Category: Defense Intelligence

Source: United States Air Force

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (AFNS) —  

AFWERX Airmen and several local media outlets gathered at Duke Field on Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, to witness one of the quietest Air Force aircraft flyovers ever. BETA Technologies, an electric aerospace company and AFWERX Prime division partner, made several low passes in its ALIA electric aircraft as the audience celebrated its delivery to the Air Force Oct. 26, 2023. 

AFWERX, the innovation arm of the Air Force and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, brings cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing challenges of the Air Force. This includes partnering with BETA and other electric aircraft companies to bring zero-emission aviation to the military along with other benefits, including a quiet noise profile and the cost savings to operate and maintain its fleet without dependency on traditional fossil fuels.

“We are really excited about companies like BETA when they invent things like this,” said Col. Elliott Leigh, AFWERX director and chief commercialization officer for the Department of the Air Force. “It is going to transform the way we see air travel in the world, but it is also going to transform the way we have air power in the Air Force. We’re going to learn what we can do with vehicles like this and we’re going to take it to our warfighters.”

BETA’s ALIA electric aircraft has a 50-foot wingspan, a range of 250 miles with a top speed of 138 mph and is 90% quieter than a helicopter. While ALIA has the capability to transport five passengers, the Air Force test objective is to demonstrate its potential to support agile combat employment logistics with its payload capacity of 1,000 pounds.

Located 10 miles north of Eglin Air Force Base, Duke Field was strategically selected as the test field for ALIA. The field is home to the Air Force’s rotary wing test squadron, the 413th Flight Test Squadron.

“All of the testing will be contractor owned and operated, but the 413th FLTS wrote the test and safety plan,” said Maj. Riley Livermore, 413th Flight Test Squadron flight commander. “We are responsible for coordinating daily flight operations to include range scheduling and logistics support. Then we’ll write a report following the conclusion of the test deployment to report our findings.”

AFWERX first partnered with BETA in December 2019 and has since awarded the company several contracts. Over the years, BETA has provided AFWERX with three simulators, including a mobile simulator that has conducted pilot training and demonstrations and two Level-3 electric chargers. The charger at Duke Field was completed Oct. 16 and is the first charging station on a military installation.

“Part of the testing process was to install an aircraft charger on a military installation to capture lessons learned and hopefully inform and accelerate future projects at different bases,” Livermore said. “The fixed charging station will also help us write procedures and safety requirements for the Air Force. They’re currently not defined because the technology is new.”

The first ALIA flight test is tentatively scheduled for Nov. 7, 2023.

About AFRL 

The Air Force Research Laboratory is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace force. With a workforce of more than 12,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development.

About AFWERX

As the innovation arm of the DAF and a directorate within the Air Force Research Laboratory, AFWERX brings cutting-edge American ingenuity from small businesses and start-ups to address the most pressing challenges of the DAF. AFWERX employs approximately 325 military, civilian and contractor personnel at six hubs and sites executing an annual $1.4 billion budget. Since 2019, AFWERX has executed 4,697 contracts worth more than $2.6 billion to strengthen the U.S. defense industrial base and drive faster technology transition to operational capability.

Source: United States Air Force

SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. (AFNS) —  

Source: United States Air Force

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) —  

In this week’s look around the Air Force, units are starting to deploy under the new Air Force Force Generation model, MQ-9 Reapers relocate to Kadena Air Base, Japan, and recruits can now ask questions of Military Training Instructors online before they get to basic training. (Hosted by Tech. Sgt. Brittan Crolley)

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

Source: United States Air Force

DUKE FIELD, Fla. (AFNS) —  

AFWERX Prime and the Federal Aviation Administration announced they have agreed to share flight-test data to accelerate the safe integration of Advanced Aircraft Mobility platforms into the National Airspace System Oct. 25.

The memorandum of understanding will also support AFWERX Prime’s efforts to advance the integration and maturation of AAM, including the electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft and autonomous systems industries. Prime, a division within AFWERX, aims to accelerate emerging commercial markets by leveraging government resources for rapid and affordable fielding, benefiting both the commercial industrial base and U.S. military capabilities.

