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USAF EOD Tests New Imaging Technology

Wednesday, August 11th, 2021

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) —

Local explosive ordnance disposal units received and were trained on a new and upgraded portable imaging X-ray system at Eglin Air Force Base July 22.

The Vidisco Guardian 12 Digital Radiographic X-ray system enhances EOD’s capabilities by making it easier to view the internal contents of suspicious, improvised explosive devices and unexploded ordnance.

The Air Force Civil Engineer Center recently delivered the first systems to Hill AFB, Utah and will distribute the remaining systems in conjunction with training events over the next five years. EOD flights from Eglin AFB, Hurlburt Field and Tyndall AFB received the new systems and attended the training.

“The digital X-ray technology will make a world of difference for our EOD forces,” said Tech. Sgt. Quentin Tubbs, 436th Civil Engineer Squadron EOD technician at Dover AFB, Delaware. “It will increase the reliability of capturing clear and concise images and reduce the amount of time we spend next to hazardous devices.”

The Guardian 12 replaces three commercial off-the-shelf systems serving as interim solutions until the new system is fully deployed. This includes a large system weighing over 99 pounds, that primarily serves as base support and requires a wired connection to operate; an X-ray that serves as the wireless mobility system; and a third system that has been obsolete for several years.

“The new system essentially consolidates all the capabilities of previous systems,” said Dave Hodgson, AFCEC EOD logistics lead. “It meets all of the requirements necessary to support the mission.”

Compared to the analog technology of the previous systems, the digital X-ray technology provides a much sharper and clearer image, making it easier to detect explosives such as IEDs or unexploded ordnance, Tubbs said.

Featuring both wired and wireless technology, the new technology combines the capabilities of the off-the-shelf systems currently in use. The wireless capabilities enable remote image capture and can reduce the amount of time Airmen spend going down range, Tubbs said.

“With the older systems, every time we took an image, we had to go downrange and retrieve a panel, bring it back and run it through a machine to verify if the X-ray worked. Many times, we thought a good image was captured only to realize later there was something dense in the way blocking the image.”

The new digital radiographic X-ray system also includes features to improve resiliency. It is lightweight, weighing less than 22 pounds and housed in a compact carrying case for easy mobilization for fly-away missions. The system is also designed to work in extreme temperatures, ranging from minus 14 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit.

Obtaining the new systems was a collaborative effort between AFCEC and the Air Force Installation Contracting Center’s 772nd Enterprise Sourcing Squadron—both part of the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center enterprise. The $30 million acquisition will put 331 new systems in the hands of EOD Airmen by 2026.

“We’re committed to ensuring our EOD forces have the training, equipment and resources required to accomplish their duties in garrison and downrange,” Hodgson said. “The new systems will allow Airmen to conduct missions safely, rapidly and effectively.”

Story by Emily Mifsud

Photos by Samuel King Jr

Posted in Air Force, EOD, Guest Post | Comments Off on USAF EOD Tests New Imaging Technology

An Inside Look at F-35 Pilot Helmet Fittings

Tuesday, August 10th, 2021

HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (AFNS) —

Reservists in the 419th Operations Support Squadron play a crucial role to ensure the safety of pilots assigned to the 419th Fighter Wing, the Air Force Reserve’s only combat-capable F-35 Lightning II unit.

“We are responsible for maintaining and repairing pilot gear to ensure everything is in proper working condition,” said Staff Sgt. AJ Arteaga, 419th OSS aircrew flight equipment Reservist. “That also includes their helmet.”

Every helmet is custom-fitted to its pilot during a two-day process at a fit facility. To begin assembly of the helmet, pilots have their heads measured and scanned to secure the perfect fit.

Once assembled, pilots need to have the optics aligned using a pupilometer, which measures the distance between their pupils within two millimeters of its center, so pilots see a single image on the helmet-mounted display.

On the display, pilots are able to view mission-critical information and obtain enhanced situational awareness of the battlefield simply by moving their head. The helmet gives pilots a 360-degree view of the F-35’s external environment without needing to tip the jet.

“The pilot can look down through a portion of their wing and see what’s below,” said Tech. Sgt. William Vass, 419th OSS. “When they look toward the cameras embedded on the F-35 that image projects onto their helmet display.”

