Air Force Adds New ‘Maintenance Duty Uniform,’ Approves Tactical Camo Caps

June 14, 2021 | By Greg Hadley

A new uniform set is coming to the Air Force, giving Airmen in aircraft maintenance, industrial, and other labor intensive units the option to wear coveralls, provided their unit commander authorizes it.

The new set will officially be designated the maintenance duty uniform (MDU) and will be included in the updated Air Force Instruction 36-2903—which governs dress and appearance for USAF and Space Force troops. The new uniform is expected to be released in August, according to a June 14 Air Force release.

The sage coveralls will be worn with the coyote brown T-shirt, Operational Camouflage Pattern (OCP) patrol or tactical cap, coyote brown or green socks, and coyote brown boots. It will have a basic configuration of a nametape, service tapes, and rank along with the higher headquarters patch on the left sleeve and a subdued U.S. flag and organizational patch on the right sleeve.

“The MDU idea was presented to the 101st uniform board in November 2020 as a way to help increase readiness and timeliness from the work center to the flight line,” Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass said in a statement. “We are hoping this change will instill a sense of culture and inclusivity for our maintainers who work to keep the mission going 24/7.”

The only career fields eligible to wear the new uniform are 2A, 2F, 2G, 2M, 2P, 2S, 2T, 2W, 3E, 3D, and 1P. The uniform is not authorized for office work.

The Air Force also announced June 14 that it will immediately authorize the wear of certain tactical OCP caps while it works to complete the acquisition process for the new uniform item. The caps must be made entirely of OCP material or OCP material with a coyote brown mesh back.

The new caps differ from the OCP patrol cap in that they are lighter and fit more closely to the head. Women will be able to pull their bun or ponytail through the back of the hats, but Airmen will still have to have the Velcro or sew-on spice brown name tape centered on the back of the caps. The only thing authorized for wear on the front of the cap are officer ranks.

The new uniform adjustments are the second group of such changes instituted by the Air Force in the past few months. In March, the service announced it was authorizing shorts for maintainers, as well as Duty Identifier Patches, certain sock and eyeglass frame colors, and messenger and lunch bags. The department has also recently adjusted its rules regarding the hairstyles allowed for women to better address differences in hair texture and density.

Pentagon Restores $2.2 Billion for MILCON From Border Wall Fund

June 11, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

The Pentagon announced June 11 it is restoring $2.2 billion of military construction funds that had been reprogrammed to pay for the construction of a wall on the southern border.

The funding covers 66 projects in 11 states, three territories, and 16 countries. Pentagon spokesman John F. Kirby said in a briefing that the funding was unobligated and comes out of a total of $3.6 billion that had been reprogrammed for the wall in fiscal 2021.

The Trump Administration, beginning in 2019, moved military construction and operations and maintenance money to pay for the construction of the barrier. President Joe Biden, on the day he was inaugurated, issued a proclamation reversing the plan and repurposing the funding. The Pentagon, in April, canceled all border barrier construction projects.

Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen H. Hicks, in a June 10 memo, said the move to restore funding completes the full Pentagon plan as a result of Biden’s directive.

The memo lists the following total force USAF projects that will receive funding:

LOCATION	FUNDING (in millions)	PROJECT
Florida	$25.8	Fire/crash rescue station
Indiana	$9.4	Small arms range
Texas	$22	Camp Bullis dining facility
Utah	$24	Composite Aircraft Antenna Calibration facility
Wisconsin	$10.5	Small arms range
Guam	$28.6	APR-Munitions Storage Igloos Ph. 2
Guam	$13.8	APR-SATCOM C4I Facility
Guam	$2.5	PRTC Roads
Germany	$15.4	37th Airlift Squadron Operations/Aircraft Maintenance Unit
Germany	$1.8	Upgrade hardened aircraft shelters for F-22
Germany	$79.1	Spangdahlem Elementary School Replacement
Hungary	$13.7	Increase POL Storage Capacity
Jordan	$18.9	Air Traffic Control Tower
Jordan	$34.3	Munitions storage area
Luxembourg	$97.1	Deployable Airbase System storage
Slovakia	$59.9	Regional munitions storage area
Slovakia	$20.4	Airfield upgrades
Slovakia	$19.1	Increase POL Storage
United Kingdom	$26.97	Munitions holding area
United Kingdom	$16.5	Main gate complex
Worldwide	$120.9	Tactical Mobile Over the Horizon Radar

