Minot Leaders See ‘Extremely Real’ Threat from China for Both Bombers and ICBMs

Minot Leaders See ‘Extremely Real’ Threat from China for Both Bombers and ICBMs

Oct. 30, 2023 | By Greg Hadley

The threat posed by the People’s Republic of China is “extremely real” and “tangible,” key operational leaders from Minot Air Force Base, N.D., said Oct. 30, pointing to China’s moves to improve its military in response to the U.S.’s robust bomber and intercontinental ballistic missile fleets.

Col. Daniel S. Hoadley and Col. Kenneth C. McGhee command the 5th Bomb Wing and the 91st Missile Wing, respectively, and work closely together. Minot is the only installation to host both Air Force legs of the nuclear triad. Both keenly aware of how China is working to counter the U.S.—and the significance of staying ready, they said at a virtual AFA Warfighters in Action event.

“The weight of responsibility is not lost on us. It is something our Airmen have internalized and take extremely seriously,” Hoadley said. “And we consider it a high honor to be a bedrock of our nation’s deterrence on a day-to-day basis.” 

“It’s extremely important that we understand that through ICBMs, through bombers, through subs, the deterrent capabilities of the nuclear enterprise, we are the backbone of the deterrent capability for the United States,” McGhee added. 

On the bomber side, the 5th Bomb Wing regularly deploys on Bomber Task Force rotations all over the world. This summer, around 280 Airmen and four of the wing’s B-52 Stratofortresses spent a month in the Indo-Pacific, operating out of Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. 

Two U.S. Airmen assigned to the 5th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron run toward a B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the 23rd Bomb Squadron at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, during pre-flight procedures in support of a Bomber Task Force deployment at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, June 15, 2023. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Zade Vadnais

Such deployments replaced the Air Force’s previous system of continuous bomber presences several years ago, with the goal of creating strategic unpredictability for adversaries. BTFs have also been used to reassure allies and partners by showing the U.S.’s global reach and commitment to deterrence, with bombers sometimes making rare or unprecedented stops in other countries. The 5th Bomb Wing landed the first-ever B-52 on Indonesian soil this June. 

China has taken note and sought to assert itself. On Oct. 24, at night, a Chinese J-11 intercepted a B-52 from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., over the South China Sea. The Pentagon released footage from the incident, claiming the Chinese fighter came 10 feet from colliding with the American bomber and the pilot’s behavior was “unsafe and unprofessional.” 

While the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot was not involved in that particular incident, “more and more, we’re seeing these kinds of adversary reactions to our Bomber Task Force activity,” Hoadley said. “When we park airpower in their backyard, they’re coming out to take a look. Those [Chinese] aircraft are armed with live ordnance. Those are not movie props. That’s the real deal. And so it takes a tremendous amount of grit and courage and professionalism on the part of our air crews to maintain their composure, stay on mission, and react appropriately when those kinds of things happen.” 

At the same time, Hoadley argued such incidents show the importance of the USAF bomber fleet and its unique capabilities. 

“The adversary is coming out to react because they’re taking notice of what we’re capable of doing,” he said. “It’s a capability they don’t have, to reach across the globe and provide a long-range strike capability at a time and place of our choosing. And so, from my side, I think it’s equal parts a demonstration of fear and that they are taking notice of what we’re doing and are trying their best to provide their own assertive reaction to it, albeit with a short-range platform.” 

While the 91st Missile Wing does not deploy to the Indo-Pacific, its Airmen are also aware of the advances China has made with its ground-based missiles, said McGhee. China has significantly expanded its nuclear arsenal, outstripping previous Pentagon projections, and much of the growth has been in constructing new nuclear silo fields. 

“The rise of the Chinese nuclear program has been dramatic, has been dynamic, and has been impressive,” McGhee said. “I’ll be honest with you, over the past few years, they’ve developed a capability, especially within their ground-based strategic nuclear force, that is impressive. And so it is imperative for us to understand at every level that the threat coming from China is extremely real.” 

To respond to that threat, McGhee emphasized the importance of keeping his own wing’s Minuteman III missiles ready to go at a moment’s notice. 

“I have the opportunity, I have the mission to provide a nuclear deterrent capability across our missile fields … to deter the rising and the pacing threat that China provides us and that they pose to us,” he said. 

