| Investing Now in Airpower for Tomorrow |
AIR FORCE ASSOCIATION 2007 STATEMENT OF POLICY Investing Now in Airpower for Tomorrow The United States Air Force is the world's dominant source of air and space power. No one else comes close. Air Force men and women have produced an unsurpassed record of achievement. Our dedication of the Air Force Memorial in the nation's capital in October 2006 salutes the service and sacrifice of those early airmen who founded our first aviation units, through the airmen who serve around the globe today in the world’s most capable Air Force. The question at hand is how to preserve and extend that dominance in light of a multitude of challenges that face our nation and our Air Force. The United States Air Force has been in continuous combat for 15 years. Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm featured a full spectrum of Air Force capabilities, dramatically demonstrating the value of airpower. Peace operations in Somalia, Haiti, and other venues depended on Air Force logistical and operational support. Operation Allied Force in Kosovo used airpower to achieve mission objectives without the use of US ground forces. Southern Watch and Northern Watch kept the forces of Saddam Hussein constrained within no-fly zones. Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom have seen the employment of close air support, precision aerial strikes, intelligence, reconnaissance missions, and critical logistical support. Additionally, numerous disaster relief efforts and homeland defense missions have heavily taxed numerous entities within the USAF’s portfolio. In each case, our active duty Air Force, Air National Guard and Reserve team has performed superbly. Never before has the nation's ability to project military power depended so heavily on air and space capabilities. Whether it is the principal actor or a supporting force, the USAF brings to the fight unsurpassed air, space, and cyberspace capabilities—adding strength, flexibility, and resilience to the joint force. In many cases, other US military branches would not be able to carry out their missions without the Air Force. Much has changed over the years. The Air Force, for example, is flying unmanned aircraft over Iraq and Afghanistan controlled by airmen from bases in the United States and other remote locations around the world. Moreover, investments in air and space technologies have produced reachback capabilities and precision that would have been unimaginable even 15 years ago. Accuracy of weapons is now measured in mere feet from the target. For all of its immense accomplishments, however, the USAF faces formidable challenges as it enters the sixth year of the Global War on Terrorism, with the almost certain prospect that the war will go on for many years to come. The Air Force must continue to adapt to new fiscal, military, and political realities as it strives to reach the right balance of forces for this dangerous new century The Pentagon leadership has concluded, with Air Force concurrence, that a smaller force of highly modern systems can do the airpower job. The Air Force has adopted a strategy of divesting its least capable airframes, procuring advanced new aircraft, and modernizing what remains of the legacy force. AFA strongly disagrees with any additional cuts in the end strength and has deep concerns regarding the increased demands being placed on the men and women of the Air Force. The nation must act now to preserve its air and space capabilities for the future challenge while ensuring we have the capability to support the Global War on Terrorism, today. The Long War AFA believes the nation needs to fully understand the vital role the Air Force has played and continues to play in the Long War. Since 9/11, the Air Force has flown more than 144,000 air sorties over Afghanistan, about 80 percent of the coalition total. Since March 2003, when Iraqi Freedom began, the Air Force has flown more than 239,000 sorties over Iraq, again about 80 percent. During this time, the Air Force shifted from scheduled air operations to on-call operations where it provides expansive coverage of the battlefield and has taken the fight directly to the enemy. The Air Force continually puts up B-52 or B-1 bombers able to loiter for long period, in order to precisely strike targets with remarkable speed. Fighter aircraft and AC-130 Gunships employ multiple systems and precision guided munitions to attack ground forces with little collateral damage. These weapon systems provide tremendous support to our ground forces. The Air Force also operates field hospitals and provides daily aeromedical evacuations, which are significantly reducing battlefield losses. Our space and air teams are providing critical surveillance and reconnaissance, weather information, missile warning and communications. Using satellites and air breathing platforms, this capability has provided key information to our field commanders. USAF combat controllers are carrying out critical missions, such as reconnaissance and strike control. Additionally, Air Force aircrews provide multiple daily airlift resupply support missions for the Army in order to reduce dangerous ground convoy requirements. Our strategic airlift and tanker aircraft provide worldwide critical capabilities for the joint team. The use of unmanned systems such as Predator (armed and unarmed) and Global Hawk has given enormous assistance to ground forces by helping to locate and target roadside bombs, mortars, and weapons caches, as well as insurgents themselves. In Iraq and Afghanistan, the Air Force role has shifted from attacking large formations of forces to counterinsurgency raids, providing surveillance and security of roads used by truck convoys, and spotting roadside bombs. The Air Force presence in the war zone won't be reduced even as commanders consider reducing ground forces. In fact, the reverse is true; the Air Force and air and space power will become even more important in the scheme of military operations once the ground presence is reduced. Air Force battlefield airmen also are providing daily support missions in nontraditional roles such as ground convoy security teams and outside the perimeter security patrols. The Air Force role is continuing to expand in the Global War on Terrorism. The Air Force is also playing an integral part in helping rebuild a country devastated by war. US airmen have begun training Iraqis in skills such as fire fighting, security and support missions. In Afghanistan, a significant presence of US special operations forces and coalition infantrymen along with our battlefield airmen, backed by air and space power, will be needed for some time. These forces must assist in internal security and nation building while continuing to conduct counterinsurgency operations. AFA offers its unequivocal support for the American men and women of the US armed forces who collectively and individually perform