Optimizing the Continental United States Air Refueling Infrastructure
Abstract
The current air refueling infrastructure over the continental United States was first created in 1963 and, while having incremental changes through the years, has not been recently analyzed for system utilization and redesigned (if required) based on updated demands, aircraft bed-downs, and changing weather patterns. Additionally, changes in airspace management brought on by modern aircraft, increasing volume in air traffic, increased on-board navigational performance, and the obsolescence of ground based navigational aids are pushing massive redesigns on overall airspace management. This research analyzes 2014 training and operational data to provide current utilization rates and also proposes a holistically redesigned infrastructure that optimizes the amount of time available for air refueling operations while minimizing the impact to commercial aviation and operational necessity.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 17, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1054229
Entities
People
- Taylor J Johnston
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology