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The U.S. Air Force currently relies principally on boom-and-receptacle technology to conduct aerial-refueling operations for fixed-wing aircraft. With this approach, a single aircraft at a time may be refueled behind a tanker. An alternative concept, called multipoint aerial refueling, uses probe-and-rogue technology to enable more than one aircraft to refuel simultaneously from a tanker. The work described in this documented briefing reviews five studies to determine whether any general conclusions may be drawn regarding the merits of multipoint aerial refueling. It also describes the results of a RAND analysis of how multipoint refueling might have affected tanker requirements during a single high-tempo day of Desert Storm operations. The work is part of a larger effort undertaken by RAND at the request of the Commission on Roles and Missions of the Armed Forces, to review and evaluate "current allocations among the Armed Forces of roles, missions, and functions" and to "make recommendations for changes in the current definition and distribution of those roles, missions and functions" (National Defense Authorization Act for FY 1994). As such, the document should be of interest to those Air Force and other U.S. military personnel, analysts, policymakers, and operational commanders who are broadly concerned with the employment of forces and with aerial-refueling operations in particular.

Airtankers (Military science) --- Airplanes --- Cost control. --- Air refueling --- Cost effectiveness.

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In 1995, RAND was asked to support a study, called the C-17 Tactical Utility Analysis (TUA), to examine possible roles for the C-17 as an in-theater airlifter. The study, conducted by the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Program Analysis and Evaluation (OSD[PA & E]), with the support of the Services, found a need for up to a squadron of C 17s operating in-theater during major regional contingencies. The work described in this Documented Briefing used the same assumptions as those in the Tactical Utility Analysis, but a different analytic approach, thereby helping to validate the findings. RAND had two objectives in its support of the TUA: one to estimate the capacity of airfields to support air mobility operations and the other to evaluate possible concepts of operation for in-theater C-17 operations. The first objective is addressed in James P. Stucker, Ruth T. Berg, et al., Understanding Airfield Capacity for Airlift Operations, Santa Monica, CA: RAND, MR-700-AF/OSD (forthcoming). This Documented Briefing addresses the second objective. The authors conclude that there is a robust role for about one squadron of 12 C-17s in-theater during major regional contingencies. However, this number holds only if the assumption is made that the aircraft must be assigned to the theater for the entire duration of the contingency. Even greater benefit may be obtained by deploying more C-17s for in-theater operations during some parts of the contingency and fewer at other times.

Airlift, Military --- C-17 (Jet transport) --- Deployment (Strategy) --- United States. --- Ground support.