text: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
  
      This Act may be cited as the ``United States Airlift Requirements 
  Act''.
  
  SEC. 2. REPORT ON SIZE AND MIX OF AIR FORCE INTERTHEATER AIRLIFT FORCE.
  
      (a) Study Required.--
              (1) In general.--The Secretary of Defense shall conduct a 
          study on various alternatives for the size and mix of assets 
          for the Air Force intertheater airlift force, with a particular 
          focus on current and planned capabilities and costs of the C-5 
          aircraft and C-17 aircraft fleets.
              (2) Conduct of study.--
                      (A) Use of ffrdc.--The Secretary shall select to 
                  conduct the study required by subsection (a) a 
                  federally funded research and development center 
                  (FFRDC) that has experience and expertise in conducting 
                  studies similar to the study required by subsection 
                  (a).
                      (B) Development of study methodology.--Not later 
                  than 90 days after the date of enactment of this Act, 
                  the federally funded research and development center 
                  selected for the conduct of the study shall--
                              (i) develop the methodology for the study; 
                          and
                              (ii) submit the methodology to the 
                          Comptroller General of the United States for 
                          review.
                      (C) Comptroller general review.--Not later than 30 
                  days after receipt of the methodology under 
                  subparagraph (B), the Comptroller General shall--
                              (i) review the methodology for purposes of 
                          identifying any flaws or weaknesses in the 
                          methodology; and
                              (ii) submit to the federally funded 
                          research and development center a report that--
                                      (I) sets forth any flaws or 
                                  weaknesses in the methodology 
                                  identified by the Comptroller General 
                                  in the review; and
                                      (II) makes any recommendations the 
                                  Comptroller General considers advisable 
                                  for improvements to the methodology.
                      (D) Modification of methodology.--Not later than 30 
                  days after receipt of the report under subparagraph 
                  (C), the federally funded research and development 
                  center shall--
                              (i) modify the methodology in order to 
                          address flaws or weaknesses identified by the 
                          Comptroller General in the report and to 
                          improve the methodology in accordance with the 
                          recommendations, if any, made by the 
                          Comptroller General; and
                              (ii) submit to the congressional defense 
                          committees a report that--
                                      (I) describes the modifications of 
                                  the methodology made by the federally 
                                  funded research and development center; 
                                  and
                                      (II) if the federally funded 
                                  research and development center does 
                                  not improve the methodology in 
                                  accordance with any particular 
                                  recommendation of the Comptroller 
                                  General, sets forth a description and 
                                  explanation of the reasons for such 
                                  action.
              (3) Utilization of other studies.--The study shall build 
          upon the results of the recent Mobility Capabilities Studies of 
          the Department of Defense, the on-going Intratheater Airlift 
          Fleet Mix Analysis, and other appropriate studies and analyses. 
          The study should also include any results reached on the 
          modified C-5A aircraft configured as part of the Reliability 
          Enhancement and Re-engining Program (RERP) configuration, as 
          specified in section 132 of the National Defense Authorization 
          Act for Fiscal Year 2004 (Public Law 108-136; 117 Stat. 1411).
      (b) Elements.--The study under subsection (a) shall address the 
  following:
              (1) The state of the current intertheater airlift fleet of 
          the Air Force, including the extent to which the increased use 
          of heavy airlift aircraft in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation 
          Enduring Freedom, and other ongoing operations is affecting the 
          aging of the aircraft of that fleet.
              (2) The adequacy of the current intertheater airlift force, 
          including whether or not the current target number of 301 
          airframes for the Air Force heavy lift aircraft fleet will be 
          sufficient to support future expeditionary combat and non-
          combat missions as well as domestic and training mission 
          demands consistent with the requirements of the National 
          Military Strategy.
              (3) The optimal mix of C-5 aircraft and C-17 aircraft for 
          the intertheater airlift fleet of the Air Force, and any 
          appropriate mix of C-5 aircraft and C-17 aircraft for 
          intratheater airlift missions, including an assessment of the 
          following:
                      (A) The cost advantages and disadvantages of 
                  modernizing the C-5 aircraft fleet when compared with 
                  procuring new C-17 aircraft, which assessment shall be 
                  performed in concert with the Cost Analysis Improvement 
                  Group and be based on program life cycle cost estimates 
                  for the respective aircraft.
                      (B) The military capability of the C-5 aircraft and 
                  the C-17 aircraft, including number of lifetime flight 
                  hours, cargo and passenger carrying capabilities, and 
                  mission capable rates for such airframes. In the case 
                  of assumptions for the C-5 aircraft, and any 
                  assumptions made for the mission capable rates of the 
                  C-17 aircraft, sensitivity analyses shall also be 
                  conducted to test assumptions. The military capability 
                  study for the C-5 aircraft shall also include an 
                  assessment of the mission capable rates after each of 
                  the following:
                              (i) Successful completion of the Avionics 
                          Modernization Program (AMP) and the Reliability 
                          Enhancement and Re-engining Program (RERP).
                              (ii) Partially successful completion of the 
                          Avionics Modernization Program and the 
                          Reliability Enhancement and Re-engining 
                          Program, with partially successful completion 
                          of either such program being considered the 
                          point at which the continued execution of such 
                          program is no longer supported by cost-benefit 
                          analysis.
                      (C) The tactical capabilities of strategic airlift 
                  aircraft, the potential increase in use of strategic 
                  airlift aircraft for tactical missions, and the value 
                  of such capabilities to tactical operations.
                      (D) The value of having more than one type of 
