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t’s not flying with different aircraft that presents the biggest challenge, it’s figuring out the other service’s lingo—a familiar refrain for many air and maintenance crews. Still, the 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB, Fla., sent more than 200 airmen and several of its F-15s to fly dissimilar air combat training with Navy fighters at NAS Key West, Fla., reports Eglin journalist Jenna McMullin. The DACT exercise ends today. Eglin F-15s flew against F-5s from Key West and F-18Es and F/A-18s from NAS Lemoore, Calif.
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.