March 2002 Vol. 85, No. 3
By Suzann Chapman
Bush Proposes Major Increase for
Defense
The Fiscal 2003 defense budget unveiled Feb. 4 calls for a
$48 billion boost over last year, with a sustained five-year increase
of $120 billion.
President Bush called it the largest increase since the 1980s.
He announced his intention during the State of the Union address
Jan. 29, saying, "While the price of freedom and security
is high, it is never too high. Whatever it costs to defend our
country, we will pay."
Bush stated that it cost more than a billion dollars a month
to fund operations in Afghanistan. He added, "Afghanistan
proved that expensive precision weapons defeat the enemy and spare
innocent lives, and we need more of them."
He also said that the US military must replace aging aircraft
and become more agile.
"Our men and women in uniform deserve the best weapons,
the best equipment, the best training, and they also deserve another
pay raise," the President emphasized.
Bush has asked for a 4.1 percent increase in military pay for
Fiscal 2003.
Other details of the budget proposal will appear in the April
issue.
Iraq Continues to Engage Coalition
Aircraft
After almost two months of relative quiet, Iraq again began
firing on coalition aircraft enforcing United Nations resolutions
in the no-fly zones. In a late January attack, Iraqi forces directed
gunfire and radar targeting on coalition aircraft patrolling the
no-fly zone over southern Iraq.
In retaliation, US fighter airplanes dropped precision guided
munitions on Iraqi anti-aircraft artillery and missile sites on
Jan. 21, 23, and 24.
Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff, told reporters that it was basically what Iraq had been
doing for some time in both the southern and northern no-fly zones.
"Sometimes it's triple-A and sometimes it's missiles,"
he said. "Any time we can ascertain where it's coming from,
we'll react to those threats to our patrolling aircraft."
Bin Laden Network Is Still Most
Serious Threat
CIA chief George J. Tenet told a Congressional committee Feb.
5 that Osama bin Laden and his al Qaeda network still pose "the
most immediate and serious threat" to the US.
Despite the progress in Afghanistan, where some al Qaeda leaders
have been killed, bin Laden's terrorist network has not been destroyed.
"Al Qaeda leaders still at large are working to reconstitute
the organization and to resume its terrorist operations,"
Tenet emphasized to the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.
He said newly discovered documents from al Qaeda facilities
in Afghanistan "show that bin Laden was pursuing a sophisticated
biological weapons research program."
In addition, Tenet said, intelligence pointing to bin Laden's
efforts to acquire or develop a nuclear device revealed that "al
Qaeda may be pursuing a radioactive dispersal device--what some
call a 'dirty bomb.'"
The coalition war on terrorism has crippled the terrorist network
by choking off funds and arresting nearly 1,000 al Qaeda members.
"The group has been denied its safe haven and strategic command
center in Afghanistan," stated Tenet. "We are uncovering
terrorists' plans and breaking up their cells."
However, he said that al Qaeda may have cells or infrastructure
in more than 60 nations.
Tenet said bin Laden underestimated the US, believing it would
not invade his sanctuary. The US must not underestimate bin Laden,
he added.
"I must repeat that al Qaeda has not yet been destroyed,"
Tenet cautioned the Senators. "It and other like-minded groups
remain willing and able to strike us."
"We must be prepared for a long war, and we must not falter,"
he maintained.
Jumper Looks to New Task Force
Approach
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper plans to create
several new task forces to handle counterterrorism and other missions.
Jumper revealed his concept during an interview with Inside
the Pentagon and Inside the Air Force on Jan. 29.
The first new task force Jumper plans to create is a Global
Response Task Force. It would probably include strike aircraft
on alert at deployed locations to respond to events as they emerge
and could go beyond a regional commander's boundary to deal with
terrorist situations.
Another task force would feature command, control, intelligence,
reconnaissance, and surveillance assets--essential to any operation.
The Air Force is still developing the concept and plans possibly
up to 10 task forces, including one for humanitarian relief operations.
Jumper said he also intends to marry the concept to weapons
development and acquisition.
Rumsfeld: Now Is Time to
Transform
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld believes that now-in the
midst of "a difficult and dangerous war on terrorism"-is
exactly the time to transform the US military.
"The impetus and urgency added by the events of September
11th powerfully make the case for action," Rumsfeld told
an audience at the National Defense University at Ft. McNair,
D.C.
He said that every day the Pentagon faces "urgent near-term
requirements that create pressure to push the future off the
table. ... Our challenge is to make certain that, as time passes
and the shock of what befell us that day wears off, we do not
simply go back to doing things the way we did them before."
The challenges of the new century are not as predictable as
those of the Cold War, stated the defense chief.
"An ability to adapt will be critical in a world where
surprise and uncertainty are the defining characteristics of
the new security environment," he said.
As the events of Sept. 11 emphasized, the challenge is "to
prepare to defend our nation against the unknown, the uncertain,
the unseen, and the unexpected," added Rumsfeld.
"And, let there be no doubt: In the years ahead, it is
likely that we will be surprised again-by new adversaries-who
may also strike in unexpected ways," he cautioned. "And
as they gain access to weapons of increasing power, these attacks
could grow vastly more deadly than those we suffered September
11th."
Potential adversaries know that "challenging our armed
forces head-on is foolhardy," he said, "so, they will
challenge the US asymmetrically, looking for vulnerabilities
and building capabilities to exploit them.
"Our job is to close off as many of those avenues of
potential attack as possible," said Rumsfeld.
DOD must prepare for new forms of terrorism, attacks on US
space assets, cyber-attacks, cruise missiles, ballistic missiles,
and nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. At the same time,
he said, the Pentagon must build up its areas of advantage-the
ability to project military power, precision strike weapons,
and space, intelligence, and undersea warfare capabilities.
Transformation is not just about developing new capabilities;
it includes rethinking and rebalancing existing forces and capabilities,
stated Rumsfeld. For example, the Pentagon must add more low-density,
high-demand assets, which he explained is a euphemism that in
plain English means "our priorities were wrong and we didn't
buy enough of the things we now find we need."
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Teets Announces Two New Positions
for Space
The Pentagon's new top space leader, Peter B. Teets, took his
first official steps toward a new look for space Feb. 7 when he
announced creation of two new offices.
The offices are a Deputy for Military Space and a Directorate
of National Security Space Integration.
Teets, whose official title is undersecretary of the Air Force
and director of the National Reconnaissance Office, was just confirmed
last December. He has the lead for the entire military space program
since Defense Secretary Rumsfeld named the Air Force as executive
agent for space.
Teets declined to name the individual who would be the military
space deputy, saying, though, that he had "in mind an extremely
qualified and competent individual." He did say the person
would be a civilian.