Data from Department of Defense Memo

KC-46 Boom Operators Work Around Software Flaw

June 11, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

A feature in the advanced refueling system of the KC-46, designed to improve safety and ease the burden on boom operators, is not working as designed due to a software flaw, so the Air Force implemented a workaround as the service and Boeing wait for more pressing issues to be solved first.

The issue is with the aircraft’s Aerial Refueling Software, which has preset limits for different types of receivers—aircraft needing fuel—to control the boom’s independent disconnect system. Simply put, the system automatically selects the left/right and up/down limits for the boom to stay connected to a given receiver, and if the movement exceeds the envelope for that aircraft, the boom automatically breaks away to avoid damage.

However, the presets in the system are not accurate for each receiver, so boom operators, before each connection, have to override the automatic preset limits and input correct ones. The problem was a Category II deficiency on the KC-46 before the workaround was implemented.

“The Air Force is aware of the KC-46 receiver preset issue,” Air Mobility Command said in a statement to Air Force Magazine. “[AMC] implemented a workaround for boom operators to manually adjust the KC-46 Receiver Presets and closed the CAT II DR for Enhancement. The issue does not impact operational use of the boom, nor will it keep the aircraft from eventually being fully operational. AMC will address a long-term fix for this issue during follow-on upgrades once solutions are met for higher priority deficiencies.”

The issue is in addition to the broader problems with the aircraft’s Remote Vision System, which the Air Force and Boeing are working to replace after agreeing on a broad fix last year. Boeing, in a statement, said it is working “on a plan to address the issue in a future software revision. In the meantime, operators have a workaround to continue refueling operations.”

Air Force Magazine witnessed the workaround firsthand during a recent flight aboard a KC-46 during Air Mobility Command’s Mobility Guardian 2021 exercise, the first time an independent journalist has flown aboard the Pegasus.

The KC-46’s mission during the flight was to refuel four F-16s. As the first F-16 lined up to receive fuel, the boom operator prepared the refueling system, and the instructor on the flight inputted F-16 into the software. The controls are in a mostly black touchscreen on the lowest panel of the Aerial Refueling Operator Station.

The selection adjusts the green/yellow/red lines on the main monitor that shows the boom and the receiver aircraft trailing behind. The instructor then changes the individual settings to the correct ones, referencing a list of receivers. This changes the length of the color line on the RVS to the correct threshold for the receiver. The system then must be reset between each receiver, as the boom operator also changes the settings for how much fuel will be passed.

In the mission Air Force Magazine observed, after the first Viper, callsign Buzz 21, broke away, the instructor pilot repeated the process of selecting F-16 as the receiver and then again overrode the preset limits.

Boom operators said the workaround is not a big deal when there’s just one receiver, such as another tanker or airlifter. However, when there’s a flight of multiple aircraft, such as these four F-16s, the process takes a small amount of time between refuelings. Additionally, if there is just one boom operator on the flight, it takes attention away from this process, an issue that was alleviated in this recent mission by having the instructor handle the resets while the boom operator focused on refueling.

“KC-46 aircrew continue to familiarize and increase skills aboard the aircraft,” AMC said. “Their experiences and feedback are critical to identifying improvements in order to provide the best possible weapons system to the Joint warfighter.”

While the KC-46’s automatic disconnect system uses the software settings, the independent disconnect system in the KC-10 is selected manually at the operator station in the rear of the plane.

