BONEs Over the Middle East: B-1 Bombers Fly 3 Missions in 8 Days for CENTCOM

BONEs Over the Middle East: B-1 Bombers Fly 3 Missions in 8 Days for CENTCOM

Nov. 15, 2023 | By Greg Hadley

U.S. Air Force B-1 bombers have flown missions over the Middle East three times in the last week and a half amid U.S. military activity and widespread unrest in the region.

When the first B-1 flight took place Nov. 5, Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder emphasized that it was a “long-planned Bomber Task Force mission” as part of the BTF rotation out of RAF Fairford, United Kingdom, which began Oct. 13. 

“It’s important to differentiate the Bomber Task Force mission from the current situation in the Middle East,” Ryder said. at the time. U.S. troops have been attacked more than 50 times in the last month by Iranian-backed militias, as the entire region is on edge in the wake of the Israel-Hamas war. 

U.S. Central Command subsequently announced a second B-1 flight took place Nov. 8, with the bomber from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, escorted by F-16 fighters. Released images showed the fighters as belonging to the 138th Fighter Wing of the Oklahoma Air National Guard. The Tulsa-based Vipers are one of three F-16 squadrons in the region.

A third flight occurred Nov. 13, with the B-1 getting refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 121st Air Refueling Wing of the Ohio Air National Guard. 

CENTCOM offered few details on the flights, merely stating that the missions showed “the ability to rapidly project combat power” while noting their frequency. No locations were disclosed. 

In a social media post, Air Forces Central called the Nov. 13 flight “a regularly scheduled Bomber Task Force mission.” 

It is not unusual for bombers deployed to Europe as part of a Bomber Task Force rotation to conduct missions over the Middle East. In June, B-1s from a BTF deploying to Europe conducted live-fire exercises at ranges in Jordan and Saudi Arabia. In March, a B-52 flew alongside fighter escort aircraft from seven different nations during a flight over the region. 

However, three announced flights in eight days marks the most by a bomber task force in CENTCOM’s area of responsibility in recent years.

The U.S. has also surged other assets to the region in recent weeks, including additional attack and fighter squadrons, two aircraft carriers—the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower in the Red Sea and the USS Gerald R. Ford in the eastern Mediterranean Sea—and an Ohio-class cruise missile submarine in the Suez Canel. 

Air Force Futures Boss Reveals New CCA Details, Including Potential Aerial Refueling

Air Force Futures Boss Reveals New CCA Details, Including Potential Aerial Refueling

Nov. 15, 2023 | By Chris Gordon

The acting official in charge of shaping the future Air Force revealed new details about the service’s plans for its fleet of unmanned wingmen Nov. 15, including the prospect that some of the drones may be aerially refueled to increase their range.

The Air Force is still working through what roles Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCAs) will play in its future force, starting with the standup of an experimental operations unit that will explore how to use the new drones, Thomas J. Lawhead, the acting head of Air Force Futures, said during an event at the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.

Lawhead also referred to CCAs as coming in various “increments” or “tranches” as the Air Force advances the concept.

However, some basic details about CCAs are becoming clear after recent comments by Lawhead and Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall.

The range of the first set of CCAs “will be relatively the same as our current fighter fleet, potentially a little bit longer, which helps with the flexibility of how we would actually employ them, and we’re working through those concepts of employment right now,” said Lawhead, who serves as the assistant deputy chief of staff for strategy, integration, and requirements, in a conversation with retired Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula, dean of the Mitchell Institute.

Current Air Force fighters have a ferry range of around 1,000-2,000 miles without aerial refueling, though that decreases when pushed hard in combat and carrying weapons.

The Air Force is heavily dependent on aerial refueling to keep its fighters, bombers, and other aircraft in the air for extended periods of time. A future, more fuel-efficient, survivable tanker is in the works as part of the Next-Generation Air-Refueling System (NGAS), showing the Air Force thinks aerial refueling will be a critical part of its shift towards more dispersed and potentially contested operations in the Pacific.

“Future tranches and increments of CCAs will probably be refueled,” Lawhead said. “That adds to their fueling complexity and the fuel needed in theater. But we think those are problems that are solvable going forward.”

