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In More Depth
Reflecting Difficult DecisionsThe Air Force seeks $110.1 billion for service-specific activities, and $14.3 billion in overseas contingency funds in Fiscal 2013. That total grows to $154.3 billion, when factoring the funding in USAF accounts supporting joint initiatives. Planning for SequestrationThe Pentagon could be placing itself at further risk by refusing to plan for the draconian spending cuts mandated by the 2011 Budget Control Act's sequestration clause, said a defense budget expert. Proposed Aircraft ReductionsSecretary Michael Donley and Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz on Feb. 3 detailed the Air Force's proposed force-structure changes between Fiscal 2013 and Fiscal 2017. A newly issued white paper captures these plans. |
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Air Frame
Data Points
Jan. 11, 2012—Monthly air activity in Southwest Asia in 2011.
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The Document File
Energy Horizons
US Air Force Energy S&T Vision 2011-2026 Dated 31 January 2012 Released February 9, 2012 Defense Strategic Guidance 2012
Dated January 2012 Released Jan. 5, 2012 Document
Annual Report to Congress 2011 |
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Testimony
Nov. 10, 2011Gen. Norton A. Schwartz Chief of Staff Senate Armed Services Written testimony |
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Daily ReportThursday February 23, 2012
Cope North up Close: Andersen  AFB, Guam—From contrail altitudes to near the flat blue floor of the Pacific, there's an air battle raging morning and afternoon here. It's called Cope North and its grown into a major trilateral event in the suite of USAF battle exercises. Aircrews deployed from the United States, Japan, and Australia have piled up more than 1000 sorties flying 78 aircraft in operations since Feb. 12. USAF B-52s, F-15s, F-16CJs, KC-135s, and AWACS are facing off daily against Pacific Air Forces aggressors and other red team players in large-force exercises. "Anytime you have 30 to 40 aircraft in the sky—that is challenging," said Col. Marc Reese of 13th Air Force, a director for Cope North. In the airspace around here, fighters and bombers alike take turns as friendly "blue" or enemy "red" air simulating a sophisticated, fourth generation adversary. Debriefs follow the exacting Red Flag format with USAF, Japanese, and Australian crews combing every second of the action for kills, misses, and lessons learned. Cope North culminates on Friday.—Rebecca Grant Partners: Andersen AFB, Guam—Cope North is putting partnership into practice as a real demonstration of the Asia-Pacific pivot. Japan is a long-time player in Cope North. This year, the Japan Air Self Defense Force brought F-15MJs, F-2 fighters, and E-2C Hawkeye command and control aircraft. Joining Cope North for the first time is the Royal Australian Air Force. RAAF F/A-18F "Rhinos," along with the air arm's new Wedgetail radar surveillance airplane and RAAF C-130s, are on the ramp here. "The face-to-face time is invaluable," said Wing Cmdr. Murray Jones, commanding officer of RAAF's No. 1 Squadron. Air Force and RAAF units are also working hand-in-hand in a humanitarian-assistance and disaster-relief scenario at an expeditionary location near Guam's Northwest Field. The work pairs the two air arms in operations ranging from expeditionary communications, airfield opening, medical response, airdrops, and construction. Guam is "the only sovereign US soil in this part of the world," noted Col. Randy Kaufman, commander of Andersen's 36th Operations Group, which is hosting Cope North. That makes it "a good place for all three" nations to come together, he said. —Rebecca Grant Editor's Note: Air Force Magazine and the Daily Report have entered the Twittersphere. Follow us @AirForceMag. We will be providing regular Twitter updates from AFA's 28th annual Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Fla., on Thursday and Friday, so stay tuned! #AWS Kadena Squadron Recognized as USAF's Best Fighter Unit: The 67th Fighter Squadron, an F-15 unit under the 18th Wing at Kadena AB, Japan, earned the Raytheon Trophy for 2011, judged the Air Force's top air superiority squadron during last year. "The 67th Fighter Squadron clearly displayed its superior ability to dominate the sky anywhere in the world," said Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz in announcing the winner. Lt. Col. Robert Cioppa, the 67th FS commander, said: "The credit for this award truly belongs with the men and women of the 67th FS and [aircraft maintenance unit]." He added, "In my career, I have never seen any fighter squadron endure the operations tempo the 67th FS had in 2011." This included "two short-notice, real-world deployments" and sending personnel and aircraft to 10 different countries on three continents "while supporting multiple joint and international exercises," he said. The 27th Fighter Squadron, an F-22 unit at JB Langley-Eustis, Va., was the 2010 recipient of the annual trophy. (Kadena report by A1C Maeson L. Elleman) New Lackland Facility Consolidates Pan-American Aviation Training: Senior  USAF officials, representatives from six Latin American nations, and leaders from the Inter-America Air Forces Academy opened a new airfield training complex at Lackland AFB, Tex., a part of Joint Base San Antonio. The $19 million IAAFA facility, eight years in the making, combines all aviation maintenance courses for the school in one location, according to academy officials. It also provides a new home for the 318th Training Squadron. "This facility serves as another milestone in the [academy's] 68-year legacy of enriching the global community of airmen," said Lt. Gen. Robin Rand, commander of 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern). The complex opened on Feb. 9 and welcomed its first students four days later. The IAAFA, founded in 1943, teaches technical courses, in both Spanish and English, to airmen from the militaries of more than 20 Latin American countries every year. (San Antonio report by Mike Joseph) 