The Air Force and Boeing did not provide a timeline for a possible software fix, other than saying more pressing issues will be addressed first. One of the top priorities, the RVS 2.0 replacement, is expected to begin to be fielded in late 2023. This system is undergoing its preliminary design review, and AMC boss Gen. Jacqueline D. Van Ovost said “our boom operators have seen that work, and they are pretty happy with what they see. So, I’m cautiously optimistic.”

There are still four remaining Category 1 deficiencies on the KC-46, the most serious that could impact the safety of flight. Three of these are with the Remote Vision System that Boeing is addressing with the 2.0 version. The fourth is a “stiff boom” problem, which the Air Force will resolve by installing a redesigned actuator beginning in 2024.

In February, the service announced fixes to two other Category 1 deficiencies with the aircraft’s auxiliary power unit, with one downgraded to a Category 2 and the other solved. As of that time, there were 608 remaining Category 2 deficiency reports, down from 730 in June 2020. These are defined as “conditions that could negatively impact operations, but have acceptable workarounds. They can be characterized as test and evaluation, product quality, and/or specific to an aircraft’s acceptance process,” the Air Force said in a statement.

Air Force Changes Hair Standards for Women to be Even More Inclusive

June 11, 2021 | By Amy Hudson

The Air Force is once again changing hair standards for women to better address differences in hair texture and density.

Beginning June 25, women’s hair may extend six inches to the left of the point where hair is gathered behind their head and six inches to the right, as long as they can still properly wear headgear. The updated guidance follows the January announcement that women in the Air Force and Space Force can now wear a single ponytail, or single or double braids, as long as the hairdo reaches no farther than their upper back and doesn’t exceed the width of their head. The January guidance also allowed eyebrow-length bangs.

“Change doesn’t happen overnight, and sometimes it takes another iteration to arrive at the best solution,” Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. said in a June 11 release. “This updated guidance represents meaningful progress. The feedback we received from our Airmen highlighted the need to reevaluate the policy and ultimately make it more inclusive.”

Women in the service had complained for years that wearing their hair up daily in tight buns was giving them headaches and even causing hair loss. Although the initial update was an attempt to acknowledge different hair types and textures among women of various ethnic backgrounds, women said they still struggled to find a hairstyle that didn’t extend beyond their head.

“In developing policy, we try to address all angles and perspectives, but sometimes we have a blind spot,” said Lt. Gen. Brian T. Kelly, Air Force deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel, and services, in the release. “The feedback we received highlighted the need to reevaluate the policy to make it even more inclusive.”

The new policy applies to both Airmen and Guardians for the time being, but the Space Force is working on developing its own grooming standards.

The Air Force noted that safety standards must still be met and encouraged all women to reach out to their unit’s safety office for assistance in determining potential hazards, especially when dealing with machinery, power transmission apparatus, moving parts, or other equipment.

“Whether we’re talking about hair, uniforms, or forums for sharing ideas, an approach that embraces diversity and fosters an inclusive environment is critical to ensuring our talented, dedicated Airmen stay with us on this journey,” said Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne S. Bass in the release.

Gen. Brown Talks About Being A Role Model With New Captain America Actor

June 11, 2021 | By Greg Hadley

Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. hasn’t exactly made his fandom for Marvel comic books and movies a secret; he’s referenced the Avengers and Captain America in a speech and chatted about his favorite Spider-Man movies in an interview.

Now in a video released June 10 by Variety, he got to take that fandom to a new level in a conversation with actor Anthony Mackie, star of “The Falcon and The Winter Soldier” and the latest actor to take on the role of Captain America, about the importance of Black superheroes and role models.

Over the course of 30 minutes, Brown and Mackie answered questions from reporter Angelique Jackson about their personal journeys to where they are now and their status as groundbreakers—Brown is the first Black service Chief in U.S. history, while Mackie is the first Black on-screen Captain America.

“For a good portion of my career flying fighters, I was the only African American in my entire squadron,” Brown said. “And even today, when I go into meetings with my three and four stars, I am often the only African American in the room. I’m not representing all African Americans—I just bring an African American’s perspective into the meeting.”

