The fire sparked in New Jersey in May by an Air National Guard F-16 prompted not only massive claims against the Air Force for property damage, but also several changes in leadership positions for the units involved, including the Warren Grove training range commander and the 177th Fighter Wing operations group commander, reports the Press of Atlantic City. Brig. Gen. Lawrence Thomas, head of the New Jersey ANG, “We have folks retiring and there are some who won’t fly F-16s again.” He said, too, that a top-to-bottom review was continuing.
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.