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919th SOW Makes History, Salutes Legendary Air Force Pioneers

Friday, February 23rd, 2024

DUKE FIELD, Fla. —

The 919th Special Operations Wing made history Feb. 3, 2024 demonstrating a new capability on the same airfield some of the Air Force’s most revered aviation pioneers trained more than a half century ago.

Throughout the four-day exercise, the unit integrated non-standard aviation, Remotely Piloted Aircraft and Mission Sustainment Team operations to prepare for future contingencies where the famed Doolittle Raiders trained for their daring one-way mission in the offensive against Japan decades ago.

“This exercise demonstrated the 919th’s ability to employ the functionality of an entire unit and establish an operational air base all while maintaining a very small footprint,” said Col. Jason Grandy, 919th SOW commander. “We developed this training to fit AFSOC’s deployment model which is focused on the competition between rising powers. We did it in a manner that also allowed us to validate a proof of concept for a few of our mission sets.”

As part of the exercise, members from the 919th Special Operations Security Forces Squadron and 919th Special Operations Medical Squadron flew aboard a C-146A Wolfhound aircraft to perform a medical evacuation for critically injured servicemembers at a remote overseas location. After the aircraft landed, members applied life-saving medical care on a simulated battlefield before loading the casualties on stretchers for transport on the C-146 back to a higher level medical facility for treatment and care.

“Our security forces members are elite and have some of the best training to protect not only the lives of aircrew but also those on the battlefield,” said Grandy.

Air Commandos from the 2nd Special Operations Squadron used the venue to continue devising strategies to enhance the capabilities of the MQ-9 Reaper. In this case, they integrated the weapons system into the exercise in ways it has not been used before.

“We are transforming for the future in every aspect of our mission,” said Lt. Col. David Payne, 2nd SOS commander. “Not only did our members accomplish the shortest known runway landing for an MQ-9 via Satellite Launch and Recovery to date, we also provided casualty evacuation overwatch, as well as ammo resupply to ground forces.”

The culture of innovation that lives within the squadron was the catalyst behind an initiative to provide an ammo resupply using an MQ-9 travel pod after completing a short field landing on Eglin Aux Field 1 (Wagner Field).

“I think it’s important to point out that in February 1942, Doolittle and his crew trained for the shortest takeoff in B-25 history (400 feet),” said Payne. “Now 82 years later, we are following in his footsteps landing the MQ-9 on the shortest known field on the same airfield. The achievement required technical order waivers which allowed for a 33 percent decrease in runway required for landing.”

Payne noted the aircraft departed the tarmac at Hurlburt Field, Fla., near a facility named The Richard E. Cole building. Cole was the co-pilot for Doolittle on the lead aircraft for the Doolittle Raiders and the last surviving member of the Raiders before passing away in April 2019 at the age of 103.

The 919th Special Operations Mission Support Group was equally impressive proving they can provide the warfighter with operational flexibility for mission sustainment and generation with a very small footprint.

Mission Sustainment Teams are comprised of highly trained personnel to set up a contingency location for a brief period of time. These specialized teams include a variety of support specialists to offer a base operations capability with skill sets in fuels, communications, security forces and civil engineering among others.

“We provided MST elements at multiple forward locations throughout the exercise enabling airlift and overwatch assets to transit and receive the support needed while they were on the ground,” said Col. Olivia Nelson, 919th SOMSG commander. “This is the first time our Airmen have exercise the deployment of multiple elements of an MST, and we learned many valuable lessons in the process. I’m incredibly proud of their efforts.”

Payne commended the support specialists for enabling his unit’s exercise objectives and concluded by promising to continue pushing the envelope for innovative and transformation.

“We’re not done,” said Payne. “We’ll keep leaning forward and doing things only SOF [Special Operations Forces] can do.”

