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WASHINGTON - Rep. J. Randy Forbes (R-VA), Chairman of the Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces made the following opening statement for today's hearing entitled "Air Force Projection Forces Aviation Programs and Capabilities for the 2016 Budget Request".
"Today the subcommittee convenes to receive testimony on the fiscal year 2016 Air Force budget request regarding airlift, tanker, and bomber acquisition programs.
Our distinguished panel of Air Force leaders testifying before us are:
• Dr. Bill LaPlante, the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition; and
• Lieutenant General Mike Holmes, Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Requirements
Gentlemen, thank you for being with us today.
The fiscal year 2016 budget request for Air Force projection forces is a good step forward to support our national defense, but I am concerned that the overall administration’s request does little to address the looming impacts of sequestration. Without a specific request to exempt our national defense from the extreme consequences of sequestration, the administration is implicit in increasing the risk to our national security which can only be measured in the lives of our service members.
I continue to believe what we do about defense spending and resolving our military’s readiness crisis in the months ahead will be our defining issue for Republican leadership in both chambers. We need leadership in national security. We need an unambiguous declaration that our national security is our preeminent responsibility.
As to the specifics before our subcommittee today, we provide oversight on two of the top three Air Force modernization priorities—the KC-46 tanker and the Long Range Strike Bomber. Should sequestration budget come to pass, we understand the Air Force intends to fully protect both of these much needed new aircraft. We look forward to hearing more about these programs today. Conversely, a sequestration budget could result in the retirement of the Air Force’s entire fleet of 59 KC-10 aerial refueling aircraft. This would have a significant impact on our ability to conduct aerial refueling operations, especially in the Pacific theater. A sequestration budget would also result in a delay to the Presidential Aircraft Replacement program which will replace current version of Air Force One. A delay in this program means we’d have to spend more over the long term to operate and maintain the aging Air Force One aircraft now performing this mission. I look forward to better understanding the impacts on all of these issues and specifically the $35 billion reduction to the Department of Defense will specifically have to the United States Air Force.
As to specific elements in the budget request, I continue to be concerned about C-130H modernization. The C-130 Avionics Modernization Program, or AMP, was initiated in 2001 to modernize, standardize, and reduce total ownership costs for the Air Force’s C-130H fleet so they could be viable for another 30 years. Sustaining the C-130H fleet is important to address intra-theater airlift requirements overseas, direct support to the U.S. Army; and for homeland security, disaster response, or other contingencies here in the United States. But the Air Force canceled AMP in favor of a new program known as the Viability and Airspace Access Program, or VAAP, which will be accomplished in two increments. While we understand that VAAP increment one will focus on airspace compliance systems with new radios, transponders, and digital flight recorders; the VAAP increment two is yet to be defined. With over two-thirds of the C-130 inventory contained in the older “H” model, we need to have a specific plan to address the modernization of this important capability.
Once again I want to thank our witness for participating in our hearing this afternoon and I look forward to discussing these important topics."
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