Airmen from the 91st Missile Wing Security Forces Squadron prepare to perform escort duties for an asset convoy at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, Aug. 31, 2022. U.S. Air Force Photo by Airman 1st Class Alexander Nottingham
Attacks on US Forces in Iraq and Syria Continue After American Airstrikes

Attacks on US Forces in Iraq and Syria Continue After American Airstrikes

Oct. 30, 2023 | By Chris Gordon

U.S. troops have been attacked by Iranian-backed militias at least 23 times in less than two weeks, Pentagon officials said Oct. 30, providing the most comprehensive account of the American military’s recent confrontation with Tehran’s proxies in Iraq and Syria. 

At least fourteen of these rocket and one-way drone attacks have occurred in Iraq, while another nine were carried out in Syria, the officials said.

Several of the militia attacks took place after the U.S. launched airstrikes against Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the groups it backs in eastern Syria on Oct. 26 in an effort to deter further hostilities. 

“Iran’s strategic objective has not changed,” a senior defense official told reporters. “Iran’s objective for a long time has been to force a withdrawal of the U.S. military from the region. What I would observe is that we’re still there.”

U.S. troops are in Iraq and Syria to advise and mentor local partners who are working to prevent a resurgence of the Islamic State group. Some 2,500 U.S. troops are in Iraq working with Iraqi forces, while 900 troops are in Syria.

There had been a truce of sorts with the Iranian militias for more than six months as the U.S. held quiet talks with Iran about the release of American detainees and the pace of Tehran’s nuclear program. But that came to an end after Hamas, a militia long supported by Iran, attacked Israel on Oct. 7, prompting a fierce Israeli response. 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an Oct. 28 press conference that Iran has provided critical military and financial support to Hamas, although he said he had no firm evidence that Tehran orchestrated the Oct. 7 attack.

“Iran supports Hamas,” said Netanyahu, who added that Tehran provides over 90 percent of Hamas’s budget. 

The most intensive attacks by Iran-aligned groups against U.S. forces occurred Oct. 17 and Oct. 18, when 21 American military personnel were injured in attacks at the Al Tanf Garrison in Syria and Al Asad Air Base in Iraq. Those troops have since returned to duty, but a U.S. contractor died of a heart attack during the strikes.

In response, President Joe Biden ordered airstrikes against weapons and ammunition storage sites used by the IRGC and Iran-aligned militias, which the Pentagon announced Oct. 26.

The Pentagon initially said the airstrikes were conducted by a pair of F-16s Fighting Falcons using precision munitions. But officials later added that the mission was carried out using F-15E Strike Eagles as well.

The facilities were destroyed, deputy Pentagon press secretary Sabrina Singh said Oct. 30. The U.S. military action appeared timed to minimize the risk of casualties, and the Pentagon says it believes no Iranian or militia personnel were killed.  

“They were proportionate, focused, precision self-defense strikes,” the senior defense official said.

Even though many of the recent attacks against U.S. troops have been conducted in Iraq, the Biden administration has stayed clear of striking targets there over the years for fear of inflaming the political situation there, Middle East analysts say.

U.S. troops are in the country at the invitation of the Iraqi government to mentor Iraqi forces who are fighting ISIS. Michael Knights of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy said attacks by Iranian-aligned militia groups in Syria appeared to have increased at a greater pace in recent days.

To better protect U.S. forces, the Pentagon is sending a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-missile battery to Saudi Arabia and Patriot surface-to-air missile systems to a number of Gulf states and Jordan, U.S. officials say, to be manned by around 900 troops. The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower is also headed to the Middle East, and the U.S. has increased the number of Air Force fighter and attack aircraft in U.S. Central Command to six squadrons.

The Harpers Ferry-class dock landing ship USS Carter Hall (LSD 50) conducts flight operations with an unmanned aerial vehicle in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations, Oct. 23. Components of the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) are deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to help ensure maritime security and stability in the Middle East region. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Moises Sandoval

Numerous warships are already in the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean Sea, including the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier and amphibious assault ship USS Bataan, both of which carry fighters and other aircraft. The warships can also conduct air defense, which the destroyer USS Carney demonstrated in the Red Sea when it shot down four land attack cruise missiles and numerous drones launched by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen on Oct. 20 that the Pentagon says had the range to strike Israel.

