Challenges and Issues with the Further Aging of U.S. Air Force Aircraft
Policy Options for Effective Life-Cycle Management of Resources
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Over the next 20 years, the further aging of already-old aircraft will introduce challenges and issues for aircraft operators, including the U.S. Air Force. This report identifies those challenges and issues and explores policy options for addressing them in ways that can contribute to effective life-cycle management of resources. The technical challenges relate to structures, propulsion, and systems. The institutional challenges include limitations on independent verification of fleet status and future condition, limitations on information needed for engineering analyses including risk assessment, and an overall scarcity of resources. The report uses a systems-engineering paradigm that breaks the set of challenges and issues down into their major elements and then analyzes how each element relates to values that are important to the customer. Such a value structure can help decisionmakers set resource-allocation policies and priorities.
Table of Contents
Chapter One
Introduction
Chapter Two
Historical Developments Relevant to the Further Aging of U.S. Air Force Aircraft
Chapter Three
Technical Challenges for Operators of Aging Aircraft
Chapter Four
Institutional Challenges for Operators of Aging Aircraft
Chapter Five
Issues and Policy Options for Effective Life-Cycle Management
Chapter Six
Finding the Right Pathway for Implementing Preferred Policy Options
Chapter Seven
Conclusions
Appendix
Policy Options for Addressing Challenges and Issues
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