All lobbying groups in Tucson need to be heading for Washington D.C. to fight for the aircraft now, according to sources. Across the country, supporters of the A-10 are reaching out to secure more co-sponsors; however, according to sources, the Tucson groups have not effectively engaged officials since last year.
The United State Air Force releases their FY15 budget on March 4, 2014. The New York Times reported on Sunday that Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel “plans to shrink the United States Army to its smallest force since before the World War II buildup and eliminate an entire class of Air Force attack jets in a new spending proposal that officials describe as the first Pentagon budget to aggressively push the military off the war footing adopted after the terror attacks of 2001.”
The A-10 is at grave risk. According to the Times, “officials acknowledge that budget cuts will impose greater risk on the armed forces if they are again ordered to carry out two large-scale military actions at the same time: Success would take longer, they say, and there would be a larger number of casualties.”
The A-10 is the only plane in the United States arsenal capable of providing the close air support for troops on the ground. The 355th Fighter Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base flies 82 of the planes and trains the next generation of A-10 pilots.
Earlier this month, Representative Ron Barber stepped his fight for the plane. In what should have served as a clarion call to the entire nation; Barber gathered a bipartisan handful of colleagues to ask President Obama to intervene.
Barber and New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte have fought on every level to secure continued funding for the A-10, an aircraft that plays a crucial role in protecting soldiers and Marines on the ground. Two pieces of legislation are being forwarded to ensure that the A-10 does not go away until there is legitimately something in place to replace it. In the Senate, current sponsors/cosponsors of S.1764 are Senators Ayotte, Blunt, Crapo, McCaskill, Graham, Isakson, and Baldwin. In the House, current sponsors/cosponsors of HR.3657 are representatives Barber, Bishop, Hartzler, Kingston, Miller, Scott, and Shea-Porter.
It is imperative that those who are concerned about the welfare of the troops continue to contact their representatives and senators until they sign up to be co-sponsors.
It is key that leaders in communities like Tucson, which rely on the A-10 mission, to lobby and get engaged with Congress.
According to Senator Kelly Ayotte’s oofice:
• Major General Paul Johnson, the Air Force director of Operational Capability Requirements, has said, “There’s a risk that attrition will be higher than it should be—that’s a clever way of saying more people will get hurt and die—and extreme risk is that you might not win.” http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304887104579302180502232524.
• There are 12 Air Force acquisition programs (5 ACAT I, 4 ACAT IA, and 3ACAT II) since September 11, 2001, in which the Air Force did not procure the item. From 2007 to 2013, the Air Force wasted $6.8 billion on these programs that were never fielded.
• The number of full-time Air Force civilians increased from 139,428 in 2010 to 141,253 in 2013—while over the same period the number of uniformed Air Force service members declined. If the Air Force reduced its civilian work force by 6% it could achieve roughly the same $3.5 billion in savings over the Future Years Defense Program (FYDP).
• Since September 11, 2001, the Air Force has invested over $2.5 billion in major modernization for the A-10 for enhanced capabilities, improved sustainment, and life extension.
• It is also not clear whether the $3.5 billion in supposed savings would actually be true savings in the Air Force budget or would just be shifted out of A-10 accounts into other Air Force accounts.
• It is not accurate to say the A-10 is a single mission aircraft. For example, the A-10 conducts close air support (CAS), forward air controller-airborne (FAC-A), combat search and rescue (CSAR), and strike coordination and reconnaissance (SCAR) missions.
• A July 2013 mission in Afghanistan highlights the unique capability of the A-10. The A-10 crew were credited with saving the lives of 60 Americans during the “danger-close” engagement – one requiring a fully operational aircraft with advanced weapons and properly trained aircrews. The A-10 can operate closer to the fight with faster re-attack times and deliver precision weapons to help reduce the risk of civilian casualties.
• During the November 7 Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, General Mark Welsh, the Air Force Chief of Staff, said that the F-35A would not reach full operational capability (FOC) until 2021.
• In a November 7, 2013 Senate Armed Services Committee hearing, General Raymond Odierno, the Army Chief of Staff, said, “The A-10 is the best close air support platform we have today…it’s performed incredibly well in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our soldiers are very confident in the system.”
• Particularly in missions involving the close proximity of friendly and enemy troops, poor weather, moving targets, and rough terrain that require the pilot to be in close contact with ground forces, there is no better aircraft for close air support than the A-10.
• The A-10 is also the most cost-efficient close air support aircraft in the Air Force inventory. The operational cost per flying hour for the A-10 is 24%, 54%, and 68% less than F-16, F-15E, and B-1, respectively.
