Trailblazer Maj. Gen. Jeannie Leavitt, First USAF Female Fighter Pilot, Retires

Sept. 25, 2023 | By Unshin Lee Harpley

An Air Force trailblazer’s career came to a close this weekend, as Maj. Gen. Jeannie M. Leavitt, the service’s first female fighter pilot, retired after 31 years in uniform.

The retirement ceremony for Leavitt took place at Scott Air Base, Ill., on Sept. 23. U.S. Transportation Command boss Gen. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost—one of only three women to ever lead a combatant command—officiated and reminded all in attendance of the legacy Leavitt has crafted.

“[Jeannie] had to cope with a constant demand to be in the spotlight, because of her many firsts, something that’s not representative of who Jeannie is,” Van Ovost said. “She much prefers to stand back, behind the scenes to guide and mentor. To take care of the people and the mission—[that’s] the true purpose behind her continued dedication to service.”

Leavitt’s Air Force journey was indeed marked by numerous “firsts,” challenging preconceived notions about the roles women could play in the military. She was the first woman to enter Air Force pilot training for fighters in 1993. Later, she made history as the Air Force’s first female fighter pilot. She was also the first woman to command a combat fighter wing, the 57th Wing at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.

Maj. Gen. Jeannie M. Leavitt, Department of the Air Force Chief of Safety. Photo by Mike Tsukamoto/Air & Space Forces Magazine

Throughout her career, she accumulated over 3,000 flight hours, including operational missions like Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Iraqi Freedom, and Enduring Freedom. Most of her experience was in the F-15E Strike Eagle.

Van Ovost reflected on the hurdles women encountered in combat roles during the early 1990s, noting that simply altering policies wasn’t enough. Gaining acceptance and recognition were separate struggles, she added, and Leavitt played a pivotal role during a time of a significant change, breaking barriers that had long kept women out of combat fighter pilot roles.

Throughout her career, Leavitt was a strong advocate for women in aviation and encouraged young women to pursue careers in the Air Force and aviation—four such pilots appeared in a video tribute during the ceremony.

Her commitment to challenge stereotypes went beyond the military, as she collaborated with Disney on the ‘Captain Marvel’ film to narrate her Air Force journey and share a more accurate portrayal of a lifetime dedicated to service. Yet Leavitt’s aspirations were never solely about personal achievement, Van Ovost said.

“On behalf of all of those who journeyed beside and behind you, thank you for having the courageous character necessary to pave new roads for others to follow,” said Van Ovost.

Leavitt’s final assignment was as head of the Air Force Safety Center, overseeing the entire Department of the Air Force’s aviation, occupational, weapons, space and system mishap prevention and nuclear surety programs and policy.

Air Force Gets Its First ‘Electric Air Taxi,’ Six Months Ahead of Schedule

Sept. 25, 2023 | By Greg Hadley

A sleek, futuristic, six-rotor aircraft stood behind a red ribbon at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on Sept. 25—marking the latest milestone in the Air Force’s involvement in the “electric air taxi.”

The electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) aircraft from Joby Aviation was unveiled at Edwards a full six months earlier than originally planned when the Air Force Research Laboratory announced a contract extension with Joby in April valued at up to $131 million with options for up to nine aircraft.

The aircraft arrived at Edwards last week and has already conducted three “hover” tests, Joby Executive Chairman Paul Sciarra noted at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. A second aircraft will arrive in early 2024, Sciarra added.

The Sept. 25 ceremony marks the first time the Air Force has accepted delivery of an eVTOL aircraft, and a release from Joby claimed it is believed to be the first delivery of any electric air taxi anywhere in the U.S.

“Today’s delivery is a hugely significant moment for Joby and for our industry,” Sciarra said. “But more than that, it’s a validation of the long-term vision of the Department of Defense.”

That vision has included development from the Defense Innovation Unit and the Marine Corps, but the Air Force in particular has heavily invested in eVTOL since 2020 through its “Agility Prime” program as part of its AFWERX innovation arm.

In that time, the service has awarded hundreds of contracts to stimulate development in the eVTOL industry, which has seen intense commercial and government interest. Potential uses range from “flying taxis” in cities to search and rescue missions and short-range airlift for the Air Force.

The Air Force’s Emerging Technologies Integrated Test Force and 412th Test Wing will collaborate with Joby and NASA to test the new aircraft.

“NASA and AFWERX are both trying to advance technology around air taxis,” Wayne Ringelberg, the chief pilot at NASA’s Armstrong Flight Research Center, said at the ceremony. “Although we’re looking at different aspects of missions for these aircraft, there are several areas that overlap, and it’s in those areas of overlap that we’ll gain efficiencies in learning about these kinds of vehicles.”

The Air Force in particular is interested in studying the aircraft’s potential use for “short-to-mid range cargo operations at low operating costs and just-in-time delivery constructs,” an AFRL spokesman previously told Air & Space Forces Magazine.

