Operation Desert Storm: An Assessment of Aerial Refueling Operational Efficiency
NSIAD-94-68
Published: Nov 15, 1993. Publicly Released: Nov 15, 1993.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed the future of the services' air refueling tanker force, focusing on additional actions that could further improve the efficiency and effectiveness of aerial refueling operations.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of Defense | To improve the efficiency of air refueling operations in future contingencies, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Secretary of the Air Force to ensure the collection and analysis of detailed data on tanker efficiency--used, unused, and jettisoned fuel--during exercises as well as future conflicts. |
Closed – Implemented
DOD identified a number of actions, under way or planned, to further improve overall aerial refueling efficiency. This includes an aerial refueling study that, among other objectives, considered factors affecting the efficiency of future aerial refueling operations.
|
| Department of Defense | To improve the efficiency of air refueling operations in future contingencies, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Secretary of the Air Force to ensure explicit examination in future DOD tanker requirements studies of the implications of increased efficiency due to improvements in equipment, communication, doctrine, and training. |
Closed – Implemented
The Airborne Tanker Study initiated as a result of the report considered, to a limited extent, the implications of increased efficiency due to improvements in equipment, communication, doctrine, and training on aerial refueling requirements. Among other improvements, this study led to a decision to modify KC-135 aircraft to support refueling of two Navy aircraft at one time. This modification, which is now being implemented, will improve the Air Force's ability to support interoperability with the Navy.
|
| Department of Defense | To improve the efficiency of air refueling operations in future contingencies, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Secretary of the Air Force to ensure development of needed improvements to the automated tanker planning module currently being fielded, including examination of the feasibility of substituting the existing Air Mobility Command system for the one under development by the Air Combat Command. |
Closed – Not Implemented
DOD did not concur with the recommendation.
|
| Department of Defense | To improve the efficiency of air refueling operations in future contingencies, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Secretary of the Air Force to ensure assignment of a high priority to studies, research, and exercises intended to develop effective methods for tankers to support future combat operations. Such efforts should actively involve the tactical community. |
Closed – Implemented
As a result of the report, DOD funded an Airborne Tanker Study to address areas of concern identified in GAO's report.
|
| Department of Defense | To improve the efficiency of air refueling operations in future contingencies, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Secretary of the Air Force to ensure implementation of an improved and more realistic simulation of expected wartime conditions in peacetime air refueling training and exercises as well as increased emphasis on preparing for refueling operations in conventional as opposed to nuclear scenarios. |
Closed – Implemented
DOD identified a number of actions, under way or planned, to further improve overall aerial refueling efficiency. This included an aerial refueling study that, among other objectives, considered factors affecting the efficiency of future aerial refueling operations.
|
| Department of Defense | To improve the efficiency of air refueling operations in future contingencies, the Secretary of Defense should direct the Secretary of the Air Force to ensure a more equitable sharing of peacetime air refueling training hours both among the services and between strategic and tactical assets. |
Closed – Implemented
DOD identified a number of actions, under way or planned, to further improve overall aerial refueling efficiency. This includes an aerial refueling study that, among other objectives, considered factors affecting the efficiency of future aerial refueling operations.
|
| Department of Defense | The Secretary of Defense should direct the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to issue guidance requiring the establishment of a mechanism within future joint component air commands to ensure the validity of fuel requirements. |
Closed – Implemented
According to the DOD response, future joint component air commanders will ensure that DOD procedures for establishing valid receiver fuel requirements are followed.
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Topics
Air defense systemsAir warfareIn-flight refuelingAirborne operationsAviation fuelsCombat readinessFighter aircraftMilitary aircraftNational defense operationsTactical air forces