Radar Sweep
Arizona Lawmakers Vow to Fight Air Force Plan to Retire Some Older A-10s
Arizona lawmakers are vowing to fight a plan by the Air Force to start retiring some of the nation’s fleet of A-10 Thunderbolt II ground-attack jets—a major operation at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base—as part of a plan to drop some older, legacy weapon systems to help pay for new programs.
F-35 Gets Thumbs Up from Singapore’s Air Chief
Singapore’s Air Force chief has given his vote of confidence in the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jet amid the country’s efforts to buy new fifth-generation aircraft. However, he acknowledged that challenges still remain in the acquisition process, particularly in regard to logistics.
Air Force to Kick Off E4-B Replacement Competition in 2021
The Air Force intends to issue the first contracts for replacing the venerable E-4B “Doomsday” plane in 2021, with a budget of $76.4 million—more than six times the $12.7 million approved by Congress in 2020.
Northrop Grumman to Develop Jam-Resistant Payload for U.S. Military Communications Satellites
Northrop Grumman was awarded a $253.5 million contract by the Space Force to develop a cyber-secure communications payload that could be deployed on a military or commercial satellite. The Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center announced Feb. 12 that Northrop Grumman was the first vendor selected to build a prototype payload under the Protected Tactical Satellite Communications (PTS) program that the U.S. Air Force started in 2018.
Opinion: Hackers Could Shut Down Satellites—or Turn Them into Weapons
“Amid all the fanfare, a critical danger has flown under the radar: the lack of cybersecurity standards and regulations for commercial satellites, in the U.S. and internationally,” writes William Akoto, a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Denver. “As a scholar who studies cyber conflict, I’m keenly aware that this, coupled with satellites’ complex supply chains and layers of stakeholders, leaves them highly vulnerable to cyberattacks.”
14th FTW Innovation Flight Augments Pilot Training through VR Technology
Columbus Air Force Base’s innovation flight has continued its efforts to integrate virtual reality technology into pilot training, creating quality pilots for the Air Force faster. The innovation flight created a flexible syllabus containing the essential building block approach of basic mission elements to accommodate each student’s different learning habits while still hitting the intangible aspects of a successful aviator.
Defense Secretary Defends Proposed Stars and Stripes Funding Cuts
During a news conference at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, Defense Secretary Mark Esper responds to a question about the decision to cut federal funding for Stars and Stripes in favor of other priorities, including nuclear programs and hypersonic missiles.
Commander in Chief Congratulates Air Force’s Newest Members at Daytona 500
The Total Force mass enlistment took place on stage in the center of the track at the Daytona 500. Lt. Gen. Brad Webb, Air Education and Training commander, conducted the oath to the Air Force’s newest members. Moments later the group moved to a private gathering where the President gave a brief speech before the race.
Video: Falcon Stadium Honors WWII Vet
Retired Col. Oliver “Ollie” Cellini, who at 107-years-old is Colorado’s oldest living World War II veteran, was honored before the L.A. Kings and Colorado Avalanche game at Falcon Stadium on Feb. 15. The Air Force Academy’s all-male a Cappella group, In the Stairwell, also sang the National Anthem.