above and beyond the call of duty. As they go about their duties, we are mindful that the goal of defeating worldwide terrorism is not solely a military effort. We call for a greater national commitment in resources and integration of diplomatic, economic, and information instruments of power with the goal of neutralizing the threats we face. Ancient Weapon Systems The Air Force is operating the oldest aircraft fleet in the service's history. This has come about mostly by neglect—brought on by the ill-advised "procurement holiday" of the 1990s and a near-continuous use of weapons systems since Sept. 11, 2001. The nation cannot expect USAF to maintain its current dominance of air, space, and cyberspace while operating with outdated technologies. Existing platforms have reached the point where they are inefficient and less effective in carrying out their respective tasks. They have sustained considerable wear and tear from combat operations around the world. Many of the nation's C-5 and C-130 airlifters are operating under flight restrictions, as are some F-15 fighters. In many areas, the Air Force can’t fully utilize the older KC-135E air refueling aircraft because they lack the power to take off with full loads of fuel in high temperature desert conditions. The costs to maintain these platforms are soaring. Twenty percent of the Air Force's procurement budget is being spent on modifications and upgrades, the highest percentage in the history of the Air Force. The Air Force is today operating many aircraft saddled with flight restrictions significantly reducing combat capabilities. In fact, if the Air Force were called upon to fly all of its aircraft today, one-third would not be able to carry out their missions. Legacy fighters are less and less capable of penetrating hostile airspace defended by double-digit SAMs and advanced fighters, which are readily available and proliferating around the world. In operation Allied Force in the Balkans in 1999, Serbian gunners used fairly rudimentary systems to bring down an F-16 and even a stealthy F-117. Enemy air defense systems have improved dramatically since then. Against this backdrop, the Air Force has been trying to divest itself of old aircraft, such as F-117s, B-52s, KC-135Es, C-130E/Hs, C-5As, and U-2s. Of the 1,033 aircraft slated for divestiture during the 2006-11 Future Years Defense Program (FYDP), 347 have been specifically blocked by legislative restrictions. More than a hundred of these aircraft have limited military utility because they have flight restrictions placed upon them due to structural and safety of flight issues. Dollars spent sustaining these aircraft in the operational inventory are therefore not available for acquisition of new aircraft or upgrades to more-useful legacy systems. The AFA believes the nation must prevent this situation from getting worse. It calls on members of Congress to put a stop to the practice of legislative restrictions and allow the Air Force to balance its force structure as operational requirements and fiscal restraints demand. Vital Modernization The continued maintenance of these legacy aircraft is putting a considerable drag on Air Force plans to acquire new and more-capable aircraft. The list of weapons systems requirements is long, owing to the fact that so few have been purchased in the last 20 years. In the 2005-06 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR), the Pentagon determined that the USAF should make an immediate start to develop a new long-range strike system. This new capability, it said, should go well beyond what is offered by today's fleet of B-1B, B-2, and B-52 bombers. Under QDR guidelines, the Air Force has until 2018 to get this new capability on the ramp. This means the Air Force must devote billions of dollars to the project over the next several years. AFA supports this initiative to field this important weapon system. AFA believes that the need goes well beyond the bomber fleet. Acquisition of new fighter aircraft is extremely important. New aircraft slated for procurement include the stealthy F-22A air superiority fighter and F-35 multirole fighter to replace older F-15s, F-16s, and F-117s. Mobility forces also have serious needs. A request for information has been issued to industry for a new tanker aircraft to replace the KC-135E tanker. The lift mission is being augmented by procurement of new C-130J and additional C-17 aircraft to meet the increasing demand for airlift. Legacy platforms slated to remain in the fleet, such as the C-5, will receive numerous capability and structural enhancements. In light of that reality, the USAF modernization program seems modest indeed. AFA urges Congress to provide the resources necessary to provide adequate airlift and tanker capabilities. Additionally, continued purchases of Predator and Global Hawk unmanned air vehicles will boost the critically important ISR fleet capabilities. All signs are that for the next several years, the defense budget will remain flat or close to it. Air Force leaders will be hard-pressed to find enough funding to pay for even a modest modernization program. AFA believes that restricting the defense budget while at war is short sighted and dangerous. The cost of modernization isn't the only problem. Actual operations have stretched financial accounts to a point where the Air Force has few remaining resources to support infrastructure upgrades, training, and operating costs while acquiring the new systems that are critical for the future of the force. Anyone who thinks this is an overly ambitious modernization program should think again. Even if the Air Force is able to procure all 612 aircraft slated for acquisition over the coming six years, the average age of the fleet still will go up, rising from 23.5 to 28 years. The Defense "Burden" AFA believes that the nation can and must provide more resources to fund its military. Even counting annual war costs of some $80 billion to $100 billion spent in Iraq and Afghanistan, the economic impact on the American public for defense spending is relatively light, consuming only about four percent of the nation's $13 trillion gross domestic product. The "core" defense program, that is the weapons, forces, and operations exclusive of actual war costs—is even lighter, taking only about 3.5 percent of GDP. By comparison, the nation devoted about 35 percent of GDP on military forces during World War II, about 10 percent of GDP during most of the Cold War, about nine percent during the Vietnam War, and more than five percent of GDP as recently as 1992, when the Cold War was winding down. Today's spending is inadequate to support our forces given the record of the past. Higher defense spending is not "unaffordable," as many assert. AFA believes that we should raise spending on the core defense program by one-half of one percent of GDP—lifting it from 3.5 to 4.0 percent. This would give the services an additional $65 billion every year. That level of funding would go a long way toward rectifying today's equipment problems. Clearly, US defense spending is insufficient in light of the current demands placed on the military. Service leaders should not have to choose between funding current wartime operations and modernizing its forces to be ready for future challenges. Air Force leaders are respectful of the need to be good stewards of the taxpayers' dollars and have responded by paring down a variety of weapon systems and pushing for only the most critical modernization programs. The service continually seeks to become more efficient. AFA lauds these efforts and encourages the Air Force to push even harder in this direction. However, offsets can only achieve so much. It’s going to take increased funds to maintain a viable warfighting capability. We believe the nation needs to provide tangible support to our servicemen and women fighting today by providing resources for those who will be carrying out the missions in years ahead. In a world of constantly changing technology, it is imperative that the Air Force stay at the leading edge of aerospace technology. Space and Cyberspace The nation depends heavily on the Air Force to meet the needs of the warfighter, and space plays a major role in meeting those needs. Space systems provide deterrence, situational awareness, communications, missile warning, positioning and tracking capabilities and precision weapon guidance. In fact, space assets are essential to all military operations and to the nation. Airmen and soldiers in the field require critical information to do their jobs and to stay ahead of the enemy. Persistent surveillance on the battlefield using unmanned vehicles, satellites and the Global Positioning System provides the warfighter with instant information needed for everything from putting bombs on target to countering the threat from improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Maintaining space superiority means improving and developing new technologies to assist the warfighter in denying the use of space to potential adversaries. New systems such as the Space Radar, Space Based Infrared System and the Transformational Satellite Communications System (TSAT) program must be acquired. These will continue to provide persistence over the battlefield. New communication developments include laser communications, which hold considerable promise as a breakthrough technology. As a key part of TSAT, laser communications will allow DOD to vastly increase its bandwidth. Development and employment of these systems must be supported. ICBMs deliver effective 21st century deterrence. The USAF needs to continue to sustain and modernize our land-based strategic deterrent and develop future strike capabilities. In support of worldwide military operations, the Air Force needs to continue the upgrading and modernizing of America’s launch ranges as the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle Program takes over as the foundation for assuring US access to space. It must continue funding for the National Polar Orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System that will accurately calculate meteorological data for our deployed forces, and proceed with the next generation of the Global Positioning System, GPS-III, further enhancing navigation with resistance to jamming. Unmanned platforms such as Predator and Global Hawk are controlled and monitored through already taxed systems, and even more bandwidth is required to send the radar data and digital streaming video from these platforms to the warfighter. Planned systems such as TSAT and the Wideband Gap-filler System will eventually meet these needs. To counter threats in space, the Air Force must invest more in space situational awareness and modernize early warning systems, such as the Defense Support Program (DSP) satellites that have been in operation since 1970s and were used effectively during Desert Storm. In cyberspace, the US faces potential adversaries capable of penetrating vital telecommunications and information networks and diminishing our capability in the real battlespace. In response, the Air Force has developed a cyberspace task force to lead airmen on the digital battlefield. The task force will afford new offensive capabilities and new target sets and will be at the vanguard of defending the nation against an electronic Pearl Harbor. AFA believes it is crucial for the US to defend itself against cyber-attack. The response to an attack on our national information infrastructure must be swift and sure, just as it would be if we were subjected to a traditional physical attack. Protecting military, government, and commercial networks will require increased cooperation between the private sector, DOD, and other government agencies. Homeland Defense On the home front, 10,000 active duty, Guard, and Reserve forces continue to fly and support air and space operations in Operation Noble Eagle, the defense of US cities and industries from air assault. The Air Force has flown more than 44,000 fighter, aerial refueling, and airborne early warning sorties since the Sep.11 attacks. Air National Guard and Reserve forces have flown 32,000 of these missions. This is truly a joint force mission that fully leverages the capabilities of each component. AFA believes that the Congress and executive branch should increase their efforts across the board to secure the nation's borders and airspace, while preparing for the possibility of a calamitous man-made strike or a devastating natural disaster. Specifically, the Administration and Congress must work together to fully fund the cost of the air defense mission in the Air Force budget and to provide for sufficient US-based airlift. Total Force Integration The US Air Force is a Total Force, a collection of critically important components whose true power stems from the interaction of mutually reinforcing capabilities. The power of the whole truly is more than the sum of these parts. The Air Force has done well in integrating the combat capabilities of these very different components, but there is room for improvement. The Total Force comprises the active duty force, the Air National Guard, and the Air Force Reserve (with federal civilians and military contractors playing key support roles). Each of these components is indispensable. The Air Force could not accomplish its mission without their total commitment. AFA believes that Air Force civilian and uniformed leaders should press for even greater integration of these elements of air and space power at home in the United States as well as in combat deployments overseas. Each component should share in the fate of the enterprise as a whole, whether that happens to be good fortune or sacrifice. The restructuring of forces, bases, and aircraft should not fall disproportionately on any one element to the exclusion of the others. Active duty, Guard, and Reserve components should train to the highest standards and have the opportunity to partake in missions across the spectrum of operations, from humanitarian relief efforts to homeland defense and major combat operations. All have excellent leadership and superb Airmen capable of performing well in any situation. At any given time, the Guard and Reserve provide significant support to the USAF's forward deployed force. One success story has been associate units in which Reserve, Guard, and active duty personnel share aircraft. This means more crews for the same number of aircraft and increased use of the aircraft. This capitalizes on inherent strengths of the Air Force's components. In an age of budget stringency, better use of all available resources is imperative and the capabilities of each component should be integrated to take full advantage of the strengths of each one. When looking to the future, the success of Total Force can also be seen in the training provided to the three components. With the three components working closely together, the Air Force has been able to provide invaluable training for active, Guard and Reserve units. This is all to the good. Guard and Reserve units are, and will continue to be, closely associated with the active duty force. Because of this, Defense Department officials should review command and control structures to produce more unity of effort. AFA believes the Air Force needs to continue to address the roles and responsibilities of all three components, while integrating for emerging new missions such as cyber warfare, operation of unmanned aerial vehicles, and homeland defense. No mission should be off limits to any of the Air Force components. Recognition of the vital roles and unique capabilities of the active force, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve is necessary if USAF is to get through the budget crisis ahead while producing maximum combat power. Force Reshaping High-technology weapon systems count for little without high-quality people to maintain and operate them. AFA understands that the Air Force faces difficult decisions about how best to ensure the right balance of personnel, infrastructure, weapons, and readiness throughout the force. During the early years of the Global War on Terrorism, the Air Force was allowed to stay above its authorized end strength of 359,000, but in 2005 it drew down below the authorized end strength through normal attrition. In 2006, facing renewed budget pressures, the Air Force announced cuts of 40,000 personnel spaces over the next four years along with a cut in civilian strength. Combined with a reduction in enlisted recruits from 30,700 to about 28,000 in Fiscal 2007, overall enlisted end strength is expected to be 264,000 by the end of 2007. The Air Force is also accelerating retirements in certain grades and phasing out certain positions. Thus, though the nation is at war, it will have fewer Airmen trained to carry out combat operations and discharge other global commitments. The Air Force needs to manage this force shaping endeavor in such a way that it produces a balance with the right mix of skills and experience for the expeditionary environment. We are pleased to see that the Air Force has developed a new initiative, Air Force Smart Operations for the 21st Century (AFSO 21), that will focus on identification and elimination of activities, actions, and policies that do not contribute to daily effectiveness. AFA agrees with the Air Force that institutionalizing this new approach will allow the Air Force to meet the challenges of the next decade and help sustain the air and space force in the years to come. The practices, requirements, and management of the Air Force must constantly be evaluated to keep it efficient. Much of this evaluation will and should rest with the men and women of the Air Force themselves. Therefore, AFA believes Air Force personnel at all levels should play an active role in evaluating the best ways to increase the efficiency of USAF. New Breed of Airmen The reality of a smaller force and the demands of the Global War on Terrorism have brought big changes in the roles of Airmen. This in turn created a new breed of Airmen. Many now are serving in nontraditional roles in Iraq and Afghanistan, filling other service billets. They are serving as convoy vehicle operators and providing security for convoys throughout Iraq and Afghanistan. They are providing security for air bases by patrolling "outside the wire" and often in ways familiar to infantrymen. There is no rear area in the war on terror. The Air Force is expanding its basic training to ensure that all airmen are prepared for what they might face while deployed. The new emphasis begins at basic military training, but the change is felt throughout the Air Force. Training today is more tactical, responsive to the demands in Iraq and Afghanistan, and tied to the Air and Space Expeditionary Force deployment cycle. Battlefield Airmen are providing vital tactical air control to help direct bombs and bullets at terrorists with high accuracy. These Airmen engage in the full spectrum of missions, from C4ISR to close air support to training Iraqi security forces. The challenge is to increase the ranks of battlefield airmen and to keep them on active duty. The Air Force is short of pararescue teams and controllers who work with ground special forces and other ground units. The Air Force plans to increase recruiting efforts and to plus up the ranks in those key areas. Battlefield Airmen showcase the dynamic nature of the Air Force. They demonstrate the ability of Airmen to adapt to new roles more effectively. These Airmen are becoming more versatile and better trained. They are willing to undertake and capable of performing tasks historically reserved for other branches. AFA salutes these Airmen for their skill and dedication and applauds the USAF decision to have all Airmen who are deploying receive Combat Skills Training. Education and Technology Gap The Air Force’s overpowering capabilities are not the result of happenstance. They are the product of an American educational infrastructure that has produced researchers, innovators, engineers, operators, and maintenance personnel who are capable of designing, operating, and supporting high technology hardware. It is clear that the new threat environment will demand an even higher level of basic education and an increasing percentage of individuals with skills in science, technology, engineering, and math—known collectively as STEM. Leaders from all sectors in the United States must focus on supporting our educational infrastructure to cultivate increasingly capable individuals. STEM education is faltering badly. The country is simply failing to generate enough qualified individuals to satisfy industry and defense needs. According to a 2003 study conducted by the Department of Education, US 15 year-olds placed 15th among 28 industrialized nations in basic science skills. Another Department of Education study conducted in 2000 found that 35 percent of US high school seniors did not have a basic comprehension of math. Once, the US ranked third in terms of 18 to 24-year-olds earning natural science and engineering degrees. Now, it ranks 17th. Asian nations have studied the US ascent in the technological realm and have taken educational steps to produce large numbers of persons skilled in STEM. It is important to recognize that we are in a never-ending competition, one that will influence the future economic and military well-being of the country. The United States must bolster the education system at all levels and start competing again. The need is as great today as it was in years past. It is estimated that 13,000 personnel from DOD labs will be retiring over the next 10 years. This aging workforce needs to be replaced with new talent. AFA believes DOD must expand its partnership with industry, school systems and academia to encourage more participation from young people in the math and sciences and to nurture their interest and commitment to these disciplines. In a related area, nations around the globe are making significant strides in technology. Some are matching, or even exceeding, US technical capabilities. A revitalized industrial preparedness program is key to transitioning science and technology from the laboratories to the production floor and is one of the critical elements of a strengthened presystems acquisition process. Sensible acquisition policies, business practices, and support for research and development of manufacturing technology are needed. Spread Thin Today, nearly a third of all Airmen are stationed overseas, in more than 177 countries around the globe. More than 25,000 Airmen are forward deployed in support of combatant commanders throughout the world. More than 21,000 are deployed directly for the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. Air Force units in the Pacific serve to counter the threat posed by North Korea. More than 52,000 personnel are based in Japan, South Korea, Guam, and other sites throughout the Pacific, providing on-call combat capability to joint warfighters. The current buildup of forces on the island of Guam allows USAF to respond to military and humanitarian crises over great distances in a very short period. Airmen helped deliver more than 9,000 tons of relief supplies to Sri Lanka and other nations devastated by 2004’s Indian Ocean tsunami and provided humanitarian relief to provinces in the Philippines following mudslides in 2006. In Europe, more than 35,000 Airmen and civilians are on duty as part of America's long-standing North Atlantic Treaty Organization commitments. US Air Forces in Europe are as busy as ever. Airmen have flown more than 27,000 sorties helping to enforce the peace accords in the Balkans. In support of the Global War on Terrorism, they are also pulling duty on the flight lines at airfields in former Soviet bloc nations. Stateside, Air Force personnel responded when Hurricane Katrina devastated America's Gulf Coast. Active duty, Guard, and Reserve Airmen rapidly deployed to assist with evacuation and recovery following this national tragedy, flying more than 5,000 sorties, delivering 16,000 tons of cargo and conducting more than 5,500 rescues. They treated over 17,000 patients and evacuated more than 30,000 people to safety. Joint commanders know the Air Force can be counted on across the full spectrum of missions, from combat to humanitarian operations. Because the Air Force makes the whole force better, AFA believes that a strong national commitment is necessary in order to sustain these capabilities. Toward the Future These are critical times for our nation. AFA believes that we must make the necessary investments today to win the Global War on Terrorism and to counter the threats of the future. We must not allow excessive focus on near-term operational risk to mortgage the future capability of the joint force. Air and space dominance cannot be taken for granted. Building it is the business of every American. "…our Air Force belongs to those who come from ranks of labor, management, the farms, the stores, the professions and colleges and legislative halls…Air Power will always be the business of every American citizen." General Hap H. Arnold In this, we dare not fail. Air Force Association 2007 Top Issues [The Top Issues of the Air Force Association complement the Statement of Policy. Each issue is significant and listed in no particular order of priority. Find out more about these and other important air and space power issues by visiting Air Force Magazine Online at http://www.afa.org] RESOURCES FOR DEFENSE We are at war, but without a wartime defense budget. The most recent annual expenditure, counting the cost of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, came to nearly $500 billion. That is a lot of money, but it is not enough to cover unavoidable costs of the Global War on Terrorism and also provide the kind of modern military force needed to defend American interests in decades ahead. The USAF and the other services have been forced to choose between strength today and strength tomorrow. This practice of robbing the future to pay for the present will produce disaster. Adequate funding is easily affordable by our nation. The best measure of affordability is the "burden" of defense spending on the economy, expressed as a percent of gross domestic product. In World War II, Americans devoted to military forces a huge 35 percent of GDP over several years. In the Cold War, the figure was as high as 14.1 percent. As recently as 1990, it was nearly six percent. Even as we prosecute two wars halfway around the world, the Pentagon gets only about 3.5 percent of GDP. Rarely has the defense burden on Americans been so light when the demands have been so heavy. AFA believes we should devote four percent of GDP (an increase of about one-half of a percentage point) just to building a modern force for the future by increasing funding to our core defense programs, such as modernization, research and development, health care, and recruiting and retention. The cost of the hot wars—perhaps as much as $100 billion a year—should come on top of that. The total would be less than five percent of GDP. Congress and DOD must work together to achieve this critical goal. TOTAL FORCE CONCERNS It has been a momentous year for the Total Air Force—Active Duty, Guard, Reserve, civilians, and contractors. The team has persevered through a contentious base closure round, the year-long Quadrennial Defense Review, and tough defense budget negotiations. The Guard and Reserve components have again proved themselves to be indispensable partners of the Active Duty force in today's operations. AFA supports even more cooperation and integration of the three components in years ahead, at home as well as abroad. Shrinking personnel levels and aircraft inventories demand it. Guard and Reserve units should participate in all missions and should be actively supported to move into so-called "emerging" mission areas, such as UAV operations and cyber-warfare. Modern communications and reachback technologies make it possible to perform such missions from home stations, so Airmen do not have to deploy to add combat power to the Total Force. AFA applauds the patriotism and dedication of all Guardsmen and Reservists and believes their role should expand, but we should not underestimate the cumulative impact on these components of extended call-ups of one and two years. The challenges facing the Guard and Reserve have never been greater. AFA believes the Guard and Reserve should be manned, equipped, modernized, and compensated commensurate with their increased contribution to the Total Force. Our Congress should codify the relationships or interaction between the Secretary of Defense, service Secretaries, Chiefs of services, state governors, and the National Guard Bureau to better integrate the team effort that our Total Force can bring to bear in the future competition for resources. MODERNIZATION The Air Force has announced the aircraft fleet will shrink by about 1,000 aircraft over the next several years. Meanwhile, the average age of an Air Force aircraft is 23.5 years. The fighter force will be reduced by about 25 percent by 2020, and the total number of aircraft will be reduced by 10 percent in the same period. The fleet will become older; even if USAF receives all the aircraft now planned, the fleet average age will continue to rise. For example, some of the tanker fleet's KC-135s, which were built in the 1950s, can be expected to be in use until the 2040s—after more than 80-plus years of service. We must move forward expeditiously to acquire a replacement tanker capability that will serve well into the 21st century. With a limited budget for FY 2007 and limited options for retiring legacy aircraft the AFA believes that the Air Force and the Department of Defense must work rapidly toward recapitalizing our aging fleet and operational infrastructure. AFA believes that we must invest in future air and space dominance, and where appropriate divest in legacy platforms. New platforms are urgently needed. The F-22A and F-35 fighters, representing vital and complementary capabilities, should be fully funded. A new long-range strike platform should be operational by 2018. The Air Force would like to retire 131 KC-135E tankers by the end of this decade, and DOD and Congress should work together to support the Air Force plan to expedite the replacement of these aircraft. A US military that is becoming more expeditionary will need more airlift. DOD should procure more than the currently planned 180 plus C-17s, considering worldwide demands for airlift, continue with multiyear procurement of C-130Js, and press ahead with modernization of C-5s and C-130s. Space modernization is equally challenging. According to a new Congressional Budget Office report, space programs will have to receive major budget increases over a long period due to systems being used well beyond their intended life spans. Launch and space infrastructure is, on average, 45 years old. The Defense Satellite Communications System program and Defense Meteorological Satellite Program are 38 and 43 years old, respectively. The Defense Support Program, whose satellites provide missile warning and surveillance, is more than 31 years old. Some GPS satellites have lasted twice their design life. As a consequence, the Air Force will be replacing virtually all of its legacy systems over the next 15 years with new and far more capable technology. AFA urges Congress and DOD provide the necessary funding and resources to modernize space systems and capabilities identified in the space roadmap. The Minuteman Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) originally designed in the late 1950s and deployed operationally in the early 1960s is currently undergoing service life extension programs to ensure mission capability through at least 2020. This effort is critical to sustain it until a follow-on system is fielded. END STRENGTH The Air Force needs to balance the force to ensure the proper end strength. The Air Force will be smaller. It will have the equivalent of 40,000 fewer full-time members four years from now. These cuts include the elimination of dozens of general officer billets. Accessions will be reduced, retirements accelerated, and positions eliminated, mostly in specialties now considered to be obsolete, losing importance, or being outsourced. The reductions should be taken judiciously across the entire Total Air Force—Active Duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve, as well as the civilian force. With wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and a Long War on terrorism, these cuts could have negative consequences if not done properly and with careful planning. AFA is deeply concerned about the level and pace of these reductions. We believe that our skilled personnel are critical resources and that these cuts should be made cautiously, after consultation with all components, to achieve the right balance of skill sets and experience in the years ahead. We must ensure we maintain adequate personnel strength to meet our taskings. INVESTMENT IN PEOPLE The Air Force is getting smaller, with fewer people to support the expeditionary force. However, the Air Force must continue to attract and retain the best people by maintaining benefits already earned, such as health care--now being expanded to reflect the demands on expeditionary Airmen--education, quality of life improvements (Montgomery GI Bill, Thrift Savings Plan, etc.), and balancing deployment cycles through the current Air Expeditionary Force. Investing in the people who make up the Air Force is as important as the modernization and recapitalization of air and space systems. AFA commends service initiatives concerning force development. Leadership and technical skills will be in greater demand in the future, and the Air Force must continue to lead in education and training—particularly in the field of systems acquisition, where Air Force skills and experience have been the key to successfully managing critical new aerospace capabilities. AFA believes that Congress and DOD must work together to strengthen quality of life programs to support the all-volunteer force. An open season for enrollment in the Montgomery GI Bill program should be provided for all Airmen. Also, an alternative leave program, which would allow military members to transfer annual leave to other members in emergency situations, should be explored. EDUCATION TO SUPPORT NATIONAL NEEDS Our nation is at a critical juncture in its ability to produce future generations with expertise in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). It is an issue of international