Category: Aviation

Source: United States Air Force

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, OHIO (AFNS) —  

The Air Force Research Laboratory welcomed its newest commander, Brig. Gen. Jason E. Bartolomei, at a change of command ceremony hosted by the commander of Air Force Materiel Command, Gen. Duke Z. Richardson, July 10, at the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton.

In his opening remarks, Richardson acknowledged the lab’s transition from “one fantastic leader to another.”

“I do think that this is the job you were meant for,” Richardson said to Bartolomei. “All of the jobs that you’ve been doing have been leading to this one.”

Prior to assuming command of AFRL, Bartolomei served as the program executive officer for Weapons and Director of the Armament Directorate at the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, where Bartolomei was responsible for the planning and execution of all life cycle activities for air-delivered munitions and oversaw a $92 billion weapons portfolio.

“This guy knows how to work with the lab,” Richardson said. “AFRL is trying to build that affordable, competitive, continuous pipeline of technologies that we can then put into programs of record and field, and that’s really the focus, General Bartolomei, of your tenure as you take on the lab.”

Richardson emphasized the depth and breadth of the incoming commander’s academic training, prior professional experiences, and leadership skills. Bartolomei holds a PhD in Engineering Systems from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and a Master’s Certificate in Legislative Studies from Georgetown University.

“He knows how to synthesize information, he’s an optimist, he sees possibilities where others don’t,” Richardson said of Bartolomei. “He’s just a great human being.”

Shortly after taking the stage to deliver his first public address as AFRL’s 14th commander, Bartolomei acknowledged two aspects of his personality that he felt made him well-suited to step into his latest role.

“I love being a part of teams,” Bartolomei said. “I love being connected to others, and I really love doing something bigger than myself. I like to learn and grow. I’m pretty sure that’s why I love the Air Force so much, and, actually, I think this is why I have grown so excited about joining AFRL.”

Bartolomei took the reins from Maj. Gen. Scott A. Cain, who served as AFRL’s commander since June 2023. Cain, who will assume his new post as commander of the Air Force Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California on July 30, remarked to the crowd gathered in the museum’s Hangar Two that while he looks forward to his next assignment, it is “bittersweet” to leave the lab.

“[This move] in particular is a tough one because this community has been so good to us,” Cain said. “[But] I have full confidence that General Bartolomei is going to continue to build on our momentum and lead this team through this era of technological competition.”

“It’s been an honor to lead AFRL and absolutely a highlight of my career,” Cain added.

Richardson, who wished Cain continued success in his next command post, urged AFRL’s outgoing commander to “keep playing to your strengths.”

“The stuff that’s made you successful as the lab commander will also make you successful at the Air Force Test Center,” Richardson said.

Bartolomei, who earned his Master of Science degree from the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in 2001, first settled in the Dayton region with his spouse following his commissioning into the Air Force in 1997.

“We love Ohio, we love the Midwest, and we’re just so happy to be back,” Bartolomei told local media outlets following the ceremony. “Ohio has a super special place in our heart. This was where I started my career as a brand-new second lieutenant. I had the opportunity to serve here for four years and those were four of the best years that [my wife] and I have had.”

Prior to assuming his new position as AFRL’s commander, Bartolomei said, he “put himself on an accelerated learning plan,” reading up on the extensive history of AFRL and of Air Force science and technology.

“Not only was it incredible to learn about the amazing technological breakthroughs and impact of the labs, but it was even more inspiring to me to read about the brilliant people,” Bartolomei reflected. “It’s really been the innovative people like everyone in this room that really brought these things to bear.”

AFRL faces a time of profound consequence, Bartolomei said, that is as challenging as any other time in the nation’s history.

“I believe the mission of AFRL has never been more critical. The future of the fight depends on our innovations, technical wizardry, and our role to support and integrate within the air and space domains. Like the past, our success depends on the brilliant, patriotic, hardworking, faithful men and women from all ranks and all walks of life banding together to deliver game-changing technology.” – Brig. Gen. Jason Bartolomei, Commander, Air Force Research Laboratory

“I’m excited to serve with you in this important endeavor,” Bartolomei added.

Bartolomei closed his address by underscoring his commitment to discharge the duties of his command.

“Let’s win together,” Bartolomei said. “Let’s drive the fight and help our Air Force and Space Force win the future.”

