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In More Depth
Miniature AdvancesRaytheon has delivered about 40 Miniature Air Launched Decoy Jammers to the Air Force since the beginning of September. Spreading His WingsAt the start of the 2012-13 NBA season, there will be one member of the Dallas Mavericks who could not have been a rookie without being a veteran first. |
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Air Frame
Data Points
Sept. 17, 2012—Air activity in Southwest Asia so far in 2012 through August.
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The Document File
USAF Posture Statement 2012
Released Feb. 28, 2012 Statement
Energy Horizons
US Air Force Energy S&T Vision 2011-2026 Dated 31 January 2012 Released February 9, 2012 |
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Testimony
Sept. 20, 2012Gen. Larry O. Spencer Vice Chief of Staff House Armed Services Joint statement Sept. 14, 2012Marilyn M. Thomas PDASECAF, FM & Comptroller House Armed Services, Oversight Written testimony Sept. 13, 2012Maj. Gen. Charles W. Lyon Dir. Ops., Air Combat Command House Armed Services, Tacair and Land Forces Written testimony |
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Daily ReportFriday October 26, 2012
Panetta Presses Congress to Act: Defense  Secretary Leon Panetta on Oct. 25 called on Congress to resolve the budget sequestration issue as soon as possible after the Nov. 6 national election. He urged the lawmakers to act during the lame-duck session to prevent sequestration from taking effect in January and stripping an additional $500 billion from the defense budget over the next 10 years. "There are only 70 days until [sequestration] happens, and Congress is certainly on the clock," said Panetta during a Pentagon press briefing with Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey. Panetta also said he wants lawmakers to conclude the Fiscal 2013 defense legislation, act on a pending cyber security bill, and confirm the nominations of Marine Gen. John Allen to be US European Command boss and of Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford to replace Allen as NATO's commander in Kabul. "This is a full agenda," said Panetta. "It's one that requires Democrats and Republicans to work together. And, after a tough national election, the American people, I think, will expect both parties to roll up their sleeves, work together to solve the problems facing the nation, and to protect our national security." (AFPS report by Jim Garamone) Donley Visits BMT: Air Force Secretary Michael Donley met with the Basic Military Training leadership and military training instructors at JBSA-Lackland, Tex., to see first-hand how they are instituting corrective actions following a sexual abuse scandal in BMT. "It was important for me to talk to the commander and the military training instructors about their experiences, and the status of corrective actions that have been put in place the last several months," said Donley of his Oct. 23 visit in a base release. He added, "I want their sense of the direction we need to go to ensure the misconduct that has occurred here doesn't happen again." During an hour-long feedback session with MTIs, Donley said he was proud of the work that they do to develop the next generation of airmen, but they and he also discussed the challenges ahead, according to the release. Lackland's 737th Training Group, which oversees BMT, has already implemented 13 changes to prevent future abuse. They include, "unannounced daily visits from BMT leadership," "disallowing 'closed door' counseling sessions," and "doubling the number of MTIs assigned to controlled quarters after lights out," states the release. First Installment for More Missile Warning Satellites: The Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin an $82 million contract to begin work on GEO-5 and GEO-6, the fifth and sixth Space Based Infrared System missile warning satellites, announced the company. This initial contract covers "complete non-recurring engineering activities" and procurement of select "long-lead spacecraft parts," states the company's Oct. 25 release. It "will sustain a steady production rate," said Jeff Smith, vice president of Lockheed Martin's Overhead Persistent Infrared mission area. He added, "By the Air Force acquiring satellites in bulk, rather than one at a time, we can significantly reduce costs by achieving economies of scale." The Air Force is procuring these two satellites under a fixed-price contract structure. Already, GEO-1, the first SBIRS geosynchronous satellite, is in space. GEO-2 is scheduled for launch in March 2013, according to Lockheed Martin. GEO-3 and GEO-4 are in various stages of fabrication. Nuclear Risk Reduction Center Gets Upgrade: State Department officials cut the ribbon on the modernized US Nuclear Risk Reduction Center in Washington, D.C. "This new center will enhance our notification and communication structures with the benefit of modern technology, so we can keep evolving to meet the arms control needs of the future," said State Secretary Hillary Clinton in remarks at the Oct. 24 opening ceremony. First opened in 1988, the United States uses the center to exchange information required by arms control treaties and security-building agreements with more than 55 foreign governments, according to the State Department's fact sheet. "The work done here is highly technical in nature and it is critical that we keep up with the dynamic technological landscape," stated Rose Gottemoeller, acting under secretary of state for arms control and international security, in her remarks. Accordingly, the updated facility is "designed to improve operational efficiency and treaty notification monitoring using video collaboration systems, computer processing technology, and better office functionality," she said. The center continues to cultivate "stable communications with Russia" and is playing a "core role in the implementation of New START," noted Gottemoeller.  