Some must-reads from this week's issue of Inside the Air Force:
1. Mounting a laser on an AC-130J gunship would boost the Air Force Special Operations Command's offensive and defensive capabilities, the service's scientific advisors found in a recent study, confirming the command's hope of pursuing a dual-purpose weapon down the road.
Full story: AFSAB study indicates AC-130J laser can serve offensive-defensive role
2. As the Air Force prepares to operate its workhorse B-52 bomber into the 2050s, aircraft manufacturer Boeing expects the service to consider a slate of capability and sustainability upgrades to keep the aging bomber flying past its anticipated service life.
Full story: Boeing predicts more upgrades as USAF stretches B-52 into 2050s
3. A joint assessment by the Air Force and Navy found pursuing full commonality for the future Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent and the Submarine-Launched Ballistic Missile is "not feasible or practical," the Pentagon told lawmakers in a report delivered last month.
Full story: Air Force-Navy study finds total nuclear commonality unrealistic
4. Fiscal year 2016 testing on one of the Air Force's key surveillance platforms revealed "difficulty in combining various on- and off-board sensor data into a coherent single track on a consistent basis," according to the director of operational test and evaluation's annual report to Congress published Jan. 10.
Full story: Testing report shows AWACS falls short in data fusion, cybersecurity