An Operational Look at the Issues Involved in the Decision Between Military and Civilian Airlift Options.
Abstract
Ever since the early days of flying, aerial transportation has been critical to the successful resupplying of troops. Over time, as aircraft became more advanced, so did the capabilities of airlift and the civil military relationship. With shrinking defense budgets and the move from the policy of forward presence to the current global engagement, airlift has become increasingly relied upon to rapidly deploy forces around the world. Therefore, the use of both civil and military resources to satisfy the demand for airlift must be adequately planned. There are a number of factors which affect the planning decisions on a day to day basis and the sensitivity of planning to these factors makes this a very challenging task. This paper begins with a historical overview of the relationship between civilian and military structures. It will then discuss the planning factors as they apply to the daily decisions made in utilizing civilian and military airlift assets. Following that are some additional issues concerning the utilization of CRAF aircraft in a contingency environment. It concludes with a look into the future and some issues that will continue to affect planning decisions.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- May 01, 1997
- Accession Number
- ADA326662
Entities
People
- Christopher J. O'dell
Organizations
- Air Force Institute of Technology