Hawaii F-22s Wrap Up Deployment to Japan

April 9, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

F-22s and Airmen from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, forward deployed to Japan for almost one month to train with Japanese and U.S. Marine Corps aircraft as part of a “dynamic force employment” operation.

The Raptors from the Active-duty 19th Fighter Squadron and Air National Guard 199th Fighter Squadron deployed to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni from March 12 through April 5.

The dynamic force employment model is designed for USAF aircraft to quickly deploy unannounced to operate from unpredictable locations.

“This [deployment] allows our pilots and maintainers to train alongside one another, learn and apply best practices, and ensure the joint force remains agile and responsive in the Pacific,” said USAF Lt. Col. Brian Nash, F-22 detachment commander at MCAS-Iwakuni, in a Pacific Air Forces release.

At Iwakuni, the F-22s were co-located with USMC F-35Bs.

“The presence of the U.S. Air Force’s F-22s here at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni provides a gainful opportunity for our F-35B pilots to practice joint integration between these two state-of-the-art aircraft,” said Lt. Col. Richard Behrmann, Marine Aircraft Group 12 operations officer, in a release. “Regular training and integration with joint service, partner and allied forces is one of the many ways that we maintain a high level of readiness and ensure that we can provide valuable contributions to maintaining a free and open Indo-Pacific region.”

Utah KC-135s Deploy to the Middle East

April 9, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

Utah Air National Guard KC-135s and Airmen deployed to the Middle East on April 5-6 to support combat operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria.

The four KC-135s and 120 Airmen from the 151st Air Refueling Wing will support Operation Inherent Resolve—the ongoing fight against the Islamic State group, Operation Freedom’s Sentinel in Afghanistan, and Spartan Shield—the overall U.S. mission in Southwest Asia.

As part of a new KC-135 and C-130 deployment model, the 151st Maintenance Group is deploying as one overall group as opposed to a combined deployed group of Airmen from different units, according to a Utah Air National Guard release.

Air Mobility Command in 2019 adopted the deployment model of sending whole units to promote cohesion and ensure better predictability.

“Going as a group, we can take care of our people,” said Master Sgt. Roger Tyler, superintendent of the unit, in the release. “We know who our people are, and we’ll be able to recognize when someone is stressed or going through a difficult time while being away from their families. Our Airmen are more likely to open up and have difficult conversations because familiar faces will surround them.”

Biden to Request $715 Billion for DOD, Eliminate the OCO Account

April 9, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

President Joe Biden will request $715 billion for the Pentagon in his first budget request in office, about a $10 billion increase from the 2021 enacted budget but below the sustained growth military officials have asked for.

Notably, Biden’s budget looks to do away with the “overseas contingency operations” fund, marking a significant shift in military funding. The OCO is intended to fund wartime operations, but critics have long lamented it’s nothing more than a slush fund for more defense spending. Biden wants to move that wartime funding back to the base budget.

Former President Donald J. Trump, for example, requested $705 billion in his last budget for the Pentagon, plus $69 billion in OCO funding. Congress appropriated $636.4 billion for the Pentagon’s base budget, $25.9 billion for national security programs within the Department of Energy, and $69 billion for the Overseas Contingency Operations account.

The White House Office of Management and Budget on April 9 released a “skinny” budget outline, with limited details of what to expect in the forthcoming overall budget request. Biden’s budget includes $753 billion total for national defense, including the Pentagon budget and other defense-related programs, such as the National Nuclear Security Administration.

Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committees defense panel, said the proposed 1.5 percent increase for the Department of Defense “will sustain readiness and modernization while we also focus on divesting from ineffective legacy programs and eliminating wasteful spending.”

“I applaud President Biden’s proposed budget for its strong and responsible investments in critical domestic priorities and essential national security needs,” McCollum added in a statement released April 9. “The President understands that the health, economic, climate, and equity crises facing our country must be addressed with bold action.”

OMB, in its statement, states the funding will “defend America and deter adversaries while ensuring America is positioned for strategic competition.” While it does not outline specific efforts, the administration said it will support “ongoing nuclear modernization programs,” which would include the Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent, while it also reviews the overall U.S. nuclear posture.

The administration also plans to divest “legacy systems and programs to redirect resources from low- to high-priority programs, platforms, and systems,” though OMB did not specifically mention which platforms would be affected. The Air Force has long tried to cut legacy aircraft, such as KC-10s and A-10s, to free up funding for newer systems.

“Some legacy force structure is too costly to maintain and operate, and no longer provides the capabilities needed to address national security challenges,” OMB states. “The discretionary request enables DOD to reinvest savings associated with divestitures and other efficiencies to higher priority investments.”

