US Air Force: Vol 26 No 1 Final

is the professional logistics publication of the United States Air Force. It provides anopen forum for presenting research, innovative thinking, and ideas and issues of concern to the entire Air Force logistics community. It is a nondirectivepublication published under AFI 37-360, Volume 1. The views and opinions expressed in the

Journal

are those of the author and do not necessarilyrepresent the established policy of the Department of Defense, Department of the Air Force, Air Force Logistics Management Agency, or organizationwhere the author works.The

Journal

is a refereed publication. Manuscripts are subject to expert and peer review, internally and externally, to ensure technical competence,accuracy, reflection of existing policy, and proper regard for security.The publication of the

Journal

, as determined by the Secretary of the Air Force, is necessary in the transaction of the public business as requiredby the law of the department. The Secretary of the Air Force approved the use of funds to print the Journal, 17 July 1986, in accordance with applicabledirectives.US Government organizations should contact the

AFJL

editorial staff for ordering information: DSN 596-4087/4088 or Commercial (334) 416-4087/ 4088. Journal subscriptions are available through the Superintendent of Documents, US Government Printing Office, Washington DC 20402. Annualrates are $15.00 domestic and $18.75 outside the United States. Electronic versions of the

Journal

are available via the World Wide Web at:http://www.aflma.hq.af.mil/lgj/Afjlhome.html.The

Journal

editorial staff maintains a limited supply of back issues.Unsolicited manuscripts are welcome from any source (civilian or military). They should be from 1,500 to 5,500 words. The preferred method ofsubmission is via electronic mail (e-mail) to:

editor-AFJL@maxwell.af.mil

. Manuscripts can also be submitted in hard copy. They should be addressedto the

Air Force Journal of Logistics

, 501 Ward Street, Maxwell AFB, Gunter Annex AL 36114-3236. If this method is used, a 3.5-inch disk, Zip disk,or compact disk containing an electronic version of the manuscript should accompany the hard copy. Regardless of the method of submission, thebasic manuscript should be in Microsoft Word or WordPerfect format, and all supporting tables, figures, graphs, or graphics must be provided inseparate files (preferably created in Microsoft Office® products). They should not be embedded in the manuscript. All submissions will be edited inaccordance with

AFJL

style guidelines and the

Gregg Reference Manual

, Eighth Edition.Articles in this edition may be reproduced in whole or in part without permission. If reproduced or reprinted, the courtesy line “Originally publishedin the

Air Force Journal of Logistics

” should be included.General John P. JumperAir Force Chief of StaffLieutenant General Michael E. ZettlerDeputy Chief of Staff, Installations andLogisticsColonel Ronne G. MercerCommanderAir Force Logistics Management AgencyEditor-in-ChiefJames C. RaineyAir Force Logistics Management AgencyEditorBeth F. ScottAir Force Logistics Management AgencyContributing EditorLieutenant Colonel Gail WallerAir Force Logistics Management Agency

3

Volume XXVI, Number 1

Innovative or Insane?

The ability to project and sustainmilitary power over vastdistances is a basic requirementof deterrence.

Major Mark D. Camerer, USA

Introduction

Simply put, America’s NationalSecurity Strategy, built on theimperative of world-wideengagement, demands nothing lessthan the best global transportationsystem the world has ever known,one capable of projecting U. S.strength and resolve—anywhere,anytime.

—General Charles T. Robertson, Jr

1

T

he ability to project and sustainmilitary power over vastdistances is a basic requirement of deterrence—the first line of our nationalsecurity.

2

General Charles T. Robertson,Jr, commander of US TransportationCommand (USTRANSCOM), stressedthis point when he noted the importanceof rapid global mobility to the nation’sability to project and sustain militarypower.

3

Air refueling is a force multiplierinherently critical to achieving the rapidglobal mobility described by GeneralRobertson. As a force multiplier, itbridges the gap between the continentalUnited States (CONUS) and varioustheaters of operation, accelerating thedeployment cycle and reducingdependency on forward staging bases andhost-nation support.While deterrence is the first line of national security, the ability to fight andwin, regardless of the level of conflict, isthe bedrock of our national security.

4

Airrefueling’s second role, forceenhancement, is critical to militaryactivities in this regard. As a forceenhancer, it extends the range, payload,and loiter time of combat and combatsupport forces, allowing a variety of combat aircraft to attack strategic andtactical targets, deep in an adversary’sterritory, with greater payloads. Theseunique capabilities, force multiplicationand force enhancement, make airrefueling an indispensable militaryresource.Despite their importance to nationalsecurity, air-refueling assets havedwindled. A June 2000 GeneralAccounting Office (GAO) report onmilitary readiness concluded theDepartment of Defense (DoD) is 19percent short of the air-refuelingcapability required to execute wartimeplans.

5

Additionally, the Air MobilityCommand’s (AMC)

Air MobilityStrategic Plan 2000

identifies twodeficiencies directly related to air-refueling capabilities.

6

The first isincreased depot-maintenance cycle timefor the aging KC-135 tanker fleet, and thesecond is the unknown service life of theKC-135 airframe.

7

AMC planners predicta need to begin retiring KC-135s in fiscalyear (FY) 2013. Currently, there isno replacement tanker on the drawingboard or in the budget.These shortfalls have spawned thequestion: is it feasible and/or desirable for

(Continued on page 39)

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