Seeing the Whole Elephant Envisioning a Successful Light Attack Program for the US Air Force

摘要

Acquisition of the OA-X in large numbers restored a mix of expensive high-technology rncapabilities and affordable medium-technology capabilities to the USAF at a time when the twin pressures of a continued drive towards a fifth-generation force and combat operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere placed a severe strain on the USAF. Often derided as a "low tech" or "low utility" platform in the run-up to the acquisition program, the OA-X turned out to be neither, although it remained surprisingly close to the original goal of "low cost." In addition to obvious benefits to the USAF, the attractiveness of a US-flown OA-X allowed construction of what Secretary of Defense Robert Gates described in 2008 as the "100-wing Air Force," representing the combined efforts of many air arms worldwide.12 Although the nature of the 100-wing Air Force extends far beyond a single, multirole aircraft, the OA-X has done its part. Today, in 2018, OA-Xs represent 36 squadrons' worth of the 100 wings, a substantial impact that 10 years ago existed only on paper.