The fiscal year 2015 conferenced defense authorization bill would allow the deactivation of some A-10s if the Defense Department proves that not doing so would significantly delay the planned fielding of F-35s.
The defense secretary would be able to move up to 36 A-10s in the active component to backup flying status and make conforming personnel adjustments for the rest of FY ’15 if it shows that not putting the A-10s on backup status would impact the F-35 fleet.
The bill says that no later than 30 days after the bill becomes law, the director of cost assessment and program evaluation (CAPE), currently Jamie Morin, shall conduct an independent assessment of alternative ways to provide manpower during FY ’15 to maintain the fighter fleet of the Air Force and to field F-35 aircraft. The director should give consideration to approaches proposed by the service and to other alternatives, including the retirement of other aircraft and use the use of civilian or contractor maintainers on an interim basis for A-10s, F-35s or other aircraft.
DoD warned recently that an improper maintainer mix in the F-35 fleet due to lawmakers’ blocking of the A-10 retirement could delay initial operational capability of the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). F-35 Program Executive Officer (PEO) Air Force Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan said in late October despite feeling “pretty good” about the Air Force successfully reaching its August 2016 initial operational capability (IOC) deadline for the F-35A, he was discouraged that an improper level of experienced maintainers in the service for the fleet could put reaching that deadline at risk (Defense Daily, Oct. 30).