Biden said in a notification to Congress he ordered the airstrikes because of the “grave threat” to U.S. personnel and that they were “conducted in a manner to limit the risk of escalation.” But U.S. officials have said the Biden administration is prepared to use force again if required.

“Deterrence includes both demonstrating the preparedness and the willingness to take military action, as well as messaging, which is why we have been very clear about what we want, which is for Iran’s senior leaders to direct its proxies and militias to stand down and stop these attacks, and we’ve backed it up with the use of force,” the senior defense official said.

US, South Korea, Australia Kick Off Large-Scale Exercise with 130+ Aircraft

US, South Korea, Australia Kick Off Large-Scale Exercise with 130+ Aircraft

Oct. 30, 2023 | By Unshin Lee Harpley

More than 130 aircraft from the U.S., South Korea, and Australia are participating in a joint exercise dubbed “Vigilant Defense 24” that kicked off Oct. 30.

Hosted by the Seventh Air Force at Osan Air Base, South Korea, the exercise will last through Nov. 3, focusing on interoperability between the allies and a broad range of mission sets.

More than 25 types of aircraft are participating, including fighter, cargo, tanker, and reconnaissance planes, according to a release from the Republic of Korea Ministry of National Defense.

The U.S. Air Force will contribute F-35, F-16, and A-10 fighter/attack aircraft, as well KC-135 aerial refuelers. The Republic of Korea Air Force will fly its own F-35s, as well as its E-7 for airborne early warning and control and KC-330. The Royal Australian Air Force will contribute the KC-30A multirole tanker transport.

80th Fighter Generation Squadron Airmen observe an F-16 Fighting Falcon while conducting preflight systems inspections on F-16 Fighting Falcons during Vigilant Defense at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Oct. 28, 2023. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Samuel Earick)

Col. Michael G. McCarthy, 8th Operations Group commander, said in a statement that opportunities like these are “truly invaluable to refining the necessary tactics, techniques and procedures that ensure the combined force can operate as one cohesive unit, should we ever be called upon.”

The release from the 8th Fighter Wing highlighted that the training exercise is routine, “entirely defensive in nature,” and not in response to current real-world threats or situations.

During the five-day event, the U.S. and South Korea will practice integrating different kinds of aircraft and different kinds of operations including air defense, close air support, and emergency air interdiction, according to ROK’s Ministry of National Defense.

Another goal will be improving interoperability and coordination between the fourth- and fifth-generation fighters. South Korea has already ordered and started taking delivery of 40 fifth-gen F-35s, and is looking to buy 25 more in a deal valued at $5.06 billion, which was approved by the U.S. State Department in September.

The joint training between the three allies does carry the possibility of provoking a response from North Korea.Last year’s exercise, named ‘Vigilant Storm,’ featured around 240 aircraft from the U.S. Air Force, Marine Corps, Navy, and, Army, along with South Korea and Australia.

North Korea objected to the exercise through its state media. During and after the extended exercise last year, Pyongyang test-fired multiple short-range ballistic missiles and attempted an intercontinental ballistic missile launch, which ended in a failure.

Leaders from the U.S. and South Korea have pledged to conduct more regular, large-scale exercises together to bolster the alliance and deter North Korea.

North Korea, however, continues to test new missiles. Most recently, it fired off two short-range ballistic missiles ahead of a bilateral summit between leader Kim Jong Un and Russian president Vladimir Putin on Sept. 13.

After that summit, the U.S., ROK, and Japan criticized North Korea for providing military equipment to Russia against Ukraine, warning that such actions violate U.N. Security Council resolutions and could “significantly increase the human toll of Russia’s war of aggression.”

The joint statement released on Oct. 25 by U.S. Secretary of State Anthon Blinken and South Korea and Japan’s Foreign Ministers claimed Pyongyang is seeking military assistance from Moscow to advance its own capabilities. It also raised concerns regarding potential exchanges of nuclear or ballistic missile technology between them.

Russia and North Korea have denied such exchanges, but satellite images and assessments from think tanks indicate increased rail traffic and suspected munition shipments from Pyongyang to Moscow.

