Additional U.S. Air Force Airbasing Requirements in Support of NATO (Unclassified Digest of a Classified Report)

Additional airbase capacity is needed because of growing U.S. commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). Without allied airbases scheduled for joint wartime use (collocated operating bases), the additional U.S. Forces would overload present U.S. European bases. Collocated bases also provide for dispersal, flexibility, and increased tactical capability.

Under the airbase expansion program, new facilities will be required to support operations and provide airfield protection facilities for the additional U.S. aircraft. Although the cost for these facilities is estimated at several hundred millions of dollars, the NATO allies who benefit from the additional U.S. Forces will contribute little to the construction program or operating costs in peacetime. Most needed facilities are not eligible for NATO common funding. The planned basing arrangements also pose logistics and communications problems.

Recommendations

Our recommendations from this work are listed below with a Contact for more information. Status will change from "In process" to "Open," "Closed - implemented," or "Closed - not implemented" based on our follow up work.

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