25 Great Unit Patches from AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference

Sept. 15, 2023 | By David Roza

More than 18,000 Airmen, Guardians, joint service members, coalition partners, and civilian stakeholders gathered in National Harbor, Md. Sept. 11-13 for AFA’s Air, Space, and Cyber Conference to share ideas about the latest in air and space power.

The attendees came from all over the world, and many wore shoulder patches celebrating their home unit’s mission and heritage. Air & Space Forces Magazine gathered photos of 25 stand-out patches in both a gallery and list for readers on different devices, but it is by no means a complete account of all the colorful and motivating emblems seen at this year’s conference.

The ‘Hawks’ of the 6th Attack Squadron train pilots and sensor operators how to fly the MQ-9 Reaper drone at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. There are six stars and six lines indicating the speed of the goshawk mascot as it drops a Hellfire air-to-ground missile. (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

The 19th Space Defense Squadron, based at Naval Support Facility Dahlgren, Va., honors its Navy ties with the ‘Space Kraken’ embracing the Space Force Delta. The three stars represent the unit’s connections to the Air Force, Space Force, and Navy, a unit member told Air & Space Forces Magazine. (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

The Republic of Singapore Air Force’s 149 Squadron flies the F-15SG, a variant of the F-15E Strike Eagle. The unit has a history of winning the RSAF’s ‘Best Fighter Squadron’ Award, according to The Straits Times. (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

The “Space Hunters” of the Space Force’s 73rd Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) Squadron observe targets and other points of interest with the vigilance of a hunter. (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

Space Delta 7 oversees the Space Force’s ISR efforts. The black and blue colors represent the unit’s orbital, airborne, and terrestrial aspects, the 7 stars form the constellation Ursa Major ‘Great Bear,’ the bear itself symbolizes “unyielding tenacity,” and the key it holds is a common emblem of the intelligence community, which seeks to “unlock” the adversary’s secrets, according to the Space Force. (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

The Travis Air Force Base, Calif.-based Phoenix Spark innovation cell empowers Airmen to use computer-aided design, 3D-printing, software coding, small drones, and other technologies to solve problems and accomplish their mission. (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

The 60th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron has a long history of moving sick or wounded patients to higher care. Pegasus, the mythological flying horse, helped carry the Greek god Zeus’ thunderbolts, symbolizing the 60th AES’ duty to transport injured service members. The rainbow represents the unit’s mission, which often occurs after the storm of battle has passed. Semper Primus means ‘always first’ in Latin. (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

The Air Force F-35 Integration Office oversees the jet’s operational integration across the service and represents the Air Force when working with the F-35 Joint Program Office. (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

‘Panther’ has emerged as the unofficial nickname for the F-35 Lightning II fighter jet, as demonstrated by this patch worn by visiting ‘Emerald Knights’ of the 308th Fighter Squadron, an F-35 training unit at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

Only pilots who have flown the U-2 Dragon Lady reconnaissance jet solo can wear this patch. The ‘1500’ represents this pilot’s flight hours in the U-2, while the phrase ‘solum volamus’ means ‘We fly alone.’ (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

Not to be confused with the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack jet, the ‘A10’ Strategic Deterrence and Nuclear Integration Office is a Headquarters Air Force position that oversees the Air Force’s nuclear weapons systems and works with the rest of the military and the government on a range of nuclear-related missions. (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

The 509th Bomb Wing flies the B-2 Spirit, a stealth bomber capable of carrying nuclear weapons. The unit dates back to World War II, where it dropped the first atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. The mushroom cloud represents that mission, the upside-down ‘E’ is a symbol from European heraldry which means eldest son, symbolizing that the 509th is the oldest atomic-trained military unit in the world. ‘Defensor Vindex’ means ‘Defender avenger,’ as nuclear weapons can be used to “protect and retaliate” according to the wing website. (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

The patch of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations of the U.S. Air Force, often referred to as the A3, reflects how the position oversees the branch’s operations across air, space, and cyber domains. (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

The history of the 41st Intelligence Squadron dates back to the 1950s. The key is a common symbol of intelligence units, but the reasons behind the Viking helmet and ax were not immediately clear. (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

