As part of its FY2004 budget submission, the Department of the Navy (DoN) has proposed implementing a Navy-Marine Corps Tactical Air Integration (TAI) plan that would manage the Navy's strike fighters and the Marine Corps' strike fighters more like a common pool of strike fighters. DoN officials say the TAI plan would permit DoN to perform its stated missions with a smaller total number of operational strike fighters, and thereby permit DoN to reduce its planned buy of F/A-18E/F and F-35 strike fighters by 497 aircraft. Not procuring these 497 aircraft, DoN officials say, would save DoN about $35 billion in aircraft procurement costs and significantly reduce DoN's projected approaching procurement 'bow wave.' The TAI plan poses potential issues for Congress regarding its effect on total DoN strike fighter capability, its cost effectiveness, and its possible significance in terms of further integration of U.S. military aviation assets in the future.
Navy-Marine Corps Tactical Air Integration Plan: Background and Issues for Congress
2003
7 pages
Report
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Englisch