Should DOD create a single agency to guard America from cruise missile attack? It’s a serious issue getting lots of think-tank attention. Yet when a reporter asked Donald Rumsfeld about it, he responded, in effect, “I’ll get back to you.” What he actually said was, “It’s not something that’s on my radar screen at the moment.” The issue will be back, especially for the Air Force; the service has frequently noted that the F/A-22 fighter is about the only system able to deal with these low-flying, hedge-hopping missiles.
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.