economic competitiveness and national security, and according to a recent Department of Education study the United States is seriously falling behind other industrialized nations. We are unable to replace our aging technological and scientific workforce. The United States, Department of Defense, the Air Force and the aerospace industry have established a list of our national critical skill needs. From kindergarten through post graduate school our educational system is not in a position to support the development of men and women who posses these skills. The AFA must take the lead in motivating young people, teachers, and our public towards all STEM and programs that support STEM objectives. There are AFA and legislative initiatives that begin to address student and teacher funding support, research and innovation. Education of the public to gain support in local schools and academia is critically needed. AFA urges Congress, the DOD, the Department of Education and the aerospace industry to immediately join together in providing funding to achieve the advancement of STEM for our national defense and international competitiveness. HOMELAND DEFENSE MISSION Operation Noble Eagle remains one of the top priorities for the Air Force. Operations following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita heavily involved Airmen and demonstrated how national disasters can quickly become issues of national security on a broader scale. Port security and other key homeland defense issues such as border security, air travel security, and safeguarding vital information still need further study and action before Americans are fully secured from another attack on domestic soil. Homeland defense will be a top issue for years to come. AFA supported the establishment of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the intragovernmental effort to attack terrorism at its roots, using every available tool. DHS, in concert with US Northern Command, has begun work to reduce a number of homeland security vulnerabilities that existed prior to 9/11. Still, the merging of agency cultures, communication systems, budgets, and personnel into an integrated DHS will take years to achieve. AFA believes Congress and the Administration must work together to ensure DHS and the Air Force have the resources to effectively secure our homeland. AFA also believes that even though our government has worked to ensure commercial air travel is safer and passengers are properly screened. We urge DHS, in cooperation with the Department of Transportation, to investigate and implement, as appropriate, even more stringent screening measures to further ensure that commercial airliners are not used as an instrument of terror. Likewise, we need to ensure our borders are safe and secure from those who would seek to enter our country illegally. It is also imperative to remember that every American bears the responsibility and holds the sacred trust for safeguarding our nation’s secrets from potential enemies in peacetime and especially during this Global War on Terror. AFA believes those who violate this trust should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. CIVILIAN WORKFORCE CONCERNS Civilian elements of the force provide a tremendous wealth of expertise. However, more than 40 percent of Air Force civilians will be eligible for retirement by 2008. The Air Force must not only come up with ways to recruit and develop younger workers but also attract mid-career professionals and retired military personnel to government work, as well. Also, to avoid a brain drain, the service must transfer the knowledge of retiring workers to the civilian employees replacing them. The Air Force is developing its first comprehensive civilian force development training program. The Pentagon has called for turning thousands of military jobs over to civilians, rather than simply outsourcing them to the private sector. Cuts in the civilian workforce in excess of 2,000 will be made in 2007. Meanwhile, more civilians than ever before are moving into harm's way while serving in forward-deployed locations in Southwest Asia. The Defense Transformation for the 21st Century Act proposes to create a National Security Personnel System. The NSPS features pay banding—grouping two or more grades into a broad salary range—to give managers greater discretion in determining how employees are paid. Also proposed is “pay for performance” that would replace the current system where increases are based primarily on longevity and seniority. Other initiatives would grant DOD added flexibility and new tools to hire and train the workforce of the future. AFA believes these proposals, which would bring a sweeping overhaul of the Civil Service system, deserves careful study. The Air Force must have the tools to correct skill imbalances and stay competitive in the labor market. At the same time, Congress should exercise its responsibility and examine the impact of the proposals. The outcome must be a fair, equitable, and an improved system. COMMITMENT TO VETERANS AND RETIREES The Department of Defense is trying to push through changes in quality of life benefits for military service members (active and retired) that would see members take on a far larger share of the cost burden for benefits that in many cases would be largely reduced. This is not limited to the recent Tricare proposals-- it extends into military retirement as DOD contemplates implementing a system where future service members could collect benefits only on reaching age 60. The AFA believes this will detract from recruiting and retention efforts and seriously impact military readiness in the future. The AFA sees Tricare as an earned benefit and will continue to work to keep this benefit for military retirees. Meanwhile, increased fees for the Veteran’s Affairs health care system are also being actively considered (and rejected by Congress), as the Administration continues to seek to pay for the care of certain categories of veterans by taxing others. The AFA and the Military Coalition are at full alert this year and of the belief that the Administration could save money in many other areas before passing costs onto veterans and retirees. AFA urges Congress to make mandatory the funding of the VA health care system and increase funding to correct current inadequacies. Congress should support initiatives to reduce pharmacy costs by using the considerable buying power of its health programs. Congress should also take the steps necessary to authorize and fund full concurrent receipt of retired and disability pay and eliminate outdated regulations that limit and offset survivor benefits. SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CONCERNS Today's weapons are the result of investments made in the past. If investments are not made, then the US will fight the next war with today's technology but our enemies may use tomorrow’s. Without a sustained S&T