The possibility of extended-range, aerially-refueled CCAs in the near term is also an option, Lawhead said.

“There is potential, depending on the offer, for refueling capability in our first CCAs,” he said.

CCAs are designed to increase the capability of manned fighters, such as the F-35 and the future Next Generation Air Dominance fighter (NGAD). Kendall has floated a ballpark figure of 1,000 CCAs that will each cost roughly one-quarter to one-third of the price of an F-35, he said Nov. 13.

The USAF variant of the F-35 costs around $75 million per aircraft. Current Air Force drones, such as the MQ-9 Reaper, cost around $30 million.

Lawhead said the service is still determining whether CCA aircraft will be a part of or separate from manned aircraft squadrons.

The Air Force has to balance the long-standing issue of capability versus cost: the more advanced the platform, the fewer the service will likely be able to buy. Lawhead also hinted that the service may add additional capabilities that complement or are employed by CCAs.

“The other side of that coin, then, is what are the other things we want uncrewed aircraft to do?” he said. “Whether that’s coming out of palletized effects, whether it’s being launched off of fighters, bombers, whether it’s SOF—Special Ops Forces—inserted into the battlespace. We will want sensors, we will want [communication] nodes, we will want non-kinetic effectors out in the battlespace. All of those could be potentially supplied by autonomous platforms.”

But first, the Air Force needs to get started. CCAs are one of 12 so-called “new starts” in the Air Force’s 2024 budget that cannot begin until a budget is passed. Congress is currently operating under a stopgap continuing resolution and looks likely to continue doing so for at least the next couple of months. The Air Force plans to invest around $6 billion in CCAs over the next five years. The Air Force budgeted $72 million in fiscal 2024 for the experimental operations unit Lawhead referenced.

Once the Air Force can finally get started in earnest on CCAs, it will determine whether it wants short-runway or runway-independent CCAs, as well as what payloads they can carry, what missions they can conduct, and “how to elaborate it needs to be,” Lawhead said.

“We will continue to fight to keep the cost of CCA and its mission equipment as low as possible,” he said. “Obviously, once a CCA gets up towards the cost of an F-35, you might as well buy an F-35.”

Kendall Reveals Secret X-Plane Program Paved the Way for NGAD

Kendall Reveals Secret X-Plane Program Paved the Way for NGAD

Nov. 14, 2023 | By John A. Tirpak

There was a secret, multi-agency X-plane program to explore future fighters that paved the way for the Next-Generation Air Dominance program, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall revealed at the POLITICO Defense Summit on Nov. 14.

Although Kendall and other Air Force officials have previously said there were flying prototypes before the current stage of the NGAD program, his new remarks provided more details about the highly classified project, including the agencies involved, some of the money spent, and the fact that the NGAD will control the uncrewed fighters escorting it. He also noted that the uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft program won’t get started until the fiscal 2024 defense bill is passed.

The Air Force said in May that it expects to award an NGAD contract in 2024. Kendall has previously said the NGAD will cost “multiple hundreds of millions” of dollars per tail.

Asked what most excites him about the NGAD, Kendall said it is the inclusion of a “family of systems” in the program, which includes autonomous escort platforms, new weapons—including the secret AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile—and “offboard sensors.”

In 2014, when Kendall was undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology, and logistics, “we commissioned a study” led by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency called “The Dominance Initiative,” he explained.

“That study lasted a year or so,” Kendall said, and recommended a “family of systems” to accompany the crewed fighter that will succeed the F-22.

In 2015, “we started the Next Generation Air Dominance X-plane program,” he said, which was funded for about $1 billion. The costs were split—“a third by DARPA, a third by the Air Force and a third by the Navy.”

That program “produced some prototypes that were successful demonstrating the technologies we need,” he said. His use of the plural suggests there were competitive designs in that stage of the project, but he did not disclose whether there were two, three, or more.

Industry sources have said that Boeing and Lockheed Martin have been involved in NGAD, but Northrop Grumman chief executive officer Kathy Warden recently said her company won’t bid on the Air Force version of the program. However, she did indicate Northrop will pursue the Navy’s counterpart advanced fighter, which is also known as NGAD, or F/A-XX. The services have said they are not attempting a joint program like the F-35.

