Air Mobility Plan, 2008 - The Black Vault

Since 1991, significant DOD downsizing and budget
constraints reduced the en route airfields available to
support contingency operations. The remaining en
route airfields’ infrastructure—fuel hydrants, storage
tanks, pipelines, ramps, and runways—had deteriorated,
jeopardizing AMC’s and the United States Transportation
Command’s (USTRANSCOM) ability to provide adequate
support to the warfighter. AMC and USTRANSCOM
proactively surveyed, analyzed, planned, and programmed
improvements to GERS to meet wartime requirements at
the 13 anchor en route bases. To date, almost 78% of the
projects have been completed. Multiple projects, such as the Rota ramp/hydrant and Hickam hydrant
projects, have become a reality as a result of combatant commander letters, the integrated priority list,
posture statements, and applicable regional En Route Infrastructure Steering Committee advocacy.
The Way Ahead
Our GERS vision is to continually assess the evolving en route strategy. Today, our en route enterprise
is made up of 13 existing en routes, as well as newly identified cooperative security locations (CSLs),
to support global deployment and sustainment of forces. Most of these new locations will be used asis,
although some may require minor infrastructure improvements to maximize throughput capability.
The intent is to use existing infrastructure at the CSLs through political agreements and only build
infrastructure on a low-cost/maximum-impact basis. Military construction dollars will likely be used
in a limited fashion to enhance current capabilities.
Therefore, our way ahead is two fold. First, we need to identify, verify, and validate CSLs. Potential
CSLs, which may offer strategic/operational/tactical capability to support the intertheater/intratheater
wartime/peacetime/steady state requirements, are identified by the combatant commanders. These
CSLs are then verified for throughput, and the initial groundwork to lay in host-nation/organization
agreements is accomplished. USTRANSCOM will visit each location, perform a throughput analysis
on each field, and determine if one or more of the locations, in aggregate fashion, are needed to meet
the theater’s anticipated mobility requirements (passenger, cargo, and timeline). After AMC and
USTRANSCOM validate the CSLs for throughput, the theater command will engage in negotiations
with proper authorities to reach a mutual agreement for support on a day-to-day/contingency basis.
This CSL identification, verification, and validation process will assure global reach laydown to all
corners of the world, making the current global en route enterprise truly global (the ultimate goal). To
ensure this CSL initiative remains on track, the GERISC will provide advocacy support.
Second, we need to reassess/revalidate the en route strategy. Factors include initiatives prescribed
in the Integrated Global Presence Basing Strategy (IGPBS) such as the Guam Integrated Military
Development Plan (GIMDP). Additionally, the strategy needs to be flexible to accommodate the
establishment of additional regional combatant commands, e.g., Africa Command (AFRICOM), and
future technology extending the range of our aircraft fleet.
(b)(5)
Global En Route Support Roadmap
FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY (FOUO)
OCT 07 125