It will also be used to support operations at Edwards’ test ranges, transporting personnel around the 470-square mile base, the spokesman said.

“We will utilize the 412th Test Wing’s world-renowned risk management systems to conduct flight testing and evaluation of eVTOL technology in a safe and agile manner,” Maj. Phillip Woodhull, commander of the Emerging Technologies Integrated Test Force, said.

Agility Prime has taken several major steps this year. In April, Air Force pilots took command of a Joby aircraft for the first time, remotely piloting the five-seat airframe through its full flight envelope at the company’s Marina, Calif., facility. In July, AFWERX announced another deal with Archer Aviation worth up to $142 million for up to six of the company’s aircraft.

On Sept. 19, AFWERX broke ground on the service’s first-ever electric aircraft charging station at Duke Field, Fla., in partnership with BETA Technologies, another electric air taxi company. The charging station will be able to fully recharge an aircraft in less than an hour, according to an AFRL release, and will be completed just a few weeks before BETA’s airframes start arriving at Duke Field for testing.

“There’s no doubt that the electrification of aviation is going to be a critical piece in the broader energy transition,” Col. Douglas P. Wickert, commander of the 412th Test Wing, said at the ribbon-cutting ceremony. “And I’m proud that we get to the opportunity to contribute to a sustainable future for humanity.”

Joby’s aircraft has scored a high-altitude mark of more than 11,000 feet and a speed of more than 200 miles per hour, with a projected range of around 100 miles.

Space Force Uniform Enters Last Stage of Testing Before Production

Sept. 24, 2023 | By Greg Hadley

More than 100 Guardians across the globe have started wearing the Space Force’s prototype service dress uniform three times per week as part of “wear testing”—the final stage before the uniform is produced and rolled out to Guardians everywhere in 2025.

More than 106 service members are included in the wear test, stationed at a wide variety of installations to determine the uniform’s durability, functionality, and comfort in a range of climates and conditions. Locations include:

The Pentagon, Va.

Camp Smith, N.Y.

Cavalier Space Force Station, N.D.

Goodfellow Air Force Base, Texas

Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.

Lackland Air Force Base, Texas

Landstuhl Air Base, Germany

Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif.

Yokota Air Base, Japan

Wear testing marks the biggest phase of the new uniform program to date. After the uniform was first unveiled at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference in 2021, leaders took it on a roadshow to Space Force installations, with a few Guardians serving as “models” in order to get service member feedback.

That was followed by fit testing, with 100 Guardians getting the chance to try on the uniform at the Pentagon and Peterson Space Force Base, Colo. Wear testing will go even further in asking Guardians to wear the uniform regularly and provide feedback on how it feels day in and day out.

As part of the test, Guardians will receive service dress coats, pants, skirts, and shirts as well as lightweight jackets, according to a Space Force release. They’ll also get a handbook on proper wear of the uniform, a wear-test log, uniform history, and a feedback survey link.

Service leaders like Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman and Chief Master Sergeant of the Space Force John F. Bentivegna already wear the prototype dress uniform, as did their predecessors. This spring, then-Director of Staff Lt. Gen. Nina M. Armagno also showcased the uniform’s skirt option.

Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman, left, Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force John F. Bentivegna and Chief Master Sgt. of the Space Force Roger A. Towberman sing “Semper Supra,” the Space Force service song, during their change of responsibility ceremony at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Sept. 15, 2023. U.S. Air Force photo by Eric Dietrich

Space Force Lt. Gen. Nina M. Armagno, director of staff, poses in the service dress uniform prototype with the skirt option. Photo courtesy of Eddie Papczun

Armagno’s successor, Maj. Gen. Steven P. Whitney, will be part of the wear test, as will deputy chief of space operations for operations, nuclear, and cyber Lt. Gen. DeAnna M. Burt, according to the service release.

The prototype dress uniform features a dark blue jacket, with distinctive offset buttons and a band collar, dark gray pants and skirts, and a lighter gray shirt.

The Space Force uses the Operational Camouflage Pattern uniform as its duty uniform like the Army and Air Force, with “Space Blue” name tape, Space Force badge, and grade insignia.

The service has also unveiled its own PT gear: black shorts with a version of the service’s delta logo in white, and a gray T-shirt bearing the stylized words “Space Force” in white on the back. The gear is expected to be available to all Guardians by early 2024.

The Air Force Uniform Office is also designing a Space Force mess dress uniform for official formal evening functions and state occasions. When that design will be revealed is unclear.

Air Force Revamps ‘Zero Week’ at BMT to Better Prepare Recruits for Stress

Sept. 22, 2023 | By David Roza

When Air Force and Space Force recruits arrive to Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, for the first five days of Basic Military Training next month, it will be different compared to what previous generations went through.

