WEBVTT

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we're hearing and my good friend Mrs

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Carson from Missouri and for her

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participation and putting this here

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together . Uh this is a mandatory

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remote hearing script that you've all

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heard many times and were repeated

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today . I welcome all the members

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remotely joining . Today's hearing .

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Member participating must be visible on

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screen for purposes of identifying and

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verification , establishing and

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maintaining a form participating in

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proceedings . And voting . Members must

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continue to use software , platform ,

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video function the entire time while

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they are in attendance and less

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experienced connectivity issues or

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other technical problems that render

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them unable to participate on camera .

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If the members experiencing technical

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difficulties , they should contact many

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staff for assistance . Video of members

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participating on Cisco webex is being

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hast Internet Live stream Members must

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seek recognition verbally and are asked

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to mute their microphones when not

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speaking to eliminate background noises .

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Members may leave and rejoin the

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proceedings . However , if members

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depart hearing for a short while for

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reasons other than join a different

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proceedings , they should leave the

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video function on that . Members will

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be absent for a significant period or

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to depart to join different proceedings .

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They should exit the platform entirely

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and then rejoin it when they return ,

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members may use a software platform

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chat feature to to communicate with

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staff regarding only technical or

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logistic support issues . I have

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designated committee staff member to if

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necessary , mute , unrecognized members

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microphones to cancel any inadvertent

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background noise that may disrupt the

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proceedings . With that , I'd like to

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turn to my opening statement again to

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welcome our distinguished panel of

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witnesses for joining us today for the

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fiscal 2022 budget request of the

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Department of Defense for fixed wing

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tactical and Training aircraft program .

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Today's hearing on Tactical aviation is

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certainly one of the most important

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annual oversight events we hold in the

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supplement this year . The hearing ,

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even though complicated by the

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transition of the new administration to

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the extreme lightness of the budget

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submission and our committees tight

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timeline for building this year's

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defense authorization bill . Certainly

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more important than ever . This

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afternoon , we will be receiving remote

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testimony from a very large panel .

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nine senior acquisition aviation

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leaders from across the department of

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the Feds . We'll also hear from G . A .

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A representative are independent agency

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helping us evaluate investment

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decisions and execution of challenging ,

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particularly the F- 35 program .

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Overall , we're at a critical

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inflection point in time for the

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tactical fighter aviation requiring

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subcommittee's consideration ,

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deliberation and certainly decision

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making . Each military service before

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us today has proposed significant

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initiatives in this budget that will

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begin to reshape the tactical fighter

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air forces to achieve what they

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described as capabilities required to

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meet the challenges to deter and if

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necessary , act against a near pier

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threat of the future . But what

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concerns me about the ODS current

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appearance is a deliberate indifference

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that this steady state rotational

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requirements that are continuing global

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military presence , responding to

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contingencies below the level of highly

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contested warfare are no longer

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applicable . And I certainly would

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disagree with that . D O . D currently

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equates the term legacy to mean old ,

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irrelevant , dangerous , unacceptable

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in meeting our current or future

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requirements . I certainly disagree

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with us . I would offer that legacy

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should instead be replaced by existing

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and that we should reference current

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for structure as existing for structure

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and when assessing the existing force

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structure . It should be evaluated

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against a particular mission set for

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its relevancy or irrelevancy

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supporting that particular mission or

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strategic or operational risk

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associated with any gap in its

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availability or capacity . I believe

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that our aircraft capabilities do need

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to evolve and keep pace with their

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global competitors , which is a wide

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spectrum depending on which competitor

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we're trying to influence to achieve

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our national defense strategic

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objectives . So I also believe that we

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need to maintain and achieve a proper

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effective ratio of existing and next

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generation aircraft capabilities to

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meet those diverse missions and the

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level risk that is well defined ,

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clearly explained and truly acceptable .

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Further , we cannot visit fiscally

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afford to divest in any existing

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aircraft in favor of buying the next

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generation high end capabilities and

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cannot physically afford having our

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next generation high end aircraft

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supporting the enduring steady state

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presence or lesser contingency

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operation of our combatant commanders .

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The current design and capability of

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the F 15 EX is not the same As

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the F- 15 C that rolled out back in the

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70s . The current design capabilities

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of the F A 18 block three Super hornet

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is not the same as the original F A 18

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hornet that rolled back , rolled out

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back in the eighties . The F 35

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22 perfect cases at this point as it

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relates to realistic affordability in

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planning to buy large enough numbers of

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advanced next generation aircraft .