For the NSSI position, Teets named Maj. Gen. (sel.) Michael
A. Hamel.
Questioned about why he needed a deputy for military space,
Teets replied that he needed two individuals who could focus on
day-to-day operations, leaving him free to focus on the big picture.
"Frankly I'm doing this in an effort to allocate time
better," said Teets. "I find I'm pretty busy these days,
and I would like to have time to reflect on the overall issue
of national security space."
Teets explained that he already has an NRO deputy director,
Dennis Fitzgerald, to help oversee daily operations for the "large
constellation of vitally important national security assets in
space right now."
It is important, he said, to have a similar role for military
space. And what that individual will be doing "frankly, [is]
fighting acquisition fires."
ANG Wants Troop Increase
Air National Guard officials are working with the Air Force
to get a boost in the Guard's end strength. The number they would
like to see is an additional 6,400--raising the level to 113,000.
The reason for the increase, the Guard's deputy director, Brig.
Gen. David Brubaker, told Inside the Air Force, is the
Guard's operations since Sept. 11.
USAF's Long-Haul Task Force is reviewing the situation. (See
"Airpower for the Long Haul," p. 54.)
The Guard has carried the brunt of duty for Combat Air Patrols
over US cities, taxing both aircrews and maintenance personnel.
It has also called up 5,000 Guardsmen to serve as security forces.
Although no funds for additional personnel are included in
the Fiscal 2003 budget request, officials said funds could be
added to either the Fiscal 2004 request or as a supplemental to
Fiscal 2002.
Jammer Could Cost $82 Billion
The Air Force and Navy study into a replacement for the aging
EA-6B Prowler, currently DOD's sole tactical electronic jamming
aircraft, identified 27 options. The costs range from $21 billion
to $82 billion.
USAF has been sharing jammer crews with the Navy and Marine
Corps using Prowler aircraft. The Air Force retired the last of
its EF-111 Raven electronic warfare aircraft in 1998.
As noted here last month, one option the Air Force had been
considering was whether to pursue a replacement of its own.
The results of the joint study, a copy of which was obtained
by Defense News, do not appear to preclude that option.
Among the solutions under consideration is buying a fleet of business
jets at a cost of $26 billion. Another approach would be to equip
a force of Navy F/A-18s and USAF B-52s and F-22s with jammers--the
$82 billion approach.
Pentagon officials briefed members of Congress in mid-January
on the report. More work, though, is to be done by an oversight
group, according to Defense News, that will brief Pentagon
acquisition head Edward C. Aldridge early this summer.
Ramsey Clark and Friends Bring Suit on Behalf of al Qaeda
Prisoners
Amid the uproar created when a London newspaper labeled the
treatment of Taliban and al Qaeda detainees brought to Guantanamo
Bay as "torture," a group of academics, clergy, and
lawyers filed a lawsuit to have the detainees tried in civil
court.
The group is led by longtime US foreign policy critic Ramsey
Clark, who served as US attorney general from 1967 to 1969 under
President Johnson.
Their petition, which was filed in Los Angeles Jan. 19, charges
that the captives are being held in violation of the Geneva Convention
and the US Constitution. It demands that they be brought to court
and the charges against them defined.
At a preliminary hearing Jan. 22, a federal judge said he
had "grave doubts" about his jurisdiction in the matter
but set a Feb. 14 hearing to consider it further.
There are about 200 Taliban and al Qaeda detainees at the
US Naval Station at Guantanamo Bay (called Gitmo), Cuba. They
are being held in a portion of the naval facility now known as
Camp X-ray.
US officials have maintained from the beginning that the captives
are not Prisoners of War and thus not entitled to be governed
by the convention's rules on POWs.
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld told reporters traveling
with him to Gitmo on Jan. 28, "There is no ambiguity in
this case." He emphasized, "They are not POWs."
Despite that, senior Administration officials have noted on
several occasions that the captives' treatment has been humane
and appropriate under convention rules.
In early February, though, President Bush decided that convention
status would apply to Taliban detainees but not al Qaeda. The
reason: Afghanistan is a party to the convention treaty, but
al Qaeda is an international terrorist group not a party to the
treaty.
He did not change his stand on the POW issue. Thus the detainees
may still be subject to military tribunals and will continue
to be questioned.
"These are bad people," said Vice President Dick
Cheney on CNN in late January. "They may well have information
about future terrorist attacks against the United States. We
need that information."
"These are the worst of a very bad lot," Cheney
told Fox News Jan. 27. "They are very dangerous. They are
devoted to killing millions of Americans, innocent Americans,
if they can, and they are perfectly prepared to die in the effort."
Part of the cries of "torture" and "inhumane
treatment" stemmed from a photograph released by US forces.
It showed a captive hooded and shackled and on his knees.
Asked about that in midJanuary, Rumsfeld replied, "When
they are being moved from place to place, will they be restrained
in a way so that they are less likely to be able to kill an American
soldier? You bet. Is it inhumane to do that? No. Would it be
stupid to do anything less? Yes."
Nonetheless, the furor created by claims of inhumane treatment
prompted visits by the International Red Cross, British officials,
and US Senators.
The result was positive by all accounts, with just a few recommendations
from the Red Cross, such as keeping only one detainee per eight-by-eight-foot
cage.
Comments from some of the US Senators who visited Camp X-ray:
Sen. Daniel Inouye (DHawaii): "I assure you they
ate better and continue to eat better than what they ate in Afghanistan."
Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (RTex.): "The medical
care is the same as the men and women of the military who serve
on the base."
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (DCalif.): "If I were faced
with lockdown in San Quentin or Folsom, ... I would rather be
in Guantanamo Bay."
Laying aside the hysterical and groundless claims of mistreatment,
the primary issue for Clark's group is the order President Bush
issued last November that gives him the option to try the detainees
by military tribunal.
Clark and friends are adamantly opposed to that option. And
they want immediate prosecution, preferably in a civil court.
If that were to happen, US officials would lose any hope of further
interrogation.
Clark has long espoused the "underdog." For instance,
among his more recent endeavors, he has been helping former Yugoslav
President Slobodan Milosevic, who is being tried for war crimes.
In the 1990s when he was protesting the US role in the Persian
Gulf-saving Kuwait and Saudi Arabia from takeover by Iraq-Clark
called the senior Bush's Administration "an imperial Presidency
as unrestrained as any military dictatorship that ever lived."
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CIA Cites Rise in Terrorist CBRN
Weapons Capabilities
According to a new CIA report, the likelihood of a terrorist
attack using Chemical, Biological, Radiological, or Nuclear weapons
has grown since the Sept. 11 attacks here in the US.
"Several of the 30 designated foreign terrorist organizations
and other nonstate actors worldwide have expressed interest in
CBRN," states the report, which was made public Jan. 30.
