Air Force Special Operations Commander Expects New, Lighter Plane to Fight Terrorists Next Year
20 Sep 2021
Military.com | By Stephen Losey
The head of Air Force Special Operations Command said he is feeling confident about acquiring a new cheap and light aircraft next year as part of the Armed Overwatch program for missions against terrorist and extremists in places such as Africa.
The command wants to field a series of about 75 flexible, fixed-wing aircraft that could fly in remote locations and require little logistical support. The fleet could provide intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as close-air support and precision-strike missions in coordination with ground troops.
Lt. Gen. Jim Slife, the AFSOC commander, said testing and evaluation of the Armed Overwatch candidate planes at Florida's Eglin Air Force Base has gone well, adding that congressional support for the program is growing. He spoke to reporters during the Air Force Association's Air Space & Cyber Conference in National Harbor, Maryland.
https://www.military.com/daily-news/2021/09/20/air-force-special-operations-commander-expects-new-lighter-plane-fight-terrorists-next-year.html
