F-35 deliveries

All F-35, F135 Engine Deliveries Suspended Pending Crash Investigation

Fallout from the Dec. 15 crash of an F-35B is widening, as the Joint Program Office revealed deliveries of new F135 engines for all F-35 fighters were halted on Dec. 27—while deliveries of newly completed F-35 fighters were stopped the day of the crash. Deliveries of both products are on hold as Naval Air Systems Command continues its investigation into the root causes of the accident, the Joint Program Office reported.
KC-46 stiff boom

Boeing Works to Solve KC-46 Deficiencies, One by One

While Boeing and the Air Force inch forward with their plans for the Remote Vision System 2.0 aboard the KC-46, the two organizations are also working on fixes for the troubled tanker’s other deficiencies—deficiencies that continue to limit the aircraft. The most prominent of these other issues has been the so-called “stiff boom,” and the fix for that issue has often been referred to as a “boom redesign,” but that description is not technically accurate, Boeing vice president and KC-46 program manager James Burgess told reporters during a recent visit to Boeing’s KC-46 boom assembly facility in Everett, Wash. 

Pentagon Rolls Out New Parental Leave Policy—Air Force Details Still to Come

Service members will now be eligible for 12 weeks of paid parental leave, the Pentagon announced Jan. 4. The Department of the Air Force could not immediately provide details on how the new policy will be implemented. The sweeping changes to the military’s parental leave policy, mandated by Congress in the 2022 National Defense Authorization Act, means service members will be eligible for at least three months of leave following a new birth, adoption, or long-term care of a foster child.

Radar Sweep

Inside the Special F-16 the Air Force Is Using to Test Out AI

Breaking Defense

During a Dec. 9 flight over the Mojave Desert, an Air Force pilot handed control of a special, highly-modified F-16 over to an artificial intelligence system that autonomously piloted the plane. Less than two hours later, that same F-16 took to the skies again for a second flight test of a completely different AI. With those first two flights, the Air Force has now unlocked a new capability that will allow the service to rapidly flight test autonomy software regardless of which organization or company has developed it, make quick improvements to the algorithms based on the results of that testing, and then reload the AI and fly again within a matter of hours.

Pentagon Scrambles to Prep New COVID Rules as Vaccine Mandate Nears End

Defense One

Pentagon leaders, who must scrap their COVID-vaccine mandate within three weeks, are trying to figure out what happens after that. The 2023 National Defense Authorization Act—signed into law by President Joe Biden Dec. 23—requires Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to rescind his 2021 memo to vaccinate all military personnel within 30 days of the bill’s signing. The DOD will do as directed, but officials are “currently in the process of developing further guidance,” Cmdr. Nicole Schwegman, a Pentagon spokeswoman, said in a statement.

Roadblocks Cleared for $6.2 Billion Reform of Household Goods Moves

Military Times

The $6.2 billion contract aimed at improving household goods moves for service members has gotten the final green light. Nearly four years after defense officials announced they had begun the process to consolidate all household goods moves under a single contract, the last roadblock has been cleared. The deadline for the last court appeal has passed, with no appeals filed.

This Unusual New Air Force Tactic Is Likely Raising Alarms in China, Expert Says

Task & Purpose

The U.S. Air Force is thinking outside the box, and it is probably keeping Chinese military leaders up at night. Chinese military officials are likely alarmed by the Air Force’s efforts to launch cruise missiles out of cargo aircraft, according to an analysis by a U.S. Air Force civilian researcher who specializes in Chinese aerospace studies. Launching weapons out of cargo aircraft could complicate an enemy’s targeting priorities, make it more difficult for them to detect an incoming threat, and give the U.S. and its allies more options for striking the enemy at a low cost.

Bootcamp to Help Space Startups Clear Regulatory Hurdles

SpaceNews

A bootcamp aimed at helping startups navigate the space sector’s complex regulatory landscape is coming to New Mexico. The Space Regulatory Bootcamp, backed by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory and SpaceWERX, is scheduled for Feb. 21-23 at Q Station, a collaboration center for New Mexico’s space industry in Albuquerque. “Many companies need a lot of help understanding what is required if you’re going to do business with the federal government,” Gabe Mounce, director of AFRL’s Outreach and Tech Engagement Office, and SpaceWERX deputy director, told SpaceNews.

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Air Force Seeks HH-60W Anti-jam, MUOS Capability Upgrades

Inside Defense

The Air Force is conducting market research to modernize the HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopter with improved anti-jamming and communications capabilities, according to a sources-sought synopsis published by the service Jan. 3. Noting that current CRH requirements reflect a 2012 baseline, the Air Force is seeking vendors who can help the helicopter counter low-cost jamming and spoofing devices and additionally incorporate secure Mobile User Objective System communications.

McCarthy’s Troubled Speaker Bid Raises Questions about Ukraine

Defense News

Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., failed yet again Jan. 4 to secure enough votes to become speaker of the House, as his right-wing opponents wielded their opposition to U.S. aid for Ukraine as part of their justification for voting against him. Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, nominated fellow Republican Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., for speaker against McCarthy, arguing the House needs changes to the leadership and rules in order to increase congressional debate over the billions of dollars in aid that the U.S. has been sending to Ukraine.

Pentagon Ordered to Review Its New Practice of Concealing Documents from the Public

Military.com

In late December, the Pentagon was faced with Congress repealing its requirement that all troops be vaccinated against COVID-19, an issue that had wide public interest. The department whipped up a fact sheet and talking points on Dec. 23 so its spokespeople and public affairs officers could answer questions from curious reporters. All of the information in the seven-page document, which was obtained by Military.com, had been released before or was intended to be made public. But the document itself was labeled “CUI/NOT FOR RELEASE.” The label designates “controlled unclassified information,” or info that has not been classified in the traditional way but the Pentagon has decided should be kept from the public based on a 2020 policy.

One More Thing

Air Force Special Ops Vet Dan Schilling Wrote a Rock Epic About the Experience of War

Task & Purpose

The trouble started with a modern alt-rock song. Dan Schilling enjoyed the rhythm, but as he listened to the lyrics, they just didn’t sit right with him. “I looked at the lyrics and the essence was all veterans are war criminals and it … pissed me off,” Schilling told Task & Purpose. Schilling is an Air Force special operations veteran with more than 30 years in the military. After an initial stint in the Army, he joined the Air Force and was selected to join the ranks of the elite combat control community as a Special Tactics Officer.