The Joint Cargo Aircraft

The Joint Cargo Aircraft (JCA), a joint acquisition program between the Army and Air Force, has had an unusual history, and has been a prime example of how differently the Department of Defense (DoD) and the United States Congress view service roles and missions, acquisition processes, and proper organization of each military branch. As an introduction to this topic, this paper intends to describe briefly the basic JCA program, differences between Army and Air Force approaches to the mission, and applicable leadership guidance and scientific studies. The primary focus will be, however, to look at Congress' actions regarding this program, discuss the varied issues that are important to legislators when making funding decisions on JCA, and analyze how those decisions affect Air Force intra-theater airlift plans.