Strategies to Sustain an Aging Fleet

Abstract

The Air Force has spent the past 20 years engaged in multiple combat operations and is utilizing an aircraft fleet that averages nearly a quarter of a century in age with some planes in the inventory dating back to the 1950s. The current fleet, whose planes are more than 23 years old on average, is the oldest in USAF history. Aging legacy aircraft will likely drive sustainment costs ever higher in the coming years; improved aircraft parts forecasting, increased aircraft maintenance science and technology funding, and incorporating commercial airline maintenance practices are strategies the Air Force should examine in sustaining an aging fleet.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 17, 2013
Accession Number
ADA603809

Entities

People

  • Jeffrey D. Johns

Organizations

  • Marine Corps University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Force
  • Air Force Facilities
  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Aircraft Industry
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Commercial Aircraft
  • Commercial Aviation
  • Failure Mode And Effect Analysis
  • Fixed Wing Aircraft
  • Logistics
  • Maintenance
  • Military Equipment
  • Supply Chain
  • Tanker Aircraft
  • United States
  • Warfare

Fields of Study

  • Business
  • Environmental science

Readers

  • Educational Psychology
  • Logistics and Supply Chain Management.
  • Maritime Combat Support and Expeditionary Logistics.