USAF Looks to Create New Command and Control Structure

The Air Force is taking steps to improve its multi-domain command and control capability to ensure success in a future conflict against a peer adversary, but there are many questions that still need to be answered. That’s why USAF is standing up the Doolittle Wargame series, with the first exercise to be held in October at Maxwell AFB, Ala. It’s also establishing a new Air Force Specialty Code that will help it build a cadre of officers with multi-domain command and control experience. That first class is expected to be “up and running” this summer, said Brig. Gen. Chance Saltzman, director of current operations and head of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force’s MDC2 initiative, during a conference hosted by Mitre Corp. on Wednesday. Read the full story by Amy McCullough.

Carter: A Separate Space Force is the Opposite Way to Go

Creating a new service for space is opposite of the way the military needs to proceed, because it would further separate space from other operations instead of integrating it, former Defense Secretary Ash Carter said. Carter, speaking at Mitre’s 2018 Space Computing and Connected Enterprise Resiliency Conference in Massachusetts on Wednesday, said he debated the creation of a new service with former President Barack Obama but determined it is not the way forward. “I never recommended that and I don’t recommend that now,” Carter said. “It heads in exactly the wrong managerial direction for space.” By creating an entire separate service for space operations, that domain would be separated even further from how the rest of the military operates. “There is enough segregation already,” Carter said. “We need to head in the direction of integration.” The Defense Department under Carter tried to do this with the creation of the Joint Interagency Combined Space Operations Center, which is now called the National Defense Space Center. The military needs to consider space the way it considers other capabilities today, such as mobility, so it is a key focus of planning, he said. —Brian Everstine

New Nominations for AFCENT, Personnel, and Joint Staff Logistics

President Trump on Tuesday nominated Maj. Gen. Joseph Guastella, an A-10 and F-16 pilot with experience leading cyberspace and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance operations, to take over the air wars in the Middle East. Guastella, currently the director of integrated air, space, cyberspace, and intelligence at Air Force Space Command, will, if confirmed for the position and rank of lieutenant general, take over Air Forces Central Command from Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian. Guastella previously was a deputy chief of staff at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, the deputy director of requirements on the Joint Staff, and commander of the 455th Air Expeditionary Wing at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan. Harrigian’s next post has not been announced. Also Tuesday, Trump nominated Lt. Gen. Giovanni Tuck to be the director for logistics on the Joint Staff. Tuck currently is the commander of 18th Air Force. Maj. Gen. Brian Kelly, who currently leads the Air Force Personnel Center at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, was also nominated for the rank of lieutenant general and to be the next deputy chief of staff for manpower, personnel, and services. If confirmed, Kelly would take over for Lt. Gen. Gina Grosso. —Brian Everstine

US Strikes ISIS in Libya

US aircraft conducted an airstrike in Libya on Wednesday, killing four ISIS fighters near the town of Bani Walid. The strike, which was conducted in coordination with the Libyan Government of National Accord, reportedly did not harm any civilians, according to a US Africa Command release. The strike was the first time the US hit inside Libya since March, and the first strike on ISIS-Libya since November. US aircraft conducted an extended campaign to rid ISIS from Libya in 2016 and 2017, and AFRICOM boss Gen. Thomas Waldhauser said at the time that the US is “ready” to provide continued airstrikes when needed. —Brian Everstine

B-1B Missions Support Baltic Exercise

Two B-1Bs, based at Dyess AFB, Texas, carrying Quickstrike Mark 62 mines, participated in missions supporting the multinational maritime-focused Exercise Baltic Operations this week, the Defense Department said Wednesday. The yearly BALTOPS exercise is aimed at strengthening defense of the Baltic Sea region. Having the B-1s in the exercise allows US and coalition forces to train for the laying and recovery of mines and it gives bomber crews an opportunity to integrate and train with other US European Command components and improve coordination with allied and partner forces. —Steve Hirsch

USAF Osprey Makes ‘Precautionary Landing’ Follows KC-10, KC-135 Incidents

A 1st Special Operations Wing CV-22 Osprey made a “precautionary landing” Monday at about 11 p.m. near Ashland, Ala., the wing said in an emailed statement Wednesday. The incident follows an emergency landing in Ireland by a KC-10, on Sunday and one by a KC-135 last week after it may have been hit by lightning. The Osprey landing, made “out of an abundance of caution,” happened during routine training, the wing said, and none of the five crew members was reported injured. —Steve Hirsch

RADAR SWEEP

—The first female commander of the Nebraska Air National Guard—Brig. Gen. Wendy Johnson—has assumed command: Military.com.

—SpaceX is expected to launch its Falcon Heavy rocket with three upgraded boosters as early as this fall. The company captured the world’s attention earlier this year when it launched a Tesla Roadster to space aboard the rocket: Florida Today.