 10 Special Projects Manager: Gideon Grudo Designer: Kristina Parrill Assistant Managing Editor: Frances McKenney Associate Editors: Aaron M. U. Church, June L. Kim Production Manager: Eric Chang Lee Photo Editor: Zaur Eylanbekov Media Research Editor: Chequita Wood

Contributors: Walter J. Boyne, John T. Correll, Robert S. Dudney, Rebecca Grant, Frederick A. 12 76 Johnsen, Megan Scully

DEPARTMENTS Advertising: Scott Hill, James G. Elliott Co., Inc. (312) 348-1206 6 Letters 19 Index to Advertisers [email protected] 8 Action in Congress 55 Flashback: Scramble 1501 Lee Highway Arlington, VA 22209-1198 9 Verbatim 69 AFA National Report Tel: (703) 247-5800 10 Aperture: Long-Range Strike Telefax: (703) 247-5855 Bomber contract to be awarded; 73 Reunions Boeing and Lockheed Martin’s edge; [email protected] Northrop Grumman’s advantage .... 75 Books

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AIR FORCE Magazine (ISSN 0730-6784) August 2015 (Vol. 98, No. 8) is published monthly by the Air Force As- sociation, 1501 Lee Highway, Arlington, VA 22209-1198. Phone (703) 247-5800. Perodical postage paid at Arlington, Read the Daily Report: www.airforcemag.com Va., and additional mailing offi ces. Membership Rate: $45 per year; $30 e-Membership; $110 for three-year Follow us on: membership. Life Membership (nonrefundable): $600 single payment, $630 extended payments. Subscription Rate: $45 per year; $29 per year additional for postage www.facebook.com/airforcemag to foreign addresses (except Canada and Mexico, which are $10 per year additional). Regular issues $10 each. www.twitter.com/airforcemag USAF Almanac issue $20 each. Change of address www.fl ickr.com/photos/133046603@N02 requires four weeks’ notice. Please include mailing label. POSTMASTER: Send changes of address to Air Force Association, 1501 Lee Highway, Arlington, VA 22209-1198. Publisher assumes no responsibility for unsolicited material. Trademark registered by Air Force Association. Copyright 2015 by Air Force Association.

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©2014 Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, New York, NY 10166. 1402-0434 L0314365494[exp0515][All States] PEANUTS © 2014 Peanuts Worldwide LLC Editorial By Adam J. Hebert, Editor in Chief Major Powers, Back on Top

he military has spent It went to war against neighboring ISIS is still not universally accepted. It Tthe past 15 years concentrating on Georgia, is believed to have orches- was therefore asserted at the confirma- primarily low-intensity wars in and trated major cyber assaults against tion hearings for the nation’s top two . Over the past year, much of NATO member Estonia, and continues military posts. the nation’s attention has been focused its conflict in . It is in this context that Marine Corps on the threat from the ISIS international And it is not just Russia behaving Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., at his terror organization. badly. nomination hearing to become the next At the national level, threats from Communist has aggressively Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, major powers such as Russia and China violated numerous international norms made news when he called Russia the were frequently afterthoughts. ISIS is in recent years. It is North Korea’s sole greatest threat to the United States. almost certainly not the greatest threat significant benefactor. It has thousands ISIS ranked fourth, also behind China to the United States, however. of missiles aimed at Taiwan. In 2013 and North Korea. Yes, ISIS must be watched, guarded Dunford noted Russia is a nuclear against, and attacked militarily as ap- Russia eclipses the power with the ability to destroy the US. propriate. But the organization does threat from ISIS. It has attacked its neighbors, and “if you not and has not represented the No. 1 look at their behavior, it’s nothing short danger to the United States. More dan- it unilaterally declared an air defense of alarming,” he said July 9. gerous are major powers that behave identification zone in international air- Less than a week later, Air Force aggressively, intimidate or attack their space, where it expects other nations to Gen. Paul J. Selva had his turn before neighbors, violate international norms, submit flight plans and follow Chinese the Senate Armed Services Committee, and in one case has the ability to destroy instructions. seeking confirmation as the next Joint the United States. China also continues to seek interna- Chiefs vice chairman. Thankfully, America’s recent fixation tional territory. “Its claims to nearly the Selva struck a similar note. Terror- on “today’s wars” is coming to an end entire South China Sea are inconsistent ist groups are “a threat we must deal and some long-held assumptions are with international law,” the strategy with,” he said, but they do not threaten being discarded as policy-makers come states. China continues “with aggressive the US homeland to the same degree to terms with the facts. Russia is not a land reclamation efforts” that will allow as nation-states. “Russia possesses peaceful democracy, China’s prosperity it to build air bases and shipyards in the conventional and nuclear capabil- is not leading to responsible international contested or international waters. ity to be an existential threat to this relations, violent Islamic fundamentalism Iran creates its own set of problems. nation, should they choose to do so,” has enduring appeal in Iran, and North “It is pursuing nuclear and missile de- he noted. Korea shores up its regime by creating livery technologies,” the strategy reads, ISIS, on the other hand, “does not conflict. and “is a state sponsor of terrorism that present a clear and present threat to Russia in particular is back at the top has undermined stability in many na- our homeland and to the existence of of the threat list. tions.” Iran exports terrorism to Iraq and our nation.” In late June, Air Force Secretary Syria, seeks the destruction of , Selva’s list of threats to the US was Deborah Lee James said at the Paris Air and is believed to be seeking nuclear similar but not identical to Dunford’s— Show that Russia’s recent actions are weapons. and ran from Russia to China, Iran, and a “big part of why I’m here in Europe.” And don’t forget North Korea, where North Korea. The “biggest threat on my mind is “pursuit of nuclear weapons and bal- This seemed to surprise lawmakers what’s happening with Russia and the listic missile technologies … directly on both sides of the aisle, who must activities of Russia,” she said, describing threaten[s] its neighbors, especially the not have been paying attention to the the situation in Ukraine as “extreme- Republic of Korea and Japan. In time, new National Military Strategy or during ly worrisome.” Russia illegally seized they will threaten the US homeland,” Dunford’s hearing. Crimea and has subsequently waged a the strategy reads. “North Korea also If a threat is defined simply as po- surreptitious war in an attempt to split the has conducted cyber attacks, includ- tential devastation multiplied by its country to Russia’s advantage. ing causing major damage to a US likelihood, then it is hard to quibble The Pentagon subsequently released corporation.” with these rankings. Russia is not just a new National Military Strategy July 2. It Despite these nations’ enormous a proven aggressor, it has the means brought great-power conflict back to the capability to harm the United States, to destroy its enemies. front and center of US military planning. many in Washington still view ISIS as Of course ISIS must be taken seri- Russia “has repeatedly demonstrated the greater threat, either out of habit, ously and dealt with, but it is time for that it does not respect the sovereignty of because the media keeps it front and the US to refocus attention on the its neighbors and it is willing to use force center, or because the US is currently larger problem actors. Recent steps to achieve its goals,” reads the new Na- engaged in a shooting war with the to bolster the US military presence tional Military Strategy. “Russia’s military group. and readiness in Eastern Europe and actions are undermining regional security The notion that Russia is actually a throughout the Pacific are steps in the directly and through proxy forces.” greater threat to the United States than right direction. %

4 August 2015 Letters [email protected] Air Force Association 1501 Lee Highway • Arlington, VA 22209-1198 Telephone: (703) 247-5800 Toll-free: (800) 727-3337 If you know your party’s extension enter it or: Press 1 to enter their last name. Press 2 for Membership. Press 3 for the Air Force Memorial Foundation Or, stay on the line for the operator Fax: (703) 247-5853 Is Treason So Wrong? ing that every elementary and high Internet: http://www.afa.org/ In “Verbatim,” Air Force Magazine, school course be an advanced place- June 2015, Michael J. Morrell, former ment course. Unfortunately, the Skunk deputy director of CIA, was cited from Works approach isn’t for everyone, Email Addresses his book, The Great War of Our Time: as admirable as it is. In addition to The CIA’s Fight Against Terrorism From the monumental organizational is- Events...... [email protected] al Qaeda to ISIS, stating that leaks by sues to overcome, there are also the Field Services ...... fi [email protected] Edward Snowden resulted in terrorists likely objections from those that would Government Relations ...... [email protected] modifying their actions, drying up their demand “appropriate” representation communications sources, and changing for all genders, ethnicities, and life Industry Relations ...... [email protected] their tactics and that Snowden’s actions styles. Our high school track coach Insurance...... [email protected] clearly played a role in the rise of ISIS told us that when we performed our [“Get the Noose,” p. 10]. running broad jumps, we should try Member Benefi ts...... [email protected] Snowden’s self-righteous action is now to jump over the trees on the horizon. Membership ...... [email protected] seen as a weakness in the security of Of course, it was impossible, but if it Communications (news media)...... America’s intelligence system, because helped us land just a bit further than ...... [email protected] anyone in the system or any authorized we would have otherwise, it was still user of intelligence could use the same a useful objective. CyberPatriot...... [email protected] whistle-blower excuse that Snowden Hank Caruso Air Force Memorial Foundation...... used. America’s allies, coalition forces, , Md. [email protected] and potential lucrative human sources have doubts that America’s intelligence The picture of the “A-12s—secret CIA Magazine procedures are secure and reliable. spyplanes,” June 2015, p. 30, is not of Advertising ...... [email protected] Having said that, I am concerned that three CIA A-12s. The airplanes in the a court of law in the US may not fi nd picture have a second crew compart- AFA National Report...... [email protected] Snowden guilty beyond any reasonable ment and the A-12 was a single-seat Editorial Offi ces ...... [email protected] doubt, because it could be diffi cult to aircraft. My guess would be that it is Letters to Editor Column...... [email protected] convince everyone in a jury that Snowden a picture taken for a historical record did wrong. of the initial production of the YF-12A Lt. Col. Russel A. Noguchi, fighter interceptors. During the con- Change of Address USAF (Ret.) struction of the A-12s, production was Requires four weeks’ notice. Please mail your Pearl City, Hawaii changed on the seventh, eighth, and magazine label and fi rst and last name to the ninth models to add a second crew Membership Department at 1501 Lee High- Eglin Schools, Too position and several other modifica- way, Arlington, VA 22209-1198. You may also The June 2015 Air Force Magazine tions to make the change to the Air update this information under the Members [“Air Force World: Lightning’s Day Out,” Force YF-12A. After the three vari- Only area of our website at www.afa.org, by p. 18] states that Luke AFB, Ariz., was ants, the assembly line went back to calling our Membership Department at 1-800- “home to the F-35A schoolhouse.” This produce nine more of the single seat 727-3337, or emailing [email protected]. seems to say this is the only school- A-12 aircraft for a total of 15. Six of AFA’s Mission house and that’s simply not true. The those 15 crashed. It is also possible fi rst one—and still going—is the one at Our mission is to promote a dominant United Eglin’s 33rd FW. Maybe it should have Do you have a comment about a States Air Force and a strong national defense and to honor airmen and our Air Force heri- said one of two F-35 schoolhouses, or current article in the magazine? tage. To accomplish this, we: home to an F-35 schoolhouse. Write to “Letters,” Air Force Mag- Col. Al Haberbusch, a zine, 1501 Lee Highway, Ar- Educate the public on the critical need for USAF (Ret.) lington, VA 22209-1198. (Email: unmatched aerospace power and a techni- Niceville Fla. [email protected].) Letters should cally superior workforce to ensure US national be concise and timely. We cannot security. No Lake Wobegon acknowledge receipt of letters. Advocate for aerospace power and STEM Regarding “Secret Solutions From the We reserve the right to condense education. letters. Letters without name and Desert” in the June 2015 issue [p. 28]: Support the Total Air Force family and promote Asking that every government acqui- city/base and state are not accept- aerospace education. sition be modeled after the Lockheed able. Photographs can not be used Martin Skunk Works is like mandat- or returned.—THE EDITORS

AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 5 e e t t t t t 1s t s s g t u s s t t t u t t t t t g s g t t t s t s t g t su t t t t t t g s st u ut u s s t [June, p. 64] 1 0 52 5 5 s su A t A A s ss u t g u t 1 s ss tt g 1 0 s ss g su t g t ss 15 t t g t ining in e t t t A g t g t A s s u 10 1 s g t s su s u t t t s t st gu s g as Det. 1, 56th SOW, identified by the 1 0 g t t st ss t ss t meritorious flight for that year. Named s u [“Heroism From the Hip,” s t s u t t t June, p. 52]. ut u t s s s g t t 2 t t s A 11 52 5 2 stu g u st s u t t s t A s s s st t u s g t u s uss t s s u s 25 1 1 utst g g u Ag st s t A ts 010 u g t t u t ss s u st g t t s s The final sortie performed by this detach t As u t t t t t 2 1 0 s s st s t t t all three aircraft were flown by Det. 1, s uss 1 s A 5 t s t t s t g ss us t t s t t u t t u t g uss 1 0 t g s t t A t t t u 2015 g u s t t s u t t As s t s t st g t t u s s t s t g g A g s t s that the office facilities and vehicles t s t t t t t t u t t s t t 1 t A 1 0 1 0 s t 5 s g t u 1 0 t t A 1 0A gu s 1 1 2 ut s u t gg ss t t A 11 t g s s g t u t t g g s ts t t s g t t t 1 t t A 1 0A s gg g u t t t t 20 t A us t ss s g t s ss g t s t 1 5 t us g t t tu s s t s 11 t t g s t s t A 1 0A A 1 0 t a inge e e u t ug t t g t t s t s g s t u st t t t t t s u g t

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AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 s t ug t s g tu t A s 1 A gu s s ts t g t s t s s t g t s t s t t t A put continuous fire on it vs. a conventional u s t t t s g u t t t st t t ust s ss stay in touch with some of the guys I flew with. s t s us u st u t (2) Our UAVs are generally designed gt us t s t 1st A t A for more time aloft while sacrificing speed A t s u t g s tu s s t t u A t A s t s su t t t t u s s t gs a side-firing gun, which easily fits in a g st C-130. However, I think our designers year at NKP (1966-67) flying the AT-28D g g t st A ss s s s g u t ut t g t t t s s t of the Spooky gunships: We flew out u u t ut s g s when the -28 was not mentioned in third of Udorn RTAB well into May of 1970. s t st u tu t u g s t t g t ut t t s g ts st u tu st gt tt g t u s t t u s g g t s t u u s u ss s g Stars for a mission on 13 May 1970. I side-firing .50-caliber. It would sort of s u t t A 1s s t t s t A A look like a P-38 without the pilot pod. t t u s t t t g The .50-caliber could be hung under the t t gu s s u t t t t t t ut st g t s st t u t the Air Commando Hall of Fame in 2013. s t s lift efficiency, you could hang it between u A / us u t u u t t t t t t t t t t us g ts tu u s t t gu s s s t ss t t u ssu s ut t t g t t ss s st g ss u u g t u t t t s t g A t Ron Terry was right—the side-firing fuel. Also, UAVs don’t fly too fast (and t t gu s t s g t u t t t u t t s g u t g s s g t t / t t u A t t st t t t s t t t A You could fly the UAV .50-caliber at g t st s g u s t t t gu s s t 10,000 feet to be out of the range of small ss g t t t t 1st A g st ust t t s arms. It would only descend to firing range A u u A gu s u su t g u t s t u s ss g t t 1st A s g t t ut ss s st s s modified to the AC-47 and all used the t t s s t t t g s s t su t us u st s s g u s ss g t t have a .50-caliber machine gun in the s g u su t t A u s s g s A modified in the field and used the call t su t g

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/ August 2015 7 Action in Congress By Megan Scully

BRAC to the Drawing Table

awmakers are poised to again deny crats on the House and Senate Armed If Congress doesn’t authorize another Lthe Pentagon its request for a round Services Committees, Rep. Adam Smith BRAC, the Administration has warned of base closures and realignments to of Washington and Sen. Jack Reed of that it will pursue other ways to cut un- begin in 2017, but the Obama Admin- Rhode Island. Others, including House needed infrastructure and “ensure that istration is upping the ante this year by Armed Services Committee Chairman DOD’s limited resources are available for adding BRAC resistance to its lengthy list Mac Thornberry (R-Texas), have said the highest priorities of the warfi ghter and of grievances against the annual defense they may not always oppose a BRAC. national security.” authorization bill. They just don’t think now, as the military Communities are already bracing for In Administration statements issued downsizes and faces dramatic budget another BRAC round, hiring lobbyists in this spring on the House and Senate reductions, is the right time to cut infra- Washington and putting pressure on their versions of the sprawling Pentagon policy structure. delegations. Some, Ferguson says, are measure, the White House’s Offi ce of As they have pled their case on confi dent in their fates, having easily sur- Management and Budget threatened Capitol Hill, the Air Force and Army have vived the last round. Others are caught in that President Obama would veto the been particularly upfront about their limbo as they await a BRAC, with potential bill because of a number of objections, need for another cost-saving BRAC, investors afraid to pursue new develop- including the failure to authorize a BRAC. clamoring that they have, respectively, ments until they have a better idea of a “The Administration strongly urges 30 percent and 18 percent more real es- base’s future. Congress to provide the BRAC authori- tate than they are now using, according It is, many BRAC lobbyists, lawmakers, zation as requested, which would allow to the services’ most recent analyses. and base advocates acknowledged, not a DOD to right-size its infrastructure while Within the Air Force, that doesn’t mean matter of if, but when. providing important assistance to affected the service can close 30 percent of its BRAC supporters stress that the pro- communities, freeing resources currently bases, says Kathleen I. Ferguson, the cess, which involves an exhaustive review consumed by maintaining unneeded fa- Air Force’s principal deputy assistant of the Pentagon’s closure recommenda- cilities,” according to OMB’s statement on secretary for installations, environment, tions by an independent commission, is the Senate’s version of the defense bill. and energy. But it does suggest that the most detailed, organized, and fairest The House passed its version of the bill further analysis—presumably as part of way to eliminate bases or move forces in May, and the Senate followed suit in a formal BRAC round—is warranted to from one installation to the next. June. As of press time, the two chambers determine how much excess capacity the Communities have an opportunity to ap- were negotiating differences in the bills, service needs and how much it can shed. peal the department’s decision to the com- but both measures would block a BRAC. In the last fi ve BRAC rounds, the Air mission and, occasionally, the commission The Administration hasn’t followed Force has closed 40 bases and saved agrees with base advocates. That was the through on threatened vetoes of previous $2.9 billion annually, the service esti- case in the 2005 round with both Ellsworth defense bills, but ongoing budget battles mates. While the most recent BRAC a AFB, S.D., and Cannon AFB, N.M. could force the President’s hand, tying decade ago, conducted in the midst of And, even for bases that do shutter, lawmakers’ aversion to BRAC into a much two wars, focused on transformation, there is an opportunity to rebuild and reuse larger end-of-year debate. department offi cials have stressed that the installation for civilian purposes. While it seems unlikely that Congress this next round would shutter installa- “It’s not a death knell,” Ferguson says. will authorize the 2017 BRAC, base-clo- tions, yielding signifi cant savings in just “There have been tremendous success sure supporters hope that the veto threat a matter of years. stories.” % is at least a step in the right direction. “Through a BRAC, we can save money Meanwhile, a small but infl uential group to put toward other needs of the depart- of lawmakers support another round of ment and stop spending money where Megan Scully is a reporter for CQ Roll base closures, including the top Demo- we don’t really need to,” Ferguson says. Call.

Kathleen Ferguson, USAF’s principal deputy assistant secretary for installations, environ- ment, and energy, says the Air Force has 30 percent more real estate than it needs. USAF photo by SrA. Carlin Leslie

8 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 Verbatim [email protected] By Robert S. Dudney

Backfire Bombing day—though I couldn’t tell you the day an end to the American era of rear-area “Adhering to a zero civilian casualty exactly—when the F-22, for example, sanctuary. ... USAF is no newcomer to goal [in air operations against ISIS] is rotates in [to European bases]. ... I the problems of air base defense. ... backfiring in ways that those who direct- don’t see why that couldn’t happen in [It] can meet and overcome them just ed it probably did not intend. It is yielding the future.”—Secretary of the Air Force as it did in earlier conflicts. ... We can, to the Islamic State an air defense capa- Deborah Lee James, remarks at the Paris however, be sure [that] ... winning the bility they do not have to pay for, equip to Air Show, June 15. battle of the airfields will require a level attain, or man to employ. Our airmen are of institutional commitment to air base performing magnificently at the individual Going, Going ... defense ... not seen since the height of and unit level, doing the most they can “Aerospace power has always been the .”—RAND analyst Alan J. while encumbered with incredibly oner- and will always be fundamental to our Vick, in “Air Base Attacks and Defensive ous rules of engagement—well in excess ability to project power across trans- Counters,” released June 12. to the laws of armed conflict.”—Retired oceanic distances, to conduct theater USAF Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula, quoted entry operations, and to mount joint Et Tu, Jimmy? in Air Force Times, July 8. combined arms operations. ... The thing “On the world stage, I think they that bothers me the most is that in 2001, [President Obama’s successes] have War, Take 1 the had 88 been minimal. ... Just to be as objective “This will not be quick. This is a long- tactical fighter squadrons [but] today, about it as I can, I can’t think of many term campaign. ISIL ... is nimble. In ... and primarily due to intense budget nations in the world where we have a urban areas, it is dug in among innocent pressures, they have 54, moving to 49. better relationship now than ... when he civilian populations. ... Our coalition [has] ... We’re [at] about the same place ... in took over—you know, if you look at Rus- now hit ISIL with more than 5,000 air ground forces [and] we’re [at] about the sia, if you look at England, if you look at strikes. We have taken out thousands same place ... in naval forces. But in China, if you look at Egypt, and so forth. of ... , vehicles, bomb factories, aerospace capacity and capability, we ... I would say that the United States’ and training camps. We have eliminated have dropped significantly.”—Deputy influence and prestige and respect in thousands of fighters, including senior Secretary of Defense Robert O. Work, the world is probably lower now than it ISIL commanders. ... We have seen, address to RAND Corp., June 22. was six or seven years ago.”—Former when we have an effective partner on President Jimmy Carter, remarks at the the ground, ISIL can be pushed back. Space Under Siege Aspen Institute in Colorado, June 25. ... ISIL’s recent losses in both Iraq and “All of our global command and con- Syria prove that they can and will be trol and space capabilities are under Paint It Black defeated.”—President Obama, statement increasing threat and, in an unclassified “Almost exactly a century ago, crazy at the Pentagon on the status of war with environment, I can’t speak too deeply concepts like ‘flying machines,’ ‘under- Islamic State fighters, July 6. about this, but let me just say that it is sea boats,’ and ‘land ironclads’ appeared very concerning. Our potential adversar- in novels, while Andrew Carnegie dedi- War, Take 2 ies are pursuing a wide range of cyber cated his new Palace of Peace with a “President Obama’s comments to- and kinetic attack capabilities, and we speech predicting that the end of war day reveal the disturbing degree of are going to have to expend a lot of ef- was ‘as certain to come, and come self-delusion that characterizes the Ad- fort to maintain our C2 network and our soon, as day follows night.’ Yet a real ministration’s campaign. None of the space capabilities in any future fight.”— war emerged out of a crisis and the so-called progress that the President Deputy Secretary of Defense Robert O. real airplane, submarine, and were cited suggests that we are on a path to Work, address to RAND Corp., June 22. fighting in it. Likewise today, the wars of success, and when you are not winning the Middle East could be looked back in warfare, you are losing.”—Sen. John Phalanx, Longbow, Battleship upon as equivalent to the Boer Wars and McCain (R-Ariz.), Senate Armed Services “Between 1990 and 2014, the United other small wars of that period. There is Committee, statement issued July 6. States went to war against regional or a real arms race and real tensions. ... A lesser powers that had no means to chal- conflict could start by an accident—two Raptor Days? lenge US air superiority and therefore no planes accidentally smashing together “I would say the biggest threat on my means to threaten the American way of over an uninhabited island that no one mind is what’s happening with Russia war. That attractive state of affairs pos- should really care about—or through a and the activities of Russia, and indeed sessed a superficial permanence similar deliberate choice in the 2020s to reorder that’s a big part of why I’m here in Eu- to earlier dominant military concepts the global system. The risks of World rope. ... It’s extremely worrisome on and technologies such as the Greek War III may seem like something in the what’s going on in the Ukraine. We’ve phalanx, longbow, and battleship. ... distant past but, as the Rolling Stones seen the type of warfare—which some- Today, it appears that the proliferation sang in ‘Gimme Shelter,’ ‘It’s just a shot one dubbed [as] hybrid warfare—which of long-range precision strike capabili- away.’ ”—Military futurist Peter W. Singer is somewhat new. So I would put that at ties, accurate and reliable ballistic and of New America Foundation, writing in the top of my list. I could easily see the cruise missiles especially, is bringing Defense One, July 7.

