The Senate Appropriations Committee passed its version of the defense spending bill late last week and released its report early this week — the last of the four defense committees to do so. Today, we take a look at what the latest markup means for the Air Force in context of how the other committees acted; in particular, the F-35, MQ-9, and C-130 programs.
F-35 conference battle ahead — Senate appropriators do not agree with the House’s move to add four F-35s to the bill, opting instead to cut around $300 million from the program while leaving aircraft quantities the same. House appropriators believe that the Air Force should buy 28 F-35s instead of 26 and the Navy should buy four instead of two F-35Cs, but their Senate counterparts apparently feel that now is not the time to be ramping up production. In fact, the committee’s markup includes language that directs the Pentagon to resurrect the dormant alternate engine program, arguing that the Pratt & Whitney-built F135 engine has been the cause of recent troubles that have threatened the aircraft’s schedule. Congress and the Pentagon had fought for years over the alternate engine before Congress finally gave up on the issue, but Senate appropriators may not be over it: “The committee believes that had the alternate engine program continued, competition would have incentivized the F135 engine manufacturer to find creative methods to drive down prices and ensure timely delivery of a high quality product, which is consistent with current Department preference for competition in acquisitions,” the report states. “Therefore, the Committee recommends the Secretary of Defense reassess the value of an alternate engine program creating competition to improve price, quality, and operational availability.”
Appropriators split on Reaper buy – Will the Air Force be forced to buy more Reapers? That question remains unanswered after Senate appropriators released a markup that contradicted their House counterparts on the matter, approving the service’s request for 12 aircraft while making only a modest cut. House appropriators, just a year after scolding the Air Force for its “brazen” disregard of congressional intent to slow the ramp-down in MQ-9 buys, added eight aircraft and $133 million to the president’s request in its mark this year. However, it should be noted that the same rift between the Senate and House occured last year, and the Senate eventually acquiesced to the House’s version, which forced the Air Force to buy 20 Reapers instead of 12. There is a somewhat different atmosphere this year, however: the last year’s defense authorization act agreed with appropriators, to an extent, and added six aircraft, whereas both House and Senate marks of the authorization bill this time around don’t adjust the Pentagon’s proposal. Read more MQ-9 analysis >>>
C-130 AMP gets more backers – The Air Force’s pleas to end the C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) have again fallen on deaf ears in Congress, with Senate appropriators joining authorizers in rejecting the move by the air service and directing officials to obligate prior-year funds authorized and appropriated for the AMP program. “The Committee supports modernization of the C–130H fleet and understands the Air Force plans to operate approximately 150 C–130H models for the foreseeable future,” the report states. “As such, the Committee supports continuation of the C–130 Avionics Modernization Program [AMP] program to ensure the Air National Guard operates relevant and modernized aircraft.” The Pentagon tried to kill AMP last year and both authorizers and appropriators added $47.3 million to continue it, banning the Air Force from cancelling or modifying the program in the process. The Pentagon tried again this year but, as we suggested would be the case in March, lawmakers still see the program as essential to keeping the C-130 fleet viable. Read more C-130 analysis >>>