MTS-3060A SmartCan™ – Empowering ACE and Multi-Capable Airmen 

MTS-3060A SmartCan™ – Empowering ACE and Multi-Capable Airmen 

Aug. 25, 2023 | By Adam Wells and Stephen T. Sargeant

The Agile Combat Employment (ACE) operational concept, a proactive and reactive operational scheme of maneuver executed within threat timelines to increase survivability while generating combat power, provides a starting point for Airmen to codify best practices.  However, this can be quite challenging for the aircraft armament maintainer when confronted with ineffective or outdated tools and test equipment.  Maintainers understand the challenges of using outdated and/or less-capable test sets to support both legacy and Smart weapon systems on 4th and 5th generation military aircraft, including long test times, inconclusive results, utilization of multiple test sets, increased training demands, and a large logistics footprint.

Efforts to develop and field a next generation armament test set capable of addressing these short-comings have resulted in an exceptionally effective solution: the MTS-3060A SmartCan.  The SmartCan is the most advanced handheld armament flightline test set available, capable of testing all Alternate Mission Equipment (AME) and Aircraft Armament Equipment (AAE) including pylons, launchers, bomb racks, POD interfaces and gun, and able to support 4th, 5th, and 6th Generation aircraft – today.  

Unlike legacy handheld testers that are only capable of performing stray voltage and continuity tests, the Smart Can’s test capabilities enable full functional MIL-STD-1760 test to ensure that armament systems are ready to support Smart weapons before they are loaded.  Simultaneous testing of multiple squib signals, combined with a unique cross-fire algorithm, delivers a robust test process that is superior to all O-Level armament test sets in service today. Coupled with munitions emulation communication channels supporting all existing weapons protocols, the SmartCan provides a full system test of all legacy and Smart weapons’ armament.

On-aircraft SmartCan demonstrations prove significant benefits for armament maintainers.

Developed in conjunction with armament maintainers and munition manufacturers, the ergonomic design, rapid test times, and ease of use all contribute to the proven success of the globally deployed MTS-3060A SmartCan in all flightline environments.  Incorporating over 30 measurement channels, electronic loads, communications interfaces (MIL-STD-1553, MMSI, Ethernet, CAN Bus, RS-485), dedicated/continuous multiple squib circuit monitoring, and with audio and video signal generators, the SmartCan delivers functionality previously found only in larger, multi-box test sets. 

The rugged, handheld construction of the SmartCan, when combined with the ability to operate in adverse weather conditions, enables field operation anywhere in the world, making it the ultimate tool for flightline armament test.  The unique power management system utilizes just six standard or rechargeable AA batteries that allows operation of the SmartCan for over 40 hours, without the need to replace or recharge the batteries.  An innovative calibration technique, utilizing NIST traceable high-precision references, has been incorporated into the design, eliminating the need to remove the SmartCan from the flightline for calibration, reducing down-time and support required from metrology, and simplifying logistics.

Test results and measurement variances for each weapon are displayed real-time for review, analysis, and fault isolation.  Test log files can easily be moved or copied via the removable SD card for printing and analysis. This improved availability of data for analysis and predictive maintenance activities can ultimately decrease troubleshooting and repair times, enhancing mission readiness. 

Live, on-aircraft demonstrations have yielded time savings as high as 89% per weapons station, over eight O-Level testers consolidated, true video and audio injection, six bomb racks tested simultaneously, and operationally representative weapons emulation. The chart below shows a few of the demonstrated improvements in setup and test times for F-16 pylons and launchers.

Advanced cybersecurity features and protections further differentiate the SmartCan, making this the most cybersecure O-Level armament test set available.  Data encryption, a custom-developed operating system, NIST certified software enabling Test Program Set (TPS) development, and a removable hard drive all contribute to the security of the SmartCan.

The ability to streamline TPS development and release cycles is another key advantage of the SmartCan.  MTS offers a TPS development suite, ATEasy® and SmartCanEasy™, to allow users to develop, create, and integrate their own test programs as new weapons enter their inventory. With this capability, armament test professionals can create and maintain test programs without the need for contractor support, greatly expanding the utility of the test set.  The rapid, organic TPS development capability will allow the air forces to keep their support equipment software synchronized with the aircraft under the rapid software development model.

The SmartCan provides outstanding armament test capabilities for all armed aircraft and their armament systems, supporting warfighters deployed under the USAF’s ACE CONOPS, and enabling the creation of true Multi-Capable Airmen.  One test set, all platforms, all armament systems. 

