Copyright 2002 eMediaMillWorks, Inc.
(f/k/a Federal
Document Clearing House, Inc.)
Federal Document Clearing House
Congressional Testimony
March 7, 2002 Thursday
SECTION: CAPITOL HILL HEARING TESTIMONY
LENGTH: 4054 words
COMMITTEE:
HOUSE ARMED SERVICES
HEADLINE: FISCAL
2003 DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION: MILITARY READINESS
TESTIMONY-BY: GENERAL ROBERT H. FOGLESONG, VICE CHIEF
OF STAFF
AFFILIATION: UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
BODY: STATEMENT OF
GENERAL ROBERT H.
FOGLESONG VICE CHIEF OF STAFF UNITED STATES AIR FORCE
BEFORE THE HOUSE
ARMED SERVICES SUBCOMMITTEE ON MILITARY READINESS
MARCH 7, 2002
Mr. Chairman, members of the committee, thank you for this opportunity
to provide you with the status of Air Force readiness. As the Air Force's Vice
Chief of Staff, I want to thank you for your continued focus on the readiness
challenges facing the men and women in our great Air Force today. We have the
most respected air and space force in the world, transforming our service into
the new century while maintaining global readiness and warfighting capabilities
to support America's National Security Strategy. OVERALL
From the Korean
Peninsula to Kabul, across every continent and over all bodies of water, Air
Force civilian, Active, Guard, and Reserve forces continue to execute their
global missions. We had a busy year. The Air Force flew over 1,000 sorties over
the former Yugoslavia, enforcing no-fly zones. In Southwest Asia, a continuous
steady-force presence of more than 8,000 Airmen supported Operations NORTHERN
WATCH and SOUTHERN WATCH, flying 70% of all coalition sorties. The Air Force
continued support in the ongoing war on drugs over the Caribbean and South
America, contributing to the seizure of over 75,000 kilos of narcotics. Natural
disasters in India, Central America, South America, and the United States saw
Air Force personnel and equipment transporting relief supplies, providing
medical support and assisting in engineering projects.
The Total Air
Force Team was one of the very first to respond to the attacks of September
11th, and that response continues unabated. Homeland Defense began for the Air
Force on September 11th and has continued ever since. Both Operations NOBLE
EAGLE and ENDURING FREEDOM have seen Airmen along with our sister Services
successfully providing humanitarian, combat, and support operations.
Operational demands on the Air Force before September 11th were
significant. Though milestones were reached in terms of reducing the effects of
high tempo operations, the advent of war impacted many of those gains.
Our situation is more complicated since our aircraft fleet is older and
more expensive to maintain. Recapitalization of our airframes and weapons
systems is a partial solution. The Air Force is hoping to upgrade our
infrastructure and physical plant, which includes sustainment, restoration,
modernization, transportation, support equipment, and
communications systems. With the help of Congress, we have made considerable
progress in addressing pay, benefits, and quality of life issues--improved
investments for our people.
We are hopeful that our readiness rates
bottomed out in February 2001 at 65%. Fortunately we've improved to 71% this
year. While this is a marked increase, there's more to do. Whether it's
increased stock bins, improved depot maintenance, or available state-of-the-art
equipment, improvements are needed. The Air Force is pursuing improvements
across all core competencies, for our equipment, organizations, and personnel. A
readied force is the key to meeting the threats and challenges of the future.
AIR AND SPACE SUPERIORITY
The Air Force is investing in a range
of systems encompassed in the entire Find-Fix-Track-Target-Engage-Assess
(F2T2EA) kill chain. Our legacy air-to-air platforms continue to be key to this
process. We continue to pursue
modernization of F-15 and F-16
radars, engines, and enhanced combat capability to ensure near- term fleet
maintenance and air superiority in air-to-air combat environment. Advances have
been made with the Joint Helmet Mounted Sight and the AIM-9X and Aim-120
next-generation air-to- air missiles. Our greatest advantage with current
systems is our robust training / exercising and availability to 41 combat
ranges, essential to our Airmen for proper training, equipment, and experience.
