The Air Force plans to spend $3.3 billion to buy six F-35s in Fiscal 2008, but that’s not the whole Joint Strike Fighter story. The so-called “spring supplemental” for 2007 includes money for two F-35s to replace F-16s lost to the war on terror. And, there’s another combat loss F-35 in the Fiscal 2008 supplemental.
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.