August 9 Aperture By John A. Tirpak, Editorial Director

Long-Range Strike Bomber contract to be awarded; Boeing and Lockheed Martin’s edge; Northrop Grumman’s advantage ....

Washington, D.C., July 15

AND THE WINNER IS … So, who will win? Both entrants know the requirements, both have deep experience in building stealthy aircraft, and both are Any day now, the Air Force will award the Long-Range Strike fully capable of offering an acceptable technical solution. Here, Bomber contract, worth well in excess of $50 billion. Two industry presented alphabetically, are the key other reasons why, given teams—a Boeing-led partnership, including Lockheed Martin, and comparable technical and price proposals, each team theoreti- another led by Northrop Grumman—are competing for the work. cally offers an unbeatable proposal. The choice could well shape the landscape in the US for decades to come. The teams are technically well-matched. Both have styled WHY BOEING WILL WIN themselves as the bomber company. Boeing makes that claim based on its history with the B-17 and B-29 in World War II, If you wanted to build a “dream team” to develop and produce the B-47 in the Korean War era, and the B-52 from the 1950s the LRS-B, the Boeing/Lockheed Martin partnership would be it. on, as well as its experience with the B-1, built by its “heritage” Boeing is one of the largest aircraft manufacturers in the world, company, Rockwell International. Northrop Grumman built the with a global supply base and vast experience at controlling costs B-2, the most recent American bomber, and the only one built on large-scale projects. It is highly skilled at integrating programs with stealth technology as its driving design feature. Given that with tens of thousands of moving parts and is a world innovator the B-52, B-1, and B-2 are all serving today, each with a robust in materials and manufacturing sciences. It knows how to tap the program of upgrades in the pipeline, both teams can claim to be world industrial base to find the best manufacturing skills and the the “incumbent.” best price. It also has a longstanding “bomber culture” stemming Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III, who won’t get a vote from its successes with the B-52 and B-1. on the selection, said in April he had visited both design shops Lockheed Martin is almost synonymous with the terms “stealth” before proposals were submitted and was “impressed” and and “secret.” Its Skunk Works division is largely responsible for “confident” they were each on the right track. Both teams have the specialized technologies that made the F-117 and F-22 work long experience in building and maintaining stealthy military so well in combat. Boeing and Lockheed Martin (and General airplanes. Technical proposals are just one part of the LRS-B Dynamics) collaborated on the F-22, with Lockheed Martin build- decision, however. ing most of the jet, including its stealth edges, while Boeing built Price, of course, plays a huge role in the choice. Since program the wings and aft fuselage. launch in 2010, USAF leaders insist that to keep the project on The two companies are the main suppliers of the Air Force’s track and on budget, no changes have been made in LRS-B existing combat air forces, having also built (themselves and requirements. Air Force acquisition chief William A. LaPlante has their heritage companies acquired in mergers) the F-15, F-16, said the requirements are understood well enough by industry B-52, and B-1. Boeing and Lockheed Martin are also the prime that the production contract can be fixed-price. The Air Force contractors and integrators on the KC-46 tanker and F-35 fighter; insists it will only pay $550 million a copy for the LRS-B, in 2010 the two largest and most complex programs in the Air Force’s dollars, and that the offerors should trade away nice-to-have but acquisition plans, together accounting for some 1,942 future noncritical features to hit that mark. USAF aircraft. Industry officials say they think the LRS-B may Other factors include the government’s confidence in the competitors—based on past performance in other projects—as well as each team’s manufacturing capa- bilities, their financial ability to invest in the program and weather its inevitable ups and downs, and how many USAF photo other big-ticket projects they have going, competing for management attention. Will the health of the industrial base also play a role? When asked by Air Force Magazine how much the industrial base will figure into the LRS-B pick, Pentagon acquisition, technology, and logistics chief Frank Kendall insisted, “It’ll be decided on the merits.” However, many industry experts have suggested the LRS-B win will drive consolidation, with the loser ei- ther exiting the business or buying other companies to remain competitive. LaPlante has shrugged off these fears, however, insisting that the upcoming T-X trainer competition, another to recapitalize the E-8 JSTARS fleet, and a number of other, secret projects will provide ample op- portunities for the team that goes home empty-handed from the new bomber competition. What aircraft will join this flight of USAF's veteran bombers? Stay tuned.

10 / August 2015 be able to use large amounts of software generated for the F-35’s a detailed plan to keep the bomber capable and relevant until sensor integration and mission systems—thus saving substantial 2058—nearly two decades beyond its early service life predic- money through reuse. tions. Northrop Grumman is state-of-the-art when it comes to The F-35 program, after a bumpy start, has—since its 2010 modern stealth bombers. rebaselining—stuck to its budget, and Lockheed Martin expects The Air Force suggests LRS-B may be “optionally manned” that the fifth generation jet will retail at about the same price as in the future. In the last two years, Northrop Grumman’s X-47B fourth generation jets as early as 2018. stealth concept jet has taken off from and landed on an aircraft Lockheed Martin is also steeped in classified airplane skills, carrier fully autonomously and performed on its the Skunk Works having been involved in numerous known and own, as well. Its Global Hawk intelligence, surveillance, and undisclosed secret projects. The most recent of these is the RQ- reconnaissance aircraft fly automatic routes every day, aided by 170 Sentinel, about which USAF will say almost nothing, but which humans only in the takeoff and landing phase, with mere monitor- is credited with the stealth surveillance that brought about the ing in between. Though Global Hawk has come close to termina- 2011 killing of Osama bin Laden. Pentagon leaders have credited tion a couple of times due to cost, the Air Force admits Northrop the “Skunk Works model”—of innovation, small teams, reuse of Grumman has made great strides in getting costs under control. existing technology, and clearly defined goals—as the basis for Northrop Grumman also has solid, industry-leading skills Pentagon R&D efforts in the coming years. Boeing’s own “Phantom in radar and electronic warfare, which the Air Force recently Works” will also contribute cutting-edge technology to the LRS-B. acknowledged will be a key part of the LRS-B’s mission. In Lockheed Martin also builds the C-130, a stalwart of tactical fact, if Boeing were to win the LRS-B, it might well have to buy since the 1950s, routinely upgraded since, and is also these mission systems from Northrop Grumman. Much of the upgrading the C-5 Galaxy with new engines and systems. In the F-35’s mission suite is built by Northrop Grumman—including field, these upgrades have drastically improved the C-5’s perfor- the centerpiece radar—as well as the fighter’s 360-degree-view mance. For the Navy, Boeing makes the F/A-18 Super Hornet Distributed Aperture System and communications-navigations and EA-18G Growler electronic warfare jets, as well gear. The company also builds a substantial part of the F-35 as the brand-new P-8A Poseidon patrol craft. The Hornet family airframe as Lockheed Martin’s industrial partner. is delivering on time and at budget. The Air Force has all but acknowledged that Northrop Grumman Northrop Grumman, on the other hand, has only delivered a is the contractor behind a stealthy, long-range robotic ISR plat- handful of all-up production airplanes—RQ-4 Global Hawks—in form purportedly called the RQ-180, now in service, and there’s the last few years, focused mainly on building pieces of airplanes strong evidence that Northrop Grumman built a proof-of-concept for other companies and performing electronics upgrades or aircraft in preparation for USAF’s last attempt at a B-2 successor, conversions. the Next Generation Bomber, terminated by then-Secretary of It’s worth noting that Lockheed Martin defeated Northrop Defense Robert M. Gates in 2009. The company’s acquisition Grumman the last time they competed in a comparable program. of Scaled Composites, another aerospace company, boosted its Lockheed Martin’s F-22 beat Northrop Grumman’s F-23 in the already robust ability to rapidly prototype novel aircraft concepts, Advanced Tactical Fighter program in 1991. Though the F-23 which apparently is being done: Northrop Grumman’s balance was deemed technically acceptable, Donald B. Rice, Secretary sheet reveals considerable revenue from unnamed, classified of the Air Force at the time, said he thought Lockheed Martin had government projects. a better plan for managing the program—specifically for dealing Though Boeing has downplayed the risk involved in building with developmental setbacks. the KC-46 tanker, a seemingly novice error in the design of wiring Besides bringing large programs to fruition, Boeing and harnesses has put the project at least eight months behind. That Lockheed Martin are sitting on quite a lot of cash—five times the mistake also cut deeper into the company’s profits on develop- revenue of Northrop Grumman—enabling them to go shopping ment, which it took on as a loss leader to be a player in what for other companies and giving them the flexibility to invest their it sees as a decades-long tanker market. And, while Lockheed own funds in the LRS-B. Pentagon leaders have said for several Martin has reduced costs and made good on the F-35 since its years that they expect companies to invest in the LRS-B and put program “rebaselining” in 2010, the company clearly didn’t antici- their own hides on the line; Boeing and Lockheed Martin can do pate the risks in development, which went $12 billion over budget this far more easily than can Northrop Grumman, whose sales before the Pentagon started to apply corrective action. How the have been declining. Pentagon grades “past performance” on these two crown jewel Given their broad experience in large-scale programs, the programs may well be the critical factor in deciding who gets to relevance of their recent experience and success in fighting work on the LRS-B. down costs, Boeing and Lockheed Martin seem a good bet for The three programs the Air Force considers “existential” to the LRS-B win. its ability to do its mission are the KC-46 tanker, the F-35 strike fighter, and the LRS-B, and it maintains that it will cut or shuffle any other acquisition projects to get them. Boeing already has WHY NORTHROP GRUMMAN WILL WIN the tanker program; Lockheed Martin has the F-35. Would the Air Force really put all its Fabergé eggs in their basket? Pentagon Northrop Grumman clearly has the chops to build the bomber. leaders say that as the number of new programs shrink, they The B-2 was no mean technical feat, launched at a time when want to preserve competition as much as possible, with as many some of its critical enabling capabilities were rated at a Technol- credible offerors as possible. Based on that thinking, Northrop ogy Readiness Level of 4 or 5. (The Air Force is demanding a Grumman will get the LRS-B. minimum TRL of 6 for LRS-B technologies). It’s not just a matter of who needs the work. If budgetary push When the B-2 program was truncated in the late 1990s at comes to shove, would Boeing and Lockheed Martin put their only 20 (later 21) airplanes, Congress made a provision to keep full backing behind the LRS-B, which is still in the concept stage, funding Northrop Grumman’s knowledge of how to make the or behind the tanker and F-35, which are well into production? B-2 even better and preserve the ability to manufacture another Lockheed Martin yanked its support for the F-22 when Defense large stealth bomber in the future. Consequently, there have Secretary Gates, who wanted to kill the Raptor, threatened the been numerous updates to the B-2’s stealth features, evolving F-35 in retaliation. The air immediately rushed out of the campaign away from the arduous tape-and-caulk methods to streamlined to keep the F-22 going in Washington, D.C. systems that work better and are easier to maintain. The B-2’s All those factors taken in concert, Northrop Grumman has mission systems are now entering what some call a “midlife good reason to believe the empty space in its Palmdale, Calif., update” involving new technology, and Northrop Grumman has facility will soon fill up with LRS-B work. %

August 2015 11 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 AIR FORCE 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

AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 13 Ai F e A t gtA t s

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, Afghanistan. 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, , 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, , 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 , , 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 F-16 assigned to the Arizona National Guard’s 162nd Fighter Wing 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. 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 United States 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, , , 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

AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 Ai F e

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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 Russian air force is negotiating an agreement with 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 Russia 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 he Air Force wants to bolster interoperability and the training with den you’re doing everything in-house,” its permanent presence on partners.” said Maytan. “You come up to Guam Guam in an effort to improve Depending on how they are loaded, and for the B-52 it’s exciting because it its continuous bomber pres- B-52s can fl y about 8,000 miles without kind of forces us to do integration,” he enceT mission. Bombers—mostly B-52s refueling, offering a persistent, long- said during an Air Force Magazine visit from Minot AFB, N.D., and Barksdale range strike capability to the nation. to Andersen this spring. AFB, La.—have been rotating to Guam However, being forward deployed to “Any football team has to be able to since 2004 as part of USAF’s strategic Guam signifi cantly expands sortie time win on the road,” Maytan continued. deterrence mission, serving as a visible and limits stress on the crews and aircraft, “It’s a different airfi eld, different dimen- reminder to allies, partners, and adversar- said Lt. Col. Scott Maytan, commander of sions, different parking plans, different ies that the United States is committed to the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron weather patterns. … It’s good exposure the region and ready to act on a moment’s at Andersen. for my crew.” notice if the need arises. From Maytan’s home station at Barks- It takes a lot of manpower to bring six “Any time we send out bombers any- dale, it is a 16-hour sortie to Guam. But B-52s—the typical CBP rotation—to where in the world people pay attention,” once at Andersen, the bombers are just Guam, though, and to keep the aircraft Air Force Global Strike Command boss four hours to northeast Asia, fi ve hours operating once in theater. In April there Lt. Gen. Stephen W. “Seve” Wilson told to the South China Sea, and about seven were more than 320 personnel, deployed reporters in January. hours to Hawaii. from Barksdale. Of those, nearly 250 CBP provides “great training for our “It’s surprising at home in the [conti- were maintainers. crews,” he continued. “I haven’t fl own a nental United States] how much time we There are just three people perma- 47-hour mission, I’ve only fl own upper- can spend just training with ourselves. nently assigned to the expeditionary 20-hour missions. Those are hard, … so We all get in our scheduling ruts. … You maintenance squadron at Andersen: a the experiences we gain for those crews get focused on your training profi ciencies squadron commander, a superintendent, are all very benefi cial. Not to mention that you need to get done and all of a sud- and a “port guy,” said Lt. Col. William

Bombers on Guam By Amy McCullough, News Editor

The continuous bomber presence is a visible show of USAF’s commitment to Pacifi c security.

Staff photo by Amy McCullough

20 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 Bradley, deputy commander of the 36th that “if we had a little more continuity, more than 18,000 service members, 200 Maintenance Group. Their job is primar- it would make us all a little better,” said aircraft, and 19 ships, said Col. Reid M. ily to take the rotating aircraft mainte- Maytan. Langdon, commander of the 36th Opera- nance units under their wing, he said. Commanders and base leaders inter- tions Group at Andersen. viewed by the team acknowledged that “I watched a C-17, Global Hawk, P-3, NO STONE UNTURNED “for many, many years Guam was a sleepy P-8, and B-52 all take off within a week When AFGSC broadened its grassroots hollow,” but they also said “that’s no lon- or two of each other,” Langdon told Air Force Improvement Program from the ger the case,” said Willison. In addition Force Magazine. “Two times a year, this ICBM to the bomber community, one of to smaller monthly exercises, Andersen place is just packed.” the recommendations that came back was hosts Cope North each year and Valiant However, the increased operational to increase permanent party personnel at Shield biennially—both exercises that tempo can be taxing on Andersen main- Guam to smooth the constant rotations continue to grow. tainers, who are supporting CBP as well of airmen and iron, said Bradley. The two-week joint and multilateral as all the other aircraft operating from the As a result the command sent a three- Exercise Cope North 15 was the largest base. “They are just stretched so thin,” person Tiger Team to Andersen the fi rst ever, involving some 2,340 participants, said Willison. week of November 2014. It was spe- including B-52 crews. Along with US air- As of early June, the Air Force was still cifi cally tasked with determining what a men, military personnel from Australia, trying to fi gure out exactly how this new detachment could and would look like if Japan, New Zealand, the , and permanent presence would work. Wilson established, said Maj. Michelle Willison, South Korea all took part. Singapore and said AFGSC proposed a detachment of 30 the Tiger Team lead. Vietnam sent observers from their air to 34 Active Duty personnel who would The team left virtually no stone un- forces. Pilots fl ew more than 1,450 mis- deploy to Andersen for three years if ac- turned, taking notes and interviewing sions and delivered nearly 100 weapons. companied by dependents, or two years just about every airman associated with Valiant Shield 2014—a nine-day air, if not. Lt. Col. Michael Pritchett, who the mission. The general takeaway was land, and sea exercise—brought together has been tapped to lead the detachment,

Bombers on Guam

B-52s deployed from Barksdale AFB, La., on the fl ight line at Andersen AFB, Guam, as part of the Air Force’s continuous bomber presence.

AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 21 Staff photo by Amy McCullough

A B-52 assigned to Andersen approaches a KC-135, also based on Guam, for fuel over the Pacifi c. said Det. 4 would comprise eight offi cers, said the crossover is “surmountable,” including himself, and between 22 and but it does complicate things. 28 enlisted airmen. “It’s not [just] a Global Strike prob- Maintainers will make up “roughly lem. It’s not a PACAF problem,” he said. half of the permanently assigned person- “They both have similar but different nel,” said Wilson. Many will be “air- goals at the end of it, so all that needs crew ground equipment” airmen, added to be worked through to make sure we Pritchett, who currently serves as the do this smartly.” deputy chief of the combat operations As of mid-June, a memorandum of division at the 608th Air Operations understanding between AFGSC and Center at Offutt AFB, Neb. was still await- early to know exactly what agreements On the operations side, AFGSC is ing PACAF Commander Gen. Lori were necessary. looking to “include mission planners, J. Robinson’s signature, but officials Brig. Gen. Steven L. Basham, at the combat crew communications, a fl ight said they expected the document to be time director of strategy, plans, and pro- safety offi cer, a standardization and signed “soon.” grams at PACAF headquarters at JB Pearl evaluation offi cer, and a [survival, eva- “In our construct, the activities and Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, said a permanent sion, resistance, and escape] specialist,” work of the AFGSC detachment would CBP on Guam makes sense because said Wilson. be synchronized and done in close there’s a “continual need for individuals Pritchett and the Det. 4 superinten- coordination with the 36th Wing at doing the same thing” at Andersen, no dent will deploy to Andersen in Sep- Andersen Air Force Base, with their matter which bomber units go through. tember, while the rest of the personnel primary focus being support ... for the The permanently assigned personnel are slated to begin rolling in between continuous bomber presence mission,” will not only alleviate some of the stress on November and December, said officials. said Wilson in June. “Administrative- airmen at Andersen, but also at the bomb “Once all of the personnel are in place, type actions and funding would be squadrons back in the continental United we would declare full operational accomplished through reachback to States. This is because fewer airmen will capability three to four months later,” AFGSC through 8th Air Force.” be required to deploy, “allowing more said Wilson. time between deployments” for some of But fi nding the right people is not an CRAFTING AGREEMENTS the career fi elds, said Wilson. easy job. For starters, both resourcing Because Andersen is a joint base, The bomb wings at Minot and Barks- and implementation must cross major Wilson said there also will need to be dale take turns rotating to Guam every commands. Though AFGSC has the lead “a variety of agreements between Air other year. Although that will not change, in the effort, the command is working Force and Navy entities” to support the the deployment sizes will decrease once closely with Pacifi c Air Forces. Maytan detachment, though in June it was still too the detachment is activated. The exact

A B-52 lands at RAAF Darwin, Australia, in December 2014. There aren’t a lot of places in the Pacifi c region that can accommodate the massive bombers, so Australia is a particularly important partner for USAF’s deployed presence.

RAAF photo by ABIS Nicolas Gonzalez

22 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 numbers are still being worked out, but officials said they expect 14 fewer maintainers and about 11 fewer opera- tors to deploy per CBP rotation once the detachment stands up. “Additionally, the detachment would enable a force improvement quality-of- life initiative for our airmen, by opening an overseas assignment location, which is generally not available for B-52 maintainers,” added Wilson. Maj. Andrew Marshall, a B-52 radar navigator and Air Force Reservist as- signed to the 20th EBS, has deployed to Guam eight times, as both an enlisted airman and an officer. Since his first rotation in 2003, he has had a front row seat to the evolving mission. t t A u ug

Above: With help from SrA. Sean Beres and SSgt. Albert Tolbert, SrA. Cedric Gaines packs the drag chute back into a B-52 after it lands at Andersen. Here: Airmen deployed to Guam from Minot AFB, N.D., prepare a training AGM-86C CALCM for loading onto a B-52. All expeditionary weapons troops must pass a load inspection within 10 days of arriving on the island. Some bombers are kept at a higher rate of readiness than when they are at a CONUS base.