SDA Hands Out Contract for 38 New Satellites, Considers Tweak for Future Batch

SDA Hands Out Contract for 38 New Satellites, Considers Tweak for Future Batch

Oct. 30, 2023 | By Greg Hadley

The Space Development Agency added 38 more satellites to its growing list of contract awards on Oct. 30, with the agency agreeing to a $732 million deal with Northrop Grumman. 

The satellites will be part of the Tranche 2 Transport Layer of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture. The Transport Layer is intended to be the backbone of the Pentagon’s broader plan for joint all-domain command and control (JADC2), providing the satellite communications and connectivity needed to move data around the globe from sensors to shooters. 

The contract award to Northrop comes on the heels of SDA confirming Oct. 20 it reached a deal with York Space Systems for 62 satellites.

Both York and Northrop are building satellites for the “Alpha” segment—one of three parts of the Tranche 2 Transport Layer, each with different capabilities. Compared to the “Beta” and “Gamma” segments, the Alpha segment will be the most similar to the satellites planned for Tranche 1, albeit in greater quantities to provide wider, more persistent capabilities. 

Northrop also won a contract for a portion of the Beta segment, along with Lockheed Martin, in August. 

“With the Beta variant and now the Alpha constellation, we’ll have more than 170 T2TL satellites on order,” SDA director Derek M. Tournear said in a statement. “SDA is leading the DOD into launching proliferated constellations into low-Earth orbit to enhance responsiveness, resilience, survivability, and warfighting capability beyond our current space systems architecture.” 

All told, SDA has now awarded contracts for more than 370 satellites as part of the PWSA. Thus far, 23 of them, all part of “Tranche 0,” have launched into orbit. Tranche 1 is scheduled to follow in the fall of 2024 while Tranche 2 is planned for 2026. 

By comparison, the rest of the Space Force has around 80 satellites, mostly in geosynchronous earth orbit. SDA and Tournear are pushing for large numbers of smaller spacecraft in low-Earth orbit to create resilience by discouraging adversaries from trying to shoot down or otherwise disable any one satellite.  

The agency is still pressing forward. On Oct. 23, SDA issued a request for information (RFI) from industry for the “Gamma” segment of the Tranche 2 Transport Layer, which will have a “payload specifically designed to close future kill chains via the PWSA” called Warlock, according to an agency release. 

According to the RFI, the agency is planning on 20 Gamma satellites, down from previous estimates of 44. On Oct. 19 at the MilSat Symposium in Mountain View, Calif., Tournear explained the change. 

“Some of the capabilities of Gamma are going to move to Beta,” Tournear said. “We’re in negotiations with a third Beta vendor to do that. So we would likely have 24 additional Beta satellites, and that would drive the Gamma requirement, that would go down from 44 satellites down to 20.” 

An SDA spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine that the final quantities of each segment are still being determined. Both will provide tactical satellite communications, but Tournear described Gamma as providing “enhanced tactical SATCOM.” 

With contracts being handed out for Tranche 2, Tournear noted that SDA is now fully in the midst of its “spiral development” model, with one tranche being launched and operated in orbit, one in testing and assembly, and one being contracted and developed.

The Tranche 0 satellites in orbit recently received a boost when the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) granted approval for SDA to test their Link 16 capabilities over international waters and “over the territory of a Five Eyes ally,” a spokesperson said.

“It should be noted that testing Link 16 from space first over international waters and with an international partner, while important, represents a compromise position for SDA and our requirement remains to test over U.S. air space in order to demonstrate the feasibility of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture and its ability to deliver space-based capabilities to the warfighter over existing tactical data links,” Tournear said in a statement. “To that end, SDA continues to pursue Temporary Frequency Assignment from the Federal Aviation Administration to begin testing with the support of military partners with battle-ready DOD instrumentation and personnel trained in such testing. This testing is absolutely critical to SDA’s on-time delivery.”

Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture

TRANCHELAYER# OF SATELLITESCONTRACTORS
0Transport20York Space Systems, Lockheed Martin
Tracking8SpaceX, L3Harris
1Transport126York Space Systems, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman
Tracking35L3Harris, Northrop Gumman, Raytheon
Demonstration and Experimentation System12York Space Systems
2Transport (Beta)72, possibly 96Northrop Grumman, Lockheed Martin, TBA
Transport (Alpha)100York Space Systems, Northrop Grumman
Transport (Gamma)20 (approx.)TBA
Tracking52 (approx.)TBA
Demonstration and Experimentation System20 (approx.)TBA
F135 Parts with Contaminated Metal Will Be Replaced at Depot, JPO Says

F135 Parts with Contaminated Metal Will Be Replaced at Depot, JPO Says

Oct. 27, 2023 | By John A. Tirpak

No F135 fighter engines are yet known to have parts made from contaminated powdered metal—a situation affecting much of Pratt & Whitney’s commercial engine fleet—but if detected, they’ll be replaced at depot and shouldn’t have a major impact on operations, a F-35 Joint Program Office spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine.

