Congress reviews future Reserve equipment upgrades

  • Published
  • By Col. Bob Thompson
  • Air Force Reserve Public Affairs
WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  As Congress works on the fiscal year 2012 budget and to reduce federal debt, Army and Air Force Reserve and National Guard leaders were on Capitol Hill here to testify and answer questions about their funding proposals Oct. 12.

Chairman Roscoe Bartlett and Ranking Member Silvestre Reyes lead the House Armed Services Committee's Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee. They questioned the Reserve component leaders about modernization and equipping strategies, new initiatives, program changes, and potential impacts on the U.S. industrial base.

"The FY12 President's Budget Request would fund Air Force Reserve requirements of approximately $5 billion," said Lt. Gen. Charles E. Stenner Jr., the chief of Air Force Reserve. "This is one of the most efficient and cost-effective programs in DOD. We retain the most experienced warriors and powerful combat capability our nation has ever produced at a fraction of the cost of regular component programs."

Air Force Reserve Airmen comprise about 14 percent of the total Air Force authorized end-strength at only 5.3 percent of the Air Force's military personnel budget, officials said. This means the nation gains 3.5 Reserve Airmen for the cost of one active component Airman.

"In today's fiscally constrained environment, Reservists remain efficient and cost-effective solutions to our nation's challenges," Stenner said. "However, sustaining operations on five continents has resulted in much wear and tear on our aging equipment."

To update and maintain that equipment, Congress allocates National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account money to the Reserve component leaders, officials said. These are funds specifically given by Congress to keep leading-edge capability in the Reserve forces that are called upon for strategic surges as well as daily operations in the past decade of combat.

"The National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account is our primary means of modernizing our force with the most cost-effective technologies out there," Stenner said. "Since 1981, this money is vital to upgrading our combat equipment and aircraft. This funding has resulted in better targeting, self protection and communication capabilities in Afghanistan and Iraq combat operations."

Congress allocates this special account separately from the president's budget request, officials said. Last year, Congress funded the Air Force Reserve equipment upgrades with $70 million which was used in four focus areas: precision engagement, defensive systems, irregular warfare and enhanced communications.

In the past, this funding made possible the avionics upgrades to Reserve F-16 Fighting Falcons, officials said. The Litening advanced targeting pod was a resounding success during the opening days of combat against the Taliban in Afghanistan. Air Force Reservists and their equipment were asked to stay in country longer than expected because this targeting pod was not available to the regular component at the time. Today, Reserve F-16 and A-10 Thunderbolt II pilots are the most experienced targeting pod users in the Air Force.

"I'm proud to report to you that National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account dollars are at work today in the combat zone and saving lives," Stenner said.

In 2010, the special funding was used to install the Smart Multi-Function Color Display in 15 Air Force Reserve and 17 Air National Guard combat search and rescue helicopters, officials said. This communication upgrade provides the aircrews with enhanced data links, situational awareness and survivor information while airborne. With the new system, these aircrews receive critical information while enroute to rescue scenes resulting in reduced mission launch times, upgraded threat awareness and reduced flight crew workload.

"The end result is that lives are being saved," said Stenner. "In less than 20 months, 331 wounded warriors' lives were saved by the quicker response times and safer evacuations," Stenner said. "This is a direct result of equipment upgrades from this outstanding program. The active component does not have this capacity and won't for another two to three years."

The success of the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account is that it uses off-the-shelf, commerciallyavailable technology and products, he said. This "ready now" capability greatly shortens the acquisition process and saves time and money. New ideas come from the troops in the field and the proposals get evaluated, validated and prioritized -resulting in equipment upgrades getting quickly to the combat zone, increasing mission success and saving lives.

The congressional leaders expressed interest into what repercussions would result from cuts to funding these equipment upgrades.

"Upgrades to the Guard and Reserve through this special equipment account bring capability to the total force cheaper and faster," Stenner said. "These programs are the seed corn for necessary equipment modifications that all our troops in combat need. Sometimes the regular component is a couple of years behind, and often, we break ground, and the active duty sees our new capability and follows suit."

Commanders rate equipment requests as "critical" when the mission cannot be accomplished without a certain capability and may result in mission failure or loss of life, he said. Other requests may be rated as "essential" if the mission may still be possible despite severely degraded capability with significant risk. Essential mission capability and equipment are considered by commanders as the keys to force readiness and daily operations.

"The goal of Air Force Reserve's modernization efforts is to ensure that all our combat aircraft and capabilities work interchangeable with our regular Air Force and Air National Guard counterparts," Stenner said. "To meet future challenges, our equipment must be ready for combat operations in all theaters and any crisis or contingency at home or abroad."