Institutionalizing Express Airlift for Contingency Operations.
Abstract
The U.S. military should institutionalize an express channel airlift system for high priority shipments to be used during larger contingency operations. Similar systems were used during the Second World War, the Korean Conflict, and Vietnam. The system should be operated by civilian air express companies unless the strategic aerial port at the destination in theater is in a hostile environment. The need for this service materializes because of the backlogs created by the dramatic increase in the number of shipments during larger contingencies. This large volume of priority shipments at the ports creates, in essence, a "no priority" system. Consequently, the highest of priority shipments--real "show stoppers"--get delayed at the ports awaiting airlift. This increased volume at the ports is inevitable because, under the current shipment priority system, units are authorized to raise the priority of requisitioned items based on how critically the items are needed. Procedures for implementing an express airlift channel should be incorporated into joint military publications and warfighting CINC's contingency plans. This will preclude the wheel from being reinvented during the next major contingency.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 13, 1995
- Accession Number
- ADA293367
Entities
People
- Douglas Jackson
Organizations
- Naval War College