Brown also flexed his knowledge of the Marvel TV series, talking about how he related key plot points to his own experiences.

“I think just to watch the evolution and really the aspect of someone with a very humble background, humble beginnings, to come to where he is and have the opportunity and the realization that ‘I can do this,’” Brown said. “And that was part of at the beginning of the series, where even after having the [Captain America] shield and really kind of passing it up, just feeling like he wasn’t quite qualified or didn’t have the confidence to do it, and then it develops over the series.”

Even having grown in confidence and reaching his current position, Brown said, he feels responsibility to ensure he paves the way for future leaders like him.

“Ideally what you want to do is bring more of that in, and open more eyes, and really have all of us work through this,” he said. “Because this may be the only time they see someone like me at this level, … you want to make sure you’re representing not just yourself, but all those that come behind you.”

U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. speaks with actor Anthony Mackie and reporter Angelique Jackson.

Mackie, for his part, said he felt a responsibility to portray the military in a nuanced, compassionate way—his character in the show, Sam Wilson, is a former U.S. Air Force pararescueman.

“Sometimes I meet people like General Brown, and I’m like, ‘That guy’s not a human being—he’s a rock star,’ and you forget they’re actual humans and place them in a light where they’re not allowed to be,” Mackie said. “So that’s something that’s always been important to me — bringing humanity to the aspect of being a Soldier.”

Brown spoke to that feeling as well in explaining why he decided to record and release an emotional video last June detailing his own experiences with racism in light of nationwide protests over police brutality and racial inequality.

“It was really driven by my youngest son, because he was really having a hard time with what was going on,” Brown said of his motivation. “… Also, in my own role as a senior officer, I knew there were a lot of people wondering what I was going to say, when I was going to say it.

“And it was just the aspect of him kind of pushing me, asking me … I was the commander of Pacific Air Forces at the time, [and he asked] ‘What is Pacific Air Forces going to say?’ But he’s really asking me, ‘Hey, Dad, what are you going to say?’ And I had a lot on my mind, and so I just shared it, and I really did not intend for it to go as broad as it did, but I’m glad it did.”

The conversation ended on a light note, as Brown asked Mackie if he could try out the wings that are a part of Mackie’s costume, and Mackie asked Brown for details on how promotion in the Air Force works.

F-35 Production Will Take Longer than Expected to Recover from COVID

June 10, 2021 | By John A. Tirpak

Continuing delays from COVID-19 disruptions mean it will take longer than expected to make up the backlog of F-35 jets stemming from the pandemic, said Bridget Lauderdale, Lockheed Martin’s vice president and general manager for the fighter.

Lauderdale told reporters visiting the company’s Fort Worth, Texas, F-35 production line June 10 that while “you may have heard” that it will take “a couple of years” to get back on pre-COVID delivery schedules, the actual recovery timeline is not decided and is still being discussed with the Joint Program Office and international F-35 partners.

She said 120 F-35s were delivered in 2020—21 shy of the planned number—and the company expects it will deliver “between 133 and 139” of the fighters in 2021. Lockheed Chief Financial Officer Kenneth R. Possenriede told a brokerage conference June 4 that Lockheed is ramping up to deliver 169 F-35s in fiscal 2022, but Lauderdale said that number was based on an out-of-date evaluation of COVID impacts.

“The number he used this week was based on a recovery assessment made last summer,” Lauderdale said. “As we were entering the first handful of months of COVID, there was a deliver recovery assessment made, … but certainly it did not anticipate we would be continuing in the pandemic and continue to be disrupted into 2021.” Pre-pandemic plans called for 155 F-35s to be produced in 2021, according to a Defense Department official familiar with the program.

Lockheed and the “customer community” are “looking at … what is the optimal rate, from an efficiency and cost perspective, ensuring absolutely the quality in … every delivery,” Lauderdale said. There are “choices to be made there,” she added, and promised to share the number once an agreement is reached.

