F-15 Eagles Train with the Philippines Over South China Sea

Nov. 27, 2023 | By Unshin Lee Harpley

The U.S. and the Philippines conducted a three-day aerial exercise together last week, with fighters from both nations operating over the strategically vital South China Sea.

The joint drill ran from Nov. 21-23, with two U.S. F-15 Eagles flying alongside two Philippines Air Force FA-50s, a Pacific Air Forces spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine.

The aerial exercise was part of a larger ”maritime and aerial cooperation activity” between U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and the Armed Forces of the Philippines, according to a PACAF release.

The South China Sea is a hotly contested region—the People’s Republic of China claims sovereignty over much of the heavily-trafficked waters and has used what the U.S. and its allies call “coercive” and “aggressive” behavior to reinforce its claims.

U.S. forces, meanwhile, continue to operate in the region in accordance with international law, even as the Pentagon has noted an uptick in unsafe and unprofessional incidents by Chinese warplanes and ships.

“U.S. forces routinely operate with Allies and partners in defense of the rules-based international order and will continue to do so to maintain peace and stability in the region,” the PACAF release noted.

Two Philippine Air Force FA-50s fly alongside two U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagles over the South China Sea, Nov. 21, 2023. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Alexis Redin

The U.S. and the Philippines—which also has claims in the South China Sea—have tightened their alliance in recent months. In March, U.S. Air Force F-22s deployed to the Philippines for the first time ever, and in May, the two countries reintroduced the Cope Thunder aerial exercise after a 33-year hiatus.

More recently, on Nov. 6, the two countries marked the completion of the Basa Air Base runway upgrade, a project backed by a $24 million investment from Washington.

The upgraded 8,000-foot runway featuring reinforced pavement can now accommodate larger aircraft, such as cargo planes used by the Philippine Air Force.

It is expected that runway will also facilitate future U.S. aircraft operations, as part of the countries’ recently expanded Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

Basa Air Base, situated about 40 miles northwest of metro Manila, was constructed by the U.S. in the 1940s, prior to World War II.

On Nov. 15, Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Philippine Secretary of National Defense Gilberto Teodoro Jr. met in Jakarta, emphasizing alliance modernization and the progress of the EDCA, including the newly finished Basa runway.

As an extension of the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting-Plus, the two Secretaries convened and reaffirmed their commitment to cultivating a transparent and peaceful Indo-Pacific region.

Austin also reiterated Washington’s commitment to defend the Philippines’ sovereignty in its Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

Beijing’s territorial claims of the South China Sea overlap with the Philippines’ EEZ, leading to tensions and disputes over maritime rights and resources.

In October, the U.S. expressed support for the Philippines against China’s Coast Guard and maritime militia, which obstructed a Philippine resupply mission in the South China Sea.

Austin and Teodoro Jr. also pledged to enhance bilateral operations, including the upcoming annual joint exercise dubbed ‘Balikatan’ (meaning “shoulder to shoulder”) in 2024.

This past April, the two nations hosted the largest-ever Balikatan exercise, involving 12,200 U.S. troops and 5,400 AFP personnel.

US, Allies’ Ships and Aircraft Thwart Pirates Despite Houthi Missile Attacks

Nov. 27, 2023 | By Chris Gordon

A chaotic series of events in which two ballistic missiles were fired from Yemen toward an American destroyer began with an apparently unrelated act of Somali piracy, the Pentagon said Nov 27.

The disclosure adds a new twist to an increasingly complex security situation in the Middle East despite a temporary truce in the Israel-Hamas war.

“Clearly a piracy-related incident,” Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder told reporters.

The episode began when the crew of the merchant vessel Central Park, a tanker owned by an Israeli businessman, put out a distress call that it was under attack Nov. 26.

The USS Mason, a guided missile destroyer which was operating in the Gulf of Aden, heeded the alert. A team from the USS Mason embarked on a small boat, rushed toward the commercial ship, and captured five suspected pirates.

The U.S. personnel fired warning shots as the attackers tried to escape, but there was no return fire and nobody was injured.

“We’re continuing to assess, but initial indications are that these five individuals are Somali,” Ryder said.

USS Mason small boat — U.S. Navy Sailors participate in a small boat training evolution alongside the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87) July 3, 2023. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Kaitlin Watt

In a statement released Nov. 26, U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said “associated aircraft” were also involved, but Ryder declined to identify the type or number of aircraft.

“It was allied ships and aircraft that responded to this,” he said.

That, however, was not the end of the story.

Around an hour and 40 minutes later, Houthi rebels in Yemen fired two ballistic missiles toward the USS Mason and Central Park in the early morning hours of Nov. 27 local time.