Outstanding Airmen of the Year: SrA. Kostiantyn Khymchenko  

Outstanding Airmen of the Year: SrA. Kostiantyn Khymchenko  

Aug. 24, 2023 | By Patrick Reardon

The Air Force’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2023 will be formally recognized at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference from Sept. 11-13 in National Harbor, Maryland. Air & Space Forces Magazine is highlighting one each weekday from now until the conference begins. Today, we honor SrA. Kostiantyn Khymchenko (or, “KK”), an HVAC Journeyman with the 633rd Civil Engineer Squadron at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. 

Khymchenko and his family are from Konotop, Ukraine, where he was a cadet in school and served as a Ukrainian border and customs protection officer after graduating. He enlisted in the U.S. Air Force just eight months after moving to the U.S. in June 2019 on a diversification visa. 

“All my life, I just serve,” he said. “When I come here, at first, I wanted [to join the] Army, but obviously when all my friends found out I wanted [to] be military person [they were] like, ‘No, only Air Force.’” 

In 2022, Khymchenko was selected for deployment in support of Operation Atalas Guardian. He was only given a day’s notice to pack and board a plane to Germany where, as a native Ukrainian speaker, he would lead eight translators in 50 multinational teleconferences and advise four general officers on partner-nation air defense. Khymchenko also was part of USAF’s “Grey Wolf Team,” a task force at Ramstein Air Base that advises Ukraine’s air force on their defensive campaigns against Russia’s invasion. 

“I’m so proud and so grateful [for the Airmen and officers] who work over there right now,” he said. “They did amazing job. For real. They did everything like it was [their] native country.” 

During his deployment, Khymchenko translated more than 30 tactical maps and transmissions from Russia, intel that provided Ukraine with the location of more than 400 sites and 1,500 real-time missile launch alerts. His contributions and determination increased the survivability of 40 aircraft, $2 billion in assets, and 8 million lives. Khymchenko said he was just doing his job. 

“I was [only] tools [that helped],” he said. “I try to build friendship with our Ukrainian partner. And I think I was successful on this mission.” 

Khymchenko said his mission and assignments were made infinitely more meaningful because as a USAF Airman, he was able to support a country he called home for nearly 30 years during its time of crisis. 

“I tried to do best that I can do because I grew up in this country,” he said. “I have a lot of friends who [fight right now] and I have also friends who die right now … It’s very emotional. It’s almost like emotional stress, because you want to do something great. But same time, you cannot go over there and fight to help them. But you can help from, like, 603 AOC to help do something good.” 

In return for his service, both Khymchenko’s home country and his new one showed their gratitude. He was coined by both the Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne Bass, and he was presented with the Ukraine Support Medal by Ukraine’s Grand Minister of Defense Oleksii Reznikov. When they called Khymchenko’s name at the ceremony to come on stage and accept the award, he said he was shocked at the gratitude Reznikov showed him. 

“I was so surprised, for real. I just forgot everything,” he said. “In Ukraine, when you get some awards, you need to salute, shake, take. But here it’s different. You need to shake, take, salute. And when I tried [to] salute when he gave me the award, and he began [to] hug me, I was so confused. … It was a very good memory [of] this mission.” 

Stateside at Langley in his regular duty as an HVAC Journeyman, Khymchenko was named Wing Airman of the Quarter for the second quarter of 2022 for his leadership with 12 engineers to complete 742 jobs and respond to 36 emergencies, including the protection of a $10 million ISR server farm. His leadership earned him another coin, this one from the commander of Air Combat Command.  

“Every time when I go to job, I try to fix everything,” Khymchenko said. “Sometimes I stay late. Sometimes if I cannot fix it, when I come back home, I cannot sleep because [I’m still thinking] about the job. … It doesn’t matter if it’s some server, or it’s dorms, or it’s vehicle maintenance—[it’s all] important, because our primary job: take care of Airmen.” 

When he considers his latest award of distinction as one of the 12 Outstanding Airmen of 2023, Khymchenko said he’s honored, but he also feels bad because there were so many other people—fellow enlisted Airmen, other members of the Grey Wolf Team, and his leadership—who were doing great work right alongside him.  

“And also, all of my commanders here. I just did, like, 30 percent of this award—my leadership [did the rest],” he said. “And I so appreciate all the support.” 

“[But] I want to thank my wife first of all, because when I went to deploy to Germany, [she took] care of our kids, and it was very hard,” Khymchenko added. Inspired by his model of service, his wife Dariia joined the Air Force in 2022. An Airman First Class, Dariia Khymchenko is a Contracting Specialist with the 633rd Contracting Squadron alongside her husband at Langley. 

