US Air Force

[TT-1 Pinto]

Tempi duri in vista ....

 

 

USAF may be forced to restructure F-35, KC-46 and MQ-9 under sequestration ....

 

Fonte .... http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-may-be-forced-to-restructure-f-35-kc-46-and-mq-9-under-sequestration-382008/

 

 

Budget Cuts Would Reduce Flying Hours, F-35 Orders ....

 

Fonte .... http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/awx_02_06_2013_p0-545895.xml

[TT-1 Pinto]

Tagli .... a rischio anche la sorveglianza spaziale ....

 

.... dal "Daily Report" dell'AFA di questa mattina ....

 

 

Space Not Immune from Terrestrial Challenges ....

Air Force Space Command said it informed the service's budget executive that there would be significant cuts and reductions to the command's operations should budget sequestration take effect on March 1.

Among them, AFSPC is bracing for a reduction in some around-the-clock missile warning and space surveillance operations to eight hours per day, states the command's Feb. 8 release.

Gen. William Shelton, Air Force Space Command boss, called the current budget situation "unprecedented" in his 36 years of service.

"The foundational capabilities space and cyber bring to the defense of this nation must be protected," asserted Shelton.

In fact, not only protected, but enhanced to support the nation's new defense strategy, he added.

"Given the current budget environment, reductions are unavoidable," said Shelton. However, "space and cyber systems have less flexibility" to reduce operations tempo since most must "operate continuously" to accomplish their assigned missions, he noted.

Under the sequester, AFSPC would also have to reduce sustainment of "an older communications satellite constellation with significant, residual capability" by 75 percent; prioritize, curtail and/or cancel operational training exercises; and reduce professional military education and mission readiness training, states the release.

 

Anche Amy Butler, su "Ares", tratta l'argomento .... http://www.aviationweek.com/Blogs.aspx?plckBlogId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7&plckPostId=Blog:27ec4a53-dcc8-42d0-bd3a-01329aef79a7Post:c14f5acd-eafd-4f86-b6f4-cc589bb0de7f

 

C'è poi il commento invelenito del blogger Solomon .... http://snafu-solomon.blogspot.it/2013/02/i-called-jcs-liarsnow-im-saying-theyre.html

 

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La creazione di una nuova decorazione (destinata anche ai piloti dei "droni") .... sta scatenando polemiche ....

 

Dal "Daily Report" dell'AFA del 21 Febbraio 2013 ....

 

 

Pentagon Defends Precedence of New Medal ....

Pentagon officials justified the precedence of the new Distinguished Warfare Medal, which ranks above the Bronze Star Medal.

"We are not diminishing at all the importance of the Bronze Star—that remains an important award for our combat troops," explained Pentagon Press Secretary George Little in the Defense Department's Feb. 19 release.

DOD created the Distinguished Warfare Medal to recognize the combat achievements of personnel who aren't physically present on the battlefield, but whose actions have a direct effect on combat success.

An example is a remotely piloted aircraft operator stationed far from the battlefield who controls an RPA in the combat zone that drops a bomb to take out a target.

The new medal does not recognize valor, while Bronze Star awards may come with a Valor Device.

That's one reason DOD has received some pushback over the precedence of the new medal after announcing it on Feb. 13.

"We expect this award to be granted pretty rarely, and that factored in to the decision," said Little.

Military leaders agreed that service members at rear locations are "doing incredible things, and we wanted the ability to recognize them," added Juliet Beyler, DOD' acting personnel management director.

(AFPS report by Jim Garamone)

 

Anche qui .... http://4gwar.wordpress.com/2013/02/21/shako-new-medal-for-drone-pilots-and-cyber-warriors-sparks-controversry/

[TT-1 Pinto]

Una donna a capo dell'Accademia Aeronautica ....

 

.... dal "Daily Report" dell'AFA di questa mattina ....

 

 

Johnson Tapped to Lead Air Force Academy ....

 

President Obama nominated Maj. Gen. Michelle Johnson for promotion to the rank of lieutenant general and for assignment as the Air Force Academy's next superintendent, announced academy officials.