The Iran-backed Houthis had seized an Israeli-linked commercial vessel earlier this month in the Red Sea, shot down a U.S. Air Force MQ-9 drone on Nov. 8 and launched ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones toward Israel.

In this case, U.S. officials say the Houthis may simply have seized the opportunity to join the fray.

“It’s not clear to us who they were targeting exactly,” Ryder said.

The Mason’s crew tracked the missiles but decided they did not need to take action since the projectiles landed roughly 10 miles from the Mason and the Central Park, the U.S. military said.

“They landed harmlessly in the water,” Ryder said.

The U.S. wasn’t the only nation on the scene according to the Pentagon. Three vessels from China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy were also near the Central Park when it made its distress calls, Ryder said. A spokesperson for the Chinese Embassy in Washington said they could not immediately comment on the incident.

“Supposedly, those ships are there as part of a counter-piracy mission,” Ryder said of the Chinese vessels. “But they did not respond.”

Security Forces Airmen Train on ‘Game-Changer’ Drone That Could Compete for Replicator

Nov. 27, 2023 | By David Roza

Eight enlisted Airmen recently became the first Air National Guardsmen to train on a new drone which could boost security forces operations at home and abroad. Earlier this month, members of the Minnesota Air National Guard’s 133rd Security Forces Squadron learned to fly and operate the Skydio X2D, a quadcopter equipped with 4K cameras, night vision, a thermal sensor, and artificial intelligence that keeps the drone aloft so that operators can focus on gathering information.

“This is a game-changer; it’s a force multiplier in itself,” Tech Sgt. Brandon Trout, drone program manager for the 133rd Security Forces Squadron, said in a press release about the training. Trout explained that the drone can serve as a policing tool, giving defenders a complete view of a target building, creating 3D models of it, and tracking anyone who leaves.

“If an individual comes out of the building, I can tag that individual, and then the drone will follow him,” he said. “I don’t need to be on the ground chasing him. I can now get in my vehicle and follow him, and it will tell me exactly where he’s going. What this thing is doing is it’s adding the new AI technology into how our squadron operates.”

security forces drone — The 133rd Security Forces Squadron completed initial training for the Skydio X2D Drone at Camp Ripley Training Center in Little Falls, Minnesota, on 13th through the 15th of November 2023.(Minnesota Army National Guard Photo by Sgt. Jorden Newbanks).

Over the course of three days at Minnesota’s Camp Ripley Training Center, the eight Airmen learned how to use these and other capabilities on the X2D, which can be controlled from a handheld computer. The drone can fly up to 35 minutes and has a 10-kilometer range, but Skydio marketing materials focus on the aircraft’s brains. According to the company website, a predictive AI algorithm keeps the drone flying, avoids running into obstacles, and automatically charts the safest way back to the operator.

“I think that when people think of drones, they think of cheap remote-controlled drones,” Trout said in the release. “That’s not true at all. These things are way more elaborate and complex than you could ever imagine.”

Better reconnaissance could help security forces Airmen, who double as base police and combat infantry in order to keep bases safe and secure.

“[T]his drone completely changes every single thing that we do,” Trout said. “Whether it’s domestic response, hurricane relief, infantry training, active shooters, all the way to the nuclear side of operations.”

Over the past several years, security forces Airmen around the world have tried using drones to better monitor installations. They also are experimenting with various counter-drone systems and practicing how to treat casualties after enemy drone attacks.

The X2D is just about two feet long, but big changes are on the horizon for military drones in general. On Nov. 21, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks told reporters that the Department of Defense will select candidates for its Replicator initiative in December. The initiative is an effort to buy thousands of relatively inexpensive, autonomous drones in 18 to 24 months to make the military better prepared for a possible conflict with China.

“Replicator is meant to help us overcome the [People’s Republic of China]’s biggest advantage, which is mass: more ships, more missiles, more people,“ Hicks said when she first announced the initiative in August. “We’ll counter the PLA’s mass with mass of our own, but ours will be harder to plan for, harder to hit, and harder to beat.”

The candidates may not necessarily be announced next month, but Skydio, the company that makes the X2D, hopes its autonomous capabilities and resilience to cyber or electronic warfare threats will help put it on the list.

“The concept of ‘affordable mass’ has received a lot of attention as of late; smart drones are required for effective affordable mass,” W. Mark Valentine, President of Global Government at Skydio, said in a September commentary on Replicator.

Trout, the drone program manager in Minnesota, is ready for the change.

“This drone can do things that humans can’t physically do,” he said in the release. “So, we’re taking that strategic plan of integrating new technology in the Air Force, and we’re here today to implement it.”

