{"id":17424,"date":"2017-11-11T16:58:48","date_gmt":"2017-11-11T16:58:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/uncategorized\/2017\/11\/11\/during-visit-to-middle-east-us-air-force-officials-talk-up-light-attack-aircraft\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T21:40:52","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T21:40:52","slug":"during-visit-to-middle-east-us-air-force-officials-talk-up-light-attack-aircraft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/airforcetimes\/news\/your-air-force\/2017\/11\/11\/during-visit-to-middle-east-us-air-force-officials-talk-up-light-attack-aircraft\/","title":{"rendered":"During visit to Middle East, U.S. Air Force officials talk up light attack aircraft"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

DUBAI \u2014 The U.S. Air Force hasn\u2019t determined whether it will continue its experiments with light attack aircraft, but that didn\u2019t stop the service\u2019s number-two general from touting the potential benefits in a speech to Middle Eastern and other international air chiefs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf non-contested missions continue for some time, and I think that they will, be they COIN [counter insurgency] or other areas, manned light ISR and attack capabilities will be able to fill a void in areas that the fifth gen and UAS don\u2019t provide the best value,\u201d said Gen. Stephen Wilson, the Air Force\u2019s vice chief of staff, in a speech at the Dubai International Air Chiefs conference.\u201c These light platforms might be able to bring the benefits of lower cost, flexible beddowns, and shorter training times.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn turn, it may allow us to build deeper relationships and interoperability across domains and nations,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Air Force is testing inexpensive, off-the-shelf light attack planes ahead of a potential procurement, which officials have said would help it more cheaply meet mission requirements in the Middle East and also give it more planes with which to train pilots. The service may know as early as December whether it will take several aircraft to the Middle East for a combat demonstration next year, Wilson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Click here for full coverage of the Dubai Air Chiefs Conference and Dubai Airshow.<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein \u2014 an early proponent of the experiment \u2014 has repeatedly stated his hope that, should the United States move forward with a light attack plane buy, international partners in the region also consider buying the chosen aircraft.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lt. Gen. Jeff Harrigian, who heads U.S. Air Force Central Command (AFCENT), told Defense News on Saturday morning that while he hadn\u2019t fielded any questions about the light attack experiment from Middle Eastern air chiefs that morning, countries in the region have expressed interest in what the U.S. Air Force is doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey\u2019d like to understand our perspective on it, the capabilities we believe we would need. And then actually for us, the interoperability we would have with them would be incredibly important to our ability to operate together,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\t