Austin, in Tel Aviv, Calls for Increased Coordination with Israel

April 12, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III traveled to Israel for high-level meetings with Israeli officials, to discuss ways for the two militaries to work together as the U.S. prepares to re-engage on talks related to the Iranian nuclear deal. The meetings come as an Iranian facility loses power in a mysterious incident.

Austin, the first senior Biden administration official to visit the country, met with Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz and is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The visit also comes after the U.S. military shifted Israel from the U.S. European Command area of responsibility to U.S. Central Command.

“They have great capabilities as it stands and, of course, we want to make sure that we remain interoperable,” Austin told reporters April 12. “… In terms of our plans, our concepts, and how we use our equipment, I think it’s important that we continue to work on that partnership.”

On April 11, as Austin arrived in Israel, the Iranian nuclear facility in Natanz lost power, with reports alleging that an Israeli cyber attack caused the blackout. The facility was starting up new centrifuges the same day, and Iranian officials said the black out is an act of “nuclear terrorism,” according to the Associated Press.

“I’m aware of the reports,” Austin told reporters. “I really don’t have anything to add on Natanz. In terms of our efforts to engage Iran in diplomacy on the [Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action], those efforts will continue, and I’m very, obviously, supportive of the President’s efforts to negotiate a way ahead there. And I’ll just leave it at that.”

During an April 11 appearance alongside Austin, Gantz said the U.S. is “the full partner across all operational threats, not the least, Iran. The Tehran of today possess a strategic threat to international security to the entire Middle East and to the state of Israel. And we will work closely with our American allies to ensure that any new agreement with Iran will secure the vital interest of the world, of the United States, prevent dangers, unrest in our region, and protect the state of Israel.”

The U.S. Air Force and Israeli Air Force have been training together regularly, including exercise INIOCHOS 21 in Greece, which began April 12 and runs through April 22. USAF aircraft and Airmen with the 31st Fighter wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy, and Israeli forces are training along with forces from Greece, Canada, Cyprus, Slovenia, Spain, and the United Arab Emirates in the large-scale exercise, according to a U.S. Air Forces in Europe release.

JB San Antonio-Randolph Names Building for Former VCSAF Wilson

April 12, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

The Air Force’s main base for training future Airmen has named a key building after USAF’s longest-serving vice chief of staff.

Air Education and Training Command on April 9 named building 905 at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, “Wilson Hall” after former Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Stephen W. “Seve” Wilson, who retired in late 2020 after serving as the service’s No. 2 for more than four years.

“As leaders, there is no more sacred duty than to prepare the next generation of Airmen for combat, it was our solemn obligation,” Wilson said during a ceremony, according to an AETC release. “No one takes on that mission more to heart than the thousands of men and women who work here at AETC. They wake up with that singular purpose, to take America’s sons and daughters and develop them into world-class Airmen who can fly, fight, and win, [and] who can deliver airpower anywhere, at any time.”

Wilson2 — U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Brad Webb (left), commander of Air Education and Training Command, and retired Gen. Stephen Wilson (right), former vice chief of staff of the Air Force, unveil the Wilson Hall dedication plaque April 9 at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas. Wilson’s career began in AETC as a student pilot at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, followed by an assignment as a T-38 Talon instructor pilot there. USAF photo.

With the naming, Wilson joins the ranks of other notable Airmen who have facilities at the base named for them, including Randolph’s first commander Brig. Gen. Frank P. Lahm, Gen. Henry “Hap” Arnold, and Airman 1st Class William Pitsenbarger, according to the release.

“This event is a continuing tradition of visionary Airmen immortalized by the First Command,” AETC boss Lt. Gen. Marshall B. “Brad” Webb said during the ceremony.

Wilson Hall at Randolph hosts conference and administrative spaces along with the history, plans, programs, and requirements, and public affairs offices, according to AETC.

No Injuries After C-17 Catches Fire at JB Charleston

April 12, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

No one was hurt when a C-17 caught fire after landing April 9 at Joint Base Charleston, S.C.

