Strategic Airlift: Further Air Base Reductions in Europe Could Jeopardize Capability (Letter Report, 06/02/94, GAO/NSIAD-94-138). Over the past several years, U.S. airlift operations at several air bases in Europe have either been closed or curtailed. As of March 1994, operational capabilities at the six key air bases in Europe that would best support airlift aircraft headed for the Middle East are just enough to meet the mobility requirements spelled out in the Mobility Requirements Study. GAO concludes that ending airlift operations at any of the six European air bases would increase the risk that U.S. troops or cargo destined for a Middle East crisis would arrive too late; further, the Air Force would have to resort to riskier practices, such as aerial refueling and emergency base construction. --------------------------- Indexing Terms ----------------------------- REPORTNUM: NSIAD-94-138 TITLE: Strategic Airlift: Further Air Base Reductions in Europe Could Jeopardize Capability DATE: 06/02/94 SUBJECT: Defense contingency planning Military airlift operations Combat readiness Strategic mobility forces Air Force bases Airlift services Logistics Budget cuts Reductions in force Defense capabilities IDENTIFIER: C-5 Aircraft C-141 Aircraft DOD Mobility Requirements Study Middle East Europe Germany Spain Persian Gulf War KC-10 Aircraft KC-135 Aircraft ************************************************************************ We regret that the full text of this item is presently unavailable. See the GAO FAQ - Section 2.0 for printed copy ordering information. The FAQ is automatically retrieved with all WAIS search results or can be obtained by sending e-mail to: [email protected]