Air Frame: F-16s from the Alabama Air National Guard's 187th Fighter Wing fly in formation with two Romanian air force Mig-21s during the recent Dacian Viper exercise near Campia Turzii Air Base in northwestern Romania. (Air Force photo posted at Lockheed Martin's Code One website on Oct. 11, 2012) (Click on image above to reach wallpaper version.)US-South Korea Hold Security Meeting: Defense Secretary Leon Panetta welcomed South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin at the Pentagon this week for the 44th US-South Korea security consultative meeting. Panetta said the two countries would continue to enhance "close alliance cooperation" in areas such as stabilization and reconstruction, disaster relief, counterproliferation, and the interoperability between their forces in advance of the 2015 transition of wartime control on the Korean Peninsula. Panetta also announced the signing of the terms of reference for a bilateral military space cooperation agreement that formalizes a joint defense working group to address space policy, training, equipping, and capabilities. In the joint communique released after the Oct. 24 meeting, the two nations shared their common view that the revised missile guidance recently announced by the South Koreans is a "key component" of a regional approach to counter North Korean missile threats. (South Korea will now develop ballistic missiles with ranges up to 800 kilometers (approximately 500 miles) in place of the previous limit of 300 km, reported Reuters earlier this month.) Kim also confirmed that South Korea would enhance its ISR capabilities to counter missile threats. (Panetta-Kim transcript) There's No Place Like Home: The  31st Maintenance Squadron at Aviano AB, Italy, unveiled the base's first locally painted F-16 during a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the base's new NATO-funded Corrosion Control Facility. Opened on Oct. 19, the facility will enable maintainers to sustain and extend the life of the F-16s, while avoiding the costs of having this work done elsewhere, states an Oct. 24 Aviano release. "The new facility will allow personnel assigned to the aircraft structural maintenance corrosion control section to conduct all aspects of corrosion control and treatment, to include sanding, media blasting, priming and painting and stenciling an entire F-16," said 2nd Lt. Eric Boehm, 31st MXS fabrication flight commander. Aviano's 31st Fighter Wing expects to save $32,000 per F-16 by performing these tasks at home, states the release. From start to finish, airmen in the facility can sand, prime, and paint a jet "in less than a week," states the release. (Aviano report by SSgt. Justin Weaver) Museum Honors Korean War Triple Ace: The Aviation Museum of New Hampshire will dedicate an exhibit of artifacts honoring Korean War triple ace Capt. Joseph McConnell on Veteran's Day weekend, announced museum officials. The exhibit opens on Nov. 10, according to the museum's release. "The heroic service of Capt. Joseph C. McConnell has faded from memory over the years, and it is for this reason that the Aviation Museum of New Hampshire is planning to recognize his unique and gallant service with a celebration," said Jack Ferns, the museum's executive director. After serving as a B-24 navigator in World War II, McConnell graduated flight training in 1948, and went on to fly F-86 Sabre jets over Korea. He downed 16 MiGs in just four months, becoming the highest scoring US ace of the war. He received both the Distinguished Flying Cross and Silver Star for his actions in combat. The New Hampshire native died when the F-86H that he was test flying crashed near Edwards AFB, Calif., on Aug. 25, 1954. (See also Air War Korea, 1950-53 and MiG Alley from Air Force Magazine's archives.) Chinese Air Force Changes Leadership: In advance of China's anticipated political leadership change later this year, China reshuffled some of its top military ranks, naming Gen. Ma Xiaotian commander of the People's Liberation Army Air Force, reported Reuters. Ma replaces Gen. Xu Quiliang at a critical time for the PLAAF as it transitions into a smaller, more modern air arm as part of China's overall military modernization, according to the Oct. 24 report. Ma, who until his promotion served as head of the PLA's General Staff Department, has been considered one of the more familiar faces of the military leadership, speaking at events and forums around the world and meeting with US officials. Reuters said it was unclear where Xu would end up, but speculation was that he would become one of the two vice chairmen of the influential Central Military Commission, which President Hu Jintao leads. Both Ma and Xu have similar backgrounds in the PLAAF, as both were fighter pilots who entered the service in the mid 1960s, according to National Defense University’s Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs. (See also A Revolution for China's Air Force from Air Force Magazine's 2012 archive.) |
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On the Record
Shifting to the Home Front
"When I came into office, we were still bogged down in Iraq, and Afghanistan had been drifting for a decade. We ended the war in Iraq, refocused our attention on Afghanistan. . . . We're now in a position where we can transition out, because there's no reason why Americans should die when Afghans are perfectly capable of defending their own country. . . . What I think the American people recognize is after a decade of war, it's time to do some nation-building here at home. And what we can now do is free up some resources to, for example, put Americans back to work—especially our veterans—rebuilding our roads, our bridges, our schools, [and] making sure that our veterans are getting the care that they need."
—President Obama during the foreign policy debate with GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., Oct. 22, 2012. This was the final presidential debate before the Nov. 6, 2012, election. |
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On the Record
Uncertain Future Necessitates Strong Military
"Our military is second to none in the world. We're blessed with terrific soldiers and extraordinary technology and intelligence. But the idea of a trillion dollars in cuts through sequestration and budget cuts to the military would change that. . . . We've got to strengthen our military long term. We don't know what the world is going to throw at us down the road. . . . In the 2000 debates, there was no mention of terrorism, for instance, and a year later, 9/11 happened. So we have to make decisions based upon uncertainty, and that means a strong military. I will not cut our military budget."
—Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney during the foreign policy debate with President Obama at Lynn University in Boca Raton, Fla., Oct. 22, 2012. This was the last of the three presidential debates before the Nov. 6, 2012, election. |
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