Aviation Logistics Support in the United States Coast Guard: An Assessment of Management and Cost-Effectiveness

The goal of the Coast Guard's aviation logistics system is to ensure that each air station has an average mission capable rate of 71 percent, by aircraft type, to support its readiness requirement. The search-and-rescue mission imposes the most stringent readiness requirement - the ability to put an aircraft in the air within 30 minutes. In this study, we review the management and cost-effectiveness of aviation logistics support, examine current modernization projects, and recommend improvements to the Coast Guard's short- term and strategic plans. To evaluate management and cost-effectiveness, we analyzed, at a macro level, aviation logistics support functions, and we assessed the current approach and related costs of providing the 71 percent mission capable rate. Overall, we found that the logistics organization's management is sound and oriented toward problem solving; its maintenance program produces quality aircraft; its supply system responds to the air stations' priority requests; and its management information system (MIS) ably supports the air stations' maintenance schedules and partially meets the Aviation Repair and Supply Center (AR&SC) management needs; however, we also found that its MIS is almost completely unable to forecast requirements and measure and report performance. USCG: Aviation Logistics Support Planning, Logistics system management, Aircraft maintenance management, Aviation supply management.