Strategic Airlift: Further Air Base Reductions in Europe Could Jeopardize Capability
Abstract
Under the new national security strategy, more emphasis is placed on increasing our capability to rapidly deploy armed forces from the United States. Long-range strategic airlift aircraft, such as the C-5 and the C-141, are the principal means by which the United States can quickly respond to overseas military or humanitarian crises. Under the most logistically demanding battlefield scenario-the Middle East-the airlift aircraft would need to land somewhere in Europe for refueling, crew changes, and/or maintenance checks. Over the past few years, U.S. airlift operations at several air bases in Europe have been closed, and operations at others reduced or placed on standby status. Six key air bases remain operational that can support U.S. airlift flights to the Middle East. As requested, we determined (1) whether the Air Force has sufficient capability at these six bases in Europe to support airlift aircraft headed for the Middle East and (2) how reductions in U.S. operations at any of the six bases would like affect airlift capabilities. Global airlift operations use a network of 14 key overseas air bases to service the flow of U.S.-based strategic airlift aircraft. Approximately every 3,500 miles, these aircraft must land at one of these bases for refueling, maintenance, crew changes, and/or cargo handling. Six of the bases are in Europe, where they support airlift going to the Middle East. Some of them also support the 6 bases in Europe that are the subject of this report.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 02, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA280404
Entities
People
- Floyd Adkins
- Norman Rabkin
- Robert Eurich
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office