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Those two aircraft very capable as

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sophisticated when they worked as

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designed , but neither currently works

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as intended often enough and both are

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extremely expensive to own and operate .

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This requires us to understand how both

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the airports , the Navy next generation

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air dominance programs plan to avoid

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and mitigate the development and

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affordability pitfalls of the F 22 the

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F 35 That experience or are

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experiencing as this case maybe for the

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F- 35 for this hearing , we need to

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understand the path at each of the

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services is on to achieve that

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relevant , Makes it both combat and

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training aircraft capabilities while

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maintaining affordability and

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acceptable risk informed by our fiscal

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realities . Speaking of the F- 35 , we

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had a very productive hearing already

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back on April 22 this year , I don't

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want to rehash all those issues that we

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know so well today for the record I

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still maintain the same concerns that

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were raised that that april 22nd

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meeting and therefore subcommittee

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today expects to receive at 35 program

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updates on the status of resolving

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current maintenance and availability

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issues regarding the F 1 35 propulsion

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system , power modules , the current

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status of Tr three Black four

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developments and testing and how they

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have 35 is progressing to achieve the

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cost per tail per year affordability

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goals set by each of the services ,

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particularly as it relates to the

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adaptive engine transition program

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technology will be finished and

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integrated into the F 35 A and C .

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Models . This will help reduce the

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skyrocketing sustainment costs and

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improve combat capability . Certainly a

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lot on her plate with many

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distinguished speakers . But first I'd

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like to recognize a ranking member of

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the attack forces . Mrs Hart , sir ,

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for her opening remarks . Thank you .

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Yeah , thank you . Mr . Chairman . I

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want to thank each of our witnesses for

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their dedicated service , this nation ,

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for your support of our servicemen and

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women and each of their families and

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for being here to provide testimony on

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the budget , request for fixed wing

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tactical and training aircraft

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modernization programs , recognizing

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the hard decisions and challenges

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imposed on all of you by the

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President's proposed budget . Top line .

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I look forward to working together to

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determine what is the right balance to

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prioritize and fund both current

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tactical readiness and modernization

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investments required for future

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capabilities . It is critical that our

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tactical fighter aircraft forces

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capable of keeping pace deterring and ,

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if necessary ,

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the and lethality of your fighter

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aircraft fleets . And I look forward to

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the discussion

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excuse , capable and ready to deter our

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adversaries in the near term as well .

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From a strategic and operational risk

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management perspective , I expect the

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witnesses to address how their future

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model

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plans are impacting the current

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readiness and sustainment of existing

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tactical aircraft capabilities . I have

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consistently expressed my concern that

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the Navy's decision to end procurement

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of the F a 18 super hornet beginning in

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fiscal year 2022 Creates too much

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operational risk in the near term ,

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given the Navy's current shortfall of

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49 aircraft , I want a full assessment

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of today's military witnesses of the

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risks , specifically in terms of

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potential aircraft shortfalls , absent

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capabilities , industrial base impacts

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and future costs . Each of the military

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services is accepting within its

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existing tactical air programs in order

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to develop and buy the fighter aircraft

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fleets of the future . This information

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is critical for myself and members of

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the subcommittee as we review the

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military services plans for divestments ,

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decreasing fleet sizes , squadron

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relocations and significant unfunded

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priority request and make decisions for

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this year's Defense authorization act .

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So I thank the chairman for organizing

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this important hearing and I yelled

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back thank you . I'm not sure if I was

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the only one that was not hearing your

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full testimony . Uh but I believe I'm

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looking at others that are having

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difficulty that just to give you a

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heads up with that , I'd

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like to turn to our panel of nine

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witnesses who are doing yesterday .

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First we have message MS . Darlene

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Costello , acting assistant secretary

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of the Air Force for acquisition ,

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Technology and Logistics . Lieutenant

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General David know whom ? Deputy Chief

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of Staff of the Air Force for plans and

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programmes . Mr J . Stephanie , Acting

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assistant Secretary of the Navy for

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research development acquisition .

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Lieutenant General Mark Wise , deputy

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commandant of the Marine Corps for

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Aviation , Rear Admiral Andrew . Low

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muscle Director of Navy's Air Warfare

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Division , Dr Raymond O toole , Jr .

