What Cockpit?

What Cockpit?: The Air Force's new Unmann

ed Aerial Systems Flight Plan 2009-2047 forecasts a future where unmanned drones replace manned aircraft as the dominant airpower capability USAF provides the joint military force. The service issued a brief release on its new plan last week, and, when queried, a spokesman told Daily Report there would be a rollout briefing July 23. In the plan's executive summary, Air Force Secretary Michael Donley and Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz write of a USAF vision that would "harness increasingly automated, modular, globally connected, and sustainable multi-mission unmanned systems resulting in a leaner, more adaptable, and efficient air force that maximizes our contribution to the Joint Force." The plan centers on development of a "family of unmanned aircraft" that range from small, man-portable vehicles to "medium 'fighter-sized' vehicles" and "large 'tanker-sized' vehicles," and ultimately these vehicles would have "autonomous-capable operations." One of the plan's key assumptions is that "the range, reach, and lethality of 2047 combat operations will necessitate an unmanned system-of-systems to mitigate risk to mission and force, and provide perceive-act line execution." That "perceive-act" is key, for the plan later states: "Future UAS able to perceive the situation and act independently with limited or little human input will greatly shorten decision time," in effect, compressing airpower's OODA loop—observe, orient, decide, and act. This shift to a UAV-centric force depends, of course, on requisite advances in technology, per one of the plan's other key assumptions. (Air Force UAS Flight Plan)

7/20/2009

Verbatim

Appreciative Host
"I know you're here during a difficult time. You're here through Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. I promise you, we will find turkeys."
—Republic of Lithuania Chief of Defence Maj. Gen. Arvydas Pocius, expressing his thanks to airmen of the 493rd Fighter Squadron from RAF Lakenheath, Britain, who on Sept. 1, 2010, began a four-month stint with their F-15s in Lithuania to protect the airspace of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania under NATO's Baltic air policing mission.

Verbatim

Family Momentum
"In many ways, this was what the Year of the Air Force Family was all about—connecting airmen and their families with the resources they need. I have confidence the Air Force will capitalize on this strong momentum in the years ahead by continuing to improve our family support programs and ensuring people know what resources are available."
—Suzie Schwartz, wife of USAF Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, commenting on the accomplishments of the Year of the Air Force Family initiative that concluded in July, in a statement provided to the Daily Report, Aug. 22, 2010.