Aerial Refueling Initiative: Cross-Service Analysis Needed to Determine Best Approach

The aerial refueling initiative was not adequately assessed within the Department. Air Force analyses-the basis for the Departments decisions on the initiative-understated proposed benefits and overstated potential disadvantages. Nonetheless, the majority of the actions proposed by the initiative were rejected on the basis of these evaluations. The Air Forces analyses showed that, compared to its current refueling system, multipoint would not be significantly faster, would cause tanker aircraft to run out of fuel sooner, and would pose operational problems for F-16 and F-22 fighters. The Air Force concluded that these and other obstacles outweighed the new systems ability to refuel two aircraft simultaneously and its interoperability with Navy and U.S. allied aircraft. Conversely, our analysis of Air Force data showed that the amount of time spent refueling from the two systems would be about the same and, therefore, multipoint with twin off-load points would be significantly faster, the Air Force made unrealistic assumptions about tanker loitering times that overstated tanker fuel usage, and reasonable solutions to equipping F-16s and F-22s with the new system may exist. In addition, Desert Storm confirmed the potential benefits of multipoint refueling with the probedrogue system, including increased efficiency, effectiveness, and interoperability.