USA faces 10% shortfall in airlift capability, warns DoD

Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC

The US Air Force needs to increase its airlift capability by 10%, according to the Department of Defense's (DoD) Mobility Requirements Study 2005 (MRS05).

The USAF, however, has no immediate plans to accelerate the Lockheed Martin C-5 Reliability Enhancement Re-engining Programme (RERP) and a follow-on multi-year procurement of additional Boeing C-17 transports.

The USAF has delayed the award of the $700 million Lockheed Martin C-5 RERP engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) contract until June. The programme was due to move from the $47 million pre-EMD and risk reduction phase to the full six-year stage last month once MRS05 had been completed.

USAF deputy assistant secretary Darleen Druyun has said that a follow-on buy of C-17s will go ahead by year-end. Boeing has been pushing for the air force to order 60 more aircraft, warning that funding was needed by next year to ensure continuity of long-lead items beyond the 120 C-17s on order up to 2005.

The MRS does not specify the number of C-17s or re-enginedC-5A/Bs to meet the new 54.5million ton miles (MTM) airlift target. With a new administration wanting to review procurement priorities and the Quadrennial Defence Review due by September, the report leaves it to the DoD "to determine the appropriate mix of investments to achieve the airlift objective".

MRS05 instead outlines different C-17 and C-5 RERP options to increase airlift from the daily 49.7 MTM level established by the last MRS in 1995. An analysis of alternatives completed in September recommended initially upgrading only the 50 youngest C-5Bs as well as buying more C-17s and then, based on the results of a demonstration, deciding by 2008/9 on modernising the other 76 C-5As.

The MRS05 conclusions are based on a need for 51.1MTM daily to support DoD doctrine, including deployment to two separate theatres and, for the first time, recognition of high priority movements within theatres.

The study identifies other high-priority missions, such as special operations and the deployment of missile defences to friendly nations, which adds another 3.4 MTM daily.

Source: Flight International