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347 RQS Tests New Vehicle Drop for Lead Wing

Thursday, February 3rd, 2022

MOODY AIR FORCE BASE, Ga (AFNS) —

The Side by Vehicle (SXV) is the newest Search and Rescue Tactical Vehicle added to the 347th Rescue Group’s arsenal, bringing more firepower and range than other models.

Although the 38th Rescue Squadron has been integrating the SXV into ground combat training scenarios, this was the first time they teamed up with the 71st RQS for an aerial delivery of an SXV, Jan. 20.

“This is the first step in building greater ground mobility options for the 38th Rescue Squadron and Air Force Special Warfare,” said Lt. Col. Michael Vins, 38th RQS commander. “Wherever paratroopers and combat rescue officers can land, we can potentially drop a (a lighter-weight tactical vehicle) or SXV to assist with ground mobility.

“For example, if an airfield is attacked and runway unusable, we could drop in a Guardian Angel team and pair of vehicles to consolidate survivors into a casualty collection point, treat life-threatening injuries, provide security and prepare for extraction,” Vins added.

The drop took roughly a year to execute because the vehicle – stripped of weapons, equipment and fuel – weighs 4,445 pounds and is near the parachute weight limit. Accommodating the increased load required additional preparation.

“In order to be one-hundred percent combat effective, we need to see what works with the aerial delivery package and what does not,” said Master Sgt. Daniel Lillis, 38th RQS pararescue flight chief. “Once the vehicle and team leave the aircraft there may be little to no outside support. We need to determine what is required to be self-sufficient for extended durations of time in multiple environments. Additionally, we’re testing the durability of the vehicle itself upon airdrop – confirming that falling from the sky will not render the vehicle inoperable.”

This vehicle can be used to move equipment, personnel or patients to different locations. Furthermore, it has potential to develop the ability to provide power and be used as a moving communication center. Employing the vehicle requires personnel to know its capabilities, durability and sustainability.

“Understanding capabilities and limitations of our equipment is vital prior to employing it on an actual mission,” Lillis said. “Constantly refining our rescue equipment and employment of the equipment is crucial to remaining effective as we look to the future of warfare and rescue.”

By adding an additional infiltration and exfiltration method, Moody Air Force Base hones their Lead-Wing capabilities. This allows rescue personnel to be more agile.

“The reality is Guardian Angel has a vast array of employment methods such as boats, vehicles, on foot, or any type of aircraft the (Department of Defense) has to offer,” Lillis said. “Preparing for a peer-to-peer, or near-peer threat requires us to think outside the box and train toward other methods of infiltration/exfiltration.”

This drop marks the beginning of solidifying standard operating procedures using the SXV, and although it may not be the primary method for each mission, it adds another option to the rescue toolkit.

“As we progress, we’ll integrate the drops into scenarios with derigging procedures, ground movements and recoveries,” Vins said. “If successful and safe, we’ll be able to show a proof of concept to senior leaders of another infiltration method to bring isolated personnel home.”

Story by Airman 1st Class Deanna Muir, 23rd Wing Public Affairs

Photos by MSgt Daryl Knee

Posted in AFSW, Air Force, Guest Post, Mobility | Comments Off on 347 RQS Tests New Vehicle Drop for Lead Wing

Airborne 22: US, Japan Test Interoperability

Wednesday, February 2nd, 2022

YOKOTA AIR BASE, Japan (AFNS) —

The 374th Airlift Wing supported Japan Ground Self-Defense Force soldiers assigned to the 1st Airborne Brigade in operation Airborne 22, Jan. 25–26.

Airborne 22 is the largest annual static-line personnel jump and cargo drop exercise between the U.S. Air Force and JGSDF.

The exercise integrated 11 C-130Js from the 36th Airlift Squadron, Yokota Air Base, and two from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, carrying approximately 500 JGSDF soldiers for an airdrop training at the Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji, Japan, drop zone.

An additional 100 Container Delivery System bundles, carrying simulated cargo, were also dropped from U.S. Air Force C-130Js at six different points of impact at Fuji DZ. The simulated cargo, which consisted of fuel, water, food, and different types of ammunition, directly supported JGSDF operations on the ground.

