The committee will come to order. I want to thank you all for joining us here today as we consider the fiscal year 2015 budget request for the department of the air force. I appreciate our witnesses testimony and their support for our airmen. Joining us today are the honorable Deborah Lee James secretary of the air force and general mark sub to chief of staff of the air force and he has brightened up the room a little bit by inviting his wife that betty and his daughter lives to be with us. Thank you for joining us. I want to especially welcome secretary james the 23rd secretary of the air force as this is her first Posture Hearing before a committee. We are also delighted that she is the former house staff member and in fact we were talking before we came in here and she pointed out to us where one of her offices was in her tenure on the staff. We are happy to have you back. Welcome back. This committee and you general welsh have warned about the consequences of the cuts to our Defense Budget. I dont think policymakers in washington or the American People really understand how much has been cut and what it means. For the air force what it means is although the budget request highlights were investments in readiness the air force still cannot meet its readiness needs until 2023. Let me read that again. 2023, 10 years almost from now. That is how big the readiness deficit is. The cuts we made over the last couple of years or so deep and the budget forecast into the future with what do we have . What is our problem . Sequestration. How soon we forget. But that has basically flattened out into the future so to try to refill the whole with the limited resources in the future, 10 years just to get us back where we need to be in readiness. Second the air force is faced with making difficult force structure tradeoffs. In this years budget alone the air force is retiring to pretty good aircraft. Just because we dont have the resources to maintain them. These aircraft have unique capabilities that Combatant Commanders that we are de had in the hearing process up to this point need that aircraft. Its interesting people before you general have said that you were an atf pilot and kind of indicated that you suggested getting rid of the a10. Its amazing how things work but i think the ones that we should probably be asking about the a10s for the Ground Forces that have their lives saved because of the a10 and the pilots that have flown them. I understand the dilemma we are facing. General welsh you said it tests when we pose the question do we want a ready force today or a modern force tomorrow . I now the air force is trying to make the best of a bad situation as all of the services are but i fear that the way we are heading will our nation expects her air force is to be superior and to be ready. We dont want to go into any unfair fights. Whether to deploy to reassure Eastern European allies to monitor missile launches around the world, to provide Close Air Support and intelligence to our troops in afghanistan, which of those missions would we like to eliminate . There are technological superiority is eroding the air space and cyberspace. Our forces are restrained and just meeting the daytoday work diamonds much less crisis or conflict. I said this on wednesday to the navy and marine corps and i will say it again today. Is this the air force we want for our nation. Lastly while we continue to debate funding and force structure we cannot forget the values and standards to which we hold our military. Integrity matters, leadership matters. The vast majority of our servicemembers embody those values daily. Unfortunately we have read too many stories recently that reveal behavioral cultural problems that have permeated the nuclear enterprise. Manning our Nations Nuclear deterrent is an immense responsibility and i know there are many airmen who do this with the utmost skill and professionalism. However a few bad eggs put at risk the mission and retain the record of the rest of the air force. That cannot be allowed to happen. I hope these sobering remarks remind us not to lose sight of our vital importance of reversing the dangerous budget trajectory. I look forward to your testimony here today. Ms. Sanchez. Thank you mr. Chairman and both to the secretary and to the general its a pleasure to have you before us today. General, i often use your speech at usaf to my leadership classes back home so im grateful to have you here today. I will be submitting Ranking Member smiths Opening Statement for the record. Without objection, so ordered before we have the witnesses give their testimonies i just want to let you know that im looking forward to cover two areas today in our discussion. The first, continue to be extremely concerned with respect to the leadership and personnel within the icbm, nuclear cases of misconduct, low morale, cheating on tests air commanders not conducting themselves in a manner that lives up to the standards of the air force. This is totally acceptable in this issue needs to be addressed so i would like to hear what you are doing with respect to that in the second ,com,com ma then closely monitoring the lack of competition in the air force Space Launch Programs and unfortunately i just learned of the last day that the air force has made a decision to continue this trend by reducing the competitive opportunities by 50 and i think thats a very unfortunate outcome because i believe competition drives down prices so those are two areas that i would like you to address as you move forward. Thank you mr. Chairman and i look forward to the testimony. Thank you. Madam secretary. Thank you so much mr. Chairman and members of the committee congresswoman sanchez. It truly is an honor for me to be here this morning and thank you mr. Chairman for your kind opening. Like you said this is kind of like coming home for me and i will admit that i had more experience sitting in the chairs in the back of this room than sitting on the chairs on the side of the table but its great to be back here and particularly apropos as a graduate of the military personnel compensation subcommittee to have this be my first Posture Hearing. General welsh and i do have prepared remarks which i would ask the submitted for the record and we will just summarize with your concurrence. I also want to take a moment. Without objection, your written statements will be totally injured in the record. Thank you. I would also just like to take a moment to say that a lot of people who are mourning right now at the pentagon mr. Chairman due to your announcement that he will be retiring from the congress, so i just want to say i dont think its too late to reverse that decision in case youre interested read i dont know that you will but we are grateful for all the work you have done over the years for men and women in uniform and we will surely miss you a great deal. The biggest honor and privilege for me in this new job and i am 11 weeks old in this job now is to be a part of this terrific very best air force on the entire planet and that is 690,000 more or less activeduty National Guard reserve and civilian air men and women as well as their families. That is the total team and im part of that team now and its a huge honor and a privilege. During my first 11 weeks i have been very busy not only studying up on all of the budgetary matters and all of our programs and trying to get on top of that as best as possible, but i have tried to hit the ground running and ive been out and about to see are air force in action. 18 bases in 13 states, that is where it been so far. In a nutshell here is three things that i have noted. First of all i have noted leaders at all levels in these are our officer leaders and enlisted leaders are taking on tough issues and tough budgetary environment but they are doing with a spirit and getting things done despite difficulties. Secondly i have seen superb total force teamwork and here im talking particularly with our national regarding reserve forces operating with their activeduty air force. This is from headquarters right on down to the unit level. Ive seen them get the job done and number three acrosstheboard amazing airmen who are enthusiastic about what they are doing in service to our nation. Everywhere i go i do town Hall Meetings but with that enthusiasm they also are looking to us, they are looking to you and looking to our nations leaders for decisions in greater stability if we can give it to them and leadership in these very challenging times. Indeed these are very challenging times both in terms of our security environment and the decline in budgets that you talked about mr. Chairman and its omission be we have before you we have done our best to tackle these challenges headon in a thoughtful and deliberate and very inclusive way. In the fy15 budget we do have a strategy driven budget but lets face facts. We are severely severely limited by the fiscal choices that are contained in the budget control act and the bipartisan budget act. For 2015 as you know we do hit the dollar targets that are in the vba but we also have contained therein what we call the opportunity growth and security initiative. This is a 26 billiondollar initiative across dod for us in the air force. Its about 7 billion if we are granted these additional funds and principally on readiness and other key investments to get us back closer to where we want and need to be. I hope we will get a chance to talk more about that during q a. So thats fy15. For 16 and beyond we similarly have difficult choices to make and we will talk a bit more about that as we get further into it. The key thing is that this is a budget in which we are rebalancing and mr. Chairman you said its readiness and its the future and its really not an either or because very much we need to have both. Im pretty sure is we get into this we are not going to make everybody happy and as a matter fact i think theres going to be a fair amount of unhappiness. When we get into q a are preamble in many answers to your questions will be faced with difficult choices in the budgetary situation we made these choices. I dont mean to sound like a broken record on that but it really is the truth and there are elements of lowhanging fruit in this budget. Just a few words on strategy. There are strategy impaired as for today. Secdef has laid out where we are beginning to transition we need to defend the homeland against all strategic threats. We need to build security globally by protecting u. S. Influence and deterring aggression and we need to remain prepared to work decisively against any adversary it should deterrence fail. Our air force is critically important to all those elements and that is today but theres also tomorrow. Theres a strategy imperative for tomorrow. New technologies new centers of power particularly the pacific a more volatile and unpredictable world, a world in which we can no longer accept that american dominance of the skies in that space will be preeminent. We have to get ready. We have to have abilities to operate in an environment. Again our air force is critical as well in the future so we have to have both the today and tomorrow peace. If you turn to the budget budget realities we are we are very grateful for the greater stability and the additional lump up in fy14 additional and it doesnt solve all of the ills but it was a great help so we are grateful to the vba, the fy14 appropriations and the many decisions contained in the ndaa but again even with as lump ups there were difficult tradeoffs that