"Directives from the Office of the Secretary of Defense mandating reductions in operations and maintenance staffing levels led Air Force Materiel Command (AFMC) to reexamine how it operates; the command published the plan for its proposed reorganization in November 2011. In response, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 directed the Secretary of the Air Force to have a federally funded research and development center provide an independent review of the proposed reorganization. In January 2012, RAND Project AIR FORCE was tasked to conduct this review, the purpose of which was to describe the functional responsibilities, manpower authorizations, and disposition of AFMC's proposed restructure, including an assessment of life-cycle costs; to independently assess how realignments would likely affect life-cycle management, weapon system sustainment, and support to the warfighter; and to examine options for providing effective and efficient weapon system life-cycle management. The resulting analysis was limited to how the reorganization would affect product development/support-system design and operations support (depot maintenance and Air Force supply chain operations). It did not examine how the reorganization affects the management of nuclear weapons, developmental testing, or laboratory and basic research. For context, the report also includes a comprehensive overview of the history of Air Force life-cycle management and the changing roles and responsibilities of the organizational precursors to AFMC."--P. [4] of cover.

"Project Air Force." "MG-1219-AF."--P. [4] of cover.

Ch. 1. Background, Purpose, and Analytic Approach -- Ch. 2. Background, Purpose, and Analytic Approach -- Ch. 3. Background, Purpose, and Analytic Approach -- Ch. 4. Life-Cycle Management Alternatives: An Assessment of Two Options -- Ch. 5. Life-Cycle Management Alternatives: An Assessment of Two Options -- Ch. 6. Conclusions and Recommendations.