U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte and nine other senators sent a letter to Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James raising concerns that the Air Force has taken actions that have damaged A-10 readiness and endangered the Air Force’s ability to meet combatant commander requirements, and demanding corrective measures.
Despite Congress’s repeated rejection of the Obama Administration’s efforts to prematurely divest the A-10 fleet, the Air Force continues to make dramatic cuts to A-10 depot level maintenance and funding, which threatens the capability of this vital aircraft to deploy to missions across the Middle East and Eastern Europe.
“We are concerned that the Air Force has taken steps inconsistent with Congressional intent that are degrading the readiness of the A-10 fleet and endangering the Air Force’s ability to meet combatant commander requirements,” the Senators write. “The Air Force has a responsibility to follow Congressional intent and to meet combatant commander requirements. We believe these Air Force actions are inconsistent with both of those obligations. When considered cumulatively, we worry that these steps represent an attempt by the Air Force to conduct a gradual backdoor divestment of the A-10 fleet.”
On Wednesday, the Senate passed the Fiscal Year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) on a bipartisan vote of 70-27. The legislation passed by both chambers of Congress and sent to the President includes again this year a prohibition on A-10 retirement.
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“This latest move is yet another example of the Air Force’s contempt for the A-10 and the close air support mission mission in general. Congress has recognized the need to provide troops on the ground with effective close air support. The Air Force is putting the lives of our young men and women at risk with an obvious administrative ploy that clearly violates the will of Congress,” stated Dan Grazier of the Project on Government Oversight.
“It’s actually stunning to me, even with all we’ve seen from the Air Force in the fight over the A-10, that the service would openly defy Congress in this way. Simply feeling the need to retire the A-10 for budget reasons doesn’t explain decisions like this one. It’s become emotional for the Air Force now … a matter of proving it can win a policy fight,” stated Tony Carr, winner of the Distinguished Flying Cross and publisher of the popular military website, John Q. Public.
“Unfortunately, this is no way to negotiate in good faith with Congress, and this further damages an already ailing institution,” concluded Carr.
The letter reads:
The Honorable Deborah L. James
Secretary of the Air Force
1670 Air Force Pentagon
Washington, DC 20330-1670
Secretary James,
We are concerned that the Air Force has taken steps inconsistent with Congressional intent that are degrading the readiness of the A-10 fleet and endangering the Air Force’s ability to meet combatant commander requirements. We would like to call your attention to three specific issues and request a written response detailing the steps the Air Force plans to take to address each of them.
First, over the last two years, the Air Force has significantly reduced A-10 depot level maintenance funding and A-10 depot level entries. From fiscal year (FY) 2014 to FY 2015, A-10 depot level maintenance funding was cut from $79.4 million to $47.5 million—a 40% reduction. Similarly, A-10 depot level entries fell from 29 in FY 2014 to 24 in FY 2015.
This dramatic cut in the Air Force’s support for A-10 depot level maintenance has created an A-10 readiness deficit that endangers the Air Force’s ability to provide a sufficient number of deployable A-10s to meet combatant commander requirements. In a written response to one of our offices, the Air Force admitted that a need for depot level maintenance in FY 2017 will reduce the number of A-10s available for deployment.
For FY 2016, we appreciate that the Air Force reversed this decline in support for A-10 depot level maintenance funding by requesting $156.9 million to support a projected 26 A-10 depot level entries. However, we believe that number is insufficient to repair the damage to A-10 readiness caused by the shortfall in depot level maintenance, coupled with a high operations tempo, in FY 2015. It is our understanding that at least 31 A-10 depot level entries are required to satisfy projected combatant commander requirements. Furthermore, we understand that approximately 50 A-10 depot level entries in FY 2017 and 43 in FY 2018 are required to meet projected combatant commander requirements.
In a written response to one of our offices, the Air Force admitted that the reduced A-10 maintenance funding in FY 2015 was based on a decision to retire the A-10 fleet. However, based on Congress’s explicit, bipartisan, and repeated rejection of the Air Force’s efforts to prematurely divest the A-10, this reduction in A-10 maintenance funding is clearly inappropriate and short-sighted. The Air Force should plan its A-10 depot level maintenance funding across the Future Years Defense Program based on the assumption that Congress will continue to prohibit the divestment of A-10s until an equally capable close air support aircraft achieves full operational capability.
Based on these concerns, no later than November 1, 2015, we request that the Air Force please provide us a plan for increasing A-10 depot level maintenance in FY 2016 in order to eliminate the A-10 readiness deficit and ensure the Air Force can meet all combatant commander requirements. This plan should include specific steps the Air Force plans to take, as well as the specific number of FY 2016 depot level maintenance entries necessary to accomplish these objectives. We would also expect that the Air Force’s FY 2017 budget request will include a request for A-10 depot level maintenance funding sufficient to eliminate any remaining deficit in A-10 readiness.
Second, according to a May 5, 2015, memorandum signed by then-Major General John Cooper, the Air Force has removed the 18 backup aircraft inventory (BAI) A-10s from an active inventory status and placed them in an “XJ” status. While Congress authorized the Air Force in Section 134 of the Fiscal Year 2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) to move a limited number of A-10s to “back up flying status”, Congress did not authorize the Air Force to remove them from an active inventory status and place them on “XJ” status.
There is a difference in the readiness of aircraft on BAI or “back up flying status” versus aircraft on “XJ” status. This is not just a difference in semantics. As the title makes clear—consistent with widespread practice and understanding across the Air Force and consistent with Air Force Instruction 16-402—aircraft on “back up flying status” or BAI status are periodically flown in order to maintain readiness. However, as the May 5 memo makes clear, the A-10s on “XJ” status will not be flown. As you know, the maintenance condition and readiness of aircraft that are not flown progressively deteriorates—even if the aircraft undergoes periodic ground maintenance. In other words, the Air Force has reduced the A-10 to a lower state of readiness that Congress did not authorize and that is inconsistent with Congressional intent. According to Air Force Instruction 21-103, the Air Force defines “XJ” status as “excess to the requirements of the possessing command” and “awaiting disposition instructions.” In the Air Force’s written response, please tell us whether the Air Force considers the A-10s placed on “XJ” status as “excess to the requirements.”
Finally, in addition to the negative impact this has had on the readiness of the individual aircraft, the decision to not fly these aircraft has had an even deeper ripple effect on readiness. As a result of placing three aircraft from the A-10 Weapons School on “XJ” status, the Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base has apparently been forced to use test aircraft for syllabus missions. We understand that this has reduced dramatically the ability of the A-10 Operational Test Unit at Nellis to conduct testing necessary to maintain the health, modernization, and readiness of the entire A-10 fleet. According to one report we received, the number of test sorties per week has dropped by more than 50%.
This information is deeply troubling. The Air Force has a responsibility to follow Congressional intent and to meet combatant commander requirements. We believe these Air Force actions are inconsistent with both of those obligations. When considered cumulatively, we worry that these steps represent an attempt by the Air Force to conduct a gradual backdoor divestment of the A-10 fleet.
We know many important issues compete for your attention, but we believe these developments require your immediate action.
Thank you for your service to our country. We look forward to your response.
Senator Kelly Ayotte
Chairman John McCain
Senator Lindsey Graham
Senator Roger Wicker
Senator Mike Crapo
Senator David Perdue
Senator Mike Rounds
Senator Jim Risch
Senator Johnny Isakson
Senator Thom Tillis
CC: Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter
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