By LtCol James R. Wilson, 919th Special Operations Wing

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, SOF | Comments Off on 919th SOW Makes History, Salutes Legendary Air Force Pioneers

Air Force Awards Xwing Military Approval to Fly Autonomous Air Force Cargo Missions Across California

Monday, February 19th, 2024

San Francisco, CA, February 13, 2024 – Xwing, the leading supplier of modular autonomy technology for aviation, has announced the successful completion of its recent participation in AGILE FLAG 24-1. The company transported mission-critical cargo with daily autonomous missions throughout the week-long exercise, accumulating over 2,800 autonomous flight miles to military bases and civilian airports, including March Air Reserve Base, Vandenberg Space Force Base, Sacramento McClellan Airport, Meadows Field Airport, and Fresno Yosemite International Airport.

“We saw first-hand during AGILE FLAG that the use of Xwing’s autonomous aircraft eliminated the need to fly a larger aircraft such as a C-130 to deliver critical cargo to the warfighter on short notice,” said Maxime Gariel, President, CTO and co-founder of Xwing, “When you fly missions autonomously, you operate with the speed and efficiency required for dispersed ACE operations, delivering cargo and personnel at a much lower cost and risk.”

AGILE FLAG 24-1 was a Total Force exercise, which ran from January 22 – February 4, 2024 bringing together Air Combat Command (ACC) and Air Mobility Command (AMC) at military bases and public airports throughout California centered on Agile Combat Employment. After rigorous safety and technical assessments of the Xwing aircraft and operations, the Air Force awarded Xwing a Military Flight Release (MFR) to operate their autonomous aircraft for Public Aircraft Operations (PAO). These approvals allowed Xwing to deliver official Air Force cargo with autonomous taxis, takeoffs, and landings at military and civilian installations.

“Achieving an Air Force Military Flight Release certification is a momentous milestone removing the barrier to transition and unlocking key testing and experimentation opportunities,” said Kate Brown, AFWERX Autonomy Prime deputy branch chief. “AGILE FLAG was an opportunity to showcase autonomous light cargo logistics and demonstrate operational relevance and increased technical readiness.”

A core component of ACE operations is the ability to flexibly execute dispersed logistics to unsurveyed locations with little or no ground support. Air Force operational leaders assigned Xwing cargo missions based on real-time logistics needs of the exercise. This included delivery of sensitive weather equipment and other critical cargo to various locations throughout the week-long event, and demonstrated an increase in the speed to deliver critical parts and reduced the number of requests for traditional heavy lift aircraft, the two key enablers that autonomous aircraft offer operational commanders. The exercise required Xwing to navigate through the busy Los Angeles basin, where the autonomous aircraft successfully integrated with heavy traffic at March ARB and complied with Air Traffic Control (ATC) instructions. Xwing successfully illustrated the role of autonomy as a force multiplier and risk mitigator to rapidly disperse contingency operations into unknown, contested, degraded or operationally limited (CDO) environments.

“Our technology has proven effective over hundreds of successful autonomous flights,” said Craig Milliard, Xwing Flight Test Manager, who remotely supervised the flights from a ground control station at Sacramento McClellan Airport, “This exercise gave us the opportunity to stretch the operational envelope into new environments, day and night, with real-world cargo proving that we can effectively complete Air Force mission objectives.”

Xwing’s participation was part of a newly awarded Phase III Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract. Details of Xwing’s first Agile Flag mission can be found via AFRL. This is a continuation of Xwing’s partnership with AFWERX which included a Phase II contract that began in May of 2023.

Posted in Air Force, Aviation, Press Release, UAS | Comments Off on Air Force Awards Xwing Military Approval to Fly Autonomous Air Force Cargo Missions Across California

Florida Guard’s 202nd RED HORSE Hosts Contingency Exercise

Sunday, February 18th, 2024

CAMP BLANDING, Fla. – The Florida Air National Guard’s 202nd RED HORSE Squadron conducted the FEBEX24 exercise Feb. 2-3 to assess and enhance the readiness of its members. Airmen assigned to the Florida Air National Guard’s 125th Civil Engineer Squadron and 125th Medical Group also participated in the exercise.

“RED HORSE deploys as a unit and is a self-sustaining unit,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Brian Encarnacion, 202nd RED HORSE Squadron unit deployment manager.

The Airmen worked on tactical combat casualty care, force protection, and chemical, biological, radiological, nuclear and high-yield explosives training.

Airmen established infrastructure, operated in austere environments, and faced hostile forces attempting to overtake the camp while in a simulated forward operating base. Airmen responded to the hostile forces with fire, practicing core competencies such as TCCC and force protection.

