How Air Force Generals Avoid ‘Awkward First Dates’ With Foreign Leaders

How Air Force Generals Avoid ‘Awkward First Dates’ With Foreign Leaders

Oct. 25, 2023 | By David Roza

It was July 2023, and Brig. Gen. Paul Moga had a lot on his plate. The one-star had just moved to Ramstein Air Base, Germany, for his new role as chief of staff at Headquarters U.S. Air Forces Europe and Air Forces Africa, a command that oversees 104 countries, a vast range of cultures, and a complicated history stretching back centuries. 

As a general officer, Moga had to be ready to discuss sensitive security issues with key military and civic leaders—meetings where a faux pas or a lack of historical context could delay progress or upset partners.

“It’s helpful to know, when you’re in a room with 18 air chiefs from across Africa, which ones may be more inclined to work with one another just based on history,” the general told Air & Space Forces Magazine. “If you have that knowledge in the back of your brain, you can be more observant and be more focused on how you choose to have bilateral or multilateral conversations with either current or emerging partners.”

Moga had served on the staff of U.S. European Command before, but Africa would be a new experience for him, and there was not much time to prepare. Luckily, the Air Force has a unique program for readying general officers so they can engage foreign dignitaries with minimal turbulence. The General Officer Pre-assignment Acculturation Course (GOPAC), run by Air University’s Air Force Culture and Language Center, links generals with professors, ambassadors, or other subject matter experts who lead a discussion-style master class on the most important topics their star-shouldered students need to know about their assigned region.

“I read classified briefings all the time and I’m very familiar with how the military communicates and what the military focuses on,” Moga said. “But they brought such a different perspective with regards to historical context, relationships between countries or regions, how it all ties together into the present day, and where they think these regions are headed.”

The discussions were not death-by-PowerPoint or overly academic. Indeed, the subject matter experts tailored the course for Moga after meeting previously with him and his predecessor to determine what were the most important topics for the job. They then divided the two-day long course into several sections and met whenever the general’s schedule permitted.

“What I found with many allies or partner nations is that the little things really do matter,” Moga said. “You might say something that you don’t think means a whole lot, but it could potentially be extraordinarily offensive, so the more context you have on every partner and every ally, the stronger that relationship will be.”

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U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, left, Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) commander, meets with Maj. Gen. Bandar Salem Al-Muzayan, right, acting Kuwait Air Force command chief, at the Kuwait Air Force Headquarters, Aug. 17, 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Dominic Tyler)

Culture as the Operating System

GOPAC started in 2010, when the counterinsurgency wars in Iraq and Afghanistan showed that the U.S. military needed to better understand its partners and adversaries in the region. Among the first participants were then-Brig. Gen. John Raymond, who later became the first Chief of Space Operations, then-Brig. Gen. David Allvin, who is now the acting Air Force Chief of Staff, and then-Brig. Gen. Tod Wolters, who later became NATO Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

“The success of a lot of those missions depended on the ability to integrate and work with the host nation,” said Howard Ward, the director of AFCLC and a retired Air Force colonel. “Those same principles endure today.”

The original in-person program produced three or four graduates a year focusing on U.S. Central Command. But GOPAC took off during the COVID-19 pandemic, when AFCLC began offering virtual classes.

“We didn’t anticipate how much that would increase our reach,” Ward said. “Now instead of one-star students, we started to pick up two- and even three-stars because we could be more flexible with scheduling.” 

The program now covers every combatant command region and has produced 15 graduates so far this year. Historical context is a frequent must-learn, but so are cultural differences about behaviors such as humor, gift-giving, and etiquette. 

“We refer to culture here as the operating system of humans,” Ward said. “To understand how that person is going to render decisions and on what kind of timeline, you have to understand how the operating system works.”

Those differences can quickly become apparent in meetings with key leaders. For example, self-deprecating humor is connected with humility in American culture, but other cultures may express humility differently and see such humor as self-defeating. Gift-giving is another example.

“We might say, ‘Oh, it was nothing’ to communicate that there is not an expectation for reciprocity, but if the recipient takes the statement at face-value, they might say, ‘Well gosh, why are you giving me something that’s not worth any value?’” Ward said. “That can have exactly the opposite effect.

“Those types of things transcend the traditional political-military discussions of what the issues are,” he added. “These are the issues behind the people involved in the issues.”