A livestream recording of the ceremony is available on AFRL’s YouTube channel.

Source: United States Air Force

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) —  

In this week’s look around the Air Force, a KC-46A Pegasus aircraft circumnavigates the globe nonstop, Warrant Officer training school is open, and an autonomous aircraft has a test flight.  (Hosted by Tech Sgt. Vernon Young)

Watch on DVIDS 
For previous episodes, click here for the Air Force TV page.

Source: United States Air Force

DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. (AFNS) —  

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David Flosi visited Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, July 8-9.

During their visit, Allvin and Flosi engaged with 355th Wing leaders, discussed Air Force priorities with Airmen and thanked the team for their dedication to the mission.

“The team, the 355th Wing and the 11th [Air Task Force] are working together like true Airmen, wingmen, do,” said Allvin, during his all call. “This team right here is leading the way, and we could not be more proud.”

Allvin addressed the importance of readiness and power projection as well as developing people and capabilities during times of Great Power Competition. He also spoke about what Davis-Monthan’s future brings and how it is vital to shaping high-end readiness with the new Air Task Force model.

“There are things we can do right now, update the way we present forces to the combatant commander,” Allvin said. “Train together, go through our Air Force Force Generation cycle together, prepare and be ready for the mission.”

Flosi reiterated the significance of operating in an era of Great Power Competition and addressed the motivations behind Airmen who wear the uniform.

“Each and every one of you are important to our Nation’s defense,” Flosi told Airmen. “I wake up every morning and do everything I can to make sure we are the most lethal fighting force the world has ever seen. What you do is important work, and work worth doing. I am honored to serve alongside you.”

After their address, the CSAF and CMSAF answered questions from the Airmen where they discussed military pay, compensation, and the acquisition process of new technologies. After the Q&A, the command team emphasized the capabilities the Airmen bring toward force operations.

“When I come to this place, I see the Airmen in action, and I see us leaning into change,” Allvin said. “This is important work and there’s no better team in America than the team I’m looking at right now.”

Source: United States Air Force

DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. (AFNS) —  

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David Flosi visited Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, July 8-9.

During their visit, Allvin and Flosi engaged with 355th Wing leaders, discussed Air Force priorities with Airmen and thanked the team for their dedication to the mission.

“The team, the 355th Wing and the 11th [Air Task Force] are working together like true Airmen, wingmen, do,” said Allvin, during his all call. “This team right here is leading the way, and we could not be more proud.”

Allvin addressed the importance of readiness and power projection as well as developing people and capabilities during times of Great Power Competition. He also spoke about what Davis-Monthan’s future brings and how it is vital to shaping high-end readiness with the new Air Task Force model.

“There are things we can do right now, update the way we present forces to the combatant commander,” Allvin said. “Train together, go through our Air Force Force Generation cycle together, prepare and be ready for the mission.”

Flosi reiterated the significance of operating in an era of Great Power Competition and addressed the motivations behind Airmen who wear the uniform.

“Each and every one of you are important to our Nation’s defense,” Flosi told Airmen. “I wake up every morning and do everything I can to make sure we are the most lethal fighting force the world has ever seen. What you do is important work, and work worth doing. I am honored to serve alongside you.”

After their address, the CSAF and CMSAF answered questions from the Airmen where they discussed military pay, compensation, and the acquisition process of new technologies. After the Q&A, the command team emphasized the capabilities the Airmen bring toward force operations.

“When I come to this place, I see the Airmen in action, and I see us leaning into change,” Allvin said. “This is important work and there’s no better team in America than the team I’m looking at right now.”

Source: United States Air Force

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. (AFNS) —  

Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst played a vital role in a historic first cargo flight as part of a demonstration of the ALIA CTOL, a battery-powered fixed-wing aircraft, July 9. The National Aerospace Research and Technology Park (NARTP) in Atlantic City tested the aircraft’s cargo usage by flying a lap pattern from Atlantic City, Dover Air Force Base and JB MDL.

The U.S. Air Force, in a partnership with BETA Technologies, has been instrumental in the development of ALIA. This groundbreaking aircraft, with a range of 250 nautical miles and the capacity to seat up to five passengers, is a testament to the Air Force’s adaptability to new technologies. The Air Force’s interest in the ALIA’s flexible applications further reinforces its commitment to staying at the forefront of technological advancements.

