1.

Record Nr.

UNINA9910220122203321

Titolo

Modernizing the mobility Air Force for tomorrow's air traffic management system / / Sean Bednarz [et al.]

Pubbl/distr/stampa

RAND Corporation, 2012

Santa Monica, CA : , : Rand ; , 2012

ISBN

0-8330-7967-0

Descrizione fisica

1 online resource (xxiii, 88 pages) : color illustrations, color maps (digital, PDF file)

Collana

Rand Corporation monograph series

Disciplina

358.4/18

Soggetti

Airplanes, Military - Electronic equipment - United States

Airplanes, Military - Evaluation - Costs - Maintenance and repair - United States

Avionics - United States

Lingua di pubblicazione

Inglese

Formato

Materiale a stampa

Livello bibliografico

Monografia

Note generali

Bibliographic Level Mode of Issuance: Monograph

Nota di contenuto

Introduction CNS/ATM capabilities and mandates Methodology for cost-effectiveness analysisC-5 modernizationC-17 modernizationKC-135 modernizationC-130H modernizationC-130J modernization Conclusions Appendices Bibliography

Sommario/riassunto

Legal mandates for airspace modernization, certification requirements, and minimum aircraft capability and equipment standards aim to improve the efficiency and safety of air traffic, particularly within the world's busiest airspace. Mandates drive changes in technical and operational standards, but they can also deny access to premium altitudes, routing, and even airports for noncompliant aircraft. Aircraft modernization ensures continued access to fuel-efficient cruising altitudes and congested airspace, but these future benefits require an upfront investment in avionics upgrade programs. In a fiscally constrained environment, such decisions must take into account the quantifiable future costs that would be avoided by upgrades, weighed against the costs of modernization. Building on 2009 RAND work examining the cost-effectiveness of modernizing the U.S. Air Force's KC-10 aerial refueling tanker, this study extended the analysis to the C-5, C-17, C-130, and KC-135 fleets, evaluating the cost-



effectiveness of modernizing these aircraft for compliance with forthcoming communication, navigation, and surveillance/air traffic management mandates. It found that, overall, the Air Force operates these aircraft in regions where some important future mandates will not be met without modernization, but the cost-effectiveness of upgrades depends to a great extent on fuel prices and the characteristics of missions conducted by each aircraft type.