Supporting Air and Space Expeditionary Forces: Analysis of CONUS Centralized Intermediate Repair Facilities

This monograph describes a series of analyses performed for the United States Air Force. These analyses focused on designing a set of networks of Centralized Intermediate Repair Facilities (CIRFs) that would provide centralized off-equipment repair of major aircraft components in the continental United States (CONUS). The premise for the investigation was that well-designed CONUS CIRF networks could provide maintenance support more efficiently and effectively than traditionally used procedures, which generally rely on decentralized, maintenance facilities. Although the USAF has experience with operating CIRFs in both the CONUS and overseas, Air Force leadership did not have an analytic method for designing cost-effective CIRF networks or readily comparing alternative potential network designs. This monograph describes the new modeling approach developed to construct the CONUS CIRF network designs and presents detailed results from the specific analyses. The analyses are based on F-15, F-16, and A-10 aircraft force structure bed-downs resulting from the Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission's 2005 recommendations. For the three aircraft types, all CONUS active duty bases, Air National Guard (ANG) installations, and Air Force Reserve Command (AFRC) installations possessing combat-coded or training aircraft, along with some Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) bases, were used as locations to be supported by CIRF networks. CIRF network designs were constructed for aircraft engines (TF34, F100, F110), electronic warfare (EW) pods (ALQ-131, ALQ-184), Low Altitude Navigation and Targeting Infrared for Night (LANTIRN) navigation (AN/AAQ-13) and targeting pods (AAQ-14s), and F-15 avionics line replaceable units (LRUs). Tasking scenarios considered in these analyses included normal peacetime training and readiness, Air and Space Expeditionary Force (AEF) deployment taskings, and major regional conflict (MRC) taskings. RAND Project Air Force. ISBN 978-0-8330-4290-3.