Officials announce Air Force budget proposal Published Feb. 7, 2005 By Tech. Sgt. David A. Jablonski Air Force Print News WASHINGTON -- The Air Force piece of the 2006 defense budget is designed to make the joint team better, officials said.Announced Feb. 7, the budget grows from $96 billion that Congress enacted for fiscal 2005, to $102.9 billion in 2006, a senior Air Force budget official said. After covering the growing costs of inflation and fuel costs, there is real growth of about $4 billion.About $34.7 billion, or 34 percent, of the proposed $102.9 billion funding is dedicated to people. This growth covers the costs of a 3.1 percent military pay raise and 2.3 percent increase for the civilian force.Readiness programs account for $29.9 billion, or 29 percent, of the proposed Air Force funding. This does not include the operations funding for the war on terror, which is funded separately in a supplemental request to Congress. Rather, it supports training and day-to-day operations, and includes increases for higher costs, especially in fuel, and additional dollars for key missions supporting the warfighter.Modernization funding, $35.1 billion or 34 percent of the total, does not increase significantly, but there are a number of specific programs that grow, especially programs designed to provide new capabilities in space. Military construction makes up the remaining $32 billion or 3 percent of the Air Force total, and grows modestly to cover upgrades to additional family housing units.“We are at war today and the Air Force, as part of the joint warfighting team, is doing its part both operationally and through this budget to support this crucial national priority,” the official said.“The 2006 budget ensures the Air Force can execute the core missions of persistent (command, control, communications, computer, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance), global mobility, and rapid strike, providing the Air Force the ability to help win the global war on terror and to strengthen and transform joint warfighting capabilities while minimizing the risk to our nation,” the official said.The overall Department of Defense budget request reflects a change from more conventional warfighting systems such as aircraft and ships, to people and weapons tailored to fighting insurgency.President George W. Bush delivered his defense budget request for $419.3 billion to Congress on Feb. 7. Funding for operations such as Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom is not included in the request, and they are funded in a separate supplemental budget.The detailed Air Force budget is available at: http://www.dod.mil/comptroller/defbudget/fy2006/index.html.