Moving cargo between Dover AFB and JB MDL with the ALIA is advantageous because it saves time and many other valuable resources.

“We can be ready to take off in a matter of minutes, and the battery has a low center of gravity, which is not affected by the way you load the cargo,” said Ross Elkort, BETA Technologies flight test engineer.”

The 305th Maintenance Squadron’s Precision Measurement Equipment Laboratory team unloaded 319 pounds of cargo from Dover AFB and loaded 222 pounds to send on a return trip.

Having last-mile cargo delivery handled by a battery-powered fixed-wing is an opportunity to make air mobility safer, cleaner and more cost-effective.

“It brings key innovation to the mission. It’s going to make things faster and simpler,” said Alyxandra Scalone, 305th Maintenance Squadron production controller. “Dover (AFB) is about two and a half hours away from us. Today’s flight only took 45 minutes.”

“An all-electric aircraft like the ALIA is the next evolution of rapid global mobility,” said Zachary White, BETA Technologies team member. “We started working with the AFWERX Agility Prime Program in 2019. We are super excited to be here and supporting Air Mobility Command. Doing different types of missions and flying cargo between bases, it was great to see the flexibility of this aircraft.”

Source: United States Air Force

LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) —  

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin, his spouse, Gina Allvin, and Chief Master Sgt. of the Air Force David Flosi visited Laughlin Air Force Base, July 8. The tour focused on topics including border security, remote and isolated contiguous United States installations, training, the arrival of the T-7A Redhawk, and quality of life at Laughlin AFB.

Allvin and Flosi met with Airmen from the 47th Security Forces Squadron to talk about border security, mitigation efforts and their partnership with the Val Verde County Sheriff Department and U.S. Border Patrol. The team received a demonstration of the squadron’s hoverfly drone.

At the 47th Medical Group, Allvin and Flosi discussed Laughlin AFB’s medical referral programs, the impact of the Exceptional Family Member Program and training hours for medical Airmen, specifically showcasing the medical training mannequin used in the Operational Medicine Clinic.

Allvin and Flosi received updates on the Air Force Repair Enhancement Program projects at Laughlin AFB, T-1 divestment efforts, and projects preparing for the arrival of the T-7A Red Hawk at the 47th Maintenance Directorate.

In a flight room in the 434th Flying Training Squadron, the senior leaders received a brief on the successes and struggles of the Undergraduate Pilot Training curriculum. They learned how student squadrons keep up with pilot production and sortie numbers while facing challenges such as weather, manpower and daylight hours. Currently, Laughlin AFB has produced 242 pilots out of the 375 this fiscal year.

Allvin and Flosi received a tour of the 47th Operations Group, which is comprised of: the 47th Student Squadron, 85th FTS, 434th FTS, 86th FTS, 87th FTS, and the 47th Operations Support Squadron.

Allvin also spoke at an all-call for Airmen across the wing.

At the all-call, Allvin spoke about reoptimizing our forces for Great Power Competition through the core concepts of projecting power, developing people, generating readiness and developing capabilities. He also talked about the future of the Air Force under Agile Combat Employment.

“Great power [comes from] people and resources,” Allvin said. “We need to get back to being one Air Force. We cannot afford to act in a slow way. We must be agile.”

Allvin and Flosi conducted a question-and-answer session following the all-call.

“[We are] working on ways to develop Airmen for the deployable environment,” Flosi said, when asked about how the Air Force will operate under the AFFORGEN concept.

Both CSAF and CMSAF focused on the importance of Airmen operating outside of their technical expertise and being mission ready in the rapidly changing defense environment. “It is time to adapt. It is time to change,” Allvin concluded.

Mrs. Allvin also got a tour of the base where she attended briefings at the Military Family Readiness Center, Child and Youth Programs and base housing, learning about quality-of-life improvements and remaining challenges at Laughlin AFB as a remote and isolated base.

Source: United States Air Force

JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AFNS) —  

An estimated 500 personnel from the U.S., Canada, Germany, Italy, Spain and France kicked off exercise Arctic Defender at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson and Eielson Air Force Base July 8.

