The Air Force has seen a spike in F-16 Class A accidents during the current fiscal year, but there hasn’t been a “common thread” or problem relating them, Chief of Staff Gen. Michael Moseley told the House Armed Services Committee Wednesday. Although USAF safety agencies are working hard to see what’s going on, Moseley said it might just be part of “the challenge of operating aging aircraft.” As we reported Wednesday, the 2007 mishap rate was the highest since 2001, when most of the accidents were linked to engine failure.
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.