How These Guardians Avoid Satellite Collisions At 17,000 Miles Per Hour

Nov. 22, 2023 | By David Roza

There are tens of thousands of manmade objects in space, many of which are moving in low earth orbit at more than 17,000 miles per hour. If any collide, they could disrupt vital communications, navigation, and scientific satellites that millions of people rely on every day. That’s why the Space Force’s 18th Space Defense Squadron (SDS) has its eyes on the sky, tracking objects overhead and identifying possible collision risks so that satellite operators can adjust orbit and avoid a run-in.

“Just like a pileup on a busy racetrack, space debris could collide into other satellites, disrupting critical communication, navigation, and weather forecasting services,” Space Operations Command noted in a recent press release highlighting the squadron. “Acting as the lighthouse of space, 18th SDS is responsible for monitoring and tracking all artificial objects in Earth’s orbit to ensure the safety of our satellites, astronauts, and space exploration endeavors.”

From its headquarters at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., the 18th SDS uses the U.S. Space Surveillance Network (SSN) to track more than 45,000 objects in orbit. The worldwide network includes ground-based sensors such as the Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance System, which takes rapid digital photos of the night sky where satellites show up as tiny streaks. Computers then measure the streaks to calculate the satellites’ position, according to the Space Force website.

Other ground-based legs of the SSN include the AN/FPS-85 and AN/FYS-3 Phased Array Radars, which can track hundreds of targets simultaneously; and ‘Space Fence,’ an array system in the Marshall Islands that broadcasts constant bands of energy and tracks objects that pass through it. There are also on-orbit platforms such as the Space-Based Space Surveillance satellite, which can track objects year-round above earthly obstructions such as weather and daylight.

There are several other dedicated, collateral, and auxiliary sensors that make up the SSN, which has to keep pace with an ever-growing number of space objects. The 18th SDS uses data from the SSN to update Space-Track.org, a public catalog of objects in Earth orbit. The 18 SDS also works with its sister squadron, the 19th SDS, to predict where satellites are headed and prevent collisions.

In a crowded place like low Earth orbit, unexpected satellite fragments can ramp up the risk of a disastrous collision. There are four kinds of fragmentation events, the recent press release explained. Anomalous debris-causing events occur when corrosion, fatigue, or similar factors lead to fragments spreading at relatively low speeds close to the original satellite’s orbit. In contrast, breakup events generate large amounts of debris that spread quickly over a wide area.

Breakups can be unintentional, such as when volatile chemicals in a satellite fuel tank explode, or intentional, like when countries launch anti-satellite missile tests that generate thousands of pieces of debris. The debris cloud from a 2021 Russian anti-satellite test still threatens people and satellites in orbit today.

Collisions are a third category of fragmentation event. One example is when a Russian military satellite collided with a commercial Iridium satellite in 2009, generating a large debris cloud and prompting the start of U.S. Space Command’s Space Situational Awareness Sharing Program. The fourth category of event is mission-related, where fragmentation includes a payload deployed from a larger satellite or unintentional separation of non-payload components.

Members of the 18th SDS keep an eye out for changes in orbital parameters, which can indicate if a satellite is releasing gas or undergoing structural stress and can foreshadow possible fragmentation, the press release explained. The Guardians use specialized software to track satellite trajectories or, in the case of fragmentation, figure out where debris came from, what caused it, and where it’s going. The next step is to warn affected satellite operators so they can adjust accordingly.

Despite the 18th SDS’ vast observation and computation abilities, there are still more than a million objects under 10 cm that are too small to track but which can pose a major collision threat in orbit. Maneuvering to avoid collisions uses up fuel and shortens satellite lifespans, but mitigating the threat is a problem that one Space Force squadron alone can’t solve.

Indeed, earlier this year, the research group RAND called for an international space traffic management system (STM) that would help operators better coordinate, communicate, and adjudicate traffic challenges. Today, management of space objects is “an informal, ad hoc, and often ill-coordinated process” that is “approaching a tipping point,” wrote RAND researchers, which noted that more than a dozen major conferences, reports, and papers have called for a STM over the past 40 years.

“Rather than wait for a crisis to catalyze action, the space community should seize the moment and begin the work of building the governance structures needed to ensure the safety and sustainability of critical space assets, services, and activities,” researchers wrote.

Until then, the 18th SDS is hard at work tracking thousands of objects and helping operators “safely navigate the orbital racetrack,” the press release said.

12 Things We Learned From the New B-21’s Taxi Tests and First Flight

Nov. 22, 2023 | By John A. Tirpak

After nearly a year of speculation since the Air Force arranged a carefully-controlled, forward-only view of the B-21 Raider at its December 2022 rollout—leaving many questions about the shape and equipment of the bomber—images of the aircraft taken of its November taxi tests and first flight provided some definitive answers about it.

All images circulating of the taxi tests and first flight were taken by private photographers staking out Air Force Plant 42 at Palmdale, Calif., where Northrop Grumman builds the B-21. The Air Force has yet to release any official images of the events.

Taking off at dawn on Nov. 10, the B-21’s underside was illuminated at a nearly straight-on angle, revealing all its features in crisp relief. The aircraft made a circuitous, roughly 140-minute flight to the northwest before landing at Edwards Air Force Base.

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Overall Shape

The first flight settled the question of whether early Air Force concept art of the B-21’s overall shape was realistic or meant to fool potential adversaries. The planform is in fact a simple W-shape flying wing—as the Air Force originally described—without the serrated tail seen on the B-2, on which the B-21 is clearly based.

The B-2 originally had a similar planform, but in the mid-1980s, the Air Force added a requirement that the B-2 be capable of sustained low-level, terrain-following flight, forcing the addition of additional tail area and control surfaces. The redesign cost several billion dollars and added several years to the B-2’s schedule.

The W-shape of the B-21 suggests the aircraft will only fly at higher altitudes. The B-21’s wing angle of sweep is also similar to that of the B-2. A striking aspect of the aircraft is its prominent “diamond” center area, which harkens to the earliest ideas of stealth shaping from the 1980s. The fact that the aircraft is all-around light gray also indicates that, unlike the B-2—which is painted dark gray to be visually hard to detect at night—the B-21 is meant to be a daytime bomber.

Nickname

Stenciled on the aircraft’s nose gear door is the name “Cerberus,” the mythical three-headed dog that guards the gates of the underworld. The 20 aircraft in the B-21 fleet all carry the names of states.

Size

Based on the known size of its F-16 chase plane and overall shape, the B-21’s wingspan is likely to be about 140 feet; smaller than the B-2’s 172-foot wingspan, but somewhat larger than earlier estimates. Its length appears to be about 55 feet, versus the B-2’s 69 feet. The Air Force has consistently said the B-21 will be somewhat smaller than the B-2 and have a smaller weapons payload.

B-21 Raider with Edwards AFB F-16 flying chase departing Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, CA this morning 😎 pic.twitter.com/C8rPoBWKOQ
— Thenewarea51 (@thenewarea51) November 10, 2023

The Tail

The B-21’s exhausts have a scalloped shape, similar to the B-2’s air intakes, and are very different from the simple slots on the older bomber. The exhausts are set back from the tail, where darkened panels indicate some kind of thermal reduction treatment. Unlike the B-2, where the rearmost portion of the tail was articulated, the tail of the B-21 seems to be fixed.

On the B-2, this articulating control surface, known as the “beavertail,” but officially known as the Gust-Load Alleviation System, was intended to help the aircraft leap off the runway more quickly if a nuclear attack was coming. However, B-2 pilots have said this feature wasn’t considered useful and was effectively “turned off,” so its deletion from the B-21 isn’t surprising.

This is the first look at the new B-21 Raiders rear-end.
byu/Specialist-Ad-5300 inaviation

Auxiliary Air Intakes

The B-21 has two tall, triangular doors on its upper surface—one on either side—which open to provide more air to the engines during ground operations, takeoff, and landing. The fact that there are only two of these, symmetrically positioned, suggests there are only two engines powering the bomber. There are four analogous features on the B-2, which has four engines.

B-21 has cat ears?
byu/Frosty_Signaleer inNonCredibleDefense

Weapons Bays

The B-21 may have three weapons bays: seams show the clear outlines of doors for the main center bay, as well as seams indicating engine access doors. Between them, another set of slim doors may be additional weapon launch doors. The B-21 is to have capability to carry at least three specific weapons: the B61-12 nuclear gravity bomb, the conventional Stand-in Attack Weapon (SiAW), and the nuclear AGM-181 Long-Range Stand-Off (LRSO) Missile. The mystery bays may be intended to carry SiAWs, which are meant to destroy enemy air defense systems. Smaller, more slender bay doors are likely able to open and close more rapidly, enhancing stealth when drawing close to an enemy’s ground radar.

Seam Sealing

Although program officials have said the B-21 will dispense with the “tape, caulk, and putty” seam-sealing techniques used on other stealth aircraft such as the B-2, the F-22, and F-117, the underside of the B-21 showed some uneven contours at the weapons and engine bay seams, particularly at corners, suggesting that perhaps those techniques have not been completely abandoned. The underside’s surface lacks the striking glass-smooth finish seen on the upper surfaces. Apertures at the front of the keel also seem to have seams treated with tape or caulk. Although effective, such seam-sealing techniques have been extremely time consuming on earlier stealth aircraft, ballooning their maintenance man hours per flight hour. Industry experts have described these techniques as “more art than science,” calling into question their repeatability and utility under wartime conditions.

