Air Force Global Strike Command and Pacific Air Forces partnered to shave an estimated $12 million each year from the cost of B-2A and B-52H rotations to Andersen AFB, Guam, where the United States maintains a continual bomber presence. They’ve done this by changing the logistics set-up for the B-52s that deploy there every six months on average either from Barksdale AFB, La., or Minot AFB, N.D. Until now, each expeditionary B-52 squadron has lugged an enormous trove of spare parts—known as a mobility readiness spares package—with it there and back. Now, officials agreed to permanently position a B-52 MRSP on Guam, standardize the packages at Barksdale and Minot, and also transfer MRSPs by land routes between the two stateside bases. (Barksdale report by Megan Meyer)
As Air Force leaders consider concepts of operations for Collaborative Combat Aircraft, sustainment in the field—and easing that support by using standard parts and limiting variants—should be a key consideration, according to a new study from AFA's Mitchell Institute of Aerospace Studies.