When enemy forces simulated a flight line attack, 202nd RED HORSE members repaired the airfield and built protective structures to keep assets safe. Members completed this task while wearing mission-oriented protective posture gear due to simulated exposure to chemical weapons.

“They’re being tested on different skills that they would need to be utilized for a wartime event,” said U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Abbey Mears, 125th CES installation emergency manager.

The exercise allowed Airmen to step outside their career fields and practice core competencies of other jobs.

“This exercise is important because you get a lot of Airmen that are proficient at only doing their job,” said Encarnacion. “At the end of the day, they have to learn how to be a security forces member, a medic, or even an emergency manager. It’s important for all these Airmen to get this hands-on training.”

The training also featured a joint training sortie with the Florida Army National Guard, in which Airmen were loaded on a U.S. Army HH-60 Black Hawk helicopter for a simulated medical evacuation.

“I think the big foot stomp with this is the importance of training like we’re going to fight,” said Mears.

Lessons taken from this experience will help set the foundation for future exercises.

Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineer (RED HORSE) Squadrons are highly mobile and rapidly deployable response forces. They repair heavy damage to recover critical Air Force facilities and utility systems following enemy attack or natural disaster in remote, high-threat environments worldwide.

By Senior Airman Brooke Keisler, 125th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post | Comments Off on Florida Guard’s 202nd RED HORSE Hosts Contingency Exercise

GA-ASI Demonstrates A2E Concept with AFSOC

Thursday, February 8th, 2024

SAN DIEGO – During a series of demonstrations in December 2023, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) and the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) worked collaboratively to execute several capability demonstrations as part of the Adaptive Airborne Enterprise (A2E) concept development.

The first demo featured the simultaneous control of three MQ-9A remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) by a single crew using the government-owned AFSOC RPA Control Suite (ARCS). ARCS adds additional capability to the Ground Control Station (GCS), by allowing a standard crew to control multiple UAS platforms. The second demo showed that an MQ-9A can launch a Altius 600 from a launch pod.

“We have established a great partnership with AFSOC,” said David R. Alexander, president of GA-ASI. “We know our RPA will be a key building block for AFSOC to achieve its A2E vision.”

AFSOC is acquiring MQ-9B from GA-ASI for rapid prototyping and will forego a traditional GCS to control the RPA. Rather, AFSOC intends to control both the MQ-9A and MQ-9B aircraft, as well as a family of small UAS, from the ARCS. This event demonstrated the viability of ARCS to control the MQ-9A platform, which will lay the foundation for future work to integrate the MQ-9B aircraft into ARCS. This event also demonstrated the viability to operate the MQ-9 platform as surrogates for small UAS, all of which will be controlled by ARCS.

“These demonstrations were what we needed to really start to make A2E a reality,” said AFSOC Col. Trey Olman. “This was the first time we were able to demonstrate control of multiple RPAs from a single workstation, which is important in reducing manpower requirements.”

The A2E demonstrations took place at Cannon Air Force Base, N.M. and Melrose Air Force Range (MAFR), N.M., and utilized Satellite Communications (SATCOM) Launch & Recovery (SLR). AFSOC launched the three MQ-9As using GA-ASI’s Portable Aircraft Control Stations (PACS) and Ground Control Stations. Once airborne, control for the three MQ-9A was handed from the three GCS to a single ARCS workstation. Control of all three aircraft was handed back from ARCS to each GCS and the three aircraft performed SATCOM landings via GA-ASI’s Automatic Takeoff and Landing Capability (ATLC).

The A2E concept envisions AFSOC projecting air power from beyond the horizon, using a family of large, unmanned aircraft along with small, expendable UAS, from permissive to denied environments. MQ-9B is the ideal platform for inserting air-launched effects into potentially hostile environments. The MQ-9B’s combination of range, endurance, reduced manpower footprint, and overall flexibility will key to AFSOC’s future family of advanced UAS systems.