The agreement was signed by Col. Elliott Leigh, AFWERX director and chief commercialization officer for the Department of the Air Force, and John Maffei, the FAA’s acting director of Portfolio Management and Technology Development, during an event at Duke Field, Florida.

Leigh noted that, during the past three years, AFWERX has awarded more than $345 million in contracts to 36 developers of electric aircraft and related technologies as part of the national AAM strategy. With the DAF investments, certifications, limited partnership agreements and testing, this effort has generated more than $11 billion in commercial investment in the AAM sector.

According to Leigh, now is the time to redouble these efforts not only with the FAA but also with other federal partners in this space.

“With this MOU and the ongoing AAM Interagency Working Group, we are accelerating a breakthrough in electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft,” Leigh said. “We are driving progress in propulsion technology, in manufacturing and materials, and in test and safety for a novel class of air vehicles. Keeping this effort rooted in the United States, building our national security and accelerating innovation for our Airmen and Guardians are all crucial for the Air Force, and we are humbled to be a part of this historic effort. I am excited about this industry’s direction and the Air Force’s role in shaping it.”

The MOU will enable the DAF, AFWERX and the FAA to exchange data and share capabilities and expertise needed to test these technologies. The data will inform FAA certification efforts, policy, standards and future airspace integration requirements.

“A new era of aviation is taking off and safe and efficient operations require collaboration,” Maffei said. “This data will help inform FAA certification efforts, policies, standards and future airspace integration requirements.”

The new agreement showed the continued commitment by the Defense Department and the FAA to ensure all aviation conducted in the NAS meets the highest levels of safety and security, said Darshan Divakaran, AFWERX head of Airspace Innovation and Prime Partnerships. The NAS is a complex system composed of aircraft, airports, airspace, communication, individual pilots, policies, navigation and regulations working in these areas.

Divakaran added that the agreement establishes a unique approach to integrated testing and data sharing that will not only ensure airspace safety, but also help accelerate development of U.S.-built aircraft, supporting infrastructure and regulatory policy needed for successful integration of AAM.

“This MOU is a big step for the future of AAM and provides industry and investors the confidence needed to accelerate forward,” Divakaran said. “This partnership validates why the DoD created the AFWERX Agility Prime program to focus on AAM and dual-use technology.”

In July, the FAA released an implementation plan detailing the steps it and others will need to take to safely enable advanced air mobility operations in the near term. The “Innovate28”, or I28, plan includes various components and the sequence they will follow for operations to reach scale at one or more sites by 2028.

FAA officials added the partnership with AFWERX and the MOU supports the I28 initial entry into service objectives and future phases as defined in the FAA Urban Air Mobility Concept of Operations.

Source: United States Air Force

SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFNS) —  

The New Jersey Air National Guard’s 119th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron arrived in U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility with an additional F-16 Fighting Falcon squadron, bolstering U.S. posture to deter further aggression in the region.

The Atlantic City-based fighters, also known as the “Jersey Devils,” now aligned under 9th Air Force, provide flexible options to coalition leaders directing air operations throughout the Middle East, including contingency response capabilities and deterrence missions, while maintaining Operation Inherent Resolve’s “Defeat-ISIS” mission.

“We are fortunate to have the 119th EFS join us in U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Alexus G. Grynkewich, 9th AF and Combined Forces Air Component Command commander. “Air National Guard Airmen bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our mission in the Middle East. The arrival of these Airmen strengthens our ability to support our allied, coalition and regional partners as we work together to enhance regional stability and security.”

As a highly maneuverable and agile platform, the F-16’s capabilities ensure U.S. and coalition forces can establish air superiority in contested airspace with its proven record in air-to-air combat and air-to-ground attack.

Ninth Air Force currently operates three F-16 squadrons, two A-10 Thunderbolt II squadrons, and one F-15E Strike Eagle squadron alongside several strategic airlift, aerial refueling, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms.  

