Challenges and Issues with the Further Aging of U.S. Air Force Aircraft: Policy Options for Effective Life-Cycle Management of Resources

Abstract

Over the next 20 years, the further aging of already-old aircraft will introduce challenges and issues for aircraft operators, including the U.S. Air Force. This report identifies those challenges and issues and explores policy options for addressing them in ways that can contribute to effective life-cycle management of resources. The technical challenges relate to structures, propulsion, and systems. The institutional challenges include limitations on independent verification of fleet status and future condition, limitations on information needed for engineering analyses including risk assessment, and an overall scarcity of resources. The report uses a systems-engineering paradigm that breaks the set of challenges and issues down into their major elements and then analyzes how each element relates to values that are important to the customer. Such a value structure can help decisionmakers set resource-allocation policies and priorities.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2009
Accession Number
ADA497228

Entities

People

  • Jean R. Gebman

Organizations

  • RAND Corporation

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Engineered Resilient Systems
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Business Administration
  • Commercial Aircraft
  • Composite Materials
  • Engineers
  • Fuselages
  • Life Cycle Management
  • Material Degradation Processes
  • Materials
  • Mechanics
  • Military Aircraft
  • Systems Engineering
  • Systems Management
  • Transport Aircraft

Fields of Study

  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Joint Military Operations and Doctrine.
  • Software Engineering.
  • Systems Analysis and Design