Copyright 2001 eMediaMillWorks, Inc.
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Document Clearing House, Inc.)
Federal Document Clearing House
Congressional Testimony
July 11, 2001, Wednesday
SECTION: CAPITOL HILL HEARING TESTIMONY
LENGTH: 21835 words
COMMITTEE:
HOUSE ARMED SERVICES
HEADLINE: FY 2002
DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
TESTIMONY-BY: GENERAL MICHAEL E.
RYAN, CHIEF OF STAFF
AFFILIATION: UNITED STATES AIR
FORCE
BODY: July 11, 2001
Joint Statement
of
The Honorable James G. Roche
Secretary of the Air Force
and
General Michael E. Ryan
Chief of Staff, United
States Air Force
Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, the Air
Force has and will continue to focus on aggressive transformation to the extent
our budget allows. This Fiscal Year 2002 budget shores up some of our most
critical people and readiness concerns and allows us to remain the world's most
respected aerospace force.
During the last 100 years, U.S. air and space
competence has revolutionized the conduct of warfare, providing near-
instantaneous global reconnaissance and strike capability across the full
spectrum of engagement, from combat operations to humanitarian aid. This
competence has contributed to our ability to deter wars, as well as our ability
to win them. However, in this century, we find that rogue nations, the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and the rapid spread of
information technology, have the potential to threaten our national interests.
This changing security environment presents us with both unique challenges and
opportunities. The Department of Defense is in the midst of numerous studies and
analyses--the results of which will undoubtedly influence our future aerospace
strategy. We must develop a force structure that, when teamed in joint or
combined operations, will be effective in maintaining the peace and preserving
freedom. We must also deepen and enrich the bonds of trust with the men and
women who serve in the Air Force in order to attract and retain the very best
individuals. We must continue to reform our policies, practices, and processes
to make our Service more effective and efficient. Finally, we must pay special
attention to the shrinking industrial base and evaluate ways to improve our
current acquisition processes to ensure innovative future capabilities for the
Nation.
We respectfully submit this testimony to recount our
accomplishments during the past year and outline our plans for the future.
Without the steadfast support of the President and Congress, our past successes
would not have been possible. With your continuing support, we will build upon
those successes.
Air Force Posture Statement
Overview
As
we transition to the new century, even the new millennium, we will use this
posture statement to reflect on what the Air Force accomplished during 2000,
where we want to go in the future, and how we plan to get there.
We're a
service emerging from a decade of continuous transformation. During this period,
we have molded and transformed aerospace power into a crucial component of joint
operations. We defined ourselves with "integrity first, service before self, and
excellence in all we do" and developed ourselves to be "fast, flexible, and
decisive."
It was also a time that took a heavy toll on our people and
our systems. Therefore, we are developing new initiatives in our People,
Readiness, and
Modernization programs. If we are to continue to
protect America's interests with aerospace power, we must implement these
initiatives.
People
The state of the economy has exerted
considerable pressure on our ability to retain and recruit the right people.
Frankly, it is difficult to compete with the financial compensation available in
the private sector. Consequently, taking care of our people is our top priority.
Taking care of people starts with their professional lives, so that they are
satisfied with the work they do and know they're accomplishing something
important. It also, of course, means providing them attractive compensation,
benefits, housing, and facilities that show we value their efforts and care
about their families.
Readiness
Our dominance of the full
spectrum of operations tends to overshadow what has happened to our readiness.
Responding across this full spectrum of operations necessitates we have a
certain number of units ready to deploy in the first thirty days of conflict.
This is the basis of our readiness requirement of 92%. Since 1996, our worldwide
combat force readiness rates have decreased 23 percentage points to a rate of
68% in April 2001. Furthermore, our overall Air Force readiness is lower than
any time since June 1987. We are capable of winning today; however, we are
concerned about these trends in readiness indicators. A major factor in the
decline is the increasing age of our aircraft. For example, our flying hours
have remained relatively constant over the past five years, but their cost has
increased by over 45% after inflation. Older aircraft are simply more difficult
to maintain as mechanical failures become less predictable, repairs become more
complicated, and parts become harder to come by and more expensive. But, even
with these contributing factors, we had the best year in our history for
aviation safety, a clear measure of our people's professionalism.
Modernization Today, the average age of our
aircraft is almost 22 years old. Even if we execute every
modernization program on our books -- which amounts to
procuring about 100 aircraft per year in the near future -- our aircraft average
age continues to rise, reaching nearly 30 years old by 2020. In order to level
off this increasing trend, we would have to procure about 150 aircraft per year.
To actually reduce the average age of our aircraft, we would need to procure
about 170 aircraft per year. Similarly, where as industry replaces or totally
renovates their facilities on a 50-year cycle, competing priorities have
resulted in a 150- year facilities recapitalization rate. We are in a position
where we can only address the most urgent repair issues, while our backlog of
real property maintenance continues to grow. We are working to slow down the
aging of our fleet and infrastructure, but the climbing costs of operations and
maintenance, as well as competing
modernization effectiveness
goals, continue to prevent that from happening. Consequently, we do not have the
procurement funding to recapitalize our fleet and facilities to the extent that
we would like.
However, even with these challenges, we have molded and
transformed aerospace power into a crucial component of joint operations.
Because of this, we have expanded our vision for the future. Our new Vision 2020
-- Global Vigilance, Reach and Power captures the philosophy that transformed us
into a "force of choice"for rapid expeditionary operations. Our strategic plan
institutionalizes this vision by linking the capabilities we need in the future
with what we do best -- our core competencies.
Core Competencies
Aerospace Superiority- The ability to control what moves through air and
space. . .ensures freedom of action.
Information Superiority- The
ability to control and exploit information to our nation's advantage. . .ensures
decision dominance.
Global Attack- The ability to engage adversary
targets anywhere, anytime. . .holds any adversary at risk.
Precision
Engagement- The ability to deliver desired effects with minimal risk and
collateral damage. . .denies the enemy sanctuary.
Rapid Global Mobility-
The ability to rapidly position forces anywhere in the world. . .ensures
unprecedented responsiveness.
Agile Combat Support- The ability to
sustain flexible and efficient combat operations. . .is the foundation of
success
Nothing illustrates our culture of transformation better than
the Expeditionary Aerospace Force -- the "EAF."In October 1999, the heavy demand
for aerospace power drove us to restructure our forces so we could inject some
stability and predictability into the lives of our people. By December 2000, we
had completed the first full rotation cycle of the EAF. In the span of less than
two years, we succeeded in restructuring ourselves into a more sustainable,
flexible, and responsive force. We now give the Commanders-in-Chief (CINC)
expeditionary aerospace packages that are tailored and trained-to-task to meet
their full mission requirements.
In 2000, we were involved in the full
spectrum of operations -- from famines, fires, and hurricanes to major
contingency operations. Yet, the diversity of these missions didn't stifle us;
it stimulated our creativity. We're already light and lean, so now we're pushing
the envelope with technologies that will revolutionize the way we deliver
aerospace power for the nation. We are developing directed energy weapons
capable of effects at the speed of light; unmanned aerial vehicles that reduce
the risk to our people while giving us greater capability at a lower cost; space
technologies that radically increase the effectiveness of our aerospace
operations; and aircraft like the F-22 that are more survivable and lethal than
our current fighters. We don't wait until we're forced to improve -- innovation
and adaptation are our heritage.
Our creativity also extends to how we
conduct business inside our organization. We are realizing significant cost
efficiencies by benchmarking the best in commercial and government business
practices and adapting them to our unique environment. We are leveraging
technology by integrating our people, operations, and oversight into a
globally-connected, enterprise-wide, and secure information network. We are
conducting manpower and program competitions to take advantage of the best
opportunities for outsourcing and privatization. And we're improving the way we
plan, program, acquire, and protect our air, space, and information systems. Our
reinvention teams have saved more than $30 billion during the last decade. Of
course better business practices aren't a choice; they're necessary to maximize
the returns on our nation's investment.
This posture statement will give
you a good idea about where we've been, where we're going, and what's necessary
to remain the world's best aerospace force. Aerospace power is America's
asymmetric advantage, and we're determined to make sure America keeps it.
America's Air Force in 2000
In 2000, we participated in the full
spectrum of military operations -- from deterrence and combat contingency
operations to humanitarian aid and disaster assistance. Across this spectrum, it
was Global Vigilance, Reach, and Power that was essential for assuring U.S.
national security and international stability. We provided global vigilance
using our intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) assets; force
protection measures; and deterrence missions. Our mobility assets and pre-
positioned munitions contributed to our global reach. Finally, we displayed
global power in Iraq and the Balkans with our unmatched capability to create
precise military effects when called upon or threatened. These three facets of
aerospace power are interdependent, collectively providing rapid aerospace
dominance for America. Perhaps most importantly, all these accomplishments were
against the backdrop of a pivotal transformation in the way we structure our
forces to support expeditionary operations. This chapter will describe these
efforts during the past year.
The Expeditionary Aerospace Force
This year we completed our organizational transformation to an
Expeditionary Aerospace Force -- the EAF -- a groundbreaking approach to
organizing aerospace capability. Given the demand for aerospace forces over the
past 10 years, we designed a capability- based force structure to ensure that
on-call, rotational forces can effectively meet both our steady-state and "pop-
up"commitments, while giving our people more predictability and stability in
their deployment schedules. We began implementing the initiative in October
1999, and successfully completed the first full rotation of our ten Aerospace
Expeditionary Forces -- the AEFs -- in December 2000.
The EAF includes
both deployable and non-deployable warfighting and support forces. Our
deployable AEFs are 10 packages of aerospace power. They provide us with the
rotational base required to conduct multiple, concurrent small-scale
contingencies, immediate crises, and "pop-up"engagements. These AEFs must be
fully resourced to provide the full spectrum of aerospace power capabilities
required by the warfighting CINCs. Our AEF Prime forces include those
operational capabilities not organically assigned to the AEFs. They comprise our
nuclear alert, regional command and control, and space operation forces, without
which we could not meet our steady-state and contingency commitments. The AEFs
are deployed and sustained by a robust mobility force called EAF Mobility. EAF
Mobility is the nation's fastest system to transport the most urgent cargo, from
troops and equipment to humanitarian aid. Underlying the AEFs, AEF Prime, and
EAF Mobility is EAF Foundation -- the acquisition, medical, depot, training, and
infrastructure resources needed to keep the other parts of the EAF operating.
The EAF offers predictability for commanders to reconstitute, train, and
organize their assigned forces to better meet their upcoming contingency
requirements. Two AEFs are on-call every 3 months within the full-rotation
period of 15 months. Additionally, two Aerospace Expeditionary Wings (AEW)
supplement these AEFs, alternating on-call duties every 120 days for "pop-
up"conflicts. Two AEFs and one AEW represent about 20% of our combat forces,
which equates to the maximum commitment the Air Force can maintain indefinitely
without adversely impacting training or readiness. If tasked beyond this level,
we would conduct surge operations as required. Upon completion of large- scale
operations, the EAF would then reconstitute before beginning a new rotational
cycle. From now on, we will use the EAF to provide Joint Force Commanders
trained-to-task, capability- based packages to meet their specific requirements.
AEFs offer many operational advantages:
- An AEF is fast -- our
goal is to deploy one AEF, or about 120 aircraft and 10,000 airmen, within 48
hours, and we strive to provide up to 5 AEFs in 15 days.
- An AEF is
light and lean -- our global command and control infrastructure allows
high-fidelity operational support in near real-time from the continental U.S.
This enables a "reachback"capability that helps minimize the deployment of
supporting equipment and personnel and simplifies force protection.
- An
AEF is lethal -- it is capable of striking more than 200 targets per day.
- An AEF is flexible -- we provide a tailored, trained-to-task,
strategically relevant force that rapidly projects power anywhere in the world.
Lessons learned from the first AEF rotation are improving the force's
expeditionary structure and concepts of operations. For example, our low
density/high demand (LD/HD) platforms, such as the Airborne Warning and Control
System (AWACS) and U-2 reconnaissance aircraft, have been strained by supporting
continuous operations -- deploying up to five times more frequently than other
forces. As a short-term remedy, we stood-up another AWACS squadron (without
procuring additional aircraft) to better align the squadrons with the AEF
rotation. For the long- term, instead of procuring more LD/HD platforms, we are
developing transformational solutions to perform these missions more
effectively, while providing more persistence over the target area. For example,
we are exploring the transition of the U-2 and other over-tasked ISR missions to
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), common wide-body (multi-radar) aircraft, and/or
space-based assets. These future capabilities should arrest some of the
operations tempo issues facing our most critical LD/HD assets.
The
success of the EAF depends on the vital contributions of all the components of
the Total Force -- active, Guard, Reserve, civilians, and contractors. The
stability of the 15-month cycle has allowed the Air Force Reserve and Air
National Guard to meet (or even exceed) their programmed 10% tasking to the EAF.
