Fiscal Year 2005 Research Agenda
Project AIR FORCE-Wide Research
When to Recapitalize
The objective of this project is to dynamically integrate understanding and analysis of various attributes of weapon systems in order to develop an analytic method that will reasonably forecast when weapon systems need to be replaced in the broadest sense. The project’s scope will include analysis regarding modifications/upgrades prior to a total fleet replacement. The initial point is a capability requirement, which determines the original buy and its characteristics. The need to upgrade and/or replace components or entire systems is affected by the age of the system and the use it is put to in order to produce various capabilities. Aircraft availability, weapon system performance in all of its missions, cost to maintain, flight safety, etc., all change throughout the life of a weapon system and must be considered in the rolling decision regarding whether to modify or to replace.
Sponsors: AF/CV; AF/IL; AF/XO; SAF/AQ
Project Leader: Michael Kennedy
PAF Direct Assistance to the Air Staff Quadrennial Defense Review
In support of the FY 2005 QDR, AF/XPX has requested that PAF have an on-site presence in its QDR cell. This presence facilitates reach-back capability into ongoing RAND research and provides direct analytic support to AF/XPX.
Sponsor: AF/XPX
Project Leader: Alex Hou
Strategic Survey of Air Force Non-Kinetic Operations in Operation Iraqi Freedom
Non-kinetic operations (NKO) supporting OIF reached a new state of maturity, marked by the rapid development of policy, technology, access, tactics, operational employment, and strategic integration. This research, requested by AF/XO and AF/XOI, will capture the successes and failures/limitations of NKO in order to aid in the development of CONOPS, doctrine and TTPs for NKO as well as to provide a more complete analysis of Air Force operations in OIF.
Sponsor: AF/XO;
AF/XOI
Project Leader: Natalie Crawford
Achieving Survivability and Persistence in Defended Airspace: Mission-Level Analysis Support Study
Several critical Air Force missions require persistence over the battlefield to find and attack targets. Threats such as mobile missile launchers, SAMs, national leadership and enemy ground units all require long-duration surveillance and strike assets to allow timely targeting. With these persistent missions, however, comes a challenging survivability problem. Spending long periods in defended airspace allows an enemy to integrate early warning information, learn operational patterns, reposition forces, and wait for an optimum attack opportunity for both surface-to-air and air-to-air threats. Shaping an operation to maximize success is, of course, desired. However, sometimes the time and place are not within U.S. control. This study will examine a range of options for providing high survivability to persistent air forces, both surveillance and strike. We will examine onboard options such as reducing radar cross section and electronic countermeasures, as well as offboard support alternatives such as SEAD, DEAD, airborne decoys, information operations, and electronic attack. Nontraditional solutions such as low-cost proliferated airpower will also be explored. As a final outcome, the study will recommend a set of cost-effective options for allowing persistent air power to survive and operate in defended airspace.
Sponsors: SAF/AQ; AF/XOX; ACC/DR
Project Leaders: Tom Hamilton, James Chow
Aerial Refueling Aircraft Analysis of Alternatives
This effort will complete the Analysis of Alternatives to assess the cost-effectiveness of options for replacing the capability currently provided by the KC-135 tanker fleet.
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