Military Airlift: Comparison of C-5 and C-17 Airfield Availability
Abstract
The fiscal year 1994 conference report on the Department of Defense's (DOD) Authorization Act requires that the GAO monitor the cost, schedule, and performance of the C-17 program and report to the House and Senate Committees on Armed Services. Since the Air Force considers the C-17's ability to land at substantially more airfields than the C-5 crucial, this report provides the analysis of the number of airfields that be available to the C-17 compared to what is available to the C-5. The Air Force has reported that based on wartime runway length and width requirements, the C-17's capability to land on short airfields would enable it to land at about 9,900 airfields in the free world (less the United States) compared to 3,500 for the C-5. However, this estimate did not take into account runway strength and included all types of airfields, ranging from concrete and asphalt to gravel, dirt, and grass, many of which are not suitable for either aircraft. When wartime landing requirements, including minimum runway strength, are considered, the C-17's wartime airfield advantage decreases from 6,400 to about 900 airfields. The C-17 advantage is further reduced when only airfields that have been determined by the Air Force to be suitable for military operations are considered. When wartime landing requirements, including minimum runway strength, are considered, the C-17's wartime airfield advantage is 145. When airfields in the United States, Canada, and Mexico are excluded, the C-17's wartime advantage decreases to 95 airfields
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jul 11, 1994
- Accession Number
- ADA282848
Entities
Organizations
- United States Government Accountability Office