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Brig. Gen. Jennifer Short, Deputy Director for Strategic Planning and Policy at U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, takes part in a GOPAC. (AFCLC photo)

Expanding Horizons

Moga is not the only one praising GOPAC. The head of U.S. Space Force Indo-Pacific Command, Brig. Gen. Anthony Mastalir, said in a statement that the course provided “an a-ha moment in understanding the relationship with the Philippines.” 

Brig. Gen. David Mineau, the deputy commander of Air Forces Central, said that most senior leaders are keyed in to the leading issues in their upcoming area of responsibility, but “there are always blind spots,” and GOPAC helped him “pick up nuances from every corner and reflect on the historical, political, and cultural dynamics at play.”

Ward has heard other participants make comments like “I can’t imagine doing the job without this course” and “the first key leader engagement would have been an awkward first date that might not have gotten to a second date.”

Besides general officers, a few colonels, senior enlisted leaders, and spouses moving overseas have also participated. GOPAC is the only program of its kind in the Department of Defense, and one of its graduates is Marine Maj. Gen. Robert Sofge. Not many leaders from other services have expressed interest yet, and GOPAC is reaching max capacity under its current student load, Ward said. Still, program organizers hope to find even better and more efficient ways of doing business during a review this December, which may unlock opportunities for growth.

“The truly strategic value is when our partners and allies see how much time, money, and effort we invest in being able to engage successfully with them,” Ward said. 

PACAF Leaders Visit South Korea Bases and Talk Readiness

PACAF Leaders Visit South Korea Bases and Talk Readiness

Oct. 25, 2023 | By Unshin Lee Harpley

Pacific Air Forces leaders conducted readiness inspections and spoke about quality of life concerns with Airmen during a sweep of the U.S. Air Force’s two bases in South Korea last week.

PACAF commander Gen. Kenneth S. Wilsbach and PACAF command chief Chief Master Sgt. David Wolfe stopped by Osan and Kunsan air bases on Oct. 19 and 20, emphasizing the enduring U.S. commitment to the region.

“We are here in Korea to stay,” Wilsbach said while visiting the 51st Fighter Wing at Osan base, according to a release.

Both South Korean bases are strategically located near North Korea, China, and Russia, making their responsiveness essential for the broader Indo-Pacific region’s stability.

“While the Wolf Pack’s main objective is to defend this country [Republic of Korea], I want to also emphasize that Kunsan’s readiness has a larger impact on the actions of these nations in the broader region,” said Wilsbach, while meeting with Airmen at the 8th Fighter Wing.

The command team discussed PACAF priorities, assessed readiness, and reviewed long-term infrastructure strategies during their visit.

Wilsbach and Wolfe’s tour of Korean bases came in conjunction with a visit to the Seoul Air and Defense Expo, which showcased a wide range of USAF aircraft including the B-52, F-22s, and F-16s.

Earlier this week, the U.S., ROK, and Japan conducted their first-ever trilateral aerial exercise on Oct. 22. A U.S. B-52H Stratofortress was escorted by fighter aircraft from all three nations.

North Korea has condemned the presence of B-52s in the peninsula through its state-controlled KCNA media.

While Wilsbach emphasized the importance of the Air Force’s presence in Korea, acting undersecretary of defense for policy Mara Karlin also highlighted the significance of the U.S.’s close collaboration with South Korea and Japan to address the growing threat from North Korea effectively.

“We’ve got these persistent threats that exist and that are probably going to worsen,” Karlin said at a Brookings event on Oct. 24. “So we’ve got to really understand how to monitor and respond to those threats, and to do so in a way that really involves working closely with allies and partners.”

Pyongyang’s most recent provocation was the launch of two short-range ballistic missiles ahead of a bilateral summit between Kim Jong Un and Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Sept. 13, according to South Korean military officials.

In April, Washington and Seoul established the Nuclear Consultative Group through the “Washington Declaration” to reinforce a unified approach to regional security while promoting dialogue and diplomacy with North Korea for denuclearization.

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan highlighted the Biden administration’s commitment to bolster extended deterrence in response to Pyongyang’s threats.

“In the face of North Korea’s dangerous and illicit nuclear and missile programs, we are working to ensure that the United States’ extended deterrence is stronger than ever so that the region remains peaceful and stable,” Sulivan wrote in an article for Foreign Affairs, published Oct. 24.