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Acting director of Operational Test and

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Evaluation for Department of Defense ,

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Mr Joseph Nawara , Acting

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director of cost assessment and program

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evaluation for the Department of

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Defense . Lieutenant General eric thick

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F 35 program Executive officer and Mr

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john Locke Wilson . Director of

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contracting and National support ,

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Security acquisition for the G . A . O .

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The Government Accounting Office . With

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that we would ask each of our witnesses

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to try to adhere to the three minute

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opening remarks and we will go right

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down the order . As I just introduce

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you . Starting with MS . Darling Stella ,

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Good afternoon , Chairman or across

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ranking member Hartzler and

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distinguished members of the

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subcommittee . Thank you for having us

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here today to provide testimony on the

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Department of the Air Force's fiscal

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year 2022 budget requests for fixing

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tactical and training aircraft programs .

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Additionally , I want to thank you for

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your continued leadership and

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dedication to the United States

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Military and Department of the Air

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Force . Their superiority is essential

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for military operations and protection

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of joint forces and it has been our

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asymmetric advantage for more than 70

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years . To keep pace with emerging

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threats . We must refresh our fighter

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fleet the mix of fourth generation and

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5th generation aircraft as well as

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selectively modernizing our existing

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aircraft to ensure the right capacity

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and capability to fully implement the

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National Defense strategy . In the Fy

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22 budget request , the Air Force

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attack air portfolio of approximately

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$12.2 billion includes procurement of

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48 35 12 . F 15 E X is

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key modifications to both our F 22 4th

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generations needs and investment in

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technologies for our next generation

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air dominance efforts . In addition ,

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we've requested $2.7 billion dollars to

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not only continue procurement for some

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of our key munitions but also to invest

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munition technologies to counter future

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peer threats and highly contested

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environments . He had 35 a will be the

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cornerstone of the Air Force fighter

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fleet for decades . We are fully

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committed to the F 35 its fifth

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generation capabilities . While

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sustainment costs have come down , they

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are still not where we need them to be .

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We are evaluating opportunities to

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further reduce the cost of material and

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manpower and we'll continue to work

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with the joint program office and

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industry to address affordability . The

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a 10 remains an effective close air

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support platform for the current fight ,

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reweighting the 10th most significant

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modernization effort . And we have

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purchased wings to outfit a fleet of

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218 aircraft in fy 22 . We will

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continue executing fy 21 funding to

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begin installed and support engineering ,

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change orders and other government

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costs that are typically required to

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execute major modification efforts .

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Our investment in this generation ,

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their dominance technologies is

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critical to ensuring air dominance

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within the emerging threat environment

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for future joint operations . In this

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program , we're incorporating agile and

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digital acquisition practices that are

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yielding favorable results of providing

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greater value for the taxpayer in terms

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of propulsion , the excessive prototype

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ground testing , we continue to

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demonstrate and validate the benefits

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of adaptive vengeance . These include

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increases in fuel efficiency , thrust ,

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thermal management capacity , all which

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could translate to the warfighter has

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increased range , lawyer , time and

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aircraft capability . Again , thank you

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for your leadership and support of the

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Department , the Air Force Lieutenant

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General in a home and I look forward to

16:37.720 --> 16:39.776
answering any questions you may have

16:39.776 --> 16:41.498
for us . Thank you . Thank you

16:42.740 --> 16:45.670
Lieutenant Carol there . I'm sure

16:45.830 --> 16:47.886
across the ranking member Hartzler .

16:47.886 --> 16:49.497
Distinguished members of the

16:49.497 --> 16:49.430
subcommittee . Thank you for having us

16:49.430 --> 16:51.541
here today . But by testimony and the

16:51.541 --> 16:53.652
fiscal year 22 budget requests of the

16:53.652 --> 16:55.708
department Of defense for fixed wing

16:55.708 --> 16:57.330
tactical training programs .