However, it added that terrorists "probably will continue
to favor proven conventional tactics such as bombings and shootings."
The report also outlined Osama bin Laden's pursuit of CBRN
materials and his interest in staging unconventional attacks.
The report stated that a senior bin Laden associate on trial
in Egypt in 1999 claimed his group had chemical and biological
weapons.
That claim has gained credence with more recent discoveries
in Afghanistan that have "confirmed our worst fears,"
as President Bush said in the State of the Union address.
"We have found diagrams of American nuclear power plants
and public water facilities, detailed instructions for making
chemical weapons, surveillance maps of American cities, and thorough
descriptions of landmarks in America and throughout the world,"
stated Bush.
US Supports Stricter WMD Controls
The Bush Administration urged the international community,
through the Conference on Disarmament, to approve tighter restrictions
on the spread of chemical, biological, and nuclear weapons.
"Almost every state that actively sponsors terror is known
to be seeking Weapons of Mass Destruction and the missiles to
deliver them at longer and longer ranges," stated John Bolton,
undersecretary of state for arms control and international security,
before the 66-nation conference in Geneva on Jan. 24.
"Their hope is to blackmail the civilized world into abandoning
the war on terror," he emphasized.
Bolton urged the conference to focus on the new threats--terrorists
and their drive to gain mass destruction weapons. He said the
conference must reinforce the international inspection system
and forge additional restraints against the spread of mass weapons.
He specifically cited Iraq and North Korea for their violations
of the nonproliferation treaty. He said the US believes, with
few exceptions, that terrorists need the support of nation states
to gain WMD.
"The September 11th terrorist attacks ... taught [the
US] not to underestimate the intentions and capabilities of rogue
states and terrorist groups," Bolton stated.
Pentagon Seeks New Homeland
Defense Command
Defense chief Donald Rumsfeld plans to ask President Bush
and Congress for approval to create a new unified command to
handle the homeland security mission.
The proposal apparently has the support of the Joint Chiefs
of Staff, although details have yet to be worked out. The command
would have a new four-star flag officer.
As first reported by Inside the Pentagon, it would draw some
of the capabilities from existing unified commands and the USCanadian
North American Aerospace Defense Command. For instance, it would
take over direction of USAF jets patrolling over US cities, Navy
ships providing coastal security, and national guard troops securing
airports and borders.
Initially, according to the Washington Post, the military
chiefs argued for assigning the mission to one of two commands
already headquartered in the States-NORAD, in Colorado Springs,
Colo., or Joint Forces Command, in Norfolk, Va.
The Commander in Chief of NORAD is already dual-hatted as
the CINC of US Space Command. The Commander in Chief of JFCOM
not only has the full responsibility for developing new ways
the services can fight together and the training to go with it
but is also dual-hatted as head of NATO's North Atlantic Region.
Rumsfeld decided that adding new responsibilities to either
of those CINCs would be too burdensome.
Already one Senator put in a bid to house the new command
at Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri. Sen. Christopher S. Bond (RMo.)
introduced a bill Jan. 29 to create the new unified command with
a four-star CINC as head and an Army National Guard or Air National
Guard officer as deputy CINC.
At least one Democrat from Missouri, Rep. Ike Skelton, wants
more details before he buys into the plan.
As for a name for the new command, Rumsfeld appears to be
leaning toward US Northern Command, reports ITP. The name would
reflect its area of responsibility, the continental US, Canada,
and Mexico, much as Southern Command covers Latin America and
the Caribbean.
All of this is contained in a forthcoming revision to the
Unified Command Plan.
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FB-22: Short Road to a Speedy
Medium Bomber
The F-22, USAF's stealthy new air superiority fighter, is not
yet operational, but it could be just what the Pentagon is looking
for in a new bomber.
DOD acquisition chief Aldridge, reports Defense Daily International,
believes a medium bomber version of the F-22 could provide a relatively
quick solution for development of a high speed strike aircraft
that could carry a sufficient load to take out highly mobile targets.
The so-called FB-22 would fill a void confirmed by recent operations
in Afghanistan.
Air Force Secretary James G. Roche said last year that the
service needs a stealthy, supersonic bomber for mobile targets.
One reason the F-22 would make an ideal basis for a new bomber
is it has performance to spare. To produce an FB-22, the basic
F-22 would need airframe modifications for a larger weapons payload
and greater fuel capacity.
Even at that an FB-22 would have greater speed than the B-1B,
the fastest US bomber.
Although Defense Secretary Rumsfeld and other DOD officials
reportedly are still considering an offer to reopen the B-2 bomber
line, Aldridge and Roche have said that's not the answer.
They maintain the B-2 is too slow and too expensive for this
mission.
USAFE Commander Targets ISR
The US does not have enough Intelligence, Reconnaissance, and
Surveillance assets. And many ISR resources available today are
not interoperable, limiting their usefulness.
That message came from Gen. Gregory S. Martin, US Air Forces
in Europe commander.
Martin, speaking at an air and space power seminar on Capitol
Hill in early January, called the nation's current ISR situation
"woefully short" of requirements.
He said US ISR capabilities outstrip those of other countries,
but they still cannot support the needs of US regional commanders.
It Is Not About Being an Ugly American
Some seven years ago, a top Air Force female fighter pilot
stood up and said the rule forcing US servicewomen in Saudi Arabia
to wear the black head-to-toe garment, known as an abaya, is
wrong. That rule was changed Jan. 22 by the Commander in Chief
of Central Command.
The rub is that it was not entirely eliminated.
The abaya rule was instituted in the early 1990s, when US
forces were invited into Saudi Arabia to battle Iraq. Pentagon
officials have offered at least two reasons for its adoption.
One is that it protects American personnel, and the other is
that it was done out of respect for Islamic law and Saudi custom.
In issuing a new order, Army Gen. Tommy R. Franks sent an
e-mail to commanders in the theater. They were to revise policies
to indicate that "wear of the abaya in the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia is not mandatory but is strongly encouraged and to remove
any requirement to wear civilian clothing to cover the uniform."
The old rule forced US military women to wear the abaya, which
covers everything except the eyes, hands, and feet and is worn
by Saudi women as part of their Islamic religion. The American
women had to wear the garment whenever they were away from their
US military facility.
It was supposedly not a rule required by the Saudis, yet recent
public pronouncements by Saudi officials would indicate otherwise.
In fact, the rule was not applied to US State Department female
personnel. They, like other foreign women, were simply told to
wear conservative clothing.
When Lt. Col. Martha McSally was assigned to Saudi Arabia,
she had to leave the US facility on occasion for official business.
Then a major, McSally flew some 100 hours patrolling the no-fly
zone over Iraq in an A-10 aircraft.
