HTML Version <!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en"><head><title>‘Hunter-Killer’ Small Sats? | B-1 Crash Report | CV-22 Pulled from Japan Exercise</title><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1, shrink-to-fit=no"><meta http-equiv="X-UA-Compatible" content="IE=9; IE=8; IE=7; IE=EDGE" /><style type="text/css">body { margin: 0 !important; } #overall-container table { max-width: 680px !important; } @media only screen and (max-width: 480px) { body { width:100% !important; min-width:100% !important; } table, td { max-width: 100% !important; } table#email-container { width: 100% !important; } img { max-width: 100% !important; height: auto !important; } .bodytext, h2.article-title { margin: 0.8em !important; } .article-hr { margin: 1.0em 0.5em !important; } .footer-small p, .footer-small a { font-size: 0.4em !important; } .wp-post-image { margin: 0.3em 0 !important; } .editors-note { padding: 0.5em 0.8em !important; } }</style></head><body><table id="overall-container" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td align="center"><table id="email-container" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" style="width: 680px;"><tbody><tr><td><a href="https://www.baesystems.com/en-us/product/eagle-passive-active-warning-survivability-system-epawss?utm_campaign=BAE+Marketing+24+EW+2024&utm_source=AFA+daily+report&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=eNewsletter&utm_term=From+lab+to+field+we+deliver" target="_blank"><img width="680" height="90" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/06/BAE_June24_DR_680x90.jpg"></a></td></tr><tr class="logo"><td align="center"><img style="margin: 0;" alt="airforcemag daily report logo" height="92" width="450" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/Image/AFM_Daily_Report.jpg"></td></tr><tr class="date"><td align="center"><p class="bodytext" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #1E4A85; font-weight: bold; margin: 0 0 .8em !important;">July 26, 2024</p></td></tr><tr class="date"><td align="center"><p class="article-author" style="font-size: 0.8em; text-align: center; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #666666; font-weight: normal; margin: 0 0 0.8em;">Edited by Greg Hadley with Chris Gordon, Unshin Lee Harpley, David Roza and John A. Tirpak</p></td></tr><tr class="view-in-browser"><td align="center"><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/daily-report/20240726/" style="background: #3F6EB2; border-radius: 9px; color: #ffffff; text-decoration: none; padding: 0.8em 2em; display: inline-block; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: .7em; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 1em;" target="_blank">View In Browser</a></td></tr><tr class="featured-image"><td align="center"><img width="680" height="511" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-25-at-11.48.43-AM.png" class="attachment-680x9999 size-680x9999 wp-post-image" alt="" style="width: 100%; height: auto; margin: 0.8em 0 0.1em;" decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" srcset="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-25-at-11.48.43-AM.png 1268w, https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-25-at-11.48.43-AM-300x225.png 300w, https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-25-at-11.48.43-AM-1024x769.png 1024w, https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-25-at-11.48.43-AM-768x577.png 768w, https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-25-at-11.48.43-AM-550x413.png 550w, https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-25-at-11.48.43-AM-599x450.png 599w, https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-25-at-11.48.43-AM-250x188.png 250w, https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/07/Screenshot-2024-07-25-at-11.48.43-AM-1000x751.png 1000w" sizes="(max-width: 680px) 100vw, 680px" /><em style='display: block; font-size: 0.8em; margin-bottom: 0.6em'>The Final Resting Place of a B-1 bomber that crashed at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., in January. Image from Air Force Accident Investigation Board report</em></td></tr><tr class="article"><td><h2 class="article-title" style="font-size: 1.1em; text-align: center; margin: 0; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0.8em 0"><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/new-report-aircrew-mistakes-unhealthy-culture-b-1-crash/" style="text-decoration: none; color: #222222;">New Report: Many Failures in $450 Million B-1 Crash ‘Not a One-Time Occurrence’ Among Units</a></h2><p class="article-author" style="font-size: 0.8em; text-align: center; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #666666; font-weight: normal; margin: 0.8em 0;">By Chris Gordon</p><p class="bodytext" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin: 0; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7;">A high-profile crash of a B-1B Lancer at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., earlier this year destroyed the $450 million bomber and was caused by a cascading series of aircrew missteps, overlooked information, and an overall lax culture in units at the base, according to an Air Force accident investigation report released July 25. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr class="article-hr" style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #aaaaaa; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr class="article"><td><h2 class="article-title" style="font-size: 1.1em; text-align: center; margin: 0; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0.8em 0"><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/analysts-envision-new-roles-space-force-small-satellites/" style="text-decoration: none; color: #222222;">Bodyguards, Hunter-Killers and More: Analysts Envision New, Expanded Roles for Small Satellites</a></h2><p class="article-author" style="font-size: 0.8em; text-align: center; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #666666; font-weight: normal; margin: 0.8em 0;">By Greg Hadley</p><p class="bodytext" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin: 0; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7;">In October 2022, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration Frank Calvelli released his nine “tenets” of space acquisition, meant to guide the future of the Space Force’s capabilities. His very first step: Build smaller satellites. Nearly two years later, the service has made some progress in embracing so-called “small sats,” but there is still plenty to do—and possible ways to use small satellites that at least publicly the Space Force has not taken, according to a new report from the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. </p></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><a href="https://www.prattwhitney.com/en/products/military-engines/f135/engine-core-upgrade?utm_medium=email&utm_source=a&sf_daily_report&utm_campaign=pratt-whitney-military-engines-f135-ecu&utm_content=countless-solutions"><img width="680" height="265" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/04/PW_May2024_F135-ECU_CountlessSolutions_PWBranded_680x265.jpg" style="margin: 1.1em 0;"></a></td></tr><tr class="article"><td><h2 class="article-title" style="font-size: 1.1em; text-align: center; margin: 0; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0.8em 0"><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/military-times-editorial-staff-layoffs/" style="text-decoration: none; color: #222222;">Latest Cuts at Military Times Accelerates Decline of News Source to Airmen, Guardians</a></h2><p class="article-author" style="font-size: 0.8em; text-align: center; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #666666; font-weight: normal; margin: 0.8em 0;">By David Roza</p><p class="bodytext" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin: 0; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7;">Recent layoffs at Sightline Media Group are a blow for service members who rely on its staff for both day-to-day news and independent oversight of the military. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr class="article-hr" style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #aaaaaa; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr class="article"><td><h2 class="article-title" style="font-size: 1.1em; text-align: center; margin: 0; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0.8em 0"><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-pulls-cv-22-osprey-planned-exercise-japan/" style="text-decoration: none; color: #222222;">Air Force Pulls CV-22 Osprey from Exercise with Japan to Focus on ‘Internal Training’</a></h2><p class="article-author" style="font-size: 0.8em; text-align: center; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #666666; font-weight: normal; margin: 0.8em 0;">By Unshin Lee Harpley</p><p class="bodytext" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin: 0; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7;">Yokota Air Base will not fly its CV-22 Ospreys in a joint training exercise between U.S. and Japanese forces starting this weekend. U.S. Marine Corps and Japan Self-Defense Force Ospreys will participate in the exercise from July 28 to Aug 7.</p></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><a href="https://www.usaa.com/join"><img width="680" height="265" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/07/USAA_DR_July2024_BrandEvergreen_Family_680x265.jpg" style="margin: 1.1em 0;"></a></td></tr><tr class="article"><td><h2 class="article-title" style="font-size: 1.1em; text-align: center; margin: 0; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0.8em 0"><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/greece-to-buy-f-35s/" style="text-decoration: none; color: #222222;">Greece to Buy Up to 40 F-35s, Growing Fighter’s European Footprint</a></h2><p class="article-author" style="font-size: 0.8em; text-align: center; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #666666; font-weight: normal; margin: 0.8em 0;">By John A. Tirpak</p><p class="bodytext" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin: 0; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7;">Greece is acquiring at