have to be made because the 2015 topline and beyond is a whole lot less than we ever thought possible just a few short years ago. So i have been in and around this business as an observer i would say for more than 30 years and i think you all will agree with me that there is always the strategy and there is always budgets and they never match exactly. There is always a certain degree of mismatch and when that happens that is when we have to make the decisions and the decisions are based on the best military judgment and what we think are prudent risks where we can assume those risks. That is the story this year as well. Albeit i think its a more complex and difficult year than most and as i said there is no lowhanging fruit as best as i can tell. In general our decisions reduce capacity in order to gain capability so that means we chose when necessary reductions in manpower and force structure to sustain readiness and guarantee technological superiority. We slowed the growth in military compensation in order to free up money to plow back into todays readiness as well as recapitalization. We chose to delay or terminate some programs and to protect higher priority programs. And we the soft cost savings in a number of ways reducing headquarters, putting us on a glide path to greater reliance on the guard and reserve. We sought reductions in the number of ways in order to try to balance all of this out as best we could. Now i would like to give you some of the key decisions but give it to you within the context of the three priorities that ive laid out for the air force and those three priorities are taking care of people, balancing todays readiness with tomorrows readiness and number three insuring that we have the very best air force that we possibly can have at the best value to the taxpayer so everything i work on i try to work on the prism of those three priorities. So taking care of people. That means a lot to me. Everything comes down to people as as far as im concerned and its a multifaceted area so taking care of people means recruiting the right people, retaining that the us people in developing them having diversity of thought in background at the table as we make our decisions, protecting the most important family programs. It means dignity and respect for all and making sure that everybody is on top of and leading and living our core values as you talked about the importance of integrity mr. Chairman. It means fair compensation Going Forward. Its a lot of things. Its all about taking care people. Let me zero in on two very set in particular which have some controversy associated with them. First of all based on where we believe we are going we are going to be a smaller air force in the future. We will be coming down on all of our components active guard reserve and civilian. We will get smaller and rely more on our guard and reserve but as we get smaller we need to shape our air force particular in the activeduty side but we have right now are certain imbalances. If certain categories in specialty areas where we have too many people and then we have other categories in specialty areas where we have too few people so in addition to bringing numbers down somewhat we need to rebalance and get into sync so we have a series of programs that we are offering to retrain people into other categories. Some are voluntary and then if we can get the numbers into balance their involuntary programs as well. This is very much on the minds of our airmen and i wanted to bring it to your attention as well. Another area of controversy as compensation, slowing the growth in military compensation. This was one of those hard decisions that nobody is totally happy with what we felt given the fact that military compensation has risen quite a bit particular in the last decade as we look at comparability with the civilian sector we felt that somewhat slowing that growth was a reasonable approach in the next several years as we attempt to plow money back into readiness. Again our decisions. Those are two particular areas that are on the minds of our people quite a bit now. This brings me to my second priority and that is balancing the readiness of today with the readiness of tomorrow. As you point out its going to take us a while to get back to readiness levels, quite a while where we can do a full range of capabilities. We took a big hit with sequestration last year so for fy15 we need to get back on the glide path to get it out. We need to fully fund the flying hours which we have done in other High Priorities readiness issues and we will see gradual improvements if we can secure these resources. But i have to also say there is the readiness of tomorrow. There is today and tomorrow so in addition to the readiness of today we remain committed to our programs of tomorrow. The three are the joint Strike Fighter f35, the new Tanker Program and the longrange Strike Bomber. We are also remaining committed to the Nuclear Triad the icbm and the bombers for the air force and i look forward to talking about the icbms as we get into q a. I spent a fair amount of time in my first 11 weeks on that issue and there are other things in the budget as well. Starting to rebuild our combat Helicopter Force and nextgeneration jstars aircraft in replacement for aging 230 a. Training for aircraft. Theres a billion dollars for new Energy Technology and also critical advances in our space capability so these are all the things that we chose to invest in in some cases doubling down in our vestments. Of course in order to do the readiness of todays key investments for tomorrow that is what we came down to. Where can we take what we think are the most prudent risks. Here are some of the highlights of some of the reductions that we are proposing to take. First of all the retirement of the a10 fleet. That is unknown extremely controversial area. We will talk about that as we get into the q a but i wanted to want you to know we are absolute committed to the air support mission and we will not let it drop. I too have tried to talk to commanders on the ground in the Ground Forces. General welsh knows far more than i do about it but we are going to cover it and we can cover with other aircraft and i commit that we will. Retirement is the youtube and we will keep the Global Hawk Block 30. Its not affordable that we feel under the circumstances and there are requirements which when you add those two together we are above validated requirements for highaltitude recognizance so once again a tough budget environment this is the choice we felt we could assume some risk. We will have limited growth in our combat air control. This is the reapers and the predators so we originally set a couple of years back we would go to 65 with the socalled caps. Under our proposal we will go to 55 and by the way today we are at 50. We are still growing but not growing as much and over time we will retire the mq ones which are the predators so we will be retiring one in favor of the other. Titled making these tough choices today i think we will preserve our combat capability and make each tax dollar count for the better which leads me to the third priority and that is valuable value to the taxpayer and how we will ensure that Going Forward. We have to keep those acquisition programs on budget and on schedule. We have got to work toward auditability and i need to join with her secretary of defense and ask you please for another round of base closure authority in the beginning of 2017. There a lot of initiatives that we have got on going to make every dollar count for the taxpayer. To give you a couple we will be having our headquarters. The secretary has asked us to cut it by 20s and gave us a goal of getting that done over ive years and this is 20 of the money. Not necessarily 25 of them people but 20 of the money. I will predict to you we will get that done and one year and not five and hopefully we will do it better than 20 . It has given us an opportunity to stand back and do how we do things and we are doing things little bit differently and doing better than the 20 rated that is one area that i wanted to bring to your attention. Now let me also turn and then wrap up, sequestration. If we return to the sequestration levels in fy16 and beyond first of all if there is one thing we can take away from this hearing, that would not be the way to go. We ask you to not go that way in your final decisions. We feel would simply be too much of a compromise for our National Security but if we have to return to those levels we have tried to think through how we would manage. Let me just give you a few of those highlights. If we have to return to sequestration this would mean the retirement of up to 80 more aircraft including the kc10. We would choose to defer the global hawk that we would need to make otherwise to make it more on parity with the we would have to retire the Global Hawk Block 40. This is a long endurance radar to detect and track moving targets. We want to do this because it will minimize our risk with jstars but we feel we cant afford it if we have to go back to sequestration. We would slow the purchases of the f. 45. We would have 45 that these caps with their reapers and predators that i told you about rather than 55. We couldnt do that nextgeneration Engine Program i told you about and we would have to reevaluate the combat rescue helicopter and a whole host of other things so that sequestration level is not a big deal for us good deal for the country and we would ask you to support those areas. In conclusion mr. Chairman we are going to be a smaller air force in the future but we are committed to making sure we are capable and innovative than ready. We are committed to being a good value for the taxpayer and every dollar that we spend count. Able to respond overseas as well as at home when disaster strikes. We will be less reliant on our National Guard and reserve and we will be fueled by the very best airmen, airmen on the planet and thank you so much for all that you do for all of us and that now turn it over to general welsh. General. Thank you mr. Chairman and members of the committee. Its always an honor to be here with you. Mr. Chairman thank you also for introducing my wife and daughter. My wife is magic. She is just magic. Im really glad you are getting a chance to meet her and my daughter is smarter and more talented than both of us so she just embarrasses me. Its also wonderful to be sitting here next to my new boss who is doing good things for our air force and i believe it will be a great thing for a relationship with this committee. Im looking forward to having her school on the right way to communicate with his body. General mckee and i would like to thank you for your generous support of our services and our air force and their airmen for your 20 plus years in the congress. You have remarkable Public Service and we thank you for your example. Ladies and gentlemen your air force is the finest in the world and we need to keep it that way. We built this budget to ensure air force combat power remains unequaled. That does not mean it will remain unaffected. Every major decision reflected in our f15 budget, fy15 Budget Proposal hurts. Each of them reduces capability that our Combatant Commanders would love to have them believe they need. There are no more easy cuts. That is just where we are and they cannot ignore the fact that the law says we will return to sequestered funding levels in fy16. To prepare for that the air force must cut people and force structure now to create a force that