A t A s

“Obviously when you start something escalation is a real threat in the region. “Nothing amazing or super secret. We’re up you are just figuring things out. ... Andersen’s strategic location and the just two or three steps [closer] to be- We’ve always been capable of perform- “messaging piece” of the CBP mission ing ready for an operational mission,” ing the mission” from Guam, he said. means deployed bombers have to be he explained. Those may be “steps we “Coming out here [provides] more ready to go at a moment’s notice, so would keep off the list at home because training opportunities. We’re a little “at least some subset” of the deployed it’s more focused on the local flying closer to our allies. The assurance [and] B-52 fleet is kept in a slightly different training.” deterrence—it’s more visible here.” state of readiness on Guam than they Guam is a small island surrounded by Maytan said the continuous bomber are back home, he stated. a massive body of water, so the training presence mission makes bomber crews a For example, the amount of fuel in environment “is a little less forgiving. “sharper team.” With tensions boiling in a parked bomber might be different on It raises our game and our discipline,” the South China Sea and Russia flying Guam than at Barksdale and the aircraft said Maytan. its own bombers off the coast of Guam, might have different weapons racks A typical mission from Barksdale the potential for miscalculations and loaded while deployed, said Maytan. might include a four- or five-hour flight / August 2015 23 USAF photo by SrA. Cierra Presentado

Maintainers work on a B-2 bomber at Andersen in 2014. In that year, some 200 airmen deployed to the island to support three B-2s deployed there. to a training range in Texas, followed by allies]. That’s the way I look at it,” sions over the nearby Delamere Training a short hop to Oklahoma where a bomber Marshall said. Range in Australia’s Northern Territory would refuel before heading back to Training with allies and partners is a big and practiced intercepts with Australian Louisiana. The difference is at home there part of the CBP, and Australia is playing F-18 fighters from neighboring RAAF are plenty of bases where a B-52 can land a growing role in that mission. Tindal, according to a PACAF release. It if anything were to go wrong during the In December 2014, a B-52 redeployed noted that the purpose of the event was mission. That’s not the case in the Pacifi c. from Andersen to RAAF Darwin, Aus- “to highlight the intent for increased US “If I want to fl y four to fi ve hours in the tralia, for a joint training exercise with Air Force training with the RAAF.” The South China Sea, I’m going to fl y four to the Royal Australian Air Force. While exercise marked the fourth time a US fi ve hours back. It’s all water; there’s not a there, the B-52 simulated strike mis- bomber landed at Darwin since 2012. lot of places to land,” Maytan pointed out. In November 2013, shortly after China declared an air defense identifi cation zone over a large swath of the East China Sea, the United States sent two unarmed B-52s from Andersen through China’s ADIZ. A Pentagon spokesman at the time described the sorties as “unevent- ful,” saying they were part of previously scheduled training, but the mission sent Wiseman Benjamin SrA. by photo USAF a powerful message. Air Force offi cials said the creation of the ADIZ did not alter CBP operations in any way. Bomber crews continue to fi le an international fl ight plan and fl y through the area even today. “It’s public domain. There are clear-cut laws as far as what constitutes national air space. ... We’re not violating any rules. We go out and do our thing just like we’ve always done it,” said Marshall. “We’re here to assure our allies, that it’s business as usual. … You kind of want to be a role model [for America’s 24 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 This year, two B-52Hs flew from Andersen to Australia to participate in the Avalon Air Show. Officials declined to talk about future operations, but all said it’s safe to assume that B-52s will continue to operate out of Australia. “There are only so many places that

are well-suited to land a B-52 because Anthony Micaiah SrA. by photo USAF of our size and the dimensions,” noted Maytan. Around the Pacific, Hawaii, Alaska, and Darwin, Australia, are among those locations. Brig. Gen. Jeffrey McDaniels, direc- tor of air and cyberspace operations at PACAF headquarters, said bombers are often viewed as “one-dimensional,” and though they “are very good at going to blow things up” in the Middle East and South Asia, in the Pacific region they haven’t actually dropped a bomb, Lt. Col. Scott Maytan, 20th Bomb Squadron commander, briefs aircrews before a other than for training, since Vietnam. mission from Barksdale AFB, La. It is a 16-hour flight from the squadron’s home base to Andersen on Guam. ALLIED TRAINING In the Pacific bombers are used mostly operating from Andersen flew around Three B-2s and some 200 airmen for deterrence, helping to maintain peace Japan, allowing the Japanese “to do from the 509th Bomb Wing at White- and stability in the region, he said. intercepts on us for their proficiency” man AFB, Mo., deployed to Andersen Through the CBP mission, the B-52s purposes. in 2014 as part of the CBP rotation. also are used for nation-to-nation engage- Although B-52s are most often as- Prior to that, however, the last extended ments, one of PACAF’s top priorities. sociated with the Air Force’s continuous B-2 deployment to Guam took place “We have five allies out here and bomber presence mission, there have in 2012. lots of partners. Our goal would be been limited B-1 and B-2 deployments Langdon said having multiple bomb- to get along with everybody, they get to Andersen over the last 11 years. In er variants operate out of Andersen along with us, and they get along with 2013, then-Deputy Defense Secretary sends a “different strategic deterrent each other,” said McDaniels. “We can Ashton B. Carter said, “Our ability message” and shows the US is “fully use CBP for that on a peaceful positive to strengthen the ongoing continuous committed.” Both he and Basham said approach that keeps us away from the bomber presence missions in the region they think the B-1 and/or B-2 could bad things bombers have to do.” will ... benefit from [a] reduced presence play a larger role in CBP one day, but He said that in addition to the Avalon in Afghanistan,” stating that “more B-1 that’s not likely to happen anytime soon Air Show, B-52s attended an air show [bombers] will become available” to considering the current air campaign in Malaysia, and also in April, a B-52 augment the B-52s. against ISIS terrorists in Iraq and Syria. Wilson said AFGSC has no plans to integrate the B-1 into CBP even after The bombers are carefully maintained at Ander- the bombers transition from Air Combat sen for maximum readiness. Here, the interior Command to Global Strike this fall. and exterior of a B-52 gets cleaned before it Though he said, “there are synergies to be returns to flying operations. gained” by the move, there won’t be any impact on the continuous bomber pres- ence mission. There also are “no plans to include B-2s into the CBP rotation at Guam,” though Wilson remarked that “B-2s do regularly support [US Pacific Command] exercises in the AOR.” Marshall said that bomber diplo- macy—a term often associated with CBP—has been a big part of the Air Force’s mission since its inception, and that probably won’t change any- time soon. “Think about it. When you say, ‘I can be anywhere in the world and I can hold anybody at bay, that I represent ... America, and we’re here for our friends— we’ve done that since World War I and we’ll continue to do that.” J AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 25 USAF F-15E fi ghters from the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing, deployed from Seymour Johnson AFB, N.C., are parked at Al Kharj, , during Operation Desert Shield.

A Prelude to War By Rebecca Grant

Twenty-fi ve years ago this month, the Air Force moved to save Saudi Arabia and began tense preparations for the fi rst Gulf War.

26 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 DOD photo

t 2 a.m. local time on Aug. 2, From August through October, the 1990, Lt. Gen. Ayad Futayih work of a disparate group of airmen in Aal-Rawi ordered the Hammurabi key senior positions would convince Armored Division and the Tawakalna Schwarzkopf and Bush that airpower Mechanized Division of Iraq’s Repub- could be the centerpiece of a joint lican Guard Forces Command to seize campaign. Most were fi ghter pilots . The first of 1,000 Soviet-built with Vietnam service. Their collective Iraqi tanks reached Kuwait City at 5 efforts—even when at cross-purposes— a.m. and occupied the city that evening. forged a new template for American “I knew the Iraqis could overrun the warfare with airpower at the center. Saudi oil region in a week,” said Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf Jr., United NEW ROLES FOR AIRPOWER States Army, who was commander, In 1990, defense strategy did not fea- United States Central Command at ture airpower taking the lead. Warplans MacDill AFB, Fla. postured land forces to block an invasion The invasion, sparked by spats with some assistance from airpower. between the region’s oil-producing The Navy had its Maritime Strategy nations and triggered by Iraq’s near- while the Army had AirLand Battle. The bankruptcy, redefi ned US geopolitics Air Force tended to be parceled to the and American airpower for a genera- Army corps commander’s scheme of tion. But in the summer of 1990, what maneuver—or dedicated to the nuclear to do about the problem in the faraway Single Integrated Operational Plan. desert was far from certain. “We’d been working on a set of ideas Brazen conquest of a sovereign, oil- about how to better use airpower,” rich nation was not the foundation for a recalled Warden, who headed the di- new world order. “I had decided in my rectorate of warfi ghting concepts under own mind in the fi rst hours that the Iraqi Maj. Gen. Robert M. Alexander, who aggression could not be tolerated,” said was director of plans in the offi ce of the President George H. W. Bush. deputy chief of staff for operations—a “This was clearly an airpower situa- post known as XOX. Warden at the tion,” thought Col. John A. Warden III. Pentagon had in his directorate small “Schwarzkopf depended on airpower offi ces for doctrine, long-range plans, as the essential shield for the buildup of requirements, “Checkmate” for opera- forces necessary to defend the Arabian tional analysis, and the “Skunk Works” peninsula,” historians Thomas A. Kean- for strategy. ey and Eliot A. Cohen wrote in their “Let’s put a plan together,” Warden Gulf War Air Power Survey in 1993. told his staff on Monday, Aug. 6. “I But airpower had to shake off its don’t know how we’re going to sell it, doctrinal supporting role for the United but let’s do it.” States to step up to the challenge of The appetite for airpower began with Iraq in this new world order. Schwarzkopf. AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 27 On Aug. 6, King Fahd of Saudi Arabia consented to host American forces. Aircraft poured into an unfamiliar theater. Lt. Col. Kenneth M. “Mike” DeCuir deployed with his F-15E unit. “We started setting up our cots in a warehouse,” he later recalled. “I went to the security forces detachment and Cockran Lee F. SSgt. by photo USA asked them the best way to prepare MREs [meals, ready to eat] because as aircrew we had never even seen MREs, much less knew how to eat the darn things!” There was another surprise in store. “Just as we got it all together, we were bused to the Royal Omani Air Force offi cers mess for dinner,” continued DeCuir, now a retired major general. CENTCOM war plans had long as- sumed that “in the fi rst month of any US military personnel arrive at Airport aboard a C-5 Galaxy during Desert deployment, US and Saudi air threat to Shield. extended Iraqi lines of communication was the deterrent,” writes Army histo- of Staff] to allow me to work directly AFCENT,” Schwarzkopf told Loh. “Can rian Richard M. Swain in a 1997 book, with the air staff to develop a package you help me?” Lucky War. of options,” Schwarzkopf later said in “The center of gravity shifted from But in the then-recent Internal Look a PBS “Frontline” program. MacDill to Checkmate,” Loh said. wargame, six Iraqi divisions advanced “He had no ground forces. There was “I thought Schwarzkopf was dyed-in- 124 miles into Saudi Arabia, infl icting no ground option,” recalled Warden. the-wool green Army and didn’t know 50 percent losses on the airborne corps The door was wide open for airpower. airpower,” Loh said later. “I was wrong.” holding Dhahran. Developing America’s response fol- Still, Schwarzkopf was not an easy Iraqi tanks weren’t the only threat. lowed two tracks: the immediate, execut- customer. “Burly, emotional, and bril- Saddam had taken hostages. What if able options and the much wider cam- liant, Schwarzkopf earned the handle he started executing them? What if paign to eject Iraqi forces from Kuwait. ‘Stormin’ Norman’ early in his career Iraqi forces stormed the US Embassy? Both were on Schwarzkopf’s mind primarily because of his outspoken Chemical weapons were another specter. when he called Gen. John Michael Loh, personality and his volcanic outbursts,” “It suddenly dawned on me that I had Air Force vice chief of staff, on the said the offi cial US Army history of no military options, or very, very limited morning of Aug. 8. Operation Desert Storm, Certain Victory. military options, to offer the President. “I need a full-blown air campaign “When he was edgy, it was normally ... I asked [Army Gen. Colin L. Pow- plan, not the limited, AirLand battle with senior offi cers. He was great with ell, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs and defensive plan I am getting from the troops. ... Lieutenant colonels and above were fair game,” observed retired Lt. Gen. Buster C. Glosson in his 2003 book, War With Iraq. In 1990, Glosson was a brigadier general, in as deputy commander, Joint Task Force Middle East, embarked on USS LaSalle. “Schwarzkopf wants whatever we’ve got right now,” Loh reported to his boss, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Michael USAF photo by CMSgt. Don Sutherland Don CMSgt. by photo USAF J. Dugan, a day later. Warden and his boss Alexander briefed Schwarzkopf at his headquarters in Tampa, Fla., on Aug. 10. The concept packaged six days of air strikes against targets in Iraq and Kuwait, designed primarily to cut Saddam’s control by hitting air defenses, airfi elds, telecom- munications, and suspected weapons of mass destruction sites. Schwarzkopf told them it was exactly what he wanted. The briefing opened USAF Capt. James Dygert checks a rotor blade on a UH-60A Black Hawk during Desert Shield.

28 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 USA photo

Schwarzkopf’s mind to a further pos- “When it came to the mission and JSTARS’ fi rst operational mission was sibility, according to his “Frontline” the people entrusted to him for its ac- during the Gulf War in 1991. The new interview. “I then realize, sitting in that complishment, he was engaged, deeply ISR aircraft would show its mettle tracking Iraqi forces as they moved to- room, that this strategic air campaign serious, the opposite of frivolous,” said ward to launch a surprise attack. would have to be a precursor to any McPeak. offensive campaign.” “Primary defense continued to rely on based’ targeting,” Glosson wrote in his airpower and a thin line of United States book. “For leadership, communications, MAKE IT JOINT and Saudi units along the Kuwait border,” aircraft shelters, and general facilities, Schwarzkopf was sold on the value stated the Pentagon’s offi cial “Conduct the concept of a few bombs to cause of airpower but there was much more of the Persian Gulf War” report. paralysis, not destruction, was OK. For work to do. Back in Washington, Powell “Initially the tasking was to support other targets, this was very defi nitely not listened to Warden’s briefi ng. The J-3, the troops of the 82nd Airborne who were OK. NBC [nuclear, biological, chemical] Army Lt. Gen. Thomas W. Kelly, ques- the fi rst to arrive and were pretty exposed sites, bridges, mobile assets—all these tioned airpower’s effectiveness. Powell up along the Kuwait-Saudi border,” said needed a hard kill, not an ‘effect.’ ” half-sided with Kelly at fi rst. “This is DeCuir. “We expected a massive push Another divide formed over how and different,” Loh interjected. “We’ve got of armor should the Iraqis come south, when to hit Iraqi ground forces. precision and stealth.” and the airborne guys were lightly armed In the Aug. 11 briefi ng, Warden told Finally, Powell authorized Loh to and not prepared to repulse an armored Powell he had “no plans at all to attack continue the air campaign planning, invasion.” The F-15Es were loaded with the Iraqi army in Kuwait.” He wanted but to make it more joint. Rockeye munitions and waited. the Iraqi army to give in to the pressure “By that afternoon we’d gained 100 In this tense environment, Horner saw of attacks on strategic targets in Iraq or so more people, mostly from the the Air Staff briefi ngs as just a start. In and go home. Air Force and Marine Corps,” Warden theater, the task was to build immedi- “I don’t want it to go home,” Warden recalled. ate options to shield Saudi Arabia from recalled Powell saying. “I want a smok- The plan was “50 percent theoretical attack. ing tank on every kilometer marker from and 50 percent pragmatic,” according to “John Warden and I looked at the Kuwait to Baghdad.” Warden, in contrast, Loh. “We needed real targets and real problem of air campaign planning dif- “hoped we would never have to execute missions” in the plan, he summed up. ferently,” Horner later wrote. “He viewed the attack on the Iraqi army.” The task fell now to Lt. Gen. Charles it as an almost Newtonian science, with There was no debate as far as Schwarz- A. Horner, air component commander. the targeting list being an end unto itself, kopf was concerned. He was eager to use Schwarzkopf had left Horner in while for me, air warfare revolves around superior US airpower to full advantage, to take charge as CENTCOM the ATO [air tasking order], logistics, for it gave him something Saddam and work immediate air strike options. joint service and allied agreements, and didn’t have. “Obviously one of the very, According to the book, Every Man the million and one little things.” very great strengths that we had was a Tiger, the omnipresent question to “In the interim we had a D-Day plan, our ability with strategic airpower and Horner was, “What will we do if the a defensive campaign, in case the Iraqi tactical airpower,” he later explained in Iraqis come across the border tonight?” army came,” said Horner in his PBS “Frontline.” He was mindful of Iraq’s “A cutup as a youngster, he’d matured “Frontline” interview. “tremendous advantage on us on the a bit but was still cheeky, something of “Have we got a bombing plan now,” ground, numbers wise,” and intended a jester with friends,” said Gen. Merrill Schwarzkopf told Powell. “If you want for airpower to help offset it. A. McPeak, who took over as Chief of to execute an air attack by itself, we’re “One of the main goals that Schwarz- Staff in October 1990. “Scruffy, a little ready.” kopf always had, and I think Powell as disheveled,” McPeak added; Horner was With fi xed, strategic targets, “I was well, was to get the Republican Guard,” not textbook military. still disturbed by the issue of ‘effects- Horner attested in the same PBS program. AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 29 air support to take down the world’s fourth largest army in position. The F-15’s 33-to-zero air-to-air kill ratio, the ability of the F-111 to destroy an Iraqi tank with one plink from a guided bomb, and the test article JSTARS that tracked Iraqi forces on a sneak attack USN photo by JO3 Gerald Johnson Gerald JO3 by photo USN toward Khafji, Saudi Arabia: All this lay in the future. Conventional wisdom doubted the US military and airpower in particular. A Brookings Institution scholar predicted between 1,049 to 4,136 deaths and more than 16,000 US casualties, while Army models of maneuver warfare estimated 9,000 casualties, USAF historian Rich- ard P. Hallion later recorded. “There was very little public support in the United States for the idea of go- President George H. W. Bush speaks to military personnel during a Thanksgiving ing to war in the Persian Gulf. In fact, visit to Saudi Arabia during Desert Shield in 1990. it was overwhelmingly opposed,” said Secretary of State Baker on “Frontline.” Turning the theoretical plan into an As to precision, it rested with the laser Except for Schwarzkopf, America’s executable ATO depended on intel- guided weapons targeting pods of the most senior military commanders were ligence. Commanders struggled with F-111 and F-15E, the Navy’s coveted uneasy with airpower, too. intelligence and communications and A-6 carrier-based , and Loh served fi ve weeks as acting Chief the shortage of precision-capable air- the F-117 stealth fi ghter. of Staff after Defense Secretary Richard craft in ways hard to credit 25 years later. Stealth was the other linchpin of B. Cheney fi red Dugan during the runup Intelligence support was “my No. 1 the coming campaign. Leaders from to the war. He faced constant squabbling problem,” Glosson later stated. around the Air Force and all the way during meetings of the Joint Chiefs. Identifying and collecting data on up to Secretary of State James A. Baker “Vuono wanted to start with a simul- targets for a massive air campaign III wanted to know if it would work. taneous ground campaign. Gray fought demanded unprecedented support. Loh Glosson dispatched F-117 pilot Maj. everyday for an amphibious landing,” leaned on Air Force intelligence at the Robert D. Eskridge to fl y a sortie from said Loh, referring to Army Chief of Pentagon to help the air campaign plan- the base at , Saudi Staff Gen. Carl E. Vuono and Marine ners. Their initial reaction was “that’s Arabia, shut down communications and Corps Commandant Gen. Alfred M. not our duty; those in the fi eld should slip into the F-117’s clean confi guration Gray Jr. Chief of Naval Operations do it,” he recalled. Then there was the as if for an attack, and skim parallel to Adm. Frank B. Kelso II wanted to di- problem of transmitting intelligence the border for fi ve or six minutes. The vide the theater into “route packages” and targeting imagery to the theater. Iraqis never saw him. a la Vietnam, with a northwest package “There were computers around but All this was done in great secrecy. from carriers in the Red Sea to attack not many were interconnected,” Warden Outside, few grasped the value of stealth from the west and protect Israel, and said. Planners packed crates of target and how air superiority would allow a northeast package from carriers in the folders containing high-resolution pic- them to layer interdiction and close Persian Gulf attacking targets in Kuwait. tures onto Dugan’s airplane when he visited the theater in mid-September. Another time, a major was sent from the Air Staff to Riyadh on a commercial fl ight via Paris with a briefcase of more top-secret fi les. A classifi ed fax machine was put in at Checkmate and another in the “Black Hole” secret planning room in the basement of headquarters.

L-r: Gen. Colin Powell, Chairman of Photographer’s by photo USN Carl Susan Class 2nd Mate the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf, commander of US Cen- tral Command, and Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Paul Wolfowitz listen to Secretary of Defense Richard Cheney answer questions from the media during a press conference in February 1991.

30 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 USAF photo by A1C Heather Stanton

“He would leave the middle for the Air “The air campaign was an offensive F-117s on the fl ight line at Holloman Force working with the Army,” said Loh. plan; it was what we were going to do AFB, N.M., as another F-117 takes off in whether they attacked or we attacked,” the distance. The value of stealth would WINNING THE WHITE HOUSE Glosson summed up. be proved during the desert campaigns. Much rested on an effective plan, and When the briefi ng started, “I hadn’t force campaign and stayed relatively the fi rst group to convince was President gone far before I realized that he had intact,” said Loh. Bush and his senior Cabinet offi cials. On an understanding of airpower execution “I have today directed the Secretary Oct. 11, Glosson was scheduled to brief that not very many people in politics of Defense to increase the size of US the air campaign plan to Bush. have. I am sure his insight was based forces committed to Desert Shield to Schwarzkopf told “Frontline” he on his own experience as a naval avia- ensure that the coalition has an adequate wanted to brief the President himself. tor and as head of the CIA,” Glosson offensive military option should that be But “Colin felt that my arrival in Wash- wrote of Bush. necessary to achieve our common goals,” ington, D.C., could not be done in secret Bush, Baker, and Cheney asked ques- the President announced later in October. and that that would gin up a whole great tions on topics ranging from TLAM On Nov. 29, 1990, the deal of speculation within the Washing- accuracy to the role of Turkey. What authorized the use of force to free Kuwait. ton community as to why I was there.” will Saddam Hussein be able to do after “When he got the UN vote through, ... I Schwarzkopf designated Glosson to Phase I, the President asked Glosson. knew then we were going to go to war,” brief the three-phased air campaign while “He will not be able to effectively Horner said. Army Lt. Col. Joseph H. Purvis covered communicate with his people: He will By January 1991, the coalition lined up the ground phase. He warned Glosson lose C2 [command and control] to his to defend Saudi Arabia and to expel Iraq and Purvis to stick to the brief he’d ap- forces, and he will have signifi cant prob- from Kuwait had grown to tremendous proved or he’d kick them out of theater lems reinforcing Kuwait because of LOC size. Approximately 540,000 ground and terminate their military careers. [lines of communication] cuts. He will troops from 31 countries were in place. “This meeting established airpower as have to deal with disruption throughout More than 660,000 coalition soldiers the dominant force for Operation Desert the country,” answered Glosson. were in the theater, and almost half-a- Storm,” said Loh. Schwarzkopf said Powell told him million of them were Americans. Some It almost didn’t happen that way. Glos- that “the briefi ng on the air campaign 1,800 combat aircraft and numerous son prebriefed the Joint Chiefs the day had gone wonderfully, the briefi ng on support aircraft were deployed. before the White House meeting. Powell the ground campaign had gone terribly.” Across the border of Kuwait waited took him aside afterward. “You’ve got The negative reaction to the one-corps 43 Iraqi divisions. Most were not at full to make sure when we go to the White ground offensive served Schwarz kopf’s strength, but postwar estimates put the House tomorrow we don’t oversell the purpose, for he had another land cam- number of Iraqi troops at about 330,000, air campaign,” Powell implored. paign plan up his sleeve. “He had an supported by 4,200 tanks, 2,800 armored Glosson returned to Secretary of alternative that started a fl ank, a little bit vehicles, and 3,100 artillery pieces. the Air Force Donald B. Rice’s offi ce of a left hook. He needed more forces Seven hundred combat aircraft and a with Loh and McPeak and vented his and then he would develop a much better fully integrated air defense system was frustration. land campaign, which is what happened,” in place, ready to take out attacking “Don’t change a chart,” Loh said said Horner. coalition forces. “I’m going to give the President a By the end of October, all the argu- On Jan. 17, 1991, Operation Desert factual briefi ng and let the chips fall ments were settled. “Our air campaign Shield came to an end and Desert Storm where they may,” Glosson decided. became the vanguard of the overall joint began. ✪ “Give the President the briefi ng you and I discussed,” Schwarzkopf told Glos- Rebecca Grant is president of IRIS Independent Research. Her most recent article son by telephone from Riyadh. for Air Force Magazine was “Airpower Against Ships” in June. AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 31 By John A. Tirpak, Editorial Director

The F-22 and F-35 are put through the wringer at Edwards AFB, Calif.