If the Senate confirms her nomination, Johnson would succeed Lt. Gen. Michael Gould, who has led the academy since June 2009.

Johnson has been serving as NATO's deputy chief of staff for operations and intelligence since July 2011.

Johnson is no stranger to the academy.

She is a 1981 distinguished graduate from the school and served there from July 1989 to May 1992 as an assistant professor of political science, instructor pilot, and associate air officer commanding, according to her biography.

She stands to become the first woman to lead the academy, states the academy's March 1 release.

 

 

 

[-{-Legolas-}-]

Wow.. istruttore su C-141 e KC-10, direi che conosca il mestiere di volare molto bene.

[TT-1 Pinto]

Wow.. istruttore su C-141 e KC-10, direi che conosca il mestiere di volare molto bene.

 

Infatti .... un'esperta di aerei da trasporto .... una volta tanto non un pilota da caccia ....

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E mò chi glielo va a dire che è vietato fumare ....

 

 

Six C-130 Hercules fly in formation over Yokota AB, Japan, during practice of large-formation airlift tactics and procedures, Feb. 21, 2013.

(Air Force photo by Capt. Raymond Geoffroy)

 

Fonte ....

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Tagli .... il team acrobatico "Thunderbirds" costretto a ridurre il numero delle esibizioni ....

 

Sequestration measures cancel Thunderbirds’ appearances past April 1 ....

 

In response to sequestration actions, the Air Force and Air Combat Command (ACC) officials have canceled aerial demonstration team performances to include the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds past 1 April.

 

Fonte .... http://www.nellis.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123338446

 

 

Maj. Curtis Dougherty, Thunderbird 4, Slot pilot, performs preflight checks prior to a training launch at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Jan. 15, 2013.

Thunderbirds operations mirror those of traditional F-16 operations at Air Force installations around the globe.

(U.S. Air Force photo/ Tech. Sgt. Manuel J. Martinez)

 

[TT-1 Pinto]

Interventi politici a proposito della decorazione introdotta recentemente ....

 

 

Lawmakers Seek to Change New Medal's Precedence ....

 

H.R. 833, a bill introduced in the House that would prohibit the Department of Defense from rating the new Distinguished Warfare Medal as equal to, or higher than, the Purple Heart, had more than 40 co-sponsors as of March 7, according to the Library of Congress' bill-tracking website.

Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.), a former marine, introduced the bill on Feb. 26, along with Rep. Tom Rooney (R-Fla.), an Army veteran, and Rep. Tim Murphy (R-Pa.), a Navy Reservist.

"Combat valor awards have a deep and significant meaning to those who serve in America's military," said Hunter in a release that same day.

He said while there's nothing wrong with a medal "that recognizes commendable actions" off the battlefield—as the DWM is meant to do—"it's absolutely necessary to ensure that combat valor awards are not diminished in any way."

The Pentagon introduced the DWM last month, saying it would rank in precedence above the Bronze Star Medal and sit directly below the Distinguished Flying Cross.

This drew criticism from some veterans' groups.

"If the Pentagon will not reconsider the decision to rank this medal above the Purple Heart, the House will take action," said Murphy.

(See also Rooney release.)

 

Fonte .... il "Daily Report" dell'AFA di questa mattina ....

[-{-Legolas-}-]

Effettivamente puó aver senso riconoscere particolari abilità,con una medaglia o con un nastro,ma mai come una Purple Hearth,non penso sia giusto.

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Il nuovo SecDef Hagel difende la medaglia .... ma la querelle continua ....

 

Dal "Daily Report" dell'AFA di questa mattina ....

 

 

 

Distinguished Warfare Medal Ranking to Stand ....

 

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.) that the new Distinguished Warfare Medal is appropriately ranked despite the protests from lawmakers and some veterans' groups, according to the senator.

"This is a disappointment," said Toomey in a March 11 release.

"While I fully support appropriate recognition of all military personnel whose extraordinary actions make a difference in combat operations, I am concerned about this decision and the new medal's ranking in DOD's order of precedence," he added.

The controversy stems from the fact that the DWM ranks higher than the Bronze Star and Purple Heart.

