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U.S. Combat Air Power: Aging Refueling Aircraft Are Costly to Maintain and Operate

NSIAD-96-160 Published: Aug 08, 1996. Publicly Released: Aug 08, 1996.
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Highlights

GAO examined the military services' air refueling needs, focusing on the: (1) cost to operate and maintain the air refueling fleet; and (2) impact of air refueling missions on the active and reserve forces.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Department of Defense Because the services have successfully used variants of commercial aircraft for both air refueling and cargo missions, the Secretary of Defense should require that future studies and analyses of replacement airlift and tanker aircraft consider accomplishing the missions of the C-5A and KC-135 with a dual-use aircraft that, when combined with C-5Bs, C-17s, and KC-10s, will meet those requirements. This could eliminate the need to acquire two aircraft types, one for airlift and the other for refueling.
Closed – Implemented
DOD agreed that such a study should be completed.

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Topics

Air Force reservistsAircraft maintenanceIn-flight refuelingCombat readinessDefense capabilitiesDefense contingency planningMaintenance costsMaintenance standardsMilitary aircraftMilitary airlift operationsMilitary training