Former Air Force acquisition executive Will Roper revealed in 2020 that an NGAD prototype had flown, but didn’t explain how many, or that the flying demonstrators were “X-planes.” The term “X-planes” generally indicates platforms that are exploring new, previously unfielded technologies on an air platform, while a “Y-plane” is generally a prototype of a specific platform which, with some refinement, will be put in production.

The Pentagon selected the F-35 at the conclusion of an X-plane competition between Lockheed Martin, with the X-35, and Boeing, which offered the X-32. Those X-planes explored combining supersonic flight with short takeoff and vertical landing capabilities and stealth, as well as new manufacturing techniques.

The NGAD as now structured “is the combination of aircraft—a crewed aircraft [and] unmanned aircraft—that will have some of those technical characteristics we demonstrated could be done,” Kendall said. He did not elaborate on what new technologies were explored, but Pentagon sources have previously said the level of stealth on the NGAD is orders of magnitude improved over that of the F-22 and F-35.

The addition of uncrewed Collaborative Combat Aircraft controlled by NGAD will allow that one manned platform to ‘fight as a formation, basically,” Kendall said. CCAs are building on the progress of other Pentagon and partner efforts like the Air Force’s Skyborg program, the Air Combat Evolution program under DARPA, and Boeing’s work with Australia on the MQ-28 Ghost Bat.

“All of those coming together convinced me that we were ready to make a commitment to this kind of capability,” Kendall said.

CCA is slated to receive $5.8 billion in funding over the next five years, with Kendall calling it “one of the most important [programs] I’m waiting on funding for.” Production will come toward the end of the five-year cycle, around fiscal 2028—that is, “if we can get started,” Kendall said, referring to the delay in starting the new program under the continuing resolution funding the government.

“This family of systems approach we’re taking—also in the mix [is] our new weapons like the JATM, Joint Advanced Tactical Missile, which we’ll get into production in the next few years—[will create] a very formidable next generation, air dominance set of capabilities,” Kendall said. “I think when we get that package filled, I’m really looking forward and excited about seeing that come to life.”

US Releases New Videos of Syria Airstrikes as Attacks Continue

US Releases New Videos of Syria Airstrikes as Attacks Continue

Nov. 14, 2023 | By Chris Gordon

The Pentagon released declassified videos of its most recent airstrikes in eastern Syria, a move that provides fresh detail on the targets that were struck Nov. 12 and the damage to the sites.

The videos, which were taken by U.S. drones, show that two targets were hit: a headquarters for Iran’s paramilitary Quds Force near Mayadin, Syria, and a training facility used by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) near Abu Kamal, Syria.

The videos showcased the U.S.’s ability to conduct “precision” raids against Iranian-backed militias in response to attacks on American forces in Iraq and Syria, the Pentagon said in a release.

The Quds Force headquarters is engulfed in a plume of smoke after being struck while the attack on the training facility produced multiple secondary explosions. 

Military experts do not expect the strikes to bring a quick end to the militia rocket and drone attacks against U.S. forces. At a minimum, the Pentagon hopes that they will reduce the militia’s capability. 

“These strikes are intended to disrupt and degrade the freedom of action and capabilities of these groups, which are directly responsible for attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq and Syria,” Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said during a press conference in Seoul, South Korea, on Nov. 13.

Local reports suggest there were casualties at one of the sites, but the Pentagon has not yet publicly confirmed those accounts. 

“We are continuing to do battle damage assessment,” Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said Nov. 14. “We are aware that there were IRGC-affiliated members in the proximity of the facilities that were struck by our aircraft. But I don’t have more on casualty numbers.”

The Nov. 12 strikes were the third round of air attacks by the U.S. since the militias began attacking U.S. forces on Oct. 17. The Defense Department has said there were no casualties in its two previous rounds of airstrikes.

As of Nov. 14, there have been 55 attacks on U.S. forces in just under a month, including several that were carried out after the Nov. 12 airstrike. All told, 59 U.S. personnel have been injured, all of whom have returned to duty.

The U.S. has around 2,500 troops in Iraq and 900 troops in Syria working with local partners to battle Islamic State militants. 

