Air Combat Command officials say the command had only four Class A flight mishaps over the past fiscal year, compared to 12 in 2005. Col. Kelly Fletcher, ACC chief of flight safety, says that is the lowest flight mishap rate in 16 years—encompassing ACC and its predecessor Tactical Air Command.
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.