The helmet’s innovative technology and precise fit require routine maintenance so pilots can complete their mission. In addition to pre- and post-flight fittings, the helmet is inspected every 105 days and has a 120-day fit check to ensure its functionality and safety.

“Pilots come in and put on all their gear so we can double-check to make sure everything fits properly and without issue,” Arteaga said. “Small things such as a new haircut or a couple of pounds gained could cause the helmet to not fit correctly.”

Mask adjustments are also included within the helmet fitting. Pilots are sent to an oxygen tester where aircrew flight equipment technicians can identify any leaks around the mask that could prevent adequate oxygen flow.

“The next part is to ensure there is a proper distance between the mask and the visor,” Arteaga said. “We have to make sure when the pilot moves or talks, the mask doesn’t hit the visor. If it’s too close, it will bend the visor and distort the display image.”

Reservists in the AFE shop are an integral part of the helmet-fitting process and maintenance intervals. They verify it remains as precise as possible to guarantee the safety of the 27 pilots in the 419th FW. The work is involved and in-depth, but essential to providing a seamless interaction between the helmets’ advanced capabilities and the exacting skills of the pilot wearing it.

By Senior Airman Erica Webster, 419th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Helmets | 4 Comments »

AFSOC WEPTAC 2021: Staying Relevant for Future Fights

Monday, August 9th, 2021

Air Commandos from Air Force Special Operations Command hosted a weapons and tactics conference here, July 6 – 16, 2021.

This annual conference was a gathering of special operations forces and combat air force’s tactical experts to meet and identify and improve tactics, techniques and procedures with the purpose of conducting Mission Area Working Groups (MAWGs) and the annual Tactical Review Board (TRB) to bolster AFSOC’s Tactics Development and Improvement Program (TDIP).

The theme for the 2021 WEPTAC conference is “Competing Now and in the Next Conflict – SOF Operations in the Joint Fight.” Operators and tacticians identified potential deficiencies and worked to develop TTP’s for future fights while advancing AFSOC’s creativity and capability.

“This is a great opportunity for teammates to come together and discuss how we can and must help AFSOC change for any future challenges,” said Maj. Gen. Eric Hill, deputy commander of AFSOC. “Our command has faced various inflection points in its history, and WEPTAC is a forum where some of our best minds develop ways for us to stay relevant in the fight.”

Since 9/11, AFSOC has largely focused on a counter-violent extremist organizations fight, but this year’s WEPTAC shifted the conversation towards implementing new strategies in the peer and near-peer adversarial competition.

“If history has shown us anything, change is inevitable,” Hill said. “I know that each one of you here will do your part to help push the conversation and develop changes needed far into the future.”

After Hill’s opening remarks, conference attendees broke out into the MAWGs, which were built using a combination of subject matter experts from operations and intelligence, that had industry knowledge and air and ground tactical expertise, with the goal of working through potential future problem sets.

The TRB’s addressed specific tactical improvement ideas in both mobility and strike functional areas, and combined with the MAWG’s, worked towards helping push forward innovative thoughts.

The conference was an opportunity for Airmen to focus on joint MAWG’s that provide relevant near-peer planning in line with the NDS and AFSOC strategic guidance. WEPTAC is aligned with generating advantage in competition by enabling the joint force to respond to crisis and to win.

“Our human capital is our ultimate weapon,” Hill said. “The ideas and tactics we come up with during WEPTAC will make sure that our Airmen remain the competitive advantage.”

By Senior Airman Brandon Esau, AFSOC Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Guest Post, Profession of Arms, SOF | Comments Off on AFSOC WEPTAC 2021: Staying Relevant for Future Fights

AFSOC Stands Up New Mission Sustainment Team at Cannon AFB

Saturday, August 7th, 2021

CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. —

A new unit has been generated on base in support of mission readiness and efficiency. Mission Sustainment Team 1 is a group of individuals with diverse skill sets selected from the 27th Special Operations Mission Support Group, with the intent that they will cover and provide every asset required to sustain livable conditions in austere locations for an extended period of time.

The Mission Sustainment Team concept provides a way forward in building small, scattered teams capable of operating independent of main operating bases – a focus area highlighted by Lt. Gen. Jim Slife, Air Force Special Operations Command commander, during his 2021 Special Operations Forces Imperatives Forum earlier this year.

