The Air Force’s new beddown roadmap (see above) identifies seven operating locations for the C-27J Joint Cargo Aircraft—all of which would be in the National Guard—but senior leaders say there will be more. The C-27J is seen as an “ideal” aircraft for the Guard, particularly in supporting domestic military response to natural or man-made disasters, a mission described in Air Force-speak as “consequence management.” However, the bases listed represent only those places where the Air Force might base its initial 40 or so C-27Js. After a tactical airlift study now being finished makes the rounds, USAF is expected to expand the number of C-27Js it will buy, and many are likely to go into the active inventory. Moreover, Air Force Special Operations Command is readying a requirement to use the Spartan as the basis for a mini-gunship.
When Chairman of the Joint Chiefs Air Force Gen. Dan Caine described the 150 aircraft used in Operation Absolute Resolve, the mission to capture Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, he referenced many by name, including the F-35 and F-22 fighters and B-1 bomber. Not specified, however, were “remotely piloted drones,” among them a secretive aircraft spotted and photographed returning to Puerto…