An AIM-120C AMRAAM is launched from F-35 AF-6’s internal weapons bay during a February 2015 sortie. F-35 testing has reached a near-maximum pace, but the strike fi ghter still has a long way to go before its fl ying qualities, mission systems, and weapons functionality are fully shaken out.

32 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 t t uss

he pace of testing the three Col. Andrew Allen, commander of the than 1,000 people—rub shoulders at F-35 strike fighter variants F-35 Integrated Test Force, in a recent the base with just four F-22s, which is nearing its peak. The pro- interview. continue to prove out updates and Tgram is the priority flight-test Will it be everything they want? improvements to that system. program at Edwards AFB, Calif., and That’s relative, Allen said. Steve Rainey, Lockheed Martin’s gets first dibs on its tankers, ranges, “To have a service willing to declare chief F-22 test pilot at Edwards, of- ground control, and bandwidth. Even IOC well before we’re done developing fered caution about the pace of F-35 so, the pressure is on from military the aircraft, … I think, speaks positively testing in a recent interview. A longtime services anxious to field the jets and about the health of the program and veteran of the aircraft, Rainey was from Congress to hurry up and prove the where we are right now,” he asserted. the first USAF pilot to fly the Raptor, multiservice fighters ready for combat. headed the test program while in the Testing the F-35, however, is un- MORE MORE MORE Air Force, and was Boeing’s chief like any previous program—even its The Marines will have a basic air-to- F-22 test pilot before coming over to stealthy, fifth generation F-22 stable- air and air-to-ground capability with the Lockheed Martin. mate—because of the program’s size, F-35B in the 2B configuration. Later Recalling when the F-22 program was its international nature, the astonishing software builds will add additional under the congressional microscope and array of capabilities jammed into it, and capabilities such as more weapons, under pressure from Pentagon leaders the unprecedented amount of concur- more sensor fusion, and more electronic to speed up flight test, Rainey warned rency built into the project. warfare options. that F-35 testers “have to start worry- With only 60 percent of development “Any fighter pilot, any service, … you ing about ‘the push.’ ” In the surge to completed, the Marine Corps expected always want more,” Allen said, and he get the F-22 on track, he said, USAF to declare initial operational capability expects that flight testing of software leadership put the test force on a seven- with the F-35B in July. With a modern updates and upgrades will probably go day-a-week flying schedule, working fighter, that is unprecedented. on “for decades.” 12-hour shifts, without enough people. “There’s … a lot of political pres- The F-35s—there are nine test air- Predictably, they got tired and made sure [and] visibility on it,” said Lt. craft at Edwards, supported by more some mistakes, Rainey asserted. AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 Lockheed Martin photo

An F-22 releases an AIM-9X from its weapons bay in a recent test. The AIM-9X and AIM-120D are two key elements of the Increment 3.2 Raptor upgrade.

In one test hop, “we almost put a the [Combined Test Force] when it and our throughput and our capability guy in the dirt” because the simulator got really tough.” He said the same is defi nitely not a hindrance to … ac- didn’t predict the forces the jet would problem could affect the F-35. “Ops complishing the test program.” encounter under a specifi c negative-G tempo is always the killer.” The overfl ying wasn’t necessarily a maneuver, and neither pilots nor engi- Allen did not complain about the pace good thing, though, Allen noted. The neers anticipated the situation, resulting of F-35 testing, saying he has the needed extra sorties had to be fl own because in a close call. manpower, facilities, and aircraft to do there were more software drops than Although the workweek was later the job, but he did urge patience, not- anticipated, requiring extra tests to reduced to six days, Rainey said there ing numerous times that an enormous maintain the schedule. was a significant exodus of experienced amount of fl ight sciences and mission The mix of aircraft in Allen’s test flight and ground crews after 15 months systems testing remains to be done. force includes six F-35As, two F- of the F-22 testing surge, hurting the “In 2014 we overfl ew our goal of 35Bs, and one F-35C: respectively, the program and causing further delays. testing sorties,” he said, fl ying 704 hops conventional takeoff version, the short With “people pushing really hard, when 666 were planned, “so getting takeoff/vertical landing model, and you can do that for a while, but you the aircraft to work and get airborne the carrier-capable version. Although have to recognize the repercussions,” is not a limiting factor at all. We have there are differences in how they fly, Rainey said. “If you keep doing it a fully trained and qualifi ed team that their mission systems are identical, and forever, you’re going to lose people. is very much capable of operating at a mission systems test can be flown We did. Good people decided to leave max capacity for long periods of time, with whatever jet is ready to go next.

Lockheed Martin photo by Chad Bellay

A British joint terminal attack controller stands in front of BF-17, a Marine Corps F-35B, during a ground test of close air support communication.

34 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 Lockheed Martin photo by Tom Reynolds

Every conceivable contingency and confi guration must be anticipated and evalu- ated. Here, the Marine Corps BF-4 makes a short takeoff during a wet runway and crosswind test.

Flight sciences is the bread and but- things that this aircraft will eventually In the case of the extra missions ter of fl ight test: It defi nes the aircraft’s be able to do.” flown last year, the software “either performance envelope, its ability to A typical day adds up to about didn’t perform to the level it was sup- handle stress and loads, vibration and three test flights, but they require a posed to, or [as] advertised, … so we fl utter, and how it behaves under unusual phenomenal amount of planning, coor- were a little less efficient on the amount circumstances or in odd confi gurations dination, assets, and conditions—such of test we could accomplish on each and in air refueling. While fl ight sci- as tankers, controllers, chase aircraft, sortie.” But the ability to fly those extra ences on the F-35B with 2B software ranges, and weather, to name just a missions means that “our maintenance is done, Allen said there’s still a lot to few—that must all line up to make a effectiveness and the sustainability do with the F-35A and C models and successful mission. of the aircraft here at Edwards have quite a bit more testing to do on mission In addition to envelope expansion, greatly improved.” Edwards has the systems. Much of the fl ight sciences the F-35 is actually put through its most experienced maintainers of any work being done now concentrates on paces, dropping ordnance, exercising unit flying the F-35, he said, and many carrying external loads with a variety its electronic warfare, and even flying have been with the program since its of weapons, in different and asymmet- “against” F-16s, though the Vipers inception. The CTF has had the first ric combinations, to explore as many are usually targets and not dogfight look at every software version. conceivable contingencies as possible. adversaries. Even live shots are made, Two years ago, when Allen came Allen said the F-35 is “incredibly against subscale target drones. Weap- to the job, F-35s were available for stable,” and “I don’t know if I want to ons drops are performed both to make test about 50 percent of the time, and admit this, … but it’s incredibly easy to sure the ordnance separates safely now “it’s improved to where it stays fl y. It’s not necessarily easy to employ, from the jet and also to ensure the on the schedule and we fly an effective but it is easy to fl y.” F-35’s accuracy. This constitutes an sortie … between 60 and 70 percent” He said pilots don’t spin-test the F-35 “end-to-end check” that “the kill chain of the time. “So it’s much improved, because it won’t spin. “We do departure can be completed, from a weapons and that’s nothing to make light of.” [from controlled fl ight] resistance, and perspective,” Allen explained. Besides the skills of the maintainers, then recovery from intentional depar- “the supply chain is always going tures,” he said. “We try to put it out of ABILITY TO EXECUTE to continue to improve and grow.” control and see how it behaves,” but The F-35 has been flown in concert Moreover, test maintainers have direct for the most part, pilots don’t have to with E-3 AWACS, F-15Es, Navy F/A- access to the engineers and experts do anything to recover the airplane; it 18s and E-2Cs, and in interoperability who designed the systems. “We have largely rights itself. Even at very high testing with the British Typhoon and a little more at our fingertips, … more angles of attack—extreme nose-up at- ground-based tactical air controllers. expertise, here,” to make sure flight titudes while the jet is moving straight However, these are all systems and tests happen on schedule. ahead—“the jet’s stable,” Allen said. compatibility tests. Tactics are devel- Broadly, Allen said the F-35s are The F-35 has a dizzying number of oped at Nellis AFB, Nev. meeting contract specifications, al- capabilities, he said, and they all have Delays to testing are usually as- though “expectations may be a dif- to be tested and refi ned. sociated with things not being in a ferent discussion.” In its stability, “There’s probably buttons on your software drop that were expected, ability to fly at high angle of attack, [TV] remote, and you … probably Allen said. “Our ability to execute is and departure resistance, it does very have no idea what they do, right? It’s very dependent on the product that well and has performed “better than the same concept. There’s just so many we received.” expected,” Allen said. The F-35 does AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 35 Lockheed Martin photo

“exceptionally well” at instrument Ultimately, they “roll everything up Allen, who was also an F-22 test approaches and as a stable commu- in a ball and do more integrated, big- pilot, said the software stability is nication-navigation platform, without system-level testing. But that’s all after far more advanced than it was on the the need to reset the computers. we’ve done all the building-block tests F-22 at a similar stage. The software pieces are tested in- up ... to that graduation-type exercise.” dividually to make sure they work One of the challenges of flight test- TESTING THE F-22 alone—radar, electronic warfare, sen- ing the F-35 is that it will be used by The F-22 program, which produced sors, targeting system—and then “we three different services, whose pilots 187 combat-capable jets, remains a start to add things together,” such as grew up in different communities and high-profi le presence on the Edwards how the radar works with the software have different ideas of “how something fl ight line. Test director Rainey said that fusion engine, with electronic warfare, should be displayed,” Allen observed. although the F-22 program wrapped up and the Distributed Aperture System Display and data management prefer- development a few months before the jet that allows the pilot to see 360 degrees ences will be different for a pilot com- became operational in late 2005, fl ight in darkness. ing from an air-to-air system, like the testing has continued since then and “We go out and in a repeatable manner F-15C, versus a mainly air-to-ground will carry on for the foreseeable future. … try to employ the aircraft in the way system, like the Harrier, and there will Two kinds of changes are tested on the that we think it will be employed in the be differences in how suitable the F-22: updates—which are corrections of near future. And we make assessments pilots think the presentation is. But problems—and increments, which are on how well it does in each individual “we’re not going to develop three dif- increases in capability, usually in the mission,” such as offensive or defensive ferent versions of the mission system form of new weapons, sensor changes, counterair or interdiction. software,” Allen stated. or electronic warfare enhancements.

At top: A pair of F-22s in the Edwards pattern. The next big round of Raptor testing will evaluate ways for the F-22 and F-35 to talk to each other while remaining stealthy. Here: A USAF F-35 tests braking on a wet runway. While each F-35 variant has unique handling qualities, mission systems are identical for all three, and any one can test them. Lockheed Martin photo by David Henry

36 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 Lockheed Martin photo

A Raptor poses over the Edwards compass rose. Edwards is still inventing the pro- cess of testing fi fth generation jets, but is getting more profi cient at it by the day.

The F-22s that fl ew missions into when fuel tanks and their pylons are jet- and used as a maintenance trainer. Syria last year “were Increment 2 tisoned, restoring the Raptor’s stealth. There are 330 people in the test force; jets,” Rainey said. “That’s so long ago It works, but eight are pilots. Rainey said he plans I barely remember doing the testing. has yet to decide whether to acquire about two sorties a day, but they are That’s how long it takes to get these the improvement for the fl eet. not necessarily all test fl ights. Some are things fi elded and supported.” A mandated upgrade is an automatic profi ciency hops for the pilots. The biggest increment so far has been Ground Collision Avoidance System, Even though some maintainers have 3.1. It “allowed us to use sensors that directed after an accident that killed been reassigned, Rainey said “we still were previously passive … in an active an F-22 pilot. The system uses a “line probably have more expertise and way. By coupling that with multiple in the sky” method that commands a longevity than … the fi elded units.” Raptors, it helps us identify where a fl y-up of the airplane if it’s getting Why were those cuts made? threat is.” too close to a selected altitude. Flight “Cost. Everything is about money. Increment 3.1 added a synthetic testing showed that if a pilot forgot to The more money we can save at the aperture radar to the F-22, allowing it reset the fl y-up altitude after coming CTF, that’s more money the [system to perform almost as a mini-JSTARS, from a higher altitude terrain to a lower program offi ce] has, to spend on op- but behind enemy lines. It also added one, it could cause problems. “What if erating the airplane.” the Small Diameter Bomb, giving the you’re in formation” when that hap- The F-35 is often mischaracter- F-22 more of an air-to-ground capa- pened, Rainey asked. ized by people who simply see it as a bility besides its initial Joint Direct Now, if the jet is diving at less than replacement for the F-16, AV-8B, or Attack Munitions. So the F-22 now 10 degrees and 60 degrees of bank, F-18, Allen said. “That’s selling this has even more “knock the door down” the GCAS will warn the pilot of an aircraft short.” The F-35, he said, will capability to penetrate, suppress enemy impending fl y-up six seconds before be applicable “across the full spectrum air defenses, perform surveillance, it happens. The line in the sky is not of combat,” from a “Day One” attack and escort attacking aircraft “through ideal, but using a terrain-based mod- against a heavily defended target to that hole we just knocked down,” el—Rainey called it preferable—was “Day 365 of doing an urban close air Rainey said. deemed too diffi cult to manage on the support mission.” Allen asserted that “I “In a way … we’re replacing 12 F-22’s computer arrangement. don’t know another aircraft out there airplanes with a four-ship of Raptors,” The F-35 program has already learned that can be [as] effective across the full he said. from the experience and went with a spectrum of operations.” Now the force is testing Increment terrain system. Although the F-35 is not there yet, he 3.2, broken up into A and B installments. After update 3.2B, future F-22 im- said, “I fully believe” the program will It adds the new AIM-120D AMRAAM provements will be called tactical deliver on its promises. “We can have radar missile, the AIM-9X heat-seeking mandates, Rainey said. Some of these a common platform that can operate missile, data transfer improvements, are already in the pipeline: methods for in a language we can speak among the and “some other air-to-air capabilities the F-22 to talk stealthily with the F-35 services and between partner nations, I can’t talk about,” Rainey noted. and also with fourth generation fi ghters which is a huge capability to have, … The CTF also tests unprogrammed such as the F-15 and F-16. no matter what the mission.” improvements. One example is a slid- The CTF has four airplanes, one of On the spectrum of “crawl, walk, run, ing panel that covers holes in the wing them in “fl yable storage” at Edwards … we’re starting to run,” he said. ✪ AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 37 he Air Force’s intelli- from tactical commanders all the way command control offered by JSTARS gence, surveillance, and up to National Command Authorities. and the powerful aerial radar of AWACS reconnaissance portfolio Also part of this diverse inventory: the are critical for distributed control of is undergoing a shift from RC-135U Combat Sent, specifi cally air assets in contested environments. a force structured to sup- tailored to gather technical intelligence The third leg of USAF’s ISR wide- portT the demands of the Afghanistan on radar and air defense systems. body aircraft, the RC-135, is vital to and Iraq wars to one tailored for more Deployed worldwide under the aus- gathering highly sensitive electronic challenging environments. This will pices of the at Offutt AFB, intelligence around the world, infor- impact USAF’s “big wing” ISR air- Neb., RC-135s are frequently called mation that assets such as satellites or craft, a numerically small but critical into service. high-altitude ISR aircraft often cannot component of the combat air forces. Though a relatively small slice of obtain. The RC-135U Combat Sent, for These large, manned platforms boast USAF’s combat airpower—taken to- example, is equipped with specialized a great deal of specialized capabil- gether, the three RC-135, E-8, and E-3 sensors to detect, analyze, and gather ity—from gathering sensitive electronic fl eets add up to just under 80 aircraft— technical information on radar systems intelligence to air battle management their capabilities are unmatched and and integrated air defense networks. to secure command and control links. much sought after by the joint force Even today, the mission, often fl own by As part of this effort, USAF is un- by combatant commanders from the unaccompanied aircraft far from friendly dertaking a series of large and small Asia-Pacifi c to Europe. skies, sometimes leads to tense aerial initiatives to keep these aircraft viable standoffs reminiscent of the Cold War. for decades to come. The service is SMALL AND EXPENSIVE RC-135s have been in the headlines eyeing successor platforms to the E-8 This is why USAF leaders have several times in the last few years, JSTARS and refi ning the capabilities of stressed that their No. 4 modernization as they have had close encounters in the E-3 AWACS air battle management priority (after the KC-46 tanker, the both the Asia-Pacifi c and Europe while and command and control fl eet and the F-35 fi ghter, and the Long-Range Strike conducting reconnaissance missions. In special-mission RC-135 fl eet. Bomber) is replacing the E-8 JSTARS April 2014, a Russian Su-27 Flanker The RC-135 fl eet, built on the same battle management and ISR aircraft. It fl ew dangerously close to an RC-135U airframes utilized for the Air Force’s has grown increasingly expensive to aircraft conducting a mission north of KC-135 Stratotanker, include the RC- maintain due to its age and the small Japan in the Sea of Okhotsk, fl ying 135S Cobra Ball, used for measurement fl eet size. within 100 feet of the aircraft’s cockpit and signature intelligence gathering USAF must also modernize its E-3 and turning its wing to brandish air-to- on ballistic missile launches and the AWACS fl eet in the coming years. Both air missiles. WC-135 Constant Phoenix, used to col- JSTARS and AWACS are critical to In April of this year, another Russian lect atmospheric air samples to verify maintaining control of any battlespace Su-27 performed an “unsafe and unpro- nuclear test ban compliance. The fl eet the US could be fl ying into in a future fessional” intercept of an RC-135U in encompasses the RC-135V/W Rivet confl ict, particularly ones where en- international airspace over the Baltic Joint, used to gather real-time electronic emies would try to disrupt US space Sea, according to Pentagon offi cials. It and signals intelligence to disseminate assets. The ground target tracking and prompted a US diplomatic protest. The ISR’s Iron Triad By Marc V. Schanz, Senior Editor

USAF photo by Ed Aspera

38 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 Russians claimed the aircraft was “mak- out specialized ISR tasks in some of the how the three specialized aircraft con- ing steady progress” toward its borders most sensitive combatant commands. tribute to the Air Force’s air-breathing and was not using its transponder. US According to offi cials with Offutt’s ISR capabilities. European Command offi cials refuted 55th Wing, twice in the past year RC- E-3 AWACS and E-8 JSTARS use these charges, declaring the aircraft was 135s supported urgent missions for fi ve their powerful airborne radars to detect operating in accordance with interna- combatant commands within 24 hours. targets in the air and on the ground, and tional civil aviation fl ight rules. Because of the way RC-135s fl y and an RC-135 can then fi ll in missing pieces ISR is critical to nearly every con- how their specialized sensors pick up of information. Using data links such tingency or evolving crisis around the signals and electronic intelligence, “we as Link 16, RC-135s share information globe. Across all combatant commands, have access to targets that other capabili- for situational awareness that would not ISR demands are driving the Air Force ties don’t,” said Col. Mohan Krishna, be possible without the trio working in to move money from other areas in an commander of the 55th Operations combination. Airmen “amplify each attempt to meet demands. Group at Offutt. “Compared to what a other’s tracks,” Krishna said. Simply The calls for ISR continue to grow, non-air breather could do, we have the put, JSTARS and AWACS help identify despite a drawdown from Afghanistan, benefi t of physics and distance. I can where a target is located and its identity, Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III get closer to a target than an overhead “and on top of that I’ll be able to tell told the House Appropriations panel on [asset]. … I can get close but be far you what he’s thinking and what he’s defense in February. The anti-ISIS air enough and still get information on intending to do,” using the RC-135s campaign that began last summer has targets.” A large crew of analysts and potent sensor suites, Krishna claimed. driven demand up again. sensor operators help process the intel- Part of USAF’s ISR plan is to not “When [combatant commanders] tell ligence quickly, and aerial refueling only improve on the unique capabilities us that their No. 1 priority is ISR, ... we capability gives the RC-135 long legs resident in the RC-135, E-3, and E-8, … ask, ... ‘Would you prefer for us to for global taskings. but to link those capabilities to the rest invest in more ISR, or in maintaining of the force, through high-fi delity train- things like close air support?’ ” Welsh INTEGRATING THE RC-135 ing and exercising, while developing told the House panel. It has become “the Despite its reputation as a shadowy new distributed intelligence analysis coin of the realm” and the Air Force Cold War aircraft that fl ew missions tools. The service is tweaking its ISR provides quite a bit of it, Welsh said. “alone and unafraid,” the RC-135 is portfolio to operate in high-end threat This resulted in a plus up in ISR funding. now more integrated into the USAF environments, improve data sharing, The large ISR aircraft offer large combat force than ever before. The and invest in cultivating its intelligence crews of analysts and sensor operators aircraft are often on the leading edge of analysts—be they on board aircraft or and secure data links to pass informa- testing ISR concepts and tactics, analysis back in a combined air and space opera- tion where it is needed, and they are air and dissemination, target tracking, and tions center (CAOC). refuelable. Despite advances in putting information sharing, Krishna noted. Krishna, a veteran RC-135 naviga- high-tech sensors on unmanned aircraft “A lot of what we do [today] is work tor, oversees some 3,000 airmen spread such as the RQ-4 Global Hawk, big wing together, in what we call ‘the Iron across 12 squadrons and two detachments ISR assets are often called on to carry Triad,’” said Krishna, when asked about around the globe, at RAF Mildenhall,

USAF is reorienting its ISR investments, but its “big wing” fl eet isn’t going anywhere.

The “Iron Triad” on the fl ight line at Robins AFB, Ga. L-r: E-3 AWACS, E-8C JSTARS, and the RC-135 Rivet Joint.

AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 39 A t t

SrA. Riley Neads (l) and SrA. Kyle Kin- that push the limits of integration without portfolio since its combat debut in the dig use air cannons to deice an OC-135 actually burning up flight hours on the Gulf War and continues to rack up de- at Offutt AFB, Neb. aircraft. Simulators “help us keep [tactics, ployments. In 2014, the E-8C fleet hit techniques, and procedures] sharp, even 100,000 flight hours in support of all UK, and Kadena AB, Japan. He said better than we could in the real world,” combatant commands. that since the end of the 1991 Gulf War, Krishna said. In late May, E-8s deployed just in the RC-135 fleet has steadily integrated JSTARS has proved to be one of the support of US Central Command task- into the combat air forces that need its most in-demand platforms in the ISR ings marked 100,000 flight hours in powerful ISR tools. “We have more capabilities to get in- formation, and to bring that information on the aircraft, than any other platform,” he said. Today, analysts can participate in RC-135 sorties in real time as never before, he noted, even if they are not on the aircraft. This is possible thanks to a new broadband capability using the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) Sat- ellite constellation. “I can have analysts here at Offutt or Kadena or Mildenhall participate on the mission as if they are on the airplane,” Krishna said, and while the RC-135 fleet is “leading” the maturation of this capability, it has promise across the ISR mission. “We’ve had this capability, but for a while, the bandwidth wasn’t there to fully enable it,” Krishna said. “It is truly an enabling concept.” RC-135, E-3, and E-8 crews take ad- vantage of modern simulators at events like Red Flag, where ISR airmen can conduct distributed mission operations

SrA. Mindy Scott (l) and A1C Caleb Cal- laway track, analyze, and communicate information from their operator work- stations on an E-8C JSTARS during last year’s Carolina Thunder exercise at Robins Air Force Base. A t gt g ss

40 / August 2015 A t s u g

SSgt. Nathaniel Young, a crew chief more than 13 years of operations, after with the 55th Aircraft Maintenance flying a sortie from Al Udeid AB, Qatar. Squadron, scrubs the bottom of a Rivet The streak stretches back to Operation Joint aircraft at Offutt. Southern Watch. With its unique blend of ISR and C2 to USAF, because of its plans to get tools, the JSTARS fleet is extremely to the new aircraft. USAF is cutting effective at melding the “operational the size of the existing JSTARS fleet and tactical level of war,” Col. Henry and using the savings to pay for re- Cyr, then commander of the 461st Air placements ready to operate by 2023. Control Wing at Robins AFB, Ga., told The new aircraft will have the current reporters in September 2014. capabilities and tools onboard, with the The next generation program is in ability to add spiral improvements as its early concept development stage, technology matures. This could keep but already it is shaping up to look the fleet combat relevant for several much different from the widebody more decades. E-8, as the Air Force wants to develop The E-3 fleet is in the midst of its and deploy a “business class jet”—a most significant upgrade to date. Most smaller aircraft ranging in size from of its legacy avionics and systems are a Gulfstream 550 to a . It being swapped out. The Block 40/45 would carry a smaller crew and utilize upgrade program is scheduled to run more modern electronics that would through Fiscal 2020. USAF proposed need less intensive maintenance. retiring seven of the E-3s from the 31-airframe fleet in 2015 in order to EE I COM E E C generate savings to modernize the rest Air Combat Command boss Gen. of the fleet, but Congress has thus far Herbert J. “Hawk” Carlisle, speaking in not agreed to the plan. early June at an Air Force Association The upgrade completely replaces event in Arlington, Va., said the recap the E-3’s mission computer systems— program is proceeding well but the dating to the 1970s—adding a new “speed to ramp” progress is important open network-based mission system, AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 A t gt st t better threat-tracking tools, and more often going from conception to fielding A WC-135 is given the “thumbs down” processing power. The upgrade will in as little as a few months. by airmen from the 55th Wing. This means the aircraft carried above-accept- improve the aircraft’s data link infra- Because of this rapid response field- able levels of radiation after collecting structure and sensor fusion—both key ing, the RC-135 fleet can serve as the air samples in international airspace to keeping the fleet viable in contested showcase for key tools and technolo- and needed to be decontaminated. future conflicts. gies that can then migrate to the rest of Last July, Air Combat Command the ISR fleet and the combat air force. Linda R. Urrutia-Varhall said USAF declared initial operational capabil- An example of this was the early use will have fewer assets then ever to ity for the E-3G, the upgraded Block and maturation of Network-centric carry out ISR tasks, so the service has 40/45 assigned to the 552nd Air Control Collaborative Targeting, or NCCT, to get better at using and manipulating Wing at Tinker AFB, Okla., when the an effort that enabled better real-time the information it already has. It will sixth low rate production E-3G was coordination of ISR against targets need to produce “multi-INT analysis” delivered. Full-rate production is now and disseminating that data quickly to rather than just pull from individual underway, with the seventh modified other places in the Air Force’s network, platforms and sensors. airframe delivered to Tinker in April. Krishna said. It’s another network where “The biggest challenge is knowing The RC-135 fleet is composed of the CAOC “can integrate sensors and get what that next critical target will be some of the youngest aircraft from things very quickly to where they are and having that right analyst available the now-shuttered C-135 line, Krishna needed,” he said, from troops involved to build intel on that target,” Krishna said. Airframes were delivered in the in a firefight up to the President. observed. Today, ISR commanders early 1960s and received new engines Much like the rest of the ISR enter- are making decisions on not just what after the KC-135 fleet went through its prise, the Iron Triad is grappling with sensors and tools are needed, but what own re-engining. The RC-135 fleet is how to adapt the layered and powerful skills will be necessary for their analysts in no hurry to re-platform, as a result. global USAF network to be effective to use this information. “But that’s just the airframe,” he noted. in numerous scenarios and to utilize a “We build based on what we’ve seen, Every four years, the Big Safari rapid- vast amount of data from many sources but we also know the world is always prototyping program delivers a new and platforms. As manpower is strained changing,” Krishna said. This is why baseline via a spiral upgrade process. on the analytical side, the service is reachback tools and concepts are so “So the insides of these are brand-new. rethinking how it disseminates and important, as they allow the sensors and ... Even after four years, you start to see analyzes information, examining con- tools on a given aircraft to be utilized vanishing vendors, and obsolescence cepts such as data tagging and secure back in a CAOC or operations center. comes into play.” “cloud computing.” Demand for USAF’s ISR products will He continued, “We have to be relevant Speaking at AFA’s Air & Space never be met, he noted, “but we are in many different scenarios,” and this Conference last September, Assistant doing the best we can to meet ... needs requires quick reaction capabilities, Deputy Chief of Staff for ISR Maj. Gen. around the world.” J 42 / August 2015 We’re celebrating the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII with a special concert and you should, too!

Join us on Aug. 14

Here’s what’s in store for you at the Air Force Memorial:

7:40 p.m. Remarks, a wreath-laying ceremony, and a fl yover!

8 p.m Concert by The US Air Force Band, featuring the Concert Band and the Singing Sergeants

FOR MORE, VISIT US AT WWW.AIRFORCEMEMORIAL.ORG. The Sequestration Zombie

hen House lawmakers seized the Pentagon’s Fiscal 2015 blueprint, to adhere to the new levels prescribed on the idea of tapping the thanks to stringent caps on spending. in the budget resolution. relatively unconstrained “I don’t like OCOs. I think they McCain’s quick change of heart on war accounts to bridge the should have gone away some time using war spending to pay base-budget expansiveW gap between the Pentagon’s ago,” McCain told reporters in March. bills is perhaps the strongest indication spending request and budgetary real- “But if that’s the only way to get the yet of just how diffi cult it will be for ity, Senate Armed Services Chairman required level of defense spending, I Congress by the end of the year to come John S. McCain was among the first would support what the House did.” to a budget deal that provides the Penta-

If Congress doesn’t act, sequestration comes back to life.

to criticize the maneuver as nothing McCain not only supported the gon with relief from the spending caps, more than a gimmick. House’s action, contained in its non- commonly referred to as sequestration. Within two days, however, the Ari- binding budget resolution, he actively Even if there is some sort of an zona Republican had done a complete and successfully advocated for the agreement, it will likely be modest and about-face, publicly—but reluctant- Senate to follow suit. In the end, short-lived. Previous efforts to revise ly—endorsing the House GOP pro- the Senate agreed to the significant the caps have resulted in temporary posal to use the overseas contingency and unprecedented boost to OCO for deals—the most recent expiring at the operations accounts as an overflow nonwar spending, and McCain’s bill, end of this year—that provide some valve for some $38 billion that would the annual defense authorization mea- relief but fall short of doing away com- otherwise need to be trimmed from sure, was the first Senate legislation pletely with the Budget Control Act. 44 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 USAF photo by Desiree N. Palacios The Sequestration Zombie By Megan Scully

F-16s on the fl ight line at Hill AFB, Utah. In 2013, one F-16 squadron at Hill stood down entirely for three months due to sequestration.

That means tough budget decisions dominant being the uncertainty sur- spending—is probably an elusive goal —such as the Pentagon’s request for rounding an account that fluctuates by year’s end, when a two-year budget another round of base closures and the dramatically from year to year. agreement expires. Air Force’s money-saving plan to retire For a department that plans its While he doesn’t love the idea of its fleet of A-10 Warthog aircraft—will budgets in five-year increments, that increasing reliance on the war ac- continue to be the order of the day could be problematic, particularly counts, McCain sees no other way out within the Defense Department. for modernization programs that can of the Pentagon’s budget jam. And he Still, even a modest deal could spare span decades. frequently points to a wide and growing the Air Force and the other military “When you’re looking at a one-year array of threats, ranging from ISIS to services some of the most difficult budget cycle, it’s not guaranteed over Iran, to underscore his fervent belief decisions. time,” Welsh said, adding that war that the nation’s security depends on “The Budget Control Act is essen- money was better than no money at robust spending for defense. tially forcing us to choose between all, if that is what it ultimately came For McCain, the issue of whether to readiness, force structure, and mod- down to. “At some point in time, if it’s use the OCO accounts, which are not ernization,” Air Force Chief of Staff green and it smells pretty and it’s not subject to the caps prescribed in the Gen. Mark A. Welsh III told the Senate your St. Patrick’s Day tie, it’s OK,” 2011 Budget Control Act, transcends Armed Services Committee in March. he told the panel. the ongoing and divisive debate over “If we choose to sacrifice readiness in McCain, who leads the hawkish federal discretionary spending. order to modernize, we risk failure in wing of his own party, wants more “This is [about] the defense of the today’s fight.” money for the Pentagon and believes nation,” he said in late May as Demo- During that same hearing, Welsh a budget agreement—which would crats on his committee attempted to rein addressed issues with using war funds involve a new deal with Democrats in the use of the war accounts during for base-budget needs—the most pre- over both defense and nondefense its closed-door consideration of the AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 45 USAF photo by Scott M. Ash

L-r: Army Chief of Staff Gen. Raymond Odierno, Army Secretary John McHugh, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James, and USAF Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh testify before the Senate Armed Services Committee on their budget proposals in March.

authorization bill, setting Pentagon year, will hinder the Defense Depart- Senate has served as the precursor to policy and prescribes spending levels. ment’s ability to do the necessary the broader battle over the budget caps. However, Democrats on Capitol long-term budget planning. It will play out on a spate of appropria- Hill disagree. If the defense spending “Our national defense decisions tions bills over the next several months. bills sail through Congress with the should be based on actual needs, not Even though the bill does not actually additional money tucked into the war on spending caps” or budget gimmicks, allocate money, the White House has accounts, Republicans will have no in- Reed said in a Senate fl oor speech in threatened to veto the authorization bill centive to strike a deal to boost domestic June. over a host of objections, including its spending, traditionally a Democratic At the same time, a similar scenario reliance on the war funds to bridge the priority. was playing out this spring across the defense budget gap even as domestic In short, defense spending is the one Capitol, with Rep. Adam Smith of programs struggle to squeeze their card Democrats can play to force a de- Washington, the top Democrat on the priorities into the stringent limits. bate on the broader budget issue. Even House Armed Services Committee, “The President has been very clear defense boosters within the Democratic leading his party’s opposition to the about the core principle that he will not Party are rallying to the cause. defense authorization bill during fl oor support a budget that locks in sequestra- McCain’s Democratic counterpart debate on that chamber’s version of tion, and he will not fi x defense without on the armed services panel, Jack the measure. It was the fi rst time in fi xing nondefense spending,” according Reed of Rhode Island, voted against Smith’s 18 years in Congress that he to the Administration’s statement on the the typically bipartisan measure dur- voted against the measure. Senate’s version of the defense autho- ing the committee’s work on the bill In speaking against the bill on the rization bill. “Sequestration levels will primarily because of his objections House fl oor in May, Smith pointed to damage our ability to restore readiness, to the use of war accounts for base- recent comments by Defense Secretary advance badly needed technological budget funding. Ashton B. Carter that the use of war modernization, and keep faith with our A retired Army officer, Reed and funding for base budget accounts is troops and their families.” other Democrats see the reliance on “managerially unsound” and “unfairly Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid the OCO funds as an end run around dispiriting to our force.” (D-Nev.) said in early June the authori- the spending caps enacted in 2011. “Clearly, this desperate attempt to get zation bill had “no chance of becoming Domestic spending does not have any around the budget caps put in place by law,” as it stands now. such uncapped fund to tap to pay for Congress will have a signifi cant nega- The White House, meanwhile, has excess expenses that do not make the tive effect on our military,” Smith said. issued a blanket veto threat on appro- budget cut. “This is unfair and unnecessary and we priations bills that lock in sequestration should be working to fi x the problem, spending levels, an attempt to force a NEEDS, NOT SPENDING CAPS not working to get around it.” bipartisan compromise on defense and But Democrats have also raised In the end, Smith, with the backing nondefense discretionary caps by the concerns about the long-term conse- of party leadership, rallied 142 more end of the year. quences of the artificially bloated war Democrats to vote against the measure At the same time, Senate Democrats, accounts, many of them reiterated by that typically receives strong bipartisan who held onto enough seats in the last senior defense officials. support in both chambers. election to stall legislation in a cham- If Republicans proceed with their Combined with the eight Republicans ber that requires 60 votes to do almost budget plans, they argue that war who also voted in opposition to the bill, anything remotely controversial, have accounts that should be decreasing there could be enough votes in the House said they will block appropriations bills as operations overseas wind down, to block any GOP efforts to override a until there is a deal that addresses both will only continue to grow, creating a presidential veto of the authorization defense and domestic spending. permanent slush fund for the depart- bill over the use of war funds. “We will not vote to proceed to the ment. Meanwhile, reliance on the war The debate on the defense authori- defense appropriations bill or any accounts, varying in size from year to zation measure in both the House and appropriations bill until Republicans 46 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 USAF photo by Desiree N. Palacios

An F-16 from the 388th Fighter Wing takes off from Hill, after being brought back to combat- ready status, following three months of down- time due to sequestration.

have sat down at the table and figured became more opposed to the idea— In recent years, Congress has typi- out with us how we’re going to prop- defense and military leaders began cally failed to complete its work on erly fund the Defense Department to speak out more fi rmly against that appropriations bills by Oct. 1, requiring and key priorities that help families, approach. stopgap continuing resolutions to hold fuel economic growth, and keep us Testifying before Senate appropria- DOD and other federal agencies over safe and strong at home,” New York tors in May, Carter said using OCO for several months until spending bills Sen. Charles Schumer, a member of funds takes the department on a “road can be completed. Democratic leadership, told reporters to nowhere.” Carter also stressed the Congress always manages to pass a at a June press conference. OCO plan takes a narrow look at fund- Pentagon spending bill, albeit late. In Republicans are also divided over ing national security. It does nothing to the meantime, defense offi cials say the how to address the budget dilemma and make up for shortfalls in other depart- uncertainty generated by a CR—typi- have so far been unwilling to compro- ments, including the departments of cally providing funding at the previ- mise with Democrats on a deal to lift State, Justice, Treasury, and Homeland ous year’s levels and prohibiting the or alter the budget caps. Security. department from awarding contracts Republicans’ preference for now is “President Obama has already made for new programs—throws Pentagon to stick to the spending levels outlined clear that he won’t accept a budget that planning into a tailspin. in the budget resolution, allowing them locks in sequestration going forward, as It’s unclear this year whether the two to circumvent the politically dicey top- this approach does,” Carter said. “And sides can come to an agreement long ics of revenue and domestic spending he won’t accept a budget that severs the enough to pass even a short-term CR. while still funding defense at levels link between our national security and If not, that sets the stage for a painful, that match the Administration’s own our economic security.” and potentially prolonged, shutdown. cap-busting request. As the political debate over spend- There are a number of options be- “The political reality is that the ing levels swirls, the clock continues tween a full-scale deal and a shutdown, Budget Control Act, which the Presi- to tick down to Oct. 1, the start of the including scaling back the size of dent signed, remains the law of the new fi scal year. That’s a fi rm deadline— the OCO plus-up on the defense side land,” McCain said on the Senate and one Congress may not be able to while also adding a similar amount of floor at the outset of the chamber’s meet if the parties are unable to fi nd a money on the domestic side to appease deliberations on the authorization compromise. Democrats. measure in June. There are so many possibilities for “There is some negotiating room Democrats, however, are hoping that the last months of the year that it reads here,” Harrison said. In the end, Carter, their plans to block spending bills—and almost like a Choose Your Own Adven- who is widely regarded for his budget the President’s promise to veto them, if ture book. The most optimistic—and acumen and well-liked in both par- they do make it through Congress—will potentially least likely—possibility is ties, may be the Administration’s best force a dialogue that ultimately changes some sort of a grand compromise that ambassador for a deal. that, at least for next year. would pave the way for yearlong spend- “I hope we can come together for a “If they want increases on the non- ing bills for the Defense Department longer-term multiyear agreement that defense side, which they absolutely and other agencies. provides the budget stability we need by do, their only bargaining chip is the “It doesn’t look hopeful right now,” locking in defense and nondefense bud- increase on the defense side,” said Todd Harrison said. “I don’t see any real get levels consistent with the President’s Harrison, an analyst at the Center for movement towards a compromise request,” he told Senate appropriators. Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. deal.” “I pledge my personal support to this On the other end of the spectrum effort, as well as the support of the entire THE CLOCK TICKS looms the possibility of the second staff of the Department of Defense.”✪ As Congress became more serious government shutdown since 2013, about shifting money from DOD’s politically devastating for both the Megan Scully is a reporter for CQ Roll base budget—and as the White House Administration and Congress. Call. AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 47 Observatory By Amy McCullough, News Editor

he Maui Space Surveillance Complex atop Ha- “I’m still in awe every time I drive up here. I haven’t gotten leakala in Hawaii is one of the best astronomical used to this at all,” Stacie Williams, site technical advisor, viewing sites in the world. Because it sits 10,000 said during an Air Force Magazine visit to MSSC in April. Tfeet above sea level, there is little light pollution, “You forget how beautiful it is when you are inside working allowing researchers to take clear pictures of satellites and and then you walk outside and it takes your breath away.” other man-made objects, such as the Hubble Space Telescope The complex was originally built by the Advanced Research and the International Space Station. Projects Agency, the predecessor to DARPA, in the 1960s The drive up or down Haleakala goes through different to observe missile launches from the Pacific Missile Range ecosystems, past palms trees, refreshing fields of lavender, Facility, said Lt. Col. James Phillips, then commander of eucalyptus trees, through a small town, and then free-range Air Force Research Laboratory’s Det. 15 atop the Hawai- sheep and cattle farms. The cloud cover hovers between ian mountain. 7,000 and 8,000 feet, but when the clouds lift it looks as if MSSC is now a state-of-the-art electro-optical facility used you’ve arrived on another planet. One almost expects the to track satellites and other man-made objects in space with Mars Rover to round the corner, crossing over the barren a mission of increasing importance as the Air Force grows beds of red volcanic rocks. ever more concerned about on-orbit crowding, debris, and Temperatures on top of the volcano, which last erupted threats to expensive, complex satellite systems. in the late 1700s, also vary drastically from hour to hour, AFRL took ownership of the facility in 2000 and shares easily dropping from 70 degrees to below freezing in the the location with the University of Hawaii, a collaborative same day. The weather changes so frequently, the control of other space agencies, and Air Force Space Command, room has a rack of Air Force-issued cold weather parkas for operator of three Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep-Space workers to wear outside after sunset. Surveillance (GEODSS) systems there.

48 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 Staff photo by Amy McCullough

AFSPC and AFRL track objects in the skies from a 10,000- foot dormant volcano on Maui.

The Maui Space Surveillance Complex, run by the Air Force Research Laboratory, is located on the summit of Haleakala on Maui, Hawaii, some 10,000 feet above sea level, mak- ing it one of the best astronomical viewing locations in the world.

AFRL Commander Maj. Gen. Thomas J. Masiello said the facility provides “space situational awareness from the ground” and “cutting-edge research in terms of being able to Advanced Electro-Optical System (AEOS) telescope—the identify, categorize, and understand what is going on in space.” largest telescope in the Department of Defense—to remove The Maui center also can use lasers to illuminate satellites, those distorting effects, said Chief Engineer Skip Williams. then use “extremely advanced data analytics to process the Despite its massive size, AEOS moves fairly fast, said Phil- images,” even during the daytime, said Masiello. lips, allowing it to accurately track objects both in low Earth orbit and geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO). LOOKING DEEP INTO THE SKY “If I were an adversary I would attack when my enemy “Space is becoming more congested and more contested couldn’t see me. Well, they don’t have that advantage now, and in order to really decide a course of action if something because we can track objects day or night,” said Stacie Williams. were to happen in space, we need to see it today,” said Stacie MSSC also uses a 1.6-meter closed tube telescope. It is Williams. more conducive to daylight imaging because there is not That’s not an easy task because the objects AFRL observes as much stray light that comes in, said Phillips. In addition, are extremely far away and often clouded by atmospheric there is a 0.6-meter laser beam director, some other smaller turbulence. telescopes, and a variety of sensor systems, including imaging Imagers, however, can use adaptive optics taking advantage systems, infrared radiometers, low-light video, and acquisi- of a deformable mirror attached to the 120-ton, 3.67-meter tion telescopes.

AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 49 Capt. Robert Copley, 21st Operations Group Det. 3 commander, looks to the horizon from the complex. Copley is the sole Air Force Space Command airman on Maui.

Photo courtesy of Capt. Robert Copley

The first is used to determine the a sacred site. As legend goes, the traditions, engineer Williams added. position of satellites and is invisible demi-god Maui, who is said to have Workers will be able to shoot the to the naked eye. The Air Force is thrown his fishing hook into the ocean laser into the atmosphere and create adding to the complex a new laser and pulled out the Hawaiian islands, an artificial star, known as a guide that creates a “sodium guide star,” climbed to the top of Haleakala and star, next to an object of interest. The allowing researchers to get “really snared the sun, pulling off some of its light from the artificial star then travels clean pictures” of man-made objects tentacles to slow it down. back to the AEOS telescope, enabling in space, Skip Williams said. The laser researchers to use adaptive optics that will be used “very infrequently” for LIGHT UP THE SKY compensate for the turbulence in the short periods of time at sunrise and That’s why AFRL is so careful to atmosphere, getting a clearer image sunset. It will be visible only from educate the community about any new of space objects. the 10,000-foot summit. developments at the site—especially AFRL expects to use the new tech- That point is critical for native lasers—in an effort to respect and nology sometime this year, said Wil- Hawaiians who consider Haleakala honor local Hawaiian beliefs and liams.

The largest telescope in the Defense Department, a 120-ton, 3.67-meter Advanced Electro-Optical System telescope. It is operated by the Air Force Research Laboratory.

