Defense Plans: Plan to Better Use Air Force Squadrons Could Yield Benefits but Faces Significant Challenges Page: 4 of 25
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(1) what benefits would likely accrue from dual-tasking squadrons and
(2) what challenges must be addressed to maximize those benefits. In
conducting this analysis, we compared how the Air Force met theater
commanders' requirements in the most recent 15-month period-
December 2000 to February 2002-with how it would meet these same
requirements during a similar period under the 2010 dual-tasking concept.
(For a complete description of our methodology, see app. I.)
Results in Brief Our analysis shows that the Air Force could reap significant benefits by
dual-tasking some fighter squadrons to fulfill two requirements as the 2010
Concept envisions. Although significant challenges could impede the Air
Force's ability to maximize these benefits, the Air Force has not done the
specific analysis to know what is needed to implement dual-tasking by
2010.
Our analysis showed that dual-tasking would result in more efficient use of
squadrons and a greatly reduced need to task squadrons above and beyond
the Air Force's goal of one 90-day period every 15 months. With respect to
efficiency, dual-tasking would provide theater commanders with the same
number of aircraft to meet requirements as under current practice;
however, the aircraft would come from fewer squadrons. The benefits are
that a larger proportion of a squadron's aircraft would be used to meet
requirements, and because dual-tasking uses fewer squadrons to meet
requirements, the need to repeatedly task the same squadrons would be
reduced. Our comparison of actual deployments over a recent 15-month
period with those needed under dual-tasking showed that the number of
squadrons that would be needed for more than one 90-day period during
that time would decline from 26 squadrons to 5. Air Force officials believe
that other intangible benefits would accrue. For example, when a
squadron is dual-tasked, the theater commander would be able to quickly
shift the number of aircraft and pilots between the two requirements as
the situation demands. This should allow the commander the flexibility to
quickly adjust when requirements change without having to deploy more
forces into the theater.
However, addressing significant challenges-such as the need for
increased pilot training and filling vacant maintenance positions-is
essential if the full benefits are to accrue. Our analysis of selected F-16
squadrons showed that more training sorties would be required under
dual-tasking. Yet, the Air Force has not quantified this increase, assessed
how it would manage the increase, or projected how it would support such
an increase either logistically or in its budget. Our analysis also showedGAO-02-542 Defense Plans
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United States. General Accounting Office. Defense Plans: Plan to Better Use Air Force Squadrons Could Yield Benefits but Faces Significant Challenges, report, April 30, 2002; Washington D.C.. (https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc293689/m1/4/: accessed May 6, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, UNT Digital Library, https://digital.library.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.