We have the memo (mentioned in our Friday column) that South Dakota Republican Sen. John Thune wrote to the BRAC commission. In it, he says the Air Force misinformed the commission about the potential impact of litigation over the bomber training range used by the B-1Bs at Dyess AFB, Tex. The Pentagon wants to close Ellsworth AFB, S.D., and move its B-1Bs to Dyess. As an aside,Thune says he does not advocate shifting the Dyess bombers to Ellsworth.
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.