Two fighters participating in the current Red Flag Alaska collided in mid-air, sending one crashing into a rural area and the other limping back to Eielson AFB, Alaska, the host site for the Red Flag exercise. An F-15C from Langley AFB, Va., crashed after its pilot ejected safely, while the other fighter, an F-16C from the 64th Aggressor Squadron at Nellis AFB, Nev., suffered some damage but made it back to Eielson.
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.