Seven crew members and one passenger were returning from an overseas mission when the C-17 landed at the base and caught fire, causing substantial damage to the Globemaster III. Videos and photographs posted online showed flames burning on the aircraft’s landing gear and black smoke rising from under its left wing.

https://twitter.com/breakingavnews/status/1380775462113312769

“Base personnel quickly extinguished the fire, preventing further damage to the aircraft,” Joint Base Charleston public affairs said in a statement.

The video shows the C-17 parked next to more aircraft, but the fire did not spread. The cause of the incident remains under investigation.

JB Charleston, one of the Air Force’s largest C-17 bases, hosts the Active-duty 437th Airlift Wing and Reserve 315th Airlift Wing.

Pilot Mixed Up MQ-9 Controls in June 2020 Crash

April 12, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

An MQ-9 pilot pulled a wrong lever as the Reaper was taking off in Syracuse, N.Y., causing the remotely piloted aircraft to lose fuel supply and crash in June 2020, according to an Air Force investigation.

The MQ-9 was “significantly damaged” at a cost of $6.085 million in the crash at Hancock Field Air National Guard Base, which shares its flight line with Syracuse Hancock International Airport. There were no injuries.

On June 25, 2020, the MQ-9, tail number 15-4295 from the 108th Attack Squadron, 174th Attack Wing of the New York Air National Guard, took off for a training flight. About seven seconds after becoming airborne, the aircraft lost all engine power.

The Air Force Accident Investigation Board found that the pilot, instead of pushing the flap lever forward to reduce flaps during takeoff, pulled the condition lever backwards, which caused the fuel supply to the engine to be cut off. When the pilot realized the engine lost power, the crew began going through the Critical Action Procedures checklist for engine failure.

The pilot “continued to misidentify the appropriate lever and pulled the Flap Lever to full aft or back,” the report state. About 21 seconds after losing power, the MQ-9 crashed, striking airport runway lights, and spinnng 180 degrees before coming to a rest about 600 feet off the departure end of the runway, the report states.

USAF investigators found the primary cause of the crash was the pilot misidentifying the levers. Additionally, the investigation found that the design of the MQ-9’s ground control station contributed to the mix-up, because there are no markings, color differentiations, or safety guards that set apart the condition lever and flap lever, which are close to each other in the GCS.

The pilot had 705.1 hours in the MQ-9 and was qualified as an instructor at the time of the mishap.

Hawaii F-22s Wrap Up Deployment to Japan

April 9, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

F-22s and Airmen from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, forward deployed to Japan for almost one month to train with Japanese and U.S. Marine Corps aircraft as part of a “dynamic force employment” operation.

The Raptors from the Active-duty 19th Fighter Squadron and Air National Guard 199th Fighter Squadron deployed to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni from March 12 through April 5.

The dynamic force employment model is designed for USAF aircraft to quickly deploy unannounced to operate from unpredictable locations.

“This [deployment] allows our pilots and maintainers to train alongside one another, learn and apply best practices, and ensure the joint force remains agile and responsive in the Pacific,” said USAF Lt. Col. Brian Nash, F-22 detachment commander at MCAS-Iwakuni, in a Pacific Air Forces release.

At Iwakuni, the F-22s were co-located with USMC F-35Bs.

“The presence of the U.S. Air Force’s F-22s here at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni provides a gainful opportunity for our F-35B pilots to practice joint integration between these two state-of-the-art aircraft,” said Lt. Col. Richard Behrmann, Marine Aircraft Group 12 operations officer, in a release. “Regular training and integration with joint service, partner and allied forces is one of the many ways that we maintain a high level of readiness and ensure that we can provide valuable contributions to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region.”

Utah KC-135s Deploy to the Middle East

April 9, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

Utah Air National Guard KC-135s and Airmen deployed to the Middle East on April 5-6 to support combat operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria.

The four KC-135s and 120 Airmen from the 151st Air Refueling Wing will support Operation Inherent Resolve—the ongoing fight against the Islamic State group, Operation Freedom’s Sentinel in Afghanistan, and Spartan Shield—the overall U.S. mission in Southwest Asia.