Arctic Defender is a German air force-led field training exercise in which fighter pilots from multiple nations practice air war operations in Alaska, following NATO standards. This joint effort serves as a demonstration of the alliance’s commitment to collective defense and a free and open Indo-Pacific.

“The Department of the Air Force is optimizing for Great Power Competition and preparing to win in a conflict should deterrence fail,” said Col. Kevin Jamieson, 3rd Wing commander. “Exercises like Arctic Defender are just one way we can integrate with our allies and partners to share tactics, techniques, and procedures in a realistic, simulated combat environment. As we continue to train and operate in the Pacific, the U.S. and our allies and partners will resolve shared challenges by relying on each other’s strengths to collectively evolve airpower – together, we will deter aggression.”

As lead planner for Arctic Defender, the German air force planned a NATO Article 5 scenario to be executed in Alaska airspace. Article 5 states that if a NATO ally is the victim of an armed attack, every member of the alliance will consider it an act of violence against all members and take actions necessary to assist.

“The Arctic Defender 2024 exercise is the first of five individual exercises during our Pacific Skies deployment together with our European partners from Spain and France,” said Chief of the German air force Lt. Gen. Ingo Gerhartz. “We use the excellent conditions here in Alaska to realistically practice a NATO Article 5 scenario with our jet crews and the entire team. Together with the U.S. and Canadians, this exercise provides us with everything we need to further increase our operational capability.”

French Maj. Gen. Franck Mollard, commander of the European Air Transport Command, echoed Gerhartz’s sentiment.

“The experience of working together with NATO partners… is of utmost importance when it comes to operations in times of crisis.”

Additionally, in a first for European Air Transport Command, European Air-to-Air Refueling Training will be conducted outside of Europe in conjunction with Arctic Defender. This event trains tanker crews, planners, taskers and engineers, including maintenance personnel, in air-to-air refueling operations. The training offers a unique opportunity to the nations participating in Arctic Defender and other Pacific Skies exercises to train their tanker and fighter crews in planning and executing missions within a realistic and multinational framework.

“I’m looking forward to this premiere edition in Alaska with five tankers from France, the Multinational MRTT Unit and Canada,” Mollard said. “It has been a challenge for my team to organize the training more than 7,000 kilometers away from our headquarters in Eindhoven. They did an excellent job, also thanks to the great support from our host, the U.S. Air Force.”

Participating aircraft include: the F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II; the U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet; French air and space force Rafale, Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport and A400M Atlas; German air force A400M Transport, Eurofighter, H145M Special Forces Helicopter, and PA-200 Tornado; Spanish air force Eurofighters; and Royal Canadian Air Force CC-130H Hercules.

Arctic Defender training spans from individual skills to complex, large-scale joint engagements in the more than 77,000 square miles of airspace in the Joint Pacific-Alaska Range Complex, which is the largest combat training range in the world. Training in this airspace provides aircrew, maintenance and support personnel training in sustainment of large-force deployed air operations to enhance our capabilities to defend U.S. interests, deter aggression and counter coercion against U.S. territory and its allies and partners.

Source: United States Air Force

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) —  

Unprecedented changes to the global security environment are driving sweeping reforms to the way the U.S. Air Force will develop, deploy, and employ combat forces and capabilities to defend the United States, allies and partners nations around the world.

Officials from Air Education and Training Command, which will be redesignated as Airman Development Command, are rapidly redesigning core institutional training and development architectures to support Great Power Competition. This includes designing education and training for the future force with a “mission over function” mindset, where the primary focus is on developing Airmen to emphasize their shared military purpose and mission objectives over individual functional roles. 

Source: United States Air Force

WASHINGTON (AFNS) —  

On Jan. 18, 2024, the Air Force notified Congress that the Sentinel program exceeded its baseline cost projections, resulting in a critical breach under the Nunn-McCurdy statute. A critical Nunn-McCurdy breach occurs if the Program Acquisition Unit Cost or Average Unit Procurement Cost increases by 25% or more over the current Acquisition Program Baseline. By statute, the respective program must be terminated unless the under secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment certifies to Congress that the program meets established criteria to continue.

The Office of the Secretary of Defense executed its statutory responsibilities by conducting a comprehensive, unbiased review of the program to determine what factors led to this cost growth and whether to certify the continuation of the program. Senior subject matter experts from varied disciplines and across the Department actively contributed to the review.

