Civilian contract air refueling: the ability to project and sustain military power over vast distances is a basic requirement of deterrence - Innovative or Insane? - Statistical Data Included

Air Force Journal of Logistics, Spring, 2002 by Mark D. Camerer

Introduction

Simply put, America's National Security Strategy, built on the imperative of world-wide engagement, demands nothing less than the best global transportation system the world has ever known, one capable of projecting U. S. strength and resolve--anywhere, anytime.

General Charles T. Robertson, Jr (1)

The ability to project and sustain military power over vast distances is a basic requirement of deterrence-the first line of our national security. (2) General Charles T. Robertson, Jr, commander of US Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), stressed this point when he noted the importance of rapid global mobility to the nation's ability to project and sustain military power. (3) Air refueling is a force multiplier inherently critical to achieving the rapid global mobility described by General Robertson. As a force multiplier, it bridges the gap between the continental United States (CONUS) and various theaters of operation, accelerating the deployment cycle and reducing dependency on forward staging bases and host-nation support.

While deterrence is the first line of national security, the ability to fight and win, regardless of the level of conflict, is the bedrock of our national security. (4) Air refueling's second role, force enhancement, is critical to military activities in this regard. As a force enhancer, it extends the range, payload, and loiter time of combat and combat support forces, allowing a variety of combat aircraft to attack strategic and tactical targets, deep in an adversary's territory, with greater payloads. These unique capabilities, force multiplication and force enhancement, make air refueling an indispensable military resource.

Despite their importance to national security, air-refueling assets have dwindled. A June 2000 General Accounting Office (GAO) report on military readiness concluded the Department of Defense (DoD) is 19 percent short of the air-refueling capability required to execute wartime plans. (5) Additionally, the Air Mobility Command's (AMC) Air Mobility Strategic Plan 2000 identifies two deficiencies directly related to air-refueling capabilities. (6) The first is increased depot-maintenance cycle time for the aging KC-135 tanker fleet, and the second is the unknown service life of the KC-135 airframe. (7) AMC planners predict a need to begin retiring KC-135s in fiscal year(FY) 2013. Currently, there is no replacement tanker on the drawing board or in the budget.

These shortfalls have spawned the question: is it feasible and/or desirable for the Air Force to pursue a civilian contract air-refueling (CCAR) capability?

Civilian contract air refueling is a unique concept that presents a near-term solution to the air-refueling shortfall. The Air Force could realize three advantages from pursuing a CCAR capability. First, it would fill the gap in projected deficiencies--now and in the future. Second, it would give receiver units greater opportunity to maintain currency and proficiency in air-refueling operations. Finally, it would enhance air-refueling flexibility and improve airpower employment effectiveness.

Air Refueling--A National Resource

No single innovation of recent times has contributed more to airpower flexibility than the aerial tanker....

Major General Perry B. Griffith (8)

Air Force Doctrine Document (AFDD) 2-6.2, Air Refueling, summarizes the importance of air refueling to power projection and employment: "Air refueling, when properly employed, enhances, enables, and multiplies the strategic, operational, and tactical effects of any air operation." (9)

Air-Refueling Doctrine

Air and space power employment is guided by the principles of war and tenets of airpower, implemented through core competencies. Airmen must understand these fundamental beliefs as they apply to air and space power.

Air Force Doctrine Document 1 (10)

Air refueling provides the capability to increase levels of mass, surprise, economy of force, and security and concentrates more assets for offensive or defensive operations. (11) The overall effect of this capability is to enhance and multiply airpower employment capabilities. For example, air refueling an attack aircraft en route to its target allows greater payloads, which enhances the ability to achieve mass and concentration of firepower at any level in an adversary's battlespace. It also allows attacking aircraft to use indirect target approaches, terrain masking, and multiple axes of attack to create surprise. Air refueling other support aircraft increases time aloft and decreases the number of aircraft and aircrews needed to build an air bridge or provide 24-hour command and control capability, thus achieving economy of force. It also enhances maneuver by providing additional fuel to attacking aircraft, which generates a valuable maneuver advantage during air-to-air engagements, while putting the adve rsary at a distinct disadvantage. Air refueling mobility airlift aircraft presents another opportunity to achieve maneuver flexibility. Increasing the range and cargo load of these aircraft increases flexibility by allowing commanders to insert troops and cargo into theaters at decisive moments. Ultimately, this allows maximum use of resources and multiplies the force available, allowing greater persistence in engagements, operations, and campaigns. Finally, because air refueling increases range, airpower assets can be based beyond the effective range of enemy weapons. This increases security and frees up assets for offensive or defensive operations.