Last month, U.S. Senator John McCain and Rep. Martha McSally celebrated the fact that the USAF was giving the A-10 a reprieve until 2022. However, the two were not telling the whole truth when they claimed that they had spared the Warthog.
According to the father of the A-10, Pierre Sprey, the politicians likely knew that the pronouncement they were making about the A-10 was not entirely true.
Sprey, appearing on the James T. Harris radio show, said when Gen. Herbert “Hawk” Carlisle, the head of Air Combat Command, hinted that the USAF would delay the mothballing of the A-10, it only meant that the last of the A-10s would be mothballed in 2022.
Listen to interview here:
This week, the Obama administration released its budget showing that it was only delaying the mothballing of the A-10 for two years. “To ensure enough fighter squadrons are ready to deploy to meet high overseas demand, the Air Force will transition the A-10 fleet two years later than previously planned, enabling a larger near-term force and investment in legacy capabilities,” read the DoD statement.
McSally and McCain, who do not have strong support from their constituents going into the 2016 election, made the press rounds last week when they claimed that through their efforts they had saved the A-10 until 2022.
Arizona Senator John McCain issued a half-true statement in response to the news about Hawk’s comments. He noted that the “A-10 fleet is playing an indispensable role in the fight against ISIL in Iraq and assisting NATO’s efforts to deter Russian aggression in Eastern Europe. With growing global chaos and turmoil on the rise, we simply cannot afford to prematurely retire the best close air support weapon in our arsenal without fielding a proper replacement. I’m particularly proud of the important contributions our A-10 pilots from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson continue to make to our national security. When the Obama Administration submits its 2017 budget request in the coming weeks, I hope it will follow through on its plan to keep the A-10 flying so that it can continue to protect American troops, many still serving in harm’s way.”
Those comments seemed hopeful at the time and won him a few votes, but now they appear to have been foreshadowing.
Congresswoman Martha McSally was far off base when she claimed that it appeared “the Administration is finally coming to its senses and recognizing the importance of A-10s to our troops’ lives and national security.”
She did however, promise to keep up the fight IF elected again.
Summary of the DoD Fiscal Year 2017 President’s Budget (PB 2017)Proposal
The PB 2017 request of $582.7 billion in FY 2017 complies with the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. It reflects our assessment of what kind of force we need today and tomorrow to best serve and protect our country, our friends and allies, and our national interests in today’s global security environment.
PB 2017 Commits to our Force and our Families.
The PB 2017 reflects a defense program that effectively balances the need to meet today’s persistent operational demand and to build our readiness and capabilities for full-spectrum warfare. PB 2017 funding levels will allow the joint force to respond to steady state demand requirements, fulfill strategic obligations, and support the services’ readiness recovery plans.
Readiness.
The PB 2017 request makes critical investments throughout the force to rebuild toward full-spectrum combat readiness.
- The Army is optimizing combat training center throughput capacity, which will provide brigade combat teams with increased opportunities for full-spectrum training.
- The Navy’s funding continues implementation of its Optimum Fleet Response Plan, which began phased implementation in FY 2015 and balances the preservation of critical maintenance and training while maximizing employability of Navy forces.
- The Marine Corps fully funds the integrated combined arms exercises for all elements of its Marine Air Ground Task Forces.
- The Air Force optimized flying hour and maintenance funding to maximize home station training opportunities and increase funding to modernize and expand existing Air Force training ranges and exercises here at home.
Compensation.
To continue to provide a strong package of pay and benefits for both military and civilians and ensure DoD remains competitive for the best talent, the budget proposes a 1.6 percent basic pay increase for 2017.
End Strength.
This budget funds an Army of 460,000 soldiers in the active Army, 335,000 soldiers in the Army National Guard, and 195,000 soldiers in the Army Reserve in FY 2017 – comprising 56 total Army brigade combat teams and associated enablers – and a Marine Corps of 182,000 active-duty Marines and 38,500 Marine reservists. For the Navy, the budget continues to grow the size, and, importantly, the capability, of the battle fleet; which grows from 280 ships today to 308 ships at the end of the FYDP and provides for 380,900 active-duty and reserve sailors in FY 2017. The budget also supports an Air Force of 491,700 active-duty, Reserve and National Guard Airmen, and includes 55 tactical fighter squadrons in FY 2017.