“We are in Syria and Iraq for our mission to defeat ISIS,” Singh said. “We have seen Iran and Iran proxy groups continue to attack U.S. forces because we know Iran doesn’t want us there.” 

“We do want to see a stop to these attacks on U.S. forces,” Singh added.

Space Force CTIO: AI Will Be ‘Game-Changer’ for Operational Space

Space Force CTIO: AI Will Be ‘Game-Changer’ for Operational Space

Nov. 14, 2023 | By Unshin Lee Harpley

Space Force Chief Technology and Innovation Officer Lisa Costa called artificial intelligence a “game-changer” for the service during a recent Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies’ webinar event, highlighting its potential to enhance USSF’s operational capabilities and affect the global space race, while also acknowledging some of the hurdles still in the way.

A common concern for the U.S., China, and other space-faring nations is the quality and immense volume of the data. But Costa expressed confidence that AI technology like machine learning and natural language processing could help solve that issue.

“Computer-based tagging of large amounts of information in real-time is possible, and, in fact, computers are much better at tagging and marking up data than humans are,” Costa said during the Nov. 8 event. “I believe this is going to be a real game-changer in terms of being able to use AI in operational space.”

AI-driven real-time tagging of vast information sets could surpass human capabilities in consistency and efficiency, Costa said. To get there, though, she emphasized the need for real-time training for large language models, as they allow effective control of various sensors and sensor webs.

The Space Force previously limited usage of those models for official purposes, but Costa made clear at the time the pause was temporary as the service considered data security concerns. In the long term, she said such models “will undoubtedly revolutionize our workforce and enhance Guardians’ ability to operate at speed.”

Before that long-term vision comes to fruition, the Space Force must deal with the aging infrastructures and technology it inherited when starting up four years ago. These outdated technologies, networks, and software may not be conducive to the integration of advanced technologies like AI, which Costa refers to as a “tech debt.” This includes the limitations of older GPS satellites, various constellations running on different or outdated networks, and the difficulty of building advanced AI models on top of these aging infrastructures.

“We’re working to modernize those capabilities, fundamentally looking at fixing the foundation.” Costa said.

To update the foundational elements will require taking risks and being innovative—Costa said the goal is to bring in innovation and agility without compromising the reliability of crucial systems. This is part of the branch’s overall plan to modernize and transform digitally.

Another unique potential challenge in the realm of space operations is satellites reacting to AI-perceived threats that are not real, disrupting operations and wasting resources. Repositioning satellites due to such perceived threats could also create space debris, endangering future missions.

Adversaries may also use AI for threat detection, raising concerns about security breaches and increased errors. The picture grows even more complicated when countries such as China are often opaque about their procedures and intentions in space. China’s on-orbit presence has exponentially grown since 2015, with a 379 percent increase in satellites.

“When China does not make available their TTPs [Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures] and their CONOPS [Concept of Operations] for mission operations … mistakes can be made,” Costa said. “We want to make sure that space is usable by everyone in the future.”

For responsible AI in space, Costa suggested Human in the Loop (HITL) and On the Loop (OTL) approaches. HITL ensures human oversight and control over AI by having someone directly involved in the decision-making who can intervene the process if necessary. The OTL approach allows humans to monitor AI systems and make decisions based on the information provided by AI.

Another solution she touched upon is potentially integrated the ‘Guardian AI’ method, which involves training AI and managing its data exposure. This idea opens the door to putting a certain level of responsibility and trust in the technology. Criteria for a Guardian AI would include the amount and types of data it has been trained upon, the duration of its use, and the level of trust it has earned. However, for this to be effective, it will take time for people to be comfortable with the technology’s capabilities and to build trust through positive experiences and demonstrated reliability.

Nationwide awareness is growing for the essential adoption of reliable, secure, and trustworthy AI. In October, President Joe Biden signed an executive order promoting responsible AI adoption across the government. Following the announcement, Department of Defense said it is anticipating collaboration with the White House and other national security agencies on a national security memorandum on AI, to build upon their ongoing responsible AI initiatives.