The budget would continue the military’s overall effort to focus on the threat from China as the DOD’s top challenge, while also deterring Russia, by funding the Pacific Deterrence Initiative and working closely with allies and partners in both the Pacific and in NATO.

The request will support DOD research and development, by prioritizing funding “to invest in breakthrough technologies that would drive innovation and underpin the development of next-generation defense capabilities.”

The Biden administration will invest in a “mix” of long-range strike capabilities, a sign that it will continue funding U.S. Army efforts in this area in addition to continued USAF programs.

“The discretionary request invests in the development and testing of hypersonic strike capabilities while enhancing existing long-range strike capabilities to bolster deterrence and improve survivability and response timelines,” the document states.

Additionally, the budget request will “ensure readiness” with funding for training, promote climate resilience, counter emerging biological threats, support military families, and optimize U.S. Naval shipbuilding, according to OMB.

The lack of funding growth when adjusted for inflation elicited quick criticism from Republicans on Capitol Hill. In a joint statement, Sens. Jim Inhofe (Okla.), Mitch McConnell (Ky.), Marco Rubio (Fla.), Lindsey Graham (S.C.), and Richard Shelby (Ala.) said without more funding, China will out-compete the U.S.

“President Biden’s budget proposal cuts defense spending, sending a terrible signal not only to our adversaries in Beijing and Moscow, but also to our allies and partners. Cutting America’s defense budget completely undermines Washington Democrats’ tough talk on China and calls into question the administration’s willingness to confront the Chinese Communist Party,” the senators wrote.

DOD Announces First Steps to Address Extremism After Stand Downs

April 9, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III on April 9 announced interim steps to counter extremism in the ranks following Defense Department-wide stand downs to discuss the issue, including updating DOD guidance on what defines extremist behavior as well as questionnaires that prospective service members fill out.

In the aftermath of the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Austin ordered the stand downs and a review of DOD policies regarding extremism. Now, he has created a Countering Extremism Working Group to discuss future actions to continue to address the issue, the Pentagon announced.

The immediate actions that Austin ordered are:

Updating DOD Instruction 1325.06 to more specifically define “extremist behavior.”
Updating the Service Member Transition Checklist to include training on potential targeting of service members by extremist groups. Create a way for veterans to report any contact with an extremist group if they choose. Each military department will update and standardize the questionnaire to “solicit specific information about current or previous extremist behavior,” according to the release
Commission a study on extremist behavior in the total force, so the DOD can better understand the scope of the problem.

Bishop Garrison, the senior adviser to the Secretary of Defense on Human Capital and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, will oversee the working group to look at mid- and long-term recommendations. The group will look at four lines of effort: military justice and policy, support and oversight of the insider threat program, screening capability, and education and training.

USAF Assesses Damage from Destructive Winter Storms

April 9, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

Winter storms caused more than $4 million in damage to Air Force Global Strike Command bases, with 28 total Air Force installations impacted by the weather earlier this year.

The storms contributed to large-scale damage at multiple installations across the south in February, while heavy snow impacted operations at several bases. The storms come as the Air Force is assessing how it can better prepare its bases for extreme weather, through installation energy plans or resilience exercises.

“We’re continuing to assess damage and are committed to restoring facilities to full mission capability,” said Brig. Gen. John J. Allen Jr., commander of the Air Force Civil Engineer Center, during a March 26 House Armed Services readiness subcommittee hearing.

AFGSC in an April 6 news release outlined the damage that several of its bases received during the winter storm: F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo.; Malmstrom Air Force Base, Mont.; Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.; Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo.; Minot Air Force Base, N.D.; Dyess Air Force Base, Texas; Barksdale Air Force Base, La.; and Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M., took damage estimated from $20,000 to more than $1 million. The command estimates total damage to be more than $4 million.

Dyess was hardest hit, with more than $1.4 million in damage. AFGSC said installations in places such as Texas and Louisiana are not designed for temperatures that fall below zero, and suffered from burst pipes and other problems causing several issues, including loss of drinkable water. In response, civil engineers from six other Air Force bases came to Dyess to help by replacing drywall, fixing plumbing and heating, and repairing ventilation and air conditioning units, according to the release.

At northern missile bases such as F.E. Warren, heavy snow was the culprit. A March storm dropped more than 36 inches of snow, which impacted operations even though the installation is no stranger to heavy snow.

“AFGSC successfully withstood many challenges in the past year, and this storm is no different,” said Chief Master Sgt. Charles R. Hoffman, AFGSC’s command chief master sergeant, in the release. “Our Striker Airmen are resilient and remain ready. As with all challenges, during the storm they took care of the mission and each other. As we go forward, we will look at lessons learned and better prepare ourselves for the future.”