Meet the other Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2023 below:           

USAF Moves Officer Promotion Boards in 2024 to Line Up with Performance Report Dates

USAF Moves Officer Promotion Boards in 2024 to Line Up with Performance Report Dates

Aug. 24, 2023 | By Greg Hadley

A year after transitioning to standardized “static” closeout dates for officers’ performance reports, the Air Force will align its promotion boards with the change in 2024, the service announced Aug. 23. 

With the move, officers will have a performance report within six months of promotion boards—the same as enlisted Airmen. To make that transition happen, some ranks will have two promotion boards scheduled in 2024, while others will have none. 

Promotions boards for most major Line of the Air Force categories will shift back from the end of 2024 to January and February 2025, meaning those categories will have no boards in 2024. 

Conversely, all lieutenant colonel categories will have their boards moved from the spring of 2025 to November 2024. For both majors and lieutenant colonel boards, the shift in schedule will not affect eligibility based on dates of rank and projected pin-on dates, a service release noted. 

“Maximizing alignment of promotion boards to SCODs represents a strategic step toward enhancing our talent management decisions,” deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel, and services Lt. Gen. Caroline Miller said in a statement. “This also provides transparency and consistency that are cornerstones of our promotion and evaluation system.” 

The Air Force announced the move to static closeout dates (SCODs) in February 2022 and implemented them starting in October of that year: 

  • Colonels by Feb. 28 
  • Lieutenant colonels and majors by May 31 
  • Captains by Aug. 31 
  • First and second lieutenants by Oct. 31 

The service similarly cited the importance of predictability and transparency in moving to SCODs. Miller’s predecessor, Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, said it would give officers a “more complete understanding of their performance assessment, their strengths and weaknesses, and where they stand amongst their peers.” 

The Air Force transitioned to static closeout dates for the enlisted force back in 2014, with officials saying at the time that they would ensure a level playing field for Airmen and free up time for raters. As far back as 2018, leaders said they were contemplating a similar change for officers. 

The shift in schedule is just the latest change in the Air Force’s officer promotion boards—in January, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall announced a move to “unmask” advanced degrees for prospective majors and lieutenant colonels. The decision reversed an eight-year-old policy that hid those details from promotion board members. In a memo explaining the change, Kendall cited the value of advanced expertise in countering growing military threats from China and Russia.

Air Force Finds Elevated Levels of Toxic Chemicals at Minot

Air Force Finds Elevated Levels of Toxic Chemicals at Minot

Aug. 24, 2023 | By Chris Gordon

The Air Force has found residue of a harmful and possibly carcinogenic substance at intercontinental ballistic missile facilities at Minot Air Force Base, N.D., it announced Aug. 24.

According to service officials, military bioenvironmental experts found elevated levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in an underground launch support building at the base.

The Air Force has now released findings on PCB levels at all three of its ICBM bases. Two—Minot and Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.—had levels that exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency’s acceptable limit, while the third, F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., had trace amounts of PCBs below the EPA’s acceptable limit.

Air Force Global Strike Command has ordered clean-ups for all three bases.

“Based on these survey results, I directed Twentieth Air Force to take immediate measures to mitigate exposure by our Airmen in all locations where PCBs were detected,” AFGSC commander Gen. Thomas A. Bussiere said in a statement, referring to the Numbered Air Force that oversees ICBM bases.

The Air Force is conducting extensive environmental testing at its ICBM bases as part of the Missile Community Cancer Study, which has two parts: environmental sampling of Active bases and an epidemiologic study of personnel who served in ICBM fields to assess cancer rates.

One of the purposes of testing was to search for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in launch control centers, the underground bunkers where missileers work in 24-48 hour shifts, and in other facilities.

PCBs are “probable human carcinogens” according to the EPA, which adds that they “have been demonstrated to cause a variety of adverse health effects.”

The findings at Minot were outlined in an Aug. 21 memo from Col. Tory Woodard, the commander of the U.S. Air Force School of Aerospace Medicine (USAFSAM), which is leading the study on behalf of the service.

Three hundred total samples—air samples and swipe tests—were taken at Minot, with 30 returning traces of PCBs. The swipe tests involve gauze wetted with a solution run over surfaces and then analyzed for suspected contaminants. No air samples detected PCBs, Woodard’s memo states. Twenty-eight of the 30 samples that detected PCBs were below limits.