Staff photo by Amy McCullough

50 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 Unlike the scientists and technicians from AFRL, Capt. Robert Copley, com- mander of the 21st Operations Group’s Det. 3, operator of the three GEODSS systems at the site, doesn’t care what an object actually looks like. He is there to watch out for stray space junk and give warnings when it could be a problem. Copley, the lone AFSPC airman on Maui, and his team of civilian con- tractors are responsible for executing combat-relevant warning, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and counterspace operations to ensure space superiority. Haleakala is one of three GEODSS sites across the globe. The other two are in Socorro, N.M., and on the British island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. The telescopes only operate at night and track man-made objects, such as satellites, rocket bodies, and even tools lost during the early days of space exploration, all orbiting mostly in GEO. GEODSS sites are also capable of tracking objects in highly elliptical orbit, or HEO. “We’re not interested in what an object Photo courtesy of Capt. Robert Copley looks like. We’re interested in where A Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep-Space Surveillance telescope at the complex an object is,” said Copley. “We provide tracks an object in space. time, elevation, and azimuth”—a specifi c compass point—to the Joint Space Opera- referred to them as the “B-52s of space 10,000 times dimmer than the human tions Center at Vandenberg AFB, Calif., situational awareness” because of their eye can detect. maintainers of a catalog of space objects, ruggedness. “There are defi nitely more man-made and to the National Air and Space Intel- Because they are a compact system, objects in orbit today because space is ligence Center at Wright-Patterson AFB, they don’t have huge motors needed lucrative and there are a lot of nations want- Ohio. If there is a potential problem such to run significantly larger telescope ing to become space-faring nations,” as possible incoming collisions, those domes. There is less materiel to sus- said Copley. “As they do so, more and centers will respond. tain and less of a wind cross-section, more objects end up in orbit. We hope all The three GEODSS telescopes are adding to their durability, said Copley. those objects play nice with each other, each one meter, the smallest domes on However, the telescopes are highly but failures do happen and we want to Haleakala. Despite their size, Copley capable, allowing users to see objects know what’s going on in space.” ✪

The massive AEOS on Haleakala im- ages satellites and measures spectra and albedo—shortwave radiation—of orbital debris.

NASA photo

AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 51 The View From Langley By John A. Tirpak, Editorial Director

irpower isn‘t getting enough credit for what taken to err on the side of safety, and Carlisle acknowledged that it’s achieving in the anti-ISIS fight being waged many missions return to base without releasing munitions. (Lt. in Iraq and Syria. Airpower is in fact inflicting Gen. John W. Hesterman III, the combined force air component mortal damage on the terror group, according commander for US Central Command, said in a June 5 press to Gen. Herbert J. “Hawk” Carlisle, head of Air conference that this happens as much as 75 percent of the time.) CombatA Command. This air campaign, however, is the most The air campaign is simply the most precise and accounts challenging ever conducted, demanding extreme care in dis- for the lowest number of civilian casualties in history, Carlisle tinguishing among friends, noncombatants, and enemies in the asserted. Though there has been a drumbeat of impatience from extremely factionalized Levant, he said. some in Congress and elsewhere to step up the effort, “we can’t Speaking at an Air Force Association-sponsored Air Force afford to do anything different,” he insisted. Given factors “within event in June, Carlisle offered a progress report on Operation our control, … our airpower is doing everything we can do, and Inherent Resolve and his perspective on some key moderniza- [the coalition air partners are] being amazingly successful.” tion programs the Air Force is undertaking with its combat He emphasized the care being taken in selecting targets— air forces. sometimes requiring pilots to wait a while for approval before weapons release—saying “about 50 percent of the time” initial Airpower in the Anti-ISIS Fight reports identifying a potential enemy have been wrong, “and think Though it’s “not highly publicized,” Carlisle said, coalition what would have happened if we had acted on those reports.” airpower has “taken out [ISIS’] cash cows. Their best way to In the siege of Kobane, the coalition “had airplanes overhead make money was oil collection and refining capacity, and we’ve continuously for three-and-a-half months, every minute of every taken out about 90 percent of that.” Airpower alone has done day. Pretty impressive,” Carlisle said. “significant work” in destroying ISIS’ “ability to finance what The air campaign has forced ISIS to change its tactics and they’re trying to do.” methods of fighting. The terror group doesn’t “march down the The ACC commander presented unvarnished thoughts on war and the future at a recent Air Force Association-sponsored event.

Carlisle said airpower has taken “a serious toll on their mo- middle of … any towns, anymore,” and the air campaign has rale and capability,” having racked up 4,200 strikes and 14,000 eliminated ISIS’ ability to mass forces. It has also “changed weapons dropped by the beginning of June. their hierarchy” by killing key leaders, including a top finan- “We’ve taken about 13,000 enemy fighters off the battlefield cier, he said. since the September/October time frame, and despite what has Airpower has its limitations, though, and the Iraqi army has been [reported], we have regained territory, about 25 percent” its hands full on the ground. “Remember what it was like for the of what ISIS had seized by the end of last summer, Carlisle Americans” in Anbar province of Iraq seven years ago, he said. asserted. Some 1,000 enemy combat vehicles have been de- Despite the level of effort, which Carlisle said is about as stroyed, “to include tanks, armored personnel carriers,” and much as can be sustained, he offered his personal opinion that other military vehicles. “this is a five-to-seven-year conflict.” The Air Force and its partners have delivered 1.4 million tons One of the suggestions routinely made is that the US should of aid to refugees and supplies to Iraqi forces for distribution. send in joint terminal attack controllers to speed up air strikes This action “prevented what would have been a horrendous and make them more efficient. Carlisle said the decision to human disaster,” he said. send in such troops—in actual combat, as opposed to serving Carlisle characterized the battlefield as “incredibly complex,” as advisors—is “a great discussion” to have, but he’s not sure posing grave difficulties in determining “who’s fighting who, JTACs would make a huge difference. who’s a good guy, and who’s a bad guy.” Part of this is due “What we’ve discovered, even when we do have confident, to the fact that ISIS wears captured Iraqi army uniforms and capable folks on the ground, [is] it’s hard to tell who’s who,” operates captured Iraqi equipment—the same kinds of gear in he said. the hands of Kurdish Peshmerga fighters, who are allies. The A Pentagon spokesman said later that Carlisle was referring battlefield also includes forces from other factions and nearby to indigenous forces trained to call in air strikes. nations, such as “Shia, … moderates, Iranians, … tribal, militia, To put US ground troops into the mix means “you have to Sunni extremists,” and more. protect them, you have to support them, … and then the question “We can’t afford” to cause deadly collateral damage, Carlisle is, what’s next?” In his opinion, “you start putting American said, because that would undermine support for the Iraqi army soldiers back on the ground, you own it. Are we ready for that?” and the coalition among those under siege. “Our ability to pre- Carlisle said “we need to think long and hard” about deploying vent civilian casualties and not do unintended harm is critical to US ground troops in the middle of such a “complex, challenging our success,” he said. Consequently, every precaution is being environment.” Doing so will require “a big discussion” nationally. 52 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 USAF photo by TSgt. Russ Scalf

An F-22 takes on fuel from a KC-10 before strike operations in Syria.

Those push- and the ing for a US-led only thing ground offensive “need that would change to understand what it looks it is if there’s a shift like on the ground today.” in national strategy. The Air Force is pouring a tremendous The 1,763 fi gure supports effort into intelligence, surveillance, and “the potential to be in confl ict reconnaissance in the anti-ISIS fi ght, in potentially two theaters, Carlisle said, and it pays off in sometimes and then there is a rotational unconventional ways. Combing through demand” to have some at rest Facebook posts, Air Force analysts found and in repair while others are on an ISIS operative “bragging about com- the front lines. He allowed, how- mand and control capabilities” for ISIS ever, that demand for airpower and posting a photo of himself in front of was supposed to decline after the the command building. “So they do some work. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were over, Long story short, about 22 hours later, through that but “it has stayed high and in some cases it very building, three JDAMS take that entire building has gone up.” The F-35 buy objective will out.” From the social media post of the “moron” to also be affected by how many Long-Range “bombs on target” was less than one day, Carlisle said. Strike Bombers the Air Force gets to buy, since “It was incredible work, and incredible airmen are they both deliver “capacity in global attack.” doing this sort of thing.” LRS-B Secrets F-22s in the Fight When the Air Force announces the company The F-22 continues to demonstrate its value in or team that has won the contract to build the Operation Inherent Resolve, often swinging from one Long-Range Strike Bomber, the service will crucial mission to another on the same sortie. Carlisle probably reveal “more information” about the praised the F-22’s “ability to enhance everybody else” classifi ed aircraft and its role in the long-range because of its situational awareness, its “ability to get strike “family of systems,” Carlisle said. So there, its sensor suite, its ability to pass information far, the service has kept largely mum about the [and] lead the entire fight.” He gave an example of one capabilities for the airplane, but he revealed that F-22 mission where the pilot flew for more than 12 it does indeed play a role in the Pentagon’s overall hours. “He re-roled about five times, went to the tanker electronic warfare strategy, particularly because about seven times, did strikes, escort, … he did redirect, of its “penetrating capability.” did ISR and passed data. I mean, it’s amazing what that More details will probably follow “over time,” airplane can do.” he said, but he cautioned reporters not to expect a fulsome description of the bomber’s full capabilities The Need for More F-35s “all at the same time.” The Senate has tasked the Pentagon to re-evaluate its target F-35 inventory, as the number was set 20 years ago. Since then, Not One Less CRH the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and South Asia have all seen While ACC sees merit in the idea of buying CV-22s for increasing confl ict or tensions. the combat mission, the bigger priority is Though “we’re looking at it hard,” Carlisle said the 1,763 figure capacity, and that’s why buying 112 Combat Rescue Heli- the Air Force has stuck to since the F-35 program’s inception is copters is an “absolute minimum,” Carlisle said. “I could not probably right. It’s “a number that’s got rigor behind it,” he said, see” trading away any CRHs to buy more CV-22s, he insisted, AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 53 Right: B-1B bombers were part of a large coalition strike package that engaged ISIS targets in Syria last fall. Below: Gen. Hawk Carlisle answers questions at the AFA-sponsored event.

USAF photo by SSgt. Ciara Wymbs

might work.” However, “we have to get” Replacing JSTARS 112 CRHs, he said, because, since the end The Air Force is trying to prod the of the war in Afghanistan, the demand for Pentagon acquisition system to be “more pararescue forces “has not gone down at reactive” to its plan to rapidly replace the all. In fact, it’s gone up.” E-8C JSTARS fleet. “Speed to ramp is incredibly important to us,” Carlisle said, Cluster Bomb Closeout so USAF is looking at mature technologies The Pentagon has agreed, by inter- only, with a technology readiness level of national treaty, to phase out cluster 6 or better. “We want, … basically, current bombs by 2018, but Carlisle said there capabilities on a sustainable platform that is still a need for similar weapons on has … growth potential” and the means the Korean Peninsula. to add in new capabilities in the future. The Air Force has a “pretty good “We just have to get it through the ac- plan” to replace the weapons, he quisition process,” Carlisle said. The Air said, explaining “we’re making ad- Force wants the first JSTARS replacement vances and I don’t think we’ll have aircraft in service by 2023. any problem” closing out the inven- tory by 2018. In Korea, “we need Son of CALCM

USAF photo by SrA. Hailey Haux volume,” he acknowledged, but the “We’re down to very few CALCMs,” inventory of cluster bombs is already the conventionally armed version of the because there must be enough rescue well-diminished. AGM-86B Air-Launched Cruise Missile, to recapitalize today’s aged He said a new fragment-firing weapon Carlisle noted, and DOD has decided that fleet and go around to all the regional that can cover a wide area is in the pipe- this mission will be filled with the AGM- commands. line. Despite their utility against massive 158B JASSM-ER, the Joint Air-to-Surface If there is more money made available formations of troops and against targets Standoff Missile-Extended Range. later, Carlisle said the CV-22 would be a like radars, old-style cluster bombs are As the Lockheed Martin-built weapon good add to the CSAR mix, particularly being retired because those that don’t “comes online and we finish the testing,” in Africa and other places characterized explode stay live for long periods of the Air Force will acquire “an appropriate by long-haul distances beyond the CRH’s time, and can be stepped on, long after a number” to replace the CALCM, which range. He said ACC is “looking hard” at battle is over, by noncombatants—often saw its first combat use in Desert Storm places where a CRH/CV-22 “mixed fleet with tragic result. in 1991. J

USAF photo by SrA. Matthew Bruch

An F-15E flies over Iraq in September 2014 after conducting air strikes on ISIS targets in Syria.

54 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 Flashback fl[email protected]

Scramble USAF photos

3 1

2

4 1: B-52 alert exercise at Fairchild AFB, Wash.

2: B-58 crew scrambles. It was an iconic Cold War scene: With klaxons blaring, USAF’s “alert” aircrews dash madly—scramble, really—out of “mole holes” to their 3: BUFFs, in an alert exercise, bombers, which roar into the air in close succession. In the mid-1950s, get airborne. the US worried about a Soviet surprise attack on “sitting duck” aircraft. Strategic Air Command responded by putting many bombers and tankers 4: B-47 alert crew boards its on ground alert. The alert began on Oct. 1, 1957. A month later, the US bomber. announced SAC had aircraft at the end of runways, bombs loaded, and crews ready to “flush” all alert aircraft within 15 minutes. Eleven percent of SAC’s 1,528 bombers and 766 tankers were on alert that year; by 1960, the figure was 33 percent. The alert continued for 34 years. In September 1991, with the Cold War at an end, President George H. W. Bush ordered the alert force to stand down.

A st 55 t ut s t A s The Year of the Kamikaze By John T. Correll

s Japan entered the final year of World War II in the fall of 1944, its once-fearsome air forces were severely diminished, especially The suicide pilots were sent to die for the Athe carriers and aircraft of the . emperor—regardless of what the emperor The Japanese had at first extended their perimeter in a big loop that encompassed thought about it. Southeast Asia, the Dutch East Indies, Wake Island, and the tip of the Aleutian chain in the Bering Sea. The reversal be- Smoke engulfs USS n e i hit by two off Okinawa May 11, 1945. gan in 1942 with the loss of four aircraft Losses included 400 US seamen killed or missing, 164 wounded, and 70 aircraft carriers at Midway and continued to the destroyed. “Marianas Turkey Shoot” in June 1944, where US forces gutted what was left of Japanese naval airpower and secured bases from which B-29 bombers could strike the Japanese home islands. The A6M Zero fighter had lost its quality edge to the US Navy’s FGF Hellcat and F4U Corsair and the Army Air Force’s P-38 Lightning. Experience and training levels fell as Japan’s best pilots were killed in action. The US was steadily rolling back the perimeter, with Gen. Douglas MacArthur moving northward from New Guinea and Adm. Chester W. Nimitz “island hopping” across the central Pacific. In October 1944, they were converging on the Philippines, where invasion of the island of Leyte was to be a big step on the road to Japan. Japan hoped desperately to stop the invasion fleet in Leyte Gulf, but it could not do so by conventional military means. Its battleships and cruisers were vulnerable without air support. The remaining carriers were so depleted of aircraft and crews that they could do little more than serve as bait to draw away the US carriers. The chosen solution—and a standard tactic for the last 10 months of the war— was suicide attacks in which land-based AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 Seamen on USS e ea in O e shot down a kamikaze pilot near the Philippine island of Leyte, but the Zero crashed on the ship’s aft deck, causing fires that ignited ammunition.

t t s tg t t usu At

Japanese aircraft crash-dived into American in the long run. The kamikaze sank a West as “hara kiri.” The greatest honor ships. The attacks and the airmen who flew total of 33 ships, none of them full-sized was to die in the service of one’s lord. them are known to history as kamikaze, carriers or battleships, and damaged 286. The samurai were disbanded in the named after the “Divine Wind” typhoons The Americans just kept coming. Never- 1860s, but officers of the imperial that dispersed the Mongolian invasion theless, the kamikaze had great symbolic Japanese army kept the traditions alive fleet of Kublai Khan in the 13th century. importance and the pilots were revered by and imposed them on the armed forces In Kanji, the logographic characters of the Japanese public. with more radical intensity than ever the written Japanese language, “Divine Seventy years later, a resurgence of that existed in the heyday of the samurai. Wind” can be read either as “kamikaze”— esteem and glory is underway in Japan. They brought back the sword and other the term used by the Japanese navy—or trappings. The 1872 military code for “shimpu,” preferred by Japanese army E AM RAI RA I IO the army and navy prescribed death as airmen. The imperial navy flew 64 percent Acts of self-sacrifice are not unusual the punishment for surrender. of the suicide attacks and the army air in war, but Japan was a special case, The militaristic fervor spread to the gen- forces 36 percent. steeped in the legendary traditions of eral population. “Almost all Japanese boys An alternate term, “tokkotai,” or special the samurai and their code of conduct, were brought up—mentally at least—as attack unit, was often used in deference to called “bushido,” or the way of the war- warriors,” said historian Syohgo Hattori. the emperor’s ambivalent attitude toward rior. The samurai were a warrior class “Self-sacrifice to the emperor was thought the suicide missions. According to the employed since medieval times to fight to be a highly honorable deed.” kamikaze mystique, pilots went forth for feudal warlords. By the 20th century, these beliefs were willingly to die for the emperor. What Their badge of office was the sword, firmly implanted in the national culture. the emperor actually thought about it was which they used freely on anyone who Public opinion tolerated and usually sup- another question, and not all of the pilots gave them offense. Surrender was un- ported the excesses and atrocities of the were as eager as the propagandists claimed. thinkable. In instances of disgrace, their Japanese army in China and elsewhere. Despite the kamikaze’s legend, the custom was to commit “seppuku,” the The customs were carefully observed. results were not strategically significant suicide ritual known popularly in the “Japanese pilots in China were issued AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 L-r: Rear Adm. Tamon Yamaguchi, Vice Adm. Shiro Takatsu, and Rear Adm. Takijiro Onishi after being awarded the Order of the Rising Sun medal in 1940. Onishi was the founder of the Kamikaze Corps and later argued that Japan could win the war with the sacrifice of 20 million lives in a special attack effort. revolvers and swords but no parachutes,” said Edwin P. Hoyt in Japan’s War. In January 1941, War Minister Gen. Hideki Tojo issued the senjinkun military code, “Instructions for the Battlefield,” which told soldiers they should “never live to experience shame as a prisoner,” and that “a sublime sense of self-sacrifice must guide you through life and death.”

E FIR AMI A E There had been instances dating back to Pearl Harbor of pilots deliberately crashing into American ships, but these were individual efforts, unrelated to each other. What set the kamikaze attacks apart was that they were planned and organized A few days later, by higher authority as regular, continuing Onishi sent Naka- operations. jima to form a sec- The first kamikaze unit was formed ond kamikaze unit Oct. 20, 1944, by Vice Adm. Takijiro at Cebu, 400 miles Onishi, commander of the First Air Fleet, south of Mabalacat which owned all of the land-based fight- and the most forward ers in the Philippines. As the invasion special attack base in force approached, Onishi’s command had the Philippines. Ad- fewer than 100 aircraft still in operational ditional units were condition. set up at other fields, Meeting with officers at Mabalacat, but the principal bas- adjacent to Clark Field northwest of es were Mabalacat Manila, Onishi announced his conclusion and Cebu. that Japanese air strength was so meager The first suc- that the only way to meet the invasion cessful suicide at- was with suicide attacks. All hands agreed tack came Oct. 25, heartily and there were more volunteers with Seki leading than Onishi could use. the Zeros out of Twenty-six ordinary A6M Zero fighters Mabalacat. Among were assigned to the special attack unit, the American ships half of them to the crash-dive mission moving through and half as escorts for the suicide planes. Leyte Gulf that The strike fighters were stripped of all un- morning was USS necessary weight, including self-defense St. Lo, an escort or capability, and armed with 550-pound [250 jeep carrier, which kilogram] bombs. was about half the “Our small Zero fighters were unable size of a fleet carrier. to carry the great weight of a torpedo, so The Zeros found the ships, climbed Corporal Yukio Araki, holding a puppy, that weapon was not considered,” said to 5,000 feet, and dived into the attack. and four other kamikaze pilots in May 1945. The day after this picture was Commander Tadashi Nakajima, the unit’s Several of them were shot down, but the taken Araki, age 17, died in a kamikaze flight operations officer. “They could, last one—flown by Seki—crashed into attack on US ships near Okinawa. however, with slight alteration be fitted St. Lo, broke through the flight deck, with a 250-kilogram bomb.” and exploded its bomb. St. Lo sank 20 I I I E FA AC Lt. Yukio Seki, a Japanese naval acad- minutes later. There was no chance the Japanese emy graduate and one of the best pilots Emperor Hirohito’s reaction to the could hold the Philippines. In the Battle in the fleet, was chosen to command the kamikaze attacks was ambiguous. “Was it of Leyte Gulf in October, they sustained kamikaze unit. Seki had been married only necessary to go to this extreme?” he asked “catastrophic losses: four carriers, three a few months before but he embraced his the Navy chief of staff, but then added, battleships, six heavy cruisers, three light new assignment without hesitation. “They certainly did a magnificent job.” cruisers, and 10 destroyers,” said historian AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 John Toland. “Never again would the impe- own doctors to prevent their capture by However, depictions of kamikaze pilots rial Navy play more than a minor role in the Americans. wearing white headbands imprinted with a the defense of the homeland.” The Japanese lost more than 500 aircraft red rising sun are correct. The headbands, The Japanese army air forces continued on kamikaze missions in the Philippines. called “hachimaki,” were a custom bor- with conventional operations until Novem- Even with an all-out effort to replace their rowed from the samurai and symbolized ber, but formed their own suicide units losses, the Japanese were unable to mount courage and pre-battle composure. when it became apparent that the navy’s a full kamikaze effort when the battle for The original formations for the first kamikaze tactics worked better. Iwo Jima began in February 1945. kamikaze attacks consisted of three sui- Not enough Zeros were available for the Most of the veteran pilots motivated and cide planes and two escorts. The escorts expanding mission, but the army and navy available for kamikaze missions had been remained close by the strike aircraft, no mat- still had thousands of airplanes at various killed. After the Philippines, the policy of ter what happened. They could not break locations around the Asian rim. Many of relying on volunteers was quietly dropped away to attack enemy fighters or change them could be converted for kamikaze use. and training was cut back. Some suicide course to defend themselves. Their sole All kinds of aircraft were thrown into pilots had no more than 30 hours of flying duty was to protect the suicide aircraft all action: fighters, trainers, dive bombers, time, sufficient for them to take off, stay the way to the target. Later on, the kamikaze wood and fabric biplanes—anything that in formation, and hit the target. switched from small formations to mass would fly. There was some new produc- attacks, concentrating all of their aircraft tion. A few navy Zeros were built to carry AC IC A RA I IO into a single wave to saturate defenses. a larger 1,100-pound bomb. Myths about the kamikaze abound. One The preferred target was a US carrier. The kamikaze could not stop the invasion of the most enduring is that they drank a “Against carriers the best point of aim is of the Philippines, but they enforced serious cup of sake at planeside before the last the central elevator—or about one-third losses, sinking 16 US ships and damaging mission. In fact, they avoided sake and all the length of the ship from the bow,” said many more. One kamikaze hit the cruiser other alcohol before flying lest it impair Capt. Rikihei Inoguchi, senior staff officer