The 37th Training Wing is changing those first five days, known as ‘Zero Week,’ to educate trainees on human performance factors such as sleep hygiene, stress management, and nutrition, alongside the classic features like basic drill, physical training, and keeping the recruit living area tidy. Officials hope the redesign will better prepare enlisted Airmen and Guardians for the rigors of life in service.

“Resilience results from combining problem-solving skills with the lifestyle habits that power them,” Lt. Col. Daniel Cassidy, director of human performance for the wing, said in a Sept. 21 press release.

“Well-being and performance hinge upon the ability to problem-solve effectively, especially in the midst of challenging and unpredictable operational and general life circumstances,” he added.

Previously, such lessons were distributed across the 7.5 weeks of BMT, Cassidy explained, but the new Zero Week is designed to front-load them so that trainees have a stronger foundation of stress-resilience to build on. The lieutenant colonel likened it to swimming lessons.

“Before, we were teaching swim technique a little bit in the pool, but a lot in open water,” Cassidy told reporters on Sept. 22. “[Now] we’re front-loading a lot of swim technique in the pool, so that when people are introduced to open water with waves and wind and a variety of other variables, they’ve already got well-in-hand the fundamental skills necessary to work productively.”

The new Zero Week should help better prepare trainees for physical training (PT). A beta test last December found “a noticeable decrease in injuries and a noticeable increase in PT pass rates,” said Col. Lauren Courchaine, commander of the 37th Training Wing. Though exact numbers were not immediately available, she estimated it brought the number of PT failures for the test squadron from “the low double digits” down to zero.

The new Zero Week coincides with two larger trends in the Air Force. The first is an ongoing shortage in recruiting as the Air Force and other services struggle to attract new talent at a time when both propensity and ability to serve are at historic lows. Because of that, the Air Force wants to hold onto new talent for longer.

“Our job here … has been to set every single trainee up for success by giving them the tools that they need to thrive in whatever that future fight might be, but honestly, to thrive in technical training, and then their first assignments, and then hopefully have the skills to then make a decision to re-enlist,” Courchaine said.

air force beast pacer forge — Tech. Sgt. James May, center, guides trainees through the first phase of PACER FORGE at Joint Base San Antonio-Chapman Training Annex, Texas, Oct. 26, 2022. Air Force photo by Thomas Coney.

The other major change in the Air Force is a renewed focus on possible conflicts against China or Russia, which could see Airmen working in small teams out of isolated locations in the Pacific Ocean, a different kind of war than the predictable deployments and sprawling bases Airmen grew accustomed to during the Global War on Terror.

The 37th Training Wing wants to better prepare Airmen for those unfamiliar situations. In December, the wing implemented PACER FORGE, a 36-hour exercise where trainees split into small teams and work together through scenarios that are “physically demanding and based on real-world operations,” Col. Jeff Pixley, then-commander of the 737th Training Group, said when the exercise was first rolled out.

Not wanting to spoil the surprise for future recruits, Pixley did not share many details of PACER FORGE, other than it is meant to prepare trainees for Multi-Capable Airmen, an operating concept where Airmen can perform jobs outside their specialty so that they can generate sorties even if they are working in a small team or have taken casualties.

The new Zero Week is aimed at preparing trainees for those stressful moments, and more changes could be coming soon. About 90 days after the new model is implemented, the 37th Training Wing may introduce “a stressing event” in between Zero Week and the trainees’ arrival at their squadron for the rest of BMT, Courchaine said.

The event will focus on “utilizing those basic tenets of resiliency and team-building in a practical applications,” the colonel said. By next year, there may be more such events between Zero Week and PACER FORGE to give trainees more chances to learn how to respond to difficult situations.

The Shallow End

Though there could be stressful events throughout the new BMT, the 37th wants to de-stress the first week, partly by shouting less at trainees as they pick up the basics of drill, PT, and keeping their living areas clean. Instructors will still be able to raise their voice if they need to, but the 37th is trying to build up recruits more gradually, like how a rookie swimmer starts in the shallow end or how a weightlifter lifts more over time.

“Most of us would intuit that it’s not helpful to tell people just go out and lift the heaviest object you can find as much as possible,” said Cassidy, “but instead to learn what proper technique looks like and then to apply utmost effort with proper technique to produce a good performance outcome.”

Other services are on a similar track: in 2022, the Army stopped greeting infantry recruits with a “shark attack” of unintelligible screaming and replaced it with a tough physical exercise meant to instill trust in drill sergeants rather than fear. Armor training adopted a similar change.

“Nothing’s really changed other than we’re not screaming in their faces,” Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Yaudas of the 194th Armored Brigade, told Task & Purpose at the time.

U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Tavis Bell, 321st Training Squadron military training instructor, gives a command of movement to a group of new Air Force trainees from flight 248 on proper drill movements at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas, Mar. 7, 2023. U.S. Air Force photo by Brian Boisvert

Chief Master Sgt. Daniel Anderson, senior enlisted leader for Lackland’s 737th Training Group, hopes to keep Airmen in a learning zone rather than in their panic or comfort zones.

