F-15 Fuel Cells: Air Force Needs Better Data for Informed Decisions
NSIAD-90-214
Published: Aug 16, 1990. Publicly Released: Aug 16, 1990.
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Highlights
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO provided information on the Air Force's management of F-15 aircraft and KC-135 aircraft fuel cells.
Recommendations
Recommendations for Executive Action
| Agency Affected | Recommendation | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Department of the Air Force | The Secretary of the Air Force should ensure that data on F-15 fuel cells, such as the useful life, failure rate distribution, and maintenance costs, are collected at Warner Robins and all F-15 bases as part of the automated maintenance records and that those data are: (1) fully and accurately reported through the system; (2) used to assess the life-cycle cost of the fuel cell materials and the merits of an extended warranty in future fuel cell procurement; and (3) used to validate and, if necessary, revise the conditions under which fuel cells should be repaired or discarded. |
The Air Force has agreed to collect data on aircraft fuel cells and to perform failure data analysis to assess the life cycle costs and warranties of fuel cell materials. However, the Air Force has only begun to collect data and it may require a number of years to accumulate sufficient data for comparisons.
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Topics
Air Force suppliesAircraft componentsAircraft maintenanceAviation fuelsCost effectiveness analysisData collectionFighter aircraftFuel storageLife cycle costsMilitary aircraft