Senate Panel OKs Measure to Break General Nomination Logjam, Sets Up Final Vote

Senate Panel OKs Measure to Break General Nomination Logjam, Sets Up Final Vote

Nov. 14, 2023 | By Greg Hadley

The Senate is set to consider a measure that would break the massive logjam of general and flag officer nominations in the chamber. On Nov. 14, the Senate Rules Committee voted to report favorably on the resolution from Sen. Jack Reed (D-R.I.), and Majority Leader Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said he would bring it up for consideration on the Senate floor “shortly.” 

Reed’s resolution would create a temporary standing order for the rest of this Congress—ending Jan. 5, 2025—allowing for “en bloc” consideration of nominees. That would let the Senate vote on groups of nominations, with exceptions for members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and head of combatant commands, and prevent any single Senator from blocking the process. 

Since March, Sen. Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) has placed a legislative hold on general and flag officer nominations to protest a Pentagon policy providing paid leave and travel funds for troops requiring reproductive services, including abortions, who are based in states where those services are not available.  

That hold prevents quick consideration and voice votes on the nominations, which are typically uncontroversial and unanimous. As of Oct. 31, there were 379 nominations pending. 

Nominations can still be called up for individual consideration, as the Senate did for Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and service chiefs for the Air Force, Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. But for the most part, Schumer and the Democratic majority have resisted individual votes, saying it would take up too much floor time and encourage more blockades like Tuberville’s in the future. 

Meanwhile, some of Tuberville’s fellow Republicans have also expressed frustration with the situation. On Nov. 1, five Republican Senators attempted to call up dozens of nominees for unanimous consent votes, only to be blocked by Tuberville. 

“I think one of the most decisive actions was, frankly, my Republican colleagues going to the floor … standing up and saying this is not what we should be doing,” Reed noted Nov. 14 at POLITICO’s Defense Summit. “We should drop these holds immediately, we should confirm these officers, and allow them to go where they’re needed. We have serious challenges across the globe.” 

However, it remains unclear whether enough Republicans will vote for Reed’s resolution for it to pass. On the Rules Committee, all seven Republicans present voted against the measure.  

Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said “productive discussions” about how to resolve Tuberville’s hold are still ongoing and “I’m of the mind that we ought to allow them to continue.” However, he hinted that his patience was wearing thin. 

“I appreciate the work put into the standing order proposal that the committee is considering, but I’m going to oppose taking that route at this particular moment,” McConnell said. 

Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the ranking member on the Rules Committee, argued that Reed’s resolution would “alter Senate process and undermine the long-standing traditions of the Senate,” which allow for legislative holds. 

Reed, however, argued during the POLITICO event that Tuberville had “abused the rules” and hurt military readiness with his blockade. 

If every Democrat votes in favor of Reed’s resolution, it would need nine Republicans to reach the needed 60-vote threshold. Reed sounded cautiously optimistic about its passage. 

“We’re going to finally, I hope, take action to put us back on a course where one person can’t essentially stop the Senate,” he said. 

Schumer, speaking before the Rules Committee vote, said that “if my Republican colleagues can’t convince Sen. Tuberville to relent, I will bring it to the floor shortly for a vote. We need to get these military nominees confirmed ASAP for the sake of our national security.” 

In a statement released after the committee vote, Reed indicated that final consideration on the Senate floor will take a back seat for at least a few days, as Congress works to avoid a government shutdown on Nov. 17. 

In the meantime, more than 110 Air Force and Space Force nominations remain pending, including vice chiefs for both services, three combatant commanders, the heads of two Air Force major commands, and all three Space Force field commands. 

New Sentinel ICBM ‘Struggling’ Due to Complexity, Kendall Says

New Sentinel ICBM ‘Struggling’ Due to Complexity, Kendall Says

Nov. 13, 2023 | By John A. Tirpak

The LGM-35A Sentinel program to replace the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile is “struggling” due to the breadth of its scope and the fact that it has been so long since the Air Force has done a wholesale ICBM replacement—making cost estimation iffy—Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said Nov. 13.

Speaking at the Center for a New American Security, Kendall said the Sentinel—formerly called the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent and being built by Northrop Grumman—is “quite honestly, struggling a little bit.”

He added there are “unknown unknowns that are surfacing, that are affecting the program” and the Air Force is going to have to work through them.

Of the Air Force’s two main nuclear deterrent programs in development—Sentinel and the B-21 Raider,—Kendall said he is “cautiously optimistic” about the bomber, which made its first flight Nov. 10, is but “more nervous” about the ICBM.

