An Examination of the Relationship Between Usage and Operating-and-Support Costs of U.S. Air Force Aircraft

Eric J. Unger

ResearchPublished Mar 20, 2009

Systematically examining the empirical relationship between multiple U.S. Air Force systems' expenditures, flying hours, and fleet sizes, this research suggests a more sophisticated way to think about Air Force costs than is currently used. The report discusses prior research on cost-per-flying-hour calculations — i.e., the practice of multiplying projected flying hours by a cost-per-hour factor in certain segments of the budgetary process. This report looks across Air Force mission designs (systems) and estimates general, historical relationships between expenditure levels and flying hours. A fixed-plus-variable cost structure is estimated with expenditures neither increasing nor decreasing in proportion to flying hours. The author concludes with the policy implications of his findings, noting that current Air Force budgeting approaches likely overestimate funding needs when flying hours are increasing and underestimate needs when flying hours are decreasing.

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Document Details

  • Copyright: RAND Corporation
  • Availability: Web Only
  • Year: 2009
  • Pages: 50
  • Document Number: TR-594-AF

Citation

Chicago Manual of Style

Unger, Eric J., An Examination of the Relationship Between Usage and Operating-and-Support Costs of U.S. Air Force Aircraft. Santa Monica, CA: RAND Corporation, 2009. https://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR594.html.
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The research described in this report was sponsored by the United States Air Force and conducted by RAND Project AIR Force.

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