Det. 5 of Air Force Space Command’s 22nd Space Operations Squadron celebrated its 40 years of service last week, noting that it came out of the black with the end of the Cold War. The unit, located on the island of Guam, is one of eight worldwide Air Force Satellite Control Network stations that command, track, and receive data from satellites. In its 40 years, unit officials say Det. 5 has maintained a 99.96 percent operations performance score, a 99.66 percent accuracy rate, and just 1.16 errors for every 10,000 satellite supports. The Guam unit is a mix of blue-suit airmen and civilians and contractors.
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.