Page 2 - Aerotech News and Review, Oct 19 2018

Briefs
Tyndall Air Force Base sustains ‘cata- strophic’ damage
Tyndall Air Force Base suffered catastrophic damage when Hurricane Michael tore through the Florida Panhandle, ripping roofs off airplane hangars, tossing vehicles around a parking lot and leaving a fighter jet that had been on display flipped over on the ground.
The home to the nation’s 325th Fighter Wing “took a beating,” Col. Brian Laidlaw said in a let- ter posted Oct. 11 to the 3,600 men and women stationed at the base located 12 miles (19 kilome- ters) east of Panama City. The Air Force evacuated the base in advance of the storm’s arrival Oct. 10.
“I will not recall you and your families until we can guarantee your safety. At this time I can’t tell you how long that will take, but I’m on it,” Laidlaw wrote. “We need to restore basic utilities, clear our roads of trees and power lines, and assess the structural integrity of our buildings. I know that you are eager to return. I ask you to be patient and try to focus on taking care of your families and each other.”
The evacuations were ordered Oct. 8 and ev- eryone except the “ride-out” team left the base by the afternoon of Oct. 9. Michael was a strong Category 4 hurricane as it lashed the base, which is between Panama City and Mexico Beach.
On Oct. 10, Air Force officials conducted the first aerial assessment of the base and found exten- sive damage. A report posted on the base website said the flight line is devastated and every building on the base suffered severe damage, with many considered a complete loss. In addition, the Tyn- dall marina, the drone runway and Tyndall El- ementary School sustained severe damage.
Power and basic utilities have not been restored to the base.
Laidlaw said in the letter to staff that crews will need time to clear trees from roads and repair power lines before anyone returns.
Evacuees who took base transportation to Max- well Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ala., were restricted to one large luggage piece per family and one carry on per person. They were asked to make sure they had 72 hours’ worth of items. AP
Pentagon reveals cyber breach of travel records
The Pentagon says there has been a cyber breach of Defense Department travel records that compromised the personal information and credit card data of U.S. military and civilian personnel.
A U.S. official familiar with the matter says the breach could have affected as many as 30,000 workers, but that number may grow as the inves- tigation continues. The breach could have hap- pened some months ago but was only recently discovered.
The official says no classified information was compromised. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the breach is under investiga- tion.
The Pentagon says a department cyber team in- formed leaders about the breach on Oct. 4.
Lt. Col. Joseph Buccino, a Pentagon spokes- man, said the department is still gathering infor- mation on the size and scope of the hack and who did it. AP
Israel grounds F-35 warplanes after U.S. crash
The Israeli military says it has grounded its fleet of F-35 warplanes after a similar aircraft crashed in the U.S.
The Israeli military said the U.S. has shared the findings of its investigation into the F-35 crash two weeks ago. But Israel’s air force chief, Maj. Gen. Amikam Norkin, wants to conduct additional tests on Israel’s F-35s.
The Israeli warplanes, purchased from the U.S., are a different model than the American one that crashed.
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Israel said Oct. 11 the testing will take several days, but the planes remain ready for operational action if needed.
Israel is among a small number of countries us- ing or developing the next-generation warplane. AP
Russia conducts massive exercise of its nuclear forces
The Russian military says it has conducted a massive test of the nation’s strategic nuclear forces involving multiple missile launches.
The Russian Defense Ministry said the Oct. 11 maneuvers featured launches of ballistic missiles by the navy’s nuclear submarines from the Barents Sea and the Sea of Okhotsk. As part of the drills, long-range bombers also fired cruise missiles, the ministry said, adding that all missiles hit their des- ignated practice targets.
It added that Russia’s early warning system suc- cessfully spotted and tracked all launches.
The Defense Ministry noted that the exercise of- fered a chance to test the chain of command from its main control room down to military units.
The drills are the latest in a series of Russian war games conducted amid spiraling tensions with the West. AP
Army says changes will help recruiting in 2019
Army officials say it will take time to over- come the recruiting challenges that caused them to miss their enlistment goal this year. But they say changes that include adding recruiters and beefing up marketing will enable them to get the recruits they need in 2019.
Gen. Mark Milley, Army chief of staff, says the recruiting shortfall was a warning light as the Pentagon works to build the service to 500,000 by 2024. The U.S. Army fell short of its recruiting goal of 76,500 by about 6,500 soldiers.