Nashville, flagship of the invasion, killing their sharpness and abilities. It was water Schoolgirls from Chiran, Japan, wave 137. MacArthur had planned to be aboard they drank for the ritual farewell toast. cherry blossoms in farewell to a ka- but his staff talked him out of it. Another story is that the kamikaze were mikaze pilot in April 1945. The aircraft is a Hayabusa III fighter, carrying a Among the ships taking heavy damage given only enough fuel for a one-way flight, 250-kilogram bomb. was the fleet carrier Bunker Hill, hit by two making it impossible for them to turn back. kamikazes with almost 400 US seamen The truth is that the fuel tanks were filled to Onishi. “Next best is either the fore or killed or missing, 264 wounded, and 70 completely. If the pilot was unable to find aft elevator—both being vulnerable loca- aircraft lost. a target, he was to return and preserve the tions since the destruction of these sections The no-surrender rules were enforced aircraft and himself for another attempt. In destroys the operational effectiveness of the harshly in the fallback from the Philip- addition, the maximum fuel load caused a ship. Against other types of ships the base pines. Some wounded or bedridden bigger explosion and fire when the airplane of the bridge, where the ship’s nerve center Japanese soldiers were killed by their plowed into a ship. is located, is the most desirable target.” AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 t

US Navy personnel inspect an Okha two-seat . The rocket-pro- pelled aircraft was constructed around a 2,645-pound warhead, carried into battle by a bomber, and released to fly at 600 mph toward its target. Pilots were to arm their bombs only on one radar picket destroyer had enough E A A when the target was sighted. Inexperienced of it. They put up a big sign with an ar- The emperor, touring firebombed areas pilots sometimes forgot, so the escort crews row pointing to the rear reading, “Carriers of Tokyo in March and weighing reports checked and reminded them if necessary. This Way.” from elsewhere, reached the conclusion Pilots were instructed to release their bombs On April 15, a suicide pilot crashed his that the war was lost and had to be ended before impact, hoping to damage the ship Zero through the starboard side below the as soon as possible. The emperor suppos- at two separate points. main deck of the battleship Missouri. It edly “lived beyond the clouds” and almost “Kamikaze pilots were taught not to started fires but the bomb did not explode never interfered directly in the affairs of close their eyes until the last instant be- and no Americans were killed. The next government. Not until the atomic bombs fell fore they collided with their target,” said day, despite protests from some of the crew, on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August was historian Hattori. “High-ranking Japanese the battleship’s captain gave the kamikaze he able to advance the case for surrender. officers believed that kamikaze pilots who pilot a military funeral at sea. This event Although devastated, Japan still had overshot their targets had closed their eyes would be remembered in a different context considerable military forces left, including well before that last instant. Despite this 70 years later. almost five million regular army troops and instruction, reports of kamikazes over- About half of the kamikaze aircraft were assorted paramilitary reserves. Between shooting continued.” shot down by gunners on US ships or by them, the army and navy could scrape Navy interceptors. The best defense was together 10,700 aircraft from all corners of O I A A by the “Big Blue Blanket,” as the Navy the war front, about 7,500 of them, which Suicide attacks reached their peak in fighters were called. could be adapted for suicide missions. the battle of Okinawa, April-June 1945, Okinawa also saw the introduction of the Hardliners insisted that Japan must keep as the war closed in on the Japanese home piloted glide bomb called Okha, or Cherry fighting. Hearing the news of the atomic islands. The principal kamikaze bases were Blossom. The Okha was a single-seat craft, bombs, Onishi—founder of the kamikazes Kanoya and Chiran on opposite sides of 20 feet long, built around a huge 2,645-lb and now vice chief of the naval general Kagoshima Bay at the southern tip of Kyu- armor-piercing warhead carried into battle staff—said, “If we are prepared to sacrifice shu. The pilots were the greatest heroes by a bomber. An Okha sped to its target 20 million Japanese lives in a ‘special at- of the nation. at 600 mph, propelled by rocket engines. tack’ effort, victory will be ours.” Small formations were a thing of the A total of 77 Okhas were launched, sink- Army rebels surrounded the palace past. Kamikaze attacks in the Okinawa ing a US destroyer and damaging three and tried to seize the emperor’s recorded campaign were conducted mainly in 10 other ships. rescript of surrender before it could be massed waves. Seventeen US ships were The Japanese employed other kinds of delivered for broadcast by NHK national sunk in the Okinawa campaign, one of suicide forces as well, including manned radio. They attacked members of the them an escort carrier. Nearly a quarter torpedoes, midget submarines, crash boats, imperial household and burned the home of the American ships engaged were hit and kamikaze frogmen. These programs of the prime minister, declaring that “our by a suicide airplane. were not very successful. Neither was intention is to protect the emperor.” Hardest hit were the destroyers and the effort of suicide fighters to destroy Within hours of the surrender announce- smaller ships, deployed around the carrier B-29 bombers by aerial ramming. By US ment Aug. 15, Onishi and War Minister task forces as the first line of defense and count, nine B-29s were lost to ramming Korechika Anami killed themselves in as a picket line for early warning. Sailors and another 13 were damaged the ancient disembowelment ritual of AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 t

“seppuku.” Later, former Prime Minister After the war, however, the public image A moment after this picture was taken, Tojo unsuccessfully attempted suicide, of the kamikaze changed. Adoration for the incoming Zero crashed through the starboard side of USS Mi i The choosing a .32 cal. Colt pistol rather than them declined and so did interest in what bomb did not go off and no Americans seppuku. Tojo lived to be tried and hanged they had done. were killed. The battleship captain or- as a war criminal. “Over the decades since the end of dered a military funeral for the pilot. Moderate air base commanders removed the American occupation in 1952, kami- the propellers and fuel from airplanes to kaze pilots gradually have regained the Veneration of the kamikaze gained prevent unauthorized suicide missions. status of national heroes that they once major momentum with the release of The last kamikaze was Vice Adm. Matome enjoyed during the final stages of the a new movie, “The Eternal Zero,” in Ugaki, commander of the Fifth Air Fleet, war,” says Bill Gordon, who operates December 2013, the Zero in the title to which naval suicide aircraft were as- a website about the kamikaze. “Much being the classic A6M. The pilot hero of signed. Late in the day on Aug. 15, Ugaki of the turnaround in public opinion the story joins a suicide unit in the last took off, accompanied by 10 other aircraft, came about through the efforts of the days of the war. He wants to survive but and headed toward Okinawa. About 7:30 Chiran Peace Museum for Kamikaze accepts his responsibility and dies in a p.m., a static-riddled radio transmission Pilots, which opened in 1975 on the blaze of glory. It is already one of the 10 reported that they were attacking, but there site of the former Chiran Air Base.” top-grossing Japanese films of all time. is no US report of a kamikaze action on Chiran and several other such mu- Prime Minister Shinzo Abe described that date. Ugaki was not heard from again. seums “portray the pilots as brave himself as “deeply moved” by the film. Statistical records for the 10 months of young men who voluntarily sacrificed The film is based on a novel by Naoki the kamikaze operations vary considerably their lives to defend their country and Hyakuta, governor of the NHK public and the numbers are difficult to reconcile. families,” Gordon says. The museums broadcasting system. In a political A reasonable estimate is that the Japanese “generally remain silent on respon- speech in 2014, Hyakuta said that the flew 2,550 suicide sorties, not counting sibility for the war other than brief notorious massacre of Chinese civil- escorts and observers. explanations, such as western nations ians by Japanese soldiers at Nanjing in They sank 33 US ships and damaged cutting off imports of oil,” he says. 1937-1938 “never happened.” 286, killing 4,900 American sailors and Chiran draws visitors by the tens of The most recent recognition of the wounding 4,800. Some ships were hit by thousands. kamikaze was April 11, 2015, when more than one suicide attacker. The larg- The Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo has the Battleship Missouri Memorial, now est of the American ships sunk were three a heroic statue of a kamikaze pilot. anchored at Pearl Harbor, remembered escort carriers and 13 destroyers. Smaller The city of Minamikyushu, home of the 70th anniversary of the attack on ships took most of the losses and damage. the Chiran museum, has asked the the battleship in 1945. Concurrently, an Almost 4,000 Japanese airmen died in United Nations to add letters from the exhibit opened onboard with artifacts various aspects of the kamikaze effort. kamikaze pilots to its Memory of the lent by the museum at Chiran. The ex- World register, which recognizes such hibit was scheduled to continue through EROE A AI documents as the Magna Carta. Veterans Day. J Japan posthumously promoted the de- ceased kamikazes by two ranks and pro- John T. Correll was editor in chief of A g for 18 years and is now a vided generous pensions for their families. contributor. His most recent article, “Their Finest Hour,” appeared in the July issue. AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 orld War II in Europe was only just over—VE Goering was described in the interrogation papers as “wear- Day was two days prior—when a group of ing grayish wool, no medals but epaulets of a fi eld marshal senior Army and Army Air Forces offi cers (that is, a large eagle, a small Swastika, and crossed batons). convened on May 10, 1945, to interrogate He had a silver ring on the third fi nger of his right hand. Reich Marshal Hermann W. Goering in Blue eyes, ruddy not unpleasant face, big thighs, tan boots.” Augsburg, Germany. In addition to Spaatz, Goering’s questioners that day WThe two-hour questioning, led by Gen. Carl A. “Tooey” included Lt. Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg, com- Spaatz, commander of US Strategic Air Forces in Europe, was mander; Brig. Gen. Edward P. Curtis, USSTAF chief of staff; freighted with queries that might prove useful in prosecuting Alexander P. de Seversky, special consultant to the Secretary the still-active war with Japan. The questions also belied US of War; Bruce Hopper, USSTAF historian; and US Army of- concerns about possible German technological breakthroughs. fi cers including Lt. Gen. Alexander M. Patch, commanding Some of Goering’s recorded responses are disarmingly general of Seventh Army; plus a Seventh Army interpreter. candid, whether out of a desire to tell the truth or whether What follows is a transcript of the interrogation of the to curry favor with his captors. vanquished Nazi by the airpower victors, as it happened. Spaatz forwarded a copy of the interrogation transcript Goering quickly spun a tale of mixed aims hobbling the to Gen. Henry H. “Hap” Arnold, the AAF commanding Luftwaffe when Spaatz asked: “Would you tell us something general, with a note saying: “Believe you will find this of the organization of the Luftwaffe and the plans, especially most interesting.” the factors which went into the nonfulfi llment of those plans?”

Goering: In the early years when I had supreme command of the Luftwaffe, I had defi nite plans, but in 1940 Hitler began to interfere, taking air fl eets away from our planned operations. That was the beginning of the breakdown of the Luftwaffe effi ciency.

Spaatz: In the why did you maintain such rigid formations of fi ghters and bombers?

The Goering: It was necessary to cover the bombers because their fi re power was low (not like your bombers). It was also necessary for our fi ghters to closely cover each other. You see, it was a question of equipment. Goering Spaatz: Was the Ju 88 designed for the Battle of Britain? Goering: The Ju 88 was primarily a commercial airplane which had to be adapted for the Battle of Britain along with Interrogation the He 111 because we had nothing else. I was not in favor By Frederick A. Johnsen of engaging in the Battle of Britain at that time. It was too early. The He 177 was late in development. The He 177 was a development from the original Stuka with two propellers on four motors. It was a failure; it wasted two years. That is why we had no large bombers in the Battle of Britain.

Spaatz: When did you know that the Luftwaffe was losing control of the air?

The captured Luftwaffe head was Goering: When the American long-range fi ghters were able to escort the bombers as far as Hanover, and it was not long surprisingly open when questioned until they got to Berlin. We then knew we must develop the jet planes. Our plan for the early development of the jet was by Spaatz, Vandenberg, and other unsuccessful only because of your bombing attacks.

Air Force leaders just after VE Day. Spaatz: Did our attacks affect your training program?

Goering: Yes, for instance the attacks on oil retarded the training because our new pilots could not get suffi cient training before they were put in the air where they were no match for your fl iers.

Patch: Did the Luftwaffe have priority in the distribution of manpower?

62 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 Nazi airman Hermann Goering speaks to members of the press and Army representatives in May 1945. His interpreter is to his left. National Archives and Records Administration photo via Stan Piet

Goering: Yes, the Luftwaffe had fi rst priority and thus had Spaatz: When you conquered France in 1940, why didn’t the cream of Germany, the U-boats were second, and the you go on through to Spain and Gibraltar? panzers third. Even at the end, the best of German youth went into the Luftwaffe. Only the Waffen SS sometimes held Goering: Germany had saved Spain from the Bolsheviks. back personnel. All other organizations surrendered person- Spain was in the German camp. I insisted on going to Spain nel to the Luftwaffe on application. but to no avail. We could have bottled the British Fleet in the Mediterranean, but no—the Fuehrer wanted to go to Russia. Spaatz: Did the jet airplane really have a chance to win My idea was to close both ends of the Mediterranean, “und against us? dann die sache ist in ordnung” [“and then things are fi ne”]. I am positive we could have taken Gibraltar. The Luftwaffe Goering: Yes, I am still convinced, if we had only four to was ready and we had two divisions of parachutists ready fi ve months more time. Our underground installations were and trained, but Mussolini objected. Part of our pain—the Ital- practically all ready. The factory at Kahla had a capacity of ians. Also there was the complication of the relations between 1,000 to 1,200 jet airplanes a month. Now with 5,000 to 6,000 France and Spain. jets, the outcome would have been different. Spaatz: Did you know anything of our movement to Africa as Vandenberg: But could you train suffi cient jet pilots, con- to time and place? sidering your shortage of oil? Goering: Well, I presumed it, but if the Germans had only Goering: Yes, we would have had underground factories for held Morocco and the Canaries as I wanted, the going would oil, producing a suffi cient quantity for the jets. The transition have been diffi cult for you. to jets was very easy in training. The jet pilot output was always ahead of the jet aircraft production. Spaatz: Your best attack on us was at Poltava, at the airfi eld. Why was that so successful? [Poltava was a Russian airfi eld Spaatz: Could Germany have been defeated by airpower used briefl y by the AAF in long-range shuttle bombing missions.] alone, using England as a base, without invasion? Goering: Those were wonderful times. We had an observation Goering: No, because German industry was going under- ship fl ying with you. You did not know it. It was a 177 which ground, and our countermeasures could have kept pace fortunately developed motor trouble and indicated it couldn’t with your bombing. But the point is, that if Germany were land on the fi eld with only one motor. So it was able to return attacked in her weakened condition as now, then the air could to give the information on your landing at Poltava. As we had do it alone. That is, the land invasion meant that so many an attack planned on a railway nearby we merely diverted it workers had to be withdrawn from factories’ production and to your airfi eld. even from the Luftwaffe. Vandenberg: Will you tell me why you bombed cities in Eng- Patch: Was that also true of England? land instead of concentrating on aircraft and engine factories?

Goering: To me, this is a diffi cult question. Germany was Goering: My intention at fi rst was to attack only military tar- prepared for war and England wasn’t. I was forced by Hitler gets and factories, but after the British attacked Hamburg the to divert air forces to the East, which I always opposed. Only people were angry and I was ordered to attack indiscriminately. the diversion of the Luftwaffe to the Russian front saved England. She was unable to save herself and unable to Spaatz: Which had the more effect in the defeat of Germany, bomb Germany. the area bombing or the precision bombing?

AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 63 Photo via Stan Piet Stan via Photo Goering: The precision bombing, because it was decisive. Destroyed cities could be evacuated, but destroyed industry was diffi cult to replace.

Spaatz: Did the Germans realize that the American air forces by intention did only precision bombing?

Goering: Yes. I planned to do only precision bombing myself at the beginning. I wanted to build a wall of contact mines around Britain and close the ports but again I was forced to do otherwise by political diktat.

Curtis: Was our selection of targets good, particularly oil?

Goering: Yes, excellent. As soon as we started to repair an oil installation you always bombed it again before we could produce one ton.

Vandenberg: Why didn’t you attempt to cut us off in Africa and send the Luftwaffe, which was then superior in the air, against our shipping and the concentration of our airplanes at Gibraltar?

Goering: We had too few long-range airplanes and then, later, when you got to Algiers, the airfi elds in Italy were inadequate. You have no idea what a bad time we had in Italy. If they had only been our enemies instead of our allies we might have won the war. Goering felt Hitler’s interference and obsession with Russia ruined the Luftwaffe. Spaatz: Why did you use your bombers to haul gas to Rommel instead of bombing the line of communications from Algiers to Constantine to Tunisia? Lessons in the Archives Goering: Higher HQ orders. American archival holdings include papers like the Goering interrogation that offer a nuanced and some- Vandenberg: Why did you attack our airdromes on 1 Janu- times quirky window on World War II. The Air Force ary 1945? executed a war plan that is well-documented through the histories that followed. Goering: Because every airdrome was loaded with airplanes. Less well-known are the speculations, brainstorming, wrong-headed notions, and the occasional dead-end plan the service had to contemplate while staying on Vandenberg: Well, why didn’t you come back? track to win the war. New weapons with huge impact—such as the B-29 Goering: Orders from higher headquarters. Hitler said it was bomber and the atomic bomb—were used as they no good to bomb American planes because more of them became available to prosecute the Pacifi c war in 1945. would come like bees. Col. Paul W. Tibbets Jr., pilot of the B-29 Enola Gay over Hiroshima, Japan, in 1970 acknowledged last- Vandenberg: But why did you concentrate on RAF airfi elds minute discussions about the possibility of using a third more than on ours? bomb if surrender negotiations slowed in August 1945. According to interview notes preserved in the Air Goering: Because the RAF airfi elds were closer and otherwise Force Academy library’s special collections, Tibbets more inviting targets. We used 2,300 planes for that attack; was asked by Gen. Curtis E. LeMay and Gen. William what we did not allow for was the intense concentration of AA H. Blanchard on Guam: “Have you got another unit?” guns placed there against the V-1. Tibbets is quoted as saying the two components of the third bomb could have been airlifted to the Pacifi c Vandenberg: Would you contrast the air forces of the Allies? for assembly in about 25 hours. Other sources say the intended target would likely have been Tokyo at Goering: Well, the Russians are no good, except on unde- night, when the fl ash from the blast would have been fended targets. You need only three or four Luftwaffe airplanes especially brilliant. to drive off a 20-plane Russian attack. The Americans are su- Ultimately, bomb No. 3 was expended in 1946 during the Operation Crossroads Bikini Atoll tests.

64 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 perior technically and in production. As for the personnel, the might fi nd around Germany some jet airplanes equipped with English, German, and American are equal as fi ghters in the air. anti-tank guns. Don’t blame me for such monstrosities. This was done on the explicit orders of the Fuehrer. Hitler knew Spaatz: Have you any knowledge of a proximity fuse? nothing about the air. He may have known something about the Army or Navy, but absolutely nothing about the air. He Goering: Yes, in three or four months there would have been even considered the Me 262 to be a bomber; and he insisted production. it should be called a bomber.

Spaatz: Has Japan the designs of this fuse? Seversky: I know that four-engine Focke-Wulf planes were in production in 1939. When you found out after the Battle of Goering: I do not think so because it was not yet in production Britain that your planes did not have suffi cient fi re power and and we never gave them anything unless it was in production. bombing power, why didn’t you concentrate on these four- The Japanese have had the designs of the Me 262 for some time. engine planes as a heavy bomber?

[Goering then talked for several minutes, the gist of which Goering: Instead of that, we were developing the He 177 emphasized America’s successful use of radar and counter- and tried to develop the Me 264 which was designed to go radar measures, to which he attributes much of the success to America and return. We did use the Focke-Wulf against of our air operations.] shipping from . Because our production capacity was not so great as that of America we could not produce quickly Spaatz: If you had to design the Luftwaffe again, what would everything we needed. Moreover, our plants were subject to be the fi rst airplane you would develop? constant bombing so that it was diffi cult to carry out our plans for heavy bomber production. Goering: The jet fi ghter and then the jet bomber. The problem of speed has been solved. It is now a question of fuel. The jet Seversky: The reason why I asked the previous question fi ghter takes too much. The jet bomber, Me 264, designed to was because I wanted to establish whether you failed to build go to America and back, awaited only the fi nal solution of the the big bombers because you did not believe in strategic air- fuel consumption problem. I might add that according to my power or because your productive capacity was restricted to view the future airplane is one without fuselage (fl ying wing) the production of tactical aircraft for the Russian campaign. equipped with turbine in combination with the jet and propeller. Goering: No, I always believed in strategic use of airpower. Seversky: In view of your diminishing manufacturing resources, I built the Luftwaffe as the finest bomber fleet, only to see it who made the decision to divert a large portion of your national wasted on Stalingrad. My beautiful bomber fleet was used effort to manufacture of V-1 and V-2 weapons instead of build- up in transporting munitions and supplies to the army of ing up the Luftwaffe? 200,000 at Stalingrad. I always was against the Russian campaign. Goering: Well, there was great confusion of thought in Ger- many. Prior to the invasion the V-1 would have been effective. After the invasion our effort should have been concentrated on the Me 262. The decision on the V-2 project was made at American contributions to the defeat of Nazi Germany higher headquarters. included a reasoned and adaptable rationale for AAF tar- geting that was based on denying Germany the resources Vandenberg: In the tactical operations of our Air Force, what for waging war, ranging from machines to petroleum. attacks on what targets were most damaging to you? Goering’s interrogation at war’s end provided US leader- ship a preliminary reference point on American bombing Goering: Before D-Day it was the attacks in Northern France efficacy and limitations and valuable insight into German which hurt the most because we were not able to rebuild in air strategy failures. France as quickly as in Germany. The attacks on marshaling Particularly telling is Spaatz’s questioning about German yards were most effective, next came the low-level attacks progress on proximity fuses. on troops, and then the attacks on bridges. The low flying Spaatz’s boss and colleague, Arnold, more than once airplanes had a terror effect and caused great damage to expressed concern that German fielding of a proximity fuse our communications. Also demoralizing were the umbrella could wreak havoc on bomber formations. The potential for fighters, which after escorting the bombers, would swoop Japanese forces to deploy such a fuse remained a viable down and hit everything including the jet planes in process concern for Pacific planners. of landing. Goering was found guilty of war crimes and crimes against humanity at the Nuremberg trials in 1946. He committed Spaatz: Did you have a three-inch gun for the jet? suicide in his cell the day before he was to have been executed. ✪ Goering: The 5.5-centimeter machine gun, only now going into production, would have made a great difference in the jet. While waiting for that we used the 5.5-centimeter rocket. You Frederick A. Johnsen is a frequent contributor to Air Force Magazine. This article is adapted from his book, Captured Eagles—Secrets of the Luftwaffe.

AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 65 he Air Force Association Nominating Committee met on May 9 and selected can- Tdidates to send forward for national offi cer positions and National Director positions on the Board of Directors. The committee comprises three past Chairmen of the Board, one person selected by each of the two Vice Chairmen of the Board, two persons representing each geographic area, Van Cleef 2015-16 and one person each representing the Total Air Force, Air Force veterans, and aerospace industry constituencies. The slate of candidates will be presented to the delegates at the AFA National Convention in National Harbor, Md., in September.

