Recent operations have shed light on shortfalls in Air Force intratheater airlift. Using an expanded strategies-to-tasks framework, the authors assess current intratheater airlift processes, organizations, doctrine, training, and systems. This report catalogues identified shortfalls and recommends options for improving the Theater Distribution System. The authors recommend separation of supply, demand, and integrator roles and adoption of a closed-loop planning and execution process.

This report examines options for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of intratheater airlift operations within the military joint end-to-end multimodal movement system. The intratheater system, which serves the needs of deploying, redeploying, and sustaining forces during contingency operations, is part of the airlift component of the joint movement system. This report discusses the application of an expanded strategies-to-tasks (STT) decision support framework to Central Command's (CENTCOM's) theater distribution planning and execution. RAND uses the expanded STT framework to identify shortfalls and suggest, describe, and evaluate options for implementing improvements in current processes, organizations, doctrine, training, and systems. Specifically, they apply the framework to aid in improving planning and execution activities associated with developing airlift movement options in building and managing joint multimodal contingency movement networks. While the analysis centers on CENTCOM, the methodology and recommendations are relevant to other commands as well. The research for this report was completed in October 2004. The report should be of interest to combatant commanders and their staffs, mobility planners, logisticians, and planners throughout the Department of Defense (DoD), especially those in the Air Force and U.S. Transportation Command. The report is one of a series of RAND reports that address agile combat support issues in implementing the Aerospace Expeditionary Force (AEF).

As the Air Force faces manpower end-strength reductions of approximately 40,000 active duty personnel, it becomes more difficult to support the air and space expeditionary force (AEF) construct using current force employment practices. These manpower reductions could leave the active component without sufficient end-strength personnel authorizations to support current operational requirements. The Air National Guard (ANG), on the other hand, will not undergo significant manpower reductions, but it will be affected by the Air Force structure planning under way in support of the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) and Base Realignments and Closure (BRAC) that calls for the retirement of a significant number of legacy aircraft. This could potentially leave the ANG with a large number of highly trained, highly experienced personnel with no aircraft to operate and support.

Space assets are vital to the economic, social, and military interests of the United States, but these interests can conflict with one another, especially when it comes to space system sustainment. The authors worked with Air Force Space Command to develop a sustainment philosophy based on separation of demand, supply, and integrator processes and clear definition of responsibilities, using specific systems and units for illustration.

This monograph describes the new modeling approach developed to construct the CONUS CIRF network designs and presents detailed results from the specific analyses. The analyses are based on F-15, F-16, and A-10 aircraft force structure bed-downs resulting from the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission's 2005 recommendations. For the three aircraft types, all CONUS active duty bases, Air National Guard (ANG) installations, and Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) installations possessing combat-coded or training aircraft, along with some Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) bases, were used as locations to be supported by CIRF networks. CIRF network designs were constructed for aircraft engines (TF34, F100, F110), electronic warfare (EW) pods (ALQ-131, ALQ-184), Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) navigation (AN/AAQ-13) and targeting pods (AAQ-14s), and F-15 avionics line replaceable units (LRUs). This set of commodities was chosen because previous analyses (many of which were performed at RAND) had suggested that they afforded the largest potential savings from consolidated maintenance. Tasking scenarios considered in these analyses included normal peacetime training and readiness, Air and Space Expeditionary Force (AEF) deployment taskings, and major regional conflict (MRC) taskings.