“We want the instructors to be able to push them to a point where there’s an elevated state of awareness so that they are receiving the information,” he said. “And if they do not conform with the expectation, then the military training instructors will absolutely hold them accountable to include raising their voices and speaking with them in command voice.”

Anderson pushed back on the notion that new recruits require different training because they are less mentally tough than their forebears.

“I would not say that the generation that we’re receiving into our ranks now is not as tough whether mentally or physically or whatever, I would argue that they are different,” he said. “They didn’t grow up outside throwing rocks at the neighbor kids back and forth. They are digital natives. They think differently, they respond to stressors differently. And the approach to be able to effectively train them must be different, because it will be something different that is expected from them during their time in service.”

USSF Gets Weather-Monitoring Satellite from NOAA, Explores Options Beyond 2030

Sept. 22, 2023 | By Unshin Lee Harpley

The Space Force has a new satellite in the Indian Ocean region, ready to replace an older one.

The USSF accepted the transfer of a second geostationary weather satellite (GOES) from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) after getting the transfer approval from Congress in June 2023, the service announced Sept. 22.

NOAA’s GOES-15 satellite has been rebranded as EWS-G2 and is set to take over for EWS-G1, the initial EWS-G satellite which has been operational since September 2020. EWS-G1 is projected to reach the end of its service life in February 2024, according to fuel consumption estimates. EWS-G2 is on track to reach its assigned orbital position in the Indian Ocean by November 2023 and the Space Force projects it will be in service until 2030.

However, a more accurate projection for the end-of-service time frame might emerge once EWS-G1 retires from operation, a Space Force official told Air and Space Forces Magazine.

The official added that Guardians are also actively exploring options for long-term regional coverage extending beyond 2030. This plan entails a thorough evaluation of various approaches, including follow-on acquisitions, interagency collaborations, and the utilization of commercial data and imagery sources.

DMSP Satellite. The first Defense Meteorological Satellite Program satellite, launched to develop meteorological, oceanographic, and solar-terrestrial data for DOD. **NOAA**

NOAA’s GOES satellites provide advanced imagery and atmospheric measurements of Earth’s Western Hemisphere, real-time mapping of lightning activity, and improved monitoring of solar activity and space weather. The Space Force has leveraged its spacecraft to collect cloud imagery and perform environmental reconnaissance over the Indian Ocean region since 2020.

“The repurposing of GOES-15 and residual NOAA ground equipment accomplished the mission at a fraction of the procurement cost of a brand-new system,” Lt. Col. Joseph L. Maguadog, Space System Command’s EO/IR Weather System Program Office material leader, said in the statement.

The EO/IR(Electro-Optical/Infrared) Weather System – Geostationary satellite known as EWS-G gathers imagery essential for facilitating environmental reconnaissance and detailed cloud analysis by deployed forces in the area. Given the evolving nature of technology, the Electro-optical Infrared Weather System Program Office anticipates a continued expansion in the coming years.

The new satellite orbits around 22,000 miles above the Earth’s equator, moving at the same speed as the Earth’s rotation. The primary weather sensor on this satellite constantly captures both visible and infrared images of cloud cover, providing vital information for planning and executing military operations in the Indian Ocean Area of Responsibility. It plays a crucial role in assessing and forecasting the viability of air and surface missions, as well as measuring the performance of aircraft, weaponry, and munitions. Additionally, it aids in determining optimal timing and locations for operational activities, and contributes to the evaluation of logistical requirements, survivability, protective strategies, and the overall quality-of-life needs.

Just as it manages EWS-G1, NOAA will be responsible for managing EWS-G2 on behalf of the Space Force, conducting operations from both the NOAA Satellite Operations Facility in Suitland, Md., and the Wallops Command and Data Acquisition Station on Wallops Island, Va. The satellite will maintain its use of a pre-established Remote Ground Station in Western Australia, which was established in 2020 to assist the EWS-G mission.

A New Undersecretary: Biden Taps DOD’s Dalton for Air Force’s No. 2 Civilian Job

Sept. 22, 2023 | By Greg Hadley

President Joe Biden has nominated Melissa Dalton to be undersecretary of the Air Force, the department’s No. 2 civilian job, the White House announced Sept. 21.

If confirmed, Dalton would succeed Gina Ortiz Jones, who held the job from July 2021-March 2023. Since her departure, the position has been filled on an acting basis by the department’s comptroller, Kristyn E. Jones.

Dalton currently serves as the assistant secretary of defense for homeland defense and hemispheric affairs, a job she has had since March 2022. Prior to that, she was principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for strategy, plans, and capabilities, and she also served on the Biden administration’s Pentagon transition team.