Two swipe samples, however, had levels above EPA limits—both in the same facility, a Launch Control Equipment Building (LCEB).

LCEBs sit alongside the underground Launch Control Centers (LCC) and provide mechanical support. Above-ground Missile Alert Facilities (MAFs) were also tested, but did not return traces of PCBs.

“We will begin immediately cleaning PCBs in all LCCs and LCEBs where PCBs were detected, regardless of whether they met EPA standards for mitigation,” Bussiere said of the Minot findings.

“Further rounds of testing for PCBs will take place in all these locations to help us measure the effectiveness of our mitigation efforts,” he added.

PCB production was banned in 1979, but the intercontinental ballistic missile facilities are decades old. An AFGSC official familiar with the study previously told Air & Space Forces Magazine the Air Force began phasing out PCBs at ICBM facilities in the 1980s, but the tests would ultimately determine how thoroughly that process was conducted.

Yet PCBs are far from the only—or main—concern of the ongoing Missile Community Cancer Study. There have long been concerns voiced by former missiles and other personnel stemming from their duties at ICBM bases. Those concerns were highlighted when a presentation detailing cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a blood cancer, at Malmstrom appeared online earlier this year. 

Bussiere ordered a review of the issue, which led to the study, overseen by USAFSAM. Members of the study team carried out initial visits in February and March at the ICBM bases to understand what they should look for and where—ICBM silos are spread out over vast fields that reach into five states, with underground and surface support facilities. Among the potential dangers, the study teams found stickers indicating the presence of PCBs in older electronics—one reason PCBs have been an early focus of the study.

“These results are just the first part of an extensive survey taking place at all our missile bases,” Bussiere said. “As more results come, we will provide updates to our Airmen and families, along with the resources they need to understand the results. My absolute priority is to provide Airmen with a safe and clean working environment, so they can carry out our nation’s most important missions.”

In particular, researchers are still looking awaiting results from ground and water sampling at all three ICBM bases.

“Additional results for other environmental samples collected will be reported separately, as these are still being analyzed and are not yet available,” Woodard wrote in his latest memo.

US Will Train Ukrainian Pilots, Maintainers on the F-16 at Air National Guard Base

US Will Train Ukrainian Pilots, Maintainers on the F-16 at Air National Guard Base

Aug. 24, 2023 | By Chris Gordon and Greg Hadley

The U.S. will train Ukrainian pilots and maintainers on F-16s at Morris Air National Guard Base, Ariz., in October, Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder announced Aug. 24—the most direct American involvement yet in the international effort to equip and train Ukraine with fighter aircraft.

The Ukrainian pilots will also receive necessary English-language training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in September, Ryder said.

The 162nd Wing at Morris trains foreign pilots on F-16s on a day-to-day basis.

Ryder said the training “will include several pilots and dozens of maintainers” but said it was too soon to provide further information. Ryder indicated the U.S. and Ukraine had yet to iron out which pilots might come over to the U.S. and it was too soon to give a timeline on how long training might take. He did not say whether the U.S. would provide munitions for the F-16s, such as AMRAAM air-to-air missiles.

“A lot is going to depend on those individual pilots and the assessment in terms of where they’re at in that process,” Ryder said.

Last week, President Joe Biden’s administration gave the necessary official approvals needed for a consortium of countries led by Denmark and the Netherlands to start training Ukrainian pilots on the F-16. The U.S. also provided formal assurances that it will fast-track any requests from those countries to transfer their older F-16s to Ukraine that they are trading out for newer aircraft like F-35s. But the U.S. has a massive fleet of F-16s and as the plane is American-made, the U.S. is used to training new countries in how to operate the aircraft.

“We know that as the Danes and the Dutch prepare to train those pilots, at a certain point in time in the future, capacity will be reached,” Ryder said. “So preemptively, acknowledging that and leaning forward in order to assist with this effort is the impetus for why we’re doing this now.”

The 162nd Wing has trained pilots from 25 countries to fly the F-16 so far, according to the unit’s website. But Ryder noted that in addition to basic flying skills, there will be much to learn for Ukrainian pilots who have previously flown in Soviet-era aircraft using different tactics than Western pilots. Experts have said Ukrainian pilots need to be trained in Western tactics to be successful, especially to make the best use of U.S.-made aircraft. Ryder previewed some of the myriad of skills required.

“There will be additional training on air combat maneuvering, tactical intercepts, close air support, suppression of enemy air defenses, and then all of that leading up to your mission qualification training, which then allows your instructor to certify that you’re combat ready,” Ryder said. “So those are the kinds of things that go into training a fighter pilot.”