Posted in Air Force, Press Release, SOF, UAS | Comments Off on GA-ASI Demonstrates A2E Concept with AFSOC

Persistent Systems Awarded $5.1 Million Contract to Supply MPU5 Radios to Air Mobility Command

Thursday, February 8th, 2024

Networking solutions to support Air Mobility Command’s Contingency Response Groups

Persistent Systems (“Persistent”), a leader in mobile ad hoc networking (MANET), announced today that it was awarded a $5.1 million contract by the U.S. Air Force to supply its Air Mobility Command with more than 280 MPU5 handheld MANET radios and 10 integrated sector antennas.

The MANET technology will enable the Air Mobility Command ‘s 621st and 821st Contingency Response Groups to quickly react to international situations that, in line with the service’s Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concept, require the U.S. Air Force to set up foreign airstrips, amass fuel and other resources, and coordinate aircraft landings with host countries.

“Our MPU5s deliver robust, secure, broadband line-of-sight and beyond-line-sight communications,” said Adrien Robenhymer, Persistent’s VP of Business Development for Air Force and Intelligence Community Programs, “and they do so without Air Force personnel having to rely on third-party infrastructure, which is key in a contested environment.”

The Air Mobility Command personnel currently employ old, walkie-talkie radios that cannot share video and still imagery or use geospatial awareness programs like ATAK. These limitations mean that “first-in” Contingency Response Groups operate in a slower, more plodding fashion when trying to set up runways. Likewise, relying on only audio can lead to planning errors.

The MPU5 radio runs the robust, self-forming, self-healing Wave Relay® MANET. With this adaptable, high-throughput network, users with MPU5s can seamlessly share voice, video, text, GPS and sensor data in a true peer-to-peer fashion. The radio also has a Cloud Relay™ capability which connects the line-of-sight MANET to beyond-line-of-sight LTE and SATCOM.

Working in conjunction with the MPU5s, the easy-to-erect Integrated Sector Antennas extend the Wave Relay® MANET over a massive geographic area.

“Persistent’s MANET products extend the enterprise to the tactical edge and allow full situational awareness even in austere environments,” Robenhymer said. “Beyond AMC and ACE, we see this technology have strong applications for the U.S. Department of Defense’s Joint All-Domain Command and Control, or JADC2, concept.”

Persistent Systems plans to deliver a full complement of MPU5 MANET radios and Integrated Sector Antennas to the Air Force in January.

Posted in Air Force, Comms, Contracts, Press Release | 1 Comment »

US Air Force Honors 100th Bomb Group’s Legacy with ‘Masters of the Air’ special Screening

Wednesday, February 7th, 2024

JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. (AFNS) —

Joint Base Andrews hosted the cast and creative team of AppleTV+’s “Masters of the Air,” along with World War II veterans, Department of the Air Force senior leaders, and service members for a reception and special screening of the series’ first episode, Jan. 27.

Based on Donald Miller’s 2007 book of the same title, “Masters of the Air” follows Airmen of the Eighth Air Force’s 100th Bomb Group, commonly referred to as the “Bloody Hundredth,” as they conduct bombing raids over Nazi-occupied Germany and grapple with the frigid conditions and lack of oxygen during combat conducted at 25,000 feet in the air.

Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall expressed his gratitude to everyone for taking part in this historic event at Joint Base Andrews, especially noting the three senior living B-17 Eighth Air Force officers in the room, as well as Tuskegee Airmen and other WWII veterans and family members.

“We got a lot of great participation today,” Kendall said. “We’re extremely grateful to have our veterans here today. These men fought in the most difficult air environment in history. They built a legacy that our current Airmen and Guardians hope to live up to every single day.”

Retired Air Force Maj. John “Lucky” Luckadoo shared his own moment of recollection. After serving in WWII as a B-17 pilot in the 100th BG, he flew a total of 25 combat missions earning multiple honors, including the Distinguished Flying Cross presented to recipients for acts of heroism while in aerial flight.

“I cannot tell you what a privilege it is to be in the august (dignified) company of brass,” said Luckadoo, the 101-year-old who remains active in WWII remembrance events today. “I was extremely fortunate to have been a member that is being memorialized in the film that you’ll be seeing, “The Masters of the Air.” It’s indeed an honor and a privilege, to be here – actually, it’s an honor to be anywhere!”

