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Aviation Maintenance

Maintenance of military aircraft often requires the acquisition and procurement of new and technologically advanced equipment, which is a major expense for any nation. RAND has researched and evaluated military acquisition, procurement, and maintenance activities for decades, providing essential recommendations to allow military decisionmakers to manage costs and make effective decisions and policy regarding aircraft sustainment activities.

Report
The Training Needs of the Aircrew Flight Equipment Career Field: Insights from a Survey of Airmen
The work of aircrew flight equipment (AFE) personnel is vital to the safety of the aircrews in the U.S. Air Force. The authors surveyed AFE personnel to help the career field justify specific changes to training and personnel management policies.
Aug 10, 2023
Report
Increasing Aircrew Flight Equipment Personnel Proficiency: Insights from Members of the Career Field
The Air Force Aircrew Flight Equipment (AFE) specialty plays a crucial role in ensuring the safety of airmen. The authors investigate causes for the decline in AFE proficiency and develop courses of action to mitigate the issue.
Mar 17, 2021
Report
Evaluating Alternative Maintenance Manpower Force Structure Concepts for the F-35A
The authors of this report evaluate the costs and benefits of maintenance manpower force structures in the U.S. Air Force that merge maintenance career fields in different ways, including alternatives that are being explored by the Air Force today.
Sep 3, 2020
Report
Naval Aviation Maintenance System: Analysis of Alternatives
The U.S. Navy's aviation maintenance capability suffers from supportability issues because of its antiquated software architecture and codebase. Would migrating to a commercial off-the-shelf solution help modernize the Navy's afloat and ashore maintenance capabilities?
Mar 9, 2020
Report
Standoff Over Senkaku Islands Carries Growing Risk of Miscalculation
China has stepped up its vessel and air activities near the disputed Senkaku Islands. Japan has made posture changes and increased the quantity of aircraft and radar in the region, but it does not have the resources to match Chinese air activity. And since it's an issue of domestic air sovereignty, the U.S. is limited in what it can do to assist Japan.
Dec 3, 2018
Report
Assessing the Training and Operational Proficiency of China's Aerospace Forces: Selections from the Inaugural Conference of the China Aerospace Studies Institute (CASI)
This volume contains revised versions of three presentations on Chinese aerospace training and operational competence issues from a June 2015 China Aerospace Studies Institute (CASI) conference.
Oct 20, 2016
Report
Can the Air Force and Airlines Collaborate for Mutual Benefit? An Exploration of Pilot and Maintenance Workforce Options
This report explores ways the Air Force and commercial airlines could collaborate on issues related to their pilot and maintenance workforces by evaluating benefits, costs, and feasibility from the perspectives of both sides.
Apr 21, 2016
Report
Consolidating Air Force Maintenance Occupational Specialties
This report examines the cost and readiness implications of consolidating maintenance occupational specialties for new and legacy mobility fleets. Implications are derived from an assessment conducted for the KC-135 fleet.
Mar 9, 2016
Report
A Review of Selected International Aircraft Spares Pooling Programs: Lessons Learned for F-35 Spares Pooling
Development of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter was shared by nine countries, who agreed that F-35 sustainment assets would be managed as a global pool. This report reviews other military aircraft spares pooling programs to identify lessons learned.
Feb 18, 2016
Multimedia
Do Joint Fighter Programs Save Money?
In this March 28th Congressional Briefing, Mark Lorell discusses how the need to accommodate different service requirements into a single jet fighter design or common design family leads to increased program complexity and cost growth.
Mar 28, 2014
Report
Enabling Early Sustainment Decisions: Application to F-35 Depot-Level Maintenance
The U.S. Air Force has long struggled to incorporate new weapon system logistics requirements and support system design considerations into its broader sustainment enterprise early in the acquisition process. RAND developed a framework that helps planners visualize sustainment data and compare new programs with legacy Air Force systems.
Dec 20, 2013
Report
Modernizing the Mobility Air Force for Tomorrow's Air Traffic Management System
Building on RAND work examining the cost-effectiveness of modernizing the U.S. Air Force's KC-10 aerial refueling tanker to comply with airspace modernization mandates, this study extended the analysis to the C-5, C-17, C-130, and KC-135 fleets.
Dec 6, 2012
Report
Improving Air Force Depot Programming by Linking Resources to Capabilities
Depot purchased equipment maintenance (DPEM) funds the bulk of the work done at Air Force depots that does not involve the repair of spares or work on modification programs. This report analyzes how to better program for DPEM.
Nov 21, 2012
Report
Air Force Materiel Command Reorganization Analysis: Final Report
A congressionally mandated review of the proposed restructuring of Air Force Materiel Command examined the proposal and its effect on life-cycle management, weapon system sustainment, and overall support to the warfighter.
Jul 6, 2012
Report
Options for and Costs of Retaining C-17 Aircraft Production-Only Tooling
When production ceases, tools must be used elsewhere, disposed of, or stored; the authors examine these tooling retention issues for the C-17 cargo aircraft.
Feb 23, 2012
Report
Upgrading the Extender: Which Options Are Cost-Effective for Modernizing the KC-10?
The Air Force is considering upgrades to the KC-10 in several areas. An assessment of options to upgrade the KC-10 weighed the costs and potential benefits of the upgrades against demands in different types of operations and KC-10 roles.
Feb 25, 2011
Report
A Repair Network Concept for Air Force Maintenance: Conclusions from Analysis of C-130, F-16, and KC-135 Fleets
The initial phases of a study of the Air Force logistics enterprise finds that consolidated wing-level scheduled inspections and component back-shop maintenance capabilities would be more effective and efficient than the current system.
Mar 8, 2010
Report
Analysis of the Air Force Logistics Enterprise: Evaluation of Global Repair Network Options for Supporting the F-16 and KC-135
Develops an approach for rebalancing aircraft maintenance capabilities between mission generation units and a network of centralized repair facilities, illustrated by an application to the F-16 and KC-135 weapon systems.
Oct 30, 2009
Report
Should the U.S. Air Force Modernize Its Refueling Fleet to Meet Upcoming Mandates?
The U.S. Air Force's KC-10 air refueling fleet has been in service for 25 years without a major avionics upgrade. Without modernization, the KC-10 will not be in compliance with upcoming air traffic management mandates regulating the minimum allowed communication, navigation, and surveillance capabilities.
Oct 14, 2009
Report
Assessing Capabilities and Risks in Air Force Programming: Framework, Metrics, and Methods
A method for capabilities-based programming is developed to assist the programming of a wide range of resources in light of an uncertain future, expressing capabilities and risks of resource allocations in terms of national planning objectives.
Apr 1, 2009

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RAND Project AIR FORCE