Space and rescue units at Patrick AFB, Fla., conducted a crash-recovery exercise together for the first time to evaluate their ability to cooperate in case of an emergency. Personnel from Patrick’s 45th Space Wing and Air Force Reserve Command’s 920th Rescue Wing secured a mock accident scene and jointly recovered a disabled C-130 during the Jan. 25 exercise, according to a Feb. 5 base release. “The 920th brought a lot of maintenance expertise to the table and the 45th SW provided a lot of the necessary equipment and manpower for a successful recovery,” said Capt. Ryan White, the 45th SW’s airfield operations flight commander. “This paves the way for us to work together in the future,” said White, adding that the drill also sketched a clear picture of the units’ cooperative strengths and weaknesses.
The Air Force is shoring up its cyber defenses both on and off base for critical infrastructure such as water and electrical power, and industry experts are calling for more, even specialized, dedicated microgrids offsite to support USAF operations in case of a total blackout caused by cyberattacks.
