The head of Air Force Reserve Command, Lt. Gen. John Bradley, flew a new C-17 transport aircraft named after the late President Ronald Reagan to its home at March ARB, Calif., on Jan. 13. Upon its arrival, former First Lady Nancy Reagan helped dedicate the new airlifter. The 452nd Air Mobility Wing at March is the first Reserve unit to fly its own C-17s. Wing officials expect to declare the unit operational this summer.
The Collaborative Combat Aircraft will be operational in the late 2020s, several years before the Next-Generation Air Dominance family of systems, Air Force officials told the House Armed Services tactical aviation panel. The CCAs will first be “shooters,” then electronic warfare platforms, then sensors, in that order, they added.