Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne, speaking at the Reuters Aerospace and Defense Summit in D.C. on Dec. 4, said the service has found new age-related issues with the oldest of the C-5 fleet, the A models, that make modernization questionable, reports Andrea Shalal-Esa with Reuters. Wynne said, “There comes a time when age does catch up with us.” Currently the whole C-5 modernization effort is under review by DOD, following USAF’s declaration of a Nunn-McCurdy breach. A “senior defense official” told Reuters that the review might extend into the New Year, given the complexity of the issue. A Boeing official earlier this week said he believes Congress will permit the Air Force to buy additional new C-17s in the 2008 defense war on terror supplemental.
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.