This interoperability mission provides an excellent opportunity for the JGSDF to get all the airborne exercise they need, said Capt. Jordan Baab, 36th Airlift Squadron instructor pilot and Airborne 22 mission commander. It also offers the 36th AS the chance to practice its forward-deployed attack capabilities.

Airborne 22 demonstrates the U.S. Air Force and JGSDF’s capability to execute a large force insertion on a drop zone. It showcases the combined capacity between USAF and JGSDF’s ability to rapidly deploy joint forces while emphasizing the strong allied commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

“This is a proof of concept that the tactics, techniques and procedures that we practice and train every day play into effect and work pretty well,” said Capt. Audrey Crismon, 39th Airlift Squadron C-130J pilot and Airborne 22 mission commander. “No matter where we are, who we are working with.”

By Senior Airman Brieana E. Bolfing, 374th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Army, Guest Post, Parachuting | Comments Off on Airborne 22: US, Japan Test Interoperability

AFWERX Agility Prime Completes First USAF-piloted Flight of an eVTOL Vehicle with Partner Kitty Hawk

Saturday, January 29th, 2022

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFNS) —

The AFWERX Agility Prime program took another step forward in December with the first government remotely piloted flight of an electric Vertical Takeoff and Landing, or eVTOL, aircraft.

Capt. Terrence McKenna, an Air Force Reserve pilot with the 370th Flight Test Squadron and the Test and Experimentation Lead for AFWERX Agility Prime, participated in remote pilot in control, or rPIC, training on the Heaviside aircraft at the Kitty Hawk Corporation’s facility in Palo Alto, California from Dec. 13-17, 2021.

The training culminated in the first government remote piloted flight of an eVTOL aircraft when he successfully flew the Heaviside via the Buddy Box System. This first Airman flight demonstrated another key milestone in the collaboration.

Kitty Hawk, in partnership with Agility Prime, is evaluating a training syllabus for their unmanned eVTOL aircraft, the Heaviside. McKenna’s 15-plus years of expertise piloting manned aircraft such as the C-5 Galaxy and the T-38 Talon, as well as designing, developing, and testing manned and small unmanned aircraft systems, or sUAS, as a civilian engineer, assisted Kitty Hawk’s team of engineers in refining both their product and their training procedures.

Kitty Hawk: Building on the Wright Brothers’ Legacy

Kitty Hawk Corporation was founded in 2010 by Sebastian Thrun and is backed by Google co-founder Larry Page. Their series of Heaviside aircraft are just several in a line of over 20 various eVTOL prototypes. Kitty Hawk is headquartered in Palo Alto, California and conducts much of its testing there. In July 2021, the U.S. Air Force granted Kitty Hawk airworthiness approval, enabling the company to take advantage of additional testing opportunities through a partnership with Agility Prime.

Josh Lane, a flight test engineer for Agility Prime, began working with Kitty Hawk in March 2021 and has collaborated with Kitty Hawk to develop test plans supporting their prototype testing and goals to commercialization.

Focusing on Federal Aviation Administration revised Part 23, the safety standards and type certification requirements for small aircraft, and other potentially relevant parts of the Code of Federal Regulations, eVTOL companies like Kitty Hawk gained a greater understanding of the requirements they would have to comply with in order to gain type certification. However, Lane explained that the road to certification for eVTOLs is an ongoing, collaborative process.

“These are new designs that don’t fit the FAA mold, and there’s not a 100 percent fit in some of these companies’ cases, so there’s a lot of engagement going on getting this path to a certified FAA aircraft,” Lane said. “They’re using baseline parts and working with the FAA to determine what that certification basis is and what areas to be adjusted and addressed.”

McKenna concurred, saying, “Agility Prime is figuring out how we approach training for these types of aircraft. This is a whole new ballpark.”

The Heaviside Aircraft

Named for the English engineer, physicist, and mathematician Oliver Heaviside, the Heaviside is Kitty Hawk’s current flying model. The company has worked through several iterations of this vehicle and are in the planning stages for the next.