For nearly six years she tried to get the rule changed through
official channels. When that failed to generate any interest,
McSally finally took her case to the public early last year.
She talked with news media and with Congressmen. Five Republican
Senators sent a letter in midyear asking Defense Secretary Donald
Rumsfeld to review the policy.
Late last year McSally filed a lawsuit against the Defense
Department. A Central Command spokesman said that the lawsuit
did not influence the recent rule change because the policy was
already under review.
An attorney with the Rutherford Institute, a religious freedom
group that is aiding McSally with the suit, said the policy change
doesn't go far enough. "What it says to us is that it has
not been rescinded," he said.
In fact, the Washington Times reports that US commanders in
Saudi Arabia are interpreting Franks's order as saying the rule
is no longer set down by CENTCOM but is instead their decision
to make.
McSally's lawsuit has not been withdrawn.
Although some Americans have referred to McSally's grievance
as an "ugly American" issue, logically it cannot be
when only one segment of US female personnel is targeted.
This was an issue about a supposed ally trying to enforce,
directly or indirectly, its own religious practices upon US military
personnel, simply because they are female- second-class citizens
in Saudi minds-and because they were wearing a US military uniform.
US military personnel were invited to Saudi Arabia and without
their presence Saddam Hussein would no doubt be sitting in Riyadh.
Some Saudi officials are now saying the abaya religious custom
applies to all foreign women within Saudi Arabia not just US
female military personnel.
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Canada Joins JSF Program
Defense acquisition leaders for the US and Canada signed a
Memorandum of Understanding Feb. 7 for the Joint Strike Fighter
program.
Canada will provide $150 million over the next 10 years for
the system development and demonstration phase of the program.
The MOU also partners Canadian industry with US and British
industries on the program, said a Pentagon statement.
The United Kingdom signed the first JSF memorandum last year.
Canada has not decided which of the three JSF variants they
will need. It currently flies the CF-18 and plans to keep them
through 2017.
The USAF variant is a conventional takeoff and landing fighter
designed to replace the F-16 and A-10 aircraft. The US Navy is
purchasing a carrier-based variant to complement the F/A-18E/F
and replace earlier versions of the F/A-18 and an aircraft that
has already retired, the A-6. The US Marine Corps has requested
a Short Takeoff and Vertical Landing aircraft to replace the AV-8B
and F/A-18.
The British Royal Navy and Royal Air Force plan to purchase
the STOVL variant.
USAF Bumps Recruit Goal Again
Air Force officials announced in February the need to increase
the Fiscal 2002 enlisted recruiting goal by an additional 833--all
destined for security forces positions.
This marks the second recruiting increase for this fiscal year.
The new goal is 37,283.
The original goal was 36,000, but officials raised the bar
by 450 last October.
Air Force personnel officials said Fiscal 2002 was already
on the road to be the best on record.
"We know our recruiting force will rise to the challenge,"
said Brig. Gen. Duane W. Deal, commander of Air Force Recruiting
Service.
All 28 recruiting squadrons worldwide met their contract goals
in January--the best shipping record for January in 25 years,
stated officials.
Bush Signs 2002 Defense Appropriations
Measure
President Bush traveled to the Pentagon to sign the Fiscal
2002 defense appropriations act, which allocates $317.2 billion
in defense spending and another $20.1 billion as an emergency
supplemental.
At the Jan. 10 signing, Bush stated that the bill provides
nearly $30 billion more than in Fiscal 2001.
It includes an average 6.9 percent increase for military pay,
as well as increases in Operations and Maintenance, Research and
Development, and other areas. The amounts and increases include:
- O&M--$105.1 billion, an increase of $8.2 billion over
2001.
- R&D--$49 billion, $7.6 billion over 2001.
- Procurement--$60.9 billion, $1.7 billion over 2001.
- Defense health program--$18.4 billion, $6.1 billion over
2001.
The R&D increase also includes about $8 billion for missile
defense programs.
The health care increase includes funding for the Tricare for
Life program established last year for military retirees and family
members who are 65 and older and eligible for Medicare.
USAF Considers More C-17s
The Air Force could include an option for more than the 60
additional C-17s airlifters authorized by Congress in the Fiscal
2002 defense bill when it cuts its deal with Boeing next month,
according to Inside the Air Force.
The service may not decide on a final number of aircraft for
at least a couple of years Col. Thomas Owen told IAF.
USAF's decision on how many additional C-17s it needs hinges
to a large degree on the re-engining and reliability upgrade program
for C-5s. If that works well, the service might need fewer C-17s.
Currently C-5Bs and one C-5A will get the upgrades. At issue
is whether it makes sense to do more A models. Congress stipulated
in the 2002 bill that at least one C-5A was to be re-fitted.
US Rocket Programs Need Help
Both Boeing and Lockheed Martin are asking for government funds
to bolster their space booster programs.
National security officials, reported the Wall Street Journal,
believe the help is warranted.
In the 1990s the Air Force developed a joint government-industry
strategy to produce two new launch systems--the Boeing Delta IV
and Lockheed Martin Atlas V--that would provide more reliable
and lower cost launches. Both new boosters are set to launch their
first government payloads this fiscal year.
The problem is that each new launch vehicle will likely need
years to demonstrate reliability and require continuing investment
for quality-control and engineering improvements.
Under USAF's original strategy for the evolved expendable launch
vehicle program, commercial launches would provide much of the
capital for those ongoing improvements.
That strategy is on shaky ground because of the significant
downturn in commercial satellite launches.
Details of an aid package would have to be worked out, but
the goal, officials say, would be to keep each rocket program
healthy.
Pilot Is Killed in A-10 Crash
Two USAF A-10 aircraft collided Jan. 17 about 18.5 miles east
of Douglas, Ariz. One pilot was killed and the other ejected successfully.
Lt. Col. Lance A. Donnelly, an A-10 pilot with the 355th Fighter
Squadron at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., was killed.
The other pilot, Capt. Patrick Boland, was treated for minor
injuries.
The two single-seat A-10 fighters and one other, not involved
in the accident, were on a training mission near the New Mexico
and Mexico borders.
USAF officials said a board of officers appointed by Air Combat
Command are investigating the accident.
C-21 Crash Kills Two
Capt. Brian D. Rizzoli and 1st Lt. William B. Satterly were
killed when a C-21, a small transport jet, crashed Feb. 2 near
Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
The two were the only occupants of the aircraft, which is a
military version of the Learjet 35A.
Witnesses said the airplane was taking off from Ellsworth when
it turned, slowed, and went upside down before hitting the ground,
according to the Dayton Daily News.
The two airmen and the aircraft belonged to the 47th Airlift
Flight at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio.
Air Force officials said the cause of the crash is under investigation.
