There is more flying to be done by the Arizona Air National Guard’s 161st Air Refueling Wing than its frequent training facility at Williams Gateway Airport, in Mesa, Ariz., can accommodate. Or so state Guard officials told Serco, the company that runs the control tower at Williams, reports the Arizona Republic. The 161st ARW calls Phoenix Airport home, but uses nearby Williams for most of its touch and go practice approaches. The Air Guardsmen want Serco to extend its open-for-business time by one hour, until 10 p.m.
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.