WASHINGTON, DC. September 27, 2006 – Congressman Ken Calvert (R-CA), who worked with Appropriations Chairman Jerry Lewis (R-CA) and Rep. Jim Saxton (R-NJ), was pleased that additional C-17 funding was included in the final passage of the FY2007 Defense Appropriations Conference Report.

"It was a priority for me and others to increase the C-17 procurement numbers in the FY2007 Defense Appropriations," said Rep. Calvert. "The Air Force needs the strategic airlift capability that only the C-17 provides to fulfill its mission in the Global War on Terror."

The C-17 is a strategic cargo aircraft, capable of rapid delivery to main operating bases and directly to forward bases in a deployment area.  The aircraft is also capable of performing tactical airlift and airdrop missions. The FY2007 Defense Appropriations Conference Report provides $2.1 billion for 10 additional planes.

There has been debate between the Department of Defense (DoD) and Congress over the requirement for additional C-17s. DoD’s Mobility Capabilities Study (MCS), released in December 2005, determined that current inventories were sufficient to meet future mobility needs. However, the Government Accounting Office (GAO) reviewed the study and found inadequacies in the MCS methodology.

"As measured against relevant generally accepted research standards, we identified limitations in the MCS study and report that raise questions about their adequacy and completeness." – September 2006 GAO Report on the DoD MCS.

The GAO Report found the MCS failed to account for future growth and mobility needs from areas such as the Army’s Future Combat Systems, Special Operations Missions, Homeland Defense and Civil Support Operations, among others.

"This plane is instrumental to the Global War on Terror and underestimating the need for C-17s could be catastrophic in the long-term," stated Rep. Calvert. "I would like to congratulate Chairman Lewis, Rep. Saxton for their diligent work in securing additional C-17s and thank Governor Schwarzenegger for his support."

Rep. Calvert’s congressional district includes March Air Reserve Base in Riverside, CA, which is the only reserve base to host C-17s. March ARB is also home to the "Spirit of Ronald Reagan," a C-17 named after the former President. Former First Lady Nancy Reagan visited March ARB in January to the dedication ceremony for the "Spirit of Ronald Reagan."

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