"It's Time To
Get Serious"
While some international leaders have decried President Bush
for going too far in his comments about Iran, Iraq, and North
Korea-labeling them the "axis of evil"-in his State
of the Union address, National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice
said his remarks were a call to our allies "to do what all
of us must do."
Speaking on Fox News on Feb. 3, Rice said these three countries
pose a serious threat and "it's time to get serious about
it."
"You don't get anywhere by pulling punches about the
nature of regimes like the Iraqi regime or the North Korean regime,"
she emphasized. "It's not as if anybody really believes
that these are good regimes that are just engaging in a little
bad policy."
Rice went on to explain that in the war on terrorism "speaking
plainly is the way to rally people, not the other way around."
These countries "are a clear and present threat to us
and to all of the responsible and civilized world," she
said. "The Iranians who spread and support terror around
the world, the North Koreans who proliferate these weapons [of
mass destruction], the Iraqis who make a region of great importance
to us unstable, clearly are a clear and present threat to America,
America's interests, and America's allies."
Rice also noted that the focus on these three countries is
not a change in US policy. She said they have been on notice
for some time, adding that Bush's words were "a call to
the international community, to our friends and our allies, to
do what all of us must do in terms of nonproliferation, in terms
of cutting off the vehicles for these regimes to get these weapons."
"I would say to everyone, 'Let's step back here,' and
instead of worrying so much about what the President said on
Tuesday night [Jan. 29], let's put equal energy into working
to make sure that these regimes don't get these weapons of mass
destruction," declared Rice.
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USAF Lifts Some Stop-Loss
Restrictions
Air Force personnel officials announced that an exit plan for
the current Stop-Loss program would free some personnel in 24
officer and 40 enlisted career fields to retire or leave the service
beginning this month.
Officials decided to release some specialties based on a 90-day
review of the program. Stop-Loss measures were instituted Oct.
2 to ensure the service could retain the right personnel to conduct
Operations Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle.
In announcing the decision, USAF Chief of Staff Jumper said,
"Because this is a very dynamic situation, we will continue
to review the Stop-Loss program every 60 days, and if world events
change significantly, we will re-evaluate Stop-Loss decisions
immediately."
Officials said that a number of factors went into the decision
as to which career fields to release. One major factor was the
balance between active and reserve forces, and another was the
evolving mission of homeland defense.
"Clearly, we still need experienced people, and we want
all active duty, Reserve, Air National Guard, and civilians to
considerremaining in the Air Force to help our nation wage the
war against terrorism," said Jumper.
Local personnel flights have information about the specific
career fields released from Stop-Loss.
Public Supports Higher
Defense Spending
A Gallup poll conducted days before the President's State
of the Union address showed that more than half (58 percent)
of Americans said they supported giving defense spending a dominant
place in the budget. Just 38 percent favored other programs.
After the speech, the support for increased defense spending
soared to 76 percent, according to a Los Angeles Times poll conducted
Jan. 31Feb. 3. The support for spending on homeland defense
was even higher-84 percent.
What is perhaps even more remarkable is that more than half
of all Americans would support the increase even at the risk
of having to cut back on spending for domestic programs.
However, both polls revealed differences when viewed along
party lines. In the LAT poll, seven in 10 Democrats approved
of higher military spending, but the level of support dropped
to only 36 percent if domestic programs had to face cutbacks.
In the Gallup poll, which was conducted Jan. 2527, nearly
80 percent of Republicans said military spending is most important.
That compares to less than half of Independents and Democrats.
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Dutch Award Flying Cross to
USAF Pilot
US Air Force Maj. William Thomas received the Flying Cross
from Dutch Minister of Defense Frank de Grave at a ceremony at
The Hague, Netherlands, on Jan. 23.
It is the first time the medal has been awarded since World
War II.
Thomas was assigned as an exchange pilot with the Netherlands
air force during Operation Allied Force. During a mission on June
7, 1999, Thomas flew his F-16 into an anti-aircraft artillery
zone and dispensed flares to draw artillery barrages toward his
aircraft when he realized his flight lead, Dutch Maj. Marcel Duivelsteijn,
had been temporarily blinded by the plume from a surface-to-air
missile and was in trouble.
The ploy worked and both pilots escaped.
Thomas is currently the weapons and tactics chief with the
52nd Operations Support Squadron at Spangdahlem AB, Germany.
Troops to Teachers Gets
Boost
The Troops to Teachers program got a big boost from the Fiscal
2002 federal budget--$18 million.
In addition, said DOD officials, the Fiscal 2002 defense budget
opened the program to service members who separate from the military
after six years or more of service. Previously, the program had
only been open to those personnel who retired from military service.
The program will pay service members up to a $5,000 stipend
to help defray the costs of completing a teacher certification
program.
Some participants, said officials, would receive a $10,000
bonus in lieu of the stipend if they accept a job in a "high
needs" school district. A high needs district is defined
as one in which 50 percent of the students come from low-income
families.
Troops who take advantage of the program must teach for at
least three years. Additional information about the program is
available at local Air Force base education offices.
F-16s Get Identical Cockpits
Air Force Materiel Command announced Jan. 24 completion of
the first retrofit of an F-16 Block 50 fighter aircraft in the
Common Configuration Implementation Program.
Over the next 10 years, all USAF Block 40 and Block 50 F-16s
will receive the modification--giving them identical cockpits
and improving their communications capabilities.
"This is the biggest electrical modification ever performed
on the F-16," said Rick Merrill, F-16 CCIP production chief.
And, it's going smoother than expected, with all work either on
or ahead of schedule, he added.
Technicians at AFMC's Ogden Air Logistics Center at Hill AFB,
Utah, work around the clock in three shifts, said Merrill. The
technicians went through nearly a year of classroom and hands-on
training to prepare for the work.
USAF is sending entire squadrons of F-16s to Hill for the retrofit.
That, said Merrill, makes it important to work smarter and faster.
"Daily, technicians are finding ways to reduce flow time,"
he noted.
For the pilots, having identical cockpits in all F-16s will
mean they will only need to learn one configuration--a significant
boon to training.
Milstar Launch Completes
Worldwide Coverage
USAF officials announced the successful launch of a Milstar
II communications satellite via a Titan IVB booster Jan. 15 from
Cape Canaveral AFS, Fla., and successful deployment about 6.5
hours later on Jan. 16.
The deployment, officials said, means the Milstar constellation
will be able to provide worldwide, secure jam-resistant communications
for warfighters.
This satellite, they said, should be fully operational some
time next month after undergoing on-orbit testing.
To ensure the safety of the launch, the Air Force had ANG F-15s
from the 125th Fighter Wing at Jacksonville, Fla., fly Combat
Air Patrol missions over the Cape for several days before and
during the launch. There was also enhanced ground security.
