Basic logistical considerations for rapid medical deployment.
Fixed wing aircraft are the primary means of deployment for designated U.S. contingency forces. The majority of logistical constraints medical units encounter during deployment (in support of contingency forces) are a direct result of limited airframes dedicated to their movement into an area of operations. The competition is intense for these air assets, and gaining access to airframes by medical support units will be predicated on a number of factors: the units' medical and logistical capabilities; their ability to respond to deployment notification within determined time constraints; the units' ability to configure to air movement; and the medical impact the units will have on the initial efforts of a military campaign once they are operational.