S.Amdt. 2205

1. Adds SEC. 1044. REPORT ON SIZE AND MIX OF AIR FORCE INTERTHEATER AIRLIFT FORCE at the end of subtitle D of title X

   Adds a section

   Inserted: SEC. 1044. REPORT ON SIZE AND MIX OF AIR FORCE INTERTHEATER AIRLIFT FORCE.

   Inserted: (a) Study Required.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall provide for a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) to conduct a study on various alternatives for the size and mix of assets for the Air Force intertheater airlift force, with a particular focus on current and anticipated capabilities and costs of the C-5 aircraft and C-17 aircraft fleets.

   Inserted: (2) Selection of ffrdc.--In order to enhance the utility of the study, the Secretary shall, select to conduct the study a federally funded research and development center that is currently engaged in force mix analyses of other military mobility aircraft fleets.

   Inserted: (3) Utilization of other studies.--In conducting the study, the federally funded research and development center shall utilize the results of the recent Mobility Capabilities Studies of the Department of Defense, the on-going Intratheater Airlift Fleet Mix Analysis, and other appropriate studies and analyses. The study should also include any results reached on the modified C-5A aircraft configured as part of the Reliability Enhancement and Re-engining Program (RERP) configuration, as specified in section 132 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (Public Law 108-136; 117 Stat. 1411).

   Inserted: (b) Elements.--The study under subsection (a) shall address the following:

   Inserted: (1) The adequacy of the current intertheater airlift force, including whether or not the current target number of 299 airframes for the Air Force heavy lift aircraft fleet will be sufficient to support future expeditionary combat and non-combat missions, as well as domestic and training mission requirements, in light of each of the following:

   Inserted: (A) Current and future military combat and support missions.

   Inserted: (B) The planned force structure growth of the Army and the Marine Corps.

   Inserted: (C) Potential changes in lift requirements arising from the deployment of the Future Combat Systems by the Army.

   Inserted: (D) The utilization of the heavy lift aircraft in intratheater combat missions.

   Inserted: (E) The availability and application of Civil Reserve Air Fleet assets in future military scenarios.

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   Inserted: (F) The potential foreign military demand for military airlift aircraft and the value to the Air Force of a global infrastructure associated with a common aircraft fleet.

   Inserted: (G) Any increased air mobility requirements associated with the Global Rebasing Initiative of the Department of Defense.

   Inserted: (H) Potential increases in United States military support for peacekeeping and humanitarian missions around the globe.

   Inserted: (I) Potential changes in lift requirements based on equipment procured for Iraq and Afghanistan.

   Inserted: (2) The state of the current intertheater airlift fleet of the Air Force, including the following:

   Inserted: (A) The extent to which the increased use of heavy airlift aircraft in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and other ongoing operations is affecting the aging of the aircraft of that fleet.

   Inserted: (B) The extent to which the accelerated aging of such aircraft will affect the replacement schedule for such aircraft.

   Inserted: (3) The optimal mix of C-5 aircraft and C-17 aircraft for the intertheater airlift fleet of the Air Force, and any appropriate mix of C-5 aircraft and C-17 aircraft for intratheater airlift missions, including an assessment of the following:

   Inserted: (A) The cost-benefits of replacing C-5A aircraft with C-17 aircraft, including costs associated with the C-5 Reliability Enhancement and Re-engining Program (RERP) and Avionics Modernization Program (AMP).

   Inserted: (B) The military capability of the airframes for the C-5 aircraft and C-17 aircraft, including number of lifetime flight hours, cargo and passenger carrying capability, and mission capable rates for such airframes.

   Inserted: (C) The effect of replacing C-5 aircraft with C-17 aircraft on a one-for-one airframe basis, rather than upgrading the C-5 aircraft under the Reliability Enhancement and Re-engining Program and the Avionics Modernization Program, on airlift capabilities, including whether replacing C-5 aircraft with C-17 aircraft would create an equivalent one-for-one tradeoff in military capability.

   Inserted: (D) The tactical capabilities of strategic airlift aircraft, the potential increase in use of strategic airlift aircraft for tactical missions, and the value of such capabilities to tactical operations.

   Inserted: (E) The value of having more than one type of aircraft in the strategic airlift fleet, and the potential need to pursue a replacement aircraft for the C-5 aircraft that is larger than the C-17 aircraft.

   Inserted: (4) Strategic issues associated with closing the production line for the C-17 aircraft, particularly the risks associated with losing the industrial capacity of that production line in the light of future military requirements.

   Inserted: (5) The means by which the Air Force was able to restart the production line for the C-5 aircraft after having closed the line for several years, and the actions to be taken to ensure the production line for the C-17 aircraft could be restarted should a decision to close the line be made, including an analysis of the following:

   Inserted: (A) The costs of closing and re-opening the production line for the C-5 aircraft, and an assessment of the costs of closing and re-opening the production line for the C-17 aircraft on a similar basis.

   Inserted: (B) The risks inherent in permitting a production line to close when compared with the potential savings or favorable aspects of keeping a production line open.

   Inserted: (6) The financial effects of retiring or upgrading and maintaining the C-5A aircraft fleet on procurement decisions relating to the C-17 aircraft.

   Inserted: (7) The impact that increasing the role and use of strategic airlift aircraft in intratheater operations will have on the current target number for strategic airlift aircraft of 299, including an analysis of the following:

   Inserted: (A) The appropriateness of using C-5 aircraft and C-17 aircraft for intratheater missions, as well as the efficacy of these aircraft to perform current and projected future intratheater missions.

   Inserted: (B) The interplay of existing doctrinal intratheater airlift aircraft (such as the C-130 aircraft and the future Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA)) with an increasing role for C-5 aircraft and C-17 aircraft in intratheater missions.

   Inserted: (C) The most appropriate and likely missions for C-5 aircraft and C-17 aircraft in intratheater operations and the potential for increased requirements in these mission areas.

   Inserted: (D) Any intratheater mission sets best performed by strategic airlift aircraft as opposed to traditional intratheater airlift aircraft.

   Inserted: (E) Any requirements for increased production or longevity of C-5 and C-17 aircraft, or for a new strategic airlift aircraft, in light of the matters analyzed under this paragraph.

   Inserted: (c) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to exclude from the study under subsection (a) consideration of airlift assets other than the C-5 aircraft or C-17 aircraft that do or may provide intratheater and intertheater airlift, including the potential that such current or future assets may reduce requirements for C-5 aircraft or C-17 aircraft.

   Inserted: (d) Report.--

   Inserted: (1) In general.--Not later than February 1, 2009, the Secretary Defense shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of Representatives a report on the study under subsection (a).

   Inserted: (2) Form.--The report shall be submitted in unclassified form, but may include a classified annex.

   Original wording

   At the end of subtitle D of title X, add the following:

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As printed