The Heaviside was first deployed in 2019 after nearly a decade of development. This aircraft’s maximum takeoff weight is approximately 880 pounds, allowing for a passenger up to about 176 pounds. Heaviside can travel at speeds of roughly 180 miles per hour, but most significantly, it remains quiet: only about 35 decibels at 1,500 feet above ground level, which is slightly louder than a whisper and about 100 times quieter than a helicopter. Additionally, Heaviside has demonstrated 237 transitions between hover and forward flight, as well as a range of 100 miles on a single charge.

Heaviside takes advantage of several advanced technologies, such as Distributed Electric Propulsion, as this aircraft has eight fully electric propellers. Additionally, Lane explains that Kitty Hawk has refined its use of automated flight capabilities through its Ground Control Station, or GCS; engineers can upload a flight plan, telling the vehicle to fly to certain locations, and the Heaviside can perform the entire flight profile without human intervention.

However, a training feature of the Heaviside is the Buddy Box setup, which is a secondary remote controller wired to a primary controller. This system is intended for the use of an instructor and a student performing the duties of an external pilot in manual flight mode; the trainee handles and operates the aircraft while the instructor provides supervision and support.

The Buddy Box system works much like a driver’s education car: the driving instructor is in the passenger seat and allows the student to manually operate the vehicle, but is ultimately in full control and able to brake if necessary. Likewise, for a Buddy Box setup, the instructor can override any direction that the rPIC gives the aircraft from the primary controller.

The Heaviside and future models will not rely on an external pilot for flight operations, but utilizing this training method now affords the opportunity for more immediate and qualitative feedback on the aircraft, while also building out a training syllabus for the GCS operator.

Training with Capt. Terrence McKenna

Though the current training plan for the Heaviside includes a five-day familiarization course and a 12-day rPIC qualification course, McKenna participated in elements of only the familiarization course.

Kitty Hawk utilizes techniques such as Scenario-Based Training, which is derived from the FAA’s Airmen Certification Standards and places the student in lifelike situations in order to complete each lesson objective. Additionally, Kitty Hawk employs Learner-Centered Grading, allowing students to assess their own performance in open conversation with their instructor.

Agility Prime chose McKenna to participate in this training because he fulfilled Kitty Hawk’s trainee prerequisites, which include possessing either a military pilot rating or an FAA Part 107 and 61 certificate. Through a building-block approach, students must also demonstrate proficiency in flying smaller remote control, or RC, aircraft, such as fixed-wing aircraft and quadcopter, before graduating to the Heaviside.

During the week in California, McKenna primarily concentrated on the duties of the external pilot, flying in manual mode, rather than automated flight and operating the GCS. Days 1 and 2 focused on ground academics, including simulation training, preflight checklists, and exposure to the Heaviside’s GCS. Inclement weather kept the aircraft grounded, but McKenna reported a productive day of reviewing operations and discussing syllabus development.

Then, on Day 3, after completing several flights on smaller remote control aircraft, McKenna successfully piloted the first U.S. Air Force flight of an Agility Prime-sponsored vehicle, navigating the Heaviside through the sky as the External Pilot at Kitty Hawk’s test site. By the end of the day, McKenna had conducted three successful flights, focusing on vertical maneuvers, takeoff and landing, manipulation on all axes, auto-hover, and manual flight.

McKenna described that operating as the external pilot allows pilots to get a feel for what the aircraft is capable of as it moves through the sky.

“It’s a different paradigm for operating the aircraft,” McKenna said. “A crucial thing that the RC controller allows you to do that a completely unmanned or a completely ground-controlled station based approach does not is [gain] that intuition about the flight characteristics of the aircraft that are so important [for operational employment].”

Days 4 and 5 concluded the week by training McKenna on fixed-wing flight, outbound and inbound transitions to vertical flight, and flying full profiles. McKenna reported enthusiastic satisfaction with the tested training methods from Agility Prime, Air Education and Training Command’s Det 62, and Kitty Hawk.

“I feel very confident in the training [including] pre-study, ground academics, simulation work, and surrogate flights to get us to this point,” McKenna said.

Syllabus Development in Partnership with AETC’s Detachment 62

While McKenna indeed learned to remotely pilot the Heaviside, a crucial objective of the weeklong exercise was to evaluate and improve the training plan itself for future operations.