Control Surfaces

The B-21 has eight control surfaces at the trailing edge of the wings and tail. Like the B-2, these can be deflected to provided the stability normally provided by a vertical stabilizer; the deflection is controlled by the aircraft’s computer to make the many times per second calculations needed to keep the aircraft stable. They can also be deflected to perform the role of a rudder.

Deep Wing Tanks

The depth of the B-21’s wings was striking in the high-relief sunlight of the first flight. There is a prominent bulge down the center of each wing, likely indicating deep fuel tanks that go nearly to the wing tips.

#b21 #b21raider #usaf #usa #palmdale #ca #onassignment @reuters pic.twitter.com/2VO5tZAdBW
— David Swanson (@SwansonPhotog) November 10, 2023

Radar Apertures

The leading edge of the B-2’s keel has clear outlines showing where its radars are, but the B-21’s visible seams leave some question about whether it has similar equipment, or equipment of a similar size. That could mean the apertures are integral with the outer mold line of the aircraft, and that the radar can only be accessed from the interior. Or, the radars may be sealed in: that may be possible, as the reliability of transmit-receive modules in recent years has been very high, and radars now have a long mean time between failure and degrade gracefully, meaning radars still work well with a number of the TR modules inoperative. It could also mean the B-21 will rely on offboard radars, as it has consistently been said that the aircraft is part of a “family of systems” including other aircraft and satellites.

Radar Reflectors

Two extendable rods forward and inboard of the landing gear bays appear to be radar reflectors, to prevent adversaries in the Palmdale (and now, Edwards Air Force Base) area from making radar cross section measurements of the airplane. The main gear also were not retracted during the time the aircraft was climbing out of Palmdale, possibly for the same purpose. The B-21 also has extendable landing lights near the wing tips that may also serve to heighten its radar cross section when operating in populated (and thus insecure) areas like runways.

Test Gear

In addition to a test data probe extending through the front of the aircraft’s port keel, the B-21 trailed an air data cone at the end of a long cable extending from the rear port underside.

Shortly after the B-21 made its first flight, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said “it’s an important milestone” and he is “fairly optimistic” about the program.

In a Nov. 13 webcast of the Center for a New American Security, Kendall warned that all programs eventually run into problems, and he consistently declines to offer glowing reports on programs, no matter how well they’re doing. But with the B-21, “I can say, cautious optimism is warranted.”

He also said “we’ve got a ways to go the flight testing, and then we’ve obviously got to go through production and make that work,” but “We can still find issues that we have to address, and I expect we will.”

‘Extraordinarily Special’ Satellite Built by Cadets Launches into Orbit

Nov. 22, 2023 | By Greg Hadley

When a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., Nov. 11, among the more than 100 satellites it launched into orbit was one designed, built, and operated by Air Force Academy cadets.

The FalconSAT-X, a project that began with the class of 2019, is the latest in a series of small satellites developed by USAFA cadets over the past two decades. at the U.S. Air Force Academy. The FalconSAT program continues to give future Air Force and Space Force officers firsthand experience in space operations.

“We primarily build upon the work of years past, and a lot of what we have been working with is as a direct result of those who have come before us,” said Cadet 1st Class Casey Dutro told Air & Space Forces Magazine.

For the class of 2024, much of the work this fall has focused on finalizing plans and honing the operational procedures for the satellite. The Cadet Space Operations Squadron, which draws members from all classes at the Academy, are responsible for the day-to-day operations of the FalconSAT satellites, which include FalconSAT-6 and FalconSAT-8, launched in 2018 and 2020, respectively.

“We were talking a lot about training, not only training ourselves to be able to run the passes, but we trained about 50 other operators to be able to operate on the satellite as well,” said Cadet 1st Class Parker Brush. “So that way when we’re not in the room, we also train them to be able to do passes as well. So in the weeks leading up to it, it was training a bunch of people on how to commission the satellite, and not only how to commission but how to operate it.”

When it came time for liftoff, the cadets were ready.

“The moment at launch, we got to watch it, enjoy ourselves, and then after about an hour and a half, we were making contact with the satellite,” Brush said. “It was very quick. We immediately ran down and started getting everything ready so we could talk to the satellite.”

U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet 1st Class Ashley Nies, left, an initial contact team member, operates FalconSAT-X from USAFA’s Department of Astronautics Space Systems Research Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., after its launch on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., Nov. 11, 2023. U.S. Air Force Photo by Justin R. Pacheco

Still, amid the quick turnaround, the students were able to take a moment to soak in their accomplishment.