The Air Force’s top leaders attended the reception and screening, such as Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin, Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass and commanders of Air Force major commands around the globe. Airmen of all ranks were also afforded the opportunity to experience the special screening.

“I thought the ‘Masters of the Air’ show was outstanding,” said Senior Airman Ernst Motte, audience member of the special screening with the 1st Helicopter Squadron Aviation Resource Management office at JB Andrews. “It was really great to meet all the cast members and a couple of the retired WWII pilots. The film really spoke to the severity of the war and made me really proud of our history.”

Kirk Saduski, Playtone producer and executive, closed the evening by addressing WWII veterans and active service members in the crowd.

“It is too awful to contemplate a world in which the Allies didn’t win WWII,” said Saduski, who previously worked as executive-in-charge of the HBO series of “Band of Brothers” and co-producer of “The Pacific.”

“It is impossible to conceive of an Allied victory without the United States Air Force in Europe, and the Pacific, and the CBI (China-Burma-India) Theater,” Saduski said. “We draw the applause of the crowd. You earn the affection and admiration of our country. In the name of Playtone, Apple, and, if I may, our country – thank you.”

Story by Senior Airman Bridgitte Taylor, 316th Wing Public Affairs

Photos by Senior Airman Austin Pate

*The appearance of Department of Defense personnel does not imply endorsement by the DoD, nor the Department of the Air Force.

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, History, Media | Comments Off on US Air Force Honors 100th Bomb Group’s Legacy with ‘Masters of the Air’ special Screening

US, Allies and Partners Integrate for Dynamic Targeting Kill-Chain Automation Experiments at Nellis AFB

Saturday, February 3rd, 2024

The 805th Combat Training Squadron, also known as the Shadow Operations Center – Nellis, executed their annual Capstone event by experimenting with and developing tactics, techniques, and procedures for integrated two-way kill-chain automation between the operational and tactical command and control including battle management levels, to create competitive advantages for the United States and its allies and partners at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

As the United States Air Force’s lead Advanced Battle Management System Battle Lab, the ShOC-N (a.k.a. the Rhinos) experiments and assesses emerging concepts, applications, and technologies, as well as develops TTPs for the Multi-Domain Operations Center of the future. During the five-day Capstone event, the Battle Lab executed a constructive large-force employment, using data generated organically within the ShOC-N’s modeling & simulation environment, to improve dynamic targeting kill-chain automation through software integration and associated TTP development.

“During the Capstone event in 2022, the ShOC-N proved it was possible to quantify, observe, and measure command and control; the idea of measuring C2 has been overlooked in the past because of the misconception that ‘C2 is an art’. Human judgment will continue to play a critical role, but we’re proving C2 decision making is far more science than art,” said Col. Jonathan Zall, Department of the Air Force ABMS Cross Functional Team. “The Rhinos are taking the lead to correct the oversights of the past. They’re developing and conducting crucial scientific C2 experiments.”

Zall continued, discussing the 2023 Capstone event. “The ShOC is an incredibly professional class act, disciplined ensuring the data is credible, not just if they like the toys, but how the tools perform, and they are measuring those things. That is why I am genuinely impressed with the Rhinos, with everyone coming in and all the TDY support and everything that has been achieved.”

This year’s event featured independent but related experiments influenced by Indo-Pacific Command tactics that were identified and selected by the Command, Control, and Communications Battle Management, or C3BM, Operational Response Team, DAF, Air Combat Command, and Pacific Air Forces. Experiments included:

1 Dynamic Targeting Kill Chain Automation

2 Connect the Five Eyes, or FVEY, Battle Labs, also known as the Combined Federated Battle Laboratories Network, or CFBLNet, to the ShOC-N

3 Transformational Modeling for Battle Management, or TM-BM

4 Digital Battle Management Node, also known as Tactical Operations Center – Light, and Mobile Solutions

“The ShOC-N doubled the number of experiments this year and primarily focused on the scientific rigor needed for data collection and analysis in order to provide data-driven insights for new prototypes or processes,” said Lt. Col. John Ohlund, 805th CTS/ShOC-N commander.