is allens enough that we can afford to train and operate it and succeed beyond. We started our budget plan by making two significant assumptions. First is the air force must be capable of fighting and winning a full spectrum fight against a wellarmed well equipped welltrained enemy. Second is it ready today versus modern tomorrow cannot be an either or decision. We must be both. Wilson is overwhelming majority of reductions in our budget would have to come from Readiness Force structure and modernization. That is where the money is. Understanding that we try to create the best balance possible became readiness capability and capacity across our five missions take appropriations bill you pass allowed us to fully fund our readiness accounts in fy15 and i thank you but even with continued funding at that level as the chairman mentioned it will take us 10 years to return to full readiness. Its a complicated question and there are lots of things we have let slide to Fund Activity over the last 14 years. Because we need to reduce our planning by billions of dollars a year trimming around the edges just wasnt going to get it done. So we look at cutting fleets of aircraft as a way to create the significant savings required. In air support your superiority mission we had a limiting an entire fleet would leave us unable to provide air superiority for a full theater of operations and no other service can do that. Isr is the numberone shortfall in our Combatant Commanders identified identify a year after year after year. They would never support even more cuts than we have already had to put in our plan. We have several fleets. I spoke with chief of staff to the army ray odierno test what he thought about reductions in the airlift fleet for example. Askew was a smaller army would need to be more responsive and be able to move more quickly. He did not think for the reduction of airlift assets was a good idea. We looked at our fueling fleets and the kc10 as an option bunol showed mouse showed this Mission Impact was two significant that the rates that we could afford to keep it however is the boss that if we do return to sequestering sequestered funding levels this option must be put back on the table. We have to cut many more pc 135s to achieve savings and with that many kc135s out of the fleet we would not be a will to meet mission requirements. In the Strike Mission area we looked at cutting the as tense and the f16s. As the chairman mentioned i hate them an a10 pilot by. Betty and i have a son who is a marine corps infantry officer. Close air support is not an afterthought to me. And it is not going to be the secondary mission in the United States air force Close Air Support is not an aircraft. Its a mission and we do it very well with a number of airplanes today. The reason we looked at the a10 is because we could save 3. 7 billion across by investing the fleet and another 500 million in cost avoidance for plant upgrades that would be required. To achieve the same savings would require much higher number of ab sixteens are f15 e. s. We ran a detailed operational analysis comparing the best teacher of the a10 fleet to the vestige or the b1 fleet reducing the f16 fleet preferring procurement of a number of f35s decreasing readiness further. We use the standard dod planning scenarios and the results showed cutting the a10 fleet was the lowest risk operation, the lowest risk option from an operational perspective and while no one especially me as happy about recommending divestiture in this great old friend its the right decision from a military perspective and as representative of the extremely difficult choices we are being forced to make. The funding levels we can reasonably expect over the next 10 years dictate for america to have a capable credible and viable air force in the mid2020s we must get smaller now. We must modernize parts of our force but we cant modernize as much as plant and maintain a proper balance across our core mission areas. Thank you for your continued support of our air force and my personal thanks for your unending support of our airmen and their families. The secretary and i look forward to your questions. Thank you very much. Just a little bit on the lay of the land. We understand we are going to have votes at about 10 15. We will try to get in as many questions before that as we can and i will watch the time very closely. But we will come back after the votes. Secretarygeneral if you can stay we would really appreciate it because we have many members that will have questions so immediately after votes those who can return please come back as quickly as possible and we will get right back to the votes. General welsh in my statement i acknowledge the air force is being forced to choose between a number of bad options. We have a good thing in a bad thing. Those are easy choices in those remained a long time ago. Its between good and good and needed and needed. Devasting force structure to balance readiness modernization is a tough ring. What elements of the force structure proposed for divestiture would you recommend retaining if you had the Budget Authority to do so . For example isr we all acknowledge is a mission of great concern. What others have similarly impactful consequences . The greater shortfalls we have related to the Combatant Commander requirements every year are isr and flight response. Those are the two things i cant meet the demand more than anything else. In the isr category i would include command and control plot dorms like the awacs and the jstars. The force does both for us so isr is clearly the first category that i would maintain capability in. As we discussed more we will not need them by a wider margin and then we have to be careful about devasting our fight or flee too much because we are at a requirement today. We are going seven squadrons below are requirement with this budget in an thing further puts us farther away from what we have agreed as the department is required to meet the standard plans of our Combatant Commanders and their standing annual demand. I was talking to general amos a few months ago and he was a Wing Commander during desert storm i believe it was and how many planes we had. Then i was talking to the general and how many plans with the cimarron need and its a similar need and its drastic compared to what we have been. Again when we see say the air force is getting smaller people need to understand it will be the smallest it has been since its conception. And madam secretary you made the comment of sequestration is the problem. Its a huge problem but it is the law of the land and while we got a short reprieve with this budget that was arrived at in december it comes back in full force and 16 and i think its thing incumbent upon us to use those numbers because until there is a change that will be the law of the land and i think probably everybody on this committee now realizes the dangers we are facing because of it. I think the American People need to know that the air force will be the smallest it has ever been. The navy is going back to the size it was in world war i. The army and the marines are going back, the army back to the smallest since world war ii and the marines are going down to 175,000 force. That is the ari we are on right now so these are dire situations that we are dealing with. Im not sure that the American People really understand how serious it is. So much of the time when we have talked about cuts back here it is we have really slowed the growth rate. These are real cuts your obery or over year so thank you for the work that you are doing. Ms. Sanchez. Thank you mr. Chairman. I have two questions. The first is to secretary james. Welcome back. Maintaining the Nuclear Force is crucial to ensure that we have an optical Nuclear Deterrent and i hope you agree with that. I do. What is the impact of the air force not having started the Environmental Assessment that would allow an evaluation of a reduction of icbm silos as part of the military decision on an optical Nuclear Force structure for the new s. T. A. R. T. Treaty and does the air force plan to initiate that Environmental Assessment and if so why or why not . So of course the new s. T. A. R. T. Treaty contains a variety of numbers that we havent hit in terms of our total Nuclear Capability over certain period of time and it doesnt tell us how to do it so in other words there are choices that could be made in the icbm force the bomber force of the submarine force or a combination thereof. So the department of defense has been looking at this for some time. I think within a couple of weeks, two or three weeks we will have a better feeling of where this is heading. At the moment we have not started the Environmental Assessment. We have got different bodies of law and what do with that Environmental Assessment and of course with the department to dance we have been in discussions about what to do about that Environmental Assessment. If you could go back and work with your people and get some answers as who are you going to do it and when you think you will start doing it etc. Etc. I would appreciate it because its one of the areas that i watch quite a bit. Given all the problems we have had we really need to assess whats going on there. To figure out what we need in order to continue that deterrent that we are capable of having. My next question for you is about the Space Launch Program which i mentioned earlier. The issue of rising costs in the air force Space Launch Program continued to be a great concern to many of us on this committee. I advise believe that one of the ways to get more talent and to get smarter about this and to get more competitive on this. As you know we have had a situation for a long time is to have competition which is why in 2012 undersecretary of defense Frank Kendall directed they air force two and a quote aggressively reduce a competitive procurement environment so in 2012 the air force and the strategic subcommittee said it would be opening 14 opportunities for new entrants into the space launches but now the air force has indicated it plans to reduce this to only seven so it is cut a 50 and no air force mission for fiscal year 15 aside from just one and nro mission so why did you do this . It contradicts does that contradict the air forces commitment to introducing a competitive or cair process and what will be the impact on sustaining competition. I am a californian. There are several companies who are working to compete against the solesource and again you guys just issued another solesource to that company. Im not against that company but i believe with competition we can bring down the cost of these launches significantly, maybe two if youre 25 of what it is costing us now. If you could please speak to that. Thank you. Yes, i will and one of my visits, ive been out to Colorado Springs and i spent some time with the Space Command out there so first of all i agree with everything you said on competition and im a big levering competition. I have asked issa pose some of the same questions you have been asking. Since we all believe in competition why does it take as long as it has taken . Here is the way i would describe the current state of the play on the e. L. D. Program. Over time its a very successful program. Over time it is probably cost our country way more than any of us would have wished or dreams. In recent years costs have been coming down. They are coming more in control i would say and even though we dont have that competition yet i would suspect the threat of