Deployable Innovation Team and remembering the F-104's first flight.
Power competition heats up in the Pacific theater and remembering the first Starfighter
“Without courageous families there would be no courageous Airmen.”
-General David C. Jones
Mission Briefing
The U.S. Air Force Pacific (PACAF) has been cooking up some innovative strategies, and they've just rolled out a game-changer at the recent Cope North 24 exercise in Guam and its neighboring islands. Enter the Deployable Innovation Team (DIT), PACAF's brainchild, aimed at shaking up traditional logistics practices to boost efficiency in the Pacific theater, especially given the rising heat of great power competition.
Now, while they're keeping the full playbook close to their chest, one standout example of DIT's quick-thinking prowess has been shared. During Cope North 24, they faced a head-scratcher: how to manage communication across various languages involved in the exercise. That's when the Software Engineering Development Field Team (SEDFT), DIT's ace squad, stepped up to the plate. In just two days – yes, you read that right, two days – they whipped up a secure translator app powered by artificial intelligence. This isn't your run-of-the-mill translator; it transcribes speech into text in real-time, effectively providing “closed-captioning” for briefings and discussions. What's even cooler is that they tuned the app to the specific lingo of Cope North, ensuring military jargon didn't get lost in translation.
The big picture here? PACAF isn't just dabbling in innovation; they're wholeheartedly embracing it, especially in their logistics game. The success of DIT at Cope North 24 isn't just a one-off. It's potentially a trailblazer for wider adoption across PACAF, offering a blueprint for other commands wrestling with similar logistical puzzles in far-flung theaters.
In sum, the rollout of DIT at Cope North 24 marks a pivotal stride towards revamping and elevating the U.S. Air Force Pacific's logistics capabilities. This initiative, especially the SEDFT's swift creation of the secure translator app, underscores a forward-thinking approach to tackling real-world logistics challenges amidst a dynamic strategic environment.
This week in aviation history
4 March 1954: Imagine being amidst the dry, sprawling landscape of Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California. Here, a groundbreaking chapter in aviation history unfolds as Lockheed's test pilot, Anthony W. LeVier, prepares for a remarkable journey. He's about to pilot the prototype XF-104 Starfighter, tail number 53-7786, on its inaugural flight. This isn't just any aircraft—it's a marvel of engineering, destined to push the boundaries of speed and aerodynamics.
The XF-104, a brainchild of the legendary Kelly Johnson, was more than just a prototype. It was a glimpse into the future of supersonic flight, designed to surpass Mach 2. The media of the time fittingly dubbed it “the missile with a man in it,” highlighting its extraordinary capabilities.
But the XF-104 wasn't alone; it had a twin. The second prototype, 53-7787, was tailored for armament testing. Both were single-seat, single-engine supersonic interceptors, stretching 49 feet, 2 inches in length, with a wingspan of 21 feet, 11 inches, and standing 13 feet, 6 inches tall. Their wings uniquely angled down 10 degrees, adding to their distinctive silhouette.
These prototypes were lightweight titans. Weighing in at 11,500 pounds empty, they could ramp up to a maximum takeoff weight of 15,700 pounds. Initially planned to house the General Electric J79 afterburning turbojet, delays led to an interim solution - a Buick-built J65-B-3 engine, a licensed variant of the British Armstrong Siddeley Sapphire turbojet. This powerhouse delivered 7,200 pounds of thrust.
On March 15, 1955, 53-7786 shattered expectations, reaching a blistering speed of Mach 1.79 (1,181 mph) at an altitude of 60,000 feet. However, the journey of 53-7786 met a dramatic end on July 11, 1957, when uncontrollable flutter tore off its vertical fin. Miraculously, pilot William C. Park ejected safely, underscoring the inherent risks and bravery in the pursuit of aviation milestones.
In case you missed it
The Nordic countries are forming a local alliance:
Photo Outlet
A pair of Thunderbirds fly past, the close separation they maintain always amazes me, even after seeing the Tbird routine for over 40 years and counting:
Post Flight Debrief
That’s all for this week, thanks for reading! If you know a fellow aviation enthusiast that would enjoy these weekly newsletters, then please forward this along. Now you know!
-Tog