The JPO concurs with comments from RTX’s chief operating officer Chris Calio, who said on the company’s third quarter earnings call Oct. 24 that “the Joint Program Office is reviewing our fleet management plan recommendation, which we believe will have limited, if any, operational impact on the customer. We continue to evaluate the balance of the Pratt fleet containing powdered metal, and expect any fleet management plan updates, if needed, to have limited impact.”

RTX is the parent company for Raytheon Technologies, Collins Aerospace, and Pratt & Whitney.  

The JPO agreed, saying through a spokesperson that “the issue will have little to no impact on the fleet.”

RTX officials said they are working through inspections and groundings affecting many of their airline and freight customers, who RTX said will be compensated for the downtime. It will be “expensive,” RTX president and CEO Greg Hayes said on the call. On the previous quarterly call, he said RTX will “make our customers whole” for the downtime.

The issue goes back to a quality escape in 2015, when a Pratt supplier provided powdered nickel with fine contamination. The quality issue was discovered after an in-flight failure in 2018, and in subsequent tests, Pratt found that the parts made from the powder have less durability and could fail. This has caused the company to order inspections and accelerate the schedule for off-wing maintenance. Pratt is replacing parts found to have the contaminated metal with new ones and expects to get through the process of replacing all affected units by the end of 2025.   

The JPO said it has been aware of the contaminated nickel powder issue since 2021, “and it is a low-risk issue for the F135 because the component will be inspected, and replaced if needed, well before the issue would potentially impact the engine,” a spokesperson said.

Parts potentially affected by the quality issue include high-pressure discs in the F135, sources said, but the JPO said none have been detected so far.

“At this time, no F135 components inspected have exhibited contamination,” the spokesperson said. The components potentially affected are being inspected when the engines come in for scheduled depot maintenance. If any are found to be contaminated, they’ll be replaced at depot, the spokesperson said.

The problem most profoundly affects the PW1100 engine that powers Airbus A320 airliners. Pratt started making parts from new material two years ago, and has reorganized its production facilities to make replacement parts at an accelerated rate.    

Yokota Airmen Practice Rapid Response to Crises ‘Under Pressure’

Yokota Airmen Practice Rapid Response to Crises ‘Under Pressure’

Oct. 27, 2023 | By Unshin Lee Harpley

The 374th Airlift Wing at Japan’s Yokota Air Base held its annual Beverly Morning 24-1 training exercise starting Oct. 16, focusing on its ability to rapidly respond to threats and deploy in less-than-ideal conditions across the Indo-Pacific.

“Beverly Morning makes certain we can execute our tactical airlift mission under pressure,” Col. Andrew Roddan, 374th AW commander, said in a statement.

As part of the exercise, aircraft at the base swiftly launched after simulated missile attack warnings, using the principles and procedures of what the 374th FW calls the “Launch to Survive” concept.

“‘Launch to Survive’ ensures that aircrews remain poised to respond rapidly, positioned in close proximity to the airfield around the clock,” a release stated. “This state of readiness guarantees that Yokota’s aircraft can be generated to depart the base at a moment’s notice, effectively safeguarding valuable Air Force assets from potential harm.”

Simultaneously, Airmen conducted Rapid Airfield Damage Repair to practice keeping airfield operations going during conflicts or challenging conditions.

A team of U.S. Air Force 374th Operations Support Squadron Landing Zone Control Officers ensure a C-130J Super Hercules aircrew safely approaches the landing zone during Exercise Beverly Morning 24-1 at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2023. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Taylor Altier

The training also involved multiple C-130J Super Hercules aircraft launching and landing on the base’s Foxtrot taxiway instead of its runway. The exercise demonstrated the Airmen’s proficiency in executing precise landings on short, narrow, crowded, or unmarked land.

