DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 1991 TUESDAY, MAY 8, 1990 U.S. SENATE, SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, Washington, DC. The subcommittee met at 10:03 a.m., in room SD-192, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Hon. Daniel K. Inouye (chairman) presiding. Present: Senators Inouye, Bumpers, Harkin, Stevens, McClure, D'Amato, and Specter. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE TACTICAL AIR POWER STATEMENT OF VICE ADM. RICHARD M. DUNLEAVY, ASSISTANT CHIEF OF NAVAL OPERATIONS (AIR WARFARE), U.S. NAVY ACCOMPANIED BY: LT. GEN. CHARLES H. PITMAN, USMC, DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF FOR AVIATION, U.S. MARINE CORPS MAJ. GEN. JOHN E. JAQUISH, USAF, DIRECTOR, TACTICAL PROGRAMS, OFFICE OF THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF THE AIR FORCE (ACQUISITION) VICE ADM. RICHARD C. GENTZ, COMMANDER, NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND OPENING REMARKS OF SENATOR INOUYE Senator INOUYE. The subject of our hearing this morning is the tactical aircraft and related equipment requirements of the Navy, Marine Corps, and the Air Force. Tactical air power is one of the largest funding segments of the defense budget. The increasingly sophisticated technology, in addition to the high costs of military fighter aircraft and missiles, requires the investment of billions of dollars annually to develop, procure, modernize, and maintain our tactical air assets. Our focus on this subject is the force structure goals and acquisition programs requested for fiscal year 1991. The sweeping international changes of the past several months have altered the national security threats to the United States. These changed conditions, coupled with austere funding constraints, require us to insure that we clearly define our tactical air power objectives and priorities and minimize duplication, both within and among the services. (1) In response, Secretary Cheney has taken the first step in redefining our requirements by conducting a review of major aircraft acquisition programs. As a result of the review, the Pentagon has decided to curtail its plans to buy six major aircraft, reducing the fiscal year 1991 budget request currently before this subcommittee by $2.4 billion. The Secretary's decision will have an impact on four tactical aircraft programs, which we will discuss today. The Air Force advanced tactical aircraft will be delayed beyond the fiscal year 1997 defense program. Procurement of the Air Force and Navy advanced tactical fighters will be delayed by 2 years, and the Navy A-12 will be reduced from 858 to 620 aircraft. We have before us this morning to discuss the changes and requirements in tactical air power, Vice Adm. Richard M. Dunleavy, Assistant Chief of Naval Operations for Air Warfare; and Lt. Gen. Charles H. Pitman, Deputy Chief of Staff for Aviation, Marine Corps Headquarters. I gather that this may be your last hearing, sir. General PITMAN. Yes, sir; that's correct. Senator INOUYE. I wish you the best, sir. General PITMAN. Thank you. Senator INOUYE. We also have Maj. Gen. John E. Jaquish, Director of Tactical Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition. We welcome you, gentlemen. Your appearance today will give us the first discussion by the subcommittee on tactical air elements of the major aircraft review. We look forward to hearing your candid remarks and assessment on this and other tactical air power programs. As always, we have received your prepared statements. They have been made a part of the record. So, you may proceed as you wish, sir. I presume the Admiral will lead off. Admiral DUNLEAVY. Good morning, sir. Yes, sir; I'll take the lead. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for inviting us over here to testify on tactical air. As I am the responsible fellow in the Navy for naval aviation, we have submitted our statement for the record. General Pitman has submitted his for the corps, and we, together, stand ready to answer questions for the Navy and the Marine Corps. General Jaquish will handle the Air Force. Senator INOUYE. Would you like to proceed, sir? Admiral DUNLEAVY. We're ready for your questions. [The statements follow:] STATEMENT OF VICE ADM. RICHARD M. DUNLEAVY INTRODUCTION Mr. Chairman and distinguished members of the subcommittee, I appreciate your invitation to present the Department of the Navy's plans for aircraft procurement for Fiscal Year 1991 and to update you on the significant programs which influence Navy and Marine Corps Aviation's contribution to the military strategy of the United States and tactical air power. BUDGET OVERVIEW As we start the 1990s, Naval Aviation is embarking upon a critical modernization program necessary for the United States Navy to meets its global national security commitments into the 21st Century. The President's budget responds to this requirement in a measured and fiscally responsible manner. The Aircraft Procurement, Navy (APN) request for FY 1991 is $9,839 million, an increase of $541 million over the level appropriated in FY 1990. By comparison, our FY 1991 request under the January 1989 Reagan budget of $11,369 million was $1,530 million higher. The decrease recognizes the fiscal realities we face. Production programs (A-6, P-3) were terminated in earlier years in anticipation of urgently needed replacement programs now in the President's FY 1991 request. These include the A-12, T-45, P-7A advance procurement, and remanufacturing F-14D and EA-6B aircraft to achieve modernization. The requested funds will procure 163 new and 15 remanufactured aircraft in FY 1991. These procurement levels, constrained by budget realities, will move toward alleviating |