least 20 F-35s in a deal valued at $3.5 billion but could double that number with options. It will continue upgrading some of its F-16s but sell some off, possibly to Ukraine, and offer its French Mirage 2000s and Rafales to other countries, as well. </p></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><a href="https://gdmissionsystems.com/products/encryption/data-at-rest-encryption/protecdar-multi-platform-encryptor-kg-204?utm_source=afa.org&utm_medium=display-advertising&utm_campaign=kg-204-campaign&utm_content=daily-report"><img width="680" height="265" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/06/GDMS_July2024_DR.png" style="margin: 1.1em 0;"></a></td></tr><tr class="row-spacer" height="25"><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="center" class="radar-sweep" style="background-color: #F4F5F9;"><table id="radar-sweep" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" valign="top" width="90%"></tbody><tr class="row-spacer" height="24"><td> </td></tr><tr class="title""><td align="center"><h3 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.3em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold;">Radar Sweep</h3></td></tr><tr class="row-spacer" height=12><td> </td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">General Atomics Could Fly First CCA Prototype in Mid-2025: Aeronautics President </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://breakingdefense.com/2024/07/general-atomics-could-fly-first-cca-prototype-in-mid-2025-aeronautics-president/" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Breaking Defense</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">General Atomics’s first prototype for the U.S. Air Force’s autonomous combat drone program could start flight tests as early as mid-2025, the head of its aeronautics division told Breaking Defense in a recent interview. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Pentagon to Test Whether Counter-Drone Systems Can Operate Effectively Under Electronic Attack </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://defensescoop.com/2024/07/25/pentagon-test-counter-drone-systems-operate-electromagnetic-environment/" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">DefenseScoop</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">The Defense Department wants to see whether industry’s drone killers can get the job done while operating in a contested electromagnetic environment. The technical demonstration, slated to be conducted early next year, will be overseen by the Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office (JCO), according to a new sources-sought notice. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Space Force Missile Warning Competition Robust Despite RTX Exit </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://www.defensenews.com/space/2024/07/25/space-force-missile-warning-competition-robust-despite-rtx-exit/" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Defense News</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">After canceling its contract with RTX to build three missile tracking satellites, cutting its existing contractor pool from three companies to two, the Space Force is confident it can retain competition on the program moving forward. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Akima Lands $480 Million Space Force Contract to Modernize Satellite Control Network </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://spacenews.com/akima-lands-480-million-space-force-contract-to-modernize-satellite-control-network/" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">SpaceNews</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">The U.S. Space Force awarded Akima’s subsidiary Five Rivers Analytics a $480 million 10-year contract to support and modernize the Satellite Control Network—a decades-old system of 19 globally distributed parabolic antennas spread across several locations worldwide. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">F-35’s Price Might Rise, Lockheed Warns </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://www.defenseone.com/business/2024/07/f-35s-price-might-rise-lockheed-warns/398323/" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Defense One</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">The price tag for F-35 Lightning II jets has been coming down for years, but that might not be the case in the production lots now being negotiated, Lockheed Martin officials said. Lockheed will be “challenged” to keep the price of an F-35 under the rate of inflation in the next contract for lots 18 and 19, according to Greg Ulmer, head of Lockheed aeronautics. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><a href="https://www.marvintest.com/Landing/Smartcan" target="_blank"><img width="300" height="250" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/05/MarvinTest_May7th_DR.png"></a></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">A Boom in Space-Based Intelligence Is Coming. Can Ground Networks Keep Up? </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2024/07/boom-space-based-intelligence-coming-can-ground-networks-keep/398356/" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Defense One</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">A flood of space-based intelligence is heading toward U.S. networks as satellite constellations grow and new sensors come online—not just photos, but radar, thermal, and radio data. But to properly exploit it will take new tools, new tech, and even new ways of working with contractors, the head of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency says. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">North Korean Charged in Cyberattacks on US Hospitals, NASA and Military Bases </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-hacker-military-intelligence-hospitals-b3153dc0ad16652a80a9263856d63444" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">The Associated Press</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">A North Korean military intelligence operative has been indicted in a conspiracy to hack into American health care providers, NASA, U.S. military bases, and international entities, stealing sensitive information and installing ransomware to fund more attacks, federal prosecutors announced July 25. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Destroying Drones Before Launch Is Becoming a Major Mission for US Special Operators </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://www.twz.com/air/destroying-drones-before-launch-is-becoming-a-major-mission-for-u-s-special-operators" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">The War Zone</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">The U.S. military is concerned about its ability to defeat very high-volume drone attacks in the future, including in a large-scale conflict, such as one in the Pacific against China. So U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is now tasked with preparing to execute so-called “left-of-launch” counter-drone missions to destroy enemy uncrewed aircraft or otherwise disrupt their operations before they can leave the ground. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Junior Enlisted Troops to Get $120 Bonus to Combat Economic Hardships </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2024-07-25/military-junior-enlisted-troops-bonus-pay-food-housing-14592955.html" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Stars and Stripes</a> <em style="font-size: 0.8em;">(Subscription Required)</em></p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">Junior enlisted troops will get $20 added to their paychecks for the next six months through a congressionally authorized pot of money intended to help fight the rising cost of living for the lowest paid in the military. Congress provided $43 million to the Defense Department for this purpose and required the money go to troops below E-6 ranks and the funds be spent before the end of the year. </p></td></tr><tr><td><hr style="border: none; border-top: 1px solid #dddddd; margin: 1.6em 0;"></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><h2 style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 1.1em; color: #222222; font-weight: bold; margin: 0;">Air Force Eyes $13B B-52J Price Tag, Formal Cost Estimate to Be Locked in September </h2><p><a class="radar-link" href="https://insidedefense.com/daily-news/air-force-eyes-13b-b-52j-price-tag-formal-cost-estimate-be-locked-september" style="color: #214a86; font-size: 1em; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" target="_blank">Inside Defense</a> <em style="font-size: 0.8em;">(Subscription Required)</em></p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; color: #555555; line-height: 1.7; margin: 0;">The latest preview of the B-52 Commercial Engine Replacement Program indicates the project will carry a nearly $13 billion price tag when the Air Force this fall establishes a formal cost and schedule for the effort to extend the service life of the Cold War-era bombers by giving the fleet a new power plant. </p></td></tr><tr><td><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="dark-block" style="margin: 1em 0; background: #F4F5F9;" valign="top" width="100%"><tbody><tr class="row-spacer" height="25"><td style="background: #1f2a39; border-color: #1f2a39; border-top-right-radius: 9px; border-top-left-radius: 9px;"> </td></tr><tr><td style="background: #1f2a39;" align="center"><table width="90%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tbody><tr><td align="left"><h3 style="font-size: 1em; color: #dddddd; margin: 0; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0.8em; font-weight: normal">One More Thing</h3><h2 style="font-size: 1em; color: #eeeeee; margin: 0; font-family: Georgia, serif; letter-spacing: 0.01em;">Remains of Airman Killed in Vietnam War Attack on Secret CIA Radar Base in Laos Identified </h2><p class="bodytext-radar"><a style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 1em; color: #dddddd; font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: 0.03em; text-decoration: underline #bbbbbb