The Air Force makes it clear in the just-released tanker replacement RFI that any potential candidate should not only handle aerial refueling but also secondary missions, such as cargo and passenger hauling, aeromedical evacuation, and command, control, communications, and computer augmentation. (The latter capability was advocated by former Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper, who wanted to use tankers loitering over a combat area to provide an additional comm node.)
Depot-level maintenance took longer than expected for nearly three-quarters of Air Force aircraft from fiscal 2019-2024, according to a new report, as unplanned repairs rise across the aging fleet. The report, from the Government Accountability Office, also found that the extent of the delays has been masked because officials often revise their target timelines after unplanned work occurs.