16:57.340 --> 16:59.284
Traditionally , thank you for your

16:59.284 --> 17:01.451
continued leadership and dedication to

17:01.451 --> 17:03.562
the United States Military Department

17:03.562 --> 17:05.784
Air Force is 689,000 total force airman

17:05.784 --> 17:08.007
serving around the world today . As you

17:08.007 --> 17:10.229
know , our nation faces a complex and a

17:10.229 --> 17:12.451
current future security challenges that

17:12.451 --> 17:14.507
require we think and act differently

17:14.507 --> 17:16.562
and with urgency . Our citizens face

17:16.562 --> 17:16.520
threats from a variety of actors of

17:16.520 --> 17:18.576
both physical and digital arenas and

17:18.576 --> 17:20.576
our competitors continue aggressive

17:20.576 --> 17:22.520
efforts to negate our longstanding

17:22.520 --> 17:24.631
warfighting advantages as we continue

17:24.631 --> 17:26.853
to work with each use becoming apparent

17:26.853 --> 17:26.780
that our collective understanding of

17:26.780 --> 17:28.780
the threat is increasing and we are

17:28.780 --> 17:30.836
waking up to this challenge together

17:30.836 --> 17:32.669
under this committee's oversight

17:32.669 --> 17:34.613
leadership along with our industry

17:34.613 --> 17:36.502
partners , innovative Airman , we

17:36.502 --> 17:38.669
remain the preeminent power Protection

17:38.669 --> 17:40.836
Force in the world today . In light of

17:40.836 --> 17:43.058
this , I'd like to briefly outline some

17:43.058 --> 17:43.020
important elements for tactical and

17:43.020 --> 17:45.160
train portfolio that are specific

17:45.160 --> 17:47.700
interest to you , extensive or gaining

17:47.700 --> 17:49.811
analysis . Make it clear that we must

17:49.811 --> 17:51.922
reassess our future fighter force mix

17:51.922 --> 17:53.922
and adjust investment priorities to

17:53.922 --> 17:55.700
provide the capability capacity

17:55.700 --> 17:57.700
affordability required to be a pure

17:57.700 --> 17:59.867
threat . Modernization programs cannot

17:59.867 --> 18:01.644
transform our fourth generation

18:01.644 --> 18:03.589
fighters in the fifth generation ,

18:03.589 --> 18:05.644
we're fifth generation fighters into

18:05.644 --> 18:07.756
the next generation . Their dominance

18:07.756 --> 18:09.978
in concert with the Office of secretary

18:09.978 --> 18:12.144
events . The Air Force is in the final

18:12.144 --> 18:11.920
stages of a comprehensive tactical air

18:11.920 --> 18:13.698
study that will help inform our

18:13.698 --> 18:15.753
decision to build the correct mix of

18:15.753 --> 18:17.976
capability and quantity that our nation

18:17.976 --> 18:19.698
needs to win against gear peer

18:19.698 --> 18:21.920
competitors . We recently reviewed some

18:21.920 --> 18:23.753
of the preliminary findings from

18:23.753 --> 18:25.809
studies and we will gladly share the

18:25.809 --> 18:27.864
results wants me to finish our final

18:27.864 --> 18:30.031
analysis Regarding the F- 35 . It is a

18:30.031 --> 18:32.198
cornerstone of the future fire fleet ,

18:32.198 --> 18:34.364
but it still is still complementary to

18:34.364 --> 18:36.253
other capabilities required for a

18:36.253 --> 18:38.420
winning four sticks . Well , the F- 35

18:38.420 --> 18:40.531
today is a formal platform . It faces

18:40.531 --> 18:42.698
challenges to ensure it stays dominant

18:42.698 --> 18:44.809
against all the future threat to keep

18:44.809 --> 18:47.420
pace with the threat in the future

18:47.430 --> 18:49.097
contestants . Areas following

18:49.097 --> 18:51.319
modernization efforts centered on block

18:51.319 --> 18:53.374
four enabled by tech refresh , three

18:53.374 --> 18:55.597
hardware must be afforded . We realized

18:55.597 --> 18:57.874
I could competition relevant timelines .