Imagery of operations and activities within the 9AF area of responsibility is publicly available through the Defense Visual Information Distribution Service here.

Source: United States Air Force

MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. (AFNS) —  

 Large-scale military exercises across all branches focus heavily on integration with allies and partners as a cornerstone of the National Defense and National Security strategies. While seamless execution of this integration can pose a challenge when differences in language and culture are present, the Air Force Culture and Language Center offers a solution to overcome those barriers — the Language Enabled Airman Program.

A recent article in defense trade publication highlighted the cultural and language challenges U.S. Air Force leaders faced during exercise Northern Edge 2. U.S. Air Force pilots worked with their Japanese and French pilot counterparts during this exercise to demonstrate the concept of agile combat employment, which relies on working with allies and partners in the region for success. Exercise leaders emphasized the need to overcome language barriers before they could effectively accomplish the mission.

While focus is often placed on the tactical process of working side by side with ally and partner nations, many military leaders now recognize the critical importance of having cultural and language understanding along with technical expertise for true integration.

“The Department of the Air Force seeks to strengthen international relationships and work with our partners to build shared air and space capabilities and capacity, but we can’t stay connected and continue to strengthen relationships with our allies and partners if we don’t understand them,” Brig. Gen. William Freeman, Air War College commandant, said during a recent Facebook live event. “We need Airmen with language, regional expertise and culture skills to accomplish this.”

That’s where LEAP comes in. The program serves as a force multiplier throughout the Department of Defense with a bench of more than 3,400 multi-capable, language-enabled Airmen who have proficiencies in language, regional expertise and culture across 97 strategic languages.

LEAP scholars are ready to deploy, at a moment’s notice, with the language, culture and technical skills needed in diverse environments to strengthen strategic connections with partners and allies and enable agile combat employment, or ACE.

“Language, regional expertise and culture skills are an enabler of ACE because it’s the only path to the type of integration that produces dominance in operational tempo when we’re working with our partners and allies,” said Howard Ward AFCLC director. “To defeat the strategy of our adversaries, our operational output as a team must be greater than the sum of the parts. LREC skills, in the hands of a force integrated by design with partners and allies, are required to produce that level of winning capability.”

Recently, LEAP scholars have supported several large-scale missions in the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command region across all branches of service to help advance a “free and open Indo-Pacific,” as instructed in the Department of Defense Indo-Pacific Strategy.

Gen. Mike Minihan, commander of Air Mobility Command, utilized LEAP scholars to enhance understanding and integration with partners and allies during the command’s largest-ever full-spectrum readiness exercise, Mobility Guardian 23.

“Mobility Guardian 23 focused heavily on enabling ACE with our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific, which cannot happen if we don’t understand each other. Having LEAP scholars in the mix during the exercise helped us take integration and understanding to a new level to lay the groundwork for a fortified, integrated and agile joint team ready to fight and win against our adversaries,” he said.

Cope North is another large-scale annual exercise held in the Indo-Pacific region where LEAP scholars played a key role in facilitating partnership building for the Air Force. Cope North 23 was a multilateral field training exercise focused on integration of large-force employment, ACE and humanitarian and disaster relief training. During this event, two Japanese LEAP scholars worked alongside Air Force airfield experts to facilitate an exchange of skills with the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and Royal Australian Air Force partners.

“Having support from language-enabled Airmen for this event is invaluable and vital for mission success. Cope North is historically the number one or two highest priorities in Pacific Air Forces out of roughly 47 annual exercises, and the linguist support enabled the Air Force and Royal Australian Air Force to further interoperability with our Japan Air Self-Defense Force allies,” Cope North lead planner Lt. Col. David Overstreet said.

During Kamandag 6, a large-scale Marine Corps exercise held in the Philippines, LEAP scholars provided critical culture and language support along with their technical expertise from their career fields to completely transform the way servicemembers connected by bridging language and cultural gaps to strengthen the strategic bond between the two nations.