USAF provided the same type of security for the shuttle launch
last December. "The Air Force will take all reasonable measures
to protect America's national space assets and missions,"
said Maj. Mike Rein, with the 45th Space Wing at Patrick AFB,
Fla.
"And we plan on doing it for all future launches as well,"
he added.
VA Educational Payments Rise
Veterans Affairs announced that monthly educational reimbursement
payments under the Montgomery GI Bill will rise over the next
two years.
For full-time students, the rate has increased from $672 to
$800 per month. This fall it will jump again, to $900, and in
October 2003 will rise to $985.
Additionally, VA educational payments will extend to high-technology
courses not necessarily provided at traditional two- and four-year
colleges. Veterans may receive a lump sum for certain expensive
courses such as those leading to certification of computer network
professionals.
VA will cover up to 60 percent of the cost of such high-tech
courses beginning in October.
Guard and Reserve Get
More Re-employment Protection
The Secretary of the Air Force James Roche issued a determination
that reservists who voluntarily return to active duty to support
Operations Enduring Freedom and Noble Eagle will be eligible
for the broadest application of re-employment rights.
By law, those rights are normally only extended to reservists
who are involuntarily called to active duty.
USAF officials announced in late January that Roche had decided
to include volunteers for broader protection under the law.
However, they cautioned, not every Air National Guard or Air
Force Reserve Command individual on active duty will get the
exemption. For example, those already performing annual tours
or on active duty for training would not qualify.
Basically the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment
Rights Act of 1994 provides re-employment rights for a cumulative
period of up to five years of active duty service away from a
civilian employer, said Col. Ray Knapp, a personnel reserve advisor
at the Pentagon.
"When you are involuntarily recalled, the [five-year]
clock stops ticking," he said. "It does not automatically
stop for those who volunteer for duty, even during a national
emergency."
The individual service Secretaries may declare an exemption
to the clock for some volunteers for periods of active duty during
a war or national emergency declared by the President or Congress,
Knapp stated.
"It's limited to those who are ordered to active duty,
or retained on active duty beyond their stated separation date
due to Stop-Loss, in direct or indirect support of the national
emergency," he said.
Those who were already on an Active Guard and Reserve tour
before the national emergency was declared will not automatically
be covered, even if their duties now relate to the current national
emergency, explained Knapp.
To address all the individual situations at the lowest level,
the Air Force has directed that the orders-issuing official,
usually the unit commander, be the determining authority. "They
will be the stewards of this benefit," Knapp said.
"However, there may be situations where the Secretary
of the Air Force will make the determination," he added.
Knapp also noted that the difference regarding nonvolunteer
and volunteer status in the law was basically designed with the
employer in mind.
"It's a two-way street," he said. "When reservists
enter onto military duty even for short periods of time, it places
an additional burden on the member's civilian employer and coworkers
who must either hire extra people or pick up the workload to
fill the void."
Under normal peacetime conditions, stated Knapp, the law limits
how much time volunteers can be away from their civilian employers.
In unusual times, there is the exemption rule.
ANG and AFRC personnel eligible for the exemption will have
a specific statement on their active duty orders, said officials.
For those who received orders before the Secretary's determination,
the statement will appear on their separation orders.
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BAS Changes for Enlisted/Officer
For enlisted personnel, the Basic Allowance for Subsistence
changed to an entitlement, just as it has been for officers.
The current monthly BAS rate for enlisted members is $241.50.
The new year also brought a BAS change for officers. The Pentagon
lifted the old one percent growth cap on officer BAS.
Now BAS will increase by the same percentage for officer and
enlisted members. It increases each January, based on the annual
percentage increase of US Agriculture Department food costs.
Another change for enlisted members is that those in pay grades
E-1 through E-6 who are assigned to single-type government quarters
are entitled to BAS and may also receive essential station messing.
That means those personnel will be charged the discount meal rate
for all meals made available by a government dining facility,
said officials.
The result is that they will be getting a slightly greater
amount than when they were receiving partial-rate BAS.
CAF Becomes "Commemorative
Air Force"
The members of the Confederate Air Force voted to change the
name of the volunteer, nonprofit World War II heritage organization
to the Commemorative Air Force-retaining the group's acronym
identification.
The CAF dates its origin to 1951, when Lloyd Nolen purchased
a surplus Curtiss P-40 Warhawk. Several World War IIvintage
aircraft were purchased over the next few years, including a
P-51. Someone painted Confederate Air Force on that P-51's fuselage
as a joke, but the name stuck when the group was officially chartered
in Texas in 1961.
Since then the membership has grown to more than 10,000 in
27 states and four foreign countries. About two years ago, the
group started discussing a new name because an overwhelming number
of members felt it did not really reflect the primary objectives
of the organization, CAF officials said.
Among the 1,000 names proposed were Ghost Squadron, Heritage
Air Force, and Heritage Flying Museum. The name Ghost Squadron
received the second highest number of votes.
Over the years the CAF has purchased more than 140 World War
II military aircraft-60 different types. If they are not in flying
condition, the CAF restores them.
CAF members take a number of the aircraft out for US air shows
each year, performing before an estimated 10 million people.
In addition to preserving military history through its vintage
aircraft, the CAF began to collect World War II artifacts and
built its first museum building in 1965. In 1989 the American
Airpower Heritage Museum was set up as a separate non-profit
organization. The museum's oral history program has collected
more than 2,000 taped interviews of firsthand accounts of World
War II veterans.
In 1991 the CAF and its museum moved from south Texas, where
they had been for 34 years, to Midland, Tex.
|
Pavement Is Not All the Same
Before any USAF pilot touched down on an "unknown"
airfield in Southwest and Central Asia, the pavement engineers
were there to ensure it could handle the load.
A pavement evaluation team from the Air Force Civil Engineer
Support Agency at Tyndall AFB, Fla., was sent to check out potential
airfields for use during Enduring Freedom. USAF said they arrived
Oct. 21 and were still there in late January.
The team determines pavement thickness and the strength of
underlying soil, then analyzes the gross allowable load for each
of USAF's 14 classes of aircraft.
"What the airfield operator needs to know is, 'Can 5,000
C-17s take off at full weight at this location, and will I still
have a viable airfield at the end of that?'" said Capt. Anthony
Davit, chief of the pavement evaluation section.
The team has been conducting pavement evaluations in 10 countries
in the region.
"Most airfields can support a few passes of an aircraft,"
said Davitt. It's the team's job to determine any limitations
that may be necessary for longer-term operations.
Davitt said they quickly realized that evaluating Soviet-built
airfields would pose unique problems because of differences in
Western and Soviet construction techniques.