Our reserve components currently provide the EAF about 7% of its expeditionary
combat support, 20% of its combat forces, 33% of its air refueling assets, and
44% of its intratheater airlift.
Aerospace Operations
Aerospace
power can bring a rapid halt to human suffering or attacking forces. Our
presence in struggling regions of the world, like East Timor and Mozambique,
brings help where it is needed, builds goodwill, improves international
relations, and provides valuable real-world training. Alternatively, we can
create military effects against our adversaries, like we have done in the
Balkans and Southwest Asia.
Our aerospace forces have the flexibility
and agility for simultaneous engagement across the full spectrum of military
operations. We are prepared to maintain regional stability, protect national
interests, and help win America's wars whenever called. The following are a few
of the operations in which we participated this year.
Operation
STABILISE
When the province of East Timor attempted to break away from
Indonesia, the resulting conflict caused thousands of residents to flee their
homes. The U.N. relied on our airlift to deliver the manpower and supplies to
stabilize the region. Intertheater airlift, provided by C-5s, C-141s, and C-17s,
transported 1,580 Thai peacekeepers to the region. Intratheater C-130H aircraft
from Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, flew over 600 hours transporting more than 1,800
personnel and 1,250 tons of combat support equipment and humanitarian aid to
Dili and Komorro in East Timor.
Operation ATLAS RESPONSE
In
March 2000, flooding devastated Mozambique, driving hundreds of thousands of
people from their homes. We responded as part of Joint Task Force ATLAS
RESPONSE, flying more than 600 sorties that delivered 970 tons of crucial
supplies. Crews flying C-130s and C-17s transported nearly 2,000
non-governmental relief workers to Maputo, Mozambique's capital city, and Beira,
the country's second largest city. Rescue and special operations crews played a
key role ensuring supplies were distributed properly.
Balkan Operations
In 2000, we conducted 16%, or about 2,000 of the 12,000 combat sorties
flown in the Balkans in support of the Kosovo Forces (KFOR) and Stabilization
Forces (SFOR). Yet this statistic significantly understates our contribution to
these Balkan operations. Our fighter, tanker, command and control (C2), ISR, and
airlift aircraft; C2 facilities; combat search and rescue forces; special
operations units; UAVs; and space-based resources were indispensable to the
performance of all joint and coalition operations.
United States
Wildfire Relief
Our people played a pivotal role fighting the worst
wildfires to ravage the western United States in 50 years. In 48 airlift
missions, we transported 330 tons of cargo and over 5,900 Army, Marine, and
civilian firefighters to Idaho, Montana, and California. Three Air National
Guard and one Reserve
C-130 aircraft, equipped with the Modular
Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS), flew 870 missions and dropped almost 2.3
million gallons of fire suppressant across 19 states within a six-month period.
Southwest Asian Operations
During 2000, we maintained a
continuous presence of 8,000 airmen in Southwest Asia in support of Operations
NORTHERN WATCH and SOUTHERN WATCH. Our aerospace superiority assets (including
air, space, and information systems) produced an environment that permitted more
than 23,000 coalition combat sorties without a single combat loss. Of these
sorties, 63%, or 14,500, were flown by the Air Force. We responded to Iraqi
no-fly zone violations and air defense threats with precision-guided munitions
(PGMs), destroying a significant portion of Iraq's anti-aircraft artillery
systems, threat radars, and command centers.
Northeast Asian Operations
As the nation marks the 50th anniversary of the Korean War, we continue
to maintain a significant presence in South Korea and Japan, and conduct joint
and combined exercises with the host nations. COPE THUNDER, executed in early
2000, provided realistic training for aircrews, operations and logistics
personnel, and selected C2 operators by exercising complex combat operations
across the Pacific Theater. We also participated in exercise ULCHI FOCUS LENS,
the world's largest annual joint and combined computer simulation war game
conducted with the Republic of Korea's national mobilization exercise "ULCHI."
Deterrence
America deters potential aggression by maintaining
the ability and resolve to use overwhelming force against any adversary. We
maintain this posture through our expeditionary, rapid global mobility, nuclear,
and space forces. The bomber, with its unique strengths of flexible payload,
global range, and in-flight retargeting or recall, is the cornerstone of our
conventional and nuclear force projection capability. Additionally, the
land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) provides a quick- reaction
and highly reliable force with a mission capable rate above 99%.
Counter-Nuclear, Biological, Chemical Operations
The potential
use of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) against America and its allies is one
of the most complex threats facing the DoD. Our balanced response to the
proliferation of WMD, as outlined in our recently completed Air Force
Counter-Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) Operations Doctrine document,
integrates the four pillars of counterproliferation -- proliferation prevention,
counterforce strategies, active defense efforts, and passive defense measures.
Proliferation prevention restricts the spread of NBC weapons through political
and diplomatic efforts, such as export controls and treaty agreements, but may
also include denial operations when directed by the National Command
Authorities. Counterforce operations include attacking an adversary's NBC
weapons and their associated production, transportation, and storage facilities
prior to their use. Active defense focuses on intercepting conventional and
unconventional NBC delivery systems before they reach friendly forces. Finally,
passive defense measures, including force protection, protect our people from
the effects of an NBC attack and enable sustained aerospace combat operations.
Our counter-NBC operational readiness initiative sets Air Force- wide
standards for readiness, identifies shortfalls, and develops capabilities to
effectively cope with NBC attacks. This initiative includes our recently
developed counter-NBC roadmap and chemical warfare concept of operations (CW
CONOPS). The roadmap is an innovative investment strategy that cuts across all
facets of Air Force plans and programs to increase counterproliferation
visibility. The CW CONOPS, developed by our Pacific forces, is a plan to help us
maintain high-paced operations during NBC attacks on air bases.
Force
Protection
Force protection comprises the activities that prevent or
mitigate hostile actions against our people and resources when they are not
directly engaged with the enemy. In 2000, our force protection personnel made 41
vulnerability assessments that were used to improve our physical security, the
safeguarding of our food and water supplies, and our ability to respond to WMD
incidents both at home and abroad. We developed a surface-to-air missile (SAM)
footprint mapping capability, which couples site- specific topography with the
effective range of hand-held SAMs, to direct security forces to probable threat
locations. We have also instilled a force protection mindset in our people by
incorporating force protection into the curriculum at all levels of professional
military education and as part of Warrior Week during basic training. Protecting
our people remains a top priority at all command levels.
Information
Assurance and Network Defense
Information assurance (IA) and computer
network defense are the strategy and means to deliver crucial information
securely to the warfighter. We are in a daily battle for information
superiority. Our air tasking orders, flying schedules, maintenance and logistics
records, C2, and other operational functions are carried over our networks,
making them a key target for potential adversaries. In 2000, we developed a plan
to integrate operations, people, technology, and oversight through an
enterprise-wide, network-centric concept. This plan includes operations and
information protection; automated and dynamic detection and response;
consolidated situational awareness and decision support; and IA in deployed and
classified environments. For example, we monitor and evaluate network anomalies
detected by our automated security incident measurement system (ASIMS). This
system recognizes the latest hacking techniques to ensure early warning of
attempted penetrations into our systems.
Intelligence, Surveillance and
Reconnaissance
Our air-breathing and space-based ISR assets combine to
provide America global vigilance by exploiting the high ground and actively
monitoring the entire globe for emerging threats and treaty compliance. They
provide an integrated capability to collect, process, and disseminate accurate
and timely information that allows our decision-makers to rapidly analyze and
respond to changing global conditions, and enables us to obtain and maintain
decision dominance. In 2000, our ISR assets monitored Iraqi compliance with U.N.
sanctions as part of Operations NORTHERN and SOUTHERN WATCH and were key to
providing critical real-time decision-making information to NATO leaders in the
Balkans.
Counter-Drug Operations
We are actively supporting the
National Drug Control Strategy. Our AWACS and other ISR assets, with tanker
support, detect suspected drug traffickers in the South American source zone and
monitor their activities through the Caribbean transit zone to their arrival and
apprehension in the United States. Air National Guard forces conduct the
majority of our counter-drug missions, employing an impressive variety of
capabilities from intelligence and airlift to ground-based radar and fighter
interception. The Guard's domestic counter-drug operations focused on state and
federal law enforcement support, interdiction, eradication, and drug demand
reduction. The Reserve was also an important participant, flying patrol
missions, and providing mobile training teams, intelligence, and linguists. In
2000, the Reserve provided 68 personnel, flew 105 missions, and conducted 15
mobile training team deployments in support of worldwide counter-drug
operations.
Our civilian auxiliary, Civil Air Patrol (CAP), joined the
nation's counter-drug program in 1986, partnering directly with U.S. Customs and
the Drug Enforcement Administration. Since then it has flown thousands of hours
a year in support of counter-drug efforts. During 2000, the CAP efforts
prevented approximately $3 billion worth of narcotics from entering the U.S. --
a great all- volunteer accomplishment. The active, Guard, Reserve, and CAP are
crucial partners in the nation's "war on drugs."
Security Assistance
Cooperative foreign relationships are crucial to building multinational
coalitions, securing international access, and sustaining our commercial defense
industry. In 2000, we managed more than 3,800 contracts for sales of aircraft,
spare parts, munitions, and training valued at over $103 billion. These
contracts included sales of over 240 F-16s to the United Arab Emirates, Greece,
Israel, and several other countries. Through the foreign military sales and
international military education and training programs, we trained approximately
4,600 international students in warfighting and professional military education.
Our international armament cooperation program co-developed and fielded
interoperable weapon systems that effectively leveraged DoD resources by
cost-sharing, employing foreign technical expertise, and securing larger
economies of scale (reducing the cost per unit). Under this program, we have
reached more than 360 agreements with our allies and coalition partners
involving research and development, production, equipment loans, and scientific
and technical information exchanges.
Safety
The safety of our
people is a principal concern in all our operations. A combination of increased
funding for aircraft improvements and the use of operational risk management
yielded positive results in several safety categories. We had the lowest flight
mishap rate in our history -- 1.08 major mishaps per 100,000 hours of flight
time. On the ground, we had our second lowest annual number of off-duty
fatalities, with 50 (24% below our 10 year average of 65), and on-duty
fatalities, with 6.
We continue to build on this success with innovative
safety tools such as bird avoidance warning systems; an automated system to
expedite mishap collection methods that supports operations and acquisition
decision making; and a quality assurance system that ensures fleet-wide flight
safety deficiencies are rapidly corrected.
Conclusion
In 2000,
we honored our tradition of operational excellence -- firmly establishing our
position as the National Command Authorities' frequent choice for fast,
flexible, and precise military response. We also have done something difficult
for many large organizations -- we overcame the inertia of the status quo,
improving both how we operate and the quality of life for our people. We are now
an Expeditionary Aerospace Force -- organizationally transformed to sustain
America's aerospace advantage. Through global vigilance, reach, and power, we
wield the unprecedented ability to observe events around the globe, rapidly
reach out to influence them, and if necessary, bring to bear the force needed to
secure our national objectives.
In this chapter we recounted some of our
activities during the past year. In the next chapter we will move from the
present to the future. Specifically, the discussion will turn to our
understanding of the type of capabilities we must pursue to successfully contend
with the future security environment.
America's Future Air Force
The history of the Air Force is marked by an unshakable dedication to
the promise and potential of aerospace power as envisioned by our early
pioneers. This enduring commitment has kept us on the cutting edge through
continual organizational, operational, and technological transformation. We no
longer narrowly focus on one overarching adversary, but rather on full- spectrum
employment of the Total Force whenever our nation calls. In the new strategic
environment, we integrate air, space, and information to dominate the entire
vertical realm. Indeed, we have transformed ourselves from a forward-based,
organizationally stovepiped force structure to a forward-deploying, integrated
expeditionary force structure. Moreover, we accomplished this through a steady,
well-planned process of continuous innovation. Given the increasing complexity
of warfare and an ever-changing adversary, expeditionary aerospace power offers
an expanded range of strategic and operational options across the entire
spectrum of engagement. Our commitment to technologies such as stealth,
precision standoff weapons, and information warfare offers America new strategic
options with less risk. This continuous transformation will preserve the
nation's vital role in world leadership and the ability to defend its interests
around the globe.
The Global Security Environment
Today's
security environment is unique in American history. We do not have a "peer
competitor,"nor are we likely to see one in the near future. At the same time,
we face a number of uncertainties and potential challenges that threaten
America's security and interests. These threats include regional hegemonies,
asymmetric and transnational threats, and crises that may require intervention
for humanitarian purposes.