competition has caused us to bring down those costs. Again good news for the taxpayer lets see if we can speed it up. These launches of course are a variety of payloads and satellites that are launching is technically complex. There are different degrees of happiness. Then there are different payloads. Some have the satellites are referred to in the secondary launches. They are lasting longer. We all need to get those satellites in orbit. That is why the Scott Bickford and it was more that reason and money. They are going to happen and we do want and i want this new entrance for all the same reasons that you point out ms. Sanchez. Yes you know this takes quite a bit of money to be a new entrants into that field. When you close down those competitive pieces those companies have a harder time to outlast what you are doing by deferring some of this. I hope you understand when i look at the cost you may think that the numbers have come down with this original launch team but i can go back and i can show you just how much this is costing the taxpayers when i can see a French Company that does it for half the price. By the way im not suggesting that this is a core value and we shouldnt hold it here but we do have competition that has proven and will continue to prove if we open up those possibilities. The more competition we have, just by having two companies it will bring down that cost to the american taxpayer. I will continue with you on this thing. Thank you. Can i clarify one thing . Over the next five years period. Eight qualifying launches assuming we get certified which i think we probably will. Seven of those will be completed create. That is 50 of what i was told just a year and a half ago. Thank you. Mr. Forbes. Thank you mr. Chairman and madam secretary and general thank you for being here. General its my understanding from previous discussions we have had that these cuts and all of the budget uncertainty is taking it that of an impact on your morale and your ability for retention is that accurate . You sir we have not really seen a problem with this point. Im worried about a problem of retention overtime especially as the uncertainty continues and that is why we need to have a firm way forward and that number we can count on and then aimed towards the air force at the end of sequestration and make it the best it can be starting now. I agree with you because all the platforms come down to personnel. Madam secretary you were shaking your head. Let me tell you of an item that is of major concern to me. Recently read this week where a cadet in the air force was forced to take a bible verse off of a private whiteboard in his room. The fact that i have received from the air force, so these arent hypotheticals is that this cadet had no intention to offend any group. Number two got the private whiteboard have long been used to display items reflecting their personality and for which they draw personal inspiration. Number three they have long been used for citing inspirational quotes and forth this is perhaps the most offensive. The air force said this was a teaching moment that the cadets action and was inappropriate based upon Leadership Principles. General and madam secretary that cadet, his family and the other cadets who are putting up libel forces and verses from the koran can stand in front of you today but i can. Heres the question i have for you. Can you tell me any other inspirational quote that cadets have been forced to be removed from their personal whiteboards other than bible verses and second general when you come to my office i chair the seapower subcommittee. Over the door you walk through i have a National Motto in god we trust. Mr. Mcintyre the rank member has the same motto over his door. Mr. Miller who chairs the va committee has in god we trust in his office. Mr. Conway chaired the Ethics Committee and he has it up in his office. Mr. Wittman that shares a Readiness Committee has it in his office and dr. Fleming has it in his office or the chairman of the Government Reform Committee has put it in his office and the chairman of the ways and Means Committee in his office and the speaker the house in his office. Heres the question i asked both of you today. Give us that teaching moment of one how that is any different than this cadet putting his own personal verse on his own personal white lord and number two how is that offensive to Leadership Principles . Perhaps i will start if its all right mr. Forbes. I read this in the press as well and i did have a chance to talk to General Johnson yesterday to say kind of whats going on with this. I want to share with you what she shared with me in terms of how this incident actually unfolded. I will get to that in just a second at a second at first if i may want to read the policy of our air force about religious freedom. Leaders at all levels must balance constitutional protections for individuals free exercise of religion and other personal beliefs and its prohibition against governmental establishment and revision. For example they must avoid the apparent use of their position. Madam secretary i only have a minute. Can you answer the question for me, what other quotes of cadets have they been forced to pull off of their white boards that were not bible verses . I dont know but if i may apparently a cadet went to this other cadet and said this makes me uncomfortable and that cadet voluntarily took it down. That is not true read by your own facts madam secretary what your Liaison Officers given me the up air force chain of command, that is what he says and maybe it was inaccurate and the air force commander is what i have given by facts from your office went to that cadet. They said when all of them voluntarily come to him. Can you imagine telling him this is an appropriate . It was inappropriate based on Leadership Principles and at some point in time that an secretary and general im telling you we need to stand up for these cadets writes. Freedom of religion and their exercise and whether that would have been from the koran or the bible is not to make sure that no person on the planet is offended. Its to say that cadet ought to have the right on his own personal board to put that first up there and help me with this. Why if he is wrong are all all of this wrong and putting in god we trust up in our office . My facts come from General Johnson so i apologize. Ive i have not seen the paper you are looking at. What i just explained as the way the general. I hope you guys will come back to us on this. For once the air force will stand up for these cadets and their their rights instead of constantly saying if anybody at all opposes we are going to make them take these things down. Mr. Chairman may i briefly answer the question . I been the commander at the air force academy. We have removed hundreds of quotes from those boards. They are in the hallway. It is for personal and professional messaging so we understand the context. What you said is absolutely true. Everyone has a right to free religious expression but if someone else comes to them and says that bothers them if that is what happened we have to get the facts straight. General johnson has been doing that sir. My time is up but she had extra time. First of all its different if they have a oneonone discussion. That is not what happened. This is the chain of command and the cadet and im going by your office and if the facts are wrong i can answer that. The second thing is you cant have it both ways. You cant force other people to take these quotes off they get this is voluntarily done. I think if you asked this cadet and the other cadets they wont believe it was voluntarily voluntarily done but with that mr. Chairman i yield back. Mr. Larsen. General welsh i am also on the Strategic Committee and i imagine if we have in the last couple of years we will have a debate about forwarddeployed Nuclear Weapons in europe. So to kick that off for the subcommittee at some point in the future when we have that hearing can you first off discuss some of the costs of forward to playing weapons in europe and can you discuss what are contingency plans if one or more nato countries do not get her capable aircraft after their own aircraft are retired . Yes, sir. The forwarddeployed Nuclear Force, takes money to maintain and it takes money to up grade and takes money to keep secure and provide security. You have to Pay Attention to it. Its not an insignificant cause. As you know the specific cost classified i would be happy to come to talk to in detail about those. The nato nations if they choose not to upgrade their own Nuclear Aircraft capabilities than other nato nations that have those capabilities from an operational perspective will pick up a load. The u. S. Will be part of that discussion. We do have the capacity to pick up the load. Then can you discuss whether it be request includes funds to make the 35 jsf dual capable . The department has committed to making the f35 dual capable. There is a discussion on going now with nato partners. They dont believe they can afford to do that with their own aircraft without our support and making the airplane dca capable so that is the ongoing debate right now. That is not happening this year year but theres money in the fiveyear plan to move us in that direction. In which direction . To ensure that the aircraft can be made dual capable when it needs to be. The 35 . The f35 sir. Did you say we may be called upon to pay for the countries to upgrade their aircraft . No sir what i was referring to was the other nato countries that will fly the f35 but they are responsible for paying the cost to integrate capability on their own aircraft. Thanks. With regards to the kc10 and led the way glad to see the kc46 moving forward. We are all very pleased about that in Washington State but on the 10, what other programmatic options will rehab if congress either prohibited that retirement of the kc10 because by the way as you might know we are famous for telling you all the aircraft you cant retire and then making you pay for that so hopefully we can move beyond that this year. But if congress turned to the kc10 what programmatic options would have to execute if we dont rehab it that retirement . Against sir i will start but i know the chief will also jump in. Before coming to the conclusion that the kc10 would be retired if we have to go to the sequestration level kc135s were looked at very closely and doing that operational analysis there would be far too many of those that would have to come out in order to come up with the same cost savings so a 2. 6 billion savings for us over the fiveyear plan if the kc10s were to come out. All i will tell you is there are no good options. Every decision we are making is going to hurt so wherever we take that 2. 3 to 2. 