“The main objective is to help collaboratively develop syllabi for these platforms with Kitty Hawk and our AETC detachment [Det 62],” McKenna said.

To monitor and evaluate McKenna’s training process, AETC sent out Det 62 personnel to lend their experience with developing flight training plans. The Det 62 team worked closely with Kitty Hawk and the Agility Prime test team to draft an initial syllabus for McKenna for test and training. The team coordinated with Kitty Hawk’s analysts, as well as Agility Prime, to observe, gather data, review training processes, and conduct detailed debriefs along the way. Moreover, Brittney Tough, Kitty Hawk’s senior flight training manager, also brought extensive knowledge and experience to the table and served as an asset to government flight test teams.

“There’s an opportunity between the military and the civilians to learn from each other on good practices and approaches to training plan development,” Lane said. “I’m certain that there’s going to be some learning going in both directions.”

Looking forward to the potential military utility of the Heaviside, Lane expressed the vitality of the AETC’s presence at and contribution to the project.

“It’s huge that AETC sent out this detachment, and they’re doing this early work to lower risk and pave the path for integrating one or more of these companies’ systems into military use, and trying to make sure that’s as seamless as possible,” Lane said.

Lane and McKenna both emphasized the importance of Agility Prime’s early involvement and cooperation with industry in order to accelerate the development of the eVTOL market.

“There’s three legs to the stool: training, the aircraft itself, and the logistics to support it,” Lane explained. “The typical goal is to have your training system in place, so that when you field a system, you have people that are ready to use it.”

McKenna spoke to the success of Air Force early involvement through Agility Prime with eVTOL companies like Kitty Hawk.

“That interaction is paying dividends, and it’s continuing to grow,” he said. “Firsthand, I’ve seen that interaction prove fruitful on both ends.”

Additional Successes: BVLOS Flight and FlyOhio

The first U.S. Air Force-piloted flight of an eVTOL builds on recent highlights and milestones in the Agility Prime program. On Nov. 10, 2021, Kitty Hawk successfully completed its first beyond visual line of sight, or BVLOS, flight during the Ohio Advanced Air Mobility Showcase, organized by FlyOhio, at the Springfield-Beckley Municipal Airport, near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

“The Air Force has been a strong partner for us as we bring eVTOLs closer to being ready for human flight,” said Sebastian Thrun, Kitty Hawk chief executive officer. “In Ohio, we hit an important milestone making us the first UAM provider to fly a remotely-piloted aircraft BVLOS in a non-restricted air space.”

Using SkyVision, a ground-based detect-and-avoid system developed by the Air Force Research Laboratory, in conjunction with the Ohio Department of Transportation, Kitty Hawk safely maneuvered Heaviside among other manned flight traffic.

“The Heaviside BVLOS testing provides an excellent example of Agility Prime’s aim to partner with industry and provide access to key government test resources, such as SkyVision, and [this] expertise continues to help advance the commercial eVTOL industry,” said Col. Nathan Diller, AFWERX director.

Heaviside’s Goals and Ecosystem Impact

The Heaviside’s utility extends into both the commercial and military worlds. Kitty Hawk hopes to provide a commercial air taxi service, but their eVTOL presents a multitude of opportunities for both civilian and government use.

Ultimately, Kitty Hawk hopes to lower costs with their vehicle, making aerial ridesharing more accessible and affordable to the general population.

McKenna noted that potential military and industry use cases largely overlap for the Heaviside: the aircraft could transport injured personnel, evacuate people from hostile territories, deliver cargo or first aid, make emergency medical services more accessible in rural areas or congested cities, and assist with firefighting or search and rescue operations, among many other potential scenarios.

“What we’re trying to do is develop a training pipeline in the Air Force to understand these types of aircraft,” McKenna said. “If we can get a joint Air Force-industry experimentation team, we can now open the aperture on engagements for these types of aircraft dramatically.”

Regardless of how these vehicles are put to use post-certification, Lane drew attention to the practicality of implementing eVTOL aircraft into society. Though Prime focuses on how the Heaviside and its competitors affect the National Airspace System, new eVTOL technology will impact the entire aviation ecosystem.