The Dynamic Targeting Kill Chain Automation experiments utilized tools focused on increasing the speed, scale and accuracy of the find, fix, track, target and engage, or F2T2E, process for PACAF’s experiment while also supporting ACC’s NEXUS integration efforts.

The ShOC-N modeled and replicated PACAF’s current operational- to tactical-level systems and processes, allowing for the secure experimentation of two new dynamic targeting kill-chain automation technologies.

The ShOC-N hosted personnel from across the DAF, industry, and coalition partners for the experiment. Data collection and analytics measured speed, scale, and accuracy during the experiments.

The ABMS CFT’s experiment objectives focused on procuring data through connecting FVEY Battle Labs/CFBLNet, TM-BM, and data capture and debrief tools.

Japan Self-Defense Forces, German and French Armed Forces, along with FVEY New Zealand Defence Forces, and United States Air Force Weapons School students participated in the TM-BM artificial intelligence-enabled technology experiment known as “Match Effectors,” or the decision to appropriately pair effectors with targets while taking into consideration many factors. The experiment observed two groups of participants one using one operating system’s software and a control group using a different operating system’s software to compare the effect of human-machine-team decision speed, quality, and human confidence in HMT solutions.

The United Kingdom and Canada were the first coalition partners to integrate into the ABMS Battle Lab, allowing them to connect and participate in the TM-BM experiment. The ShOC-N is currently working with Australia and New Zealand to connect their Battle Labs. The two FVEY Battle Labs used the CFBLNet enclaves to establish a releasable, or REL, environment allowing the exchange of mission-related files, simulation data, and voice/chat/data link messages, providing the initial validation for the United Kingdom and Canada to host future combined C2 experiments.

“This new capability provides our coalition partners access to the Battle Lab as if they’re physically on the operations floor, allowing our partners to fully participate in CJADC2 [Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control] and ABMS exercises and experiments,” said Jeffery Compoc, 805th CTS/ShOC-N chief technical officer.

During the final ABMS CFT experiment, the simultaneous effectiveness of four data capture and debrief tools that support C2 were assessed. The experiment compared the type of data collected, quality of measurements, and display between the four applications.

“Watching the TM-BM and dynamic targeting experiments was like holding a prism into the light to reveal distinct decision categories, like the prism reveals the distinct colors of the rainbow,” said Zall. “We [ABMS CFT] eventually wanted to get to experiments where we combined different decisions, but there were concerns the more decisions we put together that each little decision might be lost in the chaos, but now we know that we can do these combined decision experiments because the Rhinos just did it and they’ve been doing it all week. Since the Rhinos are so methodical with collecting data, we can use it like it was our own experiment. All we have to do is apply the model and pull the insights from the data.”

Throughout the Capstone event, the TOC-L, now known as the TOC-enabled Control Reporting Center, or CRC, team executed tactical C2 primarily from the TOC kit in a tent outside the ShOC-N. The TOC family of systems provides a tailorable Battle Management C2 center that scales up or down based on the Component Commander’s needs. The TOC kit is a mobile ground based tactical BMC2 capability used to conduct BM functions within a CRC or Air Support Operations Center. The ShOC’s dynamic targeting and M&S cells sent data to the TOC enabled CRC for use within the common operational picture display and target prosecution. The experiment analyzed the operational speed of data exchange utilizing experimental software and traditional crews executing the target process.

The ShOC-N deployed Wi-Fi on the combat operations floor for the first time, allowing mobile solutions for C2 warriors. The Rhinos, in partnership with the C3BM ORT office utilized ORT’s Mobile Solution tablets employing Commercial Solutions for Classified, or CfSC, infrastructure during the Capstone event.

“The mobile solutions experiment allowed operators to move freely on the operations floor and maintain communications and situational awareness of the operations, while the ShOC-N analyzed battle-management data, instrumentation network metrics, and experimentation on the influence for the kill-chain execution,” said Compoc.

“The partnership between the C3BM Operational Response Team’s Mobile Solutions/CfSC prototype and the 2023 ShOC-N Capstone event provided battle management operators with a hands-on experience of what mobile C2 could look like in an ACE CONOP [Agile Combat Employment concept of operations] environment,” said Capt. Shane Toner, DAF C3BM ORT program manager. “C3BM collected user feedback of the operator experience while replicating the battle management functions of operator workstations on the ShOC-N operations floor that will influence CSfC capability and End User Device form factors for the future DAF Battle Network.”

