AF leaders focus on the future during CORONA South

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WASHINGTON (AFPN) --  "Securing the Future" was the central theme of this year's CORONA South, held at Bolling Air Force Base here. The discussion and debate among the Air Force's senior leaders focused on preparing the Air Force to meet tomorrow's challenges as well as the potential need to restructure the force to prepare for a changing world.

In his opening remarks, Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne underscored the importance of global vigilance, global reach and global power in shaping the future of the Air Force as well as the critical role the Air Force plays in defending the nation. 

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley set the tone for the two-day conference.
"We must set the conditions today to ensure America's defense as well as our joint success in the future," General Moseley said. "Those conditions start with us. We're redefining airpower for the 21st century. It is not the sum, but the product of air, space and cyberspace superiority."

CORONA conferences are held three times a year allowing the secretary of the Air Force, the chief of staff, and senior Air Force military leaders to come together for open discussions on issues relevant to the Air Force's future.

Presentations and discussion ranged from wing-level reorganization and uniform updates to fundamental Air Force doctrine, strategy and international issues with far-ranging implications for the Air Force mission and U.S. security in a changing world.

Secretary Wynne and General Moseley recently published papers on Air Force strategy and global trends, communicating their views on the future direction of the Air Force. They stressed the importance of cross-domain dominance as the Air Force transforms to an air, space and cyberspace force.

"Cross-domain dominance is the ability to maintain freedom of action in and through air, space and cyberspace despite adversary actions. It permits rapid and simultaneous application of lethal and non-lethal capabilities in these three domains to attain strategic, operational and tactical objectives in all warfighting domains: land, sea, air, space and cyberspace," Secretary Wynne said.

A frank discussion took place on the roles and missions of the Air Force focusing on air, space and cyberspace and the changes faced as a force to ensure dominance in each domain. Gen. John D.W. Corley, the Air Combat Command commander, Gen. C. Robert "Bob" Kehler, the Air Force Space Command commander, and Maj. Gen. William T. Lord, the provisional Air Force Cyberspace Command commander, each provided presentations and led discussions pertaining to their respective commands.

"As organizations within the Air Force change, it is important to focus on our most important asset -- our people," said Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Rodney J. McKinley.

He also stressed the need for quality training and professional education.

"Our enlisted force is smart, motivated and educated; a true combat force multiplier," Chief McKinley said. "Our future success will depend largely on our efforts to maintain this highly professional force by encouraging professional education and stressing both quality and timeliness of training."

Dr. Paul G. Kaminski, the former under secretary of defense for acquisition and technology, and retired Gen. Lester L. Lyles presented results of a recent National Research Council study on major defense-related acquisitions programs. Their findings indicate the need for increased emphasis on up-front system engineering and greater acquisition and engineering workforce depth. They highlighted a disturbing erosion of our nation's aerospace industrial base, as they emphasized that a stronger focus in development planning is essential to maintain aerospace engineering talent.

General Moseley concluded the intense, two-day conference by adding, "Clearly, victory in the future will hinge not only on air, but also on space and cyberspace superiority."

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