Dalton has a long history in the Pentagon, having also served in the Obama and Bush administrations, and got her start as an intelligence analyst for the Defense Intelligence Agency. Much of her experience in DOD has been in the office of undersecretary of defense for policy.

In her current position, Dalton advises the Secretary of Defense on key issues like homeland defense, the Arctic, and defense policy for North, Central, and South America, as well as the Caribbean.

As undersecretary, Dalton would be the principal deputy for Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, who has aggressively pushed for the department to modernize and change through initiatives like his seven “Operational Imperatives” and an ongoing major “re-optimization” review.

“On behalf of the Department of the Air Force, we congratulate the Honorable Melissa Dalton on her nomination to serve as the next undersecretary of the Air Force,” Kendall said in a statement. “I look forward to the Senate’s consideration of her nomination and, if confirmed, working with her on behalf of all Airmen and Guardians.”

Ortiz Jones, a former Air Force intelligence officer, made personnel issues a key theme of her tenure as undersecretary, seeking deeper analysis of the department’s racial and gender disparities and a broad review of gender-biased Air Force policies affecting the careers of female Airmen and Guardians.

Dalton, on the other hand, has comparatively little experience inside the Department of the Air Force. Earlier this year, however, she did testify before Congress and emphasized the importance of space-based capabilities and modernized sensors and radars on the ground for missile defense and domain awareness around the homeland.

During a stint as a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in 2017-2018, Dalton also wrote and spoke about the need for the Pentagon to reconsider its posture in the Middle East.

If and when Dalton is confirmed, Jones will return to her job as DAF comptroller.

“The Honorable Kristyn Jones will continue to perform the duties of the under secretary of the Air Force, pending Melissa’s confirmation,” Kendall said. “Kristyn’s dedicated leadership and many contributions to the Department are deeply appreciated.”

New Report: ‘Critical Time’ for Pentagon to Chart the Future of F-35 Sustainment

Sept. 21, 2023 | By Greg Hadley

The Department of the Defense and the military services want to take more control over the massive F-35 sustainment enterprise—and are required by law to do so in 2027. However, the DOD lacks a detailed plan to do so, according to the top government watchdog.

The Pentagon should reassess its approach to key parts of the F-35 sustainment enterprise, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.

The Sept. 21 report paints a grim picture of the current state of F-35 sustainment, a longtime concern of lawmakers and Pentagon officials. The program carries a massive $1.3 trillion price tag over the life cycle of the fighter and faces unmet goals for key metrics such as aircraft availability and mission capable rates.

“Although the [F-35] program continues to grow and expand its scope of operations, its underlying sustainment strategy remains in question due to rising costs and poor readiness. … This is a critical time for DOD and the military services to determine adjustments that need to be made to F-35 sustainment to better achieve their desired objectives in an affordable manner,” the report authors concluded.

Problems

Under the current model, F-35 sustainment is principally contractor-led, with the aircraft-maker Lockheed Martin and engine-maker Pratt & Whitney taking the lead on most of the core maintenance functions.

Under this arrangement, however, the program has consistently failed to meet performance goals. As of March 2023, the entire F-35 fleet’s mission capable rate was roughly 55 percent. The mission capable rate for the F-35A, the variant flown by the Air Force, was 50 percent—far below the 90 percent goal for the F-35A.

Broken down even further, the percentage of F-35s that are not mission capable due to maintenance issues and a lack of parts have been above program targets for years. The average amount of time needed to repair an F-35 component is 141 days—compared to the goal of 60-90 days.

There are some positive developments: the GAO report noted that Pratt & Whitney has significantly reduced the number of aircraft without engines, an issue that grounded more than 40 fighters at one point. And Lockheed Martin has said it has slashed its maintenance costs in half the last seven years.

But the report noted serious problems at both the depot and organizational levels holding sustainment back.

At the F-35’s depots, where more complex repairs and overhauls are done, maintainers only have the ability to repair 44 of 68 core components, and the Pentagon told the GAO investigators that they don’t anticipate having the ability to do all 68 repairs until 2027.

“Three challenges—lack of prioritizing funding, heavy reliance on contractors, and lack of technical data—have affected the department’s ability to build depot maintenance capability,” the report stated.

The latter two issues go hand-in-hand: because Lockheed, Pratt, and their subcontractors own much of the technical data, the DOD does not have the ability to train its maintainers on key aspects of F-35 maintenance.

“According to officials from one depot we visited, components needing repair come with a Depot Component Maintenance Manual,” the GAO authors wrote. “However, these manuals are ambiguous and rarely are detailed enough for depot personnel to make the repair. As a result, depot personnel not only cannot fix the part, but they cannot learn and understand how to fix the part.”

As long as the depots are limited in their ability to perform certain repairs, mission capable rates will continue to suffer, the report concluded, citing a DOD analysis.