Toomey is not alone in his concern.

A bipartisan group of more than 20 senators sent a letter to Hagel on March 8 "urging him to preserve the precedence of combat decorations over a new medal honoring drone pilots and cyber warriors."

On the House side, a group led by Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) has introduced legislation that would prohibit the Pentagon from ranking the DWM equal to, or higher than the Purple heart.

 

[TT-1 Pinto]

Ripensamento ?

 

Dal "Daily Report" dell'AFA di questa mattina ....

 

 

 

New Medal's Precedence Under Review ....

 

In a seemingly rapid about-face, the Pentagon announced Tuesday that Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey will conduct a review of the US military's newly established Distinguished Warfare Medal to re-examine its order of precedence relative to other US military awards and commendations.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel "has asked that Chairman Dempsey lead this review and report back in 30 days," Pentagon Press Secretary George Little told reporters during a March 12 briefing.

As a result, "production of the medal has stopped" for the time being, said Little, noting that no service member had yet been nominated for it.

Hagel's directive came just days after he told Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), in response to the senator's inquiry, that the Pentagon had appropriately rated the DWM, which currently ranks above the Bronze Star Medal and Purple Heart in precedence, much to the dismay of some lawmakers and veterans' groups.

Hagel "believes that it's prudent to take into account those concerns and conduct this review," said Little.

 

(Little transcript)

(See also Toomey statement and Rooney statement.)

 

[TT-1 Pinto]

Effetti del "sequestro" ....

 

Dal "Daily Report" dell'AFA di questa mattina ....

 

 

Air Mobility Command Cancels 2013 Rodeo ....

 

Air Mobility Command this week cancelled this year's mobility air forces readiness competition—Rodeo 2013—that was slated to take place in July at JB Lewis-McChord, Wash., due to budget shortfalls.

"Given the fiscal uncertainty and current budget cuts, this was the right thing to do," said Gen. Paul Selva, AMC commander, in a March 13 release.

"This is an important and uniquely useful event for mobility air forces and our international partners.

We'll get back to holding Rodeo as soon as we can," he added.

This marks the first time since 2003 that AMC has cancelled the rodeo, states the release. AMC sponsors the rodeo to train and improve the skills of US and partner air forces' mobility airmen and build relationships.

More than 20 US teams and a dozen allied nations were set to participate in this year's competition in events testing the abilities of airlift and aerial refueling aircrews, maintainers, aerial porters, and aeromedical evacuation personnel, states the release.

 

 

F-16 Fighting Falcons of the Air Force's Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team fly in the six-ship Delta formation as they pass over the Las Vegas Motor Speedway at the start of the NASCAR Kobalt Tools 400 Race on March 10, 2013.

Enjoy the Thunderbirds while you can, as the budget sequester has forced the Air Force to cancel the team's 2013 flying season, effective April 1, 2013.

 

(Air Force photo by SSgt. Larry E. Reid Jr.)

[TT-1 Pinto]

Quella base in mezzo al deserto .... che per l'USAF non esiste ....

 

US Air Force accidently releases pic of Area 51 ....

 

Top spot from my US colleague Stephen Trimble here. On the face of it, the photo - very nice though it is - shows a Lockheed Martin F-22 flying over the Nevada desert on Exercise Red Flag.

 

Fonte .... http://www.flightglobal.com/blogs/aircraft-pictures/2013/03/us-air-force-accidently-releas.html

[fabio-22raptor]

Per dirla come dicevano i pinguini di madagascar: tu non hai visto niente ahahhahaha... la foto del raptor è stupenda, e si nota chiaramente quella grande e smisurata pista. ormai si sà che la base esiste... cosa si faccia esattamente resta un mistero. Ma fa parte della Nellis AFB come distretto territoriale??

Modificato 16 Marzo 2013 da fabio-22raptor

[TT-1 Pinto]

Ma fa parte della Nellis AFB come distretto territoriale??

 

Secondo Wikipedia ....

The Area 51 base lies within the United States Air Force's vast Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR), formerly called the Nellis Air Force Range (NAFR).

