That is the question Congress wants answered—with more detail than the Air Force has so far provided. The Senate had wanted to direct USAF to purchase up to two dedicated aeromedical evacuation aircraft. Instead, lawmakers opted to have USAF respond by May with a “comprehensive evaluation” that compares the current designated aircraft program to the former dedicated aircraft program. The comparison is to include everything from cost to customer feedback. Lawmakers state that USAF’s transition from dedicated to designated AE “is not without challenges.” They urge full candor. When USAF announced in 2003 its plan to retire the C-9 fleet, officials said the service could handle the job more efficiently without the dedicated AE aircraft.
A legislative standoff has led to a lapse in a $4.26 billion small business innovation contracting program widely used by the Air Force and could spell the end of it entirely, industry sources warned Air & Space Forces Magazine.
