Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz explained the service's
contributions to the new Defense Department strategy during a Pentagon press
briefing Jan. 27. Schwartz said the Air Force supports a new round of base
realignment and closures as a way to reduce excess infrastructure, and echoed
comments from senior defense officials that the Block 30 version of Global Hawk
would be terminated.
- Global Hawk Block 30, USAF image-
"The reality is that the Global Hawk is not less expensive to operate than the U-2," Schwartz said, confirming that the Air Force would continue to use the U-2 rather than the Global Hawk Block 30 as a way to reduce costs. "And in many respects, the Global Hawk Block 30 system is not as capable, from a sensor point of view, as the U-2."
Other key programs and investment priorities for the Air Force include the KC-46A tanker, F-35 Lightning II and the future long-range strike bomber, Schwartz said. "The bottom line is these are important capabilities for the nation and ones that we will make sacrifices in other areas to sustain," the general said.
End strength and program cuts likely included in this year's budget submission to Congress are, the Army's end strength would be reduced to 490,000; the Marine Corps' would be reduced to 182,000. The Navy will lose seven cruisers and delay several other major ship programs; the Air Force will lose six fighter squadrons, leaving it with 54, and "divest" many cargo aircraft: 27 C-5As, 65 C-130s and potentially all of its C-27s.
-Maxwell Air Force Base C-130H, Alabama Aviator image-
Cuts to the U.S. Department of Defense budget prompted an announcement from
the U.S. Air Force that it would retire older aircraft - which could include
seven of Maxwell Air Force Base's eight C-130H cargo planes.
The Air Force said Friday that the base's 908th Air Wing will remain
operational, but the Air Force Reserve Command has not released future plans
for the unit, so stand by to stand by.
The 908th Air Wing has been an airlift unit for most of its 49-year history. Unit commander Col. Brett Clark says he expects additional announcements clarifying the future of the 908th.
The 908th Air Wing is Alabama's only Air Force reserve unit with approximately 1,200 officers and airmen. -Staff Report, FMI: DoDBuzz, MaxwellGunterDispatch