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Greater Coordination Required in Defense Planning for Intratheater Airlift Needs

PLRD-81-42 Published: Jul 09, 1981. Publicly Released: Jul 09, 1981.
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Highlights

Intratheater airlift provides an essential capability to move personnel and materiel quickly within combat theaters and between points which are separated by impassable terrain. Airlift may be categorized as intertheater, common use intratheater, and specialized intratheater. Intertheater airlift involves long-range lift and is managed by the Air Force Military Airlift Command. Intratheater airlift involves shorter distances, and its responsibilities are divided among Air Force and other military service commands. GAO evaluated Department of Defense (DOD) efforts to match intratheater airlift need and capability, dealing primarily with the common use intratheater airlift.

Recommendations

Recommendations for Executive Action

Agency Affected Recommendation Status
Joint Chiefs of Staff The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Commander in Chief of the Military Airlift Command should improve oversight and coordination of common use intratheater airlift planning, including greater participation by the Military Airlift Command in component and theater command efforts. He should: (1) improve methods to determine movement and aircraft requirements at the theater command levels and relate such requirements to capability; (2) ensure consistent use of the most appropriate intratheater airlift planning methods within the Military Airlift Command, theater commands, and other services; and (3) ensure that mobilization plans more adequately reflect intratheater movement requirements and capability.
Closed – Implemented
Please call 202/512-6100 for information.
Military Airlift Command The Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Commander in Chief of the Military Airlift Command should improve oversight and coordination of common use intratheater airlift planning, including greater participation by the Military Airlift Command in component and theater command efforts. He should: (1) improve methods to determine movement and aircraft requirements at the theater command levels and relate such requirements to capability; (2) ensure consistent use of the most appropriate intratheater airlift planning methods within the Military Airlift Command, theater commands, and other services; and (3) ensure that mobilization plans more adequately reflect intratheater movement requirements and capability.
Closed – Implemented
Please call 202/512-6100 for information.

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Topics

Air transportationAircraftLogisticsMilitary airlift operationsNational defense operationsPlanningPrioritizingMilitary forcesIntratheater airliftMobilization