Air Force officials anticipate releasing by early September the draft study assessing the environmental impact of conducting low-altitude training flights over southern Colorado and northern New Mexico for MC-130 and CV-22 aircrews from Cannon AFB, N.M. Colorado’s Pueblo Chieftain reported that a public comment period will follow the study’s release and that the final version of the study could be completed by around year’s end. The Air Force is proposing utilizing these flights so that Cannon’s special operators could practice low-level tactical navigation. Service officials envision up to three training flights per day. Cannon’s existing training areas are limited to narrow corridors over flat terrain; the LATN area would include mountainous areas for more realistic training, according to the Chieftain.
More than 100 B-21s will be needed if the nation is to avoid creating a high demand/low capacity capability, panelists said on a Hudson Institute webinar. The B-21's flexibility, stealth, range and payload will be in high demand for a wide range of missions, both traditional and new.