“This idea is not new or unique to the Air Force as a whole, but it is to the Air Force Special Operations Command,” said Senior Master Sgt. John Spencer, 27 SOMSG, Detachment 1 MST 1 team lead. “AFSOC is used to providing for the operators for a short duration, but something like this has never been done before in this Major Command.”

AFSOC currently does not have an on-demand capability to provide and sustain a livable environment in areas without pre-established facilities. To fix this issue, the MST consists of Airmen from different MSG specialties, and trains them all on necessary expeditionary functions.

“We are taking roughly 60 people from different shops in the MSG and making them work together to create livable conditions for a base worth of personnel,” Spencer said. “We have to try these things, see where they fail, then learn from our failures and do it better the next time.”

There are many unknowns surrounding the MST, as with any new unit. The team hopes to benefit from these unknowns however, documenting their experiences and applying the lessons learned to ultimately teach and train those who follow in the future.

The team had the opportunity to test themselves recently in an Operational Readiness Exercise. Select individuals from Cannon AFB were involved in a mock deployment to an austere location and required support from MST 1. This entirely new scenario helped participants as it was an ideal testing ground for the capabilities of sustained support for multiple personnel.

Within a limited resourcing environment, MST 1 gives AFSOC the ability to enable the larger joint force with unique capabilities; things that no one else can do.

The opportunities to blaze new trails are plentiful for MST 1. As the first of its kind in AFSOC, there is no manual or guidebook to follow. Instead, the team will take the knowledge and practices of similar groups in other MAJCOM’s and tailor them to their needs.

During the 2021 SOF Imperatives Forum, Slife spoke on the necessity for the development and continuous acceleration of SOF and AFSOC forces, including those a part of MST 1.

“The standards of yesterday were applicable to yesterday,” Slife said. “The question is, what are the standards of tomorrow and how do we build the force we need, to be most effective in the future? Our competitive advantage will continue to be the men and women who make up our formation, but the challenge for leadership is ensuring… those men and women in AFSOC know that they are relevant to the nation.”

Not many in support roles have the opportunity to see how their work directly affects the mission downrange. The work of this new unit provides Airmen a tangible link between their efforts and the final product, something that boosts morale while transforming them into a team of lethal, multi-faceted Airmen.

“It brings me real joy to see how folks who, before joining this group, had never worked with a services Airman, and then see them training on a field kitchen three days later,” Spencer said. “This is what I like to do. I like building teams, being out in the field, and doing what the Air Force trained me to do in defending airfields. Seeing all this [come together] from my personal perspective is unique and amazing. It also helps the Air Force as a whole as it takes someone from their regular unit for a while, and then returns them 100% better than when they left because they got to learn all the things they would normally never do.”

MST 1 may be new, but they have their work cut out for them. Providing support for active personnel at austere and un-furnished locations is no easy feat, but it means the work done by MST 1 will be vital in helping similar units in AFSOC for years to come.

Story by Senior Airman Christopher Storer, 27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs

Photos by Senior Airman Vernon R. Walter III

Posted in Air Force, Forces Focus, Guest Post, SOF | 2 Comments »

Air Force Says “Bye-Bye Superintendents, Hello Senior Enlisted Leaders”

Friday, August 6th, 2021

When I transferred from the Army to the Air Force in the late 90s I was struck by how deeply commercial business practices had infiltrated the air component. There was Total Quality Management and references to the “corporate Air Force” along with a slew of other tells.

One of the most subtle points remained long after I had retired. It is how enlisted personnel are categorized. They are referred to as a “helper,” “apprentice,” “journeyman,” “craftsman,” or “superintendent” depending on their skill level.

This spilled over into duty titles and it struck me as odd that the senior NCO in a Flight was referred to as a Superintendent even in the ground Combat units I was assigned to. I think it undermined, at least on some level, the concept of enlisted leadership, replacing it with a civilian management title.

But lo and behold, with a simple memo, the Air Force has done away with the duty title of “Superintendent,” replacing it with “Senior Enlisted Leader” for senior NCOs at the Detachment, Squadron and Group levels. Hopefully, other duty titles will change as well to reflect the significant role the incumbent is expected to fulfill.