Toner continued, the use of CSfC End User Devices can reshape thinking around operations floor physical layouts, the ability to collaborate and generate teaming environments, and the DAF’s ability to conduct mobile C2 in a wireless fashion. ShOC-N Capstone provided a key venue for the development of C3BM ORT’s plans for the Mobile Solutions prototype and the team looks forward to supporting the ShOC-N in 2024.

“What we are seeing here [at the ShOC-N] is 90% ingenuity and grit and 10% resourcing, so one of my messages back to my bosses and anyone who will listen is, now just imagine what these folks could do with more resources? And you can trust them to be good stewards of resourcing because they have already proved it,” said Zall.

The ShOC-N’s mission is to provide an environment for the DAF to make rapid acquisition decisions, provide data-driven requirements, and distribute warfighter feedback to the industry to drive information advantage and decision superiority against current DOD pacing challenges.

“The ShOC team is excited for 2024 and the continued experimentation with the Secretary of the Air Force’s Operational Imperative team for ABMS and CJADC2. Our goal is more experiments, potentially smaller and more frequent, and culminating in an annual Capstone,” said Ohlund.

Deb Henley

505th Command and Control Wing

Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post | Comments Off on US, Allies and Partners Integrate for Dynamic Targeting Kill-Chain Automation Experiments at Nellis AFB

WAPS Testing Going Digital in February 2024

Wednesday, January 31st, 2024

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —

Beginning with the CY24 E6 promotion cycle in February, the Weighted Airman Promotion System test will be administered electronically, supporting a long-awaited modernization need in the Air Force’s personnel development efforts.

The eWAPS platform is a collaborative effort between the Air Force, the Personnel Data Research Institute and PearsonVUE. Airmen participating in the 2024 technical sergeant and staff sergeant promotion cycles will be the first to use this system.

“This initiative, along with others such as the myFSS applications, is just one of many human resources transformation efforts,” said Lt. Gen. Caroline Miller, deputy chief of staff for Manpower, Personnel, and Services. “Transforming HR Information Technology is one of my five priorities and underpins the entire HR enterprise.”

Promotion-eligible Airmen can anticipate receiving invitational emails later this month, prompting them to visit the PearsonVUE website to establish an account by creating a username and password.

Test Control Officers or unit WAPS monitors will contact each eligible Airman to come into the base education and testing center to sign for their assigned official test date. During this time, they will review testing instructions and individual responsibilities, which include the requirement to have their username and password with them on test day.

Airmen will also receive instructions on how to create their PearsonVUE account if they did not receive the PearsonVUE email or did not create an account due to reasons such as not updating their email in vMPF or a deployment.

Airmen are required to arrive in uniform, punctually, and with their Common Access Card. Additionally, it is now imperative for them to remember their username and password.

Lack of preparation, to include not having or knowing their username and password, can result in being marked as a no-show for testing. Airmen can retrieve their username using their first and last name and their email account and will also be able to reset their password by responding to security questions they established during the account creation process. Airmen who cannot reset their password and access their PearsonVUE account will be marked as a no-show for testing.

“This is a transformative step that enhances the careers of our Airmen,” said Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force JoAnne Bass. “By aligning with industry standards, e-testing ensures a secure and innovative platform for a fair and equitable opportunity in promotion and career advancement. It also streamlines the process by allowing test responses to be submitted directly to the Air Force Personnel Center, eliminating the need for traditional mailing of answer sheets. This advancement not only instills total confidence in our Airmen but also provides unhindered access, empowering them to reach goals with greater efficiency and effectiveness. This is a much-needed change…and there are more to come!”

Airmen who are not co-located near a base testing center, such as Airmen assigned to a geographically separated unit, could test at one of many PearsonVUE centers, affording greater flexibility.

If eligible Airmen do not receive an e-mail or they can’t find it, they can go directly to the PearsonVUE website and create an account. Accounts can only be created through the PearsonVUE website after Jan. 30, 2024.

Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Profession of Arms | 2 Comments »