Comms, Jammers Top USAF FY10 Unfunded List
By Amy Butler
More battlefield communications capabilities, jammers, infrared satellites and F-35 spares and support equipment are among the $1.9 billion in unfunded priorities for the U.S. Air Force along with the Fiscal 2010 budget request sent to Congress this month.
The list, which is signed by the Air Force’s chief of staff, Gen. Norton Schwartz, is addressed to Rep. John McHugh (N.Y.), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee; it was sent to Congress May 18 in response to a request from McHugh, the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee.
Top on the list is a $180.2 million need for to pay for leasing and operating two additional BD-700, Bombardier Global Express aircraft outfitted with the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) payload. It is used to extend the range of ground communications equipment and to dispatch messages sent from equipment that uses different formats.
Already, the Air Force is leasing the services of one BACN-equipped BD-700 in U.S. Central Command; in the 2010 request, the service asks to buy this platform. The unfunded aircraft would help support operations in Afghanistan, according to the list. Schwartz says that this need is so critical that the USAF would provide offsets to ensure their funding.
Second on the list is a need for $78 million for four upgrade kits for the EC-130s being used to support war operations. The kits are needed to bring the aircraft in CentCom up to a common configuration and provide eight SPEAR wide-area high-powered jamming pods for the aircraft.
Third up is a $103.4 million unfunded request for Operationally Responsive Satellite-1 and a follow-on which, until now, was not publicly discussed. ORS-1 is a Goodrich-led effort to quickly build an infrared imaging satellite to support urgent needs in CentCom; according to Schwartz’s list a shortfall in this capability is projected for the command next fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1.
Such funds would finish development of the first spacecraft and provide for the second satellite, described by Schwartz as a clone of ORS-1. The satellite was expected to be complete within 24 months of contract award and to operate for at least two years. This measure could spark interest from the intelligence community, which typically provides IR imaging capabilities for commanders around the globe.
For tactical aircraft, Schwartz outlines a need for $143 million for spares and support equipment for 10 aircraft already requested in the 2010 outline. These requirements ensure the delivered aircraft are fully supportable in the field and ensures no unit cost increases for aircraft costs would be passed to U.S. and coalition partners, Schwartz says.
For the combat-search-and-rescue mission, the four-star general is hoping to buy three additional HH-60G Pave Hawk loss replacements if an extra $120 million is appropriated by Congress. The Air Force outlined plans in its 2010 request for the purchase of two UH-60M models, being built by Sikorsky for the Army, for later conversion into the a configuration similar to the Pave Hawk, which can refuel midair and has specialized defensive and navigation systems.
Fifth on the USAF list is $81 million for 81 AAQ-129 forward looking infrared kits aboard the Pave Hawk fleet, the existing AAQ-116s are no longer being supported by the contractor. Supply of existing FLIR kits are critically low due to increased wartime attrition and sustainment challenges.
Schwartz asks for $158 million to accelerate procurement of two HC-130J aircraft for use in Africa and Europe, a measure that the chief describes as late in meeting the need. Lack of aerial refueling platforms in European and African commands critically limit personnel recovery operations in these theaters and also impinges their ability to support other combatant commanders, he says.
Finally, the list seeks to add a nuclear detection kit onto new Space-Based Infrared System missile warning satellites. It also suggests two undisclosed classified efforts (one for $140 million and another for $191.1 million) and $50 million for five active electronically scanned array radar kits for F-15C aircraft.
Click here to view a pdf of Schwartz' list.
Image: US Navy
