Air Force Mulls New 'Low Visibility' Planes

Posted on: Oct. 21st, 2006 || Source: military.com | E-mail Article | Print Article

Air Force Mulls New 'Low Visibility' Planes

Air Force Special Operations Command officials are eying a new fleet of small airlifters that could ferry small groups into nations where an obvious U.S. military presence might breed political problems for the host government, a senior AFSOC official says.

“We're researching the feasibility of using a lighter cargo aircraft” instead of larger airlifters currently in the AFSOC fleet, such as its MC-130s, Deputy Commander Brig. Gen. Donny Wurster said recently.

“Some missions don't require the full capabilities of a MC-130,” he said. His comments came on Oct. 3 during an industry conference in Ft. Walton Beach, FL.

AFSOC sometimes will send small teams of personnel into a nation to assist a government with some kind of mission or for other clandestine tasks.

Though willing to accept help or training from U.S. special operators, that nation “might not want a C-130 with American markings sitting on the ramp for a few days,” Wurster told the conference.

AFSOC officials are still in the early phases of answering several key questions, including: whether they will eventually pursue a new airlifter acquisition program, how low-visibility airframes the outfit might need and what kind of plane the command should buy.

As for the latter question, Wurster mentioned only two early potential candidates.

“It may look like a [Joint Cargo Aircraft], it may look like a private jet,” Wurster said, noting the command has yet to finalize a list of requirements for the new plane.

The JCA is a conceptual medium-sized airlifter the Army and Air Force are expected to issue a contract for next spring.

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