The Air Force Association’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference is virtual for 2020 and DSJ is there.

AFA’s virtual Air, Space & Cyber Conference (vASC) will continue AFA’s long tradition of hosting the premier event for defense and aerospace professionals around the world. The conference will offer the same exceptional line-up of speakers, world-class (virtual) exhibits, professional development opportunities, and important interaction between and among industry, government, the media, academia, and the public.

vASC 2020 is intended to provide Airmen, Space Professionals, and industry leaders direct insights into the plans, policies and vision of Air Force and Space Force leadership, and emerging trends and developments in aerospace and cyber technology. vASC 2020 Participants can expect:

The multi-day conference to include updates from Air and Space Force senior leaders as well as on-demand sessions covering topics on air, space, and cyber forces in the fight. The vASC Agenda is here – https://www.afa.org/events/vasc-2020/agenda
A virtual exhibit hall with options to meet with exhibitors and learn about the latest developments in aerospace and cyber technology (free and open to the public – registration required) – Exhibitor Listings are here – https://www.afa.org/events/vasc-2020/exhibitor-listings
A robust event platform offering attendees the opportunity to engage through virtual meetings with other attendees.

DSJ Take-Aways

U.S. AIR FORCE GENERAL MARK D. KELLY, NEW USAF AIR COMBAT COMMANDER, DISCUSSES PROGRAMS & PRIORITIES AT AFA’S VIRTUAL AIR, SPACE & CYBER CONFERENCE

AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY “SUPER INTERESTED” IN LASER COMMUNICATIONS AS FOUNDATION FOR THE AIR FORCE’S “SPACE COMBAT CLOUD”

vASC speakers and their vASC messages, courtesy of Air Force Public Affairs, include:

Secretary of Defense Mark T. Esper said that technologies are fundamentally changing the character of war and the two Air Force services are leading that charge, The Secretary noted: “In the Air Force, specifically, we are modernizing our force for the 21st century with aircraft such as the B-21, the X-37 and the Next Generation Air Dominance platform. Equally important, we are transforming the way we fight through the implementation of novel concepts such as Dynamic Force Employment, which provides scalable options to employ the joint force while preserving our capabilities for major combat.”

Secretary of the Air Force Barbara M. Barrett recognizes past, looks forward to future at Air, Space , Cyber Conference – SECAF Barrett focused on her key four priorities: building the U.S. Space Force, strengthening relationships with allies and partners, growing strong leaders and resilient families and modernization. She noted that: “Potential adversaries are investing in air, space and cyber technologies with asymmetric advantages, including hypersonic AI-enabled weapons, modern day X-plane equivalents…”

SECAF unveils new “eSeries” classification in nod to Department’s digital future – Secretary Barrett hailed the eT-7A Red Hawk trainer – where Boeing embraced model-based engineering and 3D design tools to reduce assembly hours by 80% and cut software development time in half – as the first system in this important new series and said that “aircraft, satellites, weapon systems and more that are digitally engineered will receive an ‘e’ prefix.”

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr., readies the Air Force, wants to ‘go fast’ – In his first major public address since being confirmed as Chief of Staff, General Brown outlined his plan to reshape the service’s culture, hardware and practices. “If we don’t change, if we fail to adapt, we risk losing. We risk losing in a great power competition; we risk losing in a high-end fight; we risk losing quality Airmen; we risk losing budget dollars and our credibility and aspects of our national security.”

Driven by ‘a tectonic shift in warfare’ General Raymond describes Space Force’s achievements and future – Chief of Space Operations, Gen. Jay Raymond, presented an ambitious blueprint for cementing the nation’s superiority in space while also forcing change closer to home by slashing bureaucracy, refocusing training and instilling a culture across the Space Force that puts a premium on speed, technology and innovation for “this digital service.”

Dr. Will Roper, Air Force Acquisition Executive, perhaps making the big news of the vASC 2020 event, confirmed to media what he had exclusively shared with Defense News, that the Service had already designed, built, and flown a full-scale demonstrator of its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) combat aircraft. While exceedingly circumspect with details, Dr. Roper said that the prototype had “broken a lot of records.” More broadly, Dr. Roper outlined the Service’s plans to aggressively pursue innovation per the approach outlined in the Service’s just-released strategy paper: Take the Red Pill… the New Digital acquisition Reality.

Chief of Staff, Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr. and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force JoAnne Bass discuss PT tests, empowering Airmen and leading during pandemic — General Brown confirmed that PT tests would be delayed until 1 January and Chief Master Sergeant Bass (below) suggested that changes are the work: “As Airmen I would like to see us in a place where we’re not so much focused on the PT test as we are more about fitness and readiness. That is the continued message we push out as leaders that we need a fit force, we need a ready force and we need Airmen who are doing that regardless of a PT test.”