“That is why we concluded the Washington Declaration with South Korea and why we’re advancing extended trilateral deterrence discussions with Japan, as well.”

Recent reports have suggested Hamas utilized North Korean-made munitions in their attack. As a result, observers have expressed concerns regarding the potential for Pyongyang’s engagement with militant groups in the Middle East, and the possibility of North Korea emulating Hamas’ attacks within the peninsula.

Bruce Bennett, international/defense researcher at the RAND Corporation, suggested in a recent commentary that while it is unlikely that leader Kim Jong Un would resort to a full-scale attack similar to Hamas, he does share the goal of discouraging U.S. military involvement in the region.

B-21 Begins Taxi Tests in Last Step Before First Flight

B-21 Begins Taxi Tests in Last Step Before First Flight

Oct. 25, 2023 | By John A. Tirpak

The first B-21 Raider has begun taxi tests, in preparation for a first flight by the end of the year, the Air Force confirmed Oct. 25.

The B-21 “is conducting ground taxi activities,” an Air Force spokesperson told Air & Space Forces Magazine in response to a query. The War Zone first reported the development.

“Rigorous testing is a critical step in the B-21 flight test program,” she said. “Extensive testing evaluates systems, components, and functionalities. This testing allows us to mitigate risks, optimize design, and enhance operational effectiveness.”

The spokesperson had no other details to offer and said no photography is planned by the Air Force at this point.

The most recent photos of the first B-21 at Northrop Grumman’s facility at Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale, Calif., showed the aircraft outside its hangar, presumably for outside engine runs, but the labyrinth of buildings at the plant make it possible for the aircraft to be outside and not visible from local roadways.

Social media sites that monitor Plant 42—where Lockheed Martin and Boeing also have facilities and where novel aircraft and modifications often show up unexpectedly—have been buzzing about “something moving” at Northrop’s end of the plant for two days.

Taxi tests indicate the airplane has already conducted a series of outdoor engine runs. A taxi test campaign typically follows a pattern wherein ground-handling qualities are tested and evaluated at slow and medium speeds before high-speed tests, which are the direct precursor to first flight.

In July, Northrop Grumman officials disclosed the B-21 had accomplished its first “power on” test. In September, Air Force Global Strike Command boss Gen. Thomas A. Bussiere announced the bomber has begun engine runs as part of its ground testing program.

Especially with a large flying wing like the B-21, high-speed taxi tests could inadvertently lead to a first flight. When the YF-16 was making a high-speed taxi test in January 1974, the eager aircraft made an unplanned takeoff.

Air Force officials have said they do not plan to make a media event out of first flight, insisting the bomber will fly as soon as it is ready to do so.

The B-21 was originally expected to fly in 2022 but did not roll out until December of last year, and first flight was then projected for the middle of 2023. In March, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said the airplane will fly “by the end of 2023,” but service officials have insisted the event will be driven by technical readiness and not the calendar.

The B-2—the B-21’s predecessor—flew nine months after its rollout in 1988.

The aircraft now taxiing is one of six known to be in some stage of production, and has been described as production-representative. The B-21s are being built on production tooling, and the first examples shouldn’t be considered prototypes, Northrop Grumman aeronautics president Tom Jones said at AFA’s Air, Space and Cyber conference in September.

“The jet that’s going to fly this year, for all intents and purposes, is a production jet,” Jones said during a B-21 panel discussion. “It’s got all the coatings, it’s got the mission systems, it was built using factory processes … with regular workers, by regular factory technicians, not engineers doing a bespoke first article.”

While the first one to fly will be a “flight sciences” aircraft—meaning it has been instrumented to collect data on all aspects of the aircraft’s performances—the B-21 contract calls for configuring all test aircraft as operational models after testing is concluded.

Northrop Grumman CEO Kathy Warden, in a company quarterly earnings call in January, told reporters she expects the contract for low-rate initial production this year, but after first flight. At the second-quarter call, she reported that the first B-21 had completed its first “power on” test, paving the way for engine runs and taxi.

In both calls, Warden cautioned that the fixed-price nature of the LRIP contract, coupled with the inflation of recent years, means there won’t be any profit on the program during that phase, but that Northrop expected to receive a $60 million payment from the Air Force to mitigate inflation and smooth the way toward first flight.

