Military Airlift: DOD Plans to Participate in Multi-National Program to Exchange Air Services with European Nations

reportActive / Technical Report | Accession Number: ADA587111 | Open PDF

Abstract:

This report formally transmits the enclosed briefing in response to section 1276 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013, which mandates that we conduct a review of the Air Transport, Air-to-Air Refueling and Other Exchange of Services ATARES program. ATARES is a European program through which member nations use a system of credits and debits to facilitate sharing of air force-related services-such as troop and cargo airlift-without monetary transactions. ATARES is managed by the Movement Coordination Centre Europe MCCE, a multi-national organization established in July 2007 to coordinate and optimize the use of airlift, sealift, and land movement assets owned or leased by member nations militaries. The Department of Defense DOD is not a member of ATARES but is seeking to join the program. DOD is a member of MCCE and pays a fee for this membership there is no additional fee to become a member of ATARES. Currently, because DOD is not a member of ATARES, it utilizes Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreements to exchange services with other nations- including ATARES member nations-often through monetary transactions. DOD believes it would benefit from membership in ATARES and requested approval from Congress in 2011 to participate in the program. Our objectives were to determine 1 the types of services exchanged through ATARES, 2 the extent to which information is available to determine whether ATARES is achieving its intended purposes, and 3 the extent to which information is available on the cost-effectiveness of ATARES. Enclosure 1 details the results of our review based on our briefing to your offices on September 10, 2013. To address our objectives, we visited U.S. European Command EUCOM in Stuttgart, Germany, and MCCE headquarters in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, to interview officials knowledgeable about the ATARES program and to gather documentation and information about the program s operations.

Author(s):
Seay, Kimberly ; Anderson, Edward ; Landesman, Joanne ; Mcmillen, Lisa ; Petersen, Carol ; Shaughnessy, Michael ; Silver, Mike ; Song, Yong ; Steele, Amie ; Russell, Cary
Author Organization(s):
GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY OFFICE WASHINGTON DC
Descriptive Note:
Congressional rept.
Supplementary Note:
Rept. to Congressional Committees on Armed Services and Appropriations.
Pagination:
0029

Security Markings

DOCUMENT & CONTEXTUAL SUMMARY

Distribution:
Approved For Public Release
Distribution Statement:
Approved For Public Release; Distribution Is Unlimited.

RECORD

Collection: TR
Identifying Numbers
Report Number(s):
GAO-14-30R
Monitor Series:
GAO
 Subject Terms
Joint Capability Areas:
JCA_5_Command and Control; JCA_6.4.1_Secure Information Exchange; JCA_4.1_Deployment and Distribution; JCA_4_Logistics; JCA_5.2_Understand; JCA_5.2.3_Share Knowledge and Situational Awareness; JCA_6_Net Centric; JCA_4.4_Logistics Services; JCA_6.4_Information Assurance; JCA_5.6.3_Assess Achievement of Objectives; JCA_5.6_Monitor; JCA_5.3_Planning; JCA_5.5_Direct; JCA_5.5.1_Communicate Intent and Guidance; JCA_1.2.5_Lessons Learned; JCA_8_Building Partnerships; JCA_JCA_4.1.2_Sustain the Force; JCA_8.1.1_Inform Domestic and Foreign Audiences; JCA_8.1_Communicate
Communities of Interest:
Biomedical
Descriptor(s):
*AIRLIFT OPERATIONS, *COST EFFECTIVENESS, AIR FORCE BUDGETS, AIR TRANSPORTATION, AUDITING, DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, GERMANY, INTERVIEWING, MILITARY FORCES(FOREIGN), MILITARY FORCES(UNITED STATES), MILITARY PROCUREMENT, NETHERLANDS, REFUELING IN FLIGHT, SHARING
Field(s)/Group(s):
Economics and Cost Analysis, Military Forces and Organizations, Logistics, Military Facilities and Supplies
Keyword(s):
GAO REPORTS, ATARES(AIR TRANSPORT AIR TO AIR REFUELING AND OTHER EXCHANGE OF SERVICES), ATARES PROGRAM, EUCOM(EUROPEAN COMMAND), MCCE(MOVEMENT COORDINATION CENTRE EUROPE), EUROPEAN AIR TRANSPORT COMMAND, STRATEGIC AIRLIFT INTERIM SOLUTION
Report Date:
2013 Oct 30
Creation Date:
2013 Nov 13