At the organizational level, where more minor repairs occur, there are problems as well.

“These challenges include insufficient and unavailable technical data (including part numbers), spare parts, support equipment, and training for maintainers,” the report stated. “In general, maintainers at all three locations we visited tied these challenges back to the limited capacity and capability of the military services’ maintenance units in conducting organizational maintenance as a result of being reliant on the contractor.”

The contractors are responsible for the supply chain, meaning the government has limited control over the flow of spare parts, and the lack of technical data like part numbers means maintainers must wait for the contractor to provide services.

“F-35 maintainers at one location told us that they have access to so little technical information on the aircraft that they do not fully understand the aircraft or how to troubleshoot common problems,” the authors noted. “As a result, the maintainers frequently rely on contractor personnel for assistance in maintenance tasks they would be otherwise qualified to complete.”

(From left to right) Gerad Calaman, 544th Propulsion Maintenance Squadron, Rodney Kennon, 544th PMXS, and Jordan Hammer, 544th PMXS perform an inspection on a newly inducted F135 fan. U.S. Air Force courtesy photo

Path Forward

Many of the issues covered by the GAO report are not new—the agency has noted them in several reports over the last few years. Pentagon officials have made it clear they want to tackle the problem and take more ownership of the sustainment enterprise.

The urgency, however, is growing. In the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, Congress directed the F-35 Joint Program Office to pass along all “management, planning, and execution” for F-35 sustainment to the respective military services by October 2027. Yet the Pentagon still has “not finalized the specific roles and responsibilities of the military services, Joint Program Office, and prime contractors.”

Even beyond the 2027 timeline, the GAO authors urged the Pentagon to figure out how much of the sustainment enterprise it wants to take on from the contractors.

A business case analysis in 2021 explored four potential options and recommended the government continue to rely on contractors while using a “performance-based logistics” contract, but the GAO report noted that “the military services and other program stakeholders, including the foreign partners, had varied views on whether the recommendation from the business case analysis was the best course of action for the program.”

As a result, no action has been taken, and a PBL contract, which Lockheed Martin has pushed for, is still uncertain.

Figuring out the right path forward will depend on the Pentagon’s access to the necessary technical data, which takes time and money to negotiate with contractors. Without it, however, growing the “organic” ability to do F-35 maintenance won’t work.

“The two issues—roles and responsibilities across and within the … contractor-led sustainment elements and sufficient technical data—are interdependent,” the report concludes.

To address the issues, the GAO report includes seven recommendations, related to the seven different contractor-led sustainment elements. For each element, the authors recommend, the Pentagon and the military services need to reassess their roles and that of the contractors, while also considering what technical data they will need.

Why the ‘Sun Never Sets’ for Airmen Aboard the RC-135

Sept. 21, 2023 | By David Roza

OFFUTT Air Force Base, Neb.—Headquartered here in America’s heartland is the 55th Operations Group, which flies intelligence-gathering missions all over the world with a small fleet of 28 RC-135 aircraft.

“People might not fly a mission if an RJ [Rivet Joint] isn’t available, or the package is weakened because an RJ isn’t there to support it,” Lt. Col. Craig Lee, director of operations for the 338th Combat Training Squadron, a component of the 55th OG, told Air & Space Forces Magazine during a visit to Offutt in May.

“Same thing with large force exercises,” Lee added. “Our jet’s in such high demand and it’s because of what everyone knows we bring to the team as a whole.”

The Jets

The 55th Wing’s unofficial motto is “The sun never sets on the Fightin’ Fifty-Fifth,” which Airmen make true by flying global missions aboard these aircraft:

17 RC-135V/W Rivet Joints: Mobile listening posts, collecting real-time electronic and signals intelligence

3 RC-135S Cobra Balls: Study ballistic missile activity

2 RC-135U Combat Sent: Locate, identify, and analyze radar signals

3 WC-135R/W Constant Phoenix: Collect samples of the atmosphere to detect nuclear weapons testing

3 TC-135Ws: Serve as training aircraft

Most RC-135 jets are approaching 60 years in service. Hard-working maintainers keep the aircraft flying, while engineers rebuild the aircraft every few years to make way for cutting-edge electronics and intelligence-gathering equipment.

The Mission

Though Airmen at the 55th OG do critical work, much of it stays behind the scenes.

“We don’t immediately see the ramifications of our missions, like we don’t get instant gratification,” said Staff Sgt. Brandon Weik, an airborne systems engineer. “But I do enjoy turning on the news three months or six months later and seeing the impact of a mission I know I was on.”

The work often directly benefits fellow service members. When the Combat Sent collects information on radar signals, it can help Air Force fighters and bombers update their radar warning receivers. When the Rivet Joint detects new weapons systems or new capabilities, it helps the entire military be better prepared.

Sometimes the results are immediate. Lee often helped gather fresh intelligence for troops in contact while on deployments to the Middle East during the Global War on Terror.

