Air Force Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference REAL. READY. RIGHT CHOICE. BOEING.COM/T- X 2017 AIR, SPACE & CYBER CONFERENCE SPECIAL EDITION AIRFORCEMAG.COM TABLE OF CONTENTS FEATURES Air Force Association’s Security on the Brink May You Live in Interesting Eyes to the Future Top Issues—2018 By Brian W. Everstine Times By Amy McCullough Adopted by delegates to the AFA Top Air Force and DOD leaders By John A. Tirpak The Chief’s three focus areas will National Convention on Sept. 17, warn that the nation’s defense USAF’s long list of critical help define what USAF needs for 2017. apparatus is imperiled by modernization programs face future effectiveness. Congressional inaction. disparate challenges. Heat From the Desert Technology Exposition By Brian W. Everstine Race for Speed A Hard Look at Science By John A. Tirpak and Mike From a network of bases across By Wilson Brissett and Technology Tsukamoto the Middle East, the Air Force USAF is preparing to win future By Gideon Grudo The Technology Exposition looked battles ISIS, al Qaeda, and the wars by evolving faster than any For the next year, USAF and to the future. Taliban. adversary can keep up. AFRL are going to step back, collaborate, and listen. DEPARTMENTS WINGMAN AFA Almanac Namesakes: Key Chapter News By Frances McKenney A compendium of facts and figures about the Air Force Association. FOLLOW US: GET THE: ON THE COVER: SrA. Leeann LeClair works on an F-16 for Operation Inherent Resolve. See “Heat From the Desert.” Photo: MSgt. Benjamin Wilson. Air Force Magazine (ISSN 0730-6784) 2017 Air, Space & Cyber Conference Special Edition (Vol. 100, No. 11) is published monthly, except for two double issues in April/May and October/November, by the Air Force Association, 1501 Lee Highway, Arlington, VA 22209-1198. Phone (703) 247-5800. 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Copyright 2017 by Air Force Association. 2017 AIR, SPACE & CYBER CONFERENCE SPECIAL EDITION AIRFORCEMAG.COM 2017 AIR, SPACE & CYBER CONFERENCE SPECIAL EDITION, Vol. 100, No. 11 AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION 1501 Lee Highway • Arlington, VA 22209-1198 afa.org Publisher Telephone: 703.247.5800 Larry O. Spencer Toll-free: 800.727.3337 Fax: 703.247.5853 Editor in Chief Adam J. Hebert ADVERTISING Managing Editor Juliette Kelsey Chagnon Arthur Bartholomew 213.596.7239 OUR MISSION Editorial Director Our mission is to promote a dominant United States Air Force John A. Tirpak Tom Buttrick and a strong national defense and to honor airmen and our 917.421.9051 Air Force heritage. News Editor Amy McCullough James G. Elliott Co., Inc. To accomplish this, we: [email protected] Educate the public on the critical need for unmatched Deputy Managing Editor aerospace power and a technically superior workforce to Frances McKenney CONTACTS ensure US national security. Senior Designer Editorial Offices Advocate for aerospace power and STEM education. Betsy Moore [email protected] Support the Total Air Force family and promote aerospace Pentagon Editor Letters to Editor Column education. Brian W. Everstine [email protected] Senior Editor Wingman Wilson Brissett CONTACTS [email protected] Digital Platforms Editor CyberPatriot . [email protected] Gideon Grudo SUBSCRIBE & SAVE Field Services . [email protected] Subscribe to Air Force Magazine Government Relations . [email protected] Production Manager and save big off the cover price, Insurance . [email protected] Eric Chang Lee plus get a free membership to the Membership . [email protected] Air Force Association. Photo Editor News Media . [email protected] Mike Tsukamoto Call 1.800.727.3337 Media Research Editor CHANGE OF ADDRESS/EMAIL Chequita Wood ADVERTISER INDEX In an effort to stay connected with AFA and your local Contributors Boeing chapter, please update your mailing and email addresses. 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Filename: 233320-0717 AFM BANK AFA Visa 2017.07 AD_01.indd Legal Creative Director Client Location: PDG_Saatchi & Saatchi:USAA:BANKING [007386]:CREDIT CARD:Print:233320-0717 AFM BANK AFA Visa 2017.07DO NOTBleed: 8.375” PRINT x 11.125” Proofreader Art Director Traffic Created: 5-19-2017 11:03 AM Artist: Freelance Studio #: N/A Trim: 8.125” x 10.875” Print Production Account Supervisor Type Director Revised: 5-19-2017 11:03 AM Artist: N/A Spellchecked: No Safety: 7” x 10” Copy Writer Account Executive QC.1 QC.2 Collected: None Artist: N/A Mech Scale: None Round #: 1.1 Flagged Words:None Editorial Air Force Association’s Top Issues—2018 “Provide for the common defense”—these five words from modernization when both are critically required. Our national the Preamble to the Constitution highlight the priority our security strategy depends on our Air Force to respond glob- nation places on defending its security and citizens. In today’s ally, rapidly and, when necessary, with dominant lethal force. global environment of armed conflict, terror, intimidation The resources provided by Congress to enable this required and instability, aerospace power has emerged as the most capability are not sufficient. As a result, American security is frequently used military capability to meet the dynamic and at risk while global instability dangerously increases. deadly threats arrayed against the United States. The Air The Air Force Association’s mission is to promote a domi- Force possesses the unique capability to bring all aspects nant United States Air Force and a strong national defense, of aerospace power to bear by deterring and, if necessary, and to honor Airmen and our Air Force Heritage. defeating potential adversaries. Therefore, the Air Force Association supports the following Since its founding, our Air Force has been called to action actions: for the Berlin Airlift and the Korean and Vietnam Wars. It stood its ground in the Cold War against the massive forces 1. REBUILD COMBAT READINESS IN AIR, SPACE AND of the Soviet Union. It responded to the brutality of Saddam CYBERSPACE Hussein in dramatic fashion during Desert Storm, the world’s a. Complete budgets by the beginning of the Fiscal Year most successful air campaign. It responded again in Bosnia (FY). The Air Force needs stable and predictable funding— and Kosovo to end genocide and war crimes. All this time, at adequate funding levels. Continuing Resolutions (CRs) the Air Force performed missions around the globe but at the degrade readiness. A consistent yearly budget allows the same time remained deployed in the Middle East. After the Air Force to make long-term plans and effectively manage devastating attacks of September 11, 2001, our Air Force not its programs. only patrolled the skies of the United States, but increased b. End the Budget Control Act’s (BCA’s) debilitating restric- its presence in the Middle East. Meanwhile, it led the charge tions which continue to erode readiness each year. around the globe in combating terror, including the defeat c. Grow the Total Force to 70 fighter squadrons—Tomorrow’s of Saddam Hussein and the world’s fourth largest army in threats require that the Air Force grow in order to carry out 2003. However, as worldwide missions increased, the size all of its assigned missions. of the Air Force declined by 30 percent in personnel and 37 d.