Strategic Airlift

Further Efforts Can Be Taken to Extend Aircraft Service Life Gao ID: NSIAD-94-222 September 15, 1994

The C-141 aircraft, which has been the backbone of the military's airlift fleet, is nearing the end of its service life and has been under severe flight restrictions in recent years. The Air Mobility Command has temporarily expanded the use of commercial and tanker aircraft for regularly scheduled cargo and passenger missions. It also plans to upgrade its strategic airlift simulator capacity, which will allow it to do more in-aircraft training. The Command, however, can do more. First, it can continue to use commercial and tanker aircraft to fly scheduled missions not requiring the unique capabilities of the C-141. Second, the Command can make maximum use of the upgraded simulators by transferring more of the air refueling and local proficiency training from the C-5 and C-141. Moreover, it can institute a companion trainer aircraft program for the C-5 and C-141. That involves flying smaller, less-costly aircraft for training that does not require larger aircraft and would be similar to programs that the Air Force and Command have for tanker aircraft.

GAO found that: (1) it is important to find ways to deploy fewer strategic aircraft in peacetime to ensure their availability for wartime; (2) in response to C-141 flight restrictions, the Air Mobility Command (AMC) has temporarily expanded the use of commercial and tanker aircraft for regularly scheduled cargo and passenger missions; (3) AMC plans to upgrade its strategic airlift simulator capability, which will allow it to reduce in-aircraft training; (4) AMC could continue to use commercial and tanker aircraft to fly scheduled missions that do not require the unique capabilities of the C-141; (5) AMC could make maximum use of the upgraded simulators by transferring more of the air refueling and local proficiency training from the C-5 and C-141; and (6) AMC could institute a companion trainer aircraft program for the C-5 and C-141 that would involve flying smaller, less costly aircraft and would be similar to programs the Air Force and AMC have for tanker aircraft.

Recommendations

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