This is the second time in recorded history Airmen at Yokota have performed successful landings on the taxiway, the first time being in 2020.

“We can establish landing zones anywhere that meets our requirements when a conventional runway isn’t available or accessible,” said Tech. Sgt. Ryan Rathke, 374th OSS airfield management specialist.

Such an ability is crucial for the Air Force’s concept of Agile Combat Employment, in which aircraft have to be able to operate from remote or austere locations, sometimes with limited space and resources.

Yokota’s Foxtrot taxiway originally served the legacy C-130H models from 1991 to 2001. After that, they switched to operate on the main runway’s permanent hard surface.

U.S. Air Force and Japan Air Self-Defense Force Airmen also assisted in a unit relocation mission involving MQ-9 Reapers from the 319th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron shifting from Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Kanoya Air Base to Kadena Air Base.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Andres Lopez, 730th Air Mobility Squadron fleet service technician, operates a K-loader vehicle near a Yokota Air Base C-130J Super Hercules as part of cargo loading operations at Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force Kanoya Air Base, Japan, Oct. 18, 2023. The event was also incorporated into Exercise Beverly Morning 24-1, Yokota’s annual, full-scale readiness exercise designed to prepare the installation for maintaining operations in a contested environment. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Manuel G. Zamora

This relocation, incorporated into the exercise, is to enhance regional intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities.

Airmen also conducted drills in response to simulated events like a false credential alarm, an aeromedical evacuation, and a mass casualty scenario to practice response procedures.

Maj. Jason Tingstrom, the 374th AW inspector general, said Yokota Airmen’s performance garnered commendable feedback.

“We’ve placed them in a difficult scenario, but their performance thus far tells me that Yokota will be ready to meet whatever challenges the future holds,” Tingstrom said in a statement

The exercise’s focus on training Airmen for base readiness, crisis communication, and contingency operations aligns with Pacific Air Forces commander Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach’s priorities. He has stated that “not one person is excused from being an ACE Airman” in PACAF, and he recently released an updated “PACAF 2030” strategy.

The strategy emphasizes the need for the command to swiftly respond to crises, enhancing theater posture against demanding circumstances.

In addition to environmental challenges, natural disasters, and global health crises that can intensify regional security concerns, the strategy underlines how the authoritarian leaders from China, Russia, and North Korea jeopardize regional security by “threatening or waging wars of aggression.”

The People’s Liberation Army, in particular, is rapidly modernizing its weapon systems and fielding new all-domain capabilities to transform into a force on par with the U.S. military.

Senior Airman Kaleb Byrd, 374th Civil Engineer Squadron pavements and equipment journeyman, participates in Rapid Airfield Damage Repair training during exercise Beverly Morning 24-1 at Yokota Air Base, Japan, Oct. 22, 2023. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Samantha White
Air Force Raises Age Limit for Recruits to 42. Here’s How Many It Expects to Get

Air Force Raises Age Limit for Recruits to 42. Here’s How Many It Expects to Get

Oct. 27, 2023 | By David Roza

The Department of the Air Force expects to add about 50 more recruits per year after lifting its maximum age limit for initial accession from 39 years old to 42 on Oct. 24, the latest in a long series of efforts to expand the talent pool in the midst of an ongoing recruiting shortage. The change applies to both officers and enlisted in both the Air Force and Space Force

“This opens the aperture to allow more Americans the opportunity to serve,” Leslie Brown, chief of public affairs for the Air Force Recruiting Service, told Air & Space Forces Magazine. “The accession age of 42 allows an Airman or Guardian to serve a full 20 years, since the retirement age is 62.”

The maximum age limit is 42 for the Navy and Coast Guard, 39 for the Army (with waivers authorized to age 45), and 28 for the Marine Corps, though the age limit is often higher for health care or ministry positions in the military. The U.S. Code of Federal Regulations mandates 17 and 42 as the minimum and maximum age for enlistment.

News of the change first appeared on the Facebook page Air Force amn/nco/snco, which posted an image of a notice about it on Oct. 26. Though 50 recruits a year may not sound like much, every little bit counts at a time when the Air Force is working to stem an ongoing recruiting shortfall—the service missed its goals by about 10 percent in fiscal 2023, but some recruits who were turned away last year could now be brought back.