“As someone who’s been fortunate enough to see a couple of launches in my life, this one was extraordinarily special,” said Cadet 1st Class John Olson. “Being able to actually have worked on the satellite itself and see it go up, there’s a sense of pride and accomplishment in looking at things that we’re trying to do with it. From that perspective, we’re really excited to move forward.”

The satellite hosts a number of technology experiments, including some related to propulsion and communications, noted Lt. Col. Daniel Showalter, director of the Space Systems Research Center at USAFA.

In addition to continued work with FalconSAT-X, the program has already started work on its successor, FalconSAT-Xtra. For the class of 2024, the rest of the year will be focused on ensuring both the new satellite in orbit and the one in development are ready to be handed off.

“Our big goal is to be able to set up FalconSAT-X so that we can hand it off to the next group,” Brush said. “So setting up data analysis processes and setting up common procedures for passes and operations so that way, once we’re gone … everything is fully prepared for the next class to take it on and make it better than what we had.”

From there, some of the cadets will embark on careers in the Space Force with the invaluable experience of having already dipped their toes in space operations.

“Actually working on the satellite and looking at the different processes and things that are going on, I garnered a greater appreciation for the systems engineering and the thought process behind putting everything together,” said Olson, who hopes to be an engineer in the USSF.

Others will move on to the Air Force—but with a greater appreciation for space.

“It definitely gives you more insight into all of the work that goes into stuff that we take for granted today such as GPS,” said Brush, who hopes to become a pilot. “Every single plane in our inventory relies upon GPS, and all of that comes from satellites. So all of the work that I’m going to be able to do is so incredibly reliant upon all of the work that happens in space, and seeing what goes on down here, it gives me a sense of appreciation for what goes on.”

“It’s also given me a new look on the acquisition process and how that kind of looks, with the development of an idea to actual hardware, software going up,” added Dutro. “That process and seeing that has been phenomenal in terms of giving me that background knowledge.”

Such appreciation could help shape future Air Force and Space Force leaders’ views on space.

“Programs like FalconSat help our cadets learn how to leverage the vast potential of space power in the [future fight],” USAFA dean of the faculty Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre posted on social media.

Engineers (from left) Braden Virdell, Seth Hart, Zane Sauer and Jack Hallowell watch U.S. Air Force Academy Cadet 1st Class Parker Brush operate FalconSAT-X from the Department of Astronautics Space Systems Research Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., after its launch on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., Nov. 11, 2023. U.S. Air Force Photo by Justin R. Pacheco

PHOTOS: Kadena Flexes Airpower with Air Force and Navy Aircraft in Elephant Walk

Nov. 22, 2023 | By Unshin Lee Harpley

The U.S. Air Force and Navy both contributed aircraft to an impressive 33-plane “elephant walk” on the runway of Kadena Air Base in Japan on Nov. 21.

The nearly three dozen aircraft included nine different types, showing off the range of capabilities at the base, which has a fleet of more than 100 planes either based or stationed there.

At the forefront stood two HH-60G Pave Hawks helicopters, used for combat search and rescue, and an MQ-9 Reaper drone. Behind them, a formation of fighter and attack aircraft included USAF F-15s and F-35s, as well as USN E/A-18G Growlers.

In the backdrop, larger aircraft included the RC-135 Rivet Joint, used for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, and the aerial refueler KC-135.

Kadena just welcomed additional F-35 fighters from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, on Nov. 20, reinforcing the base’s fifth-generation airpower capabilities.

The freshly arrived jets joined F-35s from the 356th Fighter Squadron at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, which began operating from Kadena in March.

The base also received F-15E Strike Eagles from the 4th Fighter Wing at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, N.C.; and the 366th Fighter Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho; and F-15C Eagles from the California Air National Guard’s 144th Fighter Wing and the Louisiana Air National Guard’s 159th Fighter Wing.

These fighter jets represent the latest in a series of aircraft rotating through Kadena as the base’s local F-15C/D fleet phases out due to old age.

Kadena has operated F-15C/Ds since 1979. Before the drawdown, about 48 of the aircraft were permanently based there, distributed across two squadrons.

An MQ-9 Reaper, which arrived at the base for the first time last month, was also included in the lineup.

Kadena welcomed the Reaper’s arrival on Oct. 13, which was previously deployed to Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Kanoya Air Base, Japan

This was the first of several MQ-9s deploying to Kadena to strengthen regional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities in support of the U.S-Japan alliance.

The full roster of aircraft included:

USAF

14 F-35s

10 F-15s

Two HH-60G helicopters

One RC-135 Rivet Joint

One KC-135 tanker

One MQ-9 drone

One E-3 AWACS

USN

One P-8A Poseidon

Two E/A-18G Growlers

Kadena, known as the Keystone of the Pacific, offers access to various potential hotspots throughout the Indo-Pacific region. Located on Okinawa, a southern Japanese island only about 400 miles east of Taiwan, it could be a vital staging ground for the U.S. response if the People’s Republic of China were to invade Taiwan.

