Air Force Service Report

TFGON NEWSLETTER

USAF ANNOUNCEMENTS: FEBRUARY 2010

USAF General Officers:

RADM Jim Carey, Ed Meese and eight other members of TFGON had a wonderful time at this year’s Caribou Wallow. I highly encourage you to attend next year’s Wallow with your fellow TFGON friends. It was a fun evening.

I attended the CSAF Leadership Forum in January along with about 170 other retired flags. Unfortunately the Chief and Secretary were tied up with Secretary Gates that day, but our vice, General Howie Chandler, was a wonderful host who spent the entire day with us. Like our TFGON receptions, this event and the Stars and Bars Dinner after the Leadership Forum are wonderful opportunities to network and catch up with old friends.

Here are a few items I jotted down and found of interest that were briefed during the day:

• The AF currently has 35,000 folks deployed.
• We currently have 41 Remotely Piloted Vehicle (note new UAV term) CAPs in the AOR. Target is 50, with discussions for lots more.
• The AF is looking at a Light Mobility Aircraft (LiMA) IOC with 15 aircraft in FY12
• We are also looking at a Light Attack Armed Reconnaissance (LAAR) IOC with 15 aircraft in FY13
• 167,000 AF folks are supporting Combatant Commanders everyday
• Secretary Donnelly is engaged with the FAA on Sense and Avoid capabilities to hopefully one day have our RPVs fly in FAA airspace
• The AF is looking at a companion trainer for our RPV pilots
• It takes 7 hours of maintenance for each KC-135 flying hour
• The AF is starting to look at the T-38 advanced trainer replacement
• We are also starting to look at a Presidential aircraft replacement
• The AF is converting about 14,000 contractor positions to DoD civilians as part of the 33,000 DoD conversion

There was a lot of other information passed out and issues discussed, but due to the sensitivity of may of our discussion, I’ll just encourage you to attend next years forum if you missed this years.

Thanks,

Dan Dick
dandickconsulting@cox.net