The late Michele A. Evans, who was executive vice president of aeronautics, told Air Force Magazine last September that “it’s actually going to take us a couple of years” to recover the jets not produced on time. The company and its customers decided that it would be more efficient to “stick” at a sustainable rate of 11 aircraft a month rather than introduce a temporary surge followed by a lull.

Lauderdale said it took a “tremendous partnership” between government and suppliers to get 120 jets out the door during 2020, because “many of our suppliers are small businesses. We were very focused during the pandemic on ensuring we were flowing resources [and] money from the U.S. government, to ensure that our small businesses could continue to operate and deliver supply” to the production line.

“The great news, the line is stabilizing, and the supply base is stabilizing, and we expect to be able to ramp back up a cost-effective and high quality product as we go forward,” Lauderdale said.

She also reported that Lockheed has found new suppliers for all the F-35 parts previously made in Turkey, but some components will still come from Turkey through March of 2022, because those contracts were already in force when the F-35 partners expelled Ankara from the program over its purchase of Russian air defense gear.

The F-35 has been at the edge of being declared ready for full-rate production for nearly two years, but that has been delayed by issues getting the jet integrated with the Pentagon’s Joint Simulation Environment, a wargaming system that helps planners figure out how many platforms of various kinds comprise the optimum force mix.

Lauderdale said Lockheed has “completed the activities to support a Milestone C [full-rate] decision. We continue to support the U.S. government in their open actions to close on a Milestone C decision … The production line is ready to be declared ‘at rate’ and so we’re very excited about that closure coming.”

Lockheed has shared all its data on F-35 sustainment costs with the Pentagon, Lauderdale said, as the Air Force conducts its tactical aviation study in concert with the Pentagon’s Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation shop. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. said last month that he expects the study to “inform” the future years defense program that will accompany the fiscal 2023 defense budget, which will be built in the next few months. The TacAir study is known to be looking at different force mixes that might include fewer F-35s than the 1,763 planned for the Air Force at the program’s inception in 2001. The Air Force planned for lower F-35 sustainment costs than it’s getting and has said it will consider a smaller fleet to live within its means.

Congress has added 12 F-35s to USAF’s request for 48 of the fighters in each of the last few years, but the service did not include the fighter on its “unfunded priorities list” this year. Internal documents obtained by Air Force Magazine indicate the service wants to throttle back its F-35 purchases from fiscal 2023 to 2026 by 10 percent, preferring to wait until the Block 4 version is coming off the production line and for lower sustainment costs to be demonstrated.

Lauderdale would not comment on the impact of reductions on the unit cost of the jets, saying only that given Lockheed Martin’s F-16, F-22, F-35, and “work on … future generations” of combat aircraft, “we have been listening closely to their requirements and feel confident that across our entire fleet, we have the solutions that support their entire needs.”

Lockheed Martin and the Joint Program Office are in the midst of negotiations for the next three lots of F-35s, with an agreement expected to be reached by the end of September. Program Executive Officer Air Force Lt. Gen. Eric T. Fick said last month he expected a “handshake agreement” by now, but the deal has been elusive. Lauderdale’s immediate predecessor, and now Lockheed Martin’s overall aeronautics executive VP, Gregory M. Ulmer said in February that the next three lots will likely include 100 fewer jets, and, combined with new capabilities stemming from Block 4, will make it a challenge to keep the unit cost down.

Lauderdale did not address whether Lockheed Martin will be able to keep the per-jet average unit cost at just under $80 million, or even go as low as $75 million, saying the company will simply “get it as low as we can take it.”

There’s been no “diminishing” of foreign interest in the F-35, Lauderdale said, noting that the fighter is well positioned in three competitions “this year … in Finland, Switzerland, and Canada.” The F-35 is “doing its job and selling itself” through the satisfaction of air forces operating the jet. She said the jet’s operators report being happy with its performance and especially its interoperability.