solid;" href="https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/07/25/remains-of-airman-killed-vietnam-war-attack-secret-cia-radar-base-laos-identified.html" target="_blank">Military.com</a> </p><p class="bodytext-radar" style="font-size: 1em; font-family: Georgia, serif; margin: 0; color: #eeeeee; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: 0.01em;">The remains of an Air Force sergeant who died defending a top-secret radar site on a mountaintop in Laos during the Vietnam War have been identified and located, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced this week. Sgt. David S. Price, 26, of Centralia, Wash., who died in 1968, was stationed at Lima Site 85—a highly covert tactical air navigation radar site on the remote, nearly 6,000-foot-high mountain peak known as Phou Pha Thi in Houaphan Province, Laos. </p></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr class="row-spacer" height="25"><td style="background: #1f2a39; border-color: #1f2a39; border-bottom-left-radius: 9px; border-bottom-right-radius: 9px;"> </td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><a href="https://www.afainsure.com/coverages/other-plans/AFA-Disaster-Insurance" target="_blank"><img width="680" height="265" style="margin: 0.8em 0;" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/app/uploads/2024/06/Forrest-Jones_July2024_DR_680x265v2.png"></a></td></tr><tr><td align="center" style="padding: 1.1em 0 1em; text-align: center; background: #2d3d44;"><table width="100%" cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 border=0><tbody><tr class="footer-logo"><td align="center"><img width="171" style="margin-bottom: 0.8em;" src="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/Image/ASF_mag_logo_white.png"></td></tr><tr class="footer-nav"><td align="center" style="color: #cccccc; font-size: 0.9em;"><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/daily-report/" style="font-size: 0.9em; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Daily Report</a> | <a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/contact-us/" style="font-size: 0.9em; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Contact Us</a> | <a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/advertise/" style="font-size: 0.9em; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Advertise</a> | <a href="https://www.afa.org/join/" style="font-size: 0.9em; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Join AFA</a> | <a href="https://www.afa.org" style="font-size: 0.9em; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Air & Space Forces Association</a> | <a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com/reprint-permission/" style="font-size: 0.9em; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #fff; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" target="_blank">Reprints</a></td></tr></tbody></table></td></tr><tr><td align="center"><p style="margin: 0.8em 0 0;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/ASForcesMag" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn2.iconfinder.com/data/icons/social-icons-33/128/Facebook-512.png" width="33"></a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ASForcesMag" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn0.iconfinder.com/data/icons/social-network-7/50/4-512.png" width="35"></a></p></td></tr><tr class="footer-small"><td align="center"><p style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #555555; font-size: 0.6em; margin: 0.8em 0">Published by the Air & Space Forces Association.<br/><a href="https://www.airandspaceforces.com" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: #214a86; font-size: 1em;" target="_blank">airandspaceforces.com</a> material is under copyright by the Air & Space Forces Association. 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Plaintext Version Air & Space Forces Magazine Daily Report for July 26, 2024 View in your Web Browser: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/daily-report/20240726/ Edited by Greg Hadley with Chris Gordon, Unshin Lee Harpley, David Roza and John A. Tirpak -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Advertisement ] https://www.baesystems.com/en-us/product/eagle-passive-active-warning-survivability-system-epawss?utm_campaign=BAE+Marketing+24+EW+2024&utm_source=AFA+daily+report&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=eNewsletter&utm_term=From+lab+to+field+we+deliver -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- New Report: Many Failures in $450 Million B-1 Crash ‘Not a One-Time Occurrence’ Among Units By Chris Gordon A high-profile crash of a B-1B Lancer at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., earlier this year destroyed the $450 million bomber and was caused by a cascading series of aircrew missteps, overlooked information, and an overall lax culture in units at the base, according to an Air Force accident investigation report released July 25. https://www.airandspaceforces.com/new-report-aircrew-mistakes-unhealthy-culture-b-1-crash/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bodyguards, Hunter-Killers and More: Analysts Envision New, Expanded Roles for Small Satellites By Greg Hadley In October 