Northrop’s third quarter earnings call is scheduled for Oct. 26

Ukrainian Pilots Start Training on the F-16 in Arizona

Ukrainian Pilots Start Training on the F-16 in Arizona

Oct. 25, 2023 | By Chris Gordon

The U.S. has begun training Ukrainian pilots to fly F-16s, the U.S. Air Force announced Oct. 25.

A “small number” of Ukrainian pilots began training with the 162nd Wing of the Arizona Air National Guard earlier this week in “F-16 fundamentals,” according to a service spokesperson.

“The training curriculum will align with the foundational knowledge and skills of each pilot and is expected to last several months,” a U.S. Air Force spokesperson said in a statement provided to Air & Space Forces Magazine.

The 162nd Wing trains pilots at Morris Air National Guard Base, which is located at Tucson International Airport. It is the only unit in the U.S. Air Force tasked with training foreign pilots on F-16s as part of its day-to-day mission. The wing has trained over two dozen countries in how to operate the F-16.

“They’re very intimately familiar on how we do training of foreign military pilots,” Lt. Gen. Michael A. Loh, the director of the Air National Guard, said in September.

A typical F-16 training course takes around six months. However, U.S. officials have indicated Ukrainian pilots are unlikely to follow a standard model as the course will be suited to Ukraine’s need to protect its skies from Russian aircraft, drones, and missiles. European nations are also training Ukrainian pilots in how to operate the F-16.

Training of F-16 pilots typically includes significant classroom and simulator time in addition to training in the air. Foreign F-16 pilots also have to undergo English language training, which Ukrainians began last month at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.

“For Ukraine, it is going to be tailored for exactly what they need to do, which is multirole, both air-to-air and air-to-ground,” Loh said. “We will train them to do the full multirole spectrum of what we can expect in their theory of conflict.”

Ukrainian pilots are not expected to start flying F-16s in combat until 2024. European nations have pledged to provide Ukraine with used F-16s. The U.S. has committed to training some pilots and maintainers to supplement the coalition of countries working to provide Ukraine with F-16s.

Gen. James B. Hecker, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe, said in an interview in September that “up to about 10 pilots” would be trained by the U.S. The Pentagon has said the U.S. will also train “dozens” of maintainers, though the U.S. has not revealed whether that training has begun.

“One of the reasons why the F-16 is such a good match for the Ukrainian Air Force is because of the multiple roles that it can conduct,” said retired Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula, a former fighter pilot and dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. “It can perform air-to-air combat, which is a role that is critical in providing air defense for the cities and military areas that require protection from Russian attack in Ukraine.”

The F-16 can also be used to employ air-to-surface weapons and to suppress enemy air defenses. Such capabilities would enhance Ukraine’s ability to retake its territory by providing capabilities that ground forces alone cannot, Deptula said.

“What the F-16 does allows the Ukrainians to leverage multi-domain operations in a way that they simply don’t have the ability to do today,” he added.

Though the U.S. has not pledged to provide any American-owned F-16s, transferring the stalwart multirole fighter—around 3,000 of which are in service around the world—requires approval by the American government to be given to Ukraine, which the Biden administration signaled it would sign off on in the summer.

The training by the 162nd Wing “follows President Biden and Secretary Austin’s decision to train Ukrainian pilots on F-16s as part of the United States’ contribution to Ukraine,” the Air Force spokesperson said.

Pentagon: China Working on Upgrades to Top Stealth Fighter, Manned-Unmanned Teaming

Pentagon: China Working on Upgrades to Top Stealth Fighter, Manned-Unmanned Teaming

Oct. 24, 2023 | By John A. Tirpak

The People’s Liberation Army Air Force is upgrading the Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon, China’s answer to the Lockheed Martin F-22, and is experimenting with manned-unmanned teaming concepts, much in the same way the U.S. Air Force is doing, according to the Pentagon’s latest assessment of Chinese military power.

In the annual China Military Power Report, released in mid-October, the Pentagon reports that the PLAAF “is preparing upgrades for the J-20, which may include increasing the number of air-to-air missiles (AAM) the fighter can carry in its low-observable configuration, installing thrust-vectoring engine nozzles, and adding super cruise capability by installing higher-thrust indigenous WS-15 engines.”

The two-seat J-20S has also been introduced, and experts speculate that this version is being evaluated for possible control of autonomous escort aircraft.

