US Air Force May Add UAVs, Helicopters To Light-Attack Experiment Written 31 January 2019

Air Force Times reports that the US Air Force’s light-attack experiment is “set to get a lot bigger, with the service considering adding drones, helicopters and more sophisticated aircraft to the mix in the future.” According to Gen. David Goldfein, the Air Force is seeking to understand the answers to questions such as: “What is the right mix of fixed wing, rotary wing, manned and unmanned that can do the business of light attack?” The Air Force is also considering how to “expand” the experiment to include US partners as well. Goldfein’s comments “hint that a lack of interest by partner nations may have shaped the decision not to press ahead with a program of record late last year.” Goldfein “said the Air Force chose not to release that RFP for two reasons: ongoing budget uncertainty and the desire to expand the parameters of what the service is seeking.” Goldfein added that light attack is not a central need of the Air Force, and will only be funded if upcoming budgets allow. Interoperability appears to have “taken on new importance as the experiment potentially moves forward.”
More Info (Air Force Times)