The Air Force has received another order from the Environmental Protection Agency to clean up a contamination site. This one is Air Force Plant 44, operated by Raytheon in Tucson, Ariz. EPA also recently directed USAF to speed up work at McGuire AFB, N.J. EPA has told the Air Force and Raytheon that within 45 days they should provide to the agency and the public “an accelerated schedule and work plan with specific dates for conducting remedial action” at Plant 44. EPA says the current extraction and treatment system at #44 “is not effectively containing the contaminated groundwater plume from the facility.” (Read the full EPA order here.)
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.