Hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee - National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force

Hearing

I want to welcome our first panel of witnesses, Secretary James and General Welsh, back to the Committee this morning to testify on the recommendations of the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force. During the second panel, we will hear from most of the Commissioners themselves.

First, please convey our thanks to the men and women of the Air Force and their families for their valiant service and the many sacrifices they have made and continue to make for our Nation. And thanks to both of you for your long careers of leadership and service.

We are here this morning to consider the recommendations on the National Commission on the Structure of the Air Force. Congress established the Commission in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2013. This was a direct result of forces structure proposals that were highly controversial, to say the least.

For example, the Air Force had proposed to eliminate the C-27 cargo aircraft fleet not long after very senior Air Force officials told the Committee that the Air Force could not complete the direct support mission for ground forces without the C-27. Similarly, the Air Force had proposed to cancel the Global Hawk Block 30 remotely piloted aircraft system soon after the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics certified that the Global Hawk Block 30 program was essential to national security and there was no other alternative that would provide acceptable capability to meet the joint military requirement at less cost. In addition, the manpower and aircraft force structure changes that had been proposed by the Air Force would have fallen disproportionately on the Air National Guard. Governors, Adjutants General, and other important stakeholders also complained that they had not been provided an opportunity for input in the process through which these proposals were developed.

Congress established the Commission to provide an independent view on the future structure of the Air Force. The Commission was directed to give particular consideration to alternative force structures that would:

* meet current and anticipated requirements of the combatant commands;

* achieve an appropriate balance between the regular and reserve components of the Air Force, taking advantage of the unique strengths and capabilities of each;

* ensure that the regular and reserve components of the Air Force have the capacity needed to support current and anticipated homeland defense and disaster assistance missions in the United States;

* provide for sufficient numbers of regular members of the Air Force to provide a base of trained personnel from which the personnel of the reserve components of the Air Force could be recruited;

* maintain a peacetime rotation force to support operational tempo goals of 1:2 for regular members of the Air Force and 1:5 for members of the reserve components of the Air Force; and

* maximize and appropriately balance affordability, efficiency, effectiveness, capability, and readiness.

The Commission submitted its report at the end of January. Among the reports major recommendations are:

* The Air Force should shift to a greater reliance on the Air Reserve Components. The commission report suggests that the Air Force could move to a 58/42 mix of active duty to Reserves, as compared to the current 65/35 mix.

* The Air Force should place greater reliance on the Air Reserve component contribution for specific missions, such as Cyberspace, Space, Global Integrated Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, Special Operations, and Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Forces.

* The Air Force should take additional steps to improve integration of the forces of the active duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve.

This morning, we will hear from our Air Force witnesses about their views on the Commission's recommendations, including specifically which of those recommendations they support, which ones they oppose, and what concrete plans the Air Force has for implementing recommendations with which they agree.

In the second panel, we will hear from the Commissioners about their recommendations and offer them an opportunity to clarify any issues surrounding those recommendations. We will also welcome Commissioners' views on steps the Air Force is taking to implement their recommendations.

The Commissioners who will be with us today are Dennis M. McCarthy, the Chairman of the Commission, Les Brownlee; General Raymond Johns, Jr., USAF (Ret); Dr. Janine Davidson; Dr. Margaret C. Harrell; and Lt. Gen. H. M. "Bud" Wyatt, ANG (Ret). On behalf of the Committee I want to thank you all for your tireless efforts and dedication to producing a timely report and recommendations which will significantly aid Congress, and, I believe the Air Force agrees, the Administration in charting a course for the Air Force to become more effective and efficient.

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