Despite questions about its future, the Air Force’s light attack experiment is scheduled to continue as the service plans to procure about six turboprop aircraft in fiscal year 2020 while opening up the experiment to more platforms over the next few years.

The US Air Force is requesting $35 million from the US Congress to continue its light attack experiment in 2019 with the purchase of several aircraft from Sierra Nevada-Embraer and Textron.

The service plans to buy three Sierra Nevada-Embraer A-29 Super Tucanos and three Textron AT-6B Wolverines.

The USAF is also looking at expanding its light attack experiment to other aircraft beyond turbo propeller types including jet turbine aircraft. And, it is looking at rotorcraft, as well as manned and unmanned air vehicles. A market assessment will also be conducted by an unnamed industry group to size up the demand for various light attack aircraft and weapons systems, says the service.