The Air Force, said Lt. Col. Tim Healy, air staff special aircraft requirements deputy division chief, is looking at options for a new light cargo-medium transport aircraft. He told reporters that USAF has completed an initial capabilities document that identifies a capability gap in the ability to do intra-theater airlift into “austere” locations. USAF has tagged RAND to conduct a capabilities-based assessment, said Healy. No timeline was given. Healy noted, though, “We want to do this smart and not waste money.”
Air Force depots are not typically meant for quick repair jobs, but during Operation Epic Fury, the service moved some of its stateside heavy maintenance capability forward to fix battle-damaged aircraft closer to the fight.