Since the J-20 already has the capacity to launch a number of missiles equivalent to the F-22, the carriage upgrade in stealth mode would give the J-20 a distinctive edge over the F-22; particularly because the J-20 can carry the PL-15, which is China’s counterpart to the U.S. AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile. While the range of the PL-15 is speculative and the range of the latest version of AMRAAM is classified, senior USAF officials have said the PL-15’s range exceeds that of the AMRAAM, giving the Chinese stealth fighter a potential first-look/first-shot capability against the American fighter.

The Air Force has been developing the AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile (JATM), built by Lockheed Martin, since about 2017, but the program is highly classified. When it was first revealed at an industry conference in 2019, Air Force munitions leaders said the weapon would be operational in 2022, but no announcement has been made indicating that has happened, and the Air Force has declined to answer any questions about the missile since.

While the report didn’t indicate how many J-20s China has built, industry experts have said that by early 2023, Chengdu had manufactured between 180-220 J-20s, eclipsing the 187 F-22s built by the U.S. They also report that China is building J-20s at a rate of 40-50 per year. However, those analyses are based on serial markings seen on aircraft at air and trade shows, and China may have painted deceptive serial markings on its aircraft to suggest a greater inventory than it actually has on hand.

Most J-20s are deployed in the interior of China or near the Indian border, making it hard for Western analysts without access to national satellite imagery to make a reliable count.

The China report kept largely mum about the PLAAF and People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN)’s counterpart to the F-35, known in China as the FC-31/J-31.

“Development continues on the smaller FC-31/J-31 for export or as a future naval fighter for the PLAN’s next class of aircraft carriers,” the report said, without commenting on the jet’s progress.

Early versions of the J-31 seemed to be near-clones of the F-35, but more recent imagery shows a more elongated overall shape, with larger tail surfaces, perhaps more suggestive of the F-22. Unlike the F-35, the J-31 has two engines.

The report indicated that roughly 1,300 of China’s 1,900 fighters are fourth-generation or better. The J-20 and FC-31/J-31 are considered fifth-generation types.

The Pentagon’s assessment offered little new information on China’s H-20 stealth bomber program, reportedly a near-twin of the U.S. Air Force’s B-2 bomber, except to say that Chinese state media has reported “that this new stealth bomber will have a nuclear mission in addition to filling conventional roles.”

China is upgrading its existing H-6 Badgers, based on 1950s-era Tu-16 bombers built under license from Russia. The H-6 serves in both the PLAAF and PLAN, and these aircraft have in recent years been equipped with long-range, standoff land-attack missiles, “giving the PLA a long-range standoff precision strike capability that can range targets in the Second Island Chain from home airfields in mainland China,” the Pentagon said.

The navalized H-6N can carry “an air-launched ballistic missile,” the report noted, which “may be nuclear capable.”

In addition to fielding more mature air combat capabilities, China is developing a host of unmanned air vehicles, ranging from handheld units to large aircraft in the class of the U.S.’s RQ-4 Global Hawk.

“Air and trade shows are displaying growing numbers of autonomous and teaming systems, including for combat applications,” the report said. “In these concepts, Chinese developers are demonstrating an interest in additional growth beyond [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] and EW (electronic warfare) into both air-to-air and air-to-ground combat, with a substantial amount of development displaying efforts to produce swarming capability for operational applications.”

China has displayed large stealthy-looking, jet-powered drones in military parades, and has a number of drones in the class of the U.S. MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper, which it is also making available for export, the report noted.

F-16s Deploy from Germany to Iceland for Air Policing Mission

F-16s Deploy from Germany to Iceland for Air Policing Mission

Oct. 24, 2023 | By Greg Hadley

A quartet of F-16 fighters and some 100 Airmen from the 480th Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, arrived in Keflavik, Iceland, on Oct. 22 to take over the NATO Air Policing mission there—the first deployment of U.S. Air Force fighters to Iceland in two years. 

The arrival of the F-16s detachment comes a month after three B-2 bombers departed Keflavik, wrapping up a month-long Bomber Task Force deployment there. 

In a social media post, NATO Allied Air Command wrote that the F-16s would “conduct Air Surveillance missions and provide interceptors for NATO’s Air Policing mission in the High North.” In a release, NATO stated the deployment would last until Nov. 12. 

Like other NATO allies that lack combat air forces, Iceland hosts a rotation of allied fighters to keep its airspace secure. Unlike air policing missions in the Baltic States and Eastern Europe, NATO does not maintain a continuous presence in Iceland, however, instead deploying forces for three to four weeks three times per year. 