2022, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for space acquisition and integration Frank Calvelli released his nine “tenets” of space acquisition, meant to guide the future of the Space Force’s capabilities. His very first step: Build smaller satellites. Nearly two years later, the service has made some progress in embracing so-called “small sats,” but there is still plenty to do—and possible ways to use small satellites that at least publicly the Space Force has not taken, according to a new report from the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. https://www.airandspaceforces.com/analysts-envision-new-roles-space-force-small-satellites/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Advertisement ] https://www.prattwhitney.com/en/products/military-engines/f135/engine-core-upgrade?utm_medium=email&utm_source=a&sf_daily_report&utm_campaign=pratt-whitney-military-engines-f135-ecu&utm_content=countless-solutions -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Latest Cuts at Military Times Accelerates Decline of News Source to Airmen, Guardians By David Roza Recent layoffs at Sightline Media Group are a blow for service members who rely on its staff for both day-to-day news and independent oversight of the military. https://www.airandspaceforces.com/military-times-editorial-staff-layoffs/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air Force Pulls CV-22 Osprey from Exercise with Japan to Focus on ‘Internal Training’ By Unshin Lee Harpley Yokota Air Base will not fly its CV-22 Ospreys in a joint training exercise between U.S. and Japanese forces starting this weekend. U.S. Marine Corps and Japan Self-Defense Force Ospreys will participate in the exercise from July 28 to Aug 7. https://www.airandspaceforces.com/air-force-pulls-cv-22-osprey-planned-exercise-japan/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Advertisement ] https://www.usaa.com/join -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Greece to Buy Up to 40 F-35s, Growing Fighter’s European Footprint By John A. Tirpak Greece is acquiring at least 20 F-35s in a deal valued at $3.5 billion but could double that number with options. It will continue upgrading some of its F-16s but sell some off, possibly to Ukraine, and offer its French Mirage 2000s and Rafales to other countries, as well. https://www.airandspaceforces.com/greece-to-buy-f-35s/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Advertisement ] https://gdmissionsystems.com/products/encryption/data-at-rest-encryption/protecdar-multi-platform-encryptor-kg-204?utm_source=afa.org&utm_medium=display-advertising&utm_campaign=kg-204-campaign&utm_content=daily-report -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Radar Sweep -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- General Atomics Could Fly First CCA Prototype in Mid-2025: Aeronautics President General Atomics’s first prototype for the U.S. Air Force’s autonomous combat drone program could start flight tests as early as mid-2025, the head of its aeronautics division told Breaking Defense in a recent interview. https://breakingdefense.com/2024/07/general-atomics-could-fly-first-cca-prototype-in-mid-2025-aeronautics-president/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Pentagon to Test Whether Counter-Drone Systems Can Operate Effectively Under Electronic Attack The Defense Department wants to see whether industry’s drone killers can get the job done while operating in a contested electromagnetic environment. The technical demonstration, slated to be conducted early next year, will be overseen by the Joint Counter-small Unmanned Aircraft Systems Office (JCO), according to a new sources-sought notice. https://defensescoop.com/2024/07/25/pentagon-test-counter-drone-systems-operate-electromagnetic-environment/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Space Force Missile Warning Competition Robust Despite RTX Exit After canceling its contract with RTX to build three missile tracking satellites, cutting its existing contractor pool from three companies to two, the Space Force is confident it can retain competition on the program moving forward. https://www.defensenews.com/space/2024/07/25/space-force-missile-warning-competition-robust-despite-rtx-exit/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Akima Lands $480 Million Space Force Contract to Modernize Satellite Control Network The U.S. Space Force awarded Akima’s subsidiary Five Rivers Analytics a $480 million 10-year contract to support and modernize the Satellite Control Network—a decades-old system of 19 globally distributed parabolic antennas spread across several locations worldwide. https://spacenews.com/akima-lands-480-million-space-force-contract-to-modernize-satellite-control-network/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- F-35’s Price Might Rise, Lockheed Warns The price tag for F-35 Lightning II jets has been coming down for years, but that might not be the case in the production lots now being negotiated, Lockheed Martin officials said. Lockheed will be “challenged” to keep the price of an F-35 under the rate of inflation