Earlier this week, Ukrainian president Volodomyr Zelenskyy visited the Netherlands and sat in an F-16 and praised the “breakthrough agreement” to provide the jets to Kyiv. The Pentagon’s announcement came on Ukrainian Independence Day.

“The United States is proud to stand with Ukraine, and we will continue to ensure that it has what it needs to fight for its freedom,” Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III said in a statement marking the occasion. 

How China’s PLA Could Use Tech Like ChatGPT, And What Could Hold It Back

How China’s PLA Could Use Tech Like ChatGPT, And What Could Hold It Back

Aug. 24, 2023 | By David Roza

China’s People’s Liberation Army wants to be the first to capitalize on a range of military applications for generative artificial intelligence that could change warfare—but political, economic, and scientific challenges, some of which U.S. artificial intelligence developers also face, stand in the way. 

“Overall, China understands the need to be a first mover (or close follower) in generative AI on the battlefield to ‘firmly grasp the strategic initiative of intelligent warfare and seize the commanding heights of future military competition,’” wrote Josh Baughman, an analyst with Air University’s China Aerospace Studies Institute, in a new paper published Aug. 21.

However, Baughman noted that Chinese policy makers, like their counterparts in the U.S., are wary of integrating the technology without careful testing.

“When we talk about generative AI in a military application, people’s lives are on the line depending on how we apply it,” Baughman told Air & Space Forces Magazine. “It’s high stakes, so absolutely you need to have that trust.”

Generative AI refers to programs “that can generate high-quality text, images, and other content based on the data they were trained on,” according to IBM. Perhaps the most notable application of generative AI is ChatGPT, a chatbot that can write poems, college essays, song lyrics, and other creative content.

Military planners around the world, including Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, predict the technology could help accomplish tasks and make decisions on the battlefield, though it may be a while before such systems can be relied on in high-stakes situations.

China’s PLA seems to be on the same page: Baughman cited several PLA media sources that generally agree AI will inevitably play a role in warfare, and it could prove decisive in seven key areas:

  • Human-machine interaction: Because it can understand both human language and machine language, generative AI could help analysts digest large amounts of information in a much smaller amount of time. The PLA predicts a ChatGPT-like program becoming a joint combat system that can plan tasks, assign objectives, and strike targets, Baughman wrote.
  • Decision-making: By processing large amounts of information, generative AI could help commanders select the best combat action plan faster and enable decentralized command for isolated troops.
  • Network offensive and defensive warfare: PLA media predicts generative AI could help hackers “design, write, and execute malicious code, build bots and websites to trick users into sharing their information, and launch highly targeted social engineering scams and phishing campaigns,” Baughman wrote. Such offensive tools may become so sophisticated that AI systems may be the only way to defend against them.
  • Cognitive domain: PLA media sources discuss using generative AI to “efficiently generate massive amounts of fake news, fake pictures, and even fake videos to confuse the public,” Baughman wrote.
  • Logistics: Generative AI could help allocate resources, manage warehouses, plan supply routes, and identify inefficiencies faster than before. It could also be used to predict future material demand and create a budget for procuring resources.
  • Space domain: Above the atmosphere, where objects move at several times the speed of sound, generative AI could help monitor satellite health. It could also help engineers design new launch vehicles and spacecraft.
  • Training: The PLA lacks real-world combat experience, but generative AI may help “quickly build combat simulation through simple human language descriptions,” PLA writers said, especially when combined with historical training data and fresh intelligence.

Challenges

Yet for all those possible applications, China also faces many challenges in developing generative AI for military purposes, some unique and others applicable to developers around the world, Baughman said.

Party rules: Generative AI requires large amounts of data, but some information is off-limits under the Chinese Communist Party. Article Four of the party’s regulations for generative AI says such programs should “adhere to the socialist core values, and must not generate content that incites subversion of State power.”

In his paper, Baughman cited a Chinese CEO joking that Chinese large language models cannot count to 10 since it would include the numbers eight and nine: a reference to the censorship of information about the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests. However, while information restrictions could slow the growth of generative AI in some areas, it may not be relevant to all military uses.

“There is a party problem, but I don’t think it will be an issue for pure engineering or technical applications,” Baughman said. 

Silicon shortfall: Generative AI requires immense computing power, and immense computing power relies on semiconductor chips. U.S. sanctions limit the Chinese chip supply, but workarounds and China’s long-standing efforts to build its own chip infrastructure cannot be discounted.

