Category: Defence Intelligence

Source: United States Air Force

MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. (AFNS) —  

Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin visited Minot Air Force Base Oct. 11. Allvin and his team toured the installation to learn about the processes that make Minot AFB operational and to get an in-depth understanding of the base’s nuclear deterrence mission.

During the visit, Allvin met with 5th Bomb Wing and 91st Missile Wing leaders to gather insight into the only U.S. Air Force base holding two-thirds of the nuclear triad. Minot AFB leadership teams highlighted facilities and operations contributing directly to the success of the nation’s nuclear deterrence mission.

“The strategic importance of the work carried out here at Minot AFB cannot be overstated,” Allvin said. “As the only dual-wing nuclear capable base in the Air Force, the Airmen assigned here are responsible for two legs of our nation’s nuclear triad. It’s a responsibility that is not to be taken lightly, and one the fine Airmen here have risen to meet time and time again.”

Allvin’s visit provided an opportunity to engage directly with the Airmen responsible for mission execution, fostering a sense of unity and purpose in safeguarding the nation’s security interests.

“This whole experience has been very illuminating” Allvin said. “It’s clear that our nation’s nuclear deterrence mission is in the best of hands here at Minot.”

The engagement was one of Allvin’s first visits to any Air Force base in his role as acting chief of staff.

“It’s an honor to be one of the first installations to host the acting chief of staff,” said Col. Daniel Hoadley, 5th BW commander. “His decision to visit Minot AFB really drives home the point to our Airmen that what we do here is of paramount importance to national security.”

Source: United States Air Force

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (AFNS) —  

Officer Training School is implementing a new accessions program aimed at developing Air Force and Space Force leaders who are prepared to compete and win in today’s strategic operating environment.

The new training program, dubbed OTS-Victory, incorporates a five-modular approach designed to enhance the effectiveness of foundational officer development by focusing on specific knowledge, skills and abilities in each module. The course is structured to develop an officer trainee across all foundational competencies within 60 training days.

Officer graduates will be steeped in the Air Force and Space Force competencies through deliberate assessments tied to leadership, mission command, warfighting, communication and professionalism. In the end, OTS’s goal is to produce graduates ready for the challenges in an era of strategic competition.

Starting fiscal year 2024, OTS will conduct, on average, 20 classes per year with a new class starting every two weeks. The additional class start dates promote flexibility for stakeholders, reduces candidates’ wait time to attend training and allows for increased trainee throughput when necessary. At any point, OTS will have up to five classes in session, in various phases of training.

Additionally, the new training construct allows OTS to easily surge production to meet annual production numbers set by Congress in both steady state and contingency mobilization posture. If called, the school can surge up to 26 classes per year.

“Within existing resource authorizations, we are restoring OTS’s ability to serve as the officer accession ‘shock absorber,’ meaning we have the structural agility and organizational effectiveness to respond to production demands during peace or war,” said Col. Keolani Bailey, OTS commandant. “Whether we need to increase or decrease production, we won’t compromise the quality of training.”

In terms of the instructor cadre, they are now afforded the opportunity to become subject matter experts in the two-week modular blocks of instruction versus teaching the entire 60-day curriculum.

“Instructors will receive increased reps and sets and better feedback to elevate the overall performance of the team. This reduces lesson planning, preparation timelines and creates more opportunities for deliberate development, course updates, and instructor reconstitution time,” Bailey said. “This will allow instructors to reduce bureaucracy and concentrate on their primary mission — building warrior-minded leaders of character focused on the future fight.”

With OTS previously offering only five classes per year, thereby limiting time off between classes, the new program builds 10 weeks “off the line” each year for instructors. Therefore, when not actively instructing a class during these time periods, instructors are afforded the necessary time to refine course delivery, attend professional development programs, and enjoy their well-earned leave with family and friends.

The first class of officer trainees to experience OTS-V arrived on campus Oct. 10.

The purpose of OTS is to train and develop new officers to fulfill Air Force and Space Force active duty, Reserve and Air National Guard requirements, in partnership with the U.S. Air Force Academy and Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps.

Officer Training School is located at Maxwell Air Force Base and consists of two academic buildings with auditoriums, four dormitories, dining facility, physical conditioning center, parade field, running track and sports fields. Additionally, OTS maintains an Air Expeditionary Force garrison training site, a 200-acre field training facility, confidence course and two expeditionary assault courses.

Source: United States Air Force

SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) —  

Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall visited the 82nd Training Wing and the 80th Flying Wing Oct. 4-5, where he got a firsthand look at how Sheppard Air Force Base Airmen are transforming technical and flying training to support the future fight.

