Nov 16, 2017
Defense Drumbeat
| “Every day we live under a continuing resolution is a day we do damage to our military.” - Mac Thornberry, Chairman, House Armed Services Committee
Improving Air Mobility |
THE PROBLEM:
The US Marine Corps and Air Force Special Operations Command fly some of the most demanding missions with an increasingly aging fleet of special use C-130 Hercules aircraft. Whether refueling helicopters at low altitudes over the deserts of Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan or training stateside, this battle worn fleet needs to be replaced. Similarly, the Air Force’s aging KC-135 and KC-10 refueling fleets provide critical support to a wide range of fighter, cargo and bomber aircraft spanning the globe.
WHAT WE ARE DOING TODAY:
Currently, the Marine Corps and Air Force are busy recapitalizing their fleets of C-130Hs aircraft variants with the highly capable C-130J aircraft. The House Armed Services Committee supports the Multi-Year II procurement plan which provides 78 C-130J variants to the Marines and Air Force while saving $600 million for the tax-payer. Also, the Air Force is recapitalizing its tankers with the KC-46A at a rate of 15 per year. But a significant backlog still remains.
WHAT WE COULD BE DOING:
In addition to the multi-year procurement plan, the FY18 NDAA authorized an additional $1.5 billion for 11 C-130J tactical airlift aircraft variants and 2 KC-46A tankers to speed up recapitalization.
115th Congress