Implications of an Air Force Budget Downturn on the Aircraft Industrial Base

The U.S. Air Force is facing a number of challenges as a result of the current defense budget downturn along with the uncertainty of its timing and magnitude. RAND examined the challenge of modernizing the Air Force s aircraft fleet while trying to sustain the industrial base with limited funding, considering six budget strategies for aircraft procurement: from a new high-tech fleet to sustaining and modifying the existing one."