Updated on August 15 to reflect KC-46 production approval
More than 60 U.S. Air Force acquisition and upgrade programs could be affected if the Congress approves stopgap legislation instead of passing the Fiscal Year 2017 defense appropriations bill, warned Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James. Production of the joint direct attack munition (JDAM) and the KC-46 refueling tanker would be less than planned next year, as would spending on the B-21 long-range strike bomber.
James delivered the warning during a “State of the Air Force” briefing August 10 at the Pentagon. It was her first such briefing with Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein, who was sworn in to the post on July 1. He succeeded Gen. Mark Welsh.
The service is “hearing” that Congress may pass a six-month or a year-long continuing resolution, or stopgap spending measure, James said. A long-term “CR” would fund the Air Force at $1.3 billion less than the amount it seeks in FY2017, she instructed.
Lesser funding would limit production of Boeing’s JDAM precision guidance tail kits—much in demand for overseas contingency operations against the Islamic State and other extremists—to the FY2016 level. Similarly, the Northrop Grumman B-21 program, now at the engineering and manufacturing development stage, would be capped at the FY2016 level.
Production of the Boeing KC-46 would be capped at 12 aircraft instead of the 15 sought. This “couldn’t help but push back” the KC-46 program’s contractual required assets available (RAA) date, said James, who expressed concern that the contract could be renegotiated. “That’s a serious question because of course we do have favorable terms and we do not want to reopen the contract (or) change requirements in any way,” she added.
The "key meeting” leading to a Milestone C decision to begin low-rate initial production (LRIP) of the tanker will happen later this month, James said. “We believe that the aircraft has met all of the wickets that are required to meet Milestone C,” she attested. But undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics Frank Kendall must approve the decision.
(The Air Force announced on August 12 that Kendall gave Milestone C approval to begin LRIP. The service said it will soon award Boeing contracts for two production lots totaling 19 aircraft, for a combined pre-negotiated value of $2.8 billion.)
Separately of the budget discussion, James said the Air Force has made progress on a “get well plan” to shore up its remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) corps, which is challenged to attract and retain pilots and sensor operators. It is “well on the way” to fully manning training units and from FY2015 to FY2017 will double the number of RPA graduate and undergraduate pilots from 188 to 334. As of October 1, the service will raise its RPA pilot retention bonus from $25,000 to $35,000.
Air National Guard units are supporting active-duty and reserve airmen, providing for three additional air combat patrols. The Air Force is also relying more on contractors to conduct non-strike missions. This fall, it will announce candidate bases for locating a new wing of RPA airmen, James said.
While the Air Force has made progress on RPA recruitment, it faces an accute shortage of up to 1,000 fighter pilots in the next couple of years (from 700 now) and is seeking authorization from Congress to improve their compensation. “Why is this so? Well, the airlines are forecasted to be hiring a lot more. They already are,” James said.
A reporter asked if the situation represents a crisis. “I believe it’s a crisis,” Goldfein said. “Air superiority is not an American birthright. It’s actually something you have to fight for and maintain.”