in the next contract for lots 18 and 19, according to Greg Ulmer, head of Lockheed aeronautics. https://www.defenseone.com/business/2024/07/f-35s-price-might-rise-lockheed-warns/398323/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Advertisement ] https://www.marvintest.com/Landing/Smartcan -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Boom in Space-Based Intelligence Is Coming. Can Ground Networks Keep Up? A flood of space-based intelligence is heading toward U.S. networks as satellite constellations grow and new sensors come online—not just photos, but radar, thermal, and radio data. But to properly exploit it will take new tools, new tech, and even new ways of working with contractors, the head of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency says. https://www.defenseone.com/technology/2024/07/boom-space-based-intelligence-coming-can-ground-networks-keep/398356/ -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- North Korean Charged in Cyberattacks on US Hospitals, NASA and Military Bases A North Korean military intelligence operative has been indicted in a conspiracy to hack into American health care providers, NASA, U.S. military bases, and international entities, stealing sensitive information and installing ransomware to fund more attacks, federal prosecutors announced July 25. https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-hacker-military-intelligence-hospitals-b3153dc0ad16652a80a9263856d63444 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Destroying Drones Before Launch Is Becoming a Major Mission for US Special Operators The U.S. military is concerned about its ability to defeat very high-volume drone attacks in the future, including in a large-scale conflict, such as one in the Pacific against China. So U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) is now tasked with preparing to execute so-called “left-of-launch” counter-drone missions to destroy enemy uncrewed aircraft or otherwise disrupt their operations before they can leave the ground. https://www.twz.com/air/destroying-drones-before-launch-is-becoming-a-major-mission-for-u-s-special-operators -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Junior Enlisted Troops to Get $120 Bonus to Combat Economic Hardships Junior enlisted troops will get $20 added to their paychecks for the next six months through a congressionally authorized pot of money intended to help fight the rising cost of living for the lowest paid in the military. Congress provided $43 million to the Defense Department for this purpose and required the money go to troops below E-6 ranks and the funds be spent before the end of the year. https://www.stripes.com/theaters/us/2024-07-25/military-junior-enlisted-troops-bonus-pay-food-housing-14592955.html (Subscription Required) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Air Force Eyes $13B B-52J Price Tag, Formal Cost Estimate to Be Locked in September The latest preview of the B-52 Commercial Engine Replacement Program indicates the project will carry a nearly $13 billion price tag when the Air Force this fall establishes a formal cost and schedule for the effort to extend the service life of the Cold War-era bombers by giving the fleet a new power plant. https://insidedefense.com/daily-news/air-force-eyes-13b-b-52j-price-tag-formal-cost-estimate-be-locked-september (Subscription Required) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- One More Thing... Remains of Airman Killed in Vietnam War Attack on Secret CIA Radar Base in Laos Identified The remains of an Air Force sergeant who died defending a top-secret radar site on a mountaintop in Laos during the Vietnam War have been identified and located, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency announced this week. Sgt. David S. Price, 26, of Centralia, Wash., who died in 1968, was stationed at Lima Site 85—a highly covert tactical air navigation radar site on the remote, nearly 6,000-foot-high mountain peak known as Phou Pha Thi in Houaphan Province, Laos. https://www.military.com/daily-news/2024/07/25/remains-of-airman-killed-vietnam-war-attack-secret-cia-radar-base-laos-identified.html -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [ Advertisement ] https://www.afainsure.com/coverages/other-plans/AFA-Disaster-Insurance -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - Daily Report: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/daily-report/ - Contact Us: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/contact-us/ - Advertise With Us: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/advertise/ - Purchase/Reprint: https://www.airandspaceforces.com/reprint-permission/ - Air & Space Forces Assoc.: https://www.afa.org - Join AFA: https://www.afa.org/join/ - A&SF Mag on Facebook: https://facebook.com/ASForcesMag - A&SF Mag on Twitter: https://twitter.com/ASForcesMag -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Published by the Air & Space Forces Association All airandspaceforces.com material is under copyright of the Air & Space Forces Association. 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