A hostile power, for example, may attempt to
dominate a region by intimidating our allies or pursuing interests contrary to
our own. Such a power may use anti-access strategies that attempt to deny our
ability to deploy stabilizing military force. Today, we see many potential
adversaries developing theater ballistic missiles and other anti-access
capabilities to achieve this goal. Renegade actors may use asymmetric means such
as terrorism, information warfare, or weapons of mass destruction to radically
enhance their disruptive capabilities at a relatively low cost. We experienced
such a tragedy in 1996 when 19 deployed airmen were killed during the Khobar
Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia. Other transnational or small-scale
contingencies, including ethnic conflicts, international criminal activity, or
insurgencies, may threaten our interests or the safety of our citizens (e.g.,
illicit drug activity in Latin America). Non- state actors and criminal
organizations will continue to threaten American interests through sophisticated
technical means or by physical attack. Crises that can spill over state borders
that require humanitarian assistance, such as environmental disasters, will
persist. We recently responded to the floods in Africa and the earthquakes in
India.
Space is an area where threats might emerge in the coming decade.
Some of our potential adversaries have the ability to improve both their
offensive and defensive military capabilities with commercially available space
and information technologies. At the same time, they may try to neutralize our
space assets, especially as space becomes more vital to our military, civil, and
commercial interests.
Ultimately, any national-level response is
predicated on the ability to rapidly adapt military capabilities and operational
concepts to precisely achieve the desired objectives. We demonstrated this
ability during Operations DESERT STORM and ALLIED FORCE, and we will be even
more formidable in the future. Should deterrence fail, aerospace power is a
force of choice for rapid response with minimum risk to U.S. personnel and non-
combatants.
Our Vision
Our vision, America's Air Force: Global
Vigilance, Reach, and Power -- Vision 2020, published in June 2000, provides a
template for the ongoing transformation of the Air Force and aerospace power
into the 21st century. Our vision underscores that people - - our Total Force --
are the foundation of the Air Force. We describe an aerospace domain best
exploited by an integrated air, space, and information force. We present our
forces in capability- based packages, called Aerospace Expeditionary Forces
(AEF), each built upon the pillars of aerospace expertise, our core competencies
-- Aerospace Superiority, Information Superiority, Global Attack, Precision
Engagement, Rapid Global Mobility, and Agile Combat Support. In the end, our
vision focuses us on our mission: To defend the United States and protect its
interests through aerospace power.
Our Strategic Plan
We believe
that aerospace power will be, indeed must be, increasingly called upon as the
nation's military instrument of choice in an uncertain world. No other option is
as fast, flexible, or necessary to the execution of joint operations. The Air
Force Strategic Plan is the broad framework to institutionalize our vision. It
anticipates the future security environment and provides guidance on major force
modernization and investment strategies by identifying fourteen
critical future capabilities based upon the Air Force core competencies and
support areas. It is our roadmap to the future.
The Total Force
Our Total Force builds on a foundation of high standards and strong
cooperation among our active, Reserve, Guard, civilian and contractor personnel.
Simply stated, we could not perform our mission without the combined
contributions of all components. On any given day, members of the Guard and
Reserve work side-by-side with their active duty counterparts. Today, our Guard
and Reserve assets account for 38% of our fighter force, 60% of our air
refueling capability, 71% of our intratheater airlift, and significant portions
of our rescue and support resources. The Reserve is the sole provider of unique
capabilities such as aerial spray, space shuttle helicopter rescue support, and
hurricane hunting, while the Guard provides 100% of our homeland air defense
capability. Additionally, the Guard and Reserve have an increasing presence in
the bomber force and in space, intelligence, and information systems. Guard and
Reserve units provide essential support for training new pilots, manning radar
and regional control centers, performing flight check functions at our depots,
and conducting space operations. Equally important, our civilian members and
contractors provide specialized administrative, technical, and managerial
expertise that complement the functions performed by uniformed members. Without
these combined skills, we could not operate as an expeditionary force. In the
future, we will foster an even closer and more interdependent partnership
between all of our components through new organizational structures and more
interactive and flexible career patterns.
Aerospace Integration
Our domain stretches from the earth's surface to the far reaches of our
satellites' orbits in a seamless operational medium. However, even with the best
aircraft and spacecraft optimized for their respective environments, the
aerospace effects we create hinge on our people and their ability to rapidly and
continuously integrate our air, space, and information systems. Accordingly, we
have modified our command organizations to take full advantage of the resulting
synergy.
In September 2000, for example, we designated the Aerospace
Operations Center (AOC) as a "weapon system"of the future. This hub of advanced
networks will gather and fuse the full range of information in real-time -- from
the strategic to the tactical level -- giving Joint Force Component Commanders
actionable knowledge to rapidly employ their forces in the battlespace.
Effectively employing integrated aerospace power requires commanders who
exploit the entire aerospace continuum, both on a regional and global scale.
This new paradigm of employment must be instilled in the minds of airmen at all
levels of Air Force professional military education. To help achieve this end,
we created an Aerospace Basic Course for newly commissioned officers to ensure
they understand the different elements of aerospace power. Similarly, our
Developing Aerospace Leaders initiative is determining the best way to cultivate
the skills needed to lead in a dynamic, changing environment. We are infusing
air, space, and information operators into all key command and training courses
to expand their breadth of experience and core knowledge. Finally, our Space
Warfare Center established a space aggressor squadron to increase the awareness
of threats from space-capable adversaries and improve our ability to defend
against them.
Evolving the Full-Spectrum EAF
Providing the
flexibility needed for full-spectrum operations requires continued efforts to
round out the capabilities of our AEFs to make them virtually interchangeable.
Currently, our 10 AEFs are not equal in capability. For example, only three of
the ten AEFs are equipped with long-range, precision standoff strike
capabilities, and only nine have an F-16CJ squadron for suppression of enemy air
defenses.
As the EAF continues to mature and technologies advance, we
will expand the capabilities each AEF can provide. We will enlarge the
battlespace an AEF can control; enhance our ability to do real- time, adaptive
targeting; and dramatically increase the number of targets an AEF can engage in
a day. Finally, we will improve our expeditionary combat support capabilities --
effective, responsive logistics are the key to sustaining expeditionary forces
and operating from austere locations.
Operations in the Future Global
Security Environment
The changing security environment requires us to
change the way we plan and operate. Aerospace power's ability to perform
effects- based operations (i.e., focusing on achieving desired effects versus
creating target lists) means we can support the joint force commander in ways
unimaginable only a few years ago. Our ongoing transformation enables our
long-range, standoff, all- weather precision, and stealth capabilities to
rapidly counter any adversary's attempt to deny us access to a theater.
This global strike capability, combined with responsive logistics, will
then help to achieve the rapid halt of human suffering or threatening forces.
Lastly, the massing of joint firepower at the time and location of our choosing
will create the conditions that permit the safe deployment and employment of our
joint forces. Once deployed, our force protection measures will provide defense
against asymmetric threats. Through long- range stealth, precision standoff
weaponry, and information operations, we are able to project substantial effects
without subjecting our forces to substantial risk. Aerospace power's inherent
versatility and precision form a large part of this tremendous capability,
giving our leaders unprecedented strategic initiative and flexibility now and in
future operations. Aerospace power is the nation's asymmetric advantage.
Homeland Security
The Air Force has always contributed to
homeland defense by deterring aggressors, intercepting intruders, and providing
ballistic missile warning. However, defending our homeland has assumed new and
daunting dimensions with the increased threat of terrorism, the spread of
information warfare techniques, and the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction. Our traditional defenses are often incomplete against these
unconventional threats.
We are significant supporters of a multi-layered
missile defense system incorporating space-based elements that provide
effective, affordable, global protection against a wide range of threats. Future
space capabilities like the Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) will greatly
enhance our ability to track and engage ballistic missiles, while space-based
radar technologies (if transitioned into deployed systems) will track fixed and
mobile ballistic missile launchers. The Airborne Laser (ABL) will engage
boost-phase ballistic missiles, while the F-22, working with advanced ISR
systems, will defend against cruise missiles. The Air Force expects to be a
principal player in any future missile defense system.
The Total Force
brings a variety of capabilities to the defense of our homeland. The Air
National Guard is positioned to ensure the air defense of the nation while
providing critical resources like airlift, command and control, and disaster
preparedness response forces to other lead agencies and the Joint Forces Civil
Support Teams. Our Air Force Medical Service is acquiring a variety of modular
packages that can be used to support civilian authorities requesting our
assistance at home or abroad. The Small Portable Expeditionary Aeromedical Rapid
Response or "SPEARR"teams deploy ten highly trained specialists within two hours
of notification with the capability to provide a broad scope of care, including
initial disaster medical assessment, emergency surgery, critical care, and
patient transport preparation. In February 2001, we participated in a three-day
bioterrorism exercise, Alamo Alert, in San Antonio, Texas. This tabletop
exercise explored city, county, state, and federal responses to the release of a
biological agent. We will use the lessons learned from this exercise to merge
the disaster response plans of different agencies so they will work together
more effectively. Developing a robust homeland defense strategy is critical to
the nation. The Air Force stands ready today, as in the past, to contribute our
special capabilities, as well as develop new technologies that can aid civil
authorities in combating any threat or attack to our homeland.
Urban
Operations
By 2015, half the world's 7.2 billion people will live in
urban centers. The growing migration to cities means an increased likelihood
that military targets will be in close proximity to non-combatants. We must,
therefore, place special emphasis on producing precise, predictable effects with
minimal collateral damage to surrounding structures. Advances in target
identification and precision weapons delivery have propelled us from committing
multiple aircraft for each target during World War II (e.g., 1,000 B-17 sorties
dropped 9,000 bombs to destroy one target in 1943) to utilizing a single
aircraft to neutralize multiple targets during Operation ALLIED FORCE (e.g., one
B-2 with 16 bombs hit 16 different targets in 1999). We are pioneering a new
class of non-kinetic weapons that will create the desired effects without death
and physical destruction. Large- scale conflicts will always include some degree
of devastation, but non-kinetic weaponry and precision effects provide expanded
options for our nation's leaders across the entire spectrum of conflict.
Precision effects also offer the potential to significantly reduce the duration
of a conflict by concentrating our force on high-value military targets. This
minimizes collateral damage, unintended consequences, and the accompanying
pressures such problems bring to coalition cohesion.
Science and
Technology Commitment
Our commitment to a strong science and technology
(S&T) program is fundamental to maintaining aerospace dominance in the 21st
century. We continue to invest in a broad and balanced set of technologies
derived from basic research, applied research, and advanced technology
development on a continuum of maturity levels from short- to long-term. This
time-scaled approach keeps emerging capabilities in the pipeline and fosters
revolutionary developments.
The Air Force S&T community is working
closely with operators and strategic planners to explicitly link research
activities with our core competencies, critical future capabilities, and future
concepts of operation. This effort has produced S&T goals in the areas of
time sensitive targeting; improved command, control, and information systems;
survivability (defensive efforts); lethality and neutralization (offensive
efforts); and improved power generation, propulsion, and vehicles. In accordance
with the FY01 National Defense Authorization Act, we are also conducting a major
review of our S&T program to identify both short-term objectives and
long-range challenges.
No matter how strong our commitment to S&T,
however, our efforts will be jeopardized if we don't protect our developing
technologies. We are taking aggressive measures to safeguard existing and
emerging technologies from compromise that would degrade combat effectiveness,
shorten the expected combat life of a system, or stall program development.
Conclusion
We have adapted to the new strategic environment by
incorporating new technologies, operational concepts, and organizational
structures -- the definition of transformation. For the good of the nation, we
cannot afford to stop with the transformation we have already achieved. Given
the increasing complexity of warfare and the access potential adversaries have
to new technologies, we now need to move ahead even more quickly. If we
emphasize those force elements that have the flexibility to respond to the new
strategic challenge, we can realize order of magnitude increases in capability.
For example, America can support the full spectrum of operations at lower cost
in dollars and manpower by emphasizing stealth, precision standoff weapons, and
information technologies that mark a qualitative shift in military operations.
Those same forces have relevance across the entire spectrum of conflict. If we
exploit the aerospace capabilities that have emerged since our current war plans
were established, we may not be faced with having to shrink from our
responsibilities as a global power. Capitalizing on America's asymmetric
advantage -- aerospace power -- we can expand America's strategic options at
less risk. However, there's a bill for this tremendous capability. We must fully
fund our aerospace power force -- the force that gives America a capability that
is truly unique among nations.
Roadmap to the Future
In order to
remain the world's preeminent aerospace force, we must continue our
transformation and work through the financial hurdles before us. A strong
economy has made retaining and recruiting an all-volunteer force extremely
difficult, but we have taken significant steps to reduce the downward trends.
The increasing cost of readiness (including operations and maintenance) is
consuming the funds required to modernize our systems and our infrastructure. We
have developed a responsible, time-phased plan to modernize our force without
sacrificing readiness or capability goals. However, even if the plan is approved
after Secretary Rumsfeld's review, we do not have the
modernization funds to fully execute it. Finally, through
constant innovation and adaptation, we are linking emerging technologies with
our future concepts of operation in order to evolve our aerospace capabilities
while providing the nation the most effective return on its investments. Taking
care of our people, improving readiness, and procuring upgraded and new,
integrated systems are crucial to ensuring we can deliver rapid aerospace
dominance well into the 21st century.