“You might have spent six hours on station or on orbit and you’re ready to leave the country, but all of the sudden you get one of those calls over the radio and we need to support them,” he said. “It’s tough on crews because you’ve been out there a long time, but in that mission you’re there to help get that intel directly to troops on the ground.”

Each variant of the RC-135 requires unique skill sets. The Constant Phoenix, for example, requires at least two special equipment operators (SEOs) to run the subsystems that collect particulates from the outside air, which scientists analyze when the jets return to base. SEO Staff Sgt. Eric Martin is proud to be part of such a unique mission.

“Most people think of radiation and think ‘avoid it,’” Martin said. “With this jet we’re able to go and actually do that safely, which I think is really cool.”

Meanwhile, the Rivet Joint usually flies filled with electronic warfare officers, airborne system engineers, intelligence operators, airborne mission supervisors, and airborne signals analysts, not to mention the two pilots and a navigator in the cockpit. There are often about two dozen crew members, though it can vary by mission.

Each position aboard the Rivet Joint has its own computer station. Right behind the flight deck, three electronic warfare officers collect electronic intelligence, often from radars, surface-to-air missiles, or other systems. Further down the fuselage, three airborne systems engineers serve as an “airborne geek squad,” maintaining their crewmates’ high-tech equipment, said Weik. They also run the air conditioning units that cool the electronics, and they double as firefighters in case the cooling effort fails.

“If a fire were to break out, which luckily has never happened to me, we’re the ones who respond to it, shut down the electricity, get that fire isolated and then extinguished,” he said.

Taking up most of the cabin are more than a dozen intelligence operators who scan intercepted communications. Airborne analysts oversee their work and report to the airborne mission supervisor, while an information integration officer coordinates the effort with the rest of the battlespace and a data link operator helps share information between aircraft.

Rivet Joints frequently fly over vast and diverse areas, so the operators are often linguists who have trained for years and might specialize in technical fields or regional dialects, said one airborne analyst, Tech Sgt. Brittany Sizemore.

In the back of the Rivet Joint sits the airborne signals analyst, who picks up nonverbal communications, the ‘beeps and squeaks’, as one analyst, Tech Sgt. Thomas Frederick, put it.

“I feel like we’re the future of the RJ,” he said. Signals are always changing as more advanced communication technology comes online, “so our job is to process the ones we know and find the new and unusual stuff as well.”

The Galley

Frederick’s station at the back of the jet puts him close to the galley, which consists of two refrigerators, a convection oven, and a microwave. The galley is put to good use during a Rivet Joint mission, which can last 16 hours or more.

“People get really creative back here, especially on long sorties. They’ll make pulled pork or taco bars or pizzas,” Frederick said. “Cinnamon rolls are a big hit for some reason.”

Other menu options include croissant crust-pizza, sticky toffee pudding, muffins, chicken wings, cordon bleu, and easy-bake cookies, along with the usual snacks and energy drinks. One common challenge on the Rivet Joint is to eat 100 quarter-sized chicken nuggets in one sortie.

“It’s not something I want to do again,” Frederick recalled. “You don’t really feel great after that.”

It feels even worse to smell a fridge full of forgotten food after the jet has been sitting in the sun all day in a hot place like Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, which is why RJ crews sweep out all food off the aircraft after a sortie.

“If you leave your food in there and someone catches it, you’ve got to buy them some kind of treat,” Frederick said.

Meanwhile, aboard the Constant Phoenix, Airmen try to perform 10 pull-ups an hour using straps dangling from the ceiling above the flight deck. The reps add up over a 15-hour flight, and some Airmen also do squats while microwaving food in the galley.

“You try to find healthy ways to keep your mind in the game,” said one Phoenix crew member.

The Flying

The crew positions are connected via an interphone panel, which crew members use to coordinate with each other and the flight deck to accomplish objectives.

“I try to distinguish what the back end wants, create a mission plan, and send it to the pilots so they can actually fly it,” said Capt. John Burns, a navigator. “It’s a lot of communication, and since we can all hear each other over the interphone panel, you get to know people very well, even if they don’t want you to.”

The flights themselves can get bumpy: the Combat Sent sometimes descends rapidly to capture data on adversary radar systems, while the Constant Phoenix plows through clouds and weather to collect atmosphere samples. One pilot, Capt. Taylor Pearce, called Combat Sent flying “the most dynamic, which makes it the most fun as a pilot.”

“That’s one of the coolest things about this community is that we’re all qualified on a different airplane, and they look and act much the same, but the flying that you do on them is actually significantly different,” he added. “So I’m never bored. You get to fly a whole bunch of different missions and you’re not doing the same thing all the time.”

Indeed, the 55th Operations Group is a medley of aircraft, specialists, and missions that share one thing in common: the intelligence they gather can save lives.