Only about 100 Airmen have graduated from the 315th Weapons Squadron, the Air Force’s ICBM weapons school, but this patch-wearer is the 95th graduate. Though the symbolism of the skeleton was not immediately clear, it sure looks great. (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

Another former World War II bomber squadron, the 452nd Flight Test Squadron most recently flew the RQ-4 Global Hawk reconnaissance drone. The squadron is assigned to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

Originally a World War II bomber squadron, the 586th Flight Test Squadron now tests advanced weapons, sensors, and other technology while flying modified T-38C jet trainers and C-12 turboprop aircraft out of Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.(Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

The F-15E Strike Eagle can attack air and ground targets in all weather in the day or night, and that ‘anytime, any place attitude’ is captured in this ‘day/night’ F-15E patch. (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

Like the rest of the ‘Jolly Rogers’ of the 90th Missile Wing at F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., the 320th Missile Squadron started as a World War II B-24 bomber squadron. According to a unit history, one B-24 nicknamed ‘Moby Dick’ downed four Japanese planes, sunk three ships, and at one point returned from a mission with 200 large bullet holes. (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

The Greek Titan Atlas had a heavy responsibility holding up the heavens for eternity, and so do members of Striker Titan, a professional development program that provides graduate-level education on the Air Force global strike enterprise for noncommissioned officers. (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

A tentacled version of the ‘mighty watchful eye’ celebrated in the Space Force official song appears in this patch for the intelligence collection management component of the Combined Space Operations Center at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif. (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

Each flight of the 37th Intelligence Squadron has a different shark mascot, like hammerheads, bull sharks, or, in this case, dog sharks. (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

A bit like the great white sharks that sometimes swim off the coast of its home at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, the 37th Intelligence Squadron is ‘never seen, always there.’ (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

Activated in 2020, the ‘Krakens’ of the 39th Electronic Warfare Squadron at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., work a range of spectrum warfare missions, like testing new software and closing caps between the intelligence community and the combat Air Force. ‘Vigilamus ab umbris’ means ‘We watch from the shadows.’ (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

The ‘Lancers’ of the 333rd Fighter Squadron flew combat missions over Vietnam before training pilots of close air support aircraft like the A-7 Corsair II and A-10 Thunderbolt II. Today, the 333rd is a formal training unit assigned to Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C., where it qualifies F-15E Strike Eagle pilots and weapon systems officers. (Air & Space Forces Magazine photo by David Roza)

Cyber Bosses Seek to Exploit Full Capacity of Joint Force

Sept. 15, 2023 | By Greg Hadley

Growing threats in the cyber realm have senior military and defense officials increasingly pressing to integrate the joint force across domains and combatant commands. Speaking at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference, leaders emphasized the need to be ready before future crises strike.

The unclassified summary of the Pentagon’s 2023 Cyber Strategy, released Sept. 12, highlights the deterrent value of cyber capabilities when they’re understood by potential adversaries. “Cyber capabilities held in reserve or employed in isolation render little deterrent effect on their own,” the report states.

“Military [cyber] capabilities are most effective when used in concert with other instruments of national power, creating a deterrent greater than the sum of its parts,” the strategy states. DOD, it adds later, must “campaign in and through cyberspace to advance joint force objectives.”

Air Force Lt. Gen. Kevin B. Kennedy, head of Air Forces Cyber, told an audience of Airmen and Guardians that “cyber is different, but not special.” Operators must “think about the effects that we can create in the cyber domain and [align] those into crisis and conflict planning in the normal processes that exist within the combatant commands for aligning those capabilities.”

But cyber does present specific challenges, he said. U.S. Cyber Command is so new—it only became a unified combatant command in 2018—and figuring out how to coordinate and ensure maximum effect is still an ongoing effort. Some argue that a future military Cyber force, modeled on the U.S. Space Force, may be a necessity in the future.

Kennedy is not quite sold, at least not yet. “For me, when you start any kind of military capability and you think across domains, you generally start with some level of just deconfliction,” he said. “Then you move into some level of maybe coordination, synchronization, and then you want full-on synergy of the forces to get some effects upscaling. Where I’d say we are right now … [is] we’re definitely in the coordination and synchronization line.”

Sorting out who is responsible for executing particular missions is the major hurdle today.

