The Afghan War has finally convinced the Air Force to take a realistic view on its airlift needs. The previous analysis, a year ago, was regarded as a flawed document designed to produce the number of aircraft the then-current budget could afford, not the number it needed. This is likely to boost the "ton-mile" requirement from the current 54.5 million to about 65 million. The Air Force, which had been buying C-130Js only when forced to, is now ready to sign a deal to buy 40 of them over five years (four in 2004 and nine each in the next four years) and Lockheed Martin expects a follow-on contract for 40 more. More C-17s will be purchased than the original plan (pushing the total to 222 or even more). There is also renewed debate over refurbishing C-5A transports. The Air Force had expected to retire them, but may now refit at least some of them with new engines and other systems even if they would be 40 years old at the time of their overhaul.Stephen V Cole