Based on the results of the review, Dr. William A. LaPlante, the USD(A&S) who served as the DoD lead for the review and is the Milestone Decision Authority for the program, certified that the Sentinel program met the statutory criteria to continue. These criteria included that:

• Continuation of the Sentinel program is essential to national security;
• There are no alternatives to the program that will provide acceptable capability to meet the joint requirements at less cost;
• The new estimates of the program acquisition unit cost or procurement unit cost have been determined by the director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation to be reasonable;
• The program is a higher priority than programs whose funding must be reduced to accommodate the growth in cost of the program; and
• The management structure for the program is adequate to manage and control program acquisition unit cost or procurement unit cost.

In certifying the program to continue, LaPlante rescinded Sentinel’s Milestone B approval, or the point at which an acquisition program is authorized to enter the engineering and manufacturing development phase. He also directed the Air Force to restructure the Sentinel program to address the root causes of the breach and ensure an appropriate management structure is in place to control costs in the future.

Total program acquisition costs for a reasonably modified Sentinel program are estimated by CAPE to be $140.9 billion, an increase of 81 percent compared to estimates at the program’s previous Milestone B decision in September 2020. The Nunn-McCurdy review determined that the majority of the cost growth is in Sentinel’s command and launch segment, which includes the launch facilities, launch centers, and the process, duration, staffing and facilities to execute the conversion from Minuteman III to Sentinel.

“We are fully aware of the costs, but we are also aware of the risks of not modernizing our nuclear forces and not addressing the very real threats we confront,” LaPlante said. “There are reasons for the cost growth, but there are no excuses. We are already working to address the root causes, and more importantly, we believe we are on the right path to defend our nation while protecting the sacred responsibility the American taxpayer has entrusted us with.”

“The nuclear Triad is the foundation of our national defense, and as our competitors modernize their own nuclear forces, the urgency of pacing the threat is reflected in our Nuclear Posture Review,” LaPlante added. “Sentinel is a truly historic program to modernize the land leg of the Triad, and its scale, scope, and complexity are something we haven’t attempted as a nation in 60 years. Having completed a comprehensive and objective assessment of the program, it is clear that the Sentinel program remains essential to U.S. national security and is the best option to meet the needs of our warfighters.”

Preserving schedule will be a key consideration during the program’s restructuring; however, a delay of several years is currently estimated.

While the U.S. nuclear arsenal remains safe, secure and effective, most nuclear deterrent systems are operating beyond their original design life, and there is little or no margin between the end of their effective life and the fielding of their replacements. These modernized capabilities are needed to avoid any gaps in our ability to field a credible and effective deterrent.

The 2022 Nuclear Posture Review concluded that a modernized Triad remains necessary to deter strategic attack, assure allies and partners, and achieve U.S. objectives if deterrence fails. The Sentinel program was established to modernize and replace the land leg of the Triad, currently comprised of the Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile weapon system.

“The land-leg of the Triad is an essential component of our nuclear enterprise, undergirding our national security,” said Under Secretary of the Air Force Melissa Dalton. “The Air Force is committed to restructuring the Sentinel program to address the findings of this review and modernizing our ICBM force to ensure its effectiveness against future threats while ensuring no capability gaps during the transition from Minuteman III to Sentinel.”

Today’s dynamic security environment only underscores the importance of our nation’s nuclear deterrent to U.S. defense strategy and, specifically, the extended deterrence commitments we have made to allies and partners.

“Our U.S. nuclear forces are ready, as they have been for decades, to deter our adversaries and respond decisively should deterrence fail,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin. “We face an evolving and complex security environment marked by two major nuclear powers that are strategic competitors and potential adversaries. While I have confidence in our legacy systems today, it is imperative that we modernize of our nuclear Triad. A restructured Sentinel program is essential to ensure we remain best postured to address future threats.”

Source: United States Air Force

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS)     —  

In this week’s look around the Air Force, air mobility doctrine gets a major update reflecting the evolving strategic environment, special duty pay tables release for next fiscal year, and distance learning for Airman Leadership School gets an upgrade. (Hosted by Staff Sgt. Stephani Barge )

Watch on DVIDS | Watch on YouTube

For previous episodes, click here for the Air Force TV page.