Statement of Air and Land Forces Subcommittee

Chairman Adam Smith

Hearing on Air Mobility Programs

“The Air and Land Forces Subcommittee meets today to receive testimony on air mobility programs.

“We welcome our witnesses:  Brigadier General Michelle D. Johnson, Director for Strategy, Policy, Programs and Logistics for the U.S. Transportation Command; Mr. David M. Van Buren, Acting Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition; Lieutenant General Philip M. Breedlove, Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Plans and Requirements and Brigadier General Richard C. Johnston, Director of Strategic Planning at Headquarters Air Force

“Today’s hearing follows the early March release of the Mobility Capabilities Study 2016, or MCRS 2016.  MCRS 2016 was a significant study by the Department of Defense to identify mobility capabilities and requirements needed to support U.S. strategic objectives in the 2016 timeframe.  The study assessed the major components of the mobility system including airlift, aerial refueling, sealift, surface transportation, ashore and afloat pre-positioning, forward stationing and infrastructure. 

“MCRS-16 developed three cases to evaluate a broad spectrum of military operations linked to notional strategic environments to support possible decisions regarding future mobility force structure.  Those cases included two nearly simultaneous large-scale land campaigns, demanding homeland defense consequence management events, and a long-term irregular warfare campaign.

“With few exceptions, MCRS-16 found the Department’s planned mobility capabilities sufficient to support the most demanding projected requirements. 

“Regarding strategic airlift, the study determined that the capacity of the Department’s strategic airlift fleet exceeds the peak demand in each of the three MCRS-16 cases.  Peak demand for one of those cases required 304 strategic airlift aircraft.  Of note, the previous mobility study, Mobility Capabilities Study 2005, or MCS 05, identified a strategic airlift force structure of 292-383 aircraft as a ‘moderate risk’ force, and we hope our witnesses will be able to talk to us today about the differences between MCRS-16 and the previous mobility study. 

“Additionally, the current commander of the U.S. Transportation Command, and his predecessor who is now the Air Force Chief of Staff, have testified that a force of 316 strategic airlift aircraft is considered the ‘sweet spot’ for the strategic airlift inventory.  Congress passed legislation adopting 316 as the minimum number of strategic airlift aircraft last year. 

“The current Air Force programmed strategic airlift inventory includes 223 C-17s and 111 C-5s, for a total of 334 aircraft.  The Air Force proposes to retire 17 C-5s in 2011, which would bring the inventory to 317 aircraft. 

“We understand that the Air Force plans to retire five additional C-5s in 2012 which would bring that the total strategic airlift inventory below 316. 

“For fiscal year 2012, we expect the Department of Defense will submit a legislative proposal seeking to change the title 10 statute which mandates that 316 strategic airlift aircraft be maintained in the Air Force inventory if the Department still plans to proceed with C-5 retirements beyond those now planned for fiscal year 2011.

“Regarding tactical, or intra-theater, airlift, MCRS-16 found that the programmed fleet of 401 C-130s exceeds the peak demand in each of the three MCRS-16 cases.  The highest C-130 demand required 335 aircraft. 

“However, the MCRS-16 study notes that the direct support mission to meet the Army’s time-sensitive airlift requirements was not assessed, and that C-130s may be required to supplement C-27s to support this mission.  Of note, MCS 05 identified a ‘moderate risk’ intra-theater airlift force structure of 395-674 aircraft. 

“We hope our witnesses can address the Air Force analysis of the Army’s direct support requirements today as well as how tactical airlift inventory requirements have changed since the previous mobility study.

“The budget request also includes $65.7 million for 15 aircraft in a new start program called the ‘Light Mobility Aircraft.’ 

“This program proposes to acquire Commercial-Off-The-Shelf aircraft to satisfy a new Air Force light mobility mission requirement designed to build partner capacity especially in lesser developed partner nations.

“This program would support irregular warfare efforts to help prepare partner nations to defend and govern themselves by demonstrating an airlift capability that is consistent with their needs for infrastructure, methods of employment, acquisition and sustainment costs, and mission capability. 

“We hope our witnesses can further expand on this new requirement in today’s hearing.  Before we begin, I would like to turn to my good friend and colleague from Maryland, Roscoe Bartlett.”

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