The ARC-210 radio installed on the A-10C Warthog is essentially a “quantum leap” in secure radio communications aboard the aircraft, said Lt. Col. Kevin Campbell, of the Maryland Air National Guard’s 175th Fighter Wing, talking with reporters at AFA’s Air & Space Conference. He noted the digital radio is not exclusive to the A-10C, but it has revolutionized their chances of getting secure information flowing to and from their cockpit while in flight. “By next year, we hope to have satellite communications on every A-10 through the ARC-210 radio,” Campbell said.
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.