“Most simplistically, it’s more than just aircraft; it’s these airsystems and the entire ecosystem that they will fly in and that need to support them,” Lane said. “There’s research and testing activity going on to develop, enhance, and bolster the National Airspace System so that we can start incorporating these new capabilities.”

Overall, both McKenna and Lane praised the teamwork necessary to achieve this milestone flight.

“We’re establishing the interaction and the processes to make sure everything is vetted and approved and done in a safe manner,” McKenna said. “It’s a great way to accelerate innovation, supporting industry and keeping up with them. It’s been a great team effort, and I’m excited about how it came together.”

By Katie Milligan, AFWERX

Posted in Air Force, Aviation, Guest Post, Research | Comments Off on AFWERX Agility Prime Completes First USAF-piloted Flight of an eVTOL Vehicle with Partner Kitty Hawk

2021: AFSOC’s Year of Innovation

Tuesday, January 25th, 2022

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. —

An aircrew with the 492nd Special Operations Training Group Detachment 2, Hurlburt Field, Florida, conducted the palletized munitions platform’s first live-fire test from an MC-130J Combat Talon II for the Rapid Dragon program, Dec. 16, 2021, over the Gulf of Mexico.

Air Force Special Operations Command’s year of innovative projects started with the creation of mission sustainment teams and leapt to the conceptualization of an amphibious capable MC-130J concept. These pathfinding efforts pave the way for a ready and relevant force of future warfighters.

The final demonstration of the palletized munitions platform showcased a new capability for mobility aircraft that gives any airdrop-capable cargo aircraft the ability to retarget and employ standoff munitions en masse.

“Rapid Dragon is one of our pathfinding efforts that showcases the speed of capability development when the right teams are partnered together, combined with a rapid iterative design process that builds, tests and refines prototypes as fast as possible throughout the year,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Ryan Pinner, chief of pathfinding and innovation for AFSOC. “We started 2021 by airdropping 15,000lb steel boxes to identify the best parachute configurations during the Emerald Warrior exercise in March. Following a total of 15 flight demonstrations on three different aircraft, we sunk our target on the Eglin Overwater Test Range before the end of the year.”

Adding palletized munitions to an aircraft designed as a multi-mission combat transport and special operations tanker enables combatant commanders to increase the number of platforms available to put adversary targets at risk.

“As the weapon system goes back into design to incorporate mixed loads and future weapons, I look forward to integrating this capability with the downrange combatant commands in the near future,” said Pinner.

The live-fire exercise is a result of a pioneering partnership between the Air Force Strategic Development Planning and Experimentation Office and AFSOC, as well as U.S. Special Operations Command Detachment 1, the Naval Surface Warfare Center-Dahlgren, Standoff Munitions Application Center, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Systima Technologies, Safran Electronics & Defense, Parachutes USA and R4 Integration, Inc.

Earlier in the year, the 27th Special Operations Mission Support Group, Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico, stood up three mission sustainment teams comprised of 60 members who train, operate and deploy together.

“This team trains together, learning operational functions of each other’s career fields and bond together establishing a family-type relationship to deploy in support of special operations forces elements,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Justin Lukso, chief of plans and integration with AFSOC. “They don’t just speak the lingo of their own [Air Force Specialty Code], but also of those other career fields they train alongside within their SOF force generation cycle as a member of the MST.”

Having a variety of career fields working as one allows AFSOC to incorporate faster movement and sustainment during contingency operations.

“An MST provides the capability to establish, sustain and retrograde from a forward operating base while simultaneously supporting up to three contingency locations and enabling command and control, and mission generation,” said Lukso. “This is incredibly valuable in keeping adversaries guessing and maintaining unpredictability while competing on a global scale. The ability to effectively support SOF operations with a minimal footprint at multiple locations provides a competitive advantage.”

During the Air Force Association 2021 Air, Space and Cyber Conference, AFSOC announced the development of the MC-130J Combat Talon II Amphibious Capability. The removable amphibious float modification allows improvement of the aircraft’s global reach, and survivability of the aircraft and Air Commandos.