“All are involved, all in the planning, it needs to integrate with both commands’ joint fires’ processes,” Kennedy said. “But the question of timing and tempo goes to who has the [unified command plan] mission. And then who is the person that has to execute that mission and align it with the effects in the other domains? So I’d say we’re moving along. We’re not at full synergy yet.”

U.S. Airmen with 175th Cyber Operations, Maryland Air National Guard, train at Exercise Southern Strike at Camp Shelby, Mississippi, April 21, 2023. U.S. Army National Guard photo by Staff Sgt. Renee Seruntine

Air Force Lt. Gen. Timothy D. Haugh, vice commander of CYBERCOM, said that as more Airmen, Guardians, and other service members gain cyber operations experience in cyber units, planning and coordination will become easier. The services themselves will gain confidence in the domain.

“It starts with that talent,” he said. Then it requires ability, “the maturation of each of the service cyber component headquarters, the maturation of our integrated planning elements that are with each of the combatant commands,” Haugh said. Today, they are increasingly “working to campaign, to develop operations and investments, and to be able to have outcomes.”

Wanda T. Jones-Heath, principal cyber advisor to the Department of the Air Force, said cyber operations have to be folded into existing training exercises, so operators get use to responding to cyber effects and employing cyber effects in operations.

“We’re starting to do a lot of that. You see it in the INDOPACOM region, joint exercises, we don’t find ourselves, let’s include our sister services,” Jones-Heath said. “So we have to keep that in mind as we think about, are we able to project enough power, both in the Air and Space Force?”

The Space Force is particularly vulnerable to cyber attack—space is about moving sensor data and communications around the globe rapidly, and the links between assets on orbit and ground stations are subject to attack.

But Col. Zachary “Shay” Warakomski, the USSF’s senior cyber officer, said the reverse is also true. “You can flip that paradigm just a little bit, from the standpoint of offering a wider array of exquisite capabilities for the combatant commanders, our nation’s leadership, through space-enabled cyber operations as well,” Warakomski said. “And when you take into consideration the entire portfolio of information warfare and electronic warfare … that’s a whole lot of arrows in the quiver for our nation’s leadership.”

Given those close ties, Warakomski said the Space Force is looking to stand up a service component to CYBERCOM, an issue Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman also raised during the conference. Already, the service has established an integrated mission analysis team for space in CYBERCOM, and Warakomski said they will continue to build “direct connective tissue.”

The Cyber Strategy document also noted the importance of aligning cyber effects with other government agencies, industry partners, and allies and partners—particularly key because the focus of many cyber threats is to critical U.S. infrastructure. Haugh, nominated to be the next head of CYBERCOM and the National Security Agency, said coordination on that front has also significantly expanded in the past few years.

“That has really started with election defense, and the work that began in 2018, to be a partner in support of [Department of Homeland Security] and FBI, to defend our elections and our electoral process,” Haugh said. “That foundation was really built on how we collaborated with both DHS and FBI, but also how we share information. And as U.S. Cyber Command, we’ve received significant new authorities on how we can partner with industry and to share information directly. We’ll do that in concert with DHS and [the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency] and with FBI.”

Russian Air Force Trades Efficacy for Survival Over Ukraine, USAFE Boss Says

Sept. 14, 2023 | By Chris Gordon

The Russian Air Force has substantially revised its tactics in Ukraine and is holding down its losses by carrying out less effective bombing runs, Gen. James B. Hecker, the commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa said Sept. 13.

At the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russian warplanes flew into the thick of the Ukrainian air defenses and took serious losses, according to Western officials and military analysts. More than 75 Russian planes were shot down, Hecker said at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber conference.

“When it first started out, they were flying right into the surface-to-air missile engagement zones of the Ukrainians,” Hecker said in an interview with Air & Space Forces Magazine. “So they now don’t fly in those rings, or if they do, it is for low altitude for very quick moments and then they go back out.”

The switch in tactics, however, has required a tradeoff.

“That’s adapting for saving aircraft, but obviously it doesn’t bode well for dropping bombs and trying to gain air superiority,” Hecker said.

Restocking and improving Ukraine’s air defense has been a top focus of Western aid to Kyiv, a decision Hecker supports and one that aligns with his separate mission as NATO Allied Air Commander to bolster the alliance’s air defenses.