PB 2017 Adjusts to Strategic Change.
Today’s security environment is dramatically
different from the one the department has been engaged with for the last 25 years, and it requires new ways of thinking and new ways of acting. This security environment is driving the focus of the Defense Department’s planning and budgeting.
Counterterrorism efforts.
The budget request allows us to prosecute our battles against terrorism around the globe—Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and elsewhere—to ultimately defeat al Qaeda and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL). Budget elements critical to success include:
- The department’s overseas contingency operations request funds equipment and logistical support for the U.S. military forces in Afghanistan, Iraq and other areas in the region, as well as provides funds to build capacity for foreign security forces in support of counterterrorism activities.
- PB 2017 funds intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) support for counterterrorism (CT) that will build to 90 total combat air patrols for combatant commands.
Russia.
The budget enables the department to take a strong, balanced approach to respond to Russia’s aggression in Eastern Europe.
- We are countering Russia’s aggressive policies through investments in a broad range of capabilities. The FY 2017 budget request will allow us to modify and expand air defense systems, develop new unmanned systems, design a new long-range bomber and a new long-range stand-off cruise missile, and modernize our nuclear arsenal.
- The budget quadruples last year’s request for the European Reassurance Initiative (ERI) to $3.4 billion in FY 2017 to reassure our NATO allies and deter Russian aggression. This funding supports prepositioning additional combat equipment, conducting additional training exercises, and enabling a continuous brigade-size rotation which will ensure we have three Army brigade combat teams in Europe at all times.
Asia-Pacific.
The DoD remains committed to the Asia-Pacific rebalance. The U.S. long-term economic and security interests are inextricably linked to developments in the Asia-Pacific region. In terms of presence, investments in the FY 2017 budget continue to improve the geographic distribution, operational resilience, and political sustainability of our regional posture. This includes building up Guam as a strategic hub, inauguration of P-8 maritime patrol aircraft rotations in Singapore, implementation of rotational initiatives in Northern Australia, and positioning F-35 fighters in Japan in 2017.
Iran.
While the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action with Iran is good for national security, DoD must still counter Iran’s malign influence against our friends and allies in the region. To combat those threats, the budget:
- Continues efforts to hold Iran accountable for its destabilizing behavior by advancing preparations, posture, regional partnerships, and planning to preserve the President’s options for any contingency.
- Requests $145.8 million in FY 2017 for support to Israel. This reflects our unshakeable commitment to Israel and its security and funds Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow, and other cooperative defense programs.
Cyber Threats.
In response to increased threats, we are strengthening cyber defenses and increasing options available in case of a cyber-attack. The president’s budget funds $6.7 billion in FY 2017 fordefensive and offensive cyberspace operations, capabilities, and cyber strategy.
PB 2017 Seizes Opportunities for the Future
Force of the Future.
Our priorities are attracting a new generation of talent, promoting diversity, and rewarding merit; carving tunnels through the walls between DoD, the private sector, reserve force, and other agencies; and using technology and data analysis to improve personnel decisions and choices.
We also are proposing initiatives to recruit and retain the best talent. Those initiatives include setting a standard across the joint force that is competitive with the private sector in terms of maternity and paternity leave by providing service members with 12 weeks and 14 days of leave, respectively; increased availability of child care services; and greater assistance in preserving the ability of couples to start a family.
Defense Reforms.
We will work with Congress on cost-saving and efficiency-inducing reforms, including:
- Focusing efforts to reduce management headquarters from the FY 2014 level by 25 percent by FY 2020.
- Eliminating excess infrastructure and facilities to include requesting authority to initiate a new round of Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) in 2019.
- Modernizing the TRICARE health plan to balance the needs of beneficiaries with requirements to maintain military medical readiness by incentivizing care at the military treatment facilities through lower fees and copays, as well as improving access to military care (e.g., timely medical appointments)
- Continuing progress in auditability across the department in order to become audit ready by FY 2018.
- Assuming responsibility for development, design, security and operation of the background investigations information technology systems for the National Background Investigations Bureau. This will ensure cybersecurity is embedded throughout the process, thereby strengthening protection of federal employees’ and contractors’ personal information.