“Every position is critical to the overall mission of the jet, and we know there are people depending on us,” said Lee. “When everyone else is in trouble, when they’re in harm’s way, we’re the ones basically allowing them to know what’s out there, and we take that really seriously.”

Zelenskyy Visits Pentagon in Push for Breakthrough on Long-Range Weapons

Sept. 21, 2023 | By Chris Gordon

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy renewed his push for long-range missiles and F-16 aircraft in a whistle-stop trip to Washington D.C. on Sept. 21.

“We had great dialogue,” Zelenskyy told reporters on Capitol Hill. “We spoke about so many details.”

But unlike his trip last December, which culminated in a U.S. pledge to send a prized Patriot air defense system and JDAM guided bombs to Ukraine, Zelenskyy’s latest visit has not been not greeted with a major new arms commitment from President Joe Biden. Instead, the administration focused on bolstering Kyiv’s air defense and artillery stockpiles in a $325 million package.

After an hourlong meeting with Senators, the upper chamber’s Majority Leader, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), summarized Zelenskyy’s clear message to Congress, quoting the Ukrainian leader: “If we don’t get the aid, we will lose the war.”

Other lawmakers said the top priorities on the Ukrainian president’s list included the U.S.’s Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS), a surface-to-surface missile with the range to strike logistics and other targets behind the Russians’ front lines.

Ukraine has been using French and British air-launched cruise missiles for long-range strikes. But those supplies are shrinking.

Gen. Stéphane Mille, the head of the French Air and Space Force, told a small group of reporters on Sept. 18 that his country would not be able to send more SCALP cruise missiles to Ukraine because they were needed for the French air force.

“There is no option in the short future to give them more,” Mille said. Supplies of the British Storm Shadow are also limited.

ATACMS can be fired from a mobile launcher with a range of around 100 and 190 miles depending on the variant. Some of the models carry cluster munitions.

Zelenskyy did not respond to shouted questions from reporters about what more military aid Ukraine needed from the U.S. as he walked up the steps to the Pentagon before meetings with Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Army Gen. Mark A. Milley. The Ukrainian leader also placed a bouquet of sunflowers, irises, and other flowers down as he paid his respects at the Pentagon’s 9/11 Memorial after the playing of the Ukrainian and American national anthems.

“We’re going to continue to work very hard with Ukraine and our international allies and partners to ensure they have what they need to be successful on the battlefield,” Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder told reporters.

Ryder said the purpose of the visit was to provide Zelenskyy with an “update” on U.S. security assistance to Ukraine. Ryder said the Pentagon expects “several” Ukrainian pilots to arrive in the U.S. “soon” for English-language courses before transitioning to previously announced F-16 training being conducted by the Arizona Air National Guard.

“There was also an opportunity to discuss Ukraine’s longer-term capability requirements and how to support that in the future in terms of deterring Russian aggression,” Ryder said of Zelenskyy’s conversation with Austin.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Pentagon, Sept. 21, 2023. DoD photo by Chad J. McNeeley

After he visited the Pentagon, Zelenskyy took his case straight to Biden for a meeting at the White House.

But after meeting with Zelenskyy, Biden unveiled the latest aid package that he said focused on “more artillery, more ammunition, more anti-tank weapons” and “strengthening Ukraine’s air defense capabilities to protect the critical infrastructure that provides heat and light during the coldest and darkest days of the year.”

The package includes AIM-9M missiles for ground-based air defense, more Avenger air defense systems, and counter-drone machine guns to help blunt Russia’s continued missile and drone attacks. But the U.S. declined to provide any ATACMS, instead opting for more GMLRS rockets, which are shorter-range weapons with a range of around 40 miles.

“We’re committed to help Ukraine build a force capable of ensuring Ukraine’s long-term security, capable of deterring future threats against sovereignty, territorial integrity, and freedom,” Biden told Zelenskyy during their meeting.

If the Biden administration eventually opts to give Ukraine ATACMS, Germany may follow with its Taurus air-launched cruise missile.

Some Senators said they were frustrated with the administration’s decision not to approve ATACMS after hearing from Zelenskyy.

“Does the Biden administration want Ukraine to win or not?” Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) said in a statement.

If ATACMS missiles are provided to Ukraine, the Army plans to replace them with more modern PrSM precision strike missiles, Army acquisition chief Doug Bush told reporters earlier this week.

A concern in some circles of Washington has been the accountability for U.S. weapons, especially after Defense Minister Oleksii Resnikov resigned following allegations of misuse of Ukrainian taxpayer funds for military purchases. Resnikov himself was not accused of any wrongdoing.

U.S. officials note that U.S.-made weapons carry stipulations that they are not to be used to strike Russian territory, by which Ukraine has abided.

“He talked about accountability,” Sen. Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) told reporters after Zelenskyy’s meeting with Senators. “They talked about how they take it seriously, and they are working hand in hand with the United States.”