Russian have forces suffered major losses following their February 2022 invasion of Ukraine. According to a Western defense official, Russian forces have suffered over 270,000 troops killed and wounded and lost more than 2,000 tanks and 4,000 armored fighting vehicles.

Though Russian air operations have also come at a cost, the Russian Air Force is largely intact, Hecker added.

In terms of precision munitions, Hecker noted, Russia has sought to preserve its inventory. Yet Moscow still appears to have adequate supplies of AS-23 and AS-4 cruise missiles as well as one-way attack drones supplied by Iran.

“We’re still seeing those on a regular basis, and those are fairly precise,” Hecker said. “When it comes to doing [things] like close air support for some of their army folks that are on the ground, there it is primarily non-precision weapons.”

While Ukrainian drone attacks against air bases inside Russia had prompted the Russians to disperse some of their aircraft, they have done little to reduce Moscow’s long-range strike capability, Hecker said.

The Russians have also put tires on the wings of some of their bombers to protect the planes against drone strikes and perhaps reduce their thermal signature.

Commercial satellite images provided to Air & Space Forces Magazine by Maxar Technologies indicate that the Russians have placed rows of tires on the wings of Tu-95 and Tu-160 bombers at their Engels air base. Social media images also show tires on a Russian Su-34 fighter-bomber.

“There’s been some successful attacks inside of Russia from Ukraine that have taken out some of their long-range aviation assets,” Hecker told a media roundtable at the conference. “But in the big scheme of things, their air force is still fairly intact. Not the case as much with their army.”

Four More Guard Wings Tapped for Upgrade to C-130J

Sept. 14, 2023 | By Greg Hadley

The Air Force has selected four more Air National Guard wings to transition to the new C-130J Super Hercules, a key inflection point as the Guard modernizes.

The C-130Js feature a roomier, “stretched” fuselage, more powerful engines with composite six-blade propellers, and digital avionics and mission computers. That means J’s can fly faster, higher, and farther than the C-130H.

The four wings receiving new C-130Js in place of H-models:

103rd Airlift Wing, in Connecticut

120th Airlift Wing, in Montana

133rd Airlift Wing, in Minnesota

182nd Airlift Wing, in Illinois

Each wing is getting eight C-130Js, with the timeline to be determined, according to a release. Final approval of the plan is pending as the Air Guard awaits completion of an environmental impact study no later than fiscal 2025.

Six other Guard wings are already flying or scheduled to receive the C-130J:

123rd Airlift Wing, in Kentucky

130th Airlift Wing, in West Virginia

136th Airlift Wing, in Texas

143rd Airlift Wing, in Rhode Island

146th Airlift Wing, in California

165th Airlift Wing, in Georgia

Additionally, the Arkansas Air National Guard’s 189th Airlift Wing has been selected to host the Guard’s C-130J Formal Training Unit, gaining four C-130Js in addition to its existing C-130H schoolhouse.

The 165th Wing in Georgia is the latest unit to make the transition to the J model. Its last C-130H departed Savannah Air National Guard Base, Ga., on Aug. 18, and the newer aircraft are slated to start arriving in December.

Once the latest four wings receive their new airframes, the Guard will have more J-models than H’s, with just five units still flying the older model:

139th Airlift Wing, in Missouri

152nd Airlift Wing, in Nevada

153rd Airlift Wing, in Wyoming

166th Airlift Wing, in Delaware

179th Airlift Wing, in Ohio

The Guard is catching up to the Active-Duty force, which has already completed its transition from the C-130H.

First EC-37 Delivered for Testing; CCAs Will Complement It

Sept. 14, 2023 | By John A. Tirpak

The first of 10 EC-37B electronic warfare aircraft has been delivered for Air Force testing, BAE Systems and L3Harris Technologies announced Sept. 12. Gen. Mark D. Kelly, head of Air Combat Command, said the aircraft is arriving not a moment too soon and will not be made obsolete when Collaborative Combat Aircraft with electronic warfare/electronic attack capabilities come along in a few years.

The Air Force needs the EC-37B to succeed the aging EC-130 Compass Call “yesterday,” Kelly told reporters at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference. Both aircraft carry that mission name.