Most recently, Norwegian F-35s deployed to Keflavik in January. The last American fighters to deploy to Iceland did so in July 2021, when F-15s from RAF Lakenheath, U.K., fulfilled the rotation. 

“The mission demonstrates U.S. commitment to the NATO Alliance, security in Europe and the strong transatlantic bond among our members,” Maj. Clifford Peterson, 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron detachment commander, said in a statement. 

Images shared by NATO Allied Air Command also showed a C-130J Super Hercules from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, carrying F-16 support personnel to Iceland. 

A C-130J Super Hercules tactical aircraft carrying F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft support personnel departs Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany to support North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Air Surveillance and Policing at Keflavik International Airport, Iceland, October 22, 2023. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Max J. Daigle

Deploying F-16s from a German base to Iceland comes as the U.S. Air Force is shuffling aircraft and personnel around the globe. B-1 bombers recently landed at RAF Fairford, U.K., for another Bomber Task Force rotation, while in the Middle East, F-16s from the New Jersey Air National Guard have joined five other fighter squadrons in the region as the U.S. bulks up its Middle East presence in an effort to deter any expansion of the Israel-Hamas War. Meanwhile, in the Pacific, B-52 bombers are flying missions out of Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, amidst a BTF deployment. 

PHOTOS: After Flying Out Personnel, C-17s Return to Israel Carrying Munitions

PHOTOS: After Flying Out Personnel, C-17s Return to Israel Carrying Munitions

Oct. 24, 2023 | By Unshin Lee Harpley

While the Pentagon surges U.S. forces to the Middle East to deter further conflict in the region, the Air Force’s airlift fleet has been steadily working to deliver essential munitions, armored vehicles, and aid to Israel for its war against Hamas using C-17 Globemaster III aircraft.

Images published Oct. 24 show that aid in action, with Airmen from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, loading cargo onto a C-17 from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., and delivering it to Nevatim Base in Israel.

According to the Pentagon, five C-17s transported a variety of security assistance to Israel between Oct. 12 and Oct. 16. U.S. Transportation Command declined to release additional information on the volume and the specifics of the munitions C-17s are carrying to Israel.

During a briefing last week, Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said she anticipates “nearly daily deliveries” of aid to Israel.

The U.S. has already supplied Israel with munitions such as small diameter bombs and Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) tail kits, through Direct Commercial Sales Contracts, a senior defense official said Oct 23.

The JDAM is a guidance kit that transforms existing unguided free-fall bombs into precise, all-weather ‘smart’ weapons.

The senior official added that before the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack, some 155mm ammunition had been taken from Israel’s war reserve stockpile to replenish U.S. stocks in Europe. However, a significant portion of that ammunition has been redirected and provided to the Israel Defense Forces for their use.

The Pentagon is expediting existing weapons orders for Israel from defense companies as well.

The C-17 is a heavy-lift, strategic transport capable of direct tactical delivery of all classes of military cargo. The aircraft previously conducted missions to bring back individuals from Israel following the Hamas attack.

After deploying F-15Es and A-10 Thunderbolts to the Middle East, the Air Force is bolstering its presence in the Middle East by sending additional F-16 Fighting Falcons that landed Oct. 24.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden briefed Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on U.S. support and regional deterrence, including new military deployments on Oct. 23.

Biden also welcomed the release of two more hostages from Gaza and reaffirmed his commitment to securing the release of all remaining hostages including Americans, and maintaining humanitarian assistance in the region.

More F-16s Arrive in Middle East as AFCENT Fighter Footprint Grows to 6 Squadrons

More F-16s Arrive in Middle East as AFCENT Fighter Footprint Grows to 6 Squadrons

Oct. 24, 2023 | By Chris Gordon

More U.S. Air Force F-16s arrived in the Middle East, the service announced Oct. 24, as threats to American forces in the region continue to grow.

The New Jersey Air National Guard’s 119th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron’s arrival in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) region increases the Air Force’s fighter footprint in the Middle East to six squadrons. U.S. bases in the Middle East have begun to come under attack from militia groups aligned with Iran, and officials have voiced concerned about possible region-wide escalation of the Israel-Hamas war.

“What has happened in the last several days is efforts by Iran and Iran proxy forces to seek to escalate this conflict,” a senior defense official told reporters Oct. 23.