A lot is broken in the Air Force’s enlisted promotion system and its associated trouble with growing leaders, but this is a good start at making amends. The title is now Leader and they need to put leaders in those jobs. It’s time to focus on the mission and subordinates instead of the “what’s in it for me” mentality created by WAPS.

Posted in Air Force, Profession of Arms | Comments Off on Air Force Says “Bye-Bye Superintendents, Hello Senior Enlisted Leaders”

USAF Cyber Careerfield Discusses New Training Baseline

Wednesday, August 4th, 2021

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. (AFNS) —

The 81st Training Support Squadron hosted the Cyber Operations Specialty Training and Requirements Team conference at Keesler Air Force Base, July 19-23.

“The conference was held to ensure the upcoming evolution from cyberspace support to cyberspace operations is a smooth transition, eliminate training deficiencies and maintain the health and welfare of the entire career field at the highest standard,” said Staff Sgt. Matthew Storer, 81st TRSS cyberspace support force development noncommissioned officer in charge. “It impacts the entirety of the cyberspace support career field by creating baseline requirements for training.”

The conference included cyberspace support career field managers, functional managers from each of the 10 major commands, including Guard and Reserve, representation from Space Force Cyber, technical training school houses and qualifications flight to determine the training requirements for the most elite cyber operations troops going forward.

“The STRT and Training Planning Team meetings are an essential part of the Air Force, and encompasses each career field, major command and learning program’s representatives,” said Chief Master Sgt. Victor Cordero Jr., Air Force cyberspace support career field manager. “This is a historic conference, advancing the Career Field Education and Training Plan, future training requirements and establishing formal training requirements for Air Education and Training Command aligned to the new transition.”

As a result of the conference, a partnership was formed between Air Combat Command and AETC to reimagine training that works the way Airmen work in order to develop the 30,000 total force cyber Airman capable of conducting the build, secure, protect and defend mission on the Air Force network enterprise.

“Future conflicts will be fought and won in cyber, and we need to develop and deliver a mission-ready cyber force armed for tomorrow’s fight,” said Chief Master Sgt. Patricia Ford, ACC support functional manager. “The capability of our cyber Airmen will be the deciding factor between mission success and mission failure.”

By SrA Kimberly L. Mueller, 81st Training Wing Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, CEMA, Guest Post, Training | Comments Off on USAF Cyber Careerfield Discusses New Training Baseline

Undaunted Service: Elite Firefighters Serve in Austere Environments

Sunday, August 1st, 2021

ALI AL SALEM AIR BASE, Kuwait (AFNS) —

A quick reaction force is an elite unit comprised of Airmen from multiple squadrons trained in combat and evasion. These Airmen are not only highly-skilled professionals, but they undergo special training to perform their duties in austere and potentially hostile environments.

Recently, the QRF firefighter component from the 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron, was sent to a forward operating base in Syria to provide support to its flight line.

“This team is made up of highly-qualified firefighting professionals trained for bare environments,” said Senior Master Sgt. Michael Rigsby, 386th ECES deputy fire chief. “We’re a rare group. Also, it’s just not very common for firefighters to get sent on a forward deployment. I’ve been in 16 years and this was my first time.”

The QRF firefighters’ purpose in Syria was to provide flight-line support per Air Mobility Command instructions. This allowed for a limitless number of aircraft to take off and land, and people and equipment to be removed for rotation. Their mission was to provide support so that the Army’s M2A2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle unit could be extracted and replaced.

“We flew in with three fire trucks and our firefighting equipment. The Army was due to change out their people and equipment, and our presence allowed more aircraft to land in a shorter time span,” Rigsby said. “That enabled the Army to keep their same level of base and area protection and perform change-out 16 days quicker.”

While the QRF firefighters are tactically trained to operate under hostile and combative conditions, their essential duties are the same as non-QRF firefighters. They are vital to safe and expedient flight-line standards.

“Our primary job on a flight line is to provide it with crash-fire support so that they can maintain air operations over the area of responsibility, and also to provide hazmat and medical support as well,” said Senior Airman Travis Ferrell, 386th ECES firefighter. “So if anything goes down on the flight line, we respond. Whether it’s an in-flight or ground emergency, we will respond to mitigate any possible crisis that could happen. We like to say we’re the insurance policy for anything that happens on the flight line.”

