Navy Adm. James Winnefeld, U.S. Northern Command commander, raised eyebrows when he told Washington-based reporters that he saw the need for a new light fighter-style aircraft that could be used for intercept missions in the homeland. Talk of a new acquisition program always makes headlines.
However, Richard Aboulafia, an analyst with the Teal Group, questioned whether NORTHCOM could get the funding for such an aircraft in today’s tight budget climate. The proposed aircraft fits into the “exquisite solution” scenario where an entire weapon system is created to fill just one need, he said.
Winnefeld said the aging fleet of F-16 jets currently being used by the Air National Guard can handle the “fast and high,” but for homeland security missions, he wants aircraft that can do slow and low for intercept missions.
“F-16s don’t fly slow very well,” said Winnefeld, who also leads the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
Winnefeld said he’s watching closely studies and tests on a variety of hardware “to see what the art of the possible is with a light fighter-type aircraft.” Something other than an F-16 would be better for loitering during large outdoor events or political conventions, he said. The solution might simply be a fast helicopter or light jet, he added.
Aboulafia said: “If it’s off the shelf, you could probably get something.” “But they’re certainly not going to get something that is dedicated to this particular mission using an all new airframe.”
There are many commercially available aircraft on the market that could fit the bill, he said. “It should be quite doable … something that can loiter, search and destroy and not have to fight back; it’s fairly straight forward,” Aboulafia said.
Winnefeld intends to discuss the idea more with the Air Force and Air National Guard, which currently flies an aging fleet of F-16s, before issuing an official requirement for a new aircraft. If he decides to move forward, that requirement could come within a year, he said.
Meanwhile, at the Air Force Association annual conference, Air Force Secretary Michael B. Donley said he expects to launch a new program to build a light attack aircraft that would be used to train foreign allies’ air forces. He was asked whether the Air Force would consider also providing a similar capability to U.S. Northern Command for homeland defense missions.
Donley dodged the question of whether the service would commit funding toward such a program but said the service’s chief of staff, Gen. Norton Schwartz, had recently met with Winnefeld and may have discussed the light-attack program.
Additional reporting by Eric Beidel and Sandra I. Erwin.