Figure 3-27 Updated.
Age and Inventory of Air Force Tankers |
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- This chart updates the two panels of Figure 3-27 of CBO's January 2003 study of The Long-Term Implications of Current Defense Plans. (For an explanation of the half-life range depicted in the chart, see Box 1-3 in the January 2003 study.) The chart shows the age (top part of the chart) and inventory (bottom part of the chart) of tankers for the Air Force.
- The Defense Department's proposal to lease new KC-767 tankers would result in earlier delivery of those aircraft than would the purchases assumed in CBO's January 2003 projection. Thus, in CBO's updated projection, the average age of the tanker fleet begins to decline sooner than it does in CBO's January 2003 estimate.
- CBO's projection of the Air Force's investment includes DoD's previously announced plan to lease 100 KC-767 tankers to replace existing KC-135E tankers. Leasing is assumed to continue after the the first 100 aircraft become operational until all KC-135 tankers are replaced with KC-767s.
- In response to Congressional concerns regarding the cost of leasing rather than purchasing aircraft, the Defense Department late in 2003 proposed a revised plan to lease 20 KC-767s and purchase the remaining 80 new tankers. However, CBO's projection was developed before DoD decided to pursue that revised program.
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