Strategic Forces

Supportability, Maintainability, and Readiness of the B-1B Bomber Gao ID: NSIAD-87-177BR June 26, 1987

GAO assessed the supportability, maintainability, and readiness of the B-1B bomber aircraft, focusing on: (1) spare parts shortages; (2) extension of contractor maintenance support; and (3) numbers of mission-ready crews and aircraft on alert.

GAO found that: (1) spare parts shortages have temporarily grounded aircraft; (2) since some spare parts' unreliability caused high demand, the Air Force used parts from grounded aircraft to repair other aircraft; (3) limited availability of repair instructions and lack of support equipment delayed Air Force in-house maintenance; (4) contractor repair costs are substantially higher than originally estimated and will increase because of the need for intensive contractor support; (5) although the Air Force is continuing to work toward its goals for readiness and training, repair problems have reduced aircraft availability for training; and (6) although the Strategic Air Command has 1 B-1B on alert and 13 mission-ready crews for its 30 B-1B aircraft, officials stated that all B-1B aircraft would be available in a national emergency.



The Justia Government Accountability Office site republishes public reports retrieved from the U.S. GAO These reports should not be considered official, and do not necessarily reflect the views of Justia.