Military Airlift: Structural Problems Did Not Hamper C-141 Success in DesertShield/Storm

摘要

The C-141 aircraft, long considered the backbone of the Air Force's strategicairlift fleet, is at the end of its originally designed service life. Although the Air Force had planned to conserve the aircraft's remaining useful life by flying fewer hours and limiting the weight of cargo carried, Operation Desert Shield/Storm caused the Air Force to abandon its plan. During the Operation, the C-141's flying hours almost doubled its planned peacetime program, raising concern over accelerated wear to the aging aircraft. At the request of the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Projection Forces and Regional Defense, Senate Committee on Armed Services, GAO assessed the performance of the C-141 during Operation Desert Shield/Storm, its structural problems, and planned Air Force C-141 service life extension programs. The C-141 is the oldest airlifter in the Command's aircraft fleet in terms of average age. It was first introduced into the Air Force inventory in the mid-1960s. As of June 1992, there were 265 C-141s in the Command's inventory, and almost all had reached their originally designed service life of 30,000 flying hours. In 1984, the Air Force initiated a program to extend the C-141's service life to 45,000 hours. The C-141 performed well in Operation Desert Shield/Storm. However, the aircraft has experienced serious technical and structural problems, and the ongoing service life extension program--to 45,000 hours--has been and continues to be delayed because of technical problems and higher funding priorities.