Without the firefighter component of QRF, the flight line would only be able to support a limited number of aircraft taking off and landing per week, but with the QRF, the number of flights were unlimited. They supported 15 aircraft at two per day during their 30-day mission.

QRF members went through pre-deployment combat skills training at McGregor Range, New Mexico, and Evasion, Conduct After Capture training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. This type of training is for Airmen who will be operating outside the wire in high-risk environments.

“As QRF, we go to pre-deployment training so that we can deploy to places that don’t have established support, like FOBs,” Ferrell said. “Here, at Ali Al Salem (AB), we have great support and infrastructure, but we didn’t find that in Syria. We had nothing there.

We had to find our own water sources. We had to basically write our own standard operating procedures while we were out there on the fly. For instance, this is where we’re going to stage and this is how we’re going to respond,” Ferrell continued. “We get there. We make all these decisions. We face all these challenges, and then we complete the mission as quickly as we can, pack up and move on to somewhere else keeping the mission alive wherever we go.”

By SSgt Ryan Brooks, 386th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

Posted in Air Force, Forces Focus, Guest Post | Comments Off on Undaunted Service: Elite Firefighters Serve in Austere Environments

MQ-9 Agile Combat Employment: A Big Step Closer to Reality

Saturday, July 31st, 2021

CREECH AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. (AFNS) —

The 556th Test and Evaluation Squadron proved the MQ-9 Reaper’s Automatic Takeoff and Landing Capability (ATLC) is ready as of July 8, enabling crews to divert to airfields without traditional launch and recovery infrastructure or personnel. This capability is a key enabler for MQ-9 Agile Combat Employment and, combined with the MQ-9’s next software upgrade and receipt of the portable aircraft control station, will change how it will be employed in theaters worldwide.

Previously, all MQ-9 takeoffs and landings required a specialized launch and recovery crew located wherever the Reaper intended to land. But this time, with aircrew controlling the MQ-9 via satellite from their operating location at Nellis Air Force Base, the MQ-9 taxied to the runway and took off from Creech AFB, 55.6 miles away from the crew controlling it. The 556th TES recently proved this concept and landed at Creech AFB using ATLC while under satellite control from the aircrew at Nellis AFB, but this week’s sorties pushed the envelope much further.

On the first day of the two-day test, the 556th TES flew the MQ-9 from Creech AFB to Cannon AFB, New Mexico, landed, taxied, and took off again before returning to Creech AFB — all under satellite control. In this instance, the aircrew used imagery in the cockpit to generate the reference points for the automated landing system. On the second day, the destination changed to Holloman AFB, New Mexico, and the team again proved the capability, this time using the targeting pod to survey the runway, feed the ATLC system the data needed to fly an airport traffic pattern, land, and take off again.

Initially published ATLC procedures required an MQ-9 to be at the airfield of operation to taxi down the runway and have the aircrew electronically mark reference points when the aircraft was physically in position on the runway. The sorties proved that requirement obsolete. The technology and 556th TES-derived tactics are ready today for the aircraft to divert to a foreign field where an MQ-9 has never been before, and there is no longer a requirement for specialized infrastructure to land the unmanned aerial vehicle.

“We’re taking up the chief of staff of the Air Force’s charge to accelerate change,” stated Lt. Col. Michael Chmielewski, 556th TES commander. “This is a clear win and I couldn’t be prouder of the team that put this test together, this quickly, to include the support we received from Air Force Special Operations Command and the 27th Special Operations Wing at Cannon (AFB), as well as Air Education and Training Command and the 49th Wing at Holloman (AFB). Their support and patience made the impact of this test what it needed to be and we are grateful for the opportunity to work with them.”

According to Chmielewski, the ATLC capability will shift the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Enterprise’s mindset. It sets the enterprise up to become more agile with the next scheduled software release in spring 2022.

556th Test and Evaluation Squadron

Photos by photo by A1C Jessica Sanchez

Posted in Air Force, Aviation, Guest Post, UAS | Comments Off on MQ-9 Agile Combat Employment: A Big Step Closer to Reality