The exercise NORAD ran late last week to practice its ability to secure the Super Bowl in Detroit was not sufficient, according to command officials. There were “weather issues” that prevented a complete run-through of the exercise, which featured hundreds of personnel and military aircraft—fighters, E-3 AWACS, aerial refuelers—and civilian airplanes. NORAD plans to reconvene the cast for a repeat on Feb. 1. A little “weather” doesn’t stop the Super Bowl, but we realize this was just a test. If it were the “day,” we fully expect NORAD would punch on through.
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.