5 billion dollars is going to come out of another mission capability. Its going to impact our capability. One last question on the security initiative. Im not quite sure what makes it different than just putting dollars into your account and not calling it an opportunity and security and growth initiative. Can you help me understand the difference between this initiative and funding the air force . This 26 lien dollars, the air force would have 7 billion is contingent upon coming up with some offset savings in a course the president s budget plan has proposals on how to do that but if the assets werent there then presumably the money could not be provided so that is what makes it different. Thank you. I yield back. Thank you. Mr. Wilson. Madam secretary and general welsh thank you for being here today. I want to join with congressman forbes and i hope you will make every effort to promote religious freedom for our servicemembers. In particular its important to me. I know of the capabilities and confidence of our military and im grateful to be the uncle of a person serving in the air force today. I know of your capabilities. Secretary james they primary security launch for settlers uses a russianmade engine called rd 180. Defense daily this week reported on the sangin and stated that quote it is rumored that russia could cut off supplying the rd 1802 the u. S. In response to economic sanctions end of quote. I understand we have a two year stockpiling of these engines but i also know the air force committed to a fiveyear or cure meant of the atlas launch vehicle. There at least three american launch vehicles that utilize americanmade engines that offer the full range of capabilities without relying on russian components. I believe its in the interest of our National Security that we should shift to americanmade engines. What madam secretary as your counsel on this . I do want to take a look at that commerce men. As you said if theres good news here and there is good news we have this to your supply so we have a bit of breathing room. What i know know about the sangin association is we have had a longstanding Good Relationship but its something we have to keep our eye on and i do want to review it. I appreciate you looking into that because certainly we all hope for a much more positive relationship with the Russian Federation but there are consequences to aggression in ukraine, aggression and the republic of georgia. General welsh i understand that the air force has decided not to fund the Avionics Program extension suite for the f16. With the f35 not expected to be fully operational until the mid2020l1 sare you concerned about the air force serving from a significant capability gap and the destruction of enemy air defense mission. We have cut above 50 percent of our planned modernization programs because of the impact of the sequesteredlevel funding overtime. What we have done is funded the things that are absolutely required to make aircraft liable in the near to midterm against the threats that we know where theyre. Anything that is nice to have or should have is off the books for now. We will revisit this every year as we looked at what the threat is doing and what we have to have to keep airplanes like the f16 bible against the threat of an emergency. We simply dont have the money to do it all. This was a prioritization issue, not desire. And i appreciate your following through on this. I want to conclude, i was so offended by what congressman forbes said. We can take Political Correctness to an extraordinary conclusion. When i see you today, when i see those ribbons i am inspired. It just is in is operations. There are many places hechinger. If they saw you in uniform there would be repulsed. And so we have just got to stand up for what is right. We need for you to standup truly for religious freedom, for the standards of our country that have made this country great and provided for our greatest extension of freedom and democracy in the history of the world. With the victory in the cold war. So we should not be ashamed and we should be standing up for our religious principles and push back on Political Correctness. I yield. Thank you. Ms. Bordello. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Thank you for your testimony. As one of the cochairs of the air for some longrange Strike Bomber caucus a look forward to working with you in the future. I appreciate your commitment to the to the rebalance in the asiapacific region. I notice that secretary james said she has visited air force bases all over the nation. I am wondering if she has ever been to our significant air force base in guam anderson. Not yet, but i am looking forward. I was going to extend an invitation to you. My first question is for either one of you regarding the longrange strike. The lrs will be vital in providing a bummer presence in the pacific as we work to update an aging be five to flee. Now the budget proposes an increase for the lrs to 914 million. Is 914 million enough given the existing aging bar fleet and also how critical is obama presents . I believe yes that 914 million as the right amount of funding for this year. Its a longterm program, but thats the right amount of money for this year. A bomber presence, the existence of our bombers as extremely important. The range, persistence, flexibility that gives our National Leaders time after time in history it has helped to deter aggression and to actually control the situation that otherwise would have escalated. Very important. General, do you also feel the same way . Yes, maam. The United States has used bomber presence to send messages. B 52 has been a symbol of American Power for 60 years. It is that symbol now. Last year we used both to send a message to north korea. We think it is incredibly important. I have a couple of questions. I will have to make this quick. When i take we me with the air men who fly the b52. They do a great job as we have seen demonstrated with their quick response. However, i am concerned about the be 52 radar capability. I understand that the current to radar is experiencing a 2030 your mean time between failures and expensive to maintain. What is the plan and how can we mitigate the current risks that these air crews are experiencing with this 30yearold radar . Congressman, as you know, there was a plan in place. That program went the same direction as the f16. It fell on the cutting room floor as a result of the requirement. We just cannot afford it. Well, thank you for that. And my third question is, i understand that global lock is operating out of a lawman has been performing a number of Critical Missions in the pacific. The current budget proposes an increase from 120 million to 245 million into reliability and sensor improvements of the rq4. Can you provide us with enough an update about the global hot use in the pacific including plans for expanded basic locations and sales to allied nations . Is this increase in funds capability sufficient to reduce high s are gaps, especially in the asiapacific region . So i would. I would begin by saying everything i know. Theyre doing a great job day in and day out in a variety of missions, particularly helpful in the humanitarian Assistance Program that we helped in the philippines after the major typhoon. In terms of International Sales there is nothing absolutely firm yet, although i understand the republic of korea, we are getting close. General. We are working. We believe the sale is imminent. We hope that is the case. You have the first deployment to japan later this year. And so i think we are doing more and more with our partners. The aircraft is performing very well. The money the you mentioned will be used this year to start the into transition from the two on to the global lock for some of their specialty sensors. Verification in the middle east. And the problem with that movement Going Forward will be if the law remains law that funding will not be there to fund those. Again, i just want to reiterate to my second question, i am sorry to see that we are not going to be able to do something about the problem at the half. I thank you both for the answers to my questions, and i yield back, mr. Chair. Thank you very much. Thank you. Want to begin by associating myself with mr. Forbes comments of great concern about the issues that he has raised with religious freedom. Secondly, both of you received several questions that are directed the issue of disarming the United StatesNuclear Capabilities and degrading them. West german to enter into the record in New York Times article alleges that russia is violating the treaty, any issues with respect to the soaring the United States should be held in context of the trust that we have. So word. Secretary. I have Patterson Air force base in my district. Over 12,000 people were furloughed as a result of sequestration. Although we understand youre doing a budget that is forcing you in to bad decisions and tough constraints, the reality is that because you are doing are devastating to the air force , wrongly affecting morale and capability. Although we have a discussion about whether or not yet made the right choices i would like to take a manner so to tell us how sequestration is devastating we cant go out the rest of congress and say this is devastating. We should not be doing this. If we dont have the leaders of the military articulate madam secretary will you tell us how this is affecting the air force negatively . A return to sequestration would have big, big consequences on readiness, not only would we not be able to get up to the minimum levels that we say are necessary, we would also not be able to take it beyond, be able to practice the myriad tasks which we need to be able to do if we go into a contest to the environment. Afghanistan was not contested, permissive. No one was shooting at us, no one was jamming. In the pacific, for example, or in other scenarios we have all kinds of things coming at us. Not enough of our pilots and been able to practice. What is more people, more aircraft if we had to get into a situation without having those additional funds. That is one thing he really would also have to retire all of those additional aircraft which just a real credibility. You heard the chief say we are already below what the Combatant Commanders say that they want. We are also below the validated requirements. What they say they want they want to be able to do their job with the least amount of risk and then there are validated requirements. In some cases we go beyond those which puts the whole strategy and risk. I give the rest of my time. Madam secretary, i want to thank you in your Opening Statement for reaffirming the nuclear try and and a commitment to landbased icbm capability. I heard correctly. Yes. Thank you. Number two, want to take you for following the law. In our environment that is something on which to be congratulated. Revenue from doing an environmental impact. Specifically you follow that. I appreciate that. Your response i do have three specific questions. I would like some specific answers. You anticipate reducing the fleet . Number two, will any of the silos be put . Number three, do you really believe he can conduct an environment statement without congress changing the law that prohibits it . I am sorry, the numbers i do not have memorized. We are shooting for the new start numbers. The warm basis status, that is something which i think within the next few weeks we will have more to say about. That was the air force recommendation. I am sorry, the third question one more time. Do you believe you have the authority to do an environmental statement without congress changing the law that prohibits it . Different interpretations. I will just say that i am holding. I am holding until and unless i get more guidance. Holding for what . Holding until and unless i get more guidance. In the next blow weeks will become more clear on which we will go. I would like a followup answer. And followup to my colleagues questions, can i simply ask the question and if i am offended by your budget will you take it down . Thank you. Could you please answer back to him as soon as you get the information on those three specific . I will. Thank you. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Thank you both for being here. I particularly want to thank you for your business. It was great to have your wife join you. It meant a great deal to our commonwealth, to the communities around the value so much its presence as well as to the many very able and talented people serving. I have heard a lot of feedback from how grateful people work for you both taking the time to come and visit. And to also be able to highlight the remarkable work is being done there. Secretary, great to have you on board. Congresswoman and i would love to invite you to come when your schedule allows. It would be great to have you come see the great work being done there. Welcome. And so as you both have noted, these are such challenging times marked by increasingly capable enemies in an era of very top financial resources. And as a department of defense adapting to these new realities, we in congress, as you have heard today, have to scrutinize the changes that you are proposing to welcome your analysis, youre very welcome analysis of the tradeoffs you have made as you try to find a way forward. I would like to focus on the need to make continued investments in research and Development Efforts in order to maintain our technological edge given the very Dynamic Security environment is that we live in. And coming from massachusetts it is something where we really take great pride in being a part of that. Because we see that it is precisely because of the investments that have been made in defense related r d that our Service Members are better protected to have access to lifesaving technology, and we as a country have technological advances on the battlefield. Many of these advances also serve as a force multiplier is in the field and it can lead to significant cost savings. In a world where we have to modernize constantly year force has to be well positioned to build and sustain an environment that promotes innovation. It is the reality of our times. Such an environment will make sure that we are able to rapidly deliver the latest technological advances and help to cut costs and protect our air men and women. Of the department of defense and congress have partnered to undertake extensive acquisition Reform Efforts of the past decade i am concerned that the unique type of rapid acquisition required to meet the needs of the air force information technology, cyber missions, that these pose unique challenges to the department of defense acquisition system. So what is the air force doing to address a specialized itn cyber acquisition needs . What are the services longterm plans to make sure that the air force is an imposition to rapidly assess needs and it feels systems to meet the lynyrd requirements . I will begin with a philosophical comment. I agree that we have to focus on more rapidly delivering ability to the field. We did this during the urgency of a wartime environment, and i do not want to see us to leave return to the ways of the past where all of our programs take a very deliberative and longterm to get going. We have pockets within the department of defense. These pockets have to compete for those scarce resources along with everything else, but i am personally interested in working on this issue and trying to get our s p levels as a subset of that back up to where i think is more a couple. I think you know the important issue given the time frame that some of this now requires, by the time yet gone to a certain place is obsolete. Does not serve us in the country i dont know if you want to comment. Congresswoman, the secretary has started a new conversation with industry at this ceo secretary level to look at issues like this and figure out how we can do a better job by talking to people who do a great job of it and private industry today. The ig world, as you know, in the military we have not had great success. We have a lot to learn. And she will have people advising her quarterly on the best way to look in some of these challenges and come up with a better approach. We have a lot of people working very hard. We just have not been successful which means that we have to change the process. The people is good. I would agree with that. I have seen some remarkably talented people who are hamstrung by a process. I encourage you to continue working very diligently on making sure we bring the needed reforms. Thank you both. Thank you. Secretary, welcome. I want to associate. I worry that we have at a school that is training leaders to lead men and women into combat. So unsure of themselves that they cannot coexist with the Free Expression of the traditional religious views. The lack of self strength and purpose to not be offended by Something Like that. I wonder if their the right folks for that business. Madam secretary, and all likelihood you will be the last secretary of the air force for this administration. 2017 is coming on us. Appreciate your Opening Statements. We reach that point and now have the person that we can all responsible on this very important issue. I appreciate your full throated support for that issue. It will be hard with all the other things youre trying to deal with, sequestration, uncertainty, budgets, all the nonsense. The air force has the furthest to go. That is not a badge of honor because the other folks are further ahead. I have a page out of last novembers fire report which shows the planned deadline for a variety of things that the air force needs to get done in order to get readiness. Not one of them has been met. Every one of those deadlines has been moved to 2014 or further. Out of those deadlines reported to making getting the air force ready on time. Can you give us your current status on where the air forces and are you continuing the effort . I am having regular meetings on this. It is a top priority. Thank you for pointing out that we are where we are in it is a daunting challenge. I have also heard the comparison that you probably have the farthest to go. I want you to know, we are both on it and of pressing and very aware of the deadline. The other thing is also watching the experience of others and it has become apparent that sometimes you may not feel your 100 percent ready to go through that. If youre 75, 80 percent maybe it is better to try even if you dont make it because the following year you will. You learn sometimes even though you go through it and dont get it the first time around. I am watching that closely as well. All i can say to you, i have had several meetings on this already. I am trying to be on top of it. As you said, it is a daunting challenge. How far down the chain of command to you think this report has been communicated . When i was the commander of u. S. Air forces in europe three and a half years ago i was doing biweekly bt seized with every Wing Commander in my command. We have been working this hard. The problem is we dont have the tools to do it right. I have seen the same sheet you have. I have nothing to add. Well, madam secretary, thank you for those comments about learning from the efforts of others. The marine corps is finally got one year of transactions audited they learned a lot by going and it as opposed to getting ready. So i do appreciate that from being ready to just doing it. And the issues that you will learn. To be able to tell the American People that they spend more taxpayer dollars than any other. Audit its books and present that statement to the taxpayers. And you may very well know where every nickel has gone. You cant prove it. Did important to us. Again, i want to reiterate and this is a rhetorical question. If a young arab men approached and said youre wearing a cross on your uniform , that makes me uncomfortable i yield back. Thank you. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Thank you, secretary, general for being here this morning. Obviously we all have some serious concerns about the decisions of the proposal that you have made in response to sequestration and the budget restrictions. I am concerned. I think my colleagues here in particular are concerned about the future ability that we have to protect the nation and secure borders and to support our allies. I wanted thank you, madam secretary, and congratulate you for taking on this important assignment and for being so handson sorely. I mentioned to you before we started, many of us are going about a meeting in person with airforce personnel and were involved. And i wanted thank you also for your service. You have given the nation an incredible number of years of service and also to recognize and thank you for bringing your wife and daughter here today. I think there are a good reminder that while you serve in uniform, they serve, too. Theyre sacrifices are incredible. A young man going on, boy growing a, i saw firsthand, experienced firsthand the sacrifices that my mother, sister, and myself made to support my dad. Stationed at Davis Air Force base, so i have a particular affection for the pace. I come along of ones earning pocket money. Also i was there when the cuban missile crisis struck. I remember the base was lock down. Right on the front line of the defense of the nation. I believed it will hopefully continue to be so. I am concerned. We talked about in this hearing. This morning we have several pilots including yourself in the room including retired colonel who was a pilot. And i think your presence reminds us that this is not a partisan issue. We have 31 colleagues in als, senate. Both parties represented to have fought from the beginning to say lets take another look at this decision. I hope you can still continue to look at that as we consider how we have to make these incredible budget reductions. I think i want to also point out that the concerns that have been raised today about the American Public awareness or lack of awareness of what the sequestration numbers are doing to our National Defense is something we all need to be concerned about. Many to educate our colleagues in the house, educate the American Public. We simply do not understand that the path were on is a grave problem and danger to our country. With that preamble i want to ask you this morning about the age ten. You know, when i talked to the Army Personnel who also represented, they tell me when that war dog is overhead and we all agree that providing Close Air Support to our Ground Troops is a Critical Mission commander have also heard the argument that the air force is made that the advancement of guided weapon systems allows for many more types of aircraft to provide effective closer support there are critical elements of Close Air Support missions that fighters simply cannot make, cannot perform. So if you could both respond, if the kayten is retired what is the air force plan to support our Ground Troops during the close situations with amelie forces within 100 meters and what plan is a u. S. Troops going to have for engaging the enemy of a battlefield with moving targets below 1500 feet . This is what the kayten does best. Can you respond to both questions . I will start. Thank you for your comments about me trying to be on top of things early on. Ill also try to do quite a bit of my own Due Diligence because i too have heard it is a specialty capability that does some of these missions in a unique way. What i have learned along the way to my briefings and the pentagon, talking to the general, i have been to a Moody Air Force base and seen a demonstration, talked to f16 pilots who also have done the kayten mission. But i have learned over time is although it is a great aircraft and it does to Close Air Support superbly, these other aircraft can do as well. 80 percent of what they have done includes air support afghanistan and has been by aircraft other than the ten. For example, the f16 has been doing closer support. 