Opening Statements

Today, Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA), ranking member of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, made the following remarks, as prepared for delivery, during the Subcommittee's hearing on FY21 Air Force Projection Forces Aviation Programs posture.

"I want to thank Chairman Courtney for yielding and thank our two witnesses for testifying today.

"As we take a look at the budget request, it appears that this budget is only the beginning of an effort to address a great powers competition and that we have a long way to go. I am supportive of many of the efforts to divest certain legacy aircraft and use that funding as a down payment for future requirements—in fact, I have been encouraging all the services to do this. However, I remain concerned about two specific areas in the budget request, namely bombers and tankers.

"As to bombers, we have been on this journey for several years. Because of the nature of future conflict, bombers will be an increasingly valuable asset over shorter range capabilities to ensure persistent operations in a contested environment. Giving credit where credit is due, the B-21 Raider looks like a promising capability and is tracking toward a timely delivery. However, as to our existing bomber force structure, I continue to have concerns with our B-1 Lancer low mission capable rates, the recommendation to not modernize the B-2 defensive management system and considerable uncertainty on the bomber roadmap, and I remain concerned about our ability to project long range strikes. Concerning the recommendation to retire certain B-1 bombers and not modernize the B-2, I look forward to a careful assessment of the budget request to ensure we retain adequate strike capability.

"The tanker force structure may be the most perplexing element in the budget request. With a recommendation to retire certain KC-135 and KC-10 aircraft and a continued delay in delivering capable KC-46A aircraft, I think that we need to make significant changes. I do not understand why the Air Force continues to accept deficient KC-46A tankers that are not mission capable. We may be years away from an adequate capability. Yet the Air Force appears ready to enter into full rate production of a deficient KC-46A aircraft and has requested an astounding 15 KC-46A aircraft in the budget request. If Sen John McCain were here today, I am confident of his response. Considering the multi-year effort to fix KC-46A, I think it is time to slow down ordering and delivery of deficient KC-46A aircraft and to retain adequate legacy tankers to ensure that we can provide adequate capability. It is not surprising that General Lyons, Commander US Transportation Command indicated last week that this budget request "creates a capacity gap with significant impacts to Combatant Command daily competition and wartime missions, and negatively impacts senior leader decision space for mobilization when confronted with a crisis." I agree with General Lyons and think it is time to reverse this dangerous trend.

"Again, I appreciate the Chairman for having this important hearing and I yield back the balance of my time."