The first EC-37 aircraft will undergo a combined developmental and operational test program—similar to what the Air Force is doing with the Boeing F-15EX fighter—made possible by the fact that the aircraft largely uses electronic equipment ported from retiring EC-130s, whose operations are well understood.

The EC-37B mission hardware is built by BAE at its Hudson, N.H., facilities; the Gulfstream G550 business jet platform is made in Savannah, Ga.; and the aircraft is modified at L3Harris’ Waco, Texas, plant. Testing is likely to be conducted at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., and the EC-37B fleet will be based at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.

“It’s all about the mission systems,” Kelly said of the testing.

“When we dial up the jamming power or ask for a specific waveform, that waveform needs to come out exactly [with] the amount of … power and [at the] frequency we asked for,” he said. Testing will ensure that the integrated core processors on the aircraft can “talk to” the mission systems, and that “when you ask for a certain amount of jamming, that’s all you get. And when you turn it off, it turns off.”

Like the EC-130, the EC-37B will be able to conduct jamming of radars, electronic systems and communications. The aircraft will also play a role in the Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) mission by disrupting an enemy’s ability to coordinate sensors and command-and-control weapon batteries that target friendly aircraft.

The first EC-37 Compass call delivered to the Air Force for testing next to an EC-130 Compass Call. Image courtesy of L3Harris

The G550 can operate at higher altitudes than the C-130, and its higher speed means the EC-37B can move around more quickly, Kelly said. The EC-37B’s ability to fly at 40,000 feet and 600 knots—versus the EC-130’s ceiling of 25,000 feet and 300 knots.

Combined with the new aircraft’s reduced need for maintenance and greater reliability, the Air Force will get a leg up in electronic warfare, Kelly said.

“Most of what it does is highly classified and so I’m limited in what I’m going to say about it,” Kelly noted. “But, bottom line is, we needed to enable our ships and aircraft to get closer [to an adversary] by electromagnetic protection and…electronic attack, to make it more difficult for adversary ships and aircraft to operate across” the electromagnetic spectrum, or EMS.

Kelly said the operating concept between the EC-130 and EC-37B is “not overly different,” and in fact, the EC-130s not yet being retired have been updated with new gear so that their “techniques [can] catch up with what will be on the EC-37.”

Kell said the EC-37 will not be rendered obsolete by CCAs, the autonomous drones the Air Force plans to pair with manned aircraft—electronic warfare has been identified as one of first missions for CCAs.

“I see it as complementary,” he said, noting the EC-37’s abilities will also complement Block 4 of the F-35, which will also has an extensive electronic warfare suite. It will also work with the F-15’s EPAWSS, or Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System, but Kelly cautioned that all of these need to be harmonized so “they don’t have electronic fratricide on each other.”

Col. Joshua Koslov, commander of the 350th Spectrum Warfare Wing, told reporters in a separate press conference that he does not see CCAs displacing existing electronic warfare aircraft.

“I think they’re not going to be a replacement for any of the big electronic platforms,” Koslov said.

“They’re not going to replace the [Navy EA-18G] Growler or any of those systems. I think they’re going to complement our strike packages, and provide that ‘fullback blocking package for the running back,’ basically, and they’re going to work in concert with our weapons and our fighters,” he added.

Koslov also said the electronic warfare CCA mission “will come to us when that program is ready to go, and we’ll be the guys to fill in those capabilities.”

Space Force Looks to ‘Build Upon Momentum’ to Solidify Its Unique Culture

Sept. 14, 2023 | By Unshin Lee Harpley

Looking to fight “inertia,” Space Force leaders said at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference they want to build on the young service’s momentum and keep building a culture unique among the military services.

Chief of Space Operations Gen. B. Chance Saltzman has made “Amplifying the Guardian Spirit” one of his key lines of effort for the service, and in a Sept. 12 panel discussion, deputy chief of space operations for human capital Katharine Kelley said the use of words like “amplification” and “spirit” speaks to the need to keep moving forward and not get bogged down by standard Pentagon bureaucracy and conventions.

“There’s much inertia institutionally against startups. We need to continue and build upon momentum as a new service,” said Kelley.