NATO Supreme Allied Commander Air Force Gen. Tod D. Wolters, speaking at an event sponsored by the Atlantic Council on June 9, said he’s “very excited” to have 450 F-35s in Europe belonging to the U.S. and its allies by 2030. European countries also are developing sixth-generation aircraft, with France, Germany, and Spain partnering on the Future Combat Air System, and Britain’s Tempest program, he noted.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated at 11:11 a.m. on June 11 to include the correct title for Michele A. Evans. She was executive vice president of aeronautics. It was updated again at 5:42 p.m. to correct the number of aircraft not delivered as planned in 2020.

Pentagon Won’t Commit to Air Support for Afghans After Withdrawal

June 10, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III on June 10 would not say whether the U.S. military will still conduct airstrikes in Afghanistan to defend population centers after the retrograde completes this summer, but he said the Pentagon is pursuing ways to base surveillance and strike aircraft closer to the country.

The New York Times reported that the Defense Department is considering authorization to provide air support for Afghan forces if the Taliban threatens to take Kabul or other major cities after U.S. forces leave. This would be a change from the current publicly disclosed plan to conduct “over-the-horizon” counterterrorism operations to deter attacks that would target the U.S.

Austin told lawmakers the mission that U.S. troops had in Afghanistan, to prevent attacks on the American homeland, has “been accomplished” and that now the Pentagon’s job is to move people and equipment out of the country.

“Going forward, in terms of our [counterterrorism] efforts, those CT efforts will be focused on those elements that can possibly conduct attacks against our homeland,” Austin said.

When asked if U.S. aircraft would strike in support of Afghan forces to protect cities after the withdrawal, Austin said he would not speculate on “any potential outcomes or any potential future actions.”

“We continue to provide support to the Afghan security forces as we retrograde,” he said. “Once we have completed our retrograde, that will be very difficult to do because our capabilities will have diminished in country.”

The U.S. military is flying intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance and combat aircraft from bases in the Persian Gulf area.

“We have the capability now to do that,” Austin said. “What we are looking for is the ability to shorten the legs going forward by stationing some capability in neighboring countries. That is still a work in progress.”

These possible bases have been discussed since President Joe Biden announced the withdrawal in mid-April, though no specifics have been proposed.

Acting Air Force Secretary John P. Roth, in testimony before the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee on June 8, said USAF requested about $10 billion in its 2022 budget for its enduring presence in U.S. Central Command as operations within Afghanistan draw down.

“We have a series of air bases, they will stay for the time being, that’s where your over-the-horizon capability will come from,” Roth said.

Austin said there are still some MQ-9 sorties originating from within the country, but “essentially the vast majority of ISR is being provided from other places outside Afghanistan” to protect U.S. forces as they withdraw.

Following the withdrawal, the U.S. military intends to “maintain a good and productive relationship with the Afghans,” including continuing funding for the military and supporting the government.

“I think that support is critical in ensuring that the government retains the ability to function and that the military remains intact,” he said.

The Pentagon has sufficient authorities to conduct these missions on “a discrete set of threats,” such as al-Qaeda, Austin said, without naming the Taliban. The U.S. also plans to keep its embassy in Kabul, and the military is working with Afghans on protection for that facility.

VanHerck: Services ‘Didn’t Move the Ball Very Far’ With Arctic Spending in 2022

June 10, 2021 | By Greg Hadley

The U.S. military has repeatedly touted the growing importance of the Arctic region, but U.S. Northern Command boss Gen. Glen D. VanHerck told Senators that’s not really represented in the Defense Department’s 2022 budget request.

Questioned by Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) on how the different service branches would be able to implement their Arctic strategies with the resources provided in the 2022 budget, VanHerck seemed to agree with Sullivan’s assessment that the region didn’t get much focus in the budget.