Several electronic warfare programs support self-defense against enemy
air defense systems. For example, the Comet Pod infrared (IR) countermeasures
system will provide pre-emptive protection for the A-10 against IR
surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), enhancing survivability in the A-10's
low-altitude close air support role. The Air Force is also addressing multiple
Combat Mission Needs Statements and accelerating ramp-up for production of an IR
flare, responding to today's air war threat in Afghanistan and providing
protection to special operations aircraft in combat zones. The Air Force is
putting much emphasis on countermeasures to protect fighters and bombers from
advanced SAM threats while increasing the viability and lethality of current
platforms to conduct operations in the modern radio frequency (RF) threat arena.
We have numerous, well-needed enhancements on the horizon for the critical
Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) mission.
The Air Force was designated
Executive Agent for Space and began integrating systems acquisition with
operations. To aid in this, the Air Force realigned the Space and Missile
Systems Center from Air Force Materiel Command to Air Force Space Command. The
first National Security Space Program Assessment was accomplished and will be
used to draft our first National Security Space Plan later this year.
The Spacelift Range System
modernization program is
replacing aging and non-supportable equipment, improving reliability and
efficiency, and reducing the cost of operations at the Eastern and Western
launch ranges. Coupled with the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV)
program, the Air Force will meet the future launch demands of national security,
civil, and commercial payloads.
INFORMATION SUPERIORITY
Success
in achieving information superiority requires an effects- based approach,
superior battlespace awareness, well-integrated planning and execution, and
properly trained and equipped information operations (IO) organization. These
ensure our information systems are free from attack while retaining the freedom
to attack an adversary's systems. In coordination with Joint Forces, the Air
Force engages in the daily conduct of IO functions across the spectrum of
military operations, providing security to our Air Force commanders, Joint
Forces CINCs, and multinational forces.
Our operational and tactical
command and control (C2) airborne platforms and ground assets are in great
demand and are in various upgrade stages. Our Air and space Operations Centers
(AOC), with its decentralized component Control Reporting Centers (CRC) and
Theater Battle Management Core Systems (TBMCS), create a comprehensive awareness
of the battlespace so that the Joint Forces Air and Space Component Commander
(JFACC) can task and execute the most complex air and space operations across
the entire spectrum of conflict. During Operations NOBLE EAGLE (ONE) and
ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF), TBMCS was rapidly deployed to support both CENTCOM and
NORAD operations centers. TBMCS will evolve into an open-ended architecture
capable of interfacing with a variety of joint and coalition databases,
displays, and links.
Throughout 2001, the Air Force aggressively
addressed the need to standardize C2 of air and space forces. Our focus is to
refine the AOC into a standardized weapon system with properly trained
operators, improving its ability to meet worldwide requirements. Supporting ONE
and OEF validated our strategic vision for C2 systems. We will continue to
develop the AOC, keeping it on course to revolutionize the operational level of
warfare.
The Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) remains our
premier air battle management and wide-area surveillance platform. Several
upgrade programs are necessary to address aging aircraft issues, obsolete
technologies, and the proliferation of advanced adversary systems. This year,
one third of the AWACS fleet completed an improved radar system upgrade, which
will reach full operational capability in FY05. The next upgrade will replace
1970-vintage processors and a satellite communications access program will
improve connectivity with regional and national C2 centers.
Our limited
numbers of airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) systems
are in high demand. The RC-135 Rivet Joint, U-2, Distributed Common Ground
System (DCGS), and Predator and Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have
proven indispensable during OEF and the expanding war on terrorism by providing
real-time target data, threat warning, and battle damage assessment. The Joint
Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) will see significant upgrades
to its computer systems by 2005 while recapitalization and
modernization efforts promise to keep the RC-135 Rivet Joint
and U-2 viable well into the 21st Century.
We are committed to the
production and fielding of Global Hawk as the next generation high altitude
airborne ISR platform. In the spring of 2001, Global Hawk successfully completed
a deployment to Australia, supporting maritime reconnaissance and achieving the
first trans-Pacific crossing. Global Hawk was also deployed in support of OEF
and with advanced sensor development underway, will be able to better support
the time-critical targeting mission. Demands for the older Predator UAV remain
high. In FY02 the Air Force will double Predator aircraft production,
accelerating to two aircraft per month, adding 40 additional aircraft to the
current inventory. The Air Force will also stand up a third Predator squadron
and begin weaponizing the fleet.