Earlier this month, the Space Force announced its new mission statement, formulated with direct input from Guardians: “Secure our Nation’s interests in, from, and to space.” The process and end result were both emblematic of USSF’s distinctive culture and identity, but the youngest branch of the military still has some challenges and opportunities for securing its own path forward.

One of the most distinctive and high-profile examples of the way the Space Force has sought to build its own culture is its “patching ceremony”—Guardians at Basic Military Training are gifted patches and personal notes from a Guardian who wore that patch, building morale, tradition, and lineage.

86 Guardians assigned to the 1st Delta Operations Squadron Detachment 1 recived their Space Force Patch during a private ceremony on June 20, 2023. Lt. Gen. Stephen N. Whiting, Commander, Space Operations Command, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado, reviewed the ceremony. U.S. Air Force photo by Daniel Cruz

Even the way that tradition came about is indicative of the Space Force’s unique spirit, said Chief Master Sgt. James Seballes, senior enlisted leader of Space Training and Readiness Command, because it doesn’t stem from the leadership but rather emerged as a grassroots initiative from Guardians themselves.

“That was the team that was planning and building the curriculum that came together. That was not just enlisted Guardians, that was also civilian and officer Guardians that helped come up with the idea,” Seballes said.

Seballes’ reference to civilian Guardians spotlighted another unique aspect of Space Force culture—its inclusion of civilians and contractors who work for the branch. Leaders said they recognize every decision made impacts the entire force, especially due to the relatively small size of the branch.

This can be beneficial, according to Maj. Gen. Steven Whitney, director of staff. Whitney pointed out the personalized mentorship and one-on-one conversations that characterize the service’s approach to leadership development. This personalized feedback, which goes both ways, ensures that leaders are not only imparting knowledge but also learning from their subordinates.

Leaders hope such development will help the service in retaining talent over time. In addition, Seballes said Guardians may be more likely to stay based on the Space Force’s focus on giving members a voice and streamlining processes for quicker problem-solving. In this regard, its small size can be another significant advantage.

“For instance, I’ve seen things that take lengthy amount of time to be processed in other branches but in our department is a lot shorter process. That saves a lot of time and energy and resources for problem solving,” he said.

Kelley also noted the service hopes to boost retention by investing in Guardians. This includes designing ecosystems to assess individual skills and determine suitable career paths, whether within the branch or as civilians. Kelley pointed out that continuous learning and skill development are vital components, and she stressed the importance of amplifying the expertise and unique experiences of each role within the USSF to create a stronger and more cohesive team.

‘How We Train and How We Operate’ in the Arctic Can Get Better, Generals Say

Sept. 13, 2023 | By Unshin Lee Harpley

A combination of perilous conditions and growing threats are making safeguarding and monitoring the Arctic all the more difficult, top Air Force and Space Force officials said Sept. 13 at AFA’s Air, Space, & Cyber Conference.

Just last month, Russian military aircraft flew near Alaska and Russian and Chinese warships conducted joint exercises near the Aleutian Islands in the span of about two weeks, highlighting the threats that need to be tracked in the region.

At the same time, the U.S. needs to prepare troops for the extreme and often unpredictable weather conditions, said Lt. Gen. David S. Nahom, head of Alaskan Command.

“We frankly don’t do a good job in terms of training. We’re not just training aircrew how to fly but (wanting) everyone in the command to learn how to fly. The conditions require for that. How we train and how we operate can be improved,” Nahom said.

Gen. Glen D. VanHerck, the head of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, has long been an advocate for the Arctic receiving more funds and attention from the Pentagon, and he echoed Nahom’s assessment.

VanHerck also emphasized the nation’s need to detect and track potential air and missile threats to the homeland even before they are launched. To accomplish that, he stressed the urgency of leveraging commercially available data and communication to enhance data collection and analysis capabilities.

However, integrating platforms and sectors could also increase data vulnerability, and VanHerck cautioned against the potential for individuals with political motives to compromise or steal classified information. The “policy aspect of that needs to happen right now, to ensure the security. We must be more aggressive and bring the lawmakers to the table and have them discuss this as well,” VanHerk said.

