The Next Fighter Engine
John Sneden, Propulsion Directorate director, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, on plans for engines for the Next-Generation Air Dominance fighter, at Air Force Life Cycle Industry Days, July 29. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said the service is taking a “pause” on the NGAD program to see if there are more ways to reduce the fighter’s cost.
Cost is going to be a significant variable. … You could do a lower-cost engine and actually use something that’s available today, … or you go into something that’s brand-new. …Both of those variables are going to be determined by the final requirements of the system. …The program we have for NGAP [Next-Generation Adaptive Propulsion] is actually agnostic of any platform out there. What we’re really trying to do is put great propulsion options on the shelf for the warfighter … to help inform and give options for the future. … It takes us about 10 to 15 years to get new propulsion technology on the shelf, which means that we have to lean into this right now.
War Games
Joesph Borrell, European Union (EU) High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy [Aug. 23].What is happening in Ukraine will determine the geopolitical future of Europe. … We must think about Ukraine when we become participants in the game. We are part of this game. We are not a party to the war, but we are part of the conflict, and how this conflict is resolved will affect peace and our security.
En Guard
Former President Donald J. Trump, addressing the National Guard Association of the United States, Aug. 26.One of my proudest achievements in my first term was to create Space Force, the first new branch of the armed forces in over 70 years; it’s a big deal. Now that Space Force is up and running, I agree with your leadership—you want this very badly—but I agree that the time has come to create a Space National Guard as the primary combat reserve of the U.S. Space Force. So as President, I will sign historic legislation creating a Space National Guard.
No More B-1 Resurrections
Joseph Stupic, Senior Materiel Leader, B-1 Bomber Division, press conference at Air Force Life Cycle Industry Days, July 29, discussing a replacement for a B-1 that crashed at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., in January. The service retired 17 of its 62 B-1s to the Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Mont., “Boneyard” three years ago, setting a new force of 45, but in recent months has regenerated two of those aircraft to replace aircraft that were condemned after accidents.We have not been asked to resurrect another one to replace the loss at Ellsworth. I don’t believe we will be asked. I think the Air Force HAF [Headquarters, Air Force] is happy with the 44 number, not the 45 number, so I don’t think we’ll be asked that, and I think we’re going to have a fleet of 44 going forward.
Ace In The Hole
Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David W. Allvin speaking to a reporter’s roundtable in the Pentagon [Aug. 22].
I would feel more confident if we had a more robust, active base defense, quite frankly. … If we can’t have [air defenses] at every space, we want to be able to decide where to place them” and also ensure some are mobile. … The old school things of camouflage, concealment and deception are still alive and well, we just need to upgrade them to a 21st century context.
Bad To Worse
Brandon Wales, former executive director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, on Chinese government-backed hackers penetrating U.S. internet service providers to spy on usersIt is business as usual now for China, but that is dramatically stepped up from where it used to be.
It is an order of magnitude worse.
[The Washington Post,
Aug. 27].