“AFRS recently discharged 12 members from the delayed entry program who “aged out” due to the processing timeline,” Brown said. “Recruiters will be contacting them and others who may have left processing due to age.”

The new age limit is the latest in a series of changes made by the Air Force over the last few years to usher in new members. Giving qualified applicants an option to retest if they test positive for marijuana use allowed about 165 Airmen to join in fiscal year 2023, while allowing small hand and neck tattoos brought in another 150. Updating the service’s body fat composition rules brought in another 700 recruits, and streamlining the process for trainees to become citizens upon graduating Basic Military Training brought in 200 new Airmen.

Financial incentives have also played a role: reinstating the enlisted college loan repayment convinced more than 200 Airmen to join since March, while $32 million of enlistment bonuses brought in more than 3,800 Airmen in fiscal 2023. 

Still, officials say the most pressing challenge to recruitment is a lack of familiarity with military service among Americans. Propensity to join the U.S. military is at just 10 percent, while 52 percent of young Americans have never considered military service—a historic high, AFRS commander Brig. Gen. Christopher Amrhein told reporters in September.

“Their unfamiliarity with military service and what it really entails means they often rely on the stereotypes and misperceptions they see in TV, movies, or the internet,” he said.

The Air Force is pursuing several outreach initiatives to bring community members onto bases, reach possible recruits online, and form relationships with minority communities. But officials have also called on Airmen themselves to help spread a positive message about service.

“Why did you join the Air Force, and what do you do every day?” said Amrhein, reminding Airmen and Guardians that “you are an influencer just as much as you are a recruiter.”

New Image of B-21 Bomber Tail Shows Different Exhausts and Rear Deck from B-2

New Image of B-21 Bomber Tail Shows Different Exhausts and Rear Deck from B-2

Oct. 27, 2023 | By John A. Tirpak

A new photograph of the B-21 bomber circulating on the internet in the last few days—and the first to reveal what the back of the secret aircraft looks like—shows a different geometry for the aircraft’s exhaust area and rear deck from its predecessor, the B-2.  

The moderate-resolution photo, posted to Reddit by a user named “u/Mug_Of_Fire” and apparently taken through a fence, shows a B-21 conducting an outside engine test. Its appearance prompted media queries to the Air Force, which acknowledged that taxi tests with the secret stealth bomber are now underway.

An Air Force official, speaking on background as to the image’s authenticity, confirmed “that is a B-21.”

Air & Space Forces Magazine reached out to “u/Mug_Of_Fire,” to establish how and when the photo was taken and did not receive an immediate response.  The B-21 is undergoing taxi tests at Northrop Grumman’s facilities at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif.

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

The light gray aircraft in the image is clearly not a B-2, having different landing gear and lacking the “sawtooth” rear area shaping of that bomber.

The principal revelation from the rear-view image is that the B-21’s exhausts are rounded and hooded/scallop-shaped; similar to but flatter than the air intakes on the B-2, and very unlike that aircraft’s boxy slot exhausts.

Although the angle of the image makes it hard to say for sure, there appears to be a lengthy flat deck behind the exhausts, ending in a slightly upturned tail point. Shadows at the rear of the center “fuselage” of the flying wing bomber seem to confirm this. The exhausts clearly don’t come all the way to the trailing edge of the aircraft, as they have been portrayed in many artist’s speculations.

Nothing about the configuration reveals whether the B-21 has two engines or four, a characteristic the Air Force has so far refused to discuss. The engines are made by RTX’s Pratt & Whitney, but the exact type has never been discussed.

Heat plumes emanating from the back of the aircraft also seem to disperse upwards, rather than straight back, further indicating the presence of an extended deck behind the exhausts. That would be consistent with efforts to attenuate the bomber’s heat signature.

In the image, control surfaces along the trailing edge are deflected or relaxed, in all areas except the tail point, which does not appear to be articulated. That suggests the B-21 may not have the “beavertail” feature on the B-2.

The “beaver tail” on the B-2—specifically the Gust-Load Alleviation System, or GLAS—was intended to give the B-2 more lift and help it get off the ground more quickly in case of a nuclear attack sending blast across the runway. A former B-2 pilot said this control surface was not considered useful and became an almost vestigial feature, not included as part of the integrated flight control system.