Maj. Gen. Gregory Gagnon, deputy chief of space operations for intelligence, agreed. He said that commercial entities complement, rather than replace, the military’s capabilities. However, he pointed out that many areas of policy concerning data and autonomous systems remain unclear, hindering collaboration.

“Policies around autonomous launch were not clear four years ago, and now, four years later, our space ports and the volume of autonomous systems have greatly expanded. So now it’s really a policy fight because policy hasn’t developed much since four years ago,” Gagnon said.

The current challenges and security threats in both the Arctic and space domains require enhanced training and operational strategies, while urgently calling for a concerted effort to establish detailed policies and foster cooperation among various stakeholders.

VanHerck and Gagnon both reiterated how critical it is to refine homeland defense strategies to safeguard vast geographical landscapes and air and space domains, underscoring that cooperation with the nation’s allies and government agencies is essential for perfecting these approaches.

US Has Resumed Drone Operations Out of Niger, Top General Says

Sept. 13, 2023 | By Chris Gordon

The U.S. has resumed drone flights out of Niger “within the last couple of weeks” despite a coup that overthrew the democratically elected president, the top U.S. Air Force commander for Africa said Sept 13.

America had halted drone operations after the July coup, Gen. James B. Hecker, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa told reporters on Sept. 13 at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference.

“We’re continuing to do the mission now,” Hecker said.

Some 1,100 U.S. troops are based in Niger, and now U.S. manned and unmanned platforms are back to more normal operations. That has allowed the U.S. to regain some visibility into a region that has long been a focus of counterterrorism efforts. However, Deputy Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said on Sept. 14 that the U.S. has “not restarted counterterrorism operations” in Niger.

“We can confirm that U.S. forces in Niger commenced ISR flight ops to monitor for threats for purposes of force protection,” Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder said in a statement to Air & Space Forces Magazine Sept. 13. “We have secured approvals from appropriate authorities. The United States always reserves the right to conduct operations to protect our forces and personnel, if required. We have not restarted security force assistance training or counterterrorism cooperation with Niger.”

Ryder declined to comment on specific operations “for security purposes.”

The U.S. has taken a wait-and-see approach since the junta’s takeover, which risked jeopardizing U.S. counterterrorism missions in much of Africa and raised questions about America’s ability to carry out military operations in that region. The Biden administration has not officially declared the removal of President Mohammad Bazoum a coup, a legal move that would require the U.S. to cut off military assistance under U.S. law.

Since the coup, current and former U.S. officials have stressed that there might still be some hope the U.S. could reach an agreement to resume counterterrorism efforts.

“If Western operations are significantly impacted by this, it’s going to be bad for the Nigerien people,” retired Army Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, who led U.S. Africa Command from 2019-2022, previously told Air & Space Forces Magazine. “It’s going to be bad for the region. It’s going to be bad for Europe before it’s bad for America, but it’s going to be bad for everybody.”

Led by the State Department, the U.S. was able to calm tensions and regain its ability to use the country as a vital drone base, Hecker said.

“They were able to turn that around fairly quickly where we didn’t have to totally evacuate everything out there,” Hecker said of the State Department’s efforts.

The U.S. did move personnel from Air Base 101 near the capital of Niamey to Air Base 201 over 500 miles away in the city of Agadez on the edge of the Sahara desert. “But we did take some things and personnel, and we moved them to 201, which is a base which isn’t under as much pressure, if you will. And we hope that that’s going to be maybe a temporary thing, and things will calm down as they appear to be,” Hecker said.

The Pentagon acknowledged the movement of U.S. forces from Air Base 101 to Air Base 201 in “a precautionary measure,” Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said Sept 7.

Hecker said that while aircraft are still flying, the distance between the two bases did have an operational impact, as many targets of surveillance are farther from Air Base 201 than Air Base 101.

“You’re doing the mission, but you’re not getting as much data because you’re not overhead for as long just because of the gas it takes to get there and back,” Hecker said.

This article was updated on Sept. 14 with comments from Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh.

Gen. James B. Hecker, Commander, U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa at Air & Space Forces Association’s 2023 Air, Space & Cyber Conference on September 12, at National Harbor, Maryland. Photo by Mike Tsukamoto/Air & Space Forces Magazine

B-21 Still on Track for First Flight This Year. But Are There Enough in the Pipeline?