“The MAC helps the Air Force and [U.S. Special Operations Command] create cost-effective and complex dilemmas for our adversaries, particularly with runway independence for the Joint Force and our allies,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Joshua Trantham, deputy chief of science systems, technology and innovation division with AFSOC. “We need distributed operations. Opening seaborne operations vastly expands options in Joint Operations Areas beyond what adversaries can easily address, which is highly valuable from both conventional and special operations perspectives and logistics under attack requirements.”

As the battlefield changes, so will AFSOC as it continues to ‘path find’ new operational concepts and technologies for the Air Force while aligning experimentation efforts with the Joint SOF enterprise.

“We are accelerating change within the command to ensure we are the AFSOC that is needed in the future,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Gen. Eric Hill, deputy commander of AFSOC. “These innovative examples demonstrate our ability to turn fast and create new capacity out of existing capability. I am proud of the accomplishments we’ve made this past year and look forward to the many pathfinding efforts our Air Commandos will bring to the future fight.”

Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, SOF, weapons | Comments Off on 2021: AFSOC’s Year of Innovation

AFIMSC Prioritizes Diversity, Inclusion for EOD Physical Fitness Test

Sunday, January 23rd, 2022

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas (AFNS) —

The Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center is leading the postpartum health guidance revisions for the upcoming explosive ordnance disposal Airmen-specific physical fitness test policy.

“We’re taking into account the mother’s needs while still keeping to the higher standard for the career field’s physical demands,” said Master Sgt. John Johnson, AFIMSC’s Installation Support EOD Program resource analyst. “We went right to the source and invited six EOD mother-Airmen to participate in a postpartum working group to develop courses of action and recommendations.”

Johnson and his team were given the charge to write the guidance for the career field’s operationally relevant Tier 2 PFT, which unlike the Tier 1 test is more physically demanding and independent of age and gender.

“This test will be more difficult than the standard Air Force test, so we wanted to make sure the policy gives our EOD mother-Airmen the correct amount of time to heal after giving birth,” Johnson said. “We don’t want them to rush back in and get hurt. We’re looking at the longevity of their careers and we’re here to see what we can do to help.”

Women’s health professionals were also present at the working group.

“Women make up 20% of the Air Force, so it’s important to ensure that we have policies in place that support them in their careers, as well as support them in their abilities to plan their families,” said Lt. Col. Larissa Weir, chief women’s health consultant to the Air Force Surgeon General. “Postpartum care for all women in general is evolving. We used to think the postpartum period was the first six weeks after the baby was born and then you go see the doctor to get the blessing that you were good to go. That’s not the case. For the first 12 months, there are continuous changes: hormonal, physiologic, and anatomic, … so postpartum care needs to be more comprehensive.

“Women in EOD have a special mission and more stringent requirements, so in order for the career field to be mission ready, we need to have these discussions and ensure our policies also evolve and are inclusive,” Weir said.

There are currently 37 women in the approximately 1,200 active EOD career field.

“We’re an even smaller group of mothers in EOD, so it’s easy to forget about us,” said Master Sgt. Andrea Rasmussen, EOD equipment section chief, 96th Civil Engineer Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. “I am six months postpartum myself and it’s been a challenge. I have medical issues pertaining to my postpartum and have even gone to the emergency room a few times. All this while trying to take care of myself, take care of my home, take care of my daughter, take care of my work and prepare for a physical fitness test.

“I want to remain fully qualified and continue to be an asset to my team,” Rasmussen said, “so I’m glad we’re here being heard and coming up with courses of action now as this new Tier-2 policy is being written.”

Members of the working group also decided to continue to collaborate and develop additional tools and guidance for postpartum EOD Airmen.

“This meeting made me and my male counterparts in attendance realize how little we know about postpartum care in the EOD community,” Johnson said. “Outside of the policy, one of our go-do’s will be to put together a postpartum playbook and share it on our EOD SharePoint site. It’ll be a compilation of all the information the medical professionals shared with us today and other highlights in our discussion.”

The next steps for Johnson and his team will be to write the courses of action decided by the group, which include a proposed extension to the current Tier 1 postpartum delay, and add recommendations for related care. The draft of the Tier 2 test policy will then be sent to Headquarters Air Force for approval.

“I’m glad we have leadership who is willing to listen and willing to address issues that they may not be familiar with,” Rasmussen said. “That kind of support is paramount for not only women experiencing postpartum but women in general across the Air and Space Forces.”

