Air Force Times
Air Force leaders are sifting through a list of proposed changes to how Airmen are assigned new jobs and may announce some updates by the end of September. After about a year at work, a panel of Airmen from across the service has floated more than 90 suggestions for assignment reform. Now it’s up to the Air Force’s personnel branch, the Air Force’s top enlisted leader, and other officials to bring some of them to fruition.
Military.com
Valerie Schmitz, wife of F-16 pilot David Schmitz, has filed a federal civil lawsuit against defense giant Lockheed Martin, Collins Aerospace, and several sections of Teledyne Technologies, alleging that components of her husband's ejection seat may have been counterfeit, leading to his death in a training accident June 30, 2020. Lockheed Martin manufactures the F-16 that Schmitz flew; Collins Aerospace builds the ACES II ejection seat system on the aircraft; and Teledyne Technologies makes the digital recovery sequencer for the system.
Defense One
Because of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, at least 5,000 women per year working for the Defense Department are expected to face challenges when seeking abortions under new state laws, RAND analysts predicted in a new paper, concluding that it’s “logical” to believe more women will leave the military. The study is one of the most notable attempts yet to analyze or determine what impact the court’s decision will have on military readiness.
The Drive
A seemingly never-ending procession of F-16 and F-35 fighter jets taxi out, depart, and recover at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona each working day. The scale of the air power training operation at this sprawling air base near Phoenix is awe-inspiring. “Luke is the largest fighter wing in the world, and it also has the largest ops wing in the world,” said Lt. Col. Jason “Trunk” Bartels, chief of integration at the resident 56th Fighter Wing.
Breaking Defense
The Pentagon announced $1.2 billion in new investments into biomanufacturing, which it hopes will help lessen the impact of supply chain squeezes and “enhance” everything from hypersonic weapons to submarines. “The Department recognizes biotechnology as a Critical Technology Area that will change the way the DoD develops new capabilities, conducts missions, and adapts to major global changes,” said Heidi Shyu, undersecretary of defense for research and engineering.
Defense News
The Space Development Agency’s first major launch will be delayed until at least December due in part to supply chain issues and protests over contract awards. The mission was scheduled to launch Sept. 29 from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California and would have included a mix of missile tracking and data relay satellites—all part of the first batch of SDA capability, dubbed “Tranche 0.”
SpaceNews
Japan and Germany pledged not to conduct direct-ascent anti-satellite (ASAT) missile testing, throwing their weight behind the U.S.-driven initiative to promote peaceful and safe use of outer space. The two countries announced their commitment during the second session of the U.N. Open-Ended Working Group on reducing space threats.
One More Thing
Task & Purpose
Patches. Unless you are in the Marines, you’re probably wearing some on your uniform or have them plastered across your kit right now. And with so many units, so many patches, there is plenty of room for creativity, interesting patterns, and the chance to get downright weird. Oftentimes, patches—particularly unofficial ones—are generated by the service members who will be wearing them, which gives them some extra flair. Those patches can reference pop culture, historical ties, or inside jokes.