As Its Last Weather Satellites Age, DOD Works on Plans for a New Generation

Nov. 21, 2023 | By Unshin Lee Harpley

Up-to-date information on the weather is important for many people’s jobs. For the Air Force and the broader U.S. military, it can be absolutely critical.

“Small thunderstorm cells can form, dump hail, create a microburst on the ground, and then collapse all within 30 minutes. I’ve seen it happen in Iraq and Afghanistan, that’s a problem,” Air Force Director of Weather Col. Patrick C. Williams said during an event by the Mitchell Institute Aerospace Studies on Nov. 20. “In the Middle East, they ended up with a brown-out condition where they couldn’t see anything. We had a Blackhawk go down in the Middle East, as a result of that. Medevac rescue could not make it in time because they had to wait for that frontal windstorm to pass.”

Key to formulating that weather information are a small number of satellites from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP)—which dates back 60 years. Now, there is an urgent need for an improved space-based environmental monitoring (SBEM) system to replace DMSP architecture.

Satellite images play a crucial role in offering real-time data on how clouds form, disperse, and move. But the Pentagon’s current satellite infrastructure is struggling meet the demand for constantly refreshed and updated information, observers have noted.

Currently, there are only a few DMSP satellites left, the last of which launched in 2014.

“One satellite isn’t enough to give us enough of a refresh rate,” Williams said, stressing the importance of timely, accurate data for both the Air Force Weather team and broader warfighting efforts.

It’s not just ground operations that need weather information—Williams cited another example of electrically-charged weathers cells wreaking havoc on remotely piloted aircraft (RPAS), causing turbulence and operational challenges.

“Forecasting becomes a problem when you can’t have eyes on all the time,” Williams added.

Accurate forecasting requires technology to know what the weather will be like in the next 24 hours for operational purposes, along with detailed, hour-by-hour analysis of weather changes for tactical decision-making.

“The impacts to SBEM systems—or the lack thereof—really impact more than just the Department of the Air Force. It really impacts global operation,” Williams said.

Tim Ryan, senior resident fellow for the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, released a policy paper earlier this month highlighting the need to accelerate replacements for DMSP. In it, he highlighted the importance of new programs such as Electro-Optical/Infrared Weather Systems (EWS) and Weather Satellite Follow-on Microwave (WSF-M), slated to start coming online in the next few years.

Ryan also argued it is essential to develop a plan for SBEM to ensure its long-term effectiveness.

Lt. Col. Joseph L. Maguadog, materiel leader for EO/IR Weather Systems at the Space Force’s Space Systems Command, said at the Mitchell Institute event that SSC is working to enhance its SBEM capabilities through a combination of modernization and collaboration with partners.

The command’s plan involves using several groups of satellites, with two in low Earth orbit (LEO) and one in geosynchronous (GEO) orbit. These satellites will collaborate to ensure the right sensors are available when needed, with refresh rates tailored for strategic, operational, and tactical commands.

“We’re pivoting that mission area to an increasingly disaggregated, peripheral, and ultimately a more resilient architecture that aligns to our CSO’s vision,” Maguadog said.

The goal is to drive towards a “smaller and cheaper capability,” Maguadog said, while ensuring the operational community’s needs are met.

“There is a family of systems that we heavily rely on with our partners,” Maguadog added, referring to partners including NOAA, the European Meteorological Agency, the Japan Meteorological Agency. “The only way that we are going to deliver the refresh rates that our DOD operators need today, is to continue to work within that family of systems.”

Still, risk remains to the Space Force’s acquisition programs, Maguadog said, stressing the importance of staying in touch with industry partners.

“It’s incumbent upon the program managers to try to anticipate as much risk as possible,” Maguadog said. “And I can’t emphasize enough how important is the success of this program to meet those timelines, as we are so reliant on our industry partners that are literally cranking the wrenches and building these never-before-seen, next-generation sensors.”

Group of Lawmakers Urge Kendall to Speed New F-16 Jets, Upgrades for Taiwan

Nov. 21, 2023 | By John A. Tirpak

There is “high risk” to the plans for supplying Taiwan with new and modified F-16s in a timely way, according to 24 Republican members of the House of Representatives, who called on Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall to accelerate delivery of the fighters and upgrade kits in a letter released sent last week.

“While the FMS [Foreign Military Sales] case was supposed to be completed by 2025-2026, the estimated delivery timeline slipped earlier this year to 2026-2027,” noted the two dozen lawmakers, whose ranks include Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.), chair of the influential House Armed Services tactical air and land forces subcommittee, and more than half of the Republicans on the HASC.

