“Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to today’s full committee hearing on the fiscal year 2009 budget request from the Department of the Air Force.  I am pleased to welcome back the Secretary of the Air Force, Michael Wynne, and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Michael “Buzz” Moseley.  Gentlemen, the committee thanks you, and all those you lead, for the wonderful job that you do, and that includes the Total Force – active duty, guard, and reserve – and your civilian employees.

 “The Air Force has been in some form of continuous combat since 1990, stressing its people and its equipment.  In Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, the Air Force has committed more than 250 aircraft to support combat operations and flew approximately 33,000 sorties last year alone in the CENTCOM area.  This pace of operations, and the aging of your aircraft inventory, is taking a growing toll on the Air Force.

 “I am concerned about this heavy operational pace.  This may not be sustainable and it may not be safe.  The ongoing investigation into the multiple F-15 crashes, those of last year and already several this year, underline the importance of this issue.  For a time, the entire F-15 fleet was grounded.  Just this weekend, the Air Force suffered the first ever crash of a B-2 bomber in Guam, which is a tremendous loss.  I must note that my home state of Missouri hosts the B-2 fleet at Whiteman Air Force Base, and one of the F-15s that crashed was flown by the Missouri Air National Guard, so these losses hit close to home.

 “Even as the Air Force has been straining to keep up with operations, it has been reducing end strength, sacrificing its most valuable asset, people.  The budget request asks for a FY09 end strength of 316,600 active duty airmen, a reduction of almost 13,000 just from last year’s level, and for a reduction of 100 in the Air Force reserve. Since 2005, the Air Force has reduced end strength by over 40,000, though your budget documents suggest that you intend to halt this slide in 2010. 

 “I cannot help but conclude that a significant factor in the current strain on the Air Force is a lack of people.  In fact, your unfunded priority list suggests as much, identifying a requirement for $385 million to add back almost 19,000 airmen, split between the active duty and reserve.  Today, we need a definitive answer to this simple question:  Does the Air Force need to reduce end strength in 2009, or begin to add back people?  Which answer best helps us fulfill the National Military Strategy?

 “The Air Force’s aircraft inventory is aging, in part because modernization budgets have not been able to support purchases in quantity for high priced assets like the F-22, C-17, and C-130.  I note that you have shared with the committee an impressive list of over $19 billion of unfunded requirements – more than double that of any of the other services.  At the same time, this budget punts on such critical national security questions such as the future of the F-22 and C-17 programs. 

 “Do you expect Congress to resolve these issues, or is there a compelling case for deferring these questions to next year, and to a new administration?  Can the force that the Air Force is budgeting for today fulfill the National Military Strategy?  My review of your budget, and the full committee hearing we held on this topic last fall, suggests that the answer is no.

 “The Air Force is ground zero for another great debate that is starting to occur over the roles and missions of the Armed Forces.  The Joint Cargo Aircraft is a case in point.  It is a versatile capability for intra-theater lift.  A joint procurement program certainly seems to make a lot of sense, but the Army plans to move ahead with buying aircraft while the Air Force is still refining requirements and a concept of operations. 

 “In such a situation, can the Congress be sure that tax dollars are being used in the most efficient manner possible, and that the division of responsibility for the last tactical mile is clear?

 “I think you now have the sense that this year’s budget request raises almost as many questions as it answers.  I hope the testimony today will shed light on these serious questions.  Let me now yield to my good friend and partner, the Ranking Member, Duncan Hunter of California.”