I
n case you missed the follow-up reports, Gen. Paul Hester, who heads Pacific Air Forces, confirmed that the widely reported Russian claims that its aircraft buzzed Guam last week were exaggerated. The Russian bombers only approached within about 300 miles of Guam and were not intercepted in any conventional sense of the word by US aircraft, declared Hester. At the time, US and allied forces were engaged in Valiant Shield, with most flying units operating out of Andersen AFB, Guam, for one of the largest joint exercises in the region. Claims by a Russian general that bomber crews and Americans “exchanged smiles” were definitely suspect, Hester said, adding, “If he saw smiles, he’s got a pretty powerful telescope.”
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.