Corruption: The Chinese government is making enormous investments in AI, but much of it ends up with firms that have more political connections than technical competence, as Gregory Allen, an AI expert for the Center for Strategic and International Studies wrote in May. That problem may grow worse as U.S. sanctions prevent competition with exporters, Allen noted.

Data Sets: Baughman explained that building an effective military data set for AI requires accurate and precise data, and while this issue affects both Chinese and U.S. AI developers, the PLA may feel it more acutely due to a lack of real-world combat experience. 

Optimization: Data must be properly labeled, adjusted, and interpreted to be useful. Baughman cited PLA media articles showing that “availability and interpretability of the data are poor,” and that interaction with professional users is not happening at a large enough scale to work in the field.

Trust: Both U.S. and Chinese policymakers fear losing control of battlefield AI, to the extent that PLA writers repeatedly stress the need to have a human in the loop of systems involving AI.

“The PLA most certainly wants to be the first mover on applying a more comprehensive application of Generative AI on the battlefield, but they will not do so until they can fully trust the technology,” Baughman wrote.

Still in the Race

Despite the challenges, China is at the same level or ahead of the U.S. in some areas of AI development, Baughman said. AI is a key element of the CCP’s grand strategy known as “Digital China,” a sweeping digital transformation designed to make Chinese society more efficient and competitive at the national level.

“China ties the advancement of these emerging technologies with the rejuvenation of China and with maintaining the legitimacy of the party,” he said. “It’s something of paramount importance.”

One military application of generative AI may already be within reach. PLA writers discuss using AI in the cognitive domain to “destroy the image of the government, change the standpoint of the people, divide society and overthrow the regime” through an overwhelming amount of fake news, videos, and other content targeting human fears and suspicions.

“That is not something years in the future, it is something they can do today,” Baughman said, “and the scale that they could do it at is just unreal.”

The threats will likely change fast as technology rapidly advances.

“Everything is going to be moving faster and evolving faster,” he said. “The United States has to be prepared for those major changes. Just look at how generative AI has transformed over the past six months or so. … From the military to the economy, it’s going to transform a lot of different things.”

USAF Aircraft from Across Europe Join in on ACE Exercise

USAF Aircraft from Across Europe Join in on ACE Exercise

Aug. 23, 2023 | By Greg Hadley

Aircraft from every flying wing in U.S. Air Forces in Europe kicked off Astral Knight 23-6 late last week, the latest in a series of exercises across the continent focused on Agile Combat Employment. 

F-16s, F-35s, KC-135s, and a C-130J are all flying in the exercise from forward operating bases in Finland and Lithuania, according to a USAFE release. From there, Airmen will participate in operations in the Arctic and Baltics, focusing on “proactive and reactive asset movements.” 

The following wings are involved in the exercise: 

  • 48th Fighter Wing, RAF Lakenheath, U.K. 
  • 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano Air Base, Italy 
  • 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany 
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing, RAF Mildenhall, U.K. 
  • 86th Airlift Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany 
  • 435th Air Ground Operations Wing, Ramstein Air Base, Germany 

At Rovaniemi Air Base, Finland, there are: 

  • F-16s from Spangdahlem 
  • a C-130J from Ramstein 
  • a KC-135 from Mildenhall 
  • F/A-18s from the Finnish Air Force 

At Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania, there are: 

  • F-35s from Lakenheath 
  • F-16s from Aviano 
  • a KC-135 from Mildenhall 

According to U.S. European Command, forces from Sweden and Latvia will participate as well. The exercise is scheduled to run from Aug. 18-31.

Agile Combat Employment is the Air Force’s operating concept in which Airmen and aircraft disperse from large central bases and operate from smaller, more austere locations in a “hub-and-spoke” manner to complicate an adversary’s targeting. 

The concept, which first emerged in the Indo-Pacific, has quickly become a central tenet of Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr.’s vision for the service, and USAFE commander Gen. James B. Hecker recently cited it as one of his top priorities for implementing in the region. 

Dating back to the end of the Cold War, allied countries used to have a well-practiced ability to service and even re-arm any NATO aircraft that landed at a NATO base, but that capability has “atrophied,” Hecker said in a recent meeting with reporters. 

“We are working to get that back,” Hecker said. To do it, NATO will provision “20-25 bases … in strategic locations around Europe” with the means to support a wide variety of allied aircraft. He declined to specify which bases. 