Although the facilities at the range are managed by the 99th Air Base Wing at Nellis Air Force Base, the Groom facility appears to be run as an adjunct of the Air Materiel Command Air Force Flight Test Center (AFFTC) at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert, around 186 miles (300 km) southwest of Groom, and as such the base is known as Air Force Flight Test Center (Detachment 3).^[3][4]

[TT-1 Pinto]

Nuovo imperativo .... Mangiate meglio ! ....

 

Dal "Daily Report" dell'AFA di questa mattina ....

 

 

 

You Are What You Eat ....

 

The Air Force has launched a pilot campaign called "Better Foods, Better Bodies" to motivate airmen and their families to eat healthier.

"We want airmen and their families to live long, healthy lives and we know a lot of that depends on what they put into their bodies," said Mary Balch of the Air Force Medical Operations Agency, who is directing the campaign, in a March 19 release.

The Air Force surgeon general's office and AFMOA's health promotion office are leading this effort, which is under way at three pilot locations before its potential rollout across the entire Air Force: JB Andrews, Md.; JBSA-Lackland, Tex.; and JB Langley-Eustis, Va.

From online tools and resources, like recipes, to posters and coupons, the campaign seeks to educate airmen and their families in making smarter food choices, such as eating more fruits and vegetables, states the release.

 

[TT-1 Pinto]

Altro imperativo .... Dimagrite ! .... altrimenti rischiate di perdere il posto ....

 

Dal "Daily Report" dell'AFA di questa mattina ....

 

Grand Forks Commander Relieved Due to Waistline ....

 

Air Mobility Command this week relieved Col. Tim Bush of command of the 319th Air Base Wing at Grand Forks AFB, N.D., due to his failure to meet the service's physical fitness standards, according to a command release.

"Bush was not relieved for alleged misconduct or wrongdoing," states the March 20 release that came out the same day as his dismissal from the post, which he had held since July 2011.

Instead, the reason was Bush's waist size, which exceeded "by inches" the Air Force's maximum-allowed girth of 39 inches for men, reported the Grand Forks Herald.

"I failed to meet the waist measurement component of the physical fitness standard," said Bush, 47, who stands six feet, one inch tall and weighs 227 pounds, according to the newspaper.

He added, "That's the only component I failed."

Maj. Gen. William Bender, US Air Force Expeditionary Center commander, took the action since he has administrative control of the wing, according to AMC's release.

Bender appointed Col. Christopher Mann, 319th ABW vice commander, as interim wing commander.

Bush, who was reportedly a "well-respected" leader, has requested retirement, according to the newspaper.

 

[TT-1 Pinto]

Dal "Daily Report" dell'AFA di questa mattina ....

 

April's Red Flag-Alaska Canceled .... http://www.airforcemag.com/DRArchive/Pages/2013/March%202013/March%2028%202013/April's-Red-Flag-Alaska-Canceled.aspx

 

Gli effetti del "sequestro" continuano dunque a farsi sentire .... e, come già segnalato, anche i programmi per il 2013 delle due pattuglie acrobatiche USA sono stati sottoposti a pesanti tagli ....

 

http://www.voanews.com/content/thunderbirds-blue-angels-flying-performance/1617400.html

[TT-1 Pinto]

Dal "Daily Report" dell'AFA di questa mattina ....

 

Sequestration Hits Air Force Museum .... http://www.airforcemag.com/DRArchive/Pages/2013/April%202013/April%2004%202013/Sequestration-Hits-Air-Force-Museum.aspx

 

 

Anche il grande museo dell'USAF, situato presso la Wright-Patterson AFB, soffre gli effetti del "sequestro" ....

 

http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/index.asp

 

 

 

[Scagnetti]

L'USAF mette a terra 17 squadriglie da combattimento per mancanza di fondi. Mi sembra a tutt'oggi l'effetto più clamoroso della sequestration.

 

The U.S. Air Force will begin grounding combat air squadrons Tuesday in response to forced spending cuts that have eliminated more than 44,000 flying hours through September....