“Sentinel is one of the most large, complex programs I’ve ever seen,” Kendall explained. “It’s probably the biggest thing, in some ways, that the Air Force has ever taken on, because it’s a vast real estate development; a civil engineering program; a fairly vast communications, command, and control program as well as, of course, the missile itself.”

The program was actually started during the Obama administration, when Kendall was the undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics.

“When we put that program together, the early stages of it, we got a huge uncertainty in the cost estimate,” said Kendall.

The uncertainty was driven by the “number of decades since we’ve done this. It’s been a very long time since we did an ICBM.” The previous ICBM deployment project, the Minuteman III, dates back to the 1960s and 1970s.

The Sentinel program involves “complex real estate” considerations for the missile fields, as well as the construction of new launch control complexes and a new command and control system to go with it, he said.

At the program outset, “we got to go assess all that to see what might need to be replaced, and how hard a job that was going to be,” Kendall recalled. “That was one of the sources of the unknown unknowns.”

“As we understand more deeply what we are actually going to have to do, we’re finding some things that are going to cost money,” said Kendall. “There’s no question about that. And we’re trying to assess how much of an impact that’s going to have and what kind of adjustments we’re going to make because of it.”

Kendall did not elaborate on the adjustments that might have to be made to the program, which is to have new missiles ready for action by 2030. He said he could not be more specific about either the B-21 or Sentinel because he is recused from decisions on projects involving Northrop, having done work for the company while he was out of government.

“I can’t make any decisions about those programs. I get to watch and hope for the best,” he said.

The Government Accountability Office said in June that Sentinel is about a year late and is edging close to the no-fail initial operational capability date of September 2030 required by Air Force Global Strike Command. The watchdog agency chalked up delays to staffing shortfalls and supply chain interruptions, as well as added cybersecurity requirements. The GAO also called the program “complex,” and noted that the Critical Design Review is slated for the spring of 2024, with low-rate initial production of the missile itself expected two years after that.

US and South Korea Expand Cooperation with Early Warning System for Missile Threats

US and South Korea Expand Cooperation with Early Warning System for Missile Threats

Nov. 13, 2023 | By Unshin Lee Harpley

The U.S. is working to expand how much it shares from its Shared Early Warning System with South Korea, also known as the Republic of Korea, to counter missile threats from North Korea.

The move was confirmed during the annual U.S.-ROK Security Consultative Meeting in Seoul on Nov. 13, as U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met with ROK Minister of National Defense Shin Won-sik.

The leaders also updated and specified the two countries’ deterrence agreement, known as the ‘Tailored Deterrence Strategy,’ for the first time in a decade.

“Our deterrence commitment to the ROK remains ironclad,” Austin said in a press briefing following the meeting. “That includes a full range of our nuclear, conventional, and missile defense capabilities.”

The 2023 TDS was revised to include responses to potential scenarios such as attacks by North Korea using nuclear weapons or other Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).

Austin and Shin also evaluated the progress of Program Analysis Working Group for U.S.-ROK Missile Defense and decided to launch a “Joint Study” to enhance the Alliance’s comprehensive counter-missile strategy.

South Korea is also working to bolster its own missile surveillance capabilities, starting with the launch of its first reconnaissance satellite aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., on Nov. 30.

Following this initial launch, Seoul plans to have four more satellites launched from the Space Force base by 2025.

A day before Austin and Shin met one-on-one, they huddled with Japanese Minister of Defense Kihara Minoru as part of a trilateral Ministerial Meeting. During that meeting, they confirmed the three countries will implement a system for real-time missile warning data exchange, to monitor North Korean missile launches.

The mechanism, first announced during a trilateral summit involving the U.S., Japanese, and South Korean leaders in August, is undergoing final testing and is expected to be fully operational by the end of December, according to a Pentagon release.

Austin and the two defense Ministers also discussed the first ever trilateral aerial exercise between the three countries conducted in October, emphasizing the importance of continuing such joint training to address security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region.