Air Frame: AF-1, an Air Force F-35A test aircraft, flies the first F-35A test sortie with external weapons, Feb. 16, 2012. The aircraft carried two AIM-9X air-to-air missiles on its outboard wing stations and was also configured with four additional external wing pylons during the flight from Edwards AFB, Calif. (Air Force photo) (Click on image above to reach wallpaper version.) Pacific Pride: Invited  by the Singaporean government, Pacific Air Forces airmen and machines performed for crowds at the 2012 Singapore Air Show held at Changi International Airport. Flying demos included a C-17 from JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. USAF's static-display contingent included an E-3A AWACS and a KC-135. One of the largest air and trade shows in the world, the Singapore event reportedly attracted some 145,000 visitors from Feb. 14-19. (13th Air Force release) First F-35A Flight with External Weapons: The Air Force F-35A variant flew for the first time with wing-mounted external weapons, slinging a pair of AIM-9X air-to-air missiles aloft from Edwards AFB, Calif., announced F-35 prime contractor Lockheed Martin. Demonstrating carriage of its six external pylons, AF-1, an F-35A test aircraft, carried an additional internal load of two 2,000-pound GBU-31 joint direct attack munitions and two AIM-120 air-to-air missiles during the Feb. 16 envelope-expansion sortie from Edwards AFB, Calif., according to the company. The F-35A is capable of carrying 18,000 pounds of ordnance on 10 stations, four of them internal. Carrying external weapons does reduce the aircraft's low-observable aspect. AF-1 did not deploy any weapons during the flight. This is the same airframe that was the first in the test fleet to resume flight operations after a brief standdown due to a drag-chute issue earlier this year. Caring before the Ribbon was Cut: Chief  of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz dedicated the newest Fisher House alongside charity representatives and base officials at JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Lodging a family from Eielson Air Force Base during their daughter's treatment even before the ribbon cutting, Fisher House Alaska is the 56th military family medical support center constructed on a US base. "It's important not to forget that every number is a person, a family," said Dave Coker, Fisher House Foundation president, at the grand opening on Feb. 17. "When I saw pictures of the house in progress, I was struck by the beauty and the background, and the colors, and that there's no snow on the walkways" thanks to heated sidewalks, noted the charity's CEO Ken Fisher. Last year alone, Fisher Houses stateside and in Germany sheltered 17,000 military families free of charge while their loved ones underwent care. (Elmendorf-Richardson report by Chris McCann) Jumper to Head SAIC: Retired Gen. John Jumper, former Chief of Staff, will become chief executive officer of SAIC, a large defense contractor headquartered in McLean, Va. The company's board of directors voted Jumper to succeed current CEO Walter Havenstein, effective on March 1. "I am honored to have been selected to lead SAIC and am keen to face the challenges ahead in our industry," said Jumper, who in his new position, will remain a member of SAIC's board of directors. He continued, "Also, I am grateful to be given the opportunity to build upon the successes we've achieved under Walt Havenstein's leadership. He's positioned the company to take advantage of our strengths. I look forward to leading SAIC as we continue to provide solutions vital to our nation." Jumper was Chief of Staff from September 2001 to September 2005. He retired from the Air Force in November 2005, after 39 years of uniformed service. He joined SAIC's board in June 2007. (SAIC release) |
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On the Record
Distraction
"We have young airmen who are focused on their retirement. I don't need young airmen focused on retirement. I need young airmen focused on upgrade training. I need airmen focused on mission."
—CMSAF James Roy, testifying before House defense appropriators, Feb. 16, 2012. Roy said the top concern he hears from airmen is the security of their retirement benefits. |
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On the Record
Keeping Clean
"With respect to active duty, [Air Force] Reserve, and [Air National] Guard airmen, it's very important that we design this smaller force in a way that does not drive anybody into the dirt. So we will structure ourselves so that our tempo is sustainable for the long term, and so we won't burn out the active duty, the Guard, and the Reserve."
—Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, discussing the Air Force's plans to cut 9,900 Total Force positions between Fiscal 2013 and Fiscal 2017. Schwartz was speaking to airmen at JB Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Feb. 16, 2012. |
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