By Malcolm McClendon, Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, EOD, For the Ladies, Guest Post | 15 Comments »

More Photos of the USAF Maintainer Duty Uniform

Saturday, January 22nd, 2022

Here’s an update from our story on the MDU from Christmas time. Nothing has changed, just some additional photos. For those who don’t bother to click the link to the original story, that’s Sage Green, the same color as the CWU-27/P Flight Suit worn by aircrew.

Posted in Air Force, Clothing | 2 Comments »

AFCLC Launches New Introduction to China, Russia Courses with Certificates on Culture Guide App

Monday, January 17th, 2022

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (AFNS) —

The Air Force Culture and Language Center recently added Introduction to China, Introduction to Russia Culture courses, and a video library to its newly updated, free Culture Guide mobile app. The addition of the courses moves lock-step with Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown Jr.’s strategic initiative, Accelerate Change or Lose, outlining four Action Orders and focusing on people, decision-making, competition, and adapting to change.

Airmen and Guardians will receive a Certificate of Completion ready to upload to their training record for credit when completing a course.

During his speech at the 6th Annual Air University Language, Regional Expertise and Culture Symposium in October, and later quoted in Air Force Magazine, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall highlighted the importance of understanding Chinese culture for integrated deterrence.

“Collectively, we Americans lack an adequate understanding of Chinese culture,” Kendall said. “We run a significant risk of misinterpretation and missed signals when we project our own perspectives upon Chinese actions and communications.”

In less than 60 minutes, each course gives service members the baseline general attributes of the cultures of the nation’s strategic competitors. An outline of the courses includes:

Introduction to China: The new China Culture course consists of two informative segments. Part 1 introduces the concept of culture, social behaviors, and how they define a culture’s native belief system. In Part 2, the user engages the 12 Domains of Culture concerning China, the nation’s history, religion, socio-political relations, and more.

Introduction to Russia: The new Russia Culture course consists of two intricate parts and takes about 40 minutes. The first half introduces conceptions and philosophies related to culture in general. Then, in Part 2, the course introduces Russia as a nation, its multifaceted history, and explores the socio-political climate that encompasses the federation in the 21st century.

The new video library includes education content for integrated deterrence organically produced and curated by AFCLC. Currently, the library consists of Introduction to the Air Force Culture and Language Center, Korean Peninsula History, and Quadrilateral Initiative.

“The concept of official education delivered through a mobile app completely untethered from government IT systems has never been done before,” said Howard Ward, AFCLC director. “At Air War College and Air University, we take pride in being the Air Force’s global classroom. The way to accelerate learning is through mobile devices, where learning can occur anytime, anywhere, and through delivery methods familiar to Airmen, Guardians, Total Force, and members of other services. To accelerate change in learning at enterprise scale, the path to an Airman or Guardian’s mind begins in their pocket.”

AFCLC’s Culture Guide app is available to all military service members and civilians through the App Store and Google Play and it is safe for Department of Defense mobile devices. More than 20,000 individuals are already utilizing the app, and for those individuals, an automatic update to Version 2.0 is now available.

By Mikala McCurry and Lori Quiller, Air Force Culture and Language Center Outreach Team

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Profession of Arms | Comments Off on AFCLC Launches New Introduction to China, Russia Courses with Certificates on Culture Guide App

With 2022’s Arrival, U.S. Air Force Gear Up To Commemorate Its 75th Anniversary

Saturday, January 8th, 2022

WASHINGTON (AFNS) —

It’s never too early to start celebrating a major milestone, which explains why the U.S. Air Force and Department of the Air Force kicked off the year with a bang Jan. 1 by highlighting the start of their 75th year at the Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl.

Seventy-five years after the Air Force’s birth on Sept. 18, 1947, the spirit of innovation that has driven the service was on display when a B-2 Spirit from the 509th Bomb Wing, located at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, roared over the Tournament of Roses Parade and one of the most prestigious college bowl games, the 2022 Rose Bowl, to kick-off the yearlong 75th-anniversary celebration.

The B-2 has supported the Tournament of Roses and Rose Bowl for nearly two decades, showcasing one of the Air Force’s premier weapon systems over the skies of Pasadena to inspire a future generation of patriotism and aviation.