People
Force structure
drawdowns and a high demand for U.S. military presence around the globe have had
a significant impact on our Total Force -- active, Reserve, Guard, civilians,
and contractors. Last year, at any given time, an average of 13,000 Total Force
members were deployed around the world. Another 76,000 people were stationed
overseas on permanent assignment. Retaining our military people is the first
step in maintaining our combat capability and readiness, and will help alleviate
many of our current recruiting and training problems. We need help to ensure our
civilian work force is properly sized and shaped. We also continue to address
the quality of life and quality of service concerns of all our people by
creating better living and working environments for them. Finally, we are
developing leaders who understand the full spectrum of expeditionary and
integrated operations and the importance of giving every member an equal
opportunity to serve and succeed. All of these actions are crucial to sustaining
the foundation of our force -- Air Force people.
Retention
We
are unique among the Services in that we are a retention-based force. We depend
on retaining highly trained and skilled people to sustain our readiness posture
for rapid global deployment. By meeting retention goals, we can reduce our
current recruiting and training requirements, and build and maintain our
technical expertise. However, we expect the economic climate will continue to
make retaining our skilled enlisted and officer personnel difficult over the
next several years. About 7 out of every 10 enlisted airmen will make a
reenlistment decision between now and 2004. Exit surveys show the availability
of civilian jobs as the primary reason our people decide to separate from the
Air Force. To retain these people, we must continue to improve compensation; not
only in terms of pay, but also by reimbursing the out-of- pocket expenses
incurred during frequent moves, deployments, and other temporary duty. The
viability of the all-volunteer force depends on military service remaining a
competitive career option. We will continue to retain our people through quality
of life initiatives.
In 2000, we held two retention summits chartered to
identify the reasons people decide to leave the Air Force and to develop
solutions to retain them. From the summit, we produced and are implementing 19
initiatives to improve retention, including establishing career assistance
advisors at our bases to maximize the benefits of performance feedback sessions
and provide selective reenlistment program counseling.
With respect to
officer retention, we closely monitor the officer cumulative continuation rate
(CCR), or the percentage of officers entering their 4th year of service (six
years for pilots and navigators) who will complete their 11th year of service
given existing retention patterns. In FY00, the pilot CCR dropped to 45% from
the high of 87% in FY95. Non-rated operations and mission support officer
retention rates have also dropped over the past two years. In fact, retention
rates have decreased for several high-tech specialties -- developmental
engineers, scientists, communication officers, and acquisition managers are in
high demand. Conversely, navigator and air battle manager rates improved in
FY00, rising to 69% and 51% from last year's rates of 62% and 45%, respectively.
We aggressively use bonuses to retain our members. For example, a
flexible aviation continuation pay (ACP) program is integral to our
multi-faceted plan to retain pilots. Under a provision of the FY00 National
Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), we began offering ACP payments through 25
years of aviation service at up to $25,000 per year, and expanded eligibility to
pilots below the rank of brigadier general. This resulted in a substantial
increase in additional years of service commitment. The FY01 ACP program
includes two enhancements for first-time eligible pilots: the up-front lump sum
payment cap was raised from $100,000 to $150,000 and up-front payment options
were expanded. These changes were made to enhance the attractiveness of
longer-term agreements.
Seventy-six percent of our enlisted skills are
now targeted with reenlistment bonuses, and we are considering bonuses for some
non- rated line officer categories. The need to widen our bonus footprint,
coupled with current below-goal retention rates, is strong evidence that the
basic pay structure is too low. The addition of the officer and enlisted
critical skills retention bonus of up to $200,000 during a career, which was
authorized in the FY01 NDAA, should help retain those people with skill sets in
high demand by the civilian sector. We have also targeted our enlisted members
with those crucial skills by increasing special duty assignment pay to $600 per
month.
Our Guard and Reserve have also taken steps to address retention
problems by authorizing special pay and enlistment bonuses for critical enlisted
specialties, ACP for active Guard and Reserve pilots, and special salary rates
for full-time Reserve component military technicians. Implementation of the EAF
concept will also help alleviate some of their retention challenges by providing
advanced deployment notice to civilian employers.
Recruiting
We
missed our enlisted recruiting goal only twice since the inception of the
all-volunteer force in 1973: FY79 and FY99. In FY00, we waged an all-out "war"to
recruit America's best -- and won. We exceeded our enlisted recruiting goal of
34,000 by almost 400 without lowering our standards. We still require 99% of our
recruits to have high school diplomas, and nearly 73% of our recruits score in
the top half of all scores on the Armed Forces Qualification Test. In addition,
we brought 848 prior-service members back on active duty, compared to 601 in
FY99 and 196 in FY98.
Successful recruiting means enlisting airmen whose
aptitudes match the technical requirements we need. Although we met our overall
recruiting goals in FY00, we fell about 1,500 short of our goal of 12,428
recruits with mechanical aptitudes. In response, we are developing a targeted
program to highlight the many opportunities we offer to mechanics, as well as a
"prep school"to increase the number of airmen qualified to attend courses in
areas such as jet engine repair and avionics maintenance. These efforts are
paying off -- through the first four months of FY01 we have met or exceeded our
monthly goal for mechanically skilled recruits.
As with our retention
efforts, we are using bonuses to improve recruiting. An increase in the
enlistment bonus to $20,000 for our hard-to-fill critical skills positions
proved successful -- 68% of our bonus-eligible recruits selected a 6-year
initial enlistment in FY00. We also introduced a $5,000 "kicker"to encourage new
recruits to enlist during our most difficult recruiting months: February, March,
April, and May.
Additionally, we held a comprehensive review of our
recruiting and accessions processes. One of the most important initiatives that
came out of this review was to increase our recruiter force. Therefore, we
augmented our permanent recruiters with temporary duty personnel for periods of
120 days. This action resulted in an extra 1,100 recruits during the spring and
summer of 2000. We increased the number of recruiter authorizations from 1,209
to 1,450 in FY00, and we project 1,650 recruiter authorizations by the end of
2001. The active duty drawdown has also created an additional recruiting
challenge for our Guard and Reserve components. As a result, the Air Force
Reserve is increasing its recruiting force in FY01 by 50 recruiters (to 564),
and the Air National Guard is adding 65 recruiters (to 413) over the next three
years.
Officer recruiting is not immune to the economic factors
affecting enlisted recruiting. As of March 2001, the Reserve Officer Training
Corps (ROTC) anticipates shortfalls of 400 officers in FY02 and 280 in FY03
(against a yearly goal of 2,000). We are considering several initiatives to
attract more candidates, including offering cadets contracts after their
freshman year rather than waiting until the end of their sophomore year, as well
as recommending legislation to permit an officer accession bonus and to increase
enlisted commissioning opportunities. In FY00, we achieved 97% of our line
officer accession target, even though FY00 production was 5% above FY99 and 21%
greater than FY98.
Recruiting health-care professionals has also been
challenging. Many medical, dental, nurse, and biomedical specialties are
critically short. For example, only 80% of our clinical pharmacy positions are
filled. In 2001, for the first time, we will be offering a $10,000 accession
bonus to pharmacists who enter active duty.
Finally, we launched a
multi-faceted marketing campaign, including television and movie theater
advertising. Our ads depict the teamwork, dedication, and technological
sophistication that characterize the Air Force. The Air Force Reserve and Air
National Guard also launched a national campaign that includes television,
radio, and outdoor advertisements.
Civilian Workforce Shaping
In
1989, approximately 17% of our civilians were in their first five years of
service. Today, that figure is less than 10%. In the next five years, more than
40% of our civilian career workforce will be eligible for optional or early
retirement. Compounding this problem, the downsizing of the past decade has
skewed the mix of civilian workforce skills. While we are meeting mission needs
today, without the proper civilian force shaping tools, we risk not being ready
to meet tomorrow's challenges.
We have developed several initiatives to
address our civilian workforce concerns. These initiatives include finding new
ways to attract and recruit civilian employees; developing streamlined,
flexible, and expedited hiring processes; supporting pay flexibility to better
align salaries with those of private industry; and increasing the availability
of student loan repayment programs.
We also realize that we must renew
the mid-level civilian workforce to meet the demands of an increasingly
technical force. We will accomplish this through job proficiency training,
leadership development, academic courses, and retraining. Further, we believe
that funding civilian tuition assistance programs, as we do for our military
people, and having the flexibility to pay for job licenses and certifications,
will help our shaping efforts.
However, we must also use separation
management tools to create vacancies so the civilian work force is continuously
refreshed with new talent and contains the right skills mix. These tools include
pay comparability, and extending special voluntary separation incentive pay
(VSIP) and voluntary early retirement authority (VERA) for workforce
restructuring. We also need an incentive to provide employees the option to
offset all or part of the early retirement penalty to their annuity through a
lump- sum payment to the civil service retirement and disability fund.
Quality of Life
For the first time in five years, we are adding
manpower and workplace environment to our core quality of life priorities.
Updated wartime planning factors and real-world operations validated our
increased manpower requirements. Meeting our existing mission requirements with
our current end strength is wearing out our people. We need to increase our end
strength by 12,000 personnel above our FY00 level, primarily in the combat,
combat support, low density/high demand, and high-tempo areas.
A good
quality of life is central to attracting and retaining our people. The FY01 NDAA
provided a 3.7% pay raise, one-half percent above private sector wage growth,
and a targeted pay raise for our mid-level enlisted members ranging from $32 to
$58 per month. While these are positive developments, military pay, particularly
for mid-grade NCOs and officers, remains below comparable private sector
salaries. In FY01, our members' out-of-pocket housing expenses will be reduced
from 18.9% to 15%, but at significant cost to our budget. A goal of zero
out-of-pocket housing costs by FY05, as directed by the former Secretary of
Defense, will be difficult to fund within current projections. To help reduce
out- of-pocket moving expenses, the NDAA equalized dislocation allowances for
our lower ranking enlisted force, and authorized advanced payment of temporary
lodging expenses and a pet quarantine reimbursement up to $275.
Providing our people with safe, affordable accommodations improves their
quality of life and, in turn, increases retention. Our dormitory master plan
will build or replace dormitory rooms throughout the Air Force. We continue to
pursue a private room policy for our airmen. Currently, 86% of our unaccompanied
airmen housed on base have a private room with a shared bath. We also plan to
replace, improve, or privatize over 10,000 family housing units. In addition,
ensuring our members have adequate officer and enlisted visiting quarters and
temporary lodging facilities remains a high priority. Constructing and
maintaining sufficient numbers of on-base facilities yields significant savings
in moving and travel costs while aiding force protection.
Another
important component of quality of life is health care. The year 2000 was a
milestone year for our health-care program, with many changes taking effect in
2001. TRICARE was expanded to include 1.4 million Medicare-eligible
beneficiaries, retirees, and their family members beginning in October 2001. By
enrolling in Part B Medicare, they can now visit any civilian health-care
provider and have TRICARE pay most, if not all, of what Medicare does not cover.
Other legislation extends TRICARE Prime Remote to immediate active duty family
members stationed in remote areas (i.e., areas not within 50 miles of a military
treatment facility); eliminates TRICARE co-payments for active duty family
members; establishes chiropractic care for active duty members; reduces the
TRICARE catastrophic cap to $3,000 per year; and improves claims processing.
Enhancing community and family programs is crucial to retention since
62% of our force is married. This year we created the Community Action
Information Board (CAIB) to bring together senior leaders to review and resolve
individual, family, and installation community issues impacting our readiness
and quality of life. We recognize the economic benefits our members and their
families receive from youth programs, family support centers, fitness centers,
libraries and other recreational programs which support and enhance the sense of
community. We also continue to support the commissary benefit as an important
non-pay entitlement.
Even with the EAF, our tempo can make educational
pursuits difficult. Our learning resource centers and distance learning
initiatives address this situation by offering deployed personnel education and
testing opportunities through CD-ROM and interactive television. We support
lengthening the Montgomery GI Bill contribution period from one to two years in
order to ease the financial burdens of new airmen. Additionally, we have joined
with the other Services, the Department of Labor, and civilian licensing and
certification agencies to promote the recognition of military training as
creditable towards civilian licensing requirements.
Training
Training the world's best Air Force is challenging in today's rigorous,
expeditionary environment. Recruits face a demanding basic training course, and
newly commissioned officers and selected civilians attend the Aerospace Basic
Course to establish a fundamental knowledge of aerospace power and the
profession of arms. However, lower enlisted retention rates are increasing our
training burden. Fewer experienced trainers are available to train entry-level
personnel. Additionally, the increased number of accessions (due to lower
retention) stress our training facilities and personnel. During accession surge
periods, our technical training centers operate at over 100% capacity by
triple-bunking students in two-person dorm rooms. Despite these challenges, our
technical training schools are meeting their mission. By increasing our use of
technology and streamlining training processes, we are producing fully qualified
apprentices. Recognizing training as a continuous process, we are using emerging
technologies to establish a training management system capable of documenting
and delivering the right training throughout a member's career.
