Press Releases

Today, Rep. Michael Turner (R-OH), Chairman of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Tactical Air and Land Forces, made the following remarks on the hearing titled “Fiscal Year 2017 Army and Air Force Rotorcraft Modernization Programs.” For testimony and to watch the hearing click here.

"The Subcommittee convenes to review the current posture of Army and Air Force rotorcraft modernization programs and receive testimony on the Fiscal Year 2017 Budget Request.

I am pleased to welcome our distinguished panel of witnesses:

➢ Lieutenant General Michael E. Williamson, Military Deputy to the Assistant Secretary of the Army (Acquisition, Logistics and Technology),
➢ Major General Michael D. Lundy, Commander, Army Aviation Center of Excellence
➢ Lieutenant General Arnold W. Bunch, Jr., Military Deputy, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force (Acquisition)
➢ Lieutenant General James M. "Mike" Holmes, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Requirements

Gentlemen thank you for being with us today, and thank you for your service.

Our witnesses today will provide testimony on the fiscal and programmatic challenges currently facing Army and Air Force rotorcraft modernization.

Because of fiscal realities and increased missions, the military services have been forced to prioritize near-term readiness at the expense and assumed risk of modernization programs; and rotorcraft modernization has been particularly impacted in fiscal year 2017.

We know the proposed budget request for fiscal year 2017 does NOT follow the Balanced Budget Agreement (BBA) of 2015.

While our near-peer adversaries continue to invest in more modern capabilities and continue to close the technology gap, this budget request cuts force structure and modernization programs from the Department’s base programs.

For example the Army states in their written statement that, QUOTE 'Though Aviation Modernization is a priority, FY17 will reflect over $2 billion in reduced funding when compared to FY16. This has caused the Army to decelerate fleet modernization by procuring fewer UH-60 Black Hawks, AH-64 Apaches, and CH-47 Chinooks in FY17.' END QUOTE

I can assure you this committee is working to reverse this dangerous trend in rotorcraft modernization and is working to provide the necessary funding to help mitigate some of these current challenges.

For fiscal year 2017, this subcommittee will continue to support the need for fielding the most modernized rotorcraft available for both the Active and Reserve Components.

Two critical issues that this committee has been concerned about for many years is in regards to accelerating Aircraft Survivability Equipment and Degraded Visual Environment capability onto current rotorcraft platforms. We expect to hear today about how the Army and Air Force are addressing these critical needs in a timely manner.

We are also interested in hearing the Army’s position on the recent recommendations put forward by the National Commission on the Future of the Army relating to the Army’s Aviation Restructure Initiative (ARI), and get a better understanding of the costs associated with implementing these recommendations.

I’d also like to hear about the Air Force’s plans to replace the legacy helicopters that are used by the Air Force in providing security in the ICBM fields in Montana, North Dakota, Wyoming and several other states.

The Commander of U.S. STRATCOM has stated, as has the Secretary of the Air Force, that it is not possible to mitigate the alert requirement without replacing these helicopters so I look forward to hearing about your plans to address this urgent issue."