Joining the B-2 this year to kick off the celebration was an Air Force Total Force Band, comprised of 75 Airmen-Musicians from 14 units. Fittingly, the band marched in the 75th spot in the Tournament of Roses parade lineup.

The Airmen taking part in the start of the year celebration highlighted one of the service’s greatest strengths: the nearly 700,000 active duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian Airmen who remain the heart and soul of the service, said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., who currently serves as the service’s highest ranking military officer.

“Ever since the Air Force became a separate military service, empowered Airmen have pushed the boundaries of technology and innovation that have allowed the service to excel and keep pace with the rapid changes and the demands placed upon us,” Brown said. “Our commemoration of this important anniversary provides a chance to reflect on the amazing accomplishments of our service and those who have served among its ranks since 1947, while also celebrating the boundless future that lies ahead.”

Brown added, “As the Air Force approaches its 75th anniversary, we have a responsibility to our nation and our international allies and partners. I am confident that our Airmen will continue to innovate, accelerate and thrive so that we can execute our mission to Fly, Fight, and Win…Airpower Anytime, Anywhere.”

To honor the past, present and future, the theme for the 75th anniversary is “Innovate, Accelerate, Thrive – The Air Force at 75.” That focus captures a range of activities and observations that will take place throughout the year and highlight the anniversary’s significance.

“The 75th anniversaries of the U.S. Air Force and the Department of the Air Force provides a unique opportunity to highlight the contributions of our Total Force Airmen, both past and present, who have fought and defended our nation in air and space,” Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall said. “When you think about what the Air Force has accomplished since its inception in 1947, there’s so much to be proud of – it’s truly incredible.

“These past 75 years have showcased the service’s ability to adapt to any situation and provide unparalleled airpower as well as spacepower right up to the establishment of the U.S. Space Force within the Department of the Air Force in 2019,” he said. “As we look ahead to the next 75 years, we must continue to adapt and modernize so that our Airmen and Guardians have the warfighting capabilities they need to stay ahead of our pacing challenges, while also ensuring they and their families have the resources they need to thrive. One team, one fight!”

Throughout 2022, the Air Force will celebrate its 75th milestone with various events around the U.S. and worldwide to showcase the values, commitment, and expertise of America’s Total Force Airmen, past and present. In addition, the service will spotlight its history, accomplishments, and many of the pioneering Airmen whose innovation, dedication to mission, and war-fighting spirit helped established the U.S. Air Force of today.

Innovation fueled by Airmen has always been a part of the Air Force’s heritage, even before it became an independent service in 1947.

Maj. Gen. Billy Mitchell, also known as the “Father of the Air Force,” was one Airman who paved the way for the service. According to military historians, his commitment to pushing boundaries and working towards a distinct aerial service branch seeded a renaissance for the airpower legacy that would distinguish itself during conflicts across the globe for years to come.

Likewise, Gen. Henry H. “Hap” Arnold, who was designated the first and only five-star General of the Air Force by President Truman, also played a key role in leading, developing and innovating American military airpower during World War II, providing the necessary vision and drive to ultimately create the conditions for an independent U.S. Air Force following the war. Today, Gen. Arnold is considered an airpower pioneer whose efforts helped to lay the foundation for modern Air Force logistics, R&D, and operations, according to the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.

The Air Force’s history is also the history of the nation’s advancements in space. Under the Air Force’s early space pioneers such as Gen. Bernard Schriever, the Air Force developed and integrated the technologies that put U.S. rockets and satellites into space. By Operation Desert Storm in 1991, often called the nation’s first space war, space became central to nearly all military operations. These same technologies that brought victory in Desert Storm, such as GPS and communication satellites, are now essential to modern life in America. The importance of space grew to such an extent that the U.S. Space Force emerged as an independent service within the Department of the Air Force in 2019.

“This is what is being celebrated as the U.S. Air Force and the Department of the Air Force enter their 75th years and what was on display in the skies over California when the B-2 roared overhead: 75 years of American airpower, spacepower, and innovation that have secured our nation and made us stronger,” said Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, Department of the Air Force Public Affairs director.

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

Photos by Nicholas Pilch

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