US Air
Force to hold light attack experiment this summer
MARCH 03,
2017 SOURCE: FLIGHTGLOBAL.COM
BY: LEIGH
GIANGRECO WASHINGTON DC
The US Air
Force is planning a light attack aircraft experiment at Holloman Air Force
Base, New Mexico this summer, marking the service’s first step to introduce a
new, low-cost fighter.
The USAF
chief and acting secretary will direct the experiment this week, which would
continue work from a previous US Special Operations Command effort known as
Combat Dragon. While Combat Dragon I operated low-cost aircraft at Fallon Naval
Air Station, Nevada, the second Combat Dragon exercise demonstrated OV-10
Broncos in the Middle East.
The air force
will invite industry to demonstrate off-the-shelf aircraft at Holloman, which
will determine whether the service should transition to a second phase with demonstrations
in the Middle East, USAF chief Gen David Goldfein told reporters 3 March at the
annual Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Florida.
USAF acting
secretary Lisa Disbrow also made a significant push for the OA-X concept during
her address at the annual Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Florida this week.
Today, much of the air force’s demand comes from permissive environments, she
told reporters.
“When you
look at the cost of flying hours that we could potentially save is there a part
of the mission that could be serviced by this part of the fleet,” Disbrow says.
“Then that frees up the more complex assets to allow pilots to train for the
full spectrum threat to be ready.”
At the same
time, Disbrow called for an overall increase in aircraft. Although the USAF’s
deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and requirements warned against
accelerating F-35 procurement before the development of Block 4, Goldfein and
Disbrow are vouching for an increased buy. In addition to new procurement, the
air force’s budget also calls for upgrades to legacy F-15s, F-16s and bombers,
Disbrow says.
“We have to
be responsible at budgeting,” she says. “It’s going to be a mix...we can’t just
turn a switch and automatically have a new inventory to refresh and upgrade our
aircraft we have on the ramp.”
Original
post: flightglobal.com
"At this
point, it’s unclear whether the Air Force will limit its options to inexpensive
turboprop airplanes or if a more advanced light fighter could be of interest.
Much excitement has surrounded the Textron AirLand Scorpion since it was
released on the market. The aircraft hasn’t secured its first order yet, but
its low operating and acquisition costs — less than $20 million per unit and
$3,000 per flight hour — could make it a good fit for OA-X.
Other
low-cost options could include the Beechcraft AT-6 or Embraer’s A-29 Super
Tucano. If the service considers higher-performing entries, some T-X entrants —
particularly Lockheed Martin’s FA-50 or Leonardo’s M-346 — could be other
alternatives." Source defensenews.com
Related post:
Embraer EMB
314/A-29 Super Tucano: Details
Beechcraft AT-6: Details
Scorpion jet: Details
M-346 Master: Details
KAI T-50
Golden Eagle: Details
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