Bedding Down with C-O-T-S

Major Bence examines the feasibility for the United States Air Force (USAF) to obtain and field a commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) cargo aircraft in order to meet the current and future airlift requirements of the United States. He discusses the current capacity, the three types of cargo, and the total force structure of the USAF. Major Bence offers five alternatives, including COTS-each embraces benefits and drawbacks-to increase airlift capacity.