Breaking Defense
Congress once again denied the service’s request to retire the A-10 Warthog, but in the FY22 National Defense Authorization Act the Air Force will be allowed to retire more than 160 legacy aircraft of other types, helping to free up funding for new technologies.
Air Force Times
An F-35A instructor pilot’s nighttime refueling lesson early this year turned into a midair nightmare when he struggled to see nearby jets and grew disoriented from his helmet’s so-called “green glow.” The problem led to an investigation that found the $400,000 helmet was poorly designed or unsuitable for missions in the Air Force’s premiere fighter jet, according to a safety report obtained by Air Force Times. Despite the risks on display that night, the Air Force hasn’t yet joined the Navy and Marine Corps in updating the helmets for its version of the F-35 Lightning II. If it does, the earliest the new gear could arrive is in 2023.
Air Force Times
Four years into an experiment to let enlisted airmen fly reconnaissance drones, the Air Force is signaling plans to wind down the program.The proposed change — outlined in a Nov. 29 letter from Chief of Staff Gen. Charles “CQ” Brown and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne Bass—would reroute the careers of about 75 enlisted airmen who fly the RQ-4 Global Hawk, one of the military’s most in-demand platforms.
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The New York Times
President Joe Biden warned President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on Dec. 7 that an invasion of Ukraine would result in heavy economic penalties for him and lead NATO to reposition its troops in Europe, measures that he said would go well beyond the West’s response to Russia’s annexation of Crimea seven years ago.
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Reuters
In the first reaction by a senior Ukrainian official about Tuesday's video call between Biden and Putin, Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba welcomed U.S. efforts to bring Russia to the negotiating table, saying they had enabled "deterrence and de-escalation".
Military.com
Loosened Air Force dress and appearance standards have taken effect, giving Airmen license to put their hands in their pockets and talk on cellphones while walking, among other changes. The rules, which were implemented on Dec. 3, also allow men an extra half-inch bulk of hair or cosmetic scalp tattoos "to create a natural hair appearance" to compensate for thinning hair.
Air Force Magazine
The engines that power the Air Force are the best in the world. But as technology continues to evolve, new improvements promise greater power, range, and other capabilities. Read the latest on advances in aircraft engines and propulsion technology.
Task and Purpose
The Air Force relieved an officer of command who served separation paperwork to an Airman in a mental health clinic for treatment after a suicide attempt, and retaliated against an Airman’s spouse.
nextgov.com
The Space Force is in the market for six low-cost, free-flying satellites that could transmit and receive information across multiple frequency bands in a geostationary orbit—as soon as April 2022.
News9.com
The American Federal of Government Employees (AFGE) Local 2586, which represents civilian employees of the U.S. Department of Defense at Altus Air Force Base in Oklahoma, along with three other individuals filed the lawsuit last week in federal district court. The lawsuit, led by attorney Rachel Bussett, claims the mandate violates the fifth and tenth amendments of the U.S. Constitution.
Defense One
The U.S. military is “in a slow-boil crisis” because of Russian and Chinese technology development, particularly in areas such hypersonics, computing, and AI, Lt. Gen. Scott Berrier, the head of the Defense Intelligence Agency, or DIA, said Monday.
USAF release
In the coming year, Joint Base San Antonio will hold numerous events to celebrate the U.S. Air Force’s 75th anniversary, and as part of the celebration, this week the 12th Flying Training Wing helped a Tuskegee Airman, retired Brig. Gen. Charles E. McGee, celebrate his 102nd birthday. McGee, and several members of his family, visited JBSA Dec. 6 and were treated to a heritage tour of the 99th Flying Training Squadron, where they also saw a T-1A Jayhawk on the nearby flightline with his name painted on the side.
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The New York Times
Putin believes that Ukraine—a country of 44 million people that was previously part of the Soviet Union—should be subservient to Russia. The two countries share a 1,200-mile border as well as cultural and linguistic ties. But instead of aligning itself with Russia, Ukraine has shifted toward the West, including the toppling of a Putin-backed leader in 2014. Ukraine’s current president, Volodymyr Zelensky, has pushed back against Russia’s attempts to expand its influence.
One More Thing
Dayton Daily News
The Air Force Materiel Command History Office has captured 75 years of Air Force highlights with a brand-new traveling heritage display. “I tried to capture overlooked people, places, and things such as lesser-known aircraft, and this display offers many surprises that will instill Air Force Blue within all of us,” said AFMC Historian Jack Waid, project lead. The U.S. Air Force turns 75 years old on Sept. 18, 2022, and the new exhibit showcases significant events throughout the service’s history.
