Jump to content

What's wrong with the Air Force?


Catbox

Recommended Posts

And if you don't do the correspondence piece?

It's only as retarded as you allow it (by playing along) to be.

New concept for SNCO PME is that the correspondence piece (Course 14) is complimentary, not redundant, with the in residence piece (SNCOA). So in theory there should be minimal overlap between the two courses because SNCOA should be building on Course 14, not regurgitating the same stuff. I can't speak to the reality, but that's the theory.

Because of this there's a requirement to have Course 14 done prior to attending SNCOA in residence, since in theory with the new construct you won't be fully qualified to attend SNCOA without having (the new) Course 14 complete.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

The AF weighs option of hiring contractors for the aggressor mission.

The U.S. Air Force fleet of planes and pilots is stretched so thin, the service is considering hiring private military corporations flying supersonic jets to train its fighter jocks in mock air combat.

The Air Force is being forced to consider such desperate measures because it doesn’t have enough fighter jets and trained aircrew to fly missions where they would simulate enemy warplanes—also called “red air” in military slang.

Due to budget cuts and investments in ultra-expensive gear, the Air Force was forced to disband one of its three so-called Aggressor squadrons that fly frontline jets like the Boeing F-15C Eagle and Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon that are painted in enemy colors and use enemy tactics.

The reason for the new initiative? Pure desperation, say more than a half-dozen senior Air Force officials. “The red air situation is a mess,” one senior Air Force told The Daily Beast. “There are Band-Aid fixes being applied to areas around the community, but it’s not enough.”

It’s a sign of the system-wide stress the Air Force is now under. Thirteen years of war, combined with unwise investments in underperforming stealth jets, has put the service in a bind. There just aren’t enough planes—or pilots—on hand to fulfill the Air Force’s many missions. “Demand for our services is way, way up. But we are meeting those demands today with the smallest Air Force in our history,” Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James told reporters Jan. 15. “And when you couple that smaller force against the backdrop of austere budgets, and with the huge demand, what we have is we have a total force that is under significant strain.”

As for outsourcing red air, not everyone is sold on the move—but most agree the Air Force has little choice. “The short answer is that contractor-provided red air is overpriced and underwhelming, but at the end of the day there isn’t much choice in utilizing it,” another senior Air Force official told The Daily Beast.

The Air Force is soliciting pricing information for how much it would cost for contractors to fly 180 training sorties over a two-week period later this year.

“Although this is a one-time trial, there is potential for this trial to grow into multiple requests per year or an annual contract for X number of weeks of support throughout the year,” reads an Air Force document posted on the government’s Federal Business Opportunities website.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seems like a good idea to me to partially solve the 11F mess. I'm not sure why contractor-flown red air has to be "underwhelming."

Agreed. My question, though, is how this would save money. Save 11F bodies to fill other billets, sure--but save money? I doubt it, at least not in anything less than a complete actuarial sense--and probably not even then....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Agreed. My question, though, is how this would save money. Save 11F bodies to fill other billets, sure--but save money? I doubt it, at least not in anything less than a complete actuarial sense--and probably not even then....

I think it would. Every mil that you flip over to a contractor means less base-support needed. Let the contractor handle dental plans, flight records, HR, etc. Not only are our long-term costs expensive, the AF's "overhead rate" is wildly expensive.

The real problem comes in the colors of money. We'll be asking ACC to pay up as part of their operations bill as opposed to having some of the costs hidden deep in the MilPers fund or base operating support costs. The funding levers just don't shift that easily, so likely ACC is eating it somewhere else.

*This conversation is a sign that I've been in the AF for way too long....

Edited by Dupe
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seems like a good idea to me to partially solve the 11F mess. I'm not sure why contractor-flown red air has to be "underwhelming."

I think the "underwhelming" part is that the best contractor-provided red air I'd going to be an A-4 with a few gee-whiz upgrades.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think the "underwhelming" part is that the best contractor-provided red air I'd going to be an A-4 with a few gee-whiz upgrades.

My impression of the article was that this was GOCO: Government-owned, contractor operated. A contractor would operate AF-owned F-16s over a two week period.

Here's what came out of ACC:

Head Quarters Air Combat Command desires a ROM to acquire commercial air services adversary air support training ("Red Air" or Dissimilar Aircraft Combat Training) from 4th generation fighter aircraft capable of Mach 1.0+ and equipped with: Radar, Radar Warning Receivers (RWR), and Electronic Attack (EA) systems.

Desired level of support:

- 10x8 support for a two week period (10 flying days) (180 sorties) at Nellis AFB

- 1.5 planned ASD sorties to support a 45 minute vulnerability window

- Ability to flex flying window to support AF requirements not to exceed a 12 hour daily flying window.

- All aircrew must have a minimum Secret clearance and current SSBI investigation

- Provide necessary personnel, transportation, maintenance support, and supplies

I don't see how industry would spin-up for a two week push, then spin down again. There needs to be the promise of on-going work.

Edited by Dupe
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I don't see how industry would spin-up for a two week push, then spin down again. There needs to be the promise of on-going work.

Been contracting for awhile, no way I would sign on for this, it will take just 4 weeks to get boots on the ground after 6 months just recruiting guys with the skill set to do this, plus who is going to spend the money for 2 weeks for pilots type cert. It has to be 2 years with year to year options. Since I don't wear stripes anymore you got to pay me big to sign on for this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm guessing a lot of commenters don't actually know what aggressors squadrons do, should do, and used to do. The red air aspect is only a small part of the overall job. Damn near anyone can fly red air to varying degrees of effectiveness. Aggressor squadrons are different for a reason.

  • Upvote 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm guessing a lot of commenters don't actually know what aggressors squadrons do, should do, and used to do. The red air aspect is only a small part of the overall job. Damn near anyone can fly red air to varying degrees of effectiveness. Aggressor squadrons are different for a reason.

Besides adding CGO & FGO numbers to support strats of WIC instructors, 422 dudes, and T-birds, I'm not sure I understand why aggressors must be military. Contracting out, creating more technician spots, or making GS positions all seem like valid ways to fill the aggressor need while mitigating the very real 11F manpower problem.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Know the threat, teach the threat, replicate the threat. That is the mission. There have been and still are Aggressors serving in TFI units in the 57th ATG.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...