Air Force vice chief testifies on force readiness

  • Published
  • By Mitch Gettle
  • Air Force Public Affairs Agency
WASHINGTON (AFNS) --  The Air Force vice chief of staff provided a total force readiness update to the House Armed Services Committee's Subcommittee on Readiness here July 26.

"I'm pleased to report that America's Air Force continues to provide the nation with unmatched global vigilance, reach and power as a part of this joint and coalition team," Gen. Philip Breedlove said. "The Air Force remains a mission-focused and prepared force, an increasingly difficult task, given 20 years of constant deployed combat operations dating all the way back to Operation Desert Storm."

Breedlove joined his Army, Navy and Marine Corps counterparts in discussing readiness trends and highlighting some of the challenges the services face.

"Our enduring commitment to readiness in the joint fight is evidenced by the 40,000 American Airmen deployed to 285 locations around the globe," Breedlove said. "Of this group, nearly 28,000 are on a continually rotating basis to directly contribute to operations in U.S. Central Command, including 10,000 airmen in Afghanistan."

Additionally, 57,000 Airmen stationed in overseas locations provide capabilities in direct support of combatant commands, he added.

The operations tempo for many Airmen, based on the ratio of time spent deployed and the time spent at home station, is stretching some career fields to their limits, Breedlove said.

"Sixteen of our enlisted specialties and six of our officer specialties are well below the 1-to-1 acceptable minimum (ratio)," Breedlove said.

The Air Force's aircraft inventory remains ready, Breedlove said, although extensive use in contingency operations is testing the aging fleet.

"The mobility air forces are in good shape," the general said. "Our modernization and recapitalization efforts, most notably with the KC-46, remain on track."

Due to rapidly accumulating flight hours and delays in modernization and recapitalization efforts, Breedlove described the combat air forces' readiness level as "adequate."

"To keep our legacy platforms viable well into the future, the Air Force intends to use funds saved through our efficiency efforts to subsidize modernization," Breedlove said.

Looming budget cuts to future defense spending will affect the Air Force's operations, but service leaders have made a pledge to ensure the Air Force "will not go hollow," the general said.

Breedlove recalled a time in the 1970s when the Air Force had retained too much force structure for its funding stream, leaving parts of its aircraft fleet grounded.

"When I came into the flying business in the '70s, I looked at what hollow was on Air Force bases, as I walked down the line and saw holes in aircraft where there were no engines," he said. "We can't afford to go there with the requirements of our COCOMs today."