As part of a new KC-135 and C-130 deployment model, the 151st Maintenance Group is deploying as one overall group as opposed to a combined deployed group of Airmen from different units, according to a Utah Air National Guard release.

Air Mobility Command in 2019 adopted the deployment model of sending whole units to promote cohesion and ensure better predictability.

“Going as a group, we can take care of our people,” said Master Sgt. Roger Tyler, superintendent of the unit, in the release. “We know who our people are, and we’ll be able to recognize when someone is stressed or going through a difficult time while being away from their families. Our Airmen are more likely to open up and have difficult conversations because familiar faces will surround them.”

Biden to Request $715 Billion for DOD, Eliminate the OCO Account

April 9, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

President Joe Biden will request $715 billion for the Pentagon in his first budget request in office, about a $10 billion increase from the 2021 enacted budget but below the sustained growth military officials have asked for.

Notably, Biden’s budget looks to do away with the “overseas contingency operations” fund, marking a significant shift in military funding. The OCO is intended to fund wartime operations, but critics have long lamented it’s nothing more than a slush fund for more defense spending. Biden wants to move that wartime funding back to the base budget.

Former President Donald J. Trump, for example, requested $705 billion in his last budget for the Pentagon, plus $69 billion in OCO funding. Congress appropriated $636.4 billion for the Pentagon’s base budget, $25.9 billion for national security programs within the Department of Energy, and $69 billion for the Overseas Contingency Operations account.

The White House Office of Management and Budget on April 9 released a “skinny” budget outline, with limited details of what to expect in the forthcoming overall budget request. Biden’s budget includes $753 billion total for national defense, including the Pentagon budget and other defense-related programs, such as the National Nuclear Security Administration.

Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committees defense panel, said the proposed 1.5 percent increase for the Department of Defense “will sustain readiness and modernization while we also focus on divesting from ineffective legacy programs and eliminating wasteful spending.”

“I applaud President Biden’s proposed budget for its strong and responsible investments in critical domestic priorities and essential national security needs,” McCollum added in a statement released April 9. “The President understands that the health, economic, climate, and equity crises facing our country must be addressed with bold action.”

OMB, in its statement, states the funding will “defend America and deter adversaries while ensuring America is positioned for strategic competition.” While it does not outline specific efforts, the administration said it will support “ongoing nuclear modernization programs,” which would include the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent, while it also reviews the overall U.S. nuclear posture.

The administration also plans to divest “legacy systems and programs to redirect resources from low- to high-priority programs, platforms, and systems,” though OMB did not specifically mention which platforms would be affected. The Air Force has long tried to cut legacy aircraft, such as KC-10s and A-10s, to free up funding for newer systems.

“Some legacy force structure is too costly to maintain and operate, and no longer provides the capabilities needed to address national security challenges,” OMB states. “The discretionary request enables DOD to reinvest savings associated with divestitures and other efficiencies to higher priority investments.”

The budget would continue the military’s overall effort to focus on the threat from China as the DOD’s top challenge, while also deterring Russia, by funding the Pacific Deterrence Initiative and working closely with allies and partners in both the Pacific and in NATO.

The request will support DOD research and development, by prioritizing funding “to invest in breakthrough technologies that would drive innovation and underpin the development of next-generation defense capabilities.”

The Biden administration will invest in a “mix” of long-range strike capabilities, a sign that it will continue funding U.S. Army efforts in this area in addition to continued USAF programs.

“The discretionary request invests in the development and testing of hypersonic strike capabilities while enhancing existing long-range strike capabilities to bolster deterrence and improve survivability and response timelines,” the document states.

Additionally, the budget request will “ensure readiness” with funding for training, promote climate resilience, counter emerging biological threats, support military families, and optimize U.S. Naval shipbuilding, according to OMB.