Equal
Opportunity
We strive to build and maintain an environment that is free
from unlawful discrimination and harassment and reflects the rich diversity of
our nation. Equal opportunity, diversity, and fair and equitable treatment of
our people have evolved from law to a strategic readiness imperative. Ensuring
that every airman is given equal access and equal opportunity to achieve his or
her full potential is vital to our readiness equation. Creating and sustaining
an environment where individuals are respected and valued is key to mission
performance and force sustainment. These issues require constant attention and
support. Accordingly, we are committed to attracting, recruiting, hiring,
accessing, developing, managing, rewarding, and retaining a diverse and high-
quality Air Force that reflects all segments of American society.
Readiness
Total Air Force readiness has declined 23 percentage
points since 1996. We attribute this decay to the problems associated with
supporting the oldest aircraft fleet in Air Force history; the inability to
retain an experienced workforce; and constrained resources and spare parts. With
recent financial assistance from the Administration, Office of the Secretary of
Defense (OSD), and Congress, we are turning our spare parts problems around.
However, as our fighter, ISR, combat search and rescue, mobility, and tanker
aircraft continue to age, they need more frequent and substantial repairs,
driving up readiness costs. This, in turn, reduces the number of aircraft
available for missions and creates higher demands on the remaining fleet.
Reversing this trend will take additional funding and a concerted
recapitalization effort. In addition, the maintenance tasks and materiel growth
inherent in supporting our aging aircraft fleet have increased our depot
workload. Limited depot infrastructure investment over the past decade, coupled
with constrained funding, adds to our already significant challenges in meeting
readiness requirements. We are also experiencing infrastructure shortfalls in
our facilities (i.e., bases), vehicles and support equipment, and communications
infrastructure. However, our environmental program remains on track. Overall, we
are committed to improving readiness, but it must be in concert with our people,
infrastructure, and
modernization programs.
Spare Parts
Sufficient inventories of weapon system spare parts are crucial to
mission readiness. Lack of spares puts a severe strain on the entire combat
support system, creating increased workload for our logistics personnel and
reducing the number of mission-capable aircraft available to our operational
forces. When our logistics system suffers parts shortages, maintenance personnel
must either cannibalize parts from other equipment or aircraft to serve
immediate needs, or accept degraded readiness while they wait out long-delivery
times for backordered parts.
Recent improvements in spare parts funding
are turning this situation around. Through internal funding realignment, the
Administration, OSD and congressional plus-ups, we were able to spend an
additional $2 billion for spare parts over the past two years. This helped
replenish inventories drained during Operation ALLIED FORCE. During the summer
2000 program review, the DoD fully supported our efforts to fill shortfalls in
the spare-parts pipeline which were impacting operational requirements.
Additional Administration and OSD support for FY02 includes full funding of the
flying hour program and our airlift readiness spares packages, and increased
funding to reduce the spares repair backlog.
One of our greatest
readiness challenges is managing the consequences of an unprecedented older
aircraft fleet. Today, the average aircraft is approximately 22 years old. Even
with currently programmed procurements, this figure will continue to rise,
reaching nearly 30 within the next 15 years. Buying spare parts for aging
aircraft is similar to buying them for aging vehicles. The older the vehicle,
the more expensive the part due to obsolescence and a reduced vendor base.
Maintaining an aging fleet with more expensive spare parts is one of the costs
reflected in the increasing cost per flying hour. Over the past five years, our
flying hours required for training and readiness have remained relatively
constant, but the cost of executing our flying hour program has risen over 45%.
Facility Infrastructure
Our available resources do not cover the
maintenance requirements of our facilities. Presently, we are able to sustain
only day-to- day recurring maintenance and periodic system repairs on our real
property, creating a backlog of required maintenance. The replacement or
renovation of existing real property is now on a cycle exceeding 150 years,
compared with the industry standard of 50 years. Military construction has also
been reduced drastically since the mid-1980s (from the high of about $1.8
billion in FY86 to the current $596 million in FY01).
Reductions in Air
Force manpower and force structure have also left us with too much
infrastructure. As a result, we are required to spend scarce resources on
unneeded facilities while struggling to maintain acceptable operational
readiness levels. We must be allowed to close unnecessary installations and then
reinvest the savings in Real Property Maintenance (RPM), base- operating
support, family housing, and military construction.
Vehicles &
Support Equipment
Over the past eight years, the vehicle replacement
program has been significantly underfunded. This situation has created
approximately $552 million in deferred vehicle requirements for more than 27,000
special-purpose, construction, tactical, and material-handling vehicles. While
our major commands are pursuing temporary solutions, like general-purpose
vehicle leasing, refurbishment programs, and reducing excess vehicle
requirements wherever possible, failure to replace aging vehicles will directly
impact our combat capability.
Our support equipment program is only 58%
funded. This follows an historical trend of inadequate funding. We have about
$134 million in deferred funding for maintenance stands, aircraft de- icing
trucks, munitions-handling equipment, military working dogs, and Harvest Eagle
and Harvest Falcon equipment used to erect bare bases. Missions in the Balkans
and Southwest Asia have exacerbated equipment shortfalls. Addressing this
funding gap will improve our readiness.
Communications Infrastructure
Information technology (IT) advancements over the past decade have
revolutionized aerospace power. From desktop computing to near-instantaneous
worldwide access to information, our communications technologies enable
information dominance and create "actionable knowledge"for our commanders. The
ability of forward-deployed commanders to rapidly and reliably reach back to a
large number of combat support capabilities at home base, streamlines
expeditionary operations by reducing airlift requirements and the size of our
deployed footprint. A vital piece of our "infostructure"is our global
information grid, an interconnected, network-centric information environment
that provides information on-demand to our policymakers, warfighters, and
supporting personnel. This infostructure gives us the means to meet our future
information requirements.
Environmental Cleanup
Our
environmental program stands on four main pillars: environmental compliance,
pollution prevention, environmental restoration, and resource conservation. The
goal at our active installations is to have cleanup remedies in place for all
our high-risk sites by 2007 and for all sites by 2014.
The environmental
program for our closed and closing bases focuses on expedient cleanups that
stress public health, responsible environmental stewardship, and the transfer of
property for redevelopment. We continue to streamline processes, reduce costs,
and promote community participation in decision- making. We are on target to
complete all of our environmental cleanups by 2005, except for McClellan AFB,
CA, which is targeted for 2015. Still, we require continuing investment to
ensure properties are ready for permanent transfer to civil authorities.
Modernization
Our modernization plan includes
retiring the C-141 and procuring the C-17, buying our future air superiority
fighters, considering tanker replacements, upgrading conventional bombers and
precision- guided munitions (PGMs), and developing new C2 and ISR systems. An
important step in achieving these priorities involves sustaining and modernizing
relevant, capable space forces, with emphasis on the development of the Space
Based Infrared System (SBIRS), the Global Positioning System (GPS), the Evolved
Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV), and secure communication satellites. We must
also upgrade our space launch ranges and satellite control network. The next
several pages describe our
modernization programs aligned under
each of our core competencies.
Aerospace Superiority
Aerospace
superiority is the ability to control the entire vertical dimension, from the
surface of the Earth to the highest orbiting satellite, so the joint force has
freedom from attack and freedom to attack. Aerospace superiority is the crucial
first step in achieving rapid aerospace dominance. In the 21st century,
aerospace superiority depends on strike and defensive platforms, such as F-22
and the Airborne Laser (ABL), and ISR platforms, such as Global Hawk and SBIRS,
seamlessly integrated through real- time information sharing and appropriate
space control measures.
The F-22, with its revolutionary combination of
stealth, supercruise (i.e., supersonic-cruise without afterburner),
maneuverability, and integrated avionics, will dominate the skies. The F-22's
advanced capabilities will allow it to penetrate an adversary's airspace even if
anti-access assets are in place, destroying the most critical air defense
capabilities, thus permitting follow-on forces freedom of movement.
Additionally, the F-22 will serve as the enabling platform for the Joint
Strike Fighter (JSF) and other systems engaging enemy ground targets. In 2000,
during continued envelope expansion flight testing, the F-22 successfully
launched an Advanced Medium- Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) and an AIM-9
infrared-guided missile from its internal side weapons bay, and began testing
Block 3.0 avionics software.
The F-22 has successfully met all
congressionally mandated criteria necessary to enter low-rate initial production
(LRIP) following Defense Acquisition Board approval. Entering operational
service in 2005, this leap in technology is crucial to preserving the nation's
most important military advantage for future warfighters: the capability to
rapidly obtain and maintain aerospace dominance.
The Airborne Laser
(ABL) is a transformational boost-phase intercept weapon system that will
contribute significantly to the missile defense architecture. In January 2000,
we began modifying a Boeing 747 to become the first of two ABL prototypes. This
prototype successfully completed critical design review in April 2000. With the
modifications completed in the third quarter of FY01, ABL is progressing toward
a demonstration against a theater ballistic missile. This revolutionary
capability will bring equally revolutionary changes in warfighting.
The
Space Based Laser (SBL) has the potential to provide continuous boost-phase
intercept for ballistic missile defense. To pursue this capability, the SBL
integrated flight experiment (IFX) project will determine the feasibility and
utility of this approach, focusing on risk reduction, the sustainment of
critical technologies, and system architecture studies. The program is currently
making excellent progress in high-energy laser beam control; acquisition,
tracking and pointing technologies; and overall systems integration.
The
Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) significantly improves on the missile
warning capability of the 1993 Talon Shield upgrade to the Defense Support
Program (DSP) missile detection and warning network of satellites. DSP has
provided strategic missile warning for North America for nearly 30 years.
Beginning in 1993, the DSP project upgraded processing techniques to provide a
theater missile warning capability that includes timely and accurate detection
and tracking of tactical ballistic missiles and other theater threats. SBIRS
significantly improves on the missile warning capability of Talon Shield by
consolidating the nation's infrared detection systems into a single
architecture, meeting our security requirements for missile warning, missile
defense, technical intelligence, and battlespace characterization.
SBIRS
High, SBIRS Low, and DSP, and will operate through a consolidated ground
segment. DSP currently employs satellites to provide early detection and warning
of missile launches and nuclear explosions to the National Command Authorities.
The last three DSP satellites will be placed into orbit between FY01 and FY03,
and subsequently operated from the new SBIRS mission control station. The SBIRS
High component, currently in engineering and manufacturing development (EMD), is
on track for the first delivery of a highly elliptical orbit (HEO) sensor in
FY02 and the first launch of a satellite into geosynchronous orbit (GEO) in
FY05. The SBIRS Low component, now in the program definition/risk reduction
phase, consists of low earth orbiting (LEO) satellites with the first launch
planned for 2006. We are working hand-in-hand with the Ballistic Missile Defense
Office to make the SBIRS program a success. In total, we will operate 2 SBIRS
HEO, 4 GEO, and between 20 and 30 LEO satellites.
Miniature Satellites
On July 19, 2000, the Air Force Research Laboratory launched MightySat
II, a test satellite weighing only 266 pounds. The MightySat series of
experiments are designed to quickly and inexpensively explore, demonstrate, and
transition space technologies from the drawing board to operational use.
MightySat II demonstrates advanced technologies for hyperspectral remote sensing
and on-board processing that could eventually help military commanders detect
and identify hidden targets. The MightySat series are building blocks for more
advanced satellite concepts, such as TechSat-21. This concept will employ three
micro-satellites flying in formation to act as an integrated "virtual"satellite,
enabling revolutionary remote sensing capabilities such as ground moving target
identification.
Assured Access to Space
Achieving and
maintaining superiority throughout the entire aerospace continuum requires an
operational space launch and maneuver capability that can deploy to orbit with
the same speed and flexibility as our other aerospace forces. The Evolved
Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) will soon replace the current Titan, Atlas, and
Delta launch vehicles to ensure America's spacelift capability until 2020. It
consists of two independent launch systems: the Boeing Delta IV and Lockheed
Martin Atlas V. The first EELV launch is scheduled for 2002. Our EELV
partnership strategy with industry will meet military, government, and
commercial spacelift requirements at 25% to 50% lower cost than current systems.
In the future, we envision reusable launch vehicles that will provide launch on
demand, high sortie rates, reduced operations costs, and increased operational
flexibility in support of space mission areas.
Space Control
We
are committed to exploring innovative ways of modernizing space-based
technologies. Utilizing residual resources from the midcourse space experiment
(MSX) satellite, Air Force Space Command (AFSPC) transitioned this advanced
concept technology demonstration into a space-based space surveillance sensor.
The Space Based Visible (SBV) sensor provides critical positional data on
orbiting objects to ensure battlespace awareness.
