With the F-16 providing the US Air Force with its affordable mass, the service will shortly begin considering what follows the aircraft type in the future. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)

The US Air Force (USAF) is to shortly begin assessing its longer-term requirement for an “affordable” aircraft that it can operate in the post-Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon timeframe.

Speaking under the Chatham House Rule, an official said the work will begin in the coming few years to field a combat aircraft type with a cost per flight hour that is sustainable and which can be acquired in meaningful numbers.

“We are committed to go down from seven fighter fleets to four – so that's the very-high-end [Lockheed Martin] F-35 as the workhorse, the [Boeing] F-15EX as a high volume truck, pre- or post-Block F-16s as affordable capacity, [and the unmanned Collaborative Combat Aircraft],” the official said on 6 November.

With the F-16 providing the US Air Force with its affordable mass, the service will shortly begin considering what follows the aircraft type in the future. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)

The US Air Force (USAF) is to shortly begin assessing its longer-term requirement for an “affordable” aircraft that it can operate in the post-Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon timeframe.

Speaking under the Chatham House Rule, an official said the work will begin in the coming few years to field a combat aircraft type with a cost per flight hour that is sustainable and which can be acquired in meaningful numbers.

“We are committed to go down from seven fighter fleets to four – so that's the very-high-end [Lockheed Martin] F-35 as the workhorse, the [Boeing] F-15EX as a high volume truck, pre- or post-Block F-16s as affordable capacity, [and the unmanned Collaborative Combat Aircraft],” the official said on 6 November.

With the F-16 providing the US Air Force with its affordable mass, the service will shortly begin considering what follows the aircraft type in the future. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)

The US Air Force (USAF) is to shortly begin assessing its longer-term requirement for an “affordable” aircraft that it can operate in the post-Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon timeframe.

Speaking under the Chatham House Rule, an official said the work will begin in the coming few years to field a combat aircraft type with a cost per flight hour that is sustainable and which can be acquired in meaningful numbers.

“We are committed to go down from seven fighter fleets to four – so that's the very-high-end [Lockheed Martin] F-35 as the workhorse, the [Boeing] F-15EX as a high volume truck, pre- or post-Block F-16s as affordable capacity, [and the unmanned Collaborative Combat Aircraft],” the official said on 6 November.

With the F-16 providing the US Air Force with its affordable mass, the service will shortly begin considering what follows the aircraft type in the future. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)

The US Air Force (USAF) is to shortly begin assessing its longer-term requirement for an “affordable” aircraft that it can operate in the post-Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon timeframe.

Speaking under the Chatham House Rule, an official said the work will begin in the coming few years to field a combat aircraft type with a cost per flight hour that is sustainable and which can be acquired in meaningful numbers.

“We are committed to go down from seven fighter fleets to four – so that's the very-high-end [Lockheed Martin] F-35 as the workhorse, the [Boeing] F-15EX as a high volume truck, pre- or post-Block F-16s as affordable capacity, [and the unmanned Collaborative Combat Aircraft],” the official said on 6 November.

With the F-16 providing the US Air Force with its affordable mass, the service will shortly begin considering what follows the aircraft type in the future. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)

The US Air Force (USAF) is to shortly begin assessing its longer-term requirement for an “affordable” aircraft that it can operate in the post-Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon timeframe.

Speaking under the Chatham House Rule, an official said the work will begin in the coming few years to field a combat aircraft type with a cost per flight hour that is sustainable and which can be acquired in meaningful numbers.

“We are committed to go down from seven fighter fleets to four – so that's the very-high-end [Lockheed Martin] F-35 as the workhorse, the [Boeing] F-15EX as a high volume truck, pre- or post-Block F-16s as affordable capacity, [and the unmanned Collaborative Combat Aircraft],” the official said on 6 November.

With the F-16 providing the US Air Force with its affordable mass, the service will shortly begin considering what follows the aircraft type in the future. (Janes/Gareth Jennings)

The US Air Force (USAF) is to shortly begin assessing its longer-term requirement for an “affordable” aircraft that it can operate in the post-Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon timeframe.

Speaking under the Chatham House Rule, an official said the work will begin in the coming few years to field a combat aircraft type with a cost per flight hour that is sustainable and which can be acquired in meaningful numbers.

“We are committed to go down from seven fighter fleets to four – so that's the very-high-end [Lockheed Martin] F-35 as the workhorse, the [Boeing] F-15EX as a high volume truck, pre- or post-Block F-16s as affordable capacity, [and the unmanned Collaborative Combat Aircraft],” the official said on 6 November.