WASHINGTON -- The Air Force announced today details related to the Quadrennial Defense Review as well as the Air Force Fiscal Year 2007 Budget Roll Out. As the Air Force continues to transform, it will have three priorities: winning the war on terror, developing and caring for its Airmen, and recapitalizing and modernizing its air and space systems.
"The Quadrennial Defense Review is a solid guidepost of the Air Force transformation in support of the combatant commanders and the president, " said Lt. Gen. Stephen G. Wood, Deputy Chief of Staff for Strategic Plans and Programs, Headquarters U.S. Air Force.
In order to meet its transformation objectives, the Air Force announced changes to several of its programs. According to Maj. Gen. Frank R. Faykes, the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Budget, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Financial Management and Comptroller, "Funding an agile, more capable force is accomplished through the Air Force budget. This new budget balances our resources, supports a lean, ready force, and meets current and future joint warfighting requirements through key investments in improved capabilities".
The Air Force is continuing F-22A production and restructuring the program to procure 20 aircraft per year through 2010, an increase of four aircraft throughout the life of the program.
The Air Force is funding procurement of 24 Light Cargo Aircraft in the Fiscal Year 2007-2011 Future Years Defense Program to meet intra-theater requirements and potentially enable acceleration of C-130E retirements.
It will also continue to support the operational requirements of combatant commanders by procuring 6 additional Global Hawks, 24 additional Predators, and making key investments in their space portfolio.
A Mobility Capability Study confirmed the current fleet of C-17s and modernized C-5s is sufficient to support DoD warfighting units.
It was also announced that 141 CSAR-X aircraft will replace the current fleet of HH-60G Combat Search and Rescue helicopters, retirement of the F-117 will be accelerated from Fiscal Year 2011 to Fiscal Year 2008, and U2 operations will be ramped down until its retirement by Fiscal Year 2011. The C-130E will be divested by Fiscal Year 2014. Additionally, the Air Force will retire 50 percent of the U.S.-based C-21 fleet.
Changes to the Air Force will also include manpower adjustments. The Air Force will be enhancing joint operations and interdependencies by increasing tactical air controllers by 1,064 people. It will also be reducing Total Force end strength by approximately 16,100 in Fiscal Year 2007.
For additional information contact the Air Force Press Desk at (703) 695-0640. A copy of the Air Force budget will be posted on Tuesday, Feb. 7 at
http://www.saffm.hq.af.mil/budget/.