The Air Force Scientific Advisory Board will formally kick off its Fiscal 2014 studies on Tuesday during its quarterly meeting. The board will convene in Arlington, Va. Air Force spokesman Ed Gulick confirmed to the Daily Report on Jan. 6 that the meeting was on; notice of it appeared in the Federal Register on Dec. 23. The board, tasked with informing the Air Force Secretary and Chief of Staff on matters of science and technology, intends to study three topics in this fiscal year. Defense of Air Force Forward Bases will examine how installations in areas, such as the Asia-Pacific region, will be able to deal with threats like advanced cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, mortars, improvised explosive devices, and remotely piloted aircraft. Nuclear Command, Control, and Communications will explore the capabilities and vulnerabilities of the nation’s NC3 system, which is a hybrid of older and newer elements. Technology Readiness for Hypersonic Vehicles will identify operating regimes for air-breathing hypersonic systems designed for information gathering or strike, and will identify system concepts for them. (Terms of reference for Fiscal 2014 studies) (See also On Tap for 2013.)
The 301st Fighter Wing in Fort Worth, Texas, became the first standalone Reserve unit in the Air Force to get its own F-35s, welcoming the first fighter Nov. 5.