Page 10 - Aerotech News and Review, April 16, 2021

Air Force Chief of Staff visits Edwards AFB

by Giancarlo Casem
Edwards AFB, Calif.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen.
Charles Q. Brown, Jr., and his wife,
Sharene Brown, visited Edwards Air
Force Base, Calif., March 30-April
1, 2021.
Brown met the Airmen, civilians
and family members of Team Ed-
wards and the 412th Test Wing.
The wing oversees base day-to-day
operations and provides support for
over 10,000 military, federal civilian
and contract personnel assigned to a
481-square mile installation.
The important test work done at
Edwards by the diverse team of Air-
men, civilians and contractors is truly
outstanding,” Brown said. “Edwards Air Force photograph by Joshua Miller
has a long history of breakthroughs Air Force photograph by Giancarelo Casem Mrs. Sharene Brown, wife of Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown,
and that continues to this day.” Airman Stephany Rayas-Calderon, 412th Comptroller Squadron, takes a Jr., rides a Spin scooter at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., April 1, 2021. The
As part of the Air Force Test Center “selfie” with Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr., during his visit scooters are the first off-grid, solar-powered scooter share program in the DOD
enterprise, the 412th Test Wing plans, to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., March 31, 2021. and was the result of the base’s SparkED Innovation program.
conducts, analyzes, and reports on all
flight and ground testing of aircraft, most at Edwards is the teamwork I see quality-of-life issues. She also par- teams have faced in the past year due “The role that the Wing and Test
weapons systems, software and com- here. In order to accelerate the change ticipated in the Month of the Military to the COVID-19 pandemic. From Center plays is an important one in
ponents as well as modeling and sim- we need in the Air Force, Team Ed- Child Proclamation signing at the scheduling challenges and social accelerating the change we need for
ulation for the U.S. Air Force. wards understands that no one can do Child Development Center. distancing safety protocols, Team the Air Force,” Brown said. “Before
Brown explained that during his this alone — breaking barriers in the During his visit, Brown met with Edwards were able to think outside we give our warfighters the tools to
time in service, he has personally seen test world is a team sport,” he said. Wing leadership and was briefed the box and accomplish the mission.
first-hand the technological advance- While Gen. Brown met with base on the ongoing test missions on the Brown explained that Test plays an fight our nation’s wars, we have to
ments that were tested at Edwards. leadership, Mrs. Brown met with base. Commanders and engineers integral role in his charge of “Accel- make sure they are tested and is the
“The thing that impresses me the Team Edwards spouses to discuss alike talked about the challenges their erate Change or Lose.” best capability we can provide them.”

412th Test Wing conducts weapon separation test for

Korean F-16 Update Program

Above: Crews prepare an F-16
assigned to the 416th Flight Test
Squadron for a bomb drop test sortie
at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Feb.
26, 2021. Left: An F-16 assigned to
the 416th Flight Test Squadron flies
into position over the Precision Impact
Range Area on Edwards Air Force Base,
Calif., Feb. 26, 2021. The successful
drop test was in support of the Korea
F-16 Update Program. The ROKAF
currently operates 133 KF-16C/D Block
50/52 fighter aircraft, all of which will
undergo extensive modernization and
upgrades as part of the comprehensive
improvement program. Lockheed
Martin was awarded a $1.2 billion
contract to retrofit the 133 KF-16s
and upgrade them to the advanced
F-16V configuration, which is the latest
technologically and most advanced
version of the fourth generation fighter
jet.

Air Force photographs by Ethan Wagner

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