The lack of funding growth when adjusted for inflation elicited quick criticism from Republicans on Capitol Hill. In a joint statement, Sens. Jim Inhofe (Okla.), Mitch McConnell (Ky.), Marco Rubio (Fla.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), and Richard Shelby (Ala.) said without more funding, China will out-compete the U.S.

“President Biden’s budget proposal cuts defense spending, sending a terrible signal not only to our adversaries in Beijing and Moscow, but also to our allies and partners. Cutting America’s defense budget completely undermines Washington Democrats’ tough talk on China and calls into question the administration’s willingness to confront the Chinese Communist Party,” the senators wrote.

DOD Announces First Steps to Address Extremism After Stand Downs

April 9, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III on April 9 announced interim steps to counter extremism in the ranks following Defense Department-wide stand downs to discuss the issue, including updating DOD guidance on what defines extremist behavior as well as questionnaires that prospective service members fill out.

In the aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Austin ordered the stand downs and a review of DOD policies regarding extremism. Now, he has created a Countering Extremism Working Group to discuss future actions to continue to address the issue, the Pentagon announced.

The immediate actions that Austin ordered are:

Updating DOD Instruction 1325.06 to more specifically define “extremist behavior.”
Updating the Service Member Transition Checklist to include training on potential targeting of service members by extremist groups. Create a way for veterans to report any contact with an extremist group if they choose. Each military department will update and standardize the questionnaire to “solicit specific information about current or previous extremist behavior,” according to the release
Commission a study on extremist behavior in the total force, so the DOD can better understand the scope of the problem.

Bishop Garrison, the senior adviser to the Secretary of Defense on Human Capital and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, will oversee the working group to look at mid- and long-term recommendations. The group will look at four lines of effort: military justice and policy, support and oversight of the insider threat program, screening capability, and education and training.

USAF Assesses Damage from Destructive Winter Storms

April 9, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

Winter storms caused more than $4 million in damage to Air Force Global Strike Command bases, with 28 total Air Force installations impacted by the weather earlier this year.

The storms contributed to large-scale damage at multiple installations across the south in February, while heavy snow impacted operations at several bases. The storms come as the Air Force is assessing how it can better prepare its bases for extreme weather, through installation energy plans or resilience exercises.

“We’re continuing to assess damage and are committed to restoring facilities to full mission capability,” said Brig. Gen. John J. Allen Jr., commander of the Air Force Civil Engineer Center, during a March 26 House Armed Services readiness subcommittee hearing.

AFGSC in an April 6 news release outlined the damage that several of its bases received during the winter storm: F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.; Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.; Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.; Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo.; Minot Air Force Base, N.D.; Dyess Air Force Base, Texas; Barksdale Air Force Base, La.; and Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., took damage estimated from $20,000 to more than $1 million. The command estimates total damage to be more than $4 million.

Dyess was hardest hit, with more than $1.4 million in damage. AFGSC said installations in places such as Texas and Louisiana are not designed for temperatures that fall below zero, and suffered from burst pipes and other problems causing several issues, including loss of drinkable water. In response, civil engineers from six other Air Force bases came to Dyess to help by replacing drywall, fixing plumbing and heating, and repairing ventilation and air conditioning units, according to the release.

At northern missile bases such as F.E. Warren, heavy snow was the culprit. A March storm dropped more than 36 inches of snow, which impacted operations even though the installation is no stranger to heavy snow.

“AFGSC successfully withstood many challenges in the past year, and this storm is no different,” said Chief Master Sgt. Charles R. Hoffman, AFGSC’s command chief master sergeant, in the release. “Our Striker Airmen are resilient and remain ready. As with all challenges, during the storm they took care of the mission and each other. As we go forward, we will look at lessons learned and better prepare ourselves for the future.”

Allen, in testimony to the House panel, said recent storms such as these, along with the hurricane that caused immense destruction at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., in 2018 and heavy flooding at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., in 2019 showed that the Air Force needs to better prepare for threats from climate change as well as from potential adversaries.

“We must continually learn from these events and adapt to meet current and future threats to our installations posed by severe weather and climate, as well as physical or cyber-attacks,” he said.