18:57.874 --> 18:59.986
The F 35 operating costs , especially

18:59.986 --> 19:01.986
projected and long term sustainment

19:01.986 --> 19:04.152
costs are areas of concern that needed

19:04.152 --> 19:06.374
to continue . We continue focus to work

19:06.374 --> 19:08.097
to address portability for the

19:08.097 --> 19:09.986
remaining fighter force . The Air

19:09.986 --> 19:09.680
Force's building complementary

19:09.680 --> 19:11.902
capabilities with the F G . X . And the

19:11.902 --> 19:14.013
next generation air dominance . The F

19:14.013 --> 19:15.791
15 E X . Will provide a role in

19:15.791 --> 19:17.902
critical infrastructure , defense and

19:17.902 --> 19:20.069
the ability to employ outsized weapons

19:20.069 --> 19:21.791
and God or next generation air

19:21.791 --> 19:24.013
dominance , which benefits benefits for

19:24.013 --> 19:26.236
full digital engineering and production

19:26.236 --> 19:28.013
is a revolutionary leap forward

19:28.013 --> 19:30.236
capability that will help us ensure air

19:30.236 --> 19:32.347
superiority for the Joint Force . Any

19:32.347 --> 19:34.458
future scenario I am honored to serve

19:34.458 --> 19:36.680
on the same team of Miss Costello . And

19:36.680 --> 19:35.480
look forward to answer all your

19:35.480 --> 19:37.330
questions regarding our tactical

19:37.330 --> 19:39.160
training , aircraft violence .

20:00.040 --> 20:03.400
Do you recognize ? Uh , thank you , sir ,

20:03.410 --> 20:05.521
uh , chairman or cross ranking member

20:05.521 --> 20:07.688
hustler , distinguished members of the

20:07.688 --> 20:09.521
subcommittee . Thank you for the

20:09.521 --> 20:11.688
opportunity to appear before you today

20:11.688 --> 20:13.688
to discuss the Department of Navy's

20:13.688 --> 20:15.910
tactical aviation programs , sustaining

20:15.910 --> 20:17.910
or enable attack air superiority is

20:17.910 --> 20:20.021
critical to engaging in competition ,

20:20.021 --> 20:22.077
Al and winning the high end fight if

20:22.077 --> 20:24.243
necessary . We thank Congress and this

20:24.243 --> 20:26.354
committee for your support over these

20:26.354 --> 20:28.188
programs . Department of Navy is

20:28.188 --> 20:30.354
committed to investing in the aviation

20:30.354 --> 20:32.577
and strike weapon programs . We need to

20:32.577 --> 20:34.243
support our national security

20:34.243 --> 20:36.340
priorities . In fiscal year 21 , we

20:36.340 --> 20:39.240
will deliver 54 new manned aircraft and

20:39.240 --> 20:41.520
four unmanned aircraft to Navy and

20:41.520 --> 20:43.900
Marine Corps units . These aircraft

20:43.900 --> 20:46.067
will improve our aviation capabilities

20:46.240 --> 20:49.750
to address the pacing threat to fulfill

20:49.750 --> 20:51.750
our nation's commitment now and our

20:51.750 --> 20:53.861
strategic investments in the future .

20:53.861 --> 20:56.028
The 22 budget request includes funding

20:56.028 --> 20:59.360
to procure 48 new fixed wing aircraft .