While there have been some improvements in getting the program on track, “we still consider these F-16 FMS cases to be high risk,” the lawmakers wrote. “As such, we will continue to monitor these efforts closely, especially related to organizing, staffing, funding, and prioritizing the delivery and ferry flight operations supporting a timely arrival on the island of 66 new F-16 aircraft.”

The upgrade of Taiwan’s F-16 fleet includes upgrading the island’s 141 1990s-vintage F-16A/B Block 30s to F-16 Block 70-72 configuration aircraft, along with the purchase of 66 new-build F-16V models.

Asked for comment, an Air Force spokesperson said “the Department of the Air Force will provide an update directly to the congressional members.”

F-16 maker Lockheed Martin is “grateful for the trust Taiwan has placed in us across its F-16 program,” a spokesperson said. “In partnership with the U.S. government, Lockheed Martin is focused on developing F-16 capabilities in support of U.S. security cooperation objectives.”

Lockheed Martin is partnered with Taiwan’s Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. to perform the upgrades in-country. The upgrades include new AN/APG-83 active electronically-scanned-array radars, new electronic warfare kit, structural improvements, new mission computers, datalinks, and a helmet-mounted cuing system, along with additional types of weapons. The new “Viper” version aircraft are being built at Lockheed’s Greenville, S.C., F-16 production and refit center.

The first upgraded F-16 entered Taiwanese service in 2018, and initial operational capability with the type is expected later this month. The F-16V deal, signed in 2019, is worth approximately $8 billion.

“We recognize that these FMS cases were impacted from their earliest inception by optimistic assumptions about how rapidly new technology and modifications might be integrated into the initial F-16 design,” the members said. “Taiwan urgently needs these new and upgraded aircraft, and a stronger, more resilient Taiwan will improve stability across the Taiwan Strait.”

The members said they’re ready to work with Kendall to ensure the two FMS cases are not further delayed and they “hope to prevent similarly optimistic technology assumptions from manifesting in the future. We cannot afford to over-promise and under-deliver to our closest friends.”

The lawmakers applauded “several efforts undertaken by the Air Force and Taiwan that are effectively improving these F-16 FMS case timelines.” These include a “spiral development approach” that will shorten delays for the F-16 Block 70/72 aircraft, “enabled by the production line rightly prioritizing Taiwan aircraft,” the letter said.

“We are also encouraged by the steps taken by the Air Force to drastically reduce schedule risk for the F-16V retrofit program due to the on-time delivery of parts,” they wrote.

In May, Taiwanese officials said that F-16V deliveries would slip from 2023 to 2024, due to parts shortages and supply chain issues. The Air Force said at the time that parts shortages were also a result of increasing demand for defense systems worldwide.

The current estimate is that the 66 F-16Vs will all be delivered to Taiwan by the end of 2026.

The F-16 Block 70/72 refit “had been delayed by over 15 months due to software development complexities not anticipated by the original equipment manufacturer,” the lawmakers noted. “These are critical programs to improve Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities in the near- to mid-terms.”

In their letter, the members noted that the People’s Republic of China sent 1,737 aircraft into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone in 2022, and the provocations have only increased in 2023.

This “is not an aberration—the Chinese Communist Party is mounting an increasingly aggressive pressure campaign against the island that continues to intensify,” they wrote.

Taiwan needs the new aircraft to replace F-5E/F aircraft that are no longer up to the job, they added.

“We respectfully request that you provide a written update on the overall schedule for both F-16V upgrades and production of all F-16 Block 70/72 aircraft by Dec. 18, 2023, to inform our oversight activities in the second session of the 118th Congress,” the members wrote.

“We stand ready to work with you to resolve these setbacks and improve the defense of Taiwan.”

The signatories included:

Robert J. Wittman (Va.)

Mark Alford (Mo.)

Joe Wilson (S.C.)

Jake LaTurner (Kan.)

Ronny L. Jackson (Tex.)

William R. Timmons (S.C.)

Ann Wagner (Mo.)

Michael Waltz (Fla.)

James C. Moylan (Guam)

Carlos A. Gimenez (Fla.)

Robert B. Aderholt (Ala.)

Ryan K. Zinke (Mont.)

Rich McCormick, (Ga.)

Austin Scott (Ga.)

Lance Gooden (Tex.)

Bill Johnson (Ohio)

John R. Carter (Texas)

August Pfluger (Texas)

Thomas H. Kean, Jr. (N.J.)

Michael R. Turner (Ohio)

Don Bacon (Neb.)

Jen A. Kiggans (Va.)

Brad Finstad (Minn.)

Mike Gallagher (Wisc.)