During the past year,
we activated the first-ever space control unit -- the 76th Space Control
Squadron at Peterson AFB, Colorado. The 76th SPCS is an offensive and defensive
counterspace technology unit responsible for exploring emerging space control
capabilities, including concepts of counter- communications and
counter-surveillance/reconnaissance, and the development of a satellite attack,
threat detection, and reporting architecture.
Combat Search and Rescue
Combat search and rescue (CSAR) forces, identified by DoD as low
density/high demand (LD/HD) assets, recover downed combat aircrews and other
isolated people from hostile territory and return them to friendly control. The
age of our CSAR platforms, and their lack of compatibility with our advances in
strike, C2, ISR, communications and other systems, jeopardize our ability to
fulfill our operational commitments beginning in 2010. For example, the A-10
aircraft does not have the latest airborne receivers required to perform the
on-scene command role during combat rescue missions. In 2010, our HH-60s (search
and rescue helicopters) will reach the end of their service life and require
either a service life extension program (SLEP) or replacement. Our near-term
enhancements include equipping HH-60Gs with over- the-horizon data receivers and
improved defensive systems. We are also improving our CSAR force structure by
converting 10 WC-130Hs (weather observation aircraft) into HC-130s
(rescue/tanker transports) and transferring eight HH-60s and five HC-130s from
the Reserve to the active force. We have established the new combat rescue
officer (CRO) career specialty to improve the leadership of the CSAR mission
area. The first CRO commanded pararescue squadron will stand up in May 2001.
Information Superiority
Information superiority, like aerospace
superiority, means our information systems are free from attack while we have
freedom to attack an adversary's information systems. Information superiority
enables us to provide tailored, accurate targeting information from a sensor to
a shooter within minutes. It assures U.S. and allied forces have a clear picture
of the battlespace and can operate freely in the information domain while
denying the enemy the same. Information superiority includes the ability to
gain, exploit, attack, and defend information. Integral elements include
capabilities in information-in-warfare (e.g., ISR, weather, communications) and
information warfare (e.g., electronic warfare, psychological operations,
computer network attack and defense).
Command and Control
Our
operational and tactical command and control (C2) airborne platforms and ground
systems organize and direct ISR efforts and tactical forces to successfully
apply combat power. Our C2 assets include the aerospace operations center (AOC)
with its decentralized component control reporting centers (CRC), the Airborne
Warning and Control System (AWACS), and the Joint Surveillance Target Attack
Radar System (JSTARS).
As the primary element of the Theater Air Control
System (TACS), the AOC is responsible for planning, executing, and assessing the
full range of aerospace operations. By fusing the data from a vast array of C2
and sensor systems, the AOC creates a comprehensive awareness of the battlespace
so the Joint Force Air Component Commander (JFACC) can task and execute the most
complex aerospace operations across the entire spectrum of conflict.
Especially significant among these operations are time sensitive
targeting, which provides rapid reaction to the threat, and theater battle
management, which blends C2, rapid intelligence collection, analysis, and
dissemination with positive control of airspace and the tasking of combat forces
to coordinate the entire air battle with joint and coalition partners and
component commanders. We have recently designated the AOC as a "weapon
system"and are working on efforts to standardize its capabilities. Our continued
efforts in equipment baselining, personnel training, and documentation are the
precursors to a full AOC system
modernization effort. The
emergence of the AOC as a fully developed, standardized weapon system will
revolutionize the operational level of warfare.
The CRC is the JFACC's
ground tactical execution node for C2 and battle management. It provides
wide-area surveillance, theater air defense, identification, data link
management, and air battle execution. The current system was developed in the
1970s and must be replaced. The CRC replacement, the Battle Control System, will
exceed year 2010 requirements for time sensitive targeting, open system
architecture, small deployment footprint, remote operations, multi-sensor
fusion, and AEF responsiveness.
The Theater Battle Management Core
Systems (TBMCS) is an integrated, automated C2 and decision support tool that
offers the senior aerospace commander and subordinate staffs a single point of
access to real- or near-real-time information necessary for the execution of
higher headquarters taskings. TBMCS will support a full range of functions
including threat assessment, target selection, mission execution, battle damage
assessment, resource management, time sensitive target identification and
prosecution, and defensive planning.
Communication
Information
superiority, and by extension, all our core competencies depend on the
availability of a robust, worldwide communications capability. Unfortunately,
our military satellite communication (MILSATCOM) systems can not fully keep up
with the growth of theater requirements. Over the next ten years, our need for
secure communications is expected to increase 15-fold over current capacity,
while wideband requirements are projected to soar to 20 times the current
capacity. In an environment of extremely high worldwide demand and competition,
commercial providers simply cannot supply us with the protected bandwidth,
security, or coverage necessary to fully support military operations.
MILSATCOM systems, notably the Defense Satellite Communications System
(DSCS) and the Military Strategic and Tactical Relay System (MILSTAR), support
contingency and ongoing operations. The first DSCS SLEP satellite, launched in
January 2000, provides users a 200% increase in military wideband communications
capacity compared to legacy DSCS III satellites. It also increases the overall
reliability of the military wideband constellation. Early in 2001, the MILSTAR
constellation received a third operational satellite, to provide jam-resistant
communications for tactical operations. Furthermore, a complete
modernization of protected communications (advanced extremely
high frequency) and wideband communications (advanced wideband) is underway.
These are positive steps toward ensuring space superiority and information
superiority today and in the future.
While the long-haul communications
provided by satellites is crucial to operations, transporting information to
in-garrison and deployed units is equally vital. Theater deployable
communications provide lightweight multiband satellite terminals that allow our
deployed forces to reach back on the Global Command and Control System-Air Force
(GCCS-AF) via the Combat Information Transport System -- our high-capacity
fiber-optic backbone. This capability allows combat forces to quickly deploy
with a smaller support structure. We are also implementing innovative emerging
technologies to maximize bandwidth availability. This is especially critical
given the commercial expansion into the frequency spectrum used by the military.
Information Warfare
We have fielded eight information warfare
flights (IWF) to date, providing combatant commanders with full-spectrum
information warfare (IW) planning for offensive, defensive, kinetic, and non-
kinetic applications. We plan to field at least one additional IWF to support
U.S. Special Operations Command. Each IWF integrates offensive
counterinformation, defensive counterinformation, and information-in-warfare
functions to gain, exploit, attack, and defend both information and information
systems. We recognize the potency of psychological operations and, therefore,
include it in our strategic planning as part of our IW capabilities.
Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance
Currently, our
limited numbers of airborne ISR systems are in extremely high demand. The RC-135
Rivet Joint, U-2, and Predator UAV were indispensable during Operation ALLIED
FORCE, providing real-time PGM target data, threat warning, and battle damage
assessment. UAV systems, such as Global Hawk and Predator, promise to expand our
ISR collection capability while reducing the need to place our people in harm's
way.
Global Hawk successfully completed a military utility assessment
and is poised to move forward as a formal Air Force acquisition program with the
delivery of production vehicles in FY03. The Predator continued to demonstrate
impressive expandability with the integration of a laser illuminator for PGMs
and the recent successful launch of a Hellfire-C missile against a ground
target. Additionally, we are nearing completion of a major upgrade to the U-2's
sensors, cockpit, defensive, and power systems.
Space-Based Radar
Capability
We are evolving information superiority assets into space.
New sources and methods of space-based ISR are being explored to provide nearly
continuous overflight of enemy targets to complement airborne and ground-based
sensor platforms. We are partnering with other Services, agencies, and the
National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) to develop a roadmap for future space-
based radar (SBR) capabilities.
SBR is a pioneering approach to
providing near-continuous, worldwide surveillance that would complement JSTARS
and other ground moving target indication and imagery systems. SBR capability
would skip a generation of sensor technology to provide precision weapons data
and a nearly continuous deep, denied-area look at ground moving targets.
Furthermore, as a space-based asset, SBR would not be limited by overflight
restrictions, basing issues, lengthy personnel deployments, crew fatigue, or
terrain masking. From a collection perspective, SBR would move us to the
ultimate high-ground.
Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System
The JSTARS provides battle management, C2, and ground moving- target
detection. We are replacing the on-board computers with commercial-off-the-shelf
equipment by 2005 under the JSTARS Computer Replacement Program (CRP). The CRP
is the foundation of all JSTARS communications and sensor upgrades, and should
reduce life-cycle costs and minimize the number of obsolete parts. However, due
to fiscal constraints, we are enhancing only 2/3 of the fleet with the capacity
to simultaneously transmit voice and data through beyond-line-of-sight satellite
communications by 2005. Finally, the multi-platform Radar Technology Insertion
Program (RTIP) will replace the current JSTARS radar with an advanced
electronically scanned array radar that has five to ten times the air-to-ground
surveillance capability, reduces target revisit times, improves moving-target
track capability, and enhances radar resolution.
Airborne Warning and
Control System
The AWACS remains the premier air battle management and
wide-area surveillance platform in the world. Still, aging aircraft issues,
obsolete technologies, and the proliferation of advanced adversary systems
necessitate several upgrade programs. An improved radar system will become
operational this year, with fully upgraded capability slated for FY05. The next
computer and display upgrade will replace the 1970 vintage processors with an
open architecture system. Finally, a satellite communications access program
will provide improved connectivity with regional and national C2 centers.
Global Access, Navigation, and Safety
In 1996, we began the most
comprehensive avionics
modernization effort in our history --
the Global Access, Navigation, and Safety (GANS) program. It comprises an
unparalleled avionics procurement and installation effort to update the
navigation and safety equipment in our aircraft and in many ground systems. GANS
includes the Joint Precision Approach and Landing System; the Air Traffic
Control and Landing System;
modernization of our Global Air
Traffic Management (GATM) capabilities; and updated avionics to include
navigation, safety, and installation of Global Positioning System (GPS)
capability. In May 2000, GPS selective availability was turned off, thereby
providing the same accuracy to civil and military users. This increased accuracy
will significantly enhance the capabilities of systems using GPS. In 2000, we
built a strategic GANS implementation plan to synchronize our efforts with those
of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and International Civil Aviation
Organization (ICAO). In the future, GANS will define the operational
requirements for upgrading all our ground and air traffic management systems to
preserve unimpeded worldwide operations within domestic and international
airspace systems.
We project that more than 99% of our aircraft will
complete the congressionally mandated GPS upgrade by the 2005 deadline.
Additionally, through our GPS
Modernization/Navigation Warfare
(NavWar) Program, we began development of navigation warfare upgrades that will
be fielded in GPS ground and space segments beginning in FY03. These and future
upgrades will allow us to better protect the ability of American and allied
forces to employ GPS on the battlefield while denying it to our adversaries and
minimizing potential impacts to civilian users.
Precision Engagement
Operation ALLIED FORCE demonstrated the need to strike targets in
adverse weather conditions with precision. Our new generation of guided weapons
couples GPS with an inertial navigation system to put bombs precisely on
targets, day or night, in nearly all weather conditions. Weapons with this
capability, such as the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), Joint
Standoff Weapon (JSOW), Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), and Wind Corrected
Munitions Dispenser (WCMD) are among our high-priority precision engagement
programs.
JASSM is a precise, stealthy, standoff missile that will
enable us to destroy heavily defended, hardened, fixed, and relocatable targets.
As a result of acquisition reform initiatives, JASSM will be delivered below the
objective unit price of $400K, after a development period that will be 35%
shorter than comparable missile programs. JASSM is currently undergoing flight
tests with production deliveries scheduled to begin in 2003.
JSOW is an
accurate, adverse-weather, unpowered, glide munition. We are currently procuring
two variants, the AGM-154A and AGM- 154B, which are capable of destroying soft
and armored targets at ranges of up to 40 nautical miles.
JDAM employs
GPS guidance, incorporated in a tail kit, to deliver general-purpose or
penetration warheads in adverse weather with near precision. We will use JDAM on
multiple platforms to destroy high-priority, fixed, and relocatable targets. The
first operational use of a 2,000-pound JDAM was from a B-2 during the first
night of Operation ALLIED FORCE.
We are currently developing a MK-82
(500-pound) JDAM -- a small bomb that will multiply kills per sortie by
increasing the number of PGMs that can be carried. For example, the same B-2
that carried up to 16 2,000-pound JDAMs in Operation ALLIED FORCE will now be
able to carry up to 80 500-pound JDAMs. This 500-pound JDAM capability, planned
for initial deployment in FY04, is the first step in the Air Force's transition
to miniature munitions.
WCMD has an inertial-guided tail kit that
enables us to accurately deliver the Combined Effects Munition, Sensor Fuzed
Weapon, and the Gator Mine Dispenser from medium to high altitude in adverse
weather. WCMD-equipped weapons became operational in late 2000.
