Book Description

The Department of Defense (DOD) has identified a wartime requirement for 391 aircraft to transport passengers and cargo on short notice when other military and commercial flights are not able to provide transportation In a time-sensitive manner. These aircraft are referred to as operational support airlift alrcraft. Although DOD's policy specifies that the number of support aircraft are to be based on wartime requirements, DOD uses these alrcraft during peacetime for crew traming as well as passenger and cargo support. This General Accounting Office (GAO) report responds to concerns about whether the existing requirement for operational support alrlift alrcraft is linked to wartime needs. Specifically, GAO evaluated the process DOD uses to determIne its requirements for these aircraft. As requested, GAO has also provided information on the current operational support airlift inventory and planned changes to that inventory in appendixes I and II. The current process used to determine requirements for operational support alrlift is inadequate because it is not clearly linked to wartime requirements as DOD policy requires. In GAO's review of the process DOD used for the 1995, 1998, and ongoIng analyses of operational support airlift requirements, GAO identified several weaknesses that call the current requirement for 391 alrcraft Into question. Specifically, the Department has not clearly explained the basis for the key assumptions it is ito justify the requirements or identified the assumptions that shouid be updated In each succeedIng review.