The addition of another multirole fighter squadron will “provide flexible options to coalition leaders directing air operations throughout the Middle East, including contingency response capabilities and deterrence mission,” according to a release from Air Forces Central (AFCENT). The exact location of the F-16s was not disclosed.

The F-16 Fighting Falcons are part of a broader package of forces that have deployed after Hamas’ attack on Israel. F-15Es from RAF Lakenheath, U.K., and A-10 Thunderbolt IIs from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., have already arrived in the region to bolster the U.S. Air Force presence.

AFCENT now operates three F-16 squadrons, two A-10 squadrons, and an F-15E squadron “alongside several strategic airlift, aerial refueling, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platforms,” according to the release. U.S. officials are considering deploying additional military forces to the region.

“We are fortunate to have the 119th EFS join us in U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility,” Lt. Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, the commander of Air Forces Central, said in a statement.

Nicknamed the “Jersey Devils,” the 119th Fighter Squadron is based in Atlantic City, N.J.

“Air National Guard Airmen bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our mission in the Middle East,” Grynkewich said. “The arrival of these Airmen strengthens our ability to support our allied, coalition, and regional partners as we work together to enhance regional stability and security.”

U.S. officials are increasingly alarmed at the threat posed by Iranian-backed groups. U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria have been attacked with rockets and drones numerous times in the last week, including the first attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq in over a year. According to the Pentagon, there have been at least 13 attacks on U.S. forces—10 in Iraq and three in Syria—between Oct. 17 and Oct. 24.

“That is a clear indicator that additional force protection measures are needed,” a senior military official said of the attacks. “We know there is a significant threat of escalation throughout the region and that would include towards U.S. forces.”

On Oct. 23, Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III called Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani as U.S. officials seek to deter threats to U.S. forces in Iraq, where some 2,500 U.S. troops are advising Iraqi forces that are fighting Islamic State group militants. President Joe Biden has also spoken with Sudani. On Oct. 23, the Iraqi government released a statement calling on its forces “not to allow under any circumstances” actions that “harm security and stability.”

The latest attack on U.S. forces in the Middle East confirmed by the Pentagon occurred Oct. 23 and was targeted against the Al Tanf Garrison, a base in southeast Syria that is used by American troops and their Syrian partners. The U.S. has around 900 troops in Syria who are working with local partners to combat the Islamic State group.

On Oct. 19, the Pentagon said a U.S. Navy warship operating in the Red Sea, the destroyer USS Carney, shot down four land attack cruise missiles and several drones launched by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels that were potentially heading toward Israel.

“When you see this uptick in activity and attacks by many of these groups, there’s Iranian fingerprints all over it,” the senior defense official said.

The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier is operating in the eastern Mediterranean Sea to deter further escalation of the conflict. The Ford carries four fighter squadrons and other aircraft and is accompanied by cruise missile-carrying warships. The USS Bataan, which carries about 2,400 Marines as well as fighters and helicopters, is heading closer to Israel, the Pentagon says.

The USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier was scheduled to join the Ford in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, but has now been redirected to CENTCOM. The USS Eisenhower and its accompanying warships are transiting the Atlantic. U.S. officials have not disclosed the final destination of the ships or said when they will arrive in the region.

Thousands of U.S. troops have been placed on a heightened state of readiness, according to the Pentagon, and the U.S. has ordered the deployment of a Terminal High-altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and an unspecified number of additional Patriot air defense system battalions to the CENTCOM region.

“We are deliberately sending an incredibly strong signal to our adversaries but also to our allies and partners about the depth of our support and the ability of the U.S. military to expeditiously, dynamically, respond to contingencies anywhere in the world,” the senior U.S. defense official. “That’s what we’re demonstrating today in the Middle East.”

Lockheed Quits Air Force Tanker Competition, But Airbus Will Go It Alone

Lockheed Quits Air Force Tanker Competition, But Airbus Will Go It Alone

Oct. 23, 2023 | By John A. Tirpak

Lockheed Martin has withdrawn its LMXT aerial refueler from the Air Force’s KC-135 fleet recapitalization program—previously referred to as the “bridge tanker” effort—the company said Oct. 23. However, its partner Airbus said it will press on, offering its Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) version of the aircraft.

A Lockheed spokesperson said the company will focus on the Next-Generation Air Refueling System (NGAS) program instead.  