The Multi-Platform Radar Technology
Insertion Program (MP-RTIP) will allow larger and enhanced air to ground
surveillance capabilities on a variety of platforms, to include Global Hawk, and
potentially a NATO manned platform variant.
Achieving information
superiority depends considerably on the availability of a robust worldwide
communications capability. Tremendous efforts are underway to modernize Military
Satellite Communications (MILSATCOM) systems to keep up with demands. The scope
and speed of joint operations, including OEF, simply would not be possible
without MILSATCOM systems such as the Defense Satellite Communications System
(DSCS) and the Military Strategic and Tactical Relay System (MILSTAR). The Air
Force awarded a System Development and Demonstration contract in November 2001
to design the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellite system, an
eventual replacement for the MILSTAR constellation beginning in 2006.
The Air Force is combining efforts with the other services to form the
joint Global Information Grid (GIG), allowing warfighters, policymakers, and
support personnel access to information on demand. During OEF operations,
deployable communications packages were successfully connected to the GIG to
support combat operations.
GLOBAL ATTACK
Through this core
competency, the Air Force creates desired effects within hours of tasking,
anywhere on the globe, including locations deep within an adversary's territory.
Our B-1, B-2, and B-52 bombers provide the global rapid response, precision and
standoff strike capability, 24/7 battlespace persistence, and a time-critical
targeting capability. These platforms now carry the highly-accurate 2000-pound
Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and are being fitted to carry new standoff
precision guided weapons. Future integration will see inclusion of smaller
precision weapons. Until the F-22, Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), and Unmanned
Combat Aerial Vehicle (UCAV) become an operational part of the inventory, the
Air Force continues to rely on its legacy fighters (F-15, F-16, F-117, and A-10)
to provide the air- to-air and air-to-ground capability.
Consistent with
recent DOD Nuclear Posture Review (NPR) direction, the Air Force is providing
for long-term sustainment of Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM)
capabilities. Minuteman III (MMIII) ICBMs will be deployed through 2020 and
supported by on-going life-extension programs, while Peacekeeper (PK) ICBMs will
be retired beginning this year. As the PK system is deactivated, the Air Force
intends to transfer some warheads currently on PK to the MMIII, thereby avoiding
a costly life- extension program on certain MMIII warheads.
PRECISION
ENGAGEMENT
The Air Force made significant progress in developing and
fielding a new generation of weapons that can attack and destroy pin-point,
hardened, and relocatable targets at night and most weather conditions while
greatly reducing the risk to operators. By rapidly adapting new technology
employed under actual combat conditions in Operations ALLIED FORCE and ENDURING
FREEDOM, we now have an array of precision weapons that can be employed from
nearly all our combat aircraft. These programs include the Joint Standoff Weapon
(JSOW), Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), and Wind Corrected Munitions
Dispenser (WCMD).
From the Balkans to Kabul, combatant commanders
required precision capability, not large-scale conventional operations. However,
this demand reduced our large Cold War reserve munitions stockpiles.
The
Air Force is working to fill the preferred munitions requirements while
increasing precision-guided munitions (PGM) capabilities over the next several
years.
Precision strike, however, is more than simply very accurate
munitions. It is also the ability to generate precise effects other than
destruction. The Air Force is investing in various non- lethal weapons,
offensive information warfare capabilities, and directed energy weapons to
enable our military to affect targets without having to destroy them.
RAPID GLOBAL MOBILITY
Airlift and tanker aircraft give the
United States the ability to swiftly reach out and influence events around the
world. OEF and ONE have again shown the utility of rapid global mobility. We
witnessed the potential need to provide critical tactical lift capability for
immediate response at home. Air Mobility Command is undergoing comprehensive
review of the air mobility force structure as part of an on-going effort to
assess airlift requirements.
The procurement of additional C-17s will
ensure the Air Force's ability to support its 54.5 million-ton miles per day
airlift requirement. The Air Force needs at least 180 C-17s and will award a
follow-on multi-year procurement contract to reach that number. Beddown plans
will be conducted by Active, Reserve, and Guard forces.