Kendall spoke with Airmen from across the wing and community leaders to learn about the base’s challenges and improvements within day-to-day operations. He visited multiple squadrons and agencies to see how they’re modernizing classrooms and impacting Airmen in training.

The Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program leaders briefed Kendall on the unique, 14-nation partnership’s importance to NATO combat power as well as plans for the future beddown of the T-7A Redhawk.

During his visit, Kendall also took time to recognize star performers and their outstanding achievements.

Source: United States Air Force

QUANTICO, Va. (AFNS) —  

Source: United States Air Force

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) —  

After almost eight years, Eglin Air Force Base’s McKinley Climatic Lab returns to 96th Test Wing possession as of Oct. 1.

The realignment moves the lab from Arnold Engineering Development Complex back to the 96th Range Group. A 2016 Air Force Test Center consolidation moved the lab under the unit at Arnold AFB, Tennessee.

The return, to better align with local infrastructure and Eglin AFB’s test and evaluation missions, puts the Lab back under the 782nd Test Squadron.

The capabilities available at the Lab help engineers ensure maximum reliability and operational capability of complex systems as global operational theaters continue to impose harsh environments.

Tests at the facility for the Department of Defense, other government agencies and private industry included items such as large aircraft, tanks, missile launchers, shelters, engines, automobiles and tires.

The Climatic Laboratory has five testing chambers: the main chamber; the equipment test chamber; the sun, wind, rain and dust chamber; the salt fog chamber and the altitude chamber.

The main chamber is the largest environmental chamber in the world. At approximately 252 feet wide, 260 feet deep and 70 feet high, tests have consisted of large items and systems for aircraft such as the B-2 Spirit Bomber and the C-5 Galaxy. The temperatures achieved in the chamber range between -65 degrees Fahrenheit to 165 degrees Fahrenheit with a simulation of all climatic conditions including heat, snow, rain, wind, sand and dust.

The equipment test chamber is 130 feet long, 30 feet wide and 25 feet high. Although it is smaller, it has the same capabilities of the main chamber. Tests usually consist of jet engines, small vehicles and turbine-driven ground power units.

The sun, wind, rain and dust chamber produces ambient or hot test conditions. Wind-blown rain at rates up to 25 inches per hour and heavy sand and dust storms can also be created in this chamber.

Because of the corrosive properties of salt fog test conditions, the salt fog chamber was designed to provide an ambient test chamber that is away from other test chambers. The chamber has two steam-fed heat exchangers that create the temperature to perform the salt fog test.

The chamber is approximately 55 feet long, 16 feet wide and 16 feet high. The chamber doesn’t have refrigeration capability.

The altitude chamber can create pressure altitudes as high as 80,000 feet with a temperature capability of -80 degrees Fahrenheit to 140 degrees Fahrenheit. The chamber measures 13 by 9 feet and 6 feet high.

Source: United States Air Force

“It’s good for us to share tactics and techniques with each other to learn from each other,” Schiller said. “We have very different mission sets, the F-15 to the KFIR, but there’s still a lot of commonality and similarities between the two air frames…so it’s easy for us to fly in the same airspace and operate as a cohesive team to achieve a common goal.” 

As an aeromedical evacuation training exercise, Ángel de los Andes aimed to save lives. During the exercise’s simulated earthquake scenario, U.S. C-17 and HH-60 aircraft flew alongside Colombian helicopters, transporting and treating 50 patients in a large-scale recovery effort.

In another exercise scenario, combined teams of special forces parachuted into simulated enemy territory to rescue friendly troops from danger. Flying aboard an HH-60 helicopter, a Colombian and U.S. crew worked side-by-side, conducting river rescues, overcoming difficult terrain and breaking through the language barrier to succeed in their mission, said Colombian AF Maj. César Trivino, a UH-60 helicopter pilot who participated in Ángel de los Andes.

With scenarios unfolding in multiple locations throughout Colombia, overhead imagery was key to assuring safe and accurate exercise missions.

The Air Forces Southern space team partnered with U.S. Space Command’s Joint Task Force-Space Defense Commercial Operations cell for Space Domain Awareness to provide overhead imagery of helicopter landing zones, satellite overflight information and space weather prognostics to aid in decision-making, planning and execution.

Source: United States Air Force

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) —  

In this week’s look around the Air Force, Gen. CQ Brown, Jr. is the new Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, fees for childcare are restructured to help lower-income families, and Lt. Gen. Jeannie Leavitt retires after a historic trailblazing career that includes being the first female fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force. (Hosted by Tech. Sgt. Vernon Young)

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