Secretary of Defense Emasculates the Air Force

Yesterday, Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates, released his budget proposal for 2010. At a time when the Federal Government has approved a multi-trillion dollar budget (the largest budget in history) for every sector of the Federal Government, Secretary Gates found it necessary to slash the Air Force budget, killing or radically reducing nearly all its pending force modernization programs. THIS MOVE WILL EMASCULATE OUR FUTURE AIR FORCE!

In an article I posted in June 2008, Firing the SECAF and CSAF: More Than Meets the Eye, I explained that Secretary Gates accused then Secretary of the Air Force, Michael Wynne, and Air Force Chief of Staff, General Michael Moseley, of "planning for the next war" as if that were a crime. He, obviously, did not want them around to testify before the Congress, so he fired them using the recent nuclear incidents as an excuse. Well, now, SECRETARY GATES HAS MADE GOOD ON HIS PHILOSOPHY TO NOT PLAN FOR THE NEXT WAR. Below, is a list of the programs that Secretary Gates' budget will kill or radically reduce:

- F-22 production: Terminated
- Follow-on Bomber: Terminated
- C-17 production: Terminated
- Combat Search and Rescue Helicopter–X: Terminated
- Transformational Satellite (TSAT): Terminated
- Missile Defense: Radically Cut
-- No increase of ground-based interceptors
-- Airborne Laser (ABL): Terminated
-- Multiple Kill Vehicle (MKV): Terminated
-- Missile Defense Agency budget: Reduced by $1.4B/year
- 250 aircraft: Retired
-- Equivalent of 3.5 wings: Retired
-- F-15s, F-16s, and A-10s will all leave the force with no replacements

Today, in a note to members, AFA President and CEO, Michael M. Dunn summed up the effect of Secretary Gates' Budget decisions:

• This budget guarantees that the oldest Air Force in the history of our nation will get even older.
• B-52s (built in the 1950s) will have to be kept on duty for a minimum of another 15-20 years …
• At a time when the nation is spending literally trillions of dollars, we seem to not have enough money to fund an adequate defense
• We are using tomorrow's dollars to solve today's problems.
• The acquisition decisions recommended will lock in the range of national security options for decades into the future.
• The decisions are not just programic nuance – but will impact core Air Force functions, to include Air Force ability to deter, to conduct an air campaign, and to rescue our downed Airmen.
• The launch of an intercontinental missile by North Korea this weekend (and a similar launch by Iran 5 weeks ago) argues for a robust missile defense, not a reduced one – to include the ABL. The technology of ABL has the potential to revolutionize warfare in the future.
• It is difficult to determine the strategy which this budget supports. This is especially important since a Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) is mandated by law … and will be conducted in the upcoming several months. It seems the budget (and hence the strategy) precedes the QDR.
• This budget increases risk … in my view … beyond so-called "moderate."

AFA believes there are major impacts and consequences … for the full-up joint team. These budget recommendations may cost us lives and will reduce our strategic options in a very dangerous world.

If you are concerned, as I am, for the future viability of our Air Force, the future safety of our airmen and the future security of our nation, WRITE YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS AND TELL THEM NOT TO APPROVE THESE DEFENSE CUTS BY SECRETARY GATES. Click the following link to send a letter to Congress: http://www.congress.org/

For more information, read the following articles:
AFA President Note on Defense Budget
Secretary Gates' 2010 Defense Budget Announcement