US Central Command Air Forces reports that a US Air Force F-16CG crashed about 20 miles northwest of Baghdad this morning. The fighter was supporting ground forces at the time. There is as yet no official word on the cause of the crash. Reuters news service reports that local residents say US forces immediately surrounded the crash site.
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.