20:59.940 --> 21:01.773
Most of these aircraft are fifth

21:01.773 --> 21:03.718
generation joint strike fighters ,

21:03.718 --> 21:06.510
including 20 F 35 C . Carrier variants

21:06.660 --> 21:09.900
and 17 F 35 B , short takeoff and

21:09.900 --> 21:12.610
vertical landing variants . The budget

21:12.610 --> 21:14.499
request also maintains consistent

21:14.499 --> 21:17.190
aviation depot funding and increased

21:17.190 --> 21:19.246
flying hours funding , both of which

21:19.246 --> 21:22.290
will improve our aviation readiness to

21:22.290 --> 21:24.179
address a couple of items in your

21:24.179 --> 21:26.720
invitation letter . During the F- 22

21:26.720 --> 21:28.831
budget development process , the Navy

21:28.831 --> 21:30.776
identified an opportunity to drive

21:30.776 --> 21:32.998
efficiencies into our operational tests

21:32.998 --> 21:35.670
migrants . The department will maintain

21:36.140 --> 21:38.300
Full operational test capability of F

21:38.300 --> 21:41.660
35 FA 18 E through G . S

21:42.240 --> 21:44.407
and other high end systems , including

21:44.407 --> 21:46.518
our next generation jammers and first

21:47.540 --> 21:49.707
however , with aviation capitalization

21:49.707 --> 21:52.760
nearing completion And by 22 we will

21:52.770 --> 21:55.270
execute some manning reassignments from

21:55.270 --> 21:57.670
our operational test squadrons while

21:57.670 --> 21:59.781
maintaining the rigor and sufficiency

21:59.781 --> 22:02.460
required two for effective weapons

22:02.460 --> 22:05.060
system operational tests through the

22:05.060 --> 22:07.171
combined use of developmental testing

22:07.180 --> 22:10.910
and fleet squadron assets . As the

22:10.910 --> 22:12.632
service as the current service

22:12.632 --> 22:14.632
acquisition executive for the Joint

22:14.632 --> 22:16.688
Strike Fighter Program . I'm working

22:16.688 --> 22:19.021
closely with all three U . S . Services ,

22:19.240 --> 22:21.720
the Office of Secretary Defense , Joint

22:21.720 --> 22:23.831
Strike Fighter Program Office and our

22:23.831 --> 22:26.120
industry partners to continue reducing

22:26.120 --> 22:28.830
the program's cost and ensuring timely

22:28.830 --> 22:31.490
warfighting capability upgrades all

22:31.490 --> 22:33.323
while implementing a sustainment

22:33.323 --> 22:35.490
strategy that meets the fleets needs .

22:35.740 --> 22:37.740
That starts with having predictable

22:37.740 --> 22:39.907
schedules and realistic cost estimates

22:39.907 --> 22:41.907
for all development and sustainment

22:41.907 --> 22:44.050
efforts . And that has been my focus

22:44.050 --> 22:47.170
this year for exact . For example ,

22:47.170 --> 22:49.226
after much Discovery and house broke

22:49.226 --> 22:51.260
last year , The tech refresh

22:51.270 --> 22:53.381
development effort has been on budget

22:53.381 --> 22:55.214
for the last two quarters and is

22:55.214 --> 22:57.660
tracking to meet the required lot 15

22:57.670 --> 23:00.800
cut into that capability . We are also

23:00.800 --> 23:02.911
working closely with our industry and

23:02.911 --> 23:05.133
the Joint Strike fighter organic engine

23:05.133 --> 23:07.189
heavy maintenance facility at Tinker

23:07.189 --> 23:09.260
Air Force Base on the depot repair

23:09.270 --> 23:13.000
recovery efforts . These efforts focus

23:13.000 --> 23:15.370
on increasing power module throughput

23:15.460 --> 23:18.090
by reducing the technical assistance

23:18.090 --> 23:20.840
timelines , standing up a second shift

23:20.850 --> 23:23.800
at the depot , accelerating the plan to

23:23.800 --> 23:26.022
stand up of additional enterprise depot

23:26.022 --> 23:29.410
capacity , various locations such as

23:29.420 --> 23:32.460
FRC Southeast and increasing engine

23:32.460 --> 23:34.820
time on winning through module and many

23:34.820 --> 23:38.460
modules sparing overall . This budget

23:38.460 --> 23:40.627
represents the deliberate and informed

23:40.627 --> 23:43.280
development of a modern eyes modernist

23:43.290 --> 23:45.401
integrated all Domain Naval Force for

23:45.401 --> 23:47.820
the future fight to meet an uncertain

23:47.820 --> 23:49.764
and complex security environment .

23:50.140 --> 23:51.751
Thank you once again for the

23:51.751 --> 23:53.640
opportunity to appear before your

23:53.640 --> 23:55.696
subcommittee today . And we all look

23:55.696 --> 23:57.918
forward to your questions . Thank you .

23:57.918 --> 24:00.029
Lieutenant Ferrell . Mark Wiser . Now

24:00.440 --> 24:02.670
recognized . Yes , sir . Chairman

24:02.670 --> 24:04.614
Norcross , Ranking member . Hearts

24:04.614 --> 24:06.670
learned distinguished members of the

24:06.670 --> 24:08.503
subcommittee . Thank you for the

24:08.503 --> 24:10.559
opportunity to appear before you and

24:10.559 --> 24:10.310
discuss the Marine Corps plan for

24:10.310 --> 24:12.550
Tactical aviation . First , I'll

24:12.550 --> 24:14.650
address our existing tech air

24:14.650 --> 24:17.250
capabilities . The F 18 hornet and the

24:17.250 --> 24:19.720
88 B Harrier of service well , and are

24:19.720 --> 24:21.942
now the Marine Corps bridging platforms

24:21.942 --> 24:23.887
for a transition to 1/5 generation

24:23.887 --> 24:26.053
fighter aircraft . They have benefited

24:26.053 --> 24:27.720
from continuous readiness and

24:27.720 --> 24:30.030
sustainment investments we initiated in

24:30.030 --> 24:32.830
fiscal year 17 . Both platforms are

24:32.830 --> 24:34.500
capable and ready but require

24:34.500 --> 24:36.860
continuous modernization to maintain

24:36.860 --> 24:