Do We Need the Joint Cargo Aircraft?

Air mobility is the primary means of getting the war fighter to the fight and is critical in sustaining ongoing combat operations. However, does the United States Air Force (USAF) really need the new joint cargo aircraft (JCA) to augment their current mobility forces? In order to answer this question, this paper will look at the USAF's current mobility assets and examine how effective they are at getting the cargo to the fight. This paper will then analyze how efficient the USAF is when using these assets. Finally, this paper will look at how the USAF could use a smaller airlift platform such as the JCA to help fill the capability gap that potentially exists in the mobility forces.