20 percent by age ten and 80 by other aircraft. The mission would be covered. If you do away, how would you do these missions. It would be covered by other aircraft which i require other training. Of course to be able to get good, but we feel as though it could be covered. Digital must time has expired. Thank you, mr. Chairman. Secretary james, thank you for coming to Colorado Springs. Was good to see you there. You both know that the air force academy is in my district. Like representative representative for a scientist there about what happened with this cadet. And believe it was a suppression of his religious rights. And i am going to ask you in a minute about funding cuts and air force academy. This is purely of local interest to the folks who live around their express my concern. You said that you would work with me in the local residents on that. On the funding issue, the air force academy is cutting ten majors and 100 positions because of budget considerations. I dont see that happening at the u. S. Naval academy, at west point or the merchant marine academy. What appears to be a discrepancy and how they Service Academies protruding budget cuts. A really important topic. One of the things i ask General Johnson, she first went to me. Aster the form a small groups and design in private what the air force academy would look like she was building a today. Not architecturally, the program winds. The constant, the military training program. And after she watched the way it is today at the end of her first year to sit down and have heard tell me if its different in the way we would design its a day where is it different, why is it different, and what should we change. One of the things she has done is create a paper which is her view of what is absolutely required for our men and women to go through so that we produce the best possible tenants for the nest is a force. As part of that she is looking at everything from force content, number of majors, all those things. Some of this is caught up in an effort. And so i tell you that up front. On an entirely different subject with the 502nd airlift squadron losing airplanes and in related and associated units is the 302nd. They have the, among other missions the airborne Fire Fighting mission which is important in the west front fighting wildfires of the will to dump dozens of gallons of retardant and water, while fire. So will those cuts in the 502nd airlift squadron hurt the capability of the 302nd which is an associated unit of being able to carry its mission, especially its mass mission in particular. I will get back with you on the specifics to be a guarantee he is not interested. That is a reassuring answer. I look forward to getting further specifics from the. Lastly, i just want to call to your attention the unfortunate tragic crash last year where upon ejection one of our best pilots losses life. Are you familiar with the progress of ejection seats over the years and older ones dont really fit, best fit the current needs . What is the air force going to do to get a newer, better generation of ejection seats. Congressman, there is a study under way now about the performance of their plans versus Technological Development a very capable seat that meets all the requirements that we said. The problem specifically was that he rejected at a high rate of speed. Nessie that we have today would protect you in that white envelope. The question is can we develop one that we can expand so they can handle the ejection at a higher speed. Thank you very much. I have a series of questions. First let me congratulate you. I think all take these record because i have another issue, the airlaunched cruise missile, the status of the new version of the longrange strike ellora so, the cost of the new bomber beyond the 913 million in fiscal year 15. And could the new lrs0 service and purposes . If not one out . Secondly, it the nsa budget was part of the debt problem the Defense Budget reductions or increases would you recommend . The air force is now studying the next generation of the icbm. What is the rationale for having the existing or future icbm felipe, for the icbm what is the total all inclusive cost of the landbased icbm program . And then when was the most recent comprehensive view or study to help the triad nicholas strategy . And given the tight budgets in the years ahead to you believe it is wise and useful to conduct such a study . I think we will take those records as their comprehensive. This is the question i have for now. Russian troops massed at the border in the ukraine of what is the status of the air force in reaction to the situation . Congressman, we have deployed ten f15s right now to lithuania they are doing a program called air policing. We have busted up with six additional flying combat air patrol. We have also just deployed six f16s to the airfield in poland to in aviation the task and we have there. We will add six more. There will be 12 u. S. F16s flying in poland. We are following that with the sea 130 deployment for training with the polish air force to another base. That is the extent of what we have done to this point along with flying the normal ims our activity. Thank you. I yield back. Thank you. Thank you, mr. Chairman, secretary, general, thank you for joining us today. I traveled to the Pacific Command a number of times. As i have gone there and met with our allies i talked to our Combatant Commanders and their staff, talked about the challenges. The one thing that consistently comes up is the chinese threat and specifically aid to needy. Can you give me from the air force perspective about what you have been able to counter that where you see air force capability needing the go to make sure that we can adequately address a to a de and specifically in that region of the world . We know the chinese capability and what it means as a threat. The intent is to get after our future approach. The enemys ability to protect us is Getting Better and better. Their ability to shoot things that this is getting longer and longer. Howd we counter that as a military force and do it together . That is all this battle effort is. We have been doing exercises, working on different commandandcontrol arrangements , doing technology excursions to figure out how we better link aegis raiders with air force aircraft, what kind of dealings it will require us to bail to secure situational awareness. We have an airborne layer and a layer of this effort. It applies equally in the pacific as it would the arabian gulf for the indian ocean. Its about range and information sharing and connectivity. They are trying to do everything we can to move this forward in a measured and steady way. Very good. Are you comfortable with our current state of readiness to be able to counter the threat . And not comfortable to be able to do anything. Right now the United States air force is about 38 ready compared to our standard. To me as an acceptable. I want to ask about f35 sustainability. As you know, concerns about affordability and sustainability looking forward there are concerns that lockheed as the contract to make sure that functions and Services Going for and there for the f35. There is concern about a five hour lag time. As we look at the challenges ahead obviously kneeing and aircraft but also making sure that in this restores challenged environment were making the right decisions and have the right capability and manage cost as things stand to get out of whack the problem is cost goes up and we see were back in the same situation with the f22, fewer aircraft and not being able to do the things that we need, can you give me a perspective on affordability and sustainability and where we are going with that and what is being done to make sure that it is indeed costeffective and sustainable. So i believe we are headed in the right direction, although i am going to concur with what i think youre saying. It is an enormously expensive program, enormously complex, a major leap ahead in terms of technology and capability to be in my first 11 weeks not only have a gun the briefings and the pentagon, have been out to anyone, been to add words to see the testing, see some of the training were doing. Answer the man with a program manager. A man with the ceo of lockheed to report directly on some of what i saw and to try to speed up certain things. I would say to you, it is going in the right direction but it will take persistent focus, and think at the moment we have the right people in the right jobs. We have a watchdog. The sustainability and affordability is a huge area, one that is going to require a lot of thought. There might be there is im sure creative strategy. This is a critical piece of modernization of our fighter fleet. We have everything put year. The difficulty is in it continues to go above budget that just exacerbates an already challenging situation that is brought on not just by budgets by Critical Mission needs that are out there across our service branches. I want to make sure were doing everything we can to address sustainability and affordability. Thank you very much. They just called the vote. We are going to monitor. We tried to get as much as we can before we have to break above. Thank you, mr. Chairman, secretary, thank you very much for your professionalism. I want to talk about personnel issues. The toughest that we face. This is something you are familiar with. The air force is supporting the apartment a defense efforts to slow the rate of growth in overall military compensation. We were able to release abstain a number of increases of the last number of years. I think we all feel very strongly that we want to support the men and women who serve our country and certainly their families. Yet we are faced with this dilemma. So if you could talk us through a little bit about your own thinking and the extent to which you think it may or may not affect Recruitment Retention in the future we are also dealing with cutbacks in housing allowances, looking at possible increases in prices. In fact, the air force is going ahead in what some might describe as a piecemeal fashion without waiting for the commission to come forward with their recommendation. Help us understand your thinking on this. Really, how we can look at those changes that your suggestion in light of other things that we might not be able to do if we dont move forward and do that. You said it, congresswoman. As part of the package of the tough choices that were made in the compensation changes, they are for all of our military. It was at its core a tough judgment call but it related to can we do this for a few years. I dont think anybody wants to do this kind of thing in perpetuity. Can we get by for a few years. Part of the data was are we competitive now . I think people said yes we are. And then the further judgment call had to do with what we plough the savings back into important readiness and modernization . And we are committed to that. The other thing is were not seeing retention problems at the moment. As a matter of fact reoffering incentives to encourage at least some of our air meant to leave the service. At the moment retention is high. Recruitment, getting highquality recruits were having to turn people away. At the moment our numbers are good. So it was the judgment call. Could we slow this growth. Can we get by a year