To contact your representatives to co-sponsor the A-10 bills:
Senate contact numbers are:
Alexander, Lamar (TN)(202) 224-4944
Ayotte, Kelly (NH)(202) 224-3324
Baldwin, Tammy (WI)(202) 224-5653
Barrasso, John (WY)(202) 224-6441
Baucus, Max (MT)(202) 224-2651
Begich, Mark (AK)(202) 224-3004
Bennet, Michael F. (CO)(202) 224-5852
Blumenthal, Richard (CT)(202) 224-2823
Blunt, Roy (MO)(202) 224-5721
Booker, Cory A. (NJ)(202) 224-3224
Boozman, John (AR)(202) 224-4843
Boxer, Barbara (CA)(202) 224-3553
Brown, Sherrod (OH)(202) 224-2315
Burr, Richard (NC)(202) 224-3154
Cantwell, Maria (WA)(202) 224-3441
Cardin, Benjamin L. (MD)(202) 224-4524
Carper, Thomas R. (DE)(202) 224-2441
Casey, Robert P., Jr. (PA)(202) 224-6324
Chambliss, Saxby (GA)(202) 224-3521
Coats, Daniel (IN)(202) 224-5623
Coburn, Tom (OK)(202) 224-5754
Cochran, Thad (MS) (202) 224-5054
Collins, Susan M. (ME) (202) 224-2523
Coons, Christopher A. (DE) (202) 224-5042
Corker, Bob (TN) (202) 224-3344
Cornyn, John (TX)(202) 224-2934
Crapo, Mike (ID)(202) 224-6142
Cruz, Ted (TX)(202) 224-5922
Donnelly, Joe (IN)(202) 224-4814
Durbin, Richard J. (IL)(202) 224-2152
Enzi, Michael B. (WY)(202) 224-3424
Feinstein, Dianne (CA)(202) 224-3841
Fischer, Deb (NE)(202) 224-6551
Flake, Jeff (AZ)(202) 224-4521
Franken, Al (MN)(202) 224-5641
Gillibrand, Kirsten E. (NY)(202) 224-4451
Graham, Lindsey (SC)(202) 224-5972
Grassley, Chuck (IA)(202) 224-3744
Hagan, Kay R. (NC)(202) 224-6342
Harkin, Tom (IA)(202) 224-3254
Hatch, Orrin G. (UT)(202) 224-5251
Heinrich, Martin (NM)(202) 224-5521
Heitkamp, Heidi (ND)(202) 224-2043
Heller, Dean (NV)(202) 224-6244
Hirono, Mazie K. (HI)(202) 224-6361
Hoeven, John (ND)(202) 224-2551
Inhofe, James M. (OK)(202) 224-4721
Isakson, Johnny (GA)(202) 224-3643
Johanns, Mike (NE)(202) 224-4224
Johnson, Ron (WI)(202) 224-5323
Johnson, Tim (SD)(202) 224-5842
Kaine, Tim (VA)(202) 224-4024
King, Angus S., Jr. (ME)(202) 224-5344
Kirk, Mark (IL)(202) 224-2854
Klobuchar, Amy (MN)(202) 224-3244
Landrieu, Mary L. (LA)(202) 224-5824
Leahy, Patrick J. (VT)(202) 224-4242
Lee, Mike (UT)(202) 224-5444
Levin, Carl (MI)(202) 224-6221
Manchin, Joe, (WV)(202) 224-3954
Markey, Edward J. (MA)(202) 224-2742
McCain, John (AZ)(202) 224-2235
McCaskill, Claire (MO)(202) 224-6154
McConnell, Mitch (KY)(202) 224-2541
Menendez, Robert (NJ)(202) 224-4744
Merkley, Jeff (OR)(202) 224-3753
Mikulski, Barbara A. (MD)(202) 224-4654
Moran, Jerry (KS)(202) 224-6521
Murkowski, Lisa (AK)(202) 224-6665
Murphy, Christopher (CT)(202) 224-4041
Murray, Patty (WA)(202) 224-2621
Nelson, Bill (FL)(202) 224-5274
Paul, Rand (KY)(202) 224-4343
Portman, Rob (OH)(202) 224-3353
Pryor, Mark L. (AR)(202) 224-2353
Reed, Jack (RI)(202) 224-4642
Reid, Harry (NV)(202) 224-3542
Risch, James E. (ID)(202) 224-2752
Roberts, Pat (KS)(202) 224-4774
Rockefeller, John D., IV (WV)(202) 224-6472
Rubio, Marco (FL)(202) 224-3041
Sanders, Bernard (VT)(202) 224-5141
Schatz, Brian (HI)(202) 224-3934
Schumer, Charles E. (NY)(202) 224-6542
Scott, Tim (SC)(202) 224-6121
Sessions, Jeff (AL)(202) 224-4124
Shaheen, Jeanne (NH)(202) 224-2841
Shelby, Richard C. (AL)(202) 224-5744
Stabenow, Debbie (MI)(202) 224-4822
Tester, Jon (MT)(202) 224-2644
Thune, John (SD)(202) 224-2321
Toomey, Patrick J. (PA)(202) 224-4254
Udall, Mark (CO)(202) 224-5941
Udall, Tom (NM)(202) 224-6621
Vitter, David (LA)(202) 224-4623
Warner, Mark R. (VA)(202) 224-2023
Warren, Elizabeth (MA)(202) 224-4543
Whitehouse, Sheldon (RI)(202) 224-2921
Wicker, Roger F. (MS)(202) 224-6253
Wyden, Ron (OR)(202) 224-5244
In Arizona call:
| Senator John McCain | 202-224-2235 | 602-952-2410 | www.mccain.senate.gov/ |
| Senator Jeff Flake | 202-224-4521 | 602-840-1891 | www.flake.senate.gov/ |
| Rep Ann Kirkpatrick(D1) | 202-225-3361 | 520-316-0839 | www.kirkpatrick.house.gov/ |
| Rep Ron Barber(D2) | 202-225-2542 | 520-881-3588 | www.barber.house.gov/ |
| Rep Raul M. Grijalva(D3) | 202-225-2435 | 520-622-6788 | www.grijalva.house.gov/ |
| Rep Paul A. Gosar(R4) | 202-225-2315 | 480-882-2697 | www.gosar.house.gov/ |
| Rep Matt Salmon(R5) | 202-225-2635 | 480-699-8239 | www.salmon.house.gov/ |
| Rep David Schweikert(R6) | 202-225-2190 | 480-946-2411 | www.schweikert.house.gov/ |
| Rep Ed Pastor (D7) | 202-225-4065 | 602-256-0551 | www.pastor.house.gov/ |
| Rep Trent Franks (R8) | 202-225-4576 | 202-225-4576 | www.franks.house.gov/ |
| Rep Kyrsten Sinema (D9) | 202-225-9888 | 602-956-2285 | www.sinema.house.gov/ |
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