Army Secretary Mark Esper says recruiters are moving into 20 more cities, and the service is in- creasing recruiting resources. He says the Army will do better, but it will “take some time.”
Esper and Milley spoke to reporters Oct. 5 at an Army conference. AP
Taiwan holds military drill with Paraguay amid China tension
Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen hosted her Paraguayan counterpart Oct. 9 at a military ex- ercise in a sign of the island’s determination to withstand China’s diplomatic onslaught.
The joint land and air training exercise simu- lated an attempt by Chinese forces to attack a Tai- wanese air base in the north of the island.
China claims Taiwan as its own territory and has been whittling away at the self-governing island’s pool of diplomatic allies, leaving it now with just 17, including Paraguay.
Defense Ministry spokesman Chen Chong-chi said inviting Paraguayan President Mario Abdo Benitez to view the exercise alongside Tsai would “help strengthen the friendship between the two countries” and boost future civilian and military exchanges.
Taiwan and China separated amid civil war in 1949. Beijing has vowed to bring the island under its control by force if deemed necessary.
Last month, the United States recalled its en- voys to the Dominican Republic, El Salvador and Panama after decisions by those nations to cut ties with Taiwan in favor of diplomatic relations with China.
While Washington formally recognizes only China, it remains a close Taiwanese ally and main- tains a de facto embassy in the island’s capital, Taipei.
China cut off contacts with Tsai’s government shortly after her 2016 inauguration and has repeat- edly demanded that she endorse the “one-China” principle that designates Taiwan as a part of China.
Along with poaching diplomatic allies, China has blocked Taiwan’s participation in international meetings such as the World Health Assembly and has pressured multinational companies ranging from fashion brands to airlines to describe Taiwan as part of China.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has also sent war- ships, bombers and fighter planes on training mis- sions circling the island in an attempt to intimidate Tsai’s supporters. Xi has declared that the issue of bringing Taiwan under Chinese control cannot be postponed indefinitely and some analysts believe he is determined to accomplish that feat during his time in office. AP
China concerned about U.S. drill during Xi’s Philippine visit
China has raised concerns about a joint U.S.- Philippine military exercise that coincides with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the coun- try in November, a Philippine official said Oct 9.
Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said Chi- nese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua raised the concern in a meeting Monday with President Rodrigo Duterte, who assured the Chinese envoy that the Philippines would not take part in the military maneuvers.
“China of course expressed concern over a na- val, a military exercise that the United States will be conducting in the area at about the same time that the Chinese President will be in the Philip- pines,” Roque told a televised news conference.
Roque did not elaborate on what particular drill China was concerned about. Philippine military officials said they’re unaware of any U.S. military exercise with Filipino forces next month.
The Philippine government will ensure that nothing will mar Xi’s first visit to the country, which both sides agree will “further cement” their already-strong relations, Roque said.
The Department of Foreign Affairs in Manila “will do all that it can to make sure that President Xi’s visit will be fruitful and as productive as we would want it to be,” he said.
After taking office in 2016, Duterte worked to repair relations with China which had been dam- aged by the two countries’ territorial disputes in the South China Sea. He announced early in his presidency that he would end annual combat drills with the U.S. military in an effort not to offend China, but the drills have continued.
China has opposed American-led military exer- cises, especially in the disputed waters, accusing Washington of intervening in a purely Asian dis- pute. The U.S. has pressed on with the exercises and military patrols to promote freedom of navi- gation and overflight in the South China Sea. AP
Aircraft maker Airbus names Guillaume Faury as new CEO
A new chief executive has been named at Air- bus. The European aircraft maker’s board picked insider Guillaume Faury to replace CEO Tom Enders in April.
The 50-year-old Faury currently serves as presi- dent of Airbus’ commercial aircraft division. He was CEO of Airbus Helicopters from 2013 until February 2018.
Board Chairman Denis Ranque praised Faury’s “global outlook, extensive operational experience, strong personal values and straightforward leader- ship style” in a statement on Oct. 8.
Enders has been the CEO of Airbus since May 2012. The 59-year-old announced in December he planned to step down next year.
Airbus, which is based in Toulouse, France, dominates the commercial aircraft market along with rival Boeing. It delivered a record 718 aircraft in 2017 and employs 129,000 staff worldwide. AP
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