Sept. 13, 2023 | By John A. Tirpak

While the Air Force eagerly awaits the first flight of the B-21, there aren’t enough Raiders behind that first aircraft in the pipeline to do everything the nation needs the bomber fleet to do, a top analyst said Sept. 13 at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference.

As a result, USAF’s bomber fleet, already smaller than it has ever been, could get even smaller if the Air Force doesn’t ramp up B-21 production or extend the service of the B-1 and B-2 fleets, said Mark Gunzinger, director of future concepts and capability studies at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies during a panel discussion on the B-21.

Northrop Grumman’s aeronautics president Tom Jones, also on the panel, said the first B-21, now being readied for flight test, is still likely to fly by the end of the year—and delays to this point are only a sign that it is being readied in a deliberate fashion that will ensure a quick succession of follow-on flights.

Gunzinger said his analysis of USAF aircraft inventory plans shows the bomber inventory will decline early in the next decade, at a time when its importance is only increasing.

“According to DOD’s own unclassified report to Congress of aircraft inventory, it looks like the B-21 acquisition rate is going to top out at around 10 per year sometime in the 2030s,” Gunzinger said. That level would be “half the max rate that we planned for the last four bomber models” and not enough to prosecute a campaign-level air war.

Also on the panel were William D. Bailey, the head of the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, which is developing the B-21; Jones; and Brig. Gen. Ty Neuman, the Air Force’s director of concepts and strategy in the Air Force Futures office. None disputed Gunzinger’s assessment.

To deter China from attempting an invasion of Taiwan, “we have to bring mass,” Gunzinger said. “We have to bring precision plus mass over long ranges to strike a … landing wave, surface action groups, and other targets that would be the core of China’s offensive strategy.”

Carrier air wings will have to stay too far away from China because of long-range ballistic missiles, Gunzinger said. “So we need our bomber force now more than ever.”

At 141 aircraft, today’s bomber fleet is smaller than at almost any time in USAF history. “We’re sized for the wars of the past and not the operating environment we’re in today,” Gunzinger said.

Various analysts peg a mixed fleet of 300 B-21s and B-52s as the minimum needed to carry out such an air campaign, but the Air Force doesn’t have the resources to do that because, for 31 years, it has received less funding than the Army or Navy.

A suggestion from former Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein that the Air Force move toward 225 bombers is a “step in the right direction,” Gunzinger said.

“We need to grow the size of our bomber force as quickly as possible, he argued. “And that means the acquisition rate of the B-21 should be maximized.”

In the meantime, “our force is going to go down before it goes up,” Gunzinger warned, explaining that DOD’s aircraft plan puts the bomber fleet at 133 tails. “It might actually be worse than that,” because the Air Force doesn’t have the money to keep the B-1 and B-2 bombers flying while bringing on B-21s.

Jones said the first B-21 test aircraft, designated T-1, is not a prototype and was built largely as the first production aircraft, P-1, will be.

“The jet that’s going to fly this year, for all intents and purposes, is a production jet,” Jones said.

“It’s got all the coating, it’s got the mission systems. It was built using factory processes. It was built with regular work orders by regular factory technicians, not engineers doing a bespoke first article. It was built with original tooling,” said Jones. While it will be a flight sciences aircraft, the B-21 contract calls for making the test airplanes into operational models later on.

As lessons are learned in testing, Northrop is applying adaptive processes, “which means we’re going to get to stable, steady production rates faster,” Jones promised.

Additionally,, B-21 sustainment was a foundational design factor, which means testing will move out rapidly and early production aircraft will be able to operate as “daily flyers” soon after reaching the force, he said.

Neuman said the Air Force is “thinking very differently” about how the B-21 will be employed versus previous bombers.

“It’s not about force packaging,” he said. “It’s about providing complicated scenarios that the adversary has to plan for,” as part of a “cost-imposing” strategy.

Bailey agreed that the B-21 is “still on track” to fly by the end of 2022.

“The aircraft is performing well,” he said. While the team is looking forward to first flight, in a meeting last week, they “wanted to talk about second flight up to the 20^th flight. … We’re looking downstream all the time.”

The challenge, he said, “is to stay focused. We need to be ready on day one to operate this aircraft.”