USAF Identifies Seven Airmen Killed in Pave Hawk Crash in Iraq
The Air Force has identified the seven airmen killed the evening of March 15 when their HH-60G Pave Hawk crashed near the city of Al-Qa’im in western Iraq. The crash does not “appear to be a result of enemy activity,” though it remains under investigation, according to a release. Read the full story by Amy McCullough.
Reserve C-5M Makes Emergency Landing at JBSA-Lackland
An Air Force Reserve C-5M Super Galaxy cargo plane made an emergency landing a JBSA-Lackland in Texas Thursday, the Air Force said, because of a nose landing gear problem. The airplane was on its way back from a local training mission, according to the announcement. Eleven personnel were on the plane, with no reported injuries.
New Funding Enough to Counter Space Threats, AFSC Commander Says
The US needs to increase its space efforts to keep pace with other countries, especially China, but the $7 billion in planned funding across the future years defense program will provide the capabilities needed, Air Force Space Command boss Gen. Jay Raymond told a House hearing Thursday. Read the full report by Steve Hirsch here.
AFPC Sets Test of New Base of Preference Program on Seven Career Fields
The Air Force next month will begin a test of how it delivers information to airmen on the Base Preference program, the service said Friday. The test, by the Air Force Personnel Center, initially will provide more visibility of available locations to airmen in seven specialty codes, though USAF hopes to expand the program in the future. The aim is for airmen to receive notification of their BOP status within two weeks of an advertisement’s closing. The initial AFSCs include logistics plans (2G0X1), materiel management (2S0X1), radio frequency transmission systems (3D1X3), administration (3F5X1), health services management (4A0X1), contracting (6C0X1), and financial management and comptroller (6F0X1).
Air Force, Army Work Together on Afghanistan Rescue Exercise
Airmen and soldiers recently combined forces in Afghanistan to conduct a personnel recovery exercise to gauge their ability to work together, the Defense Department said. In the exercise, an 83rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron Guardian Angel team flew in an Army CH-47F Chinook helicopter to pull simulated casualties from a downed aircraft. “The interoperability between the US Army and the US Air Force, by way of the CH-47F, has enabled our Guardian Angel teams to effectively conduct a wide variety of personnel rescue operations in ways not previously attainable,” Air Force Maj. Robert Wilson, 83rd Expeditionary Rescue Squadron commander, said. The CH-47F gives the Guardian Angel team more ability to recover a larger number of isolated personnel and the ability to fly farther and higher than they could previously, the Pentagon said. CH-47 Chinooks took over the rescue mission from USAF Pave Hawks based at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan, in October 2017, but shortly after transitioning out of the country USAF sent HH-60Gs back to Afghanistan as part of the United States’ increased operational tempo there.
RADAR SWEEP
—A study conducted by the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program has found that a lack of instructors and simulators is to blame for its pilot shortage: Executivegov.com.
—Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract worth up to $200 million to support “school house operations” for Air Force Special Operations Command’s air commando training and support program: Lockheed release.