“Senator, I think when I look at the FY22 budget, I see an inching along in all of the services. I’m encouraged, they all have strategies now, and the department has a strategy, and my strategy heavily relies on the Arctic,” VanHerck said. “But we didn’t move the ball very far down the field this year in the budget with regards to resources in the Arctic.”

As commander of NORTHCOM, VanHerck oversaw the release of a new strategy in March that singled out the Arctic as a competitive area, as the melting ice cap, natural resources, and shipping lanes are all contested by the U.S., Russia, and even China, among other nations.

NORTHCOM’s strategy called for developing strategic partnerships in the region as well as “enhancing Arctic operations, capabilities, infrastructure, and ensuring a credible defense presence.”

And as VanHerck said, NORTHCOM wasn’t the only one to release a strategy for the region. In the last year, the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air and Space Forces have all released strategic plans for the Arctic, some for the very first time. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III said during his confirmation hearing that he recognized the growing competition in the area and pledged to coordinate on strategy.

Indeed, on the same day VanHerck was speaking to the Senate panel, DOD and Austin announced the formation of the Ted Stevens Center for Arctic Security Studies, an academic research and training venue to work with allies on cooperation in the region.

The Defense Department’s 2022 budget overview says the agency will have “funding to prepare for contingencies associated with a changing climate, including investments to prepare for an opening Arctic and increased peer competition in that region.”

And each service’s justification data does explicitly cite the Arctic in some way. The Space Force budget includes more than $127 million in funding for the Polar MILSATCOM system, which will provide secure, jam-resistant, strategic and tactical communications in the Polar region. The Air Force, on the other hand, requested some $14 million in procurement for radio equipment that will, among other things, help with Arctic command and control. As for the Army, there are tens of millions of dollars devoted to research, development, test, and evaluation of gear and systems in Arctic conditions, and the Navy also requested some $15 million in RDT&E for the Arctic Mobile Observing System and the Submarine Arctic Warfare Development Project.

Overall, the Pentagon has requested $715 billion in its 2022 budget.

Milley: A-10 Cut is an ‘Acceptable Risk’

June 10, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

The Air Force’s plan to cut 42 A-10s but retain the bulk of its fleet is an acceptable risk as the military looks ahead to more survivable capabilities, the Defense Department’s top uniformed officer told lawmakers June 10.

The Air Force’s fiscal 2022 budget looks to cut the current A-10 fleet to 239 from 281, the service’s latest attempt to divest the venerable Warthog, which the Department says is aging and is not relevant to a future, high-end fight.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley, testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee, said that while he’s “personally a very big fan” of the aircraft and that the cuts do create some risk, it is acceptable and the budget only represents a “modest decrease in the number of A-10s.”

“We’ve got to recognize and begin to shift toward a future operating environment and a changing character of war, and we must shift [to] the capabilities that are going to be relevant, survivable, and effective against a tier one adversary sometime in the future,” Milley said.

The Air Force plans to retire the older A-10s and shift those units to new missions. Milley said the remaining aircraft would be enough for five squadrons.

Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) pressed Milley on the Air Force’s plan during the hearing, saying he understands that more exquisite aircraft are needed on Day 1 of a conflict, but he’s concerned about close air support in “Day 30, Day 60, Day 180.”

Kelly, himself a former Navy combat pilot who represents Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., home to 83 A-10C aircraft, has assumed the now annual role of Arizona lawmaker opposing Warthog retirements.

“In a former life, I used to be a test pilot. I’ve flown close air support myself in an airplane that does not do the job well, and I don’t see another airframe in our inventory, not the F-16, not the F-35, that can do the mission like the A-10 can,” Kelly said.

The Air Force actually wants to divest a total of 201 aircraft in 2022, which the service says will yield a savings of $1.4 billion to put toward other capabilities. In addition to the A-10, the service is looking to cut 48 F-15C/Ds, 47 F-16C/Ds, 20 Block 30 Global Hawks, 18 KC-135 tankers, 14 KC-10s, eight C-130Hs, and four E-8 JSTARS.