Austin, along with his ROK counterpart, is attending a meeting with 16 other member states of the U.N. Command hosted in Seoul on Nov. 14. According to the ROK’s Ministry of National Defense, the summit aimed at pressuring North Korea to cease its illegal activities and reinforce U.N. security council resolutions on North Korea.

Pyongyang, after previously failing to launch a spy satellite in May and August this year, pledged to have its third attempt in October. There have been no public reports as to whether that occurred.

South Korean officials have suggested Russia, which is suspected of buying artillery rounds from North Korea, might be offering technical assistance to its space program.

16th Air Force Seeks ‘Unity of Effort’ on Information Warfare

16th Air Force Seeks ‘Unity of Effort’ on Information Warfare

Nov. 13, 2023 | By Greg Hadley

The 16th Air Force is working on an “information warfare operations center concept” to more effectively counteract narratives pushed by China and Russia, said its commander, Lt. Gen. Kevin B. Kennedy Jr., Nov. 13. Enhanced “unity of effort” across the service is the goal, Kennedy said during a livestreamed discussion with AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies.

“We have public affairs Airmen that are trained in how to get messages out and how to transmit what we’re seeing to the American population as well as global audiences,” Kennedy said. “We have cyber experts that understand how to gain access and understand what’s happening in that domain. Clearly we have our intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance experts.   

“But the biggest thing that we’re doing right now is not a new tool, but it’s really understanding how do we take this expertise, converge all those capabilities, to establish that baseline? And the concept is a unity of effort. How do we generate unity of effort without specific unity of command? Yes, they’re all within 16th Air Force, but their operational activities a lot of times … are operationally controlled by somebody else.” 

Within the 16th Air Force, the 616th Operations Center was formed in March 2020 by combining the 624th and 625th Operations Centers, responsible for coordinating cyber and ISR operations worldwide. 

Now within the new operations center, Kennedy said, “we’re building a competition-based framework that allows us to pull across the other components. So whether it’s the [Combined Forces Air Component Commander] out in the Pacific or the CFACC in Europe … we think about, how do we enable ‘reveal, conceal, expose, or disruption’ type of activities.” 

Information warfare is intensifying as U.S. competition with China intensifies. China is the “pacing challenge” according to the National Defense Strategy. Information warfare activities “can have real strategic advantage,” Kennedy said. 

On one hand, the Pentagon has stepped up its efforts to expose dangerous or provocative behavior on the part of Chinese or Russian forces, declassifying hundreds of incidents and releasing photos and videos from dozens of them.

On the other, the 16th Air Force and its partners across U.S. Cyber Command, the FBI, and other government agencies are working to disrupt IW efforts like disinformation and misinformation being pumped onto social media. 

On American-owned platforms, disrupting those efforts can merely mean reporting Chinese or Russian propaganda as violating Terms of Service. But Kennedy noted that the effort is more complicated on the hugely popular app TikTok, which has drawn scrutiny for its connections with the People’s Republic of China and possible data collection. 

“The grabbing of data from TikTok isn’t my biggest concern,” Kennedy said. “It’s the manipulation of our perceptions and [efforts to use the platform to] try to shape our behavior…. If your first reaction when you see something is an emotional one, you’re being manipulated. Now that’s a form of rhetoric. That’s good. But then always look for those other forms of logic—don’t take what you’re seeing, and just realize, your social media feeds, especially on TikTok, are being curated by the PRC or those aligned to the PRC in ways that are pushing certain narratives and certain information and trying to foment dissent within our population as well as to push the narrative that’s advantageous to the PRC.” 

Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass highlighted those dangers in a September keynote address at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference. “There are armies of bots, swarms of trolls, legions of sock puppets, strategically manipulating the information that we see to achieve their own objectives,” said Bass. “This is unrestricted warfare and it comes with minimal to no physical force.” 

Kennedy said that, in addition to defending against IW, the 16th Air Force also wants to create a clear “baseline” understanding for service leadership on how its own information warfare efforts are working. 

“We have the enterprises resident in our Numbered Air Force, to enable us to understand what potential causation and correlation for some of the things that we’re doing there and establish that baseline,” Kennedy said. “So if we do something in the future, we’re able to go to senior leaders that are executing that and say this operation was observed and this was the insight that our adversary took from this operation, and then we can help think about our behaviors in that way.”