                  aircraft in the strategic airlift fleet, and the 
                  potential need to pursue a replacement aircraft for the 
                  C-5 aircraft that is larger than the C-17 aircraft.
              (4) The means by which the Air Force was able to restart 
          the production line for the C-5 aircraft after having closed 
          the line for several years, and the actions to be taken to 
          ensure the production line for the C-17 aircraft could be 
          restarted if necessary, including--
                      (A) an analysis of the costs of closing and re-
                  opening the production line for the C-5 aircraft; and
                      (B) an assessment of the costs of closing and re-
                  opening the production line for the C-17 aircraft on a 
                  similar basis.
              (5) The financial effects of retiring, upgrading and 
          maintaining, or continuing current operations of the C-5A 
          aircraft fleet on procurement decisions relating to the C-17 
          aircraft.
              (6) The impact that increasing the role and use of 
          strategic airlift aircraft in intratheater operations will have 
          on the current target number for strategic airlift aircraft of 
          301 airframes, including an analysis of the following:
                      (A) The appropriateness of using C-5 aircraft and 
                  C-17 aircraft for intratheater missions, as well as the 
                  efficacy of these aircraft to perform current and 
                  projected future intratheater missions.
                      (B) The interplay of existing doctrinal 
                  intratheater airlift aircraft (such as the C-130 
                  aircraft and the future Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA)) 
                  with an increasing role for C-5 aircraft and C-17 
                  aircraft in intratheater missions.
                      (C) The most appropriate and likely missions for C-
                  5 aircraft and C-17 aircraft in intratheater operations 
                  and the potential for increased requirements in these 
                  mission areas.
                      (D) Any intratheater mission sets best performed by 
                  strategic airlift aircraft as opposed to traditional 
                  intratheater airlift aircraft.
                      (E) Any requirements for increased production or 
                  longevity of C-5 aircraft and C-17 aircraft, or for a 
                  new strategic airlift aircraft, in light of the matters 
                  analyzed under this paragraph.
              (7) Taking into consideration all applicable factors, 
          whether or not the replacement of C-5 aircraft with C-17 
          aircraft on a one-for-one basis will result in the retention of 
          a comparable strategic airlift capability.
      (c) Construction.--Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
  exclude from the study under subsection (a) consideration of airlift 
  assets other than the C-5 aircraft or C-17 aircraft that do or may 
  provide intratheater and intertheater airlift, including the potential 
  that such current or future assets may reduce requirements for C-5 
  aircraft or C-17 aircraft.
      (d) Collaboration With Transcom.--The federally funded research and 
  development center selected under subsection (a) shall conduct the 
  study required by that subsection and make the report required by 
  subsection (e) in concert with the United States Transportation 
  Command.
      (e) Report by FFRDC.--
              (1) In general.--Not later than February 4, 2009, the 
          federally funded research and development center selected under 
          subsection (a) shall submit to the Secretary of Defense, the 
          congressional defense committees, and the Comptroller General 
          of the United States a report on the study required by 
          subsection (a).
              (2) Review by gao.--Not later than 90 days after receipt of 
          the report under paragraph (1), the Comptroller General shall 
          submit to the congressional defense committee a report on the 
          study conducted under subsection (a) and the report under 
          paragraph (1). The report under this subsection shall include 
          an analysis of the study under subsection (a) and the report 
          under paragraph (1), including an assessment by the Comptroller 
          General of the strengths and weaknesses of the study and 
          report.
      (f) Report by Secretary of Defense.--
              (1) In general.--Not later than _____, 2009, the Secretary 
          of Defense shall submit to the Committee on Armed Services of 
          the Senate and the Committee on Armed Services of the House of 
          Representatives a report on the study required by subsection 
          (a).
              (2) Elements.--The report shall include a comprehensive 
          discussion of the findings of the study, including a particular 
          focus on the following:
                      (A) A description of lift requirements and 
                  operating profiles for intertheater airlift aircraft 
                  required to meet the National Military Strategy, 
                  including assumptions regarding:
                              (i) Current and future military combat and 
                          support missions.
                              (ii) The planned force structure growth of 
                          the Army and the Marine Corps.
                              (iii) Potential changes in lift 
                          requirements, including the deployment of the 
                          Future Combat Systems by the Army.
                              (iv) New capability in strategic airlift to 
                          be provided by the KC(X) aircraft and the 
                          expected utilization of such capability, 
                          including its use in intratheater lift.
                              (v) The utilization of the heavy lift 
                          aircraft in intratheater combat missions.
                              (vi) The availability and application of 
                          Civil Reserve Air Fleet assets in future 
                          military scenarios.
                              (vii) Air mobility requirements associated 
                          with the Global Rebasing Initiative of the 
                          Department of Defense.
                              (viii) Air mobility requirements in support 
                          of peacekeeping and humanitarian missions 
                          around the globe.
                              (ix) Potential changes in lift requirements 
                          based on equipment procured for Iraq and 
                          Afghanistan.
                      (B) A description of the assumptions utilized in 
                  the study regarding aircraft performances and loading 
                  factors.
                      (C) A comprehensive statement of the data and 
                  assumptions utilized in making program life cycle cost 
                  estimates.
                      (D) A comparison of cost and risk associated with 
                  optimal mix airlift fleet versus program of record 
                  airlift fleet.
              (3) Form.--The report shall be submitted in unclassified 
          form, but may include a classified annex.
target: United States Airlift Requirements Act - Directs the Secretary of Defense to study alternatives for the asset size and mix for the Air Force intertheater airlift force, focusing on current and planned capabilities and costs of the C-5 and C-17 fleets. Requires that the study be conducted through a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC) in concert with the United States Transportation Command.
feat_title: To require a report on the size and mixture of the Air Force intertheater airlift force.