Chairman of the Board Scott P. Van Cleef, Fincastle, Va., nominated for his second one-year term. He is a Life Member and has served as Chairman of the Board for Dietsch the past year. He was previously the AFA Vice Chairman of the Board for Vice Chairman, Field Operations Field Operations for two years. While David A. Dietsch, Arlington, Texas, President of Virginia’s Roanoke Chap- nominated as Vice Chairman of the ter, it was named AFA Medium-size Board for Field Operations for a second Chapter of the Year for 2005. He was one-year term. He has been an AFA the State President when Virginia was National Director, Central Area; a named the Outstanding State Organi- Chairman’s appointee to the Execu- zation of the Year for 2008. He was tive Committee; and AFA Texas Vice an AFA National Director from 2008 President for Industrial Relations and to 2011 and the Central East Region Government Relations. A Life Mem- President the following year. He served ber active in AFA since 1992, he has on the afa21 Internal Review Group served as Executive Vice President of in 2005 and the afa21 Field Structure the Lubbock Chapter, President of the Team in 2006. He has been a member Fort Worth Chapter, Texas State Presi- and Chairman of the Field Council dent, and Texoma Region President. and Strategic Planning Committee. He co-founded and became the first Van Cleef was Virginia’s Member Board Chairman for the AFA Texas of the Year in 2004 and 2010 and is Aerospace Education Foundation. recipient of the Central East Region Dietsch has served at the national level President’s Award, AFA’s Medal of on the Constitution, Membership, and Merit, Exceptional Service Award, the Nominating Committees and on the and Chairman’s Citation. Van Cleef Field Council. He has been AFA Texas served for more than 29 years in the Member of the Year twice and received Air Force. He commanded an F-16 the AFA Texas Claire Chennault Pa- squadron, was Vice Commander of an triotism Award. He also received the F-16 training wing, and Commander of AFA Medal of Merit and three AFA a fighter wing. He is a self-employed Exceptional Service awards. Dietsch maker of fine furniture, a chapter of- served for 27 years in the Air Force ficer in MOAA, and a Civil Air Patrol in aircraft maintenance and logistics. senior member. He serves on the Board Afterward, he managed the aircraft of Directors for the Virginia Museum maintenance contract workforce at of Transportation and on the Board two flying training wings. He has a of Visitors for the Virginia Women’s bachelor’s degree in American diplo- Institute for Leadership at Mary Bald- macy and foreign affairs from Miami win College. He earned a bachelor’s University in Ohio and a master’s degree in business economics from degree in public administration from Purdue University and a master’s de- Golden Gate University. He serves on gree in political science from Auburn the local Salvation Army Management University. Committee and is a consultant. 66 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 nated for a second one-year term. She is an AFA Life Member and served as National Director, West Area, and Chairwoman of the National Audit Committee. She has received the AFA Medal of Merit and the Exceptional Service Award. Ruebrook has served on the AFA Finance, Strategic, and ad hoc Congressional Committees; was VP, Far West Region for Leadership Bundy Warner Development; was AFA Hawaii Presi- dent; and is an AFA National Mentor. Vice Chairman, Aerospace Patriot and the emerging Stellar Xplorers Ruebrook is a member of the Thunder- Education Space Competition. Warner received his bird Society, Legacy Society, and Gold Richard B. Bundy, Spotsylvania, bachelor’s of business administration Wings. She serves on international and Va., nominated for Vice Chairman of degree from Southwest Texas State national boards, including that of the the Board for Aerospace Education for and a master of business administra- Navy League of the United States, as a a first one-year term. An active AFA tion degree from Oklahoma’s Central National Director, and of the Associa- member since 1971, he is a member of State University, and he completed all tion of the United States Army, on its the Executive Committee of the Rich- levels of Air Force professional military Resolution Committee. Ruebrook is a mond Chapter and previously served education and the Harvard Management National Contracting Management As- as Delaware State President for nine Course for Senior Executives. sociation Fellow. She has been involved years. At the national level, he has been with governance of numerous organiza- on the Nominating Committee and the Secretary tions, such as the American Society of Aerospace Education Council. AFA John T. “Tim” Brock, Oviedo, Fla., Military Comptrollers. Ruebrook is the awards include the Medal of Merit, nominated for a first one-year term as CEO-Director of a company supporting Exceptional Service Award, and Presi- National Secretary. He is a retired space the ISR, R&D, and cyber communities. dential Citation. Bundy served in the systems officer/aerospace engineer. He Her industry client list includes Fortune Air Force for 33 years as an airlift pilot has been an AFA Life Member since 500 companies. and as a staff officer at major command, 1996 and has held Chapter, State, and Air Staff, Joint Staff, and DOD levels. Region Presidencies. He is currently National Director at Large He commanded a squadron, group, and serving as the Chapter Treasurer and The Nominating Committee submits wing. He later served as the Executive State Membership Chairman. At the three names for National Director at Large. Director of Arnold Air Society and Silver national level, Brock has held the of- Two will be elected for a three-year term. Wings for 10 years as the direct liaison fice of National Director, served on the Michael R. “Boe” Boera, of St. with senior officers and the staff of AFA Audit, Nominating, Strategic Planning, George, Utah, nominated for National and AFROTC. During this period, he Membership, and Field Council com- Director at Large. Boera is an executive convinced the Silver Wings members mittees and has received the 2013 AFA in the intelligence, information, and to join their Arnold Air counterparts as Member of the Year and the Storz Indi- services business sector for a company full members of AFA. Due to his efforts, vidual Award. Brock served in the Air in Dulles, Va. He has been an AFA all members of Arnold Air and Silver Force for 24 years in space operations. member since 1985 and became a Life Wings are AFA members. He received He is involved with the Lion’s Club, Member in 2015. He retired from the a bachelor’s degree in transportation National Space Society, and National Air Force in 2014 after just under 33 and logistics management from San Air and Space Society. He received his years serving as a fighter pilot and in Francisco State University and a master’s bachelor’s degree in mathematics at the numerous command and senior execu- degree in personnel management from University of Georgia and his master’s tive staff positions. He is on the Board Webster’s University. degree in space operations from the Air of Advisors and is a speaker for Patriot David B. Warner, Monument, Colo., Force Institute of Technology. Mission, Inc., and is a Corporator for nominated for Vice Chairman of the Lyndon Institute high school in Vermont. Board for Aerospace Education for a first Treasurer He is also a member of Daedalians, Red one-year term. An AFA Life Member Nora Ruebrook, Honolulu, is nomi- River Rats, and the National Association since 1980, Warner is currently serv- ing as a National Director at Large and has been a member of the Aerospace Education Council since 2013. Warner, the son of a chief master sergeant, grew up Air Force before embarking on his own 30-year career. He now serves as the Executive Director for the Officers’ Christian Fellowship, is a Board Member for Christian Service Charities, and sits on the Advisory Board for Faith Comes by Hearing. Through AFA’s AEC, War- ner has been heavily involved in Cyber- Brock Ruebrook AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 67 National Director, Central Area The Nominating Committee submits one name for Na- tional Director, Central Area. Thomas W. Gwaltney, Montgomery, Ala., nominated for National Director, Central Area, for a one-year term. Gwaltney holds the position of National Director, Central Area, appointed to a one-year term, and is seeking election to the position. He has been an AFA member since 1977 and has served in many roles at the field level, including Chapter, State, and Region President. He is a member of the AFA Field Council and is Chairman of the Wounded Boera Hefl ebower Airman Program Committee. He has received the AFA Medal of Merit, Exceptional Service Award, and Chair- man’s Citation. Gwaltney served in the Air Force for 32 years. His assignments took him around the globe, from presidential airlift at Andrews AFB, Md., to Thailand during the , to Korea, to name a few. He last served as Command Chief, Computer Systems Division, at Maxwell AFB-Gunter Annex, Ala. On his retirement, he served in

Santarelli of Corporate Directors, as well as an honorary member of the Wild Weasel Association and the Honorable Order of Saint Barbara. He earned his bachelor’s degree in architectural engineering from the University of Colorado, his master’s degree in management and supervision from Central Michigan University, and a second master’s degree, in strategic studies, from the Air War College. Gwaltney Sell Charles R. Hefl ebower, Fairfax Station, Va., nominated for National Director at Large. He is the Air Force Strategic Account Executive for a defense contracting company. Hefl e- leadership and managerial positions in the IT field. He bower is an AFA Life Member and served the Air Force for received his bachelor’s degree in material management more than 34 years in staff, command, and operational fl ying from Troy State University and completed the GTE Project positions. After he retired from Active Duty, he was selected Management and Project Leadership course and numerous by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force and served for nearly professional development courses. nine years as an Air Force Senior Mentor with the Air Force Operational Command Training program. He is involved National Director, West Area with US Air Force Academy Association of Graduates and The Nominating Committee submits one name for Na- is the Outside Director for a software company. He received tional Director, West Area. a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering from the Joan Sell, Littleton, Colo., nominated for National Di- academy, a master’s degree in international relations from rector, West Area, for a three-year term. Sell holds the the University of Arkansas, and completed the program at position of National Director, West Area, appointed to National War College. a one-year term by Chairman of the Board Scott P. Van Eugene D. Santarelli, Tucson, Ariz., nominated for Na- Cleef, and is seeking election to the position. She is a tional Director at Large. He is self-employed as the President Concierge Travel Agent for a cruise travel company. Sell of his own consulting company. He has been a member of joined AFA in 1986, became an active member in 1993, AFA since 1966 and is a Life Member. Santarelli served in and became a Life Member in 2007. She has served the the Air Force for 32 years, as a pilot and in command, op- Sijan Chapter and Colorado State in multiple positions, erations staff, and personnel positions. He currently works including Chapter President and State President. She also with the Davis-Monthan 50 and Southern Arizona Defense served as the Rocky Mountain Region President. Sell Alliance and is a Board Director at a credit union. Santarelli held the position of AFA National Secretary from 2009 received his bachelor of business administration degree in to 2011. She has received the AFA National Medal of management accounting at Notre Dame and his master’s of Merit, is a two-time recipient of the National Exceptional business administration in administration and management Service award and twice the recipient of the Presidential from Troy State University. He has completed Army Com- Citation. Sell was Lance P. Sijan Chapter President in mand and General Staff College, the Air War College, and the 2001 when it received the Donald W. Steele Sr. Memo- Government Security Studies program at Harvard. rial Unit of the Year award. % 68 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 AFA National Report [email protected] By Frances McKenney, Assistant Managing Editor

Training for CyberPatriot: A Saturday in Vermont Teaming with Champlain College in Burlington, Vt., the Green Mountain Chapter sponsored a cybersecurity train- ing day in May for CyberPatriot students. Nineteen high-schoolers from the public high school and Civil Air Patrol teams that took part in CyberPatriot VII Photo by Richard Lorenz season—school year 2014-15—turned out for the all-day Saturday session. Associate Professor Jim Hoag, from the college’s Division of Information Technology and Sciences, and Duane Dunston, assistant professor of cybersecurity, hosted the training. Chapter Membership VP Richard F. Lorenz reported that the professors enlisted a couple of their top-notch IT students to help teach Windows security and Linux security. The CP students received beginner-level and advanced training. In the afternoon, Hoag oversaw a session where they built a Cisco router network and learned about its security and vulnerabilities. Champlain College even provided pizza for lunch in addi- tion to giving the students use of two IT labs. Hoag became interested in teaching the younger genera- tion about cybersecurity after hearing a pitch from longtime Assistant Professor Duane Dunston (standing) instructs Cy- CyberPatriot supporter Daniel Manson, a professor who has berPatriot participants during a training class at Champlain organized training sessions at Cal Poly Pomona for par- College in Vermont. The Green Mountain Chapter coordinat- ticipants in the Los Angeles area. Hoag contacted Vermont ed the sessions. Dunston is a lead CP mentor in the area. high school CP teams, offering Champlain’s expertise. He saw it as a matter of “our students helping their students.” Hoag said his college will continue its CyberPatriot training this fall. At the May session, chapter officers used the gathering to present the Vermont CyberPatriot state

champion trophy to Champlain Valley Union High School of Photo via Howard Leach Hinesburg. First-time CP participant South Burlington High School received a trophy for its first-place win at the Silver Tier level in the Northeast Region. All other teams received state or participation certificates. “No one left empty-handed,” wrote Lorenz in an email. Photo by Ellen Schwartz On D-Day + 71 years, Shooting Star Chapter VP Cole Kleitsch (center) spoke to a New Jersey AFA meeting on the Spirit of ’45. Through events nationwide, the project commemorates World War II’s “Greatest Generation.” Hangar One Chapter’s James Young and Ted Barnas flank Kleitsch, along with post- ers of those who served in World War II.

Norwich Univer- sity cadet Timothy Smeddal (right) received an AFA

ROTC Outstanding Photo by J. Bergen Cadet of the Year At the University of Minnesota Duluth spring commissioning award in Vermont. ceremony for Det. 420, retired Col. Raymond Schwartz (right) Richard Lorenz of the Scott Berkeley Chapter, N.C., did triple duty: The Viet- (left) from the nam War vet—with 116 F-105 missions—was guest speaker, Green Mountain he commissioned grandson Grant Schwartz (left), and he pre- Chapter made the sented the new second lieutenant with an AFA membership. presentation.

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70 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 AFA National Report

Keep ’em Busy Wright Memorial Chapter Secretary Vita Eonta and Veterans Affairs Director George W. Simons were checking out the Department of Veterans Affairs’ website for the VA Medical Center in Dayton, Ohio. They were looking for a project to help vets. That’s when they came across the request for Kids Keep- Busy Packs, toys to keep children entertained while they visited family members being treated at a VA facility. USAF photo by MSgt. Jerry Harlan Eonta and Simons led a drive for donations of crayons, coloring books, puzzles, and word-game books for these packages.

Col. Jessica Meyeraan, from Tennessee’s Gen. Bruce K. Photo via William Noyes Holloway Chapter, presents Ron Waite with the I. G. Brown Civilian of the Quarter award. The chapter sponsors the award for this incentive program at the I. G. Brown Training and Education Center at McGhee Tyson Airport. Meyeraan is the center commander. “We collected more than $400 worth of items in a single meeting,” said Simons. “The response from our members exceeded expectations.” Organizations such as Arnold Air Society, Silver Wings, Miami Valley Military Affairs Association, and Marriott Corp. In Missouri, Whiteman Chapter’s Aerospace Education VP stepped up to gather the donations, and Simons delivered TSgt. Steven Brevelle, VP MSgt. Lafoundra Thompson, and President MSgt. John De La Rosa presented the Chapter them to the VA. Teacher of the Year award to Clint Coffey at Macon High The chapter plans to collect more for the VA clients in School’s Science Olympiad and Scholar Quiz Bowl awards coming months. “Personal care items, bus tokens, and cof- program. The surprise presentation caught biology teacher fee are always needed,” Eonta said “This is just one of the Coffey dressed in character for the evening’s “Star Trek” theme. ways we support our Air Force family.” %

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AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 7171

AFA National R eport

Reunions reunions@ af a.org

Photos by Lynn Morley Photos by Lynn 1st Flig ht D et., Nha Trang AB, South 303rd Bomb W g , Oct. 30-31 in Tucson, Vietnam (1964-72). Oct. 19-22 in Dayton, AZ. Contact: Bill Dettmer (505-294- OH. Contact: Rob Locker (614-738- 0564) ([email protected]). 9670) ([email protected]). P han Con F4 P hantom II Society , all 7 th Airlif t Sq . Oct. 9, Boeing Museum of welcome. Oct. 12-15 in Tucson AZ. Con- Flight, Seattle. Contact: Gabriel Taylor tact: Bill Crean (609-932-5158). (253-982-2080) ([email protected]). In Georgia, the Carl Vinson Memorial Spectre Assn. Oct. 8-11 at Sheraton Chapter awards luncheon honored Teach- 12th Tactical Fig hter W g / Fig hter er of the Year Rebecca Oakley (right). Four Points at Fort Walton Beach, FL. Chapter President Daniel Penny (left) and E scort W g / Strateg ic Fig hter W g , and All welcome. Contact: Bill Walter (bill- Para Vinson, made the presentation. supporting units, Bergstrom AFB, TX, and [email protected]) (www.spectre- Korea. April 20-24, 2016, in Charleston, association.org). SC. Contact: E. J. Sherwood (480-396- 4681) ([email protected]). U SAF Comb at Camera, and all who served in combat camera in AAV S, 600th 19 th Air R ef ueling Sq (SAC). All person- P hoto Sq , 601st P hoto Flig ht, and pres- nel from Homestead AFB, FL, and Otis ent AD. Oct. 15-18 at the DoubleTree by AFB, MA. Oct. 4-7 at Fort Walton Beach, Hilton Hotel San Antonio Downtown, in FL. Contact: Frank Szemere, 711 Sunset San Antonio. Contact: www.USAFcom- Blvd, E, Fort Walton Beach, FL 32547 batcamera.org by Sept. 1. I (850-862-4279) ([email protected]).

39 th, 40th, & 41st Fig hter Sq s, 35th H aving a R eunion? Fig hter G p, 5th AF (WWII to Vietnam); Defense Logistics Agency Director 39 th Fly ing Tng Sq ; and any 39 th Sq Email reunion notices four months ahead Lt. Gen. Andrew Busch addressed the of time to [email protected], or mail notices Vinson Chapter in July. L-r: Penny; Randy in between. Sept. 23-27 at the Lodge to “Reunions,” Air Force Magazine, 1501 Toms, mayor of Warner Robins; Busch; on the Desert in Tucson, AZ. Contact: Lee Highway, Arlington, VA 22209-1198. We and Brig. Gen. Walter Lindsley, Warner Linne Haddock (719-687-6425) (comm@ reserve the right to condense notices. Robins Air Logistics Complex commander. mac.com). Shop the AFA Hangar Store

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AIR FO R CE Mag az ine August 2015 7 373 Cancer Care Insurance

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Air Force Association AND Air Force Memorial Foundation MAIL TO: Air Force Association 1501 Lee Highway ANNUAL GIVING FORM Arlington, VA 22209

Promoting Air Force Airpower

Please also contact me regarding planned giving opportunities and how to include AFA and AFMF in my estate plans.

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The Air Force Association is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization located in Arlington, VA. For more information contact Your contribution is tax deductible. Wesley Sherman at 703-247-5831 or [email protected]

74 AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 Books Compiled by Chequita Wood, Media Research Editor

Airpower Reborn: The American Military At All Costs: The Bendix Field: The Captured Eagles: Se- Strategic Concepts Training Aircraft: True Story of Vietnam History of an Airport crets of the Luftwaffe. of John Warden and Fixed and Rotary- War Hero Chief Mas- and Legendary Pilot A s John Boyd. Wing Trainers Since ter Sgt. Dick Etch- Homer Stockert. u s u s g A s s 1916. s berger. tt tt t t g 20 1 st tut ss s t u s g Atg A 255 g s 25 5 A s 00 00 25 21 sts g/ t 10 5 1 2 2 5 g s 1 g s 5 00 1 0 g s 2 g s 1 5

The “Easy” Boys: The Fighting the Cold War: Hell From the Heav- Hidden Warbirds II: The Hundred-Year Story of a Bomber A Soldier’s Memoir. ens: The Epic Story More Epic Stories Marathon: China’s Command Aircrew in Gen. John R. Galvin, of the USS a e and of Finding, Recover- Secret Strategy to Re- World War II. t USA (Ret.). World War II’s Great- ing, and Rebuilding place America as the s s t ss tu est Kamikaze Attack. WWII’s Lost Aircraft. Global Superpower. u s g Atg A s u ts s A s u 10 5 1 22 Fulfillment Service, Bal ss st t ss t g s t 00 5 5 00 2 s 00 5 0 51 g s 5 g s 25 0 5 25 g s 1 g s 0 00 0 00

McDonnell-Douglas: Operation Chowhound: Section 60: Arlington The Strategist: Brent United States Army F-4C/RF-4C Phan- The Most Risky, Most National Cemetery: Scowcroft and The Aviators’ Clothing, tom II. Glorious US Bomber Where War Comes Call of National Se- 1917-1945. t Mission of WWII. t Home. t curity. t t g u s g s s u u A s s Atg A 10 5 g u s g s 00 00 25 21 1 2 1 g s 0 5151 0 2 2 1 g s g s 55 00 1 2 g s 2 00 g s 2 00 50

AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015 Tornado The Tornado stands as a top all-weather, day-night, interceptor. It has advanced navigation and flight supersonic fighter-attack aircraft. It was developed computers, fly-by-wire controls, a sophisticated and built by the tri-nation Panavia consortium cockpit, and a retractable refueling probe. Designed created by Britain, Germany, and Italy. It was, at to excel at low-level air attack against its outset, one of the few tactical aircraft able to Pact forces, the Tornado has been extensively attack at very low level, at any time, in any kind modified by the RAF to perform medium-level of weather. However, this fighter has done more strike and other missions. than strike alone. Tornado variants also have been optimized for electronic combat and air The fighter first saw combat in the 1991 Gulf interception, plus maritime missions. War, when RAF and Tornados were heavily engaged, especially in the earliest The Tornado has two engines. Its variable-sweep days. Since the early 1990s, the Tornados of all wings offer great operational flexibility—ma- four owning nations—Britain, Italy, Germany, and neuverability and efficient cruise in the spread Saudi Arabia—have seen action in many conflicts, configuration, high speed in the swept con- from Bosnia to , from Iraq to Afghanistan figuration. It was built in three main variants: and Libya. Tornado operators have carried out the IDS (interdiction-strike) fighter bomber, the various upgrades and life extensions that will ECR (electronic combat/reconnaissance) defense keep the fighter in frontline service for years. suppressor, and the ADV (air defense variant) —Robert S. Dudney with Walter J. Boyne

This aircraft: Royal Air Force Tornado GR1—#ZA447, MiG Eater—as it looked in January 1991 when deployed to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

In Brief Designed, built by Panavia Aircraft GmbH first flight Aug. 14, 1974 number built 992 crew of two (pilot, nav/weapons officer) Specific to RAF GR4: two Turbo-Union RB199-34R turbofan engines defensive armament AIM-9 or AIM-132 air-to-air missiles guns two 27 mm Mauser BK-27 cannon load up to 19,800 lb of bombs and other munitions, including Maverick, , Paveway, , ALARM, BL755 cluster bombs, WE.177 nuclear weapon max speed 1,490 mph max sea level speed 921 mph max range 870 mi weight (loaded) 44,620 lb span 45 ft 7 in spread, 28 ft 3 in swept length 54 ft 10 in height 19 ft 6 in ceiling 50,000 ft. Famous Fliers Notables: RAF officers R. M. Collier, T. N. C. Elsdon, S. M. Hicks, G. K. S. Lennox, Adrian “Kev” Weeks (all KIA in Gulf War). Other Notables: Ulrike Flender, first female German air force jet fighter pilot; Prince Khaled bin Salman, son of Saudi crown prince; Nikki Thomas, first woman commander of RAF jet squadron; John Nichol, RAF, author of Tornado Down. Test Pilots: Paul Millett, David Eagles, Pietro Trevisan, Tim Ferguson. USN Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class MIchael Sandberg MIchael Class 2nd Mate Photographer’s USN Interesting Facts Named, in beginning, Panavia 200 and Panavia Panther flown in Luftwaffe’s first combat operation since World War II (, 1995) nicknamed “Tonka” by RAF crews shot down, accidentally, by US Patriot missile, in 2003 , with both aircrew killed can fly automatically at low level using terrain-following radar cleared to A German IDS during the annual maritime exercise carry most air-launched weapons in NATO service features cannon later Baltic Operations 2003 (BALTOPS). adopted by Dassault/Dornier Alpha Jet, Saab Gripen, .

AIR FORCE Magazine / August 2015