Congress Gridlock Could Mean USAF Reprogram
The U.S. Air Force will have to reduce its current procurement and research and development (RD) accounts for fiscal 2011 by as much as $4 billion if Congress continues to fund at fiscal 2010 levels through continuing resolutions, according to senior service officials.
Congress has failed to address President Barack Obama’s fiscal 2011 budget request, which was sent to Capitol Hill in February 2010. This forces government departments and agencies to continue programs at fiscal 2010 levels, while forbidding “new start” programs or increased production levels and RD funding.
USAF estimates up to $4 billion will need to be reprogrammed from “investment,” or procurement and RD, for “must-pay” bills in fiscal 2011, says Jamie Morin, assistant Air Force secretary for financial management. These bills include an increase in military personnel pay that was not funded by Congress, and others including about $1.9 billion in adjustments to the price of fuel as well as adjustments for inflation. Also included are “urgent operational needs,” such as new sensors for ongoing operations in Afghanistan and Iraq, Morin says.
Reprogramming $4 billion in a single year is about four-five times the amount for a typical end-of-year adjustment, he says. “We are going to really have to rob Peter to pay Paul,” Morin says. “We are talking about some very tough capability choices.”
Maj. Gen. Alfred Flowers, deputy assistant Air Force secretary for the budget, says that “as time goes on, the more severe the consequences become.”
Already USAF has requested some relief — in the form of guidance or funding — to avoid major problems in the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (Jassm) program, the Global Positioning System III contract and the C-5 re-engining project, all with Lockheed Martin. Those have each been approved by Congress, Flowers says.
However, there are outstanding issues on short funding or unclear guidance for durability testing on the F-16 fighter, which has been a new start planned for fiscal 2011. This testing is needed to help determine what fixes may be needed for the fleet depending on how much longer the F-16 must remain in service owing to delays in F-35 deliveries.
Also unaddressed is funding for the F-15 upgrade to include an active, electronically scanned array radar, which will provide improved target recognition and new communications capabilities. A delay in fielding the radars could prompt some F-15s to be grounded as soon as fiscal 2014, Morin says.
Photo: USAF
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