Brig. Gen. Jimmy Larida, Philippine Marine Corps, 3rd Marine Brigade, commanding general, emphasized the positive impact LEAP scholar support had on this exercise.

 “In the 34 times that I have performed exercises with the U.S. Marine Corps, this is the first time that they’ve attached [LEAP] linguists — linguists who are truly one of us. And it has made a huge difference. My Marines trust them, and my Marines are drawn to them. This needs to happen, every single time from here on out,” he said.

 Marine Corps Col. Thomas Siverts, commander, 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit/Marine Rotational Force-Southeast Asia, also highlighted the critical importance of LEAP support to the success of Kamandag 6.

 “The LEAP team enabled us to quickly establish trust with the 3rd Marine Brigade, and they facilitated an exceptional environment where both forces could learn from each other using our native languages,” he said. “The result was a great exercise that developed relationships, trust and interoperability at an unmatched pace. I will never do another bi-lateral exercise without requesting the language and cultural expertise that LEAP was able to provide.”

All DOD and intergovernmental agencies can utilize LEAP scholars for interpretation and translation support in exercises, conferences and other missions. To request LEAP scholar support, visit the Air Force Culture and Language Center website and select the Training Partnership Request option in the sidebar menu.

Source: United States Air Force

BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. (AFNS) —  

The decision to raise your right hand and take the Oath of Office can feel like a huge leap of faith. This was the case for U.S. Air Force Capt. Donsha Watkins, 9th Reconnaissance Wing chaplain, who pondered this decision for many years.

Many new recruits are affected by family. According to a survey from Joint Advertising, Market Research & Studies, 86% of recruits have a family member who served in the Armed Forces. In Watkins’ case, both of her sisters served, one in the U.S. Army and one in the U.S. Marine Corps.

During the time that Watkins debated whether to join the service, she received some perspective from her older sister.

“When my sister first came in, there were not a lot of military chaplains that were women, especially not women of color,” Watkins said. “Sometimes you want to talk to a chaplain that you can relate to. When you don’t have that option, it can be difficult.”

Understanding the need for diversity gave Watkins the inspiration she needed to make the jump and join the Air Force Reserve as part of the Individual Mobilization Augmentee program. The IMA program assigns reservists to active-component units, and allows them to create a custom duty schedule that helps meet mission requirements.

Despite some sisterly disputes over which military branch is better, Watkins said her family provided the utmost support, along with some important advice.

“They did talk to me about making sure that this is something that I really wanted to do because being a chaplain is a heavy task, especially when you are there to serve the men and women who serve this country,” Watkins said.

After joining, Watkins was pleasantly surprised by the level of diversity within the Air Force. Between all three bases where Watkins has been stationed, she has grown an immense appreciation for all uniformed members and their diverse backgrounds.

According to the 2021 Demographics Profile of the Military Community, 29.4% of Air/Space Force members identify with racial minority groups. Female Airmen/Guardians make up 21.3% of the force.

“Representation matters,” Watkins said. “We should see men and women of all races and ethnicities with different religions. My expectation [for the Air Force] is to keep increasing the diversity.”

After nearly four years of service, Watkins has realized how the possibilities provided by the Air Force have exceeded her expectations. Through the IMA program, she has been able to spend her summers serving at Beale while maintaining a teaching job in the civilian world.

After experiencing all the benefits that the Air Force has provided her, both personal and professional, Watkins now reflects on the years she spent deciding on her military future.

“There were so many opportunities that I didn’t know about when I first considered joining,” Watkins said. “Maybe I would have joined earlier. At first, I wanted to join just because it was a family thing, but now I realize that this has changed my life in a lot of ways.”

Watkins describes her experience as a chaplain as “transformational,” while she remains authentic to who she was before joining the Air Force.

Chaplain Watkins’ story exemplifies tailoring your Air Force career to your needs. Regardless of how one serves, there is no limit to how much impact one individual can have on the service members around them. The dedication of each Airman is a step toward a stronger, more inclusive and compassionate force.