Air Combat Command boss Gen. Michael Hostage repeatedly expressed frustration with the paralysis of post-sequestration force planning during an AFA-sponsored, Air Force breakfast event in Arlington, Va., on Tuesday. “Politics is not letting us make the hard decisions,” Hostage said, specifically mentioning the debate surrounding the retirement of the A-10 fleet and the U-2 high altitude spy plane. The combat air force is stretched thin, and that’s affecting the nation’s strategic reserve. Although Hostage said he is focused on multi-mission aircraft versus single-mission aircraft, he would like to keep about 250 A-10s. However, he acknowledged USAF just doesn’t have the funds. There are 334 Warthogs in the active inventory. Hostage also said that single mission, fourth generation assets would have a hard time in an environment like Syria. He said he would hesitate sending A-10s into a Syrian campaign unless they were preceded by several weeks of counter-air defense strikes. (See also The A-10 and a Rescue Helicopter from the July edition of Air Force Magazine.)
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.