He said the Soviets used reinforcing steel and put it down
in slabs, unlike most European and American airfields. "That
presents different challenges, assumptions, things to look for."
Pilot Braves Icy Water to
Save Child and Dog
Maj. Timothy Baldwin, an Air Force Reserve Command C-141 and
Delta airlines pilot, rescued nine-year-old Ashlee Ball and her
dog from an icy pond Dec. 27 in Bright, Ind.
Ball had gone out onto the thin ice of the pond in her family's
backyard to try to save her dog, which had fallen through into
the freezing water, and fell through herself.
Baldwin was driving by and stopped along with other motorists.
He was the first to jump in.
Both the girl, after treatment at a hospital in Cincinnati,
and her dog recovered.
Baldwin flies with the 445th Airlift Wing at Wright-Patterson
AFB, Ohio.
FDA OKs Anthrax Vaccine Facility
The US Food and Drug Administration announced Jan. 31 its final
approval for BioPort, the Michigan-based anthrax vaccine producer
and the sole supplier in the US, to begin routine distribution
of licensed vaccine from its renovated facility.
Beginning in December 1999, the Pentagon sharply curtailed
its program to vaccinate all US military personnel when BioPort
failed to pass FDA inspections of its facility. DOD officials
worried that they would run out of the vaccine, so they began
inoculating only those in the most high-risk areas.
DOD began working with BioPort to get the program back on line.
With the FDA announcement, Pentagon officials said they were
reviewing all factors relating to future use of the vaccine. They
expected to make an announcement about its policy soon.
ESC Speeds E-mail for AWACS
An Electronic Systems Command office went into high gear after
the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to add e-mail capability to the
portion of the Airborne Warning and Control System E-3 fleet working
homeland defense.
ESC officials announced in mid-January that the AWACS program
office at Hanscom AFB, Mass., was able to deliver six units nearly
a year ahead of their planned schedule.
The systems, produced by Rockwell Collins, allow the transfer
of secure data between the AWACS command center located at Tinker
AFB, Okla., and the E-3s via e-mail rather than voice.
"Having the message in writing really reduces the likelihood
of error," said 2nd Lt. Bill Hargrove, the program office's
high frequency e-mail program manager.
The six units include two portable ground station kits, which
have a laptop computer and a high frequency radio, and four airborne
kits. The airborne kits consist of a customized laptop computer
and printer the size of a large briefcase.
It provides high-speed data transfer, air-to-air and air-to-ground
connectivity, and can be used for either classified or unclassified
transmissions.
The AWACS unit, the 552nd Air Control Wing at Tinker, began
using the new units in early January. The wing had been using
two test kits immediately after Sept. 11. Those were sent to support
Enduring Freedom over Afghanistan when that operation started.
Program officials said they plan to purchase 32 airborne kits,
one for each E-3 in the fleet, plus spares.
Eventually the system will work without ground kits. The airborne
units will connect directly to the secure Internet network known
as SIPRNET, at 14 fixed ground stations worldwide.
Any aircraft with a high frequency radio and an automatic link
establishment capability could potentially use this system, said
Hargrove.
Medal of Honor Recipient
"Red" Erwin Dies
MSgt. Henry Eugene "Red" Erwin Sr., a World War
II B-29 radio operator, died Jan. 16 at age 80.
In April 1945 Erwin, as a staff sergeant, was radio operator
aboard a B-29 on a low-level attack on a chemical plant at Koriyama,
Japan. One of his additional duties was to drop a phosphorus
smoke bomb through a chute in the B-29's floor when the lead
bomber reached the assembly area over Japan.
He pulled the pin and released the bomb into the chute, but
the fuse malfunctioned, igniting the phosphorus-burning at a
temperature of 1,300 degrees. The canister blew back up the chute
into Erwin's face, blinding him and searing off his nose. The
heavy smoke obscured the pilot's instrument panel.
Erwin knew the bomb would burn through the metal floor into
the bomb bay and the crew and aircraft would be lost. Though
completely blinded, he located the burning bomb on the floor,
picked it up, and stumbled forward. He reached the cockpit and
threw the bomb out the copilot's window but was by then a walking
torch.
As the smoke cleared, the pilot pulled the bomber out of a
dive at 300 feet above the water and turned toward Iwo Jima,
the nearest location to get medical treatment for Erwin.
At Iwo, the medics did not think the young radio operator
could survive. Army Air Forces officials cut through red tape
to get a Medal of Honor approved within hours so they could present
it to him while he was still living.
They presented the MOH to Erwin, but he surprised them all
by surviving.
After 30 months and numerous reconstructive surgeries in the
States, Erwin regained his eyesight and the use of one arm. He
received a disability discharge at the rank of master sergeant.
The Air Force honored Erwin again in 1995 by creating the
Henry E. Erwin Outstanding Enlisted Aircrew Member of the Year
Award.
AAF Commanding General Henry H. "Hap" Arnold wrote
to Erwin while he was at Iwo Jima: "I regard your act as
one of the bravest in the records of this war."
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Two-War Ace Gabreski Dies
Retired Col. Francis S. "Gabby" Gabreski died of
an apparent heart attack Jan. 31 at Huntington Hospital on Long
Island, N.Y. He was 83.
Gabreski was a leading Army Air Forces ace in World War II,
with 28 aerial victories. He was set to return to the States
after completing 193 missions, had his bags packed, but wangled
just one more mission. His airplane was damaged and he had to
belly-in. He eluded the Germans for five days but was finally
captured and remained a prisoner of war for eight months, until
the war ended.
His aerial victories didn't end there. Gabreski racked up
another 6.5 victories in the Korean War. He was one of only seven
USAF pilots who were aces in both World War II and Korea.
Gabreski went on to command several tactical and air defense
wings. He was enshrined in the National Aviation Hall of Fame
and was a president of the Air Force Association's Iron Gate
Chapter in New York.
|
Ace Watson Dies
Retired Col. Ralph J. "Doc" Watson, 85, died at
his home at Hilton Head, S.C., Dec. 14. Watson earned five aerial
victories during World War II in the European and North African
theaters.
After the war, he helped establish air bases in Turkey and
went on to fly supersonic and experimental airplanes. He was
featured in a film "Fighter Ace: The True Aces." He
also served as president and chairman of the board of the American
Fighter Aces Association.
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Former Academy Superintendent Dies
Retired Lt. Gen. Paul E. Stein died Jan. 10 at his home in
Basye, Va., after a 14-month struggle with Lou Gehrig's disease.
He was 57.
Stein had last served as the superintendent of the Air Force
Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. He graduated from the academy
in 1966. Among his assignments, he served as commander of Keesler
Technical Training Center and chief of staff at Tactical Air
Command.
|
News Notes
- On Jan. 25, the Missile Defense Agency, formerly the Ballistic
Missile Defense Organization, and the Navy successfully flight-tested
a developmental Standard Missile 3, part of the Sea-Based Midcourse
program. This was the fourth in nine planned developmental test
flights. Though not part of the test, the kinetic warhead did
impact the target.