Technological Innovation.
The DoD is pursuing new technology development, operational concepts, and organizational constructs to maintain our military’s technological superiority.
- For FY 2017, we invest science and technology funds that advance key technology areas such as hypersonics, large data analytics, advanced materials, and human-machine teaming.
- The budget invests a total of $112.1 billion in FY 2017 to develop and procure the equipment, technology and capabilities we need to deter and, if necessary, fight and win full-spectrum conflicts in the future.
- The budget increases funding for our research and development accounts, which total $71.8 billion in FY 2017.
- The budget reflects our continuing efforts to connect with America’s technology community. This includes $45 million in FY 2017 for our Defense Innovation Unit-Experimental (DIUx).
- The budget includes $40 million in FY 2017 for our pilot program with In-Q-Tel, leveraging a venture capital model to help find innovative solutions for some of our most challenging problems.
- The budget includes $137 million in FY 2017 to support our manufacturing innovation institutes, including one focused on flexible hybrid electronics.
Maritime
- The PB 2017 grows the naval fleet by procuring seven major ships in FY 2017 and will increase the battle force by 28 ships, from 280 to 308 ships, in the next five years.
- The PB 2017 budget includes $5.2 billion in FY 2017 to buy two Virginia-class attack submarines.
- The PB 2017 increases funding for advanced undersea capabilities, including $37 million for an improved MK-48 torpedo, and $106 million for unmanned underwater vehicles in FY 2017.
- The budget invests $3.2 billion in FY 2017 to buy two DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers.
- The budget reduces planned littoral combat ship/fast frigate (LCS/FF) procurement from 52 ships to 40.
Aircraft
- The budget includes $10.1 billion in FY 2017 for F-35s across the force: 43 F-35As for the Air Force, 16 F-35Bs for the Marine Corps and 4 F-35Cs for the Navy.
- For continued development of the Long-Range Strike Bomber, the budget invests $1.4 billion in FY 2017.
- The budget invests $3.1 billion to buy 15 KC-46A Pegasus refueling tankers in
FY 2017. - To ensure enough fighter squadrons are ready to deploy to meet high overseas demand, the Air Force will transition the A-10 fleet two years later than previously planned, enabling a larger near-term force and investment in legacy capabilities.
- The Unmanned Carrier-Launched Air Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program has been restructured and renamed the Carrier Based Aerial Refueling System (CBARS). The PB 2017 budget invests $89 million in FY 2017 for CBARS.
- To maximize capabilities and extend the reach of our airborne systems, PB 2017 invests $759 million for two Navy MQ-4C Triton unmanned maritime surveillance and patrol aircraft in FY 2017.
- The budget funds $2.2 billion in FY 2017 to continue procurement of the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol and surveillance aircraft.
- PB17 supports the Army’s Aviation Restructure Initiative by providing $1.1 billion for 52 Apache helicopters, and $1.0 billion for 36 Black Hawk helicopters in FY 2017.
Land
- The PB 2017 will help provide our Army, Marine Corps, and special operations forces with greater lethality to ensure ground forces can deter and, if necessary, fight and win a full-spectrum conflict.
- The budget includes a next-generation shoulder-launched weapon, a replacement for the Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) that can be used for improved
counter-battery and long-range strike, and increased firepower for Stryker armored fighting vehicles, totaling $0.8 billion in FY 2017. The budget adds significant survivability improvements to the Stryker vehicle to complement the lethality upgrades added in FY 2016. - Additionally, the budget invests $735 million for 2,020 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles (JLTVs) in FY 2017. The JLTVs are intended to replace Humvees.
- For the amphibious combat vehicle, which replaces the Marine Corps’ Amphibious Assault Vehicle, the budget invests $159 million in FY 2017.
Nuclear Enterprise
- For the nuclear enterprise, while many of our systems remain effective, we are entering a period when multiple weapon systems require significant modernization. This drives an increase in the funding required over the FYDP and beyond.
- The PB provides $19 billion in FY 2017 which reflects our continuing commitment to modernizing our nuclear enterprise.
- The Ohio Replacement Program is allocated $1.9 billion in FY 2017 and $13.2 billion for development and initial construction over the FYDP.