According to the latest data, the Air Force has flown more than 188,000 sorties in Iraq and another 130,000 in Afghanistan. Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne and Gen. Michael Moseley, Chief of Staff, told lawmakers Wednesday that USAF had flown about 78 percent of the entire coalition air effort for operations in Southwest Asia. Last year, USAF bombers and fighters expended 294 bombs, 90 percent of which were precision-guided munitions.
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.