The average age
of our KC-135 tankers is now over 41 years and operations and support costs are
escalating as structural fatigue, corrosion, systems supportability, and
technical obsolescence continue to take their toll. Pacer CRAG (compass, radar,
and global positioning system) is a major overhaul project underway for all Air
Force KC-135s, meeting the congressionally mandated requirement to install GPS
in all Defense Department aircraft. The ongoing war on terrorism is further
stretching the tanker fleet, motivating consideration of accelerating
replacement options. The Air Force is focused on acquiring the world's newest
and most capable tanker while increasing availability, fuel load, and
reliability all with far lower cost.
Modernization of
the C-5 and
C-130 fleets is a top priority. Avionics
modernization, re-engining programs, and multi-year testing
will bring the fleet up to an improved standard while determining the need for
additional C-17s or alternatives. New
C- 130Js will replace
EC-130Es, the most worn-out C-130E combat delivery aircraft, Commando Solo
platforms, and several WC-130H aircraft throughout the Active, Guard, and
Reserve units.
Additional upgrades and improvements to counter-measure
defenses, CV-22, and VIP Special Air Mission/Operational Support Airlift are
also planned.
AGILE COMBAT SUPPORT
Much of the deployment strain
in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM has fallen on our expeditionary combat
support forces. Some high-demand support areas have exceeded their on-call
capabilities in current AEF rotation cycles, as a result of our surge mode
activities, which are likely to continue for some time. Consequently, we are
continuing to make gains in right- sizing deployment teams so that they are
postured efficiently and effectively for expeditionary needs.
The
fielding of the Integrated Deployment System at all Wings has improved the
readiness of the Wing deployment process. The CSAF's Logistics Review (CLR) and
ongoing Logistics transformation are reengineering our logistics processes to
achieve an agile, effective, and well integrated logistics chain responsive to
AEF requirements. Other initiatives within the nuclear-biological- chemical and
medical units are producing meaningful results.
FACILITIES AND
INFRASTRUCTURE
Our installations and facilities are the platforms from
which we launch and recover Air Force and Joint weapons systems while
simultaneously providing work and living environments for personnel and their
families. Regular and planned upgrades are an essential part of keeping a
healthy infrastructure upon which to build and sustain air and space
capabilities. In FY02, operations and maintenance (O&M) sustainment funding
precluded fully maintaining Air Force facilities and infrastructure and will
increase the backlog of necessary repairs.
In the FY03-07 budget we
fully funded O&M sustainment across the FYDP and achieved a restoration and
modernization recapitalization trajectory that will meet the
OSD's 67-year goal by 2010. This track must be maintained.
PEOPLE
People are the most critical component of readiness and our most vital
resource. As they perform Air Force missions around the world, the demands we
place on them require highly motivated, highly skilled, professional Airmen.
Continued positive momentum in areas of compensation, benefits, recruiting and
retention ensure the investment in our people.
The Air Force has
enhanced responsive force packaging and provided a more stable and predictable
deployment and home station scheduling environment through implementation of the
Expeditionary Air and Space Force (EAF). Air National Guard and Air Force
Reserve participation has steadily increased since Desert Storm, which has
created challenges for Guardsmen and Reservists balancing civilian careers with
increased military requirements. Trends show demand for air power will only
increase; EAF holds promise by giving Airman predictability and stability.
Historically, the Air Force has been a retention-based force and
continues to be so today. We rely on recruiting and training technically and
mechanically gifted individuals to develop and operate our advanced air and
space systems. Though we exceeded our FY01 recruiting and accession goals, there
are some critical skills in need of special attention--scientists and engineers
in particular.
The Air Force exceeded the FY01 enlisted recruiting goal
of 34,600 by almost 800. Ninety-nine percent of Air Force are still required to
have high school diplomas and nearly 75% to score in the top half of test scores
on the Armed Forces Qualification Test. In addition, 1,155 prior-service members
were brought back on active duty, almost double the number from FY99. In FY01
targeted recruiting programs were implemented for mechanically skilled recruits.