The U.S. Air Force has operated from Šiauliai in Lithuania relatively frequently and poured resources into the base as part of the European Deterrence Initiative. In 2020, officials noted that the U.S. had invested more than $27 million in 18 separate projects at Šiauliai over the last several years. More recently, F-15Es and F-35s operated from there in 2022 as part of the NATO air policing mission. 

USAF forces have operated from Rovaniemi in Finland, located at the edge of the Arctic Circle, on a less regular basis. While the base was part of the Arctic Challenge Exercise spread across Scandanavia earlier this year, no American aircraft operated from there. In January 2022, a 100th Air Refueling Wing KC-135 flew alongside Finnish fighters after taking off from Rovaniemi, and Reserve KC-135s flew from there in Arctic Challenge Exercise 2021. 

“Astral Knight will continue to strengthen ally and partner interoperability while validating new ways to deploy and maneuver assets during a crisis or conflict,” Lt. Gen. John D. Lamontagne, deputy commander of USAFE, said in a statement. “Regular exercises, like AK, and our permanent forward presence are essential to projecting a credible deterrence to any future act of aggression against the alliance.” 

Agile Combat Employment-related concepts have been part of recent U.S. Air Force exercises in Europe including Air Defender 2023, Defender Europe 23, and Falcon Strike 2022. F-35s and F-22s deployed to the continent have also conducted ACE operations out of countries like North Macedonia and Estonia. 

F-35 Contracts Worth $1 Billion Will Support Long-Lead Work

F-35 Contracts Worth $1 Billion Will Support Long-Lead Work

Aug. 23, 2023 | By John A. Tirpak

Naval Air Systems Command awarded Lockheed Martin and Raytheon Technologies more than $1 billion worth of F-35 contracts the week of Aug. 21, supporting long-lead work on partner and Foreign Military Sales aircraft, engines, and F-35 helmets.

The largest in the group was a $606.8 million undefinitized contract for long-lead parts for foreign-user F-35s. The August 22 contract specified that these aircraft are in Lot 19 and that it covers 173 aircraft, but Lockheed has said its maximum production on F-35s for the next few years will be 156 per year. The Joint Program Office could not be reached to explain the discrepancy.

The contract is to be completed by January 2028. Long-lead parts tend to be castings, forgings and other parts that can take a year or more to produce, or require production of specialized materials.

Lockheed Martin and the JPO have been in negotiations on production Lot 18 and 19 contracts since last year. Lot 20 will likely be negotiated separately, as it could be the first to count as a “multiyear” procurement, under congressional rules. Separately, Pratt & Whitney has been negotiating on engines for those lots. The engines are then provided to Lockheed as government-furnished equipment.

Of the overall $606.8 million in the contract, $329.5 million covers FMS work, while the partner program work is worth $277.3 million, all to be expended at the time the work is done.

Lockheed got another $347.4 million contract on Aug. 21 which “adds scope” to a previous indefinite-delivery, indefinite quantity contract for F-35 helmet-mounted display systems applicable to Lot 15-16 aircraft among all F-35 users. The helmet-mounted display works with the F-35’s distributed aperture system to provide a 365-degree field of view and tactical presentation of the situation around the aircraft, in visible or no-light conditions. The contract did not specify how many helmets are involved, but each is tailored to an individual pilot. The contract is to be completed in December 2026.

Pratt & Whitney, a division of RTX, received a $59.3 million fixed-price incentive fee modification to a Lot 16 contract for F135 engine long-lead items, which will support production for Lot 18 F135 engines. The parts will be for all F-35 fighter users, and the work is to be completed by the end of 2025.

Naval Air Systems Command awards all F-35 contracts because oversight of the program currently rests with the Navy’s service acquisition executive. Under a joint integration model set at the outset of the Joint Strike Fighter program, when the program executive officer is an Air Force officer—as it is now—the Navy’s SAE supervises the program and the PEO’s deputy is also a Naval officer. When program directorship is held by a Navy or Marine officer, the Air Force SAE supervises the program, the Air Force awards the contracts, and the PEO’s deputy is an Air Force officer. The JPO director is Air Force Lt. Gen. Michael Schmidt, and he reports to the Navy SAE, Frederick J. Stefany.

The Joint Program Office is expected to turn over many of its logistical and developmental responsibilities to the individual military services in the next few years.