program, the ideas of our research scientists and engineers will languish or even fall into the hands of adversaries. The Air Force cannot afford cutbacks here if it hopes to retain air dominance in the future. Amidst discussion of the war, personnel, weapons systems, etc., the Air Force still needs to produce breakthrough technologies for the next generation of warfighters while trying to modernize and recapitalize the current force. Advances in S&T will continue to make their way to the battlefield and will change the nature of warfare. AFA believes that DOD must live up to its goal of increasing S&T investment to three percent of the overall defense budget. Adequate resources are also needed to invigorate and strengthen the public-private partnership of Air Force, industry, and academia in science and technology. THE ISR SPECTRUM The Air Force intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance sensor platforms are in high demand but in short supply. This includes the RC-135 Rivet Joint, E-8 JSTARS, and E-3 AWACS. Combined with Global Hawk, Predator, space-based systems, the U-2 and Compass Call, their use in current operations has been an enormous success. In Iraq they have allowed US forces to see through sandstorms and target enemy forces with precision weapons. They have made it possible to engage in time sensitive targeting that shortens the sensor to shooter chain. One particular success story is the Global Hawk unmanned system which has already surpassed over 10,000 flight hours and provides near real time, high-resolution intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance imagery. Global Hawk is a prime example of the technological leap that has taken place in the C4ISR field. Another important element is the command and control of air and space assets the Air Operations Center (AOC) brings to the battlefield and to the warfighter. AFA believes Congress should fund more new C4ISR systems and upgrades to the capabilities of those already in the force. Specifically, a robust technology development effort for the Space Based Radar should be funded, along with research and development of other space-based systems and UAVs for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. INDUSTRIAL BASE SUPPORT We depend on the US defense industrial base to manufacture and produce the space systems, aircraft, armament, computers, and data networks to support air dominance now and in the future. However, foreign competition, fewer major defense programs, and consolidation of the US defense industry have eroded America's manufacturing base for defense products. Add to that an aging aerospace workforce, low unemployment, and an electronics manufacturing and technology base in decline, and there is considerable cause for alarm. The Department of Defense must achieve a balance within the defense industrial base to ensure breakthrough technologies are still available for the warfighter of the future. As DOD looks to reconstitute and reshape the force, it must pursue more sensible acquisition policies and business practices and support the research and development of technology that is critical to maintaining a world-class industrial base. AFA believes the Air Force and DOD must strike the right balance in the partnership of the private sector, logistics centers, research labs, and academia and that DOD should implement the recommendations of the report of the Defense Science Board Task Force on Manufacturing Technology. Those recommendations go a long way in addressing the needs of our defense industrial base. CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE Maintaining infrastructure vital to the defense of our nation is critical and the key to our readiness. Our ranges and laboratories are the cornerstone to sustaining and modernizing Air Force capabilities. Technological advances are fundamental in developing an Air Force that is efficient, relevant, and capable of meeting future challenges. The role DOD laboratories play within developing these advances cannot be overstated. Quite simply, their discoveries have redefined elements of warfare. It is crucial that these laboratories receive adequate funding, especially as other research and development facilities within the government and industry face financial hardships. Maintaining continued access to our ranges and airspace is critical to readiness. Training airspace and test ranges are national assets that allow the Air Force to test new equipment, develop new tactics, and train our aircrews. They also accommodate civilian industry aeronautical testing and provide for natural resource protection. Many of these ranges are seeing nearby population increases that endanger DOD’s ability to access test and training areas. Due to Base Realignment decisions, additional funding should be provided to those bases receiving additional missions and personnel to alleviate overburdened base infrastructures. AFA believes the Air Force must work closely with local governments and with Congress to safeguard access to these vital areas and to secure the necessary funding to maintain our base infrastructure and laboratories. CYBER-DEFENSE AND ATTACK The mission of the United States Air Force is to deliver sovereign options for the defense of the United States of America and its global interests—to fly and fight in air, space and cyberspace. The new reference to cyberspace reflects the growing importance of the information domain. Air Force officials cemented cyberspace into the mission statement after realizing the service was already heavily involved in the transport, packaging, and protection of valuable warfighting information. Communication networks form the backbone of our national critical infrastructure—from national defense systems and commercial aviation to the business centers and the power grid. Computer viruses can instantly cross international borders, and skilled hackers are a constant threat. The protection and maintenance of information systems involves defending the nodes of cyberspace, to include the satellite dishes, satellites, routers, and the development and deployment of new satellite systems. The Air Force designs, deploys, and defends information systems for the joint warfighter and for itself. A successful cyber-attack on the control systems for bridges, dams, and emergency response systems would result in enormous loss of life and destruction of property. Air Force and DOD computer networks are under constant attack by viruses and are frequently subjected to illegal entry attempts. AFA believes it is crucial for the US to defend itself against cyber-attack. The response to an attack on our national information infrastructure must be swift and sure, just as it would be if we were subjected to a traditional physical attack. Protecting military, government, and commercial networks will require increased cooperation between the private sector, DOD, and other government agencies. |