- A 22nd Airlift Squadron C-5 crew from Travis AFB, Calif.,
faced an unusual challenge when it loaded and transported a bottom-mapping
twin hull Navy boat to support Operation Enduring Freedom. The
one-of-a-kind boat was designed to be hauled by the C-5, but
it had only been test loaded once and never flown, stated loadmaster
SrA. Michael Turner. Loadmaster SSgt. Tracey Heller said there
was only about five inches of clearance on each side.
- USAF officials announced Jan. 17 their basing decision for
the first operational wing of F-22 Raptors--Langley AFB, Va.
The first F-22s are scheduled to arrive in September 2004.
- The US and Russia agreed in mid-January to set up several
working groups to discuss defense-related issues prior to President
Bush's planned visit to Moscow later this year. Russian Gen.
Col. Yuri Baluyevskiy said his country would like the groups
to reach a solid agreement on strategic nuclear weapons that
Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin could sign during Bush's
visit.
- Looking for a way to teach engineers how to test and evaluate
electronic warfare systems--a discipline not found in engineering
schools--the 412th Test Wing's Electronic Warfare Directorate
set up a new program, called Electronic Warfare Test and Evaluation
University, at Edwards AFB, Calif.
- L-3 Communications announced Jan. 29 that its Link Simulation
and Training division received a $26 million contract to build
two full mission trainers and four weapon tactics trainers for
the F-22 program. They are to be delivered to Tyndall AFB, Fla.
in February 2003.
- On Jan. 30 officials at Ramstein AB, Germany, celebrated
the opening of the base's new passenger terminal--three times
the size of the old facility. Ramstein is slated to be the European
theater airlift hub as Rhein-Main AB continues toward closure
in 2005. The new terminal, which took three years to build, is
expected to be operational this month.
- Congress approved, in the Fiscal 2002 defense authorization
act, a Pentagon plan to create a deputy undersecretary of defense
for personnel and readiness. In exchange DOD must eliminate an
assistant secretary position, probably the assistant secretary
of defense for force management position held by Charles S. Abell,
reported Defense News. Abell would then become the new
deputy undersecretary.
- AFRC opened a new C-141 schoolhouse Jan. 7 at Wright-Patterson
AFB, Ohio. It is a one-of-a kind facility since the active force
schoolhouse closed last year. Only AFRC and ANG units now fly
C-141s, the last of which are slated for retirement in 2006.
- In mid-January, the Marine Corps brought out the first of
its new camouflage uniforms. The pattern is so new, the Corps
has actually applied for patents. The colors are basically similar
to those in use now by the Air Force, Army, and Marines, but
the pattern is a collection of tiny squares, like pixels in a
computer photograph. Other changes include shoulder pockets,
pockets for knee and elbow pads, and easy-care fabric. They'll
be phased in by 2006.
- The Air Force Research Laboratory announced in January an
award to Northrop Grumman of a $22.9 million contract to develop
technologies for long-range precision engagement of moving surface
threats. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is serving
as agent for the Affordable Moving Surface Target Engagement
program. The contract is scheduled for completion in November.
- NATO is sending two more Airborne Warning and Control aircraft
to the US. It already has five AWACS, operating out of Tinker
AFB, Okla., assisting with US Combat Air Patrols.
- An armed F-15C fighter on its way to perform a CAP over Washington,
D.C., skidded and burst into flames Jan. 17 when its front landing
gear collapsed during takeoff at Langley. The pilot was able
to exit the aircraft without injury. The flames went out quickly,
and the weapons were removed without incident. The pilot and
aircraft were from the 60th Fighter Squadron at Eglin AFB, Fla.
- Lt. Gen. Paul V. Hester assumed command of Air Force Special
Operations Command, headquartered at Hurlburt Field, Fla., Jan.
16.
- Minnesota ANG C-130s transported members of the Minnesota
Guard's 55th Civil Support Team to Minot, N.D., Jan. 18 to help
with a train derailment and accompanying spill of anhydrous ammonia,
a chemical used in fertilizer. The CST received its federal certification
last November. Its area includes Minnesota, part of North Dakota,
South Dakota, and Wisconsin.
- Fire department and hazardous material team personnel from
the 5th Civil Engineer Squadron at Minot AFB also responded to
the train derailment as the ammonia fumes spread over the city
of Minot. Base medical personnel set up an urgent treatment center
and treated several local residents suffering from exposure to
the fumes.
- India successfully test fired a nuclear-capable missile,
the Agni, Jan. 25 from its eastern coast. A few days later it
test fired a naval version of a short-range surface-to-air missile
from its western coast.
- On Jan. 28, the Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
said there would be no war between India and Pakistan, saying
all issues would be resolved peacefully. Each nation had put
one million troops on standby. Even with that declaration, border
clashes continued.
- Northrop Grumman announced Jan. 18 that it now owns 100 percent
of Newport News Shipbuilding.
- USAF announced Jan. 14 that R. Russell Butts and Jacqueline
R. Henningsen received Defense Distinguished Civilian Service
Awards, the highest DOD award for civilians. Butts is a research
physicist with AFRL's directed energy directorate at Kirtland
AFB, N.M. Henningsen is the associate director of the Air Force's
modeling simulation and analysis office at the Pentagon.
- The Civil Air Patrol was part of the security force enlisted
for the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. CAP provided more
than 150 members for air and ground support. CAP members also
planned to assist with the Paralympics in Salt Lake City this
month
- A USAF RQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle supporting Enduring
Freedom crash-landed Jan. 25 while returning to its base in the
theater of operations. Officials said the crash was not the result
of hostile fire. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
- DOD notified Congress Jan. 28 that the Weapons of Mass Destruction-Civil
Support Teams from the Arkansas, California, Florida, Iowa, New
Mexico, Oklahoma, and Virginia National Guard are certified.
Congress has authorized a total of 32 teams. All 10 teams authorized
in Fiscal 1999 are certified. These seven new teams were part
of the 17 authorized in Fiscal 2000. Another five being formed
now, said officials, were authorized in Fiscal 2001.
- F-22 Combined Test Force officials at Edwards AFB, Calif.,
certified the F-22 for hot pit refueling operations Jan. 25.
That means the Raptor can be refueled on the ground while the
engines are running--shortening the time needed for turnaround
during testing. Officials said hot refueling was not scheduled
until after April 2003, but they moved ahead to ensure they have
the ability to fly multiple sorties per test mission even if
air refueling support is unavailable because of real-world operations.
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