By Marina Malenic
Defense Secretary Robert Gates yesterday recommended terminating or ending production on several major Air Force programs, including F-22 Raptor fighter jets and C-17 Globemaster cargo aircraft.
“To sustain U.S. air superiority, I am committed to building a fifth generation tactical fighter capability that can be produced in quantity at sustainable cost,” Gates told reporters at the Pentagon. “Therefore, I will recommend increasing the buy of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter from the 14 aircraft bought in FY’09 to 30 in FY’10, with corresponding funding increases from $6.8 billion to $11.2 billion.”
He said the department is committed to buying 2,443 F-35s over the course of the program and keeping costs down for allies involved in the effort.
However, F-22 Raptor fighter jet production would end after delivery of a final four planes, according to Gates’ plan.
“We will end production of the F-22 fighter at 187–representing 183 planes plus four recommended for inclusion in the FY’09 supplemental,” he said.
In a bit of a surprise, Gates said the decision to halt the F-22 at 187 was “not a close call” and the Air Force leadership supported the move.
Gates also wants to complete production of the C-17 airlifter program this fiscal year with the 205 planes currently in the fleet.
Boeing has said that, while it is aggressively marketing the airplane overseas, it needs more Air Force orders to sustain the production line (Defense Daily, July 23, 2008).
Other significant Air Force program cuts include:
- Terminating the troubled Combat Search-and-Rescue helicopter replacement program and examining a potential joint capability;
- Terminating the $26 million Transformational Satellite (TSAT) communications system in favor of the purchase two more Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) satellites;
- Forgoing a development program for a follow-on bomber aircraft; and
- Cancelling the second airborne laser (ABL) prototype aircraft and shifting the program exclusively to a research and development effort.
Gates said these and other recommendations to pare down spending on large weapon programs were an effort to “critically and ruthlessly separate appetites from real requirements.”
At the same time, the secretary said he favors reopening the KC-X aerial re-fueling tanker program this summer. He said he remains opposed to efforts by members of Congress to split the purchase between rivals Boeing [BA] and Northrop Grumman [NOC]-EADS, saying maintenance and logistics costs for two platforms would be too high.
In addition, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) programs would get a $2 billion boost under Gates’ plan, and more lift, mobility and refueling aircraft optimized for special forces operations would be purchased.