In 1986 the Air Force proposed to procure a new tactical airlift aircraft for USSOUTHCOM. The new aircraft-a light utility, STOL aircraft-was intended to provide the Command with more flexibility in carrying out its missions, including missions of a LIC nature. The Air Force intended that the new capability would become part of a worldwide STOL airlift capability to serve LIC operations. Providing airlift for LIC operations worldwide is a concern among some U.S. defense experts. The new STOL airlift system was planned to be implemented in three phases. The first phase would encompass a contract with a commercial aircraft vendor to provide the services of five aircraft, complete with aircrews and maintenance support, capable of meeting USSOUTHCOM needs, to be used until a permanent capability could be acquired. The second phase would involve the procurement of 10 light utility, commercially available aircraft to be designated as C-27 aircraft and to be configured as a squadron. The C-27 was to be capable of filling what USSOUTHCOM perceived as a "gap" between the lift capability of C-130 aircraft and helicopters currently available at the Command. The third phase would add a second squadron of eight C-27 aircraft to be based outside of the USSOUTHCOM area (e.g., in the United States), but deployable to USSOUTHCOM or elsewhere in the world as needed to participate in MC-type missions. Table I.1 summarizes the estimated 5-year cost of the new STOL airlift program, based on unofficial preliminary estimates. DOD requested congressional authorization and funding for the first two phases (i.e., through fiscal year 1989).


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    Titel :

    Tactical Airlift: Observations Concerning the Air Force's C-27 Proposal


    Beteiligte:
    H. R. Finley (Autor:in)

    Erscheinungsdatum :

    1988


    Format / Umfang :

    36 pages


    Medientyp :

    Report


    Format :

    Keine Angabe


    Sprache :

    Englisch