These efforts paid off, allowing the Air Force to exceed the recruiting goal for
these highly technical skills by 763. Recruiting goals fell short, however, by
203 in the general skill area. This includes the Security Forces career fields,
which have become vital in light of today's operations.
Officer
recruiting faces many of the same challenges as enlisted recruiting. However, in
spite of a competitive job market, the Air Force still draws America's best and
brightest. In FY01 105% of the line officer accession target was achieved, up
from 97% in FY00. Recent legislation increased the maximum age for senior ROTC
scholarship appointments, further increasing recruiting opportunities.
Of particular concern, however, is the area of health care
professionals, scientists, and engineers. Several initiatives are being
implemented to plus up recruitment and retention in these areas.
The Air
Force Reserve exceeded its recruiting goal in FY01 for the first time in five
years, accessing 105% of its target. While 30% of Reserve accessions
historically come from eligible members separating from active duty, FY02
recruiting will have to make up for a large portion of the goal (more than 3,000
people) for other sources until Stop Loss is lifted.
The Air National
Guard has placed recruiting and retention emphasis on Air Force specialties
where shortages exist. As a result, many of the critical maintenance AFSCs have
seen real growth from 2-6% over the last two fiscal years.
Over 128,000
active duty Airmen, 46% of the enlisted force, are eligible for reenlistment in
FY02/03. To sustain the readiness posture for rapid deployment, the Air Force
must retain highly trained, experienced, and skilled people. By keeping the
experienced, recruiting and training requirements are reduced while technical
expertise continues to build.
Retention will continue to be a priority
and a challenge. Stop Loss and the increased tempo of ONE and OEF may have a
negative effect on retention-- offsets are already being explored. Aggressive
campaigns are being worked to "re-recruit" the force, addressing especially
scientists, engineers, Battle Managers, and other critical skills. While
cockpits are now fully manned, rated pilot staff manning has fallen to 51%. The
USAF pilot shortage is expected to continue for at least the next eight years
until the effects of the ten-year active duty service commitment for
undergraduate flying training are fully realized. "Re-recruiting" efforts should
also help alleviate the shortage sooner.
The Air Force Reserve exceeded
Command retention goals for their enlisted Airmen during FY01. Seventy-eight
percent of the enlisted skills are now receiving re-enlistment bonuses. The
authorization to pay officer and enlisted critical skills retention bonuses
should help retain individuals in high demand by the civilian sector. The Air
National Guard's number one priority is to increase the traditional pilot force,
which has held steady at 90%. Through various incentive pay programs, the Guard
and Reserve continue to pursue substantial enhancements to increase retention in
the aviation community as well as attracting and retaining individuals to
aviation.
Today less than 10% of Air Force civilians are in their first
five years of service. In the next five years, more than 40% will be eligible
for optional or early retirement. In addition, downsizing over the past decade
skewed the mix of civilian workforce skills, compounding the loss of corporate
memory and lack of breadth and depth of experience. It's critical to maintain
the right mix of civilian skills to meet tomorrow's challenges. Several
initiatives are underway to do just that.
Quality of life ranks as one
of the Air Force's top priorities, so quality of life initiatives attempt to
balance the intense demands placed on our mission-focused Total Force. With
continued congressional support, the Air Force will pursue improved workplace
environments; fair and competitive compensation and benefits; balanced
deployments and exercise schedules; safe, affordable, and adequate housing;
enhanced community and family programs; improved educational opportunities; and
quality health care. Relieving financial burdens, improving the standard and
quality of life, providing reassurance of benefits, and deploying personnel in a
fair and equitable manner returns to the Air Force a more efficient, effective,
and readied troop.
SUMMARY
Air Force capabilities provide
America with a unique set of strengths--asymmetric advantages. However, today's
technological advantage is no guarantee of future success. Maintaining the
current leadership position requires addressing aging infrastructure,
modernizing outdated weapon systems and harnessing technology to achieve our
vision.
In closing, today more than 725,000 highly skilled,
professional, Air Force men and women are proudly supporting freedom's cause. We
appreciate all this committee has done in helping to address these critical
issues and look forward to working with you in the future.
LOAD-DATE: March 12, 2002