By Emelie Rutherford
The lengthy $3 billion reprogramming request the Pentagon sent to Congress last week seeks to shift funding to cover 10 “new-start” efforts, including buying communications- relaying aircraft and developing gunships for use in theater.
While lawmakers tend to be cautious about allowing new starts via reprogrammed funds, it remains to be seen how they react to this fiscal year 2008 omnibus reprogramming action signed by Deputy Defense Secretary Gordon England July 11.
A significant new-start request seeks to shift $23.9 million to Air Force procurement, in order to replace aircraft that relay communications data in theater with six commercially available PC-12 aircraft. This aircraft-replacement effort results from a Joint Urgent Operational Need (JUON) request from U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM).
“This critical ongoing communications relay mission is presently being performed using C-130 and E-6B aircraft,” the 70-page reprogramming document states. “However, these aircraft are needed to support other OEF/OIF missions, making more efficient use of their capabilities. To cease diverting these aircraft requires PC-12 replacements to continue this critical national security mission.”
The CENTCOM JUON also spurred a requested $21.3 million shift to Air Force procurement for replacing current airborne Beyond-Line-of-Sight (BLOS) command-and-control communications platforms with “more efficient, cost-effective capability.” This new-start effort would modify the PC-12 planes so they can carry the communications payload.
The reprogramming request seeks to shift $32 million to Air Force research and development accounts for buying one C-27 aircraft for U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) to modify as an AC-XX gunship prototype. SOCOM wants the gunship capability for Air Force Special Operations Command to provide precision-fire and close-air support for special operations ground forces in theater.
“Greater than expected utilization rates are stressing the AC-130 fleet,” the document says about the desired new-start effort. “This prototype will serve as a risk mitigation effort to field a new platform to operate in austere locations, with increased operational flexibility, and a smaller support trail of manpower and logistics.”
The request also seeks to reprogram $11.4 million to defense-wide R&D for feasibility studies and engineering analyses “to enhance the mission capability of special operations forces (SOF) aviation,” including studies to support the AC-XX gunship.
Another $30 million shift in Air Force research and development funds, sought for a new start via the reprogramming request, would bolster Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) efforts to develop potential solutions for the Hard and Deeply Buried Target Defeat System. The system is intended to provide a global-strike capability not available now.
“This funding will leverage DTRA’s efforts and continue development of potential solutions including (but not limited to) Special Forces, conventional short or long range ballistic missiles (land or sea launched), cruise missiles, direct attack munitions, and standoff weapons,” the reprogramming document says.
Additional money shifts for initiatives labeled as “new starts” in the reprogramming request include:
- $6.3 million more in Navy research and development (R&D) monies for a safety upgrade to the VH-3D legacy presidential helicopter’s fuel system. This is part of existing service-life extension efforts for the aircraft until the new and delayed VH-71 helicopter is ready for the White House. “Funding is critical to maintain to accelerate the schedule approximately 4 months (until the availability of FY 2009 funding),” the document says;
- an additional $6.4 million for Air Force R&D for a classified program related to defense reconnaissance support;
- $7.5 million more in defense-wide procurement to buy a U-28A aircrew training system, required to close a training capability gap.
- a $1.4 million boost to Navy R&D for Marine Corps information technology development, for enhancing the existing Marine Corps Total Force Administration System; and
- $3 million more for Navy R&D for non-recurring engineering services for the Link 16 capability in the Multi-functional Information Distribution System-Low Volume (MIDS- LVT).
Overall, the four-part reprogramming action would shift an additional $53.9 million to the Army and $32.5 million to the Navy, while taking $83.7 million from defense-wide funds and $2.7 million from the Air Force (Defense Daily, July 22).