or two . We are taking this year and a time. I think the judgment call was a hard one, but we can. General. I guess i would look at it as , the United States congress im not blowing smoke and anybody, has been exceptional of the last 12 to 15 years, taking care of pay entitlements, benefits for members of the United States military. It has been remarkable. You have all seen the growth curves. The cost of the air man has gone from 60,000 per year to let the cost to 90,000. You have done a fantastic job taking care of our people. That curve is going like this, we cannot stand it. The government cant sustain it. We have to put it onto a path that we can sustain. Rihanna talking about taking money out of peoples pockets of slowing growth and that is the effort that the department is making. I believe everyone understands the report out next year and having a comprehensive look will be a benefit. If we ask them and their families they would suggest that they dont want to see any cats. I wonder when you query in the valuations or whenever tools you use in and along the services, are we really giving them a true picture of the cost of these cuts verses of the things that they would not be able to do in terms of training or readiness, how are you really working with them to have them prioritize as well what is best . First would say, as i have done the beginnings of my tour of the air force and walk around workspaces, town halls and talk to amin, the number one thing that will bring it to be his, during that time sequestration i could not get spare parts, do my job. My training get canceled. And most of the things that we would call in this committee readiness. They typically have not brought up the compensation issues until i bring in a unit town hall and then, of course, everybody is interested. I have not met a person yet that would not run a bit in a little bit more. Naturally they feel that way. Interesting, when they bring a plan is on their minds it tends to be their work environment. The gentlemans time has expired. Thank you, mr. Chairman. I want to welcome our panel. Uni recently had a sitdown conversation and it did include religious liberty, a big concern i join my colleagues. We are all concerned. One of the major pieces of this is that we are worried that this idea in all that good order and discipline is now becoming an excuse for Political Correctness i think that is that very quickly tramples the First Amendment rights of certainly our herrmann. It seems that we are seeing this in the air force from more than the other services. You heard about the recent incident with a cadet. Well, we have another report. Two weeks ago it was reported at counter aniks at Maxwell Air Force base in alabama, indians came to distribute bibles to anyone who wished to voluntarily have one. As you may recall, gideon said been distributing bibles at military bases since fdr, since world war two. Thats a longheld tradition. They were turned away. As of this time two weeks later really this situation has not been resolved. They have not been able to do something they have been able to do for decades. I would love to have your reaction. I am not familiar with the one at all. We will have to get back on the specifics. My overall reaction is under the policy and i apologize a final little too wordy. It is a balancing act, balancing the Free Expression of religion with the needs of the military and not giving the appearance or in actuality of forcing anything madam secretary, this has worked well for centuries since the days of george washington. We have chaplains. I served in the military. It has only been an issue recently. And so things that have been done traditions that have been long held where military members of been able to express themselves and their religious beliefs, we have a wide swath in the First Amendment on this. What has changed is the behavior of the military services, particularly the air force an income which is the reason why we have had religious people long before we and nation. What has changed and it appears, is the attitude and behavior of the military services. I would love to. My wife and i when i worked at the air force academy in the mid80s, we ran the teams and Counter Press program. I know all kinds of people at the air force academy then and now who would disagree with your assessment of it being a problem with religious persecution. Excuse me for interrupting and let me ask you this, are you saying that people are more religious and expressing their religious beliefs more than they did in . What i am saying is you have to get the facts right. Try and stay unemotional until you know what happened. I would not believe an article for starters. You feel like another are cases where he has had his facts right in articles. I dont have the time for you to go through all that. Wellness you to do is to provide written answers and explanations and examples where mr. Steins or others have been reporting this and accurately. I will be happy to do anything you like. I will tell you what we have been doing in this area since i got in the job. The single biggest frustration is the perception that somehow there is much as persecution. It is not true that we have incidents like everyone does. We invested in every one of them, ask every chaplain. I am telling you, there is perception here that we are in the middle again, i am running out of time. I have spoken with a chaplain. I think he has some of the same concerns i do and i would invite you and talk with him. Are you familiar with the frc . Okay. I will bring him to sit with you. I would love for you to do that. Are you familiar with the clear and present danger . Many, many items have been listed there. Secretary james and i have talked about staff sgt. The airforce position has changed within as well. But there four minutes left on a vote. 324 people have not voted. We have time for mr. And and then there are two votes. By the time we get there we should be getting close to the next. We should be getting a big bandit and returns, very quickly have an option. Thank you, mr. Chairman. It is unfortunate that so many of our members are leaving. I wish there were here to your some of my questions. Madam secretary, after having appointed been on with being allowed to select some folks for a point to the air force academy, i believe as im sure you do that the air force academy has a very best and know very brightest of our nation. And it encompasses the folks the very broad religious diversity of our great nation. Would you agree with me on that . Thank you. You know, also having served more than a few years of military the air force Academy Offers students is of very, very confined in close environment. To get this in the record probably give a verbal response. The air force academy has indicated as you indicated yesterday, is constrained and close in time for the cadets. In my previous career roof for and assigned to do to come to congress i have the honor of commanding 13,000 soldiers and airmen. Of that number i had 35 chaplains in my command and 15 chaplain candidates. Fifty folks in provided for the spiritual needs of that 13,000 not only the freedom to practice religion freedom not to practice. One has a different faith or no faith of all. Would you agree with me at that is your understanding of the constitution also . The way i would explain this is the you have every right to your beliefs into practice your fate freely. If someone asks you, tell them everything. If they dont ask you dont assume they want or need to know. Thank you. I would really like to see this particular issue laid to rest. In terms of strategy and tactics now, the National Commission on the structure of the air force has talked about a concept called continuous service. And as someone who has served on active duty in the air force and the air force reserve and that concept and men have of much greater flexibility to leave and reenter active and reserve components throughout their careers which would enable more effective and efficient excuse me, efficient utilization of an integrated force. Now, i know that some of this is contained in law, but others is more a culture in regulatory and policy she. Would you support the concept of continual and service to mark. Yes. Absolutely. Great. Thank you. So in addition to removing the barriers to transitioning between components congress and the department of defense should modify the laws regulations and create these unnecessary limitations. He believed it would allow the air force to more fully capitalized on the cost of training examine . I think anything that keeps common sense in the discussion and removes burdens to doing things in a way that makes common sense to be helpful. I look forward to welcoming you to Scott Air Force base next friday. You will be visiting us and then lied der that. I will take this answer off the record or in writing. When like to get an update on that casey 46 of a program and how the fiscal constraints are impacting the delivery of those aircraft. Also, i am particularly interested, the refueling wing, would like to know where scott falls in the process and how we might ensure that we continued that cremation. And encouraging. We will stand adjourned until the end of the votes. [inaudible conversations] this hearing will not come back to order. Thank you so much, mr. Chairman. Madam secretary, we spoke briefly to bid we spoke briefly as a carolina graduate march madness, but let me say congratulations to you on your selection i appreciate your commitment and service to our country. Let me mention briefly before i have some specific questions about something in North Carolina, let me just say a lot has been said about concerns of religious freedom. I agree with my cochairman who spoke earlier the concerns he raised, serve for eight years on the Naval Academy board on behalf of the school committee. And i never seemed to run into these kinds of issues or intimidation factors that some have referred to about the concern of religious freedom. What would be helpful is if you and general welch would be willing to submit a detailed explanation within the next in days it would help all of us. The event that occurred regarding this incident. All lancing on news reports. Secondly, what the air force Academy Policy is and then third command on the policy was applied to the situation so that each of us can have a better understanding in light of our concerns, and they are serious concerns and we do want our men and women in uniform to have that freedom of expression. Would you be willing to supply that . We absolutely will. I was concerned. Let us provide element. That would help all this. Thank you Debbie Mccourt to receiving that. An important issue that has drawn concern on a bipartisan bicameral basis in North Carolina in particular, representative, ibm all raised questions about the possibility that the air force as indicated the 440 it era of falling and would send all 11 of its c130 to other bases in of want to give credit. There is concern about jobs being lost but also lost expertise and lost capability and as the newspaper wrote who will fill its role . There has been a stated possibility by a spokeswoman from the 440th that new c130 j. s would be sent to polk but the uncertainty remains. Are the c130s just going to leave and what is the support fact your for what we need at fort greg . Pope air force base became pope airfield although we have had both the air force reserve components there so its quite a serious concern and has risen