Outstanding Airmen of the Year: SrA. Ryan G. Hospelhorn  

Outstanding Airmen of the Year: SrA. Ryan G. Hospelhorn  

Aug. 23, 2023 | By Patrick Reardon

The Air Force’s 12 Outstanding Airmen of the Year for 2023 will be formally recognized at AFA’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference from Sept. 11-13 in National Harbor, Md. Air & Space Forces Magazine is highlighting one each weekday from now until the conference begins. Today, we honor Senior Airman Ryan Hospelhorn, a flight security controller for the 841st Missile Security Forces Squadron at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont. 

Hospelhorn transferred to Malmstrom in February after spending two years at Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany. Unhappy with his day-to-day job as a security forces member “just working traffic in and out” there, he started a master’s program in advanced systems. His initiative led to a more exciting opportunity filling an NCO position to launch Spangdahlem’s small unmanned aircraft system (sUAS) program with the 52nd Security Forces Squadron. 

“With the situation in Russia and Ukraine, and seeing the amount of damage that small drones are able to do, both in recon in the battlefield as well as dropping ordnance, [it] became [a] pretty high priority for my commander to initiate a more robust counter UAS and blue UAS program out at Spangdahlem,” Hospelhorn said. “That included increasing our capabilities for detection and defeats of the small UAS as well as finding ways to integrate our own drones and training drone pilots to be able to use them for various things like security responses or surveys.” 

Over the course of seven months, Hospelhorn led a six-person team to test a hunter-seeker drone in conjunction with U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). As the sUAS program’s manager, Hospelhorn authored three instructions and served as the liaison between the wing and Germany as the host nation to bring the program to life. 

“We’re guests in Germany, and we’re subject to a lot of their rules and laws. They have quite a few rules and regulations regarding UAS, especially in proximity to airfields,” he said. “There’s a lot of paperwork for that, mainly just because of the tools that the drone was using to capture. It is using radar and required a whole bunch of spectrum approvals, frequency approvals.” 

Because it’s an F-16 base, Spangdahlem sees a lot of manned aircraft traffic—a difficult environment for testing drones. Hospelhorn devised a system to ensure there was fair, uninterrupted, and shared airspace between the F-16s and the drones. His initiative and innovation enabled some 12,000 sUAS sorties. 

“It’s a small base, so you’re never too far from the runway [and F-16s are flying] all day, every day,” he said. “If we had to wait for periods where they weren’t flying, we would never be flying. So we found a way to map out certain areas of the base where we activate in order to be flying our drones there and not having interference with the normal F-16 traffic.” 

In terms of a MAJCOM-wide certification process to train sUAS pilots, USAFE lacked some of the standard instructions that stateside major commands have. To provide a first-time capability to the wing, Hospelhorn cobbled together a robust two-month certification process and taught the course to integrate 10 sUAS pilots into the wing’s operations. 

“There wasn’t really anything to go off of [at Spangdahlem], and no real POCs at a higher level to reach out to for guidance,” he said. “I was able to develop training materials based off of some open-source stuff from the drones we were using, as well as from other bases stateside that I reached out to, to get an idea of how they’re running their program and develop our own, which eventually I got approved through AFSOC [Air Force Special Operations Command].” 

“We actually had a couple of SERE [Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape] members from Fairchild come out TDY to attend the course because they weren’t able to find that training anywhere stateside for a reasonable cost,” he added. 

Senior Airman Ryan Hospelhorn. Courtesy of LinkedIn/Ryan Hospelhorn

While heading the UAS initiative at Spangdahlem, Hospelhorn was simultaneously responsible for the innovation technology sector of security forces. He managed a $350,000 acquisition and upgrade of the Android Tactical Assault Kit (ATAK), which enabled real-time command and control of 47 patrols and non-kinetic emergency response capability for a 40km area of responsibility. 

“[ATAK] is basically handheld devices that allow the base defense operations center or the flight chief to see where all patrols are at any time,” Hospelhorn said. “So, we were able to establish cordons and direct patrols to where they needed to be by just putting a point on a map, as opposed to trying to tell them the intersection of this street and that street over the radio. It was all fast and seamless.” 

Hospelhorn also was selected for a prime fellowship with AFWERX, where he spent five months developing the groundwork for the Air Force’s efforts in detecting and defeating drone swarms. The details of his research are classified, but the opportunity is a testament to his merit as an Outstanding Airman of the Year. He credits the teams he’s been on and the leadership who took a chance on him while he was still an A1C, particularly his Section Chief and Superintendent. 

“Just taking that first step, starting continuing education, and getting connected with the right people was a huge, huge important factor [in my achievements],” he said. “A large portion [of] success is just showing up with the right attitude. Getting there on time, with the right uniform and the right attitude, that’ll take you pretty far.”