In
summary, munitions recapitalization is one of our top priorities. A decade of
high operations tempo has depleted our large Cold War reserve munition
stockpiles. Acquisition of JDAM, JASSM, JSOW, and WCMD will increase PGM
capabilities over the next few years; however, shortages of legacy munitions and
consumable munitions items (e.g., bomb bodies, rockets, chaff, flares, training
ammunition, and practice bombs) will continue to hamper training and operations.
Global Attack
Global Attack is the ability to engage targets
anywhere, anytime. Global attack programs include the development of the Joint
Strike Fighter (JSF), improvements to our legacy fighters, and the
modernization of the B-1, B-2, and B-52 bombers with PGM
capabilities. Additionally,
modernization of strategic
platforms such as the Minuteman III, the Air-Launched Cruise Missile, and the
Advanced Cruise Missile ensures the viability of two legs of the nuclear triad.
Joint Strike Fighter
The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program will
develop and field an affordable, lethal, survivable, and highly common family of
stealthy, next-generation, multi-role, strike-fighter aircraft for the Air
Force, Navy, Marine Corps, and our allies. It will provide a twenty-four hour,
adverse-weather, precision-engagement capability not provided by our legacy
systems. The JSF would help us limit our aging fleet problems. With a set of
fully validated and affordable joint operational requirements in place, the
competing contractors are completing the concept demonstration phase. The EMD
phase is expected to begin in the fall of 2001. Partner countries will share the
cost of JSF development, including the United Kingdom, which signed an agreement
in January to contribute $2 billion to the program. Several parallel
negotiations are underway with other potential international partners.
Legacy Fighter
Modernization Our legacy
fighters, including the F-15, F-16, and A-10, provide a potent mix of air-to-air
and air-to-surface capability. The recent addition of GPS-guided PGMs on the
F-117 gave it an adverse-weather capability. However, these aging platforms are
growing more expensive to maintain and operate, and their combat effectiveness
is expected to eventually decline as projected surface-to-air and air-to-air
threats appear. The introduction of the stealthy F-22 and JSF will maintain
America's technological advantage, ensuring the ability to defeat emerging
threats while replacing aging force structure with modern combat systems.
One of our Guard and Reserve's top
modernization
priorities is incorporating precision targeting pods into their F-16 aircraft.
From 1998 through 2000, we outfitted all of our Reserve units and selected Guard
units with LITENING II pods. This acquisition gave the Guard and Reserve's F-16s
a critical precision strike capability while moving them closer to the
configuration of the active F-16 force. Beginning in FY01, the Guard will join
with the active force in procuring the Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP).
Collaborative programs between our active and reserve components increase our
overall procurement flexibility and close the gap in combat capability.
Bomber
Modernization Our bomber
modernization efforts will continue to increase the lethality
and survivability of our bomber force by enhancing precision strike and
electronic combat capabilities. We are applying the lessons learned from
Operation ALLIED FORCE by enhancing the flexible targeting and electronic
connectivity of the B-2 using electronic data-link and UHF satellite
communications. We are committed to integrating the MK-82 500- pound JDAM into
the B-2, enabling it to strike up to 80 targets per sortie. Further, we are
fielding the MK-84 2,000-pound JDAM on the B-1 and developing the capacity for
both the B-1 and the B- 52 to deliver JSOW, JASSM, and WCMD. Communications,
avionics, situational awareness, electronic countermeasures, and defensive
system upgrades would also improve bomber effectiveness.
Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles
Ongoing
modernization of the Minuteman III (MM III) intercontinental
ballistic missile (ICBM) force and a clear policy decision regarding the future
of the Peacekeeper (PK) ICBM are crucial to the viability of ICBMs through 2020.
For example, we could dismantle our PK ICBMs and then retrofit up to 350 MM IIIs
with warheads currently on PKs to avoid a costly life- extension program on the
Minuteman system. This replacement effort would ensure that our newest warhead,
with the most modern safety features, remains part of the ICBM force. However,
continued delays in START II Treaty ratification, and the resultant delay in a
PK deactivation decision, make it difficult to implement this program and are
causing increased maintenance challenges that could eventually cause degradation
of our ICBM force.
Rapid Global Mobility
Rapid Global Mobility
ensures the nation has the global reach to respond quickly and decisively
anywhere in the world. As the number of forward-deployed forces has declined,
the need for immediate response to overseas events has risen. Airlift and tanker
aircraft give the United States the ability to rapidly reach out and influence
events around the world. Yet, some of these platforms are reaching the end of
their service life. To prepare for the future, the Mobility Requirements Study
(MRS-05) and Tanker Requirements Study (TRS-05) were commissioned to determine
long-term military airlift and aerial refueling requirements. MRS-05 ascertained
the mobility requirements to support the nation's military needs with moderate
risk. Additionally, the TRS-05, baselined from MRS-05, will inform our
decision-makers on the number of tankers needed to carry out future military
operations. The KC-135 fleet now averages about 40 years old, and operations and
support costs are escalating as structural fatigue, corrosion, systems
supportability, and technical obsolescence take their toll. The KC-135 Economic
Service Life (ESL) Study was completed in December 2000. This study provided
specific KC-135 milestones, as well as information on projected sustainment
costs and operational availability. In FY01, using the KC-135 ESL study and
TRS-05 as baselines, an aerial refueling analysis of alternatives will examine
options and timing for replacing the aging KC-135.
The procurement of
the full complement of C-17s and the continued
modernization of
the C-5,
C-130, KC-10, and KC-135 fleets will enhance the
viability of our mobility forces. Extensive efforts to modernize the C-5's
avionics and propulsion systems should keep this aging platform operational for
the future.
Modernization of the C-130 fleet (for
intratheater airlift) is proceeding with a two-pronged approach. We are
procuring new
C- 130Js to replace 150 of our most worn-out
1960s-era C-130E combat delivery aircraft. The
C-130J provides
increased range, performance, and cargo capacity compared with the current C-
130E/Hs. The remainder of our
C-130 fleet will undergo an
avionics
modernization program (AMP) modification. AMP includes
state-of the-art avionics that will eliminate the need for a navigator and will
increase reliability, maintainability, and sustainability. The
C-130 AMP modification will make the aircraft compliant with
GATM standards and navigational safety requirements.
The Air Force has
begun a large aircraft infrared countermeasures (LAIRCM) initiative to counter
increasingly prolific man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS). LAIRCM will
use state-of-the-art technology to provide active defenses for airlift- and
tanker- sized aircraft against widely deployed shoulder-launched surface- to-air
missiles.
LAIRCM will build on existing systems designed for helicopters
and small, fixed-wing aircraft. It will add new missile warning and tracking
systems to locate and direct a laser at an incoming missile. Operational
capability is expected on the first C-17s in FY04. Additional airlift and tanker
aircraft will be outfitted with this system in the near future.
Rapid
Global Mobility is dependent upon the Tunner 60K mobility aircraft loader. It is
essential for expediting onload and offload and maximizing throughput at any
location. The next generation small loader (NGSL), a replacement for existing
25K loaders and wide-body elevator loaders, will provide the versatility to load
wide-body commercial aircraft and support mobility operations at forward bases.
Integrated Flight Management
Modernization Air
Mobility Command's (AMC) Mobility 2000 (M2K) program is a comprehensive systems
integration and C2 architecture
modernization initiative to
increase the efficiency and responsiveness of airlift and air refueling
operations. M2K will revolutionize AMC's C2 data flow and connectivity, data
processing, database management, and information display capabilities. By
leveraging GATM system installation and digital datalink technologies, AMC will
realize near-real-time global, end-to-end data connectivity between the Tanker
Airlift Control Center and all AMC mission aircraft. The implementation of M2K
programs began in 2000 and will continue into 2006.
Spacelift Range
Modernization The Spacelift Range System (SLRS)
modernization program is replacing aging and non-supportable
equipment; using automation to improve reliability and efficiency; reducing the
cost of operations; and standardizing equipment on the Eastern and Western
launch ranges. To date, the completion of new downrange satellite communication
links, a new fiber-optic network, and new range scheduling systems are providing
government and commercial users more flexibility at the spacelift ranges. The
congressionally directed National Launch Capabilities Study concluded that once
completed, the SLRS
modernization program, coupled with the
EELV program, would meet the future launch demands of national security, civil,
and commercial payloads.
The White House-led Interagency Working Group
on the future utilization of U.S. space launch bases and ranges developed a
strategic direction for the spacelift ranges. The Air Force was instrumental in
shaping that strategic direction as well as the findings and conclusions
contained in the Group's report. Through this effort, we have been expanding and
formalizing partnerships with states, spaceports, and the Departments of
Transportation and Commerce to better consider the spacelift requirements for
civil and commercial launches while ensuring our capability to meet national
security requirements now and in the future. At the same time, we are examining
options for the use of non-federal funding to improve the space launch ranges.
CV-22
The CV-22 is our designation for the special operations
variant of the V-22 Osprey -- a vertical/short-takeoff and landing airplane
designed for long-range, rapid penetration of denied areas in adverse weather
and low visibility. With twice the range and speed of a conventional helicopter
and its state-of-the-art avionics system, the CV-22 will be able to complete
most of its missions under the cover of darkness without being detected. We will
use the CV-22 to infiltrate, exfiltrate, and resupply special operations forces
and to augment personnel recovery forces when needed. The CV-22 is currently in
the EMD phase with two test vehicles designated for flight tests through 2003.
Agile Combat Support
The goal of Agile Combat Support (ACS) is
to improve the responsiveness, deployability, and sustainability of combat
aerospace forces. Our four basic objectives are to become more rapidly
deployable; develop a more responsive planning and execution capability; improve
agile combat support C2; and develop an agile, responsive, and survivable
sustainment capability. We are making gains in the process of right-sizing
deployment teams so they are postured better for expeditionary needs. We have
developed expeditionary site planning tools that help tailor our deployment
capability based on assets prepositioned in the forward theater. We are
gradually introducing bare base assets and other types of support equipment into
our inventory. We've invested in infrastructure and prepositioning to improve
the reception and beddown capabilities of our bomber forward-operating
locations. We have fielded an integrated deployment system at all of our wings
that improves the responsiveness of our deployment process. Our information
technologies, such as the virtual logistics suite hosted on the Air Force
Portal, will help provide real-time situational awareness for ACS command and
control.
Through efforts like our logistics review and logistics
transformation initiatives, we are reengineering our processes to achieve an
agile, effective, well-integrated logistics chain that is responsive to EAF
requirements. These are all examples of initiatives that will help achieve our
four ACS objectives; however, our ACS capability must be improved even more to
fully support our EAF vision. For example, we need to fix readiness shortfalls
in key logistics resources including people, skills, spares, munitions, bare
base assets, and vehicles. We need to improve our capability to rapidly develop
deployment and sustainment plans for fast-breaking contingencies. Finally, we
are making enhancements to our ACS command and control capability to make it
more responsive, better integrated, and sufficiently robust to support EAF
needs. These agile combat support initiatives are crucial to sustaining current
and future combat operations.
Aircrew Training Requirements
We
are actively updating the way we train. The Joint Primary Aircraft Training
System (JPATS), including the T-6A aircraft, will replace the Air Force T-37 and
the Navy T-34 primary trainers and their associated ground-based training
systems beginning in June 2001 at Moody AFB, GA. We will continue to upgrade the
T-38 advanced trainer aircraft with new avionics representative of current
fighter systems while modernizing the propulsion system to improve engine
reliability, safety, efficiency, and performance. Finally, we are making
significant strides in developing simulated environments that produce training
effects comparable to authentic environments. Our groundbreaking distributed
mission training (DMT) system seamlessly links aircrew training devices at
diverse locations, allowing aircrews to train as they fight.
Ranges
Ranges provide the critical airspace we need to test and train on our
weapon systems. As modern aircraft continue to fly faster and deliver munitions
from a greater distance, our ranges and associated test and training systems
must evolve to meet our changing needs. We will balance our need to test and
train with our responsibilities to the public and the environment. We are
completing modifications to our range and airspace structure that will
significantly enhance local training for our forces at Mountain Home AFB, ID,
Dyess AFB, TX, and Barksdale AFB, LA. We are also working to further advance the
integration of space and information operations into our ranges. This includes
capitalizing on a common infrastructure across the test and training spectrum.
Innovation and Adaptation
We have a proud heritage of innovation
and adaptation. We are carefully linking emerging technologies with our future
concepts of operation to evolve our aerospace core capabilities while providing
the nation the most effective return on its investments.