A B-2 Spirit stealthy bomber. Photo Credits: Northrop Grumman/U.S. Air Force.

Videos of B-2 control surfaces being deflected as part of a preflight check don’t show the beavertail moving. It’s possible the beavertail was deleted from the B-21 given the operational experience with the B-2. Doing so would strengthen the area and eliminate seams, which are the toughest element of the otherwise glass-smooth aircraft to make stealthy.    

Each wing on the B-21 has two flaperons, while there appears to be a single flaperon along each side of the tail. The image also confirms the “kite” planform of the B-21, in that it lacks the “sawtooth” trailing edge of the B-2.

The original design of the B-2 called for a planform much like that on the B-21, but a late-add requirement for the aircraft to fly low-level required the addition of the “sawtooth” tail; a redesign that added several years and several billions to the B-2’s development. Lacking those features, the B-21 seems optimized for high-altitude work.  

The wingtips indicate a slight anhedral, or downward angle, but the quality of the image makes it difficult to say whether this is simply a factor of the higher camber of the wing versus that of the B-2. Both the B-2 and B-21 must have very stiff wings to remain stealthy, so there should be no wing droop when wing fuel tanks are full.    

Weapons bays do not appear to be open in the image.

An unexplained feature visible in the photo is a different-colored patch on the aircraft’s upper port wing root. This is not a shadow, as that part of the aircraft is in direct sunlight. Aircraft experts were unable to speculate on what this different-colored patch might be.

As the B-21 is now nearing first flight—which the Air Force and Northrop say will occur before the end of the year—high-speed taxi tests will soon be underway on Plant 42’s runway. At that point, more detailed photos will likely become available.    

B-1 and B-52 Bombers Crisscross Europe, Integrating with NATO Allies

B-1 and B-52 Bombers Crisscross Europe, Integrating with NATO Allies

Oct. 27, 2023 | By Greg Hadley

U.S. Air Force bombers have been a regular sight in the skies over Europe in recent days, integrating with a host of NATO allies along the way. 

On Oct. 24, a B-52 from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., conducted a roundtrip flight as part of NATO’s exercise Steadfast Noon. According to NATO Allied Air Command, the bomber flew over northwest Europe, training alongside 13 allied nations during the annual nuclear exercise. 

Aircrew members from the 20th Bomb Squadron prepare to fly a bomber mission in a B-52H Stratofortress on Oct. 23, 2023, at Barksdale Air Force Base, La. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Nia Jacobs

Then on Oct. 26, B-1 Lancers currently deployed as part of a Bomber Task Force rotation flew across central and eastern Europe, according to U.S. Air Forces in Europe. During the mission, the bombers integrated with fighters from the Czech Republic and Hungary and conducted a flyover of Mihail Kogalniceanu “MK” Airbase in Romania. 

Both Hungary and Romania are NATO allies that border Ukraine, which continues to defend itself from Russia’s ongoing invasion. A USAFE release emphasized that the bomber mission was “long-planned,” while saying that such flights “highlight the collective unity of the [NATO] Alliance, while underscoring their commitment to maintain peace in the region.” 

Romania in particular relies on NATO to supply fighters to police its airspace, and leaders in that country have called for an enhanced presence to deter conflict with Russia. The Czech Republic, meanwhile, plans to buy two dozen F-35 fighters. 

“Today’s Bomber Task Force mission serves as another testament to our unwavering dedication to Allies and partners, showcasing our collective capacity to strategize, execute, and synchronize seamlessly together,” Gen. James B. Hecker, head of USAFE and NATO Allied Air Command, said in a statement.  

Separately, USAFE shared images on social media on Oct. 26 of a mission involving the B-1s in which they flew alongside JAS 39 Gripens from the Swedish Air Force. It was not immediately clear when and where the mission took place, and USAFE did not immediately reply to a request for clarification. 

USAFE also posted on social media on Oct. 18 about a B-1 Bomber Task Force mission in which the aircraft flew alongside F-16s from the Royal Danish Air Force. Again, the date and location were not disclosed.

The flurry of activity comes as global tensions rise with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and unrest in the Middle East as a result of the latest Israel-Hamas war. Previous Bomber Task Force rotations in Europe have included bomber flights into the U.S. Central Command region, but there have been no such publicly disclosed missions in this latest deployment, which began Oct. 12.