 

...The Air Force’s budget for flying hours was reduced by $591 million for the remainder of fiscal 2013, making it impossible to keep all squadrons ready for combat,

 

Fossi a loro quei 591 milioni cercherei di trovarli in ogni modo, anche riducendo il procurement. Tra gli squadron interessati ve ne sono 1 di F-22, 4 di F-15E, 7 di F-16 (compresi i Thunderbirds), 3 di A-10 (di cui uno sciolto definitivamente), 2 di B-1B e 1 di B-52.

 

Altre 12 squadriglie saranno mantenute in condizione “basic mission capable”, un livello di prontezza inferiore.

 

Guardatevi il link per l'elenco completo di ciò che è a terra e ciò che è operativo in tutte le basi del mondo: sono molto meno i gruppi rimasti pienamente operativi rispetto a quelli messi a terra o con capacità ridotte.

Modificato 9 Aprile 2013 da Scagnetti

[-{-Legolas-}-]

Un sobrio elenco degli Squadron Combat Ready.

 

 

Anyway, here’s the detailed list of involved squadrons by airframes prepared by Air Force Times.

F-22

94th Fighter Squadron — Grounded April 9

27th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September

3rd Fighter Wing — Two squadrons combat mission ready through September

15th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

49th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

F-15 C/D

67th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September

44th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through July, then Combat mission ready through September

48th Fighter Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

F-15E

336th Fighter Squadron — Grounded April 9

335th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September

48th Fighter Wing — Two squadrons stand down April 9

391st Fighter Squadron — Stands down April 9

F-16 C/D

8th Fighter Wing — Two squadrons combat mission ready through September

77th Fighter Squadron — Stands down April 9

55th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September

79th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through July, then combat mission ready through September

555th Fighter Squadron — Stands down April 9

510th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September

13th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September

14th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September

51st Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

57th Wing — One squadron (Thunderbirds) stands down April 9

158th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

169th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

187th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

354th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

4th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable until redeployment

421st Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September

A-10C

75th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through July, then combat mission ready through September

51st Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

52nd Fighter Wing — Closing

442nd Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

917th Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

HH-60G

18th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

48th Fighter Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

B-1B

7th Bomb Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

2nd Bomb Wing — Two squadrons stand down April 9

B-2

509th Bomb Wing — Two squadrons combat mission ready through September

B-52

2nd Bomb Wing — One squadron stand down April 9

5th Bomb Wing — Two combat squadrons combat mission ready through September

E-3B/C/G

2nd Bomb Wing — Basic mission capable through September

18th Wing — One squadron basic mission capable through September

552nd Air Control Wing — One squadron basic mission capable through September

SE-4B

55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

EC-130H

55 Electronic Combat Group — One squadron combat mission ready through September

OC-135B

55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

RC-135S

55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

RC-135U

55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

RC-135V/W

55th Wing — One squadron basic mission capable through September

TC-135W

55th Wing (training) — One squadron basic mission capable through September

WC-135C/W

55th Wing. — One squadron combat mission ready through September

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/the-us-air-force-as-you-know-it-no-longer-exists-2013-4#ixzz2QBiMzQWX

[Fulco Ruffo]

Il quadro mi sembra un po confuso. Questo il budget per il FY 2014. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international-business/obamas-budget-avoids-big-cuts-in-us-military-spending/articleshow/19484581.cms

 

 

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/us-department-of-defense-unveils-fy2014-spending-plan-384525/

 

 

 

[TT-1 Pinto]

Un'altra vittima .... la "Weapons School" della Nellis AFB ....

 

Dal "Daily Report" dell'AFA di questa mattina ....

 

Weapons School is Another Sequester Casualty ....

 

Link .... http://www.airforcemag.com/DRArchive/Pages/2013/April%202013/April%2012%202013/Weapons-School-is-Another-Sequester-Casualty.aspx

 

USAF Weapons School .... http://www.nellis.af.mil/library/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=19837

 

 

[TT-1 Pinto]

Priorità alle ore di volo ....

 

Dal "Daily Report" dell'AFA di questa mattina ....

 

Prioritizing Flying Hours ....

 

Link .... http://www.airforcemag.com/DRArchive/Pages/2013/April%202013/April%2015%202013/Prioritizing-Flying-Hours.aspx