The United States Air Force released a memo, dated March 4, 2014, which is intended to restrict Air Force personnel, and silence any and all opposition to their plans to divest the Air Force of the A-10 and other fleets including the KC-10. The memo includes both changes to military installation missions, and talking points which paint a very different picture than that which is known by tactical support crews, pilots, and troops on the ground.
According to the Public Affairs Guidance memo regarding FY15 Force Structure Plan, the Air Force advises personnel that they must remain silent until the press release included in the memo is disseminated.
The memo was written in anticipation of the president’s Fiscal Year 2015 Budget announced today.
It is crystal clear that it is only an act of Congress that will save the A-10 at this point.
The Air Force talking points provided include the following themes and messages, which are “approved” for use:
• The budget control act and sequestration caps require the Air Force to make difficult choices depressing the A-10 saves the Air Force approximately $3.5 billion over FY DP (Fiscal Years 15-19)
• Close Air Support (CAS) support to our ground commanders remains paramount. While the A-10 provides outstanding CAS it is not the only aircraft that performs this mission. In fact, over the past three years, 80% of CAS in Afghanistan was done by aircraft other than the A-10.
Contrary to the “approved” talking points, according to our sources, from 2006 – 2013 the A-10 executed 43 percent of all the CAS missions in Afghanistan and 46 percent of all the attacks in the Afghanistan theatre of operations.” Further, our sources indicate that the A-10, while conducting these attacks, consisted of only 20 percent of the total CAS cost. In other words, 46 percent of the total attacks for only 20 percent of the total cost.
All USAF fighter and bomber aircraft overseas, except airlift (C-130s, and C-17s), are listed in the Air Tasking Order (ATO) as a CAS mission no matter what they do when airborne. The USAF is sending aircraft overseas, such as the B-1 and B-52, to justify their pursuit of the new long range bomber initiative — they are not suited for CAS and have killed numerous Afghanistan civilians as a result.
• In the current fiscal environment we cannot afford to retain a single mission tactical aircraft limited in scope of operation we must acquire and retain multirole aircraft capable of supporting a wide variety of missions in the contested highly contested environment of the future.
Contrary to the “approved” talking points, the A-10 is not a single role aircraft, in fact, it performs multiple tasks.
• Multi-role platforms including the AC-130, F-15E, F-16, B1 and B-52 currently provide highly effective CAS furthermore the evolution advanced targeting pods and precision guided munitions and refinement of training tactics techniques and procedures will improve the CAS capability of these aircraft these aircraft are planned as part of the inventory well after the F-35 becomes fully operational.
However, the A-10 is capable of providing the CAS without expensive “refinement” of training tactics. The F-35 will not become fully operational until 2025. Even then, many pilots believe that it lacks ability to work in a fluid moving target CAS environment like the A-10 has done for the past 25 years. The precision weapons the USAF cites are not suitable for common events such as weather and moving targets. Further, the A-10 carries all these same weapons and sensors the other aircraft carry with higher fidelity due to their displays and their low working altitudes.
In the memo, the Air Force says it has no plans to transfer the A-10 to the Army. “At this time, the Air Force plans to place the divested A-10 aircraft into the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG).
The Air Force also addresses options for A-10 pilots: “There are several options for A-10 pilots currently stationed at units that will be divesting it’s A-10s. 1) They could request transition to another manned fighter airframe, 2) request a personnel action to a non-flying staff position, 3) request assignment to undergraduate flying instructor duty with a follow-on in another fighter airframe or non-flying staff, or 4) request assignment to the Air Reserve Component via Palace Chase (extended selective reserve assignment for active duty pilots).
On January 28, just days before Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced his budget, Arizona’s Governor Jan Brewer quietly issued an Executive Order in which she noted that the “sustainment of existing military installations in Arizona and the more than $9 billion and economic impact from those operations provide a stable foundation and key component of to Arizona’s economy.” Brewer ordered the Military Affairs Commission to develop strategies and provide recommendations on issues impacting Arizona’s military installations.
Brewer tasked the Military Affairs Commission with recommending: “executive, legislative, and federal actions necessary to provide additional value to the DOD through Arizona’s military installations and to prevent military installations from closure or downsizing.” Brewer also tasked the Commission to “determine the continued viability of Arizona’s military installations training routes, restricted airspace, ranges, and any other areas under the jurisdiction of it an active unit or of a reserve component of the DOD.”
Brewer instructed the Commission to “determine what action the state could take to assist installations and adopting new capabilities” or to obtain “new or expanded missions.” She asked them to offer recommendations to the state about actions it could take to “demonstrate support for the existing military installations.”
According to sources, the USAF is promising 18 Block 40 F-16s to replace some of the A-10s being divested. There are no other aircraft being promised to DM. (Please see USAF A-10 DIVESTMENT PLAN ). The Block 40 F-16s will come from Hill AFB when the F-35s arrive. The timeline will slip right, meaning they will not arrive in FY19.
What the USAF is not telling anyone is they have promised more of these Block 40 F-16s than they have to give out when the F-35 arrives. They will not end up sending any F-16s to DM, instead they will go to either Ft Worth (TX ANG) or Homestead AFB (FL ANG) to replace their aging Block 30 F-16s.
At this point, the only hope for the A-10 and the communities that support the aircraft is Congress.
Congressional contact numbers:
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 | john.mccain@senate.gov |
Senator Jeff Flake | 202-224-4521 | 602-840-1891 | Jeff.flake@senate.gov |
Rep Ann Kirkpatrick(D1) | 202-225-3361 | 520-316-0839 | ann.kirkpatrick@house.gov |
Rep Ron Barber(D2) | 202-225-2542 | 520-881-3588 | ron.barber@house.gov |
Rep Raul M. Grijalva(D3) | 202-225-2435 | 520-622-6788 | raul.grijalva@house.gov |
Rep Paul A. Gosar(R4) | 202-225-2315 | 480-882-2697 | paul.gosar@house.gov |
Rep Matt Salmon(R5) | 202-225-2635 | 480-699-8239 | matt.salmon@house.gov |
Rep David Schweikert(R6) | 202-225-2190 | 480-946-2411 | david.schweikert@house.gov |
Rep Ed Pastor (D7) | 202-225-4065 | 602-256-0551 | ed.pastor@house.gov |
Rep Trent Franks (R8) | 202-225-4576 | 202-225-4576 | trent.franks@house.gov |
Rep Kyrsten Sinema (D9) | 202-225-9888 | 602-956-2285 | krysten.sinema@house.gov |