“Lockheed Martin has decided not to respond to the U.S. Air Force’s KC-135 fleet recapitalization Request for Information (RFI),” a company spokesperson said.

“We are transitioning Lockheed Martin’s LMXT team and resources to new opportunities and priority programs, including development of aerial refueling solutions in support of” the NGAS program, the spokesperson added. “We remain committed to the accelerated delivery of advanced capabilities that strengthen the U.S. Air Force’s aerial refueling missions.”

An Airbus spokesperson said the company “remains committed to providing the U.S. Air Force and our warfighters with the most modern and capable tanker on the market, and will formally respond” to the KC-135 recapitalization request for information. “The A330 U.S.-MRTT is a reliable choice for the U.S. Air Force: one that will deliver affordability, proven performance and unmatched capabilities,” they added.

The Air Force released the RFI on Sept. 14, but the document is “controlled” and not available for public dissemination. Lockheed had almost six weeks to review the document before deciding not to pursue the program further but would only say through the spokesperson that “a combination of a few factors in the RFI shaped our decision, as well as acceleration of the NGAS program.”

The company said the details of its partnership with Airbus are proprietary and would not say whether Lockheed faces any financial obligations to Airbus as a result of its decision to end its part of the LMXT.

As to whether any elements of the LMXT which Lockheed brought to the partnership could find their way into Airbus’ proposal, the Lockheed spokesperson said “any future tanking opportunities between Lockheed Martin and Airbus will need to be considered based on specific requirements and timelines.”

The Air Force was not immediately prepared to provide comment on Lockheed’s decision. Service officials said as recently as August that there is not as yet an acquisition strategy for the KC-135 recap program or NGAS, as the Air Force analysis of alternatives for both programs was to begin after the RFI responses.

The KC-135 recapitalization is currently projected to be a program of about 75 aircraft—at roughly 15 per year—meeting the Air Force’s desire to keep some kind of traditional refueling aircraft in production between the end of Boeing’s KC-46 program—which wraps up with 179 aircraft circa 2028—and operational service of the yet-undefined NGAS, in the mid-2030s.

The NGAS is expected to be a smaller tanker able to operate alongside combat aircraft in contested airspace; Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall has said the traditional approach of converting tube-and-wing-type freight aircraft into tankers will no longer be survivable in the late 2030s.

The service wants to preserve competition as much as possible, but Kendall has said that the cost of a competition—and a separate logistics train for a different aircraft—may not be worth it. Some members of Congress—particularly the Alabama delegation, where Lockheed would have assembled the LMXT—have objected to the idea of Boeing receiving a sole-source contract for more or modified versions of the KC-46.

Lockheed and Airbus’s LMXT proposal was based on the Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT), but with additional capabilities and features that would be unique to USAF. In June, Lockheed pitched the LMXT as a “mothership” for the NGAS fleet of smaller, stealthier tankers.

A European Aeronautic Defense and Space (EADS)-Northrop Grumman offering of an Airbus A330-based tanker was Boeing’s competition in several USAF tanker contests since the early 2000s, and was selected as the winner in 2008, receiving the designation KC-45. But that award was thrown out after a protest by Boeing, which won the re-compete with what is now called the KC-46. In that recompete, Northop left the KC-45 partnership—saying the rewritten contest rules favored Boeing’s entry—and Airbus entered on its own.

Lockheed’s campaign lead for the LMXT, Larry Gallogly, said in a June phone call with defense reporters that while 75 airplanes would have been a challenging business case for the aircraft, Lockheed expected the Air Force would need more time—and more tankers—because the Air Force’s NGAs timeline is a “very aggressive target.” He said 150 bridge tankers was more probable, and other company officials have said that a minimum of 110 aircraft was needed to close the business case.

Lockheed touted the LMXT as a hedge against a “single point failure” of the Air Force’s air refueling enterprise if Boeing’s KC-46 fleet was grounded. However, the LMXT, which is significantly larger than the KC-46, would be limited to a smaller number of airfields than the Boeing jet—a potentially problematic issue given the Air Force’s “Agile Combat Employment” model for operating from a widely dispersed number of airfields. Lockheed said the jet’s extra fuel capacity would enable it to operate from well outside contested airspace. The aircraft would also have had automatic air refueling capability; a feature the Air Force is eyeing for latter versions of the KC-46.