On April 21st of this year, Defense Secretary Gates addressed the students and faculty of the Air War College. I’ve extracted (as best I can) the “requests for information” contained within the speech. The following is as close to the exact wording and in sequence, from that talk. On June 9th, Secretary Gates traveled to Langley AFB and delivered his first face to face remarks to an Air Force audience in the wake of the removal of the two Air Force leaders. The second set of comments were delivered by him and they were pulled from the nuclear investigation which he said was the reason those leaders were removed. In a week or so, I will post another “project” for us to try and help the Air Force based on these comments as well as other obvious issues in this day and age. Stay tuned and get your ideas ready.
Remarks to Air War College (Maxwell, AL) As Delivered by Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, Maxwell, AL, Monday, April 21, 2008
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What aspects of Air Force culture must be retained? What can be shed?
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How can we build the kinds of air capabilities most likely to be needed while continuing a strategic hedge against rising powers?
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How can we train and equip and have other initiatives, to enhance our national partners
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Should we pursue a “100 wing” Air force of Allies and partner nations similar to the 1,000 ship Navy advocated by the CNO
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Should Red Flag (and the other Flags) move towards the gray area between war and peace? Should scenarios include civilians from Non-governmental organizations and other government agencies? Should it be more closely integrated with land component training like NTC in Ft. Irwin?
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Is there more the Air Force (by extension airpower) can do in stability operations?
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In organizing, training and equipping the USAF, should new priorities drive procurement of systems? Should it drive the promotion process?
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How do we affordably and sensibly accomplish the missions of the future? Especially Strike, ISR
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Does the way the USAF does business today make sense?
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Which missions require human beings in aircraft? For those that need humans, do we have the right platforms?
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Can low(er) cost low-tech alternatives work in an environment where we have total control of the airspace? Can these alternatives make it easier for partners to afford these same platforms and work with us?
Remarks to Airmen and Women (Langley, VA)As Delivered by Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, Langley Air Force Base, Virginia, Monday, June 09, 2008
From the report that caused the removal of the two Air Force leaders:
- The Air Force does not have a clear, dedicated authority responsible for the nuclear enterprise who sets and maintains consistent, rigorous standards of operation
- The failures that led to the nose cone mis-shipment could have been prevented had the Air Force’s and the Defense Logistics Agency’s existing inspection and oversight programs been functioning effectively. Additional existing controls that would have been appropriate for sensitive or classified parts were not used.
- The investigation confirmed a decline in Air Force nuclear expertise. Years ago, there was a well established and prestigious career path for Airmen in the nuclear field. As the overall focus of the Air Force has shifted away from this nuclear mission, it has become more difficult to retain people with sufficient expertise. The Service has not effectively compensated for this deficiency through training and active career management. Moreover, the nuclear mission has not received adequate funding for years.
The investigation also determined that the Air Force nuclear program lacked a culture of critical self-assessment. There was not an intensive inspection regime and the inspection processes that did exist tended to diminish command ownership. As a result, systemic weaknesses were less likely to be discovered and addressed.
About Otto
Edward "Otto" Pernotto is President and founder of EXCALIBUR Research and Development, LLC.