Ramona Adams
Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch, the U.S. Air Force‘s military deputy for acquisition, has said the service branch could formally invite companies on Friday to join a light-attack aircraft demonstration in the summer, DoD Buzz reported Thursday.
Oriana Pawlyk writes Bunch told reporters that the military service aims to keep the OA-X light attack program “as broad as we can so that industry may have something that’s very innovative that we haven’t thought about.”
He added the the OA-X concept will work to address the Air Force’s requirement to absorb fighter pilots as well as reduce operating and unit costs.
Bunch noted he believes a light-attack aircraft platform could also help “minimize the wear-and-tear” of the service branch’s current fighter jets such as the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-22 Raptor, according to the report.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein said earlier this month that the OA-X competition will occur at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico, the report stated.