Experimentation
and Wargames
We conduct experiments and wargames to evaluate near- and
far- term aerospace capabilities and operational concepts. Joint Expeditionary
Force Experiment (JEFX) 2000, conducted at various locations throughout the U.S.
in September, focused on ways to integrate support functions into expeditionary
operations and technologies to conduct time sensitive targeting. The wargame
Global Engagement (GE) is held every other year to explore the potential
capabilities of joint aerospace power and alternative force structures 10 to 15
years into the future. In June 2000, GE- V explored operational concepts and
alternative force structures designed to deny and degrade an adversary's
strategic decision- making ability and accelerate the transition from halt to
win. GE- V also demonstrated aerospace power's unique capability to ensure
access to operational areas where the enemy employs robust anti- access
strategies. We are currently conducting a year-long analysis of GE-V in areas
such as time sensitive targeting, space control, information operations, and
forward logistics support. During odd-numbered years, we conduct an aerospace
future capabilities wargame that takes a longer view, striving to shape our
decisions and strategic direction by testing alternative concepts, systems, and
force structures that may appear 20 to 25 years into the future. These wargames
have produced new aerospace concepts, such as standoff warfare and reach-forward
C2 capability, which continue to mature through follow-up analysis and
subsequent wargames.
Advanced Concept Technology Demonstrations
Advanced concept technology demonstrations (ACTDs) marry new operational
concepts with mature technologies in order to meet warfighter needs in two to
four years at a reduced cost. The high altitude UAV ACTD, Global Hawk, which has
successfully transitioned to a formal acquisition program, is targeted for
accelerated production and is expected to provide a follow-on capability for the
U-2. The Miniature Air Launched Decoy (MALD), another ACTD system scheduled to
enter production in FY01, will augment our electronic warfare capability to
protect valuable strike packages.
Battlelabs
Since their
inception in 1997, the battlelabs have developed over 100 initiatives, including
the application of commercial scheduling software for the Air Force Satellite
Control Network, telecommunications firewalls for base phone systems, and the
use of speech recognition to reduce mission planning time. The recently
commissioned Air Mobility Battlelab joined the ranks of the Air Expeditionary
Force Battlelab, Command and Control Battlelab, Force Protection Battlelab,
Information Warfare Battlelab, Space Battlelab, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle
Battlelab, with a charter to rapidly identify and assess innovative operational
and logistics concepts.
Joint Test and Evaluation
The Air Force
plans to remain at the forefront of the joint test and evaluation (JT&E)
process. JT&E programs are a means to bring two or more of the Services
together to evaluate systems interoperability under realistic conditions. We are
the lead service on five JT&Es in the areas of close air support; joint
command, control, ISR sensor management techniques; cruise missile defense
capability; GPS vulnerabilities; and electronic warfare in joint operations.
Conclusion
Our future hinges on continued advances in people,
readiness, and
modernization programs. Retention and
recruitment of people will stay challenging in the near-term, but we will remain
focused on the quality of life of our members. Similarly, we are concerned about
readiness, but until we solve our aging aircraft troubles, improving our
readiness will remain difficult. We believe we have developed a sound
recapitalization plan to address our aging aircraft problem, but if the plan is
approved, we would require additional funding to execute it.
Modernization brings increased readiness, along with new
technologies and enhanced capabilities. We will continue to innovate and adapt
our revolutionary advances in space technology, directed energy, and unmanned
aerial vehicles, to name only a few. Our efforts span the gamut of the world's
most diverse, flexible, and powerfully integrated aerospace force. We must
balance and fund our people, readiness, and
modernization
programs to ensure aerospace power for America well into the future.
Reforming Business Practices
The budget constraints of the past
decade have forced us to take a hard look at our business practices. We have
undertaken aggressive efforts to realize cost efficiencies by benchmarking the
best business and management practices, whether in government or industry, and
then adapting them to our unique environment. During the past year, we made
significant progress in improving how we do business in everything from
competitive sourcing of personnel positions to the flow of information within
the Air Force Headquarters.
Leveraging Information Technology
We
made some tremendous progress in 2000 in the way we plan for, acquire, and
protect our information technology (IT). We started by creating the position of
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Business and
Information Management to centralize IT decision-making and implement an Air
Force-wide process to assess our IT investments in preparation for future
budgeting efforts.
Driving our IT efforts is our "One Air Force, One
Network"strategy, a multi-layered approach to integrating operations, people,
technology, and oversight through an enterprise-wide, network-centric concept.
Included in this strategy is the establishment of the Air Force Portal, the
consolidation of our servers, and improvements in information assurance (IA).
The Air Force Portal will provide all our members with a platform-independent,
single logon capability to meet practically all their information needs.
Currently, network-based access allows our members to logon anywhere in the
world, supporting over 75 applications. The migration of most of our critical
databases is planned for the near future.
In 2000, we saw the initial
consolidation of our servers improve the utilization of our computer resources.
We have created teams of experts at central sites and reduced our exposure to
outside threats. Our goal is to have one base from each major command completed
by August 2001 and all bases by September 2002. Our strategy advances IA through
standardized practices and procedures; integrated network operations and
information protection; automated and dynamic detection and response;
consolidated situational awareness and decision support; and enhancements for
deployed and classified environments. We are committed to IA as our top
information warfare priority for long- term investment.
Finally, our
Global Combat Support System-Air Force (GCSS-AF) is key to integrating our
critical combat support information systems and processes across functional
areas. GCSS-AF incorporates the Air Force Portal, allowing customer specific
access while permitting the customization of information within our business
information systems. Together, GCSS-AF and the Air Force Portal will provide the
warfighter, supporting elements, and other Air Force members with timely and
accurate data and the capability to transform this data into meaningful
information. Seamlessly incorporating combat support into war planning allows
military planners to improve their course of action development, analysis, and
collaborative planning; and it measurably streamlines our business processes.
Competitive Sourcing
Our public/private manpower competitions
are a defense reform initiative success story. In 2000, we began new competition
studies impacting 2,895 positions, as required by Office of Management and
Budget Circular A-76. The A-76 circular calls for the review of government
functions meeting specified criteria, and competition with private-sector firms
to determine the most efficient and cost-effective method to perform the work.
In 2000, we concluded 30 competitions that covered 5,534 positions. These
competitions resulted in 46% of the work being contracted, and the remainder
being performed by the most efficient government organization. Both results
yielded significant cost savings. As of April 2001, we have completed 48% of the
A-76 competitions targeted by the 1997 QDR and the Defense Reform Initiative.
Our annual top-to-bottom review of our manpower authorizations identified an
additional 3,491 positions as eligible for competition.
Privatization
Utilities
Defense Reform Initiative Directive (DRID) #49
directed the privatization of all utility systems by September 30, 2003, except
those needed for unique mission or security reasons, or when privatization is
uneconomical. This included two interim milestones: determining the feasibility
of privatizing each system by September 30, 2000, and releasing all requests for
proposals by September 30, 2001. Currently, we have completed the first
milestone by determining whether or not to pursue privatization for each system
(i.e., water, wastewater, electrical, and natural gas). This evaluation resulted
in 434 systems becoming candidates for privatization. We continue to assess our
options, and are now preparing the requests for proposal that are required to
meet the second milestone.
Housing
The 1996 National Defense
Authorization Act provided legislation to privatize military family housing.
Privatization efforts are underway to meet the goal of eliminating inadequate
military family housing units by the year 2010. We have awarded 4 of 9 pilot
projects to privatize 6,280 housing units. During FY01-04, we plan to privatize
over 21,000 housing units at 22 additional installations. Our privatization
efforts are part of our overall housing revitalization program outlined in our
Family Housing Master Plan.
Acquisition Reform
Today's
environment demands continuous acquisition reform. We have consistently led the
way with new acquisition initiatives, or "Lightning Bolts,"and reinvention
teams, which succeeded in saving more than $30 billion during the last decade.
Today, we are institutionalizing acquisition reform through new initiatives,
such as the use of cost as an independent variable and reduction of total
ownership cost, which improve acquisition affordability. In addition, we've
recently developed an acquisition cycle-time reduction initiative known as the
warfighter rapid acquisition process. This initiative has the potential to speed
up the development and deployment of innovative solutions to warfighter
requirements by two to five years. Our motto of "faster and smarter"continues to
guide us as we build upon the successful efforts of the past.
Partnership with Industry
We have consistently counted on
industry to deliver superior products at reasonable prices. Now, we are
institutionalizing partnering between industry and the warfighter. Initiatives
such as teaming on proposals (TOPS) and total system program responsibility
(TSPR) allow us to establish these partnerships early in the acquisition
process. Integrated product teams extend this relationship throughout the
acquisition life cycle. The process of alternative dispute resolution is now a
part of all major acquisition projects, reducing the threat of expensive claims.
We are reaching out to industry to maintain robust, rewarding, and healthy
relationships. In our partnerships with industry, we are also developing a
blueprint for defense reform that will guide future reform initiatives
throughout the government. This blueprint was unveiled in February 2001. We will
continue to look for new areas in which we can improve our partnership.
Planning, Programming, and Budgeting System Reform
We are
reengineering the Air Force Resource Allocation Process (AFRAP) to better link
strategic planning, requirements generation, programming and budgeting, while
providing a consistent focus on capabilities throughout the process. This new
process will have a more rigorous and consistent analytical underpinning than
earlier methods. We are planning to give our major commands an explicit slice of
total obligation authority with the flexibility to program funds to best meet
their own priorities. We believe this approach will improve the accountability
and visibility of our resource requirements during the DoD and congressional
review and funding processes.
Financial Reform
We continue to
make progress toward achieving auditable financial statements as required by the
Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Act. An Air Force integrated process team is
resolving issues related to the reduction of erroneous or unsupported
obligations. This, in turn, will enable us to achieve an auditable statement of
budgetary resources. We are making efforts to validate at least four of our
crucial inputs that provide the foundation for unqualified audit opinions on Air
Force financial statements. All these efforts will provide better financial
information for Air Force commanders and managers.
Logistics
Transformation
The Defense Planning Guidance, DoD Logistics Strategic
Plan, and Defense Reform Initiative Directive #54 (Logistics Transformation) all
identified a requirement for the services to modernize their logistics programs.
Accordingly, we initiated a logistics transformation effort designed to improve
overall combat capability. Through improved supply chain management practices,
this effort gives the warfighter a complete picture of the enterprise's supply,
maintenance, and sustainment support activities affecting readiness.
Reengineered logistical support concepts will directly support warfighter
readiness with a tailored sustainment strategy for a downsized, but
expeditionary force structure, that is within the budgets currently projected
across the FYDP.
Depot Maintenance Strategy
Over the past year,
we conducted a comprehensive review of our depot maintenance strategy to ensure
our capability is properly sized for both wartime and peacetime utilization. Our
current depot posture and future planning has been influenced by the downsizing
of our operational force; the reduction of our organic infrastructure; a more
active and robust private sector; the introduction of new technologies; and
recent depot legislation changes. This review reaffirmed that depot maintenance
is a critical element of our overall warfighting capability. Our recent
experience in support of Operation ALLIED FORCE once again proved the wisdom of
having a ready and controlled source of depot maintenance. As a result, our
depot strategy will ensure we possess an organic "core"capability sized to
support potential military operations. In addition, we recognize the need to
efficiently utilize our organic facilities during peacetime. To that end, our
depots are allowed to pursue repair workload beyond their "core"requirements
that is awarded through public/private competitions when doing so would increase
their "core"production efficiencies or offer a "best value"source of repair.
Conclusion
In a time when the Air Force was asked to do more
with less, we succeeded in reinventing our business approaches to capitalize
both on the inherent strengths of our enterprise and the best practices found in
the private sector. We are at the forefront of apportioning positions between
military and civil service functions and those that can be accomplished by
contract personnel. We are becoming interconnected with a single, Air Force-wide
network that puts crucial information at everyone's fingertips. We are reforming
the acquisition process and partnering with industry, not only delivering
products faster but assuring superior quality as well. In the last decade, our
better business practices have saved billions of dollars, allowing us to
revolutionize the application of aerospace power.
Closing Thoughts
From the beginning of powered flight almost 100 years ago to the
space-related operations we conduct today, we have demonstrated that we are an
innovative and adaptive force. We were born of change and it remains a part of
our nature. We will continue exploring new technologies and operational concepts
to identify those that offer potential for evolutionary or revolutionary
increases in capability.
Our success as an aerospace force is founded on
recruiting the finest men and women available and then retaining them. We must
size, shape and operate the force to best meet the needs of our nation. Through
the structure of our ten Aerospace Expeditionary Forces, we provide the
Commanders-in-Chief (CINC) with trained-to- task forces, while adding
predictability and stability to the lives of our airmen. We owe our people the
education, equipment, and training to perform the missions we ask them to do.
Finally, to keep our aerospace advantage, we must modernize and replace our worn
out, aging, and increasingly difficult to maintain systems and infrastructure.
In a world that is globally-connected, national security and
international stability are vital foundations of America's prosperity. Ensuring
security and stability requires global vigilance, reach, and power -- global
vigilance to anticipate and deter threats, strategic reach to curb crises, and
overwhelming power to prevail in conflicts and win America's wars. We are
postured to provide balanced aerospace capabilities across the full spectrum of
military operations, but in order to maintain America's aerospace advantage we
must recapitalize our force.
LOAD-DATE: July
12, 2001