Allen, in testimony to the House panel, said recent storms such as these, along with the hurricane that caused immense destruction at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., in 2018 and heavy flooding at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., in 2019 showed that the Air Force needs to better prepare for threats from climate change as well as from potential adversaries.

“We must continually learn from these events and adapt to meet current and future threats to our installations posed by severe weather and climate, as well as physical or cyber-attacks,” he said.

Ellsworth B-1s Fly Direct to Aegean Sea

April 8, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

Two B-1B Lancers returned to Europe for a bomber task force flight on April 7, shortly after USAF bombers returned home from the continent after a deployment.

The Lancers from Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., flew directly to the Aegean Sea and returned home in a 12,000 nautical mile round-trip flight. During the mission, F-16s from Aviano Air Base, Italy, escorted the bombers before flying over the Aegean Sea, according to a U.S. Air Forces in Europe release. Photographs show the B-1s linking up with KC-135s from RAF Mildenhall, England, during the mission.

“U.S. security commitments to the NATO alliance remain ironclad,” said Maj. Gen. Lance Landrum, U.S. European Command director of operations, in a release. “Today’s Bomber Task Force mission is another in a long list of examples of how America’s military forces sustain readiness, improve interoperability, and demonstrate our nation’s ability to deliver on commitments from across the Atlantic.”

The flight comes about two weeks after B-1s from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, completed a Bomber Task Force deployment to Norway—a first for the bomber. During the deployment, the bombers flew with 11 allies and partner nations in Europe and the Arctic, landed in Poland for the first time, and conducted the first hot-pit and warm-pit refuels in the theater, according to a Dyess release. At the same time, B-2s from Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., deployed to Lajes Field, Portugal, as part of the USAFE bomber task force.

USSF Unveils Space Systems Command’s Structure

April 8, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

The Space Force’s new Space Systems Command will oversee the new service’s acquisition and launch services under one command, with the soon-to-be-former Space and Missile Systems Center serving as its headquarters.

Space Systems Command, one of three commands within the Space Force, will officially stand up this summer after a commander is nominated and confirmed. SMC’s current offices at Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., will be the headquarters, and launch operations at Patrick Space Force Base, Fla., and Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., will be realigned under the SSC.

The overall goal of the organization is to acquire and launch space systems more quickly. The SSC will work directly with the Air Force Research Laboratory and other groups like the Rapid Capabilities Office.

“We have to go fast,” Chief of Space Operations Gen. John W. “Jay” Raymond said during an April 8 press conference. “It is a national imperative that we go fast.”

Under the new design, SSC will be commanded by a three-star general with a two-star deputy who will serve as the “assured access to space leader” overseeing the launch enterprise. Once officially stood up, more units from the Air Force and personnel from other services will re-designate to part of the SSC. There will not be any geographic moves of units as part of the establishment, and current SMC boss Lt. Gen. John F. Thompson said the change is intended to be resource neutral.

The announcement comes about a year and a half after SMC redesigned itself into SMC 2.0 with the goal of acquiring space systems faster. There are about 6,000 personnel in SMC now, and once the launch bases are realigned under SSC, the command will grow to between 10,000-11,000, Thompson said.

Additional changes include:

The 61st Air Base Group at Los Angeles Air Force Base will be redesignated the Los Angeles Garrison.
The 30th Space Wing at Vandenberg will become Space Launch Delta 30 and the 45th Space Wing at Patrick will become Space Launch Delta 45.
SLD 45’s commander will be a one-star USSF general, director of the eastern range, SSC operations director, and acquisition lead for the “range of the future.”
Group-level organizations at the 30th and 45th SW will inactivate, with subordinate units aligning under the Deltas.
The 45th Range Squadron at Patrick will be redesignated the 1st Range Operations Squadron, and the airfield management and maintenance responsibilities will be transferred to the 45th Logistics Readiness Squadron.
AFRL unit manpower and funding that perform space science and technology functions will be administratively controlled by SSC, but will stay aligned to AFRL.
The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center’s Strategic Warning and Surveillance Systems Division will move to SSC.
SSC will provide select support to the Space Rapid Capabilities Office at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M.
SSC will provide administrative and integration support to the Space Development Agency when it transfers from the Defense Department to the Space Force in October 2022.

DOD Struggling to Improve Readiness in Every Domain

April 8, 2021 | By Amy Hudson

The Defense Department has regained some lost readiness after two decades of continuous combat, but still has more work to do, according to a new report from the Government Accountability Office.

“Nearly two decades of conflict has degraded U.S. military readiness,” wrote report author Diana Maurer, GAO’s director of Defense Capabilities and Management.

The 2019 National Defense Authorization Act required the Pentagon to track readiness by domain—air, land, sea, space, and cyber—rather than by individual service branch. GAO found readiness improved for land forces, decreased for sea forces, and was mixed in air, space, and cyber. The public report released April 7 is thin on specifics, however, as much of the data included in the classified version provided to Congress was redacted.

For the air domain, for example, researchers looked at:

Bombers—B-1, B-2, and B-52
Fighters—F-15, F-16, F/A-18, F-22, and F-35
Air Refuelers—KC-10, KC-130, and KC-135
Combat helicopters—AH-64, AH/UH-1, and HH-60.

Among 19 mission areas reviewed from fiscal 2017 to 2019, resource readiness improved in 10, including missions in every domain except for sea. However, mission capability readiness improved in only five of the 19, all in the land domain. Mission capability readiness ratings declined overall in the sea, air, space, and cyber domains, according to the report.

Resource readiness measures the unit commander’s assessment of their organization’s ability to undertake the wartime or primary missions for which the unit is organized or designed. Called C-levels, they measure four distinct resource indicators—personnel, equipment availability,
equipment readiness, and how well the unit is trained.

Mission capability readiness measures how unit commands evaluate
the readiness of forces to accomplish assigned and potential tasks, under conditions specified in their joint mission-essential task list. This assessment is measured on a three-step scale: “Y,” or “yes;” “Q” or “qualified yes;” and “N,” or “no.”

The Air Force cited catastrophic damage from Hurricane Michael and “associated infrastructure limitations” on its F-22 fighters as some of its biggest readiness challenges, while the Army cited pilot shortages—especially for the AH-64 attack helicopter. The Marine Corps blamed problems plaguing its light attack helicopters on “limited depot repair capacity.”

Space presented a different set of challenges, especially the fact that readiness reporting is not required for all space units. The lack of “clear readiness goals for space units,” and “unit-level readiness reporting not accurately conveying the readiness of key space capabilities” make calculating space readiness extremely difficult, the report said.

Limited maintenance capacity at both private and public shipyards was the biggest hurdle in the Navy’s efforts to recover readiness.

The Defense Department largely agreed with the findings.

DOD Increasing COVID-19 Vaccines for OCONUS Personnel, Families

April 8, 2021 | By Brian W. Everstine

The Pentagon expects all Defense Department personnel to be able to make an appointment for a COVID-19 vaccine by April 19, and all overseas personnel and beneficiaries will be able to get the shot by May as deliveries ramp up.

Because overseas personnel and families have limited options to receive a vaccine—unlike those serving within the United States, they must use on-base facilities—there has been concern about the ability to get a shot, said Lt. Gen. Ronald J. Place, the director of the Defense Health Agency, during an April 8 briefing. In response, the Pentagon is distributing 14 percent of its total vaccines to locations outside of the continental United States, where 7 percent of eligible personnel are stationed.

“We expect that we will be able to deliver at least an initial dose to every eligible OCONUS person who wants one by the middle of May,” Place said.

One complicating factor has been a recent production mistake at a Johnson & Johnson facility in Baltimore, which resulted in a batch of 15 million doses being ruined. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which does not require cold storage and is easier to ship, has been the priority for OCONUS locations. Now the Pentagon is working to increase Moderna and Pfizer vaccine shipments abroad.

“We are actively exploring other means to offset this temporary shortage,” Place said.

Within the Air Force, the department has delivered 499,683 vaccines to more than 125 sites worldwide, said Maj. Gen. Robert I. Miller, the director of medical operations in the Air Force Office of the Surgeon General. Of those, 444,083 doses have been administered, he said.

In the past three weeks, Pacific Air Forces and U.S. Air Forces in Europe have been prioritized since the two major commands have the highest percentage of personnel receiving the vaccine compared to other MAJCOMs. As of April 4, 35 percent of the 53,000 eligible personnel in USAFE have received at least one dose, with 22 percent fully vaccinated. In PACAF, 26 percent of the 109,000 eligible personnel have received at least one dose and 20 percent have been fully vaccinated, he said.

Because off-base options don’t exist for these personnel, the Air Force wants to keep these MAJCOMs as the “focus for vaccine distribution,” he said. For example, in February the Air Force delivered 6,500 Moderna doses to USAFE, and is now expecting to deliver 11,000 this month. The Air Force is also planning to ship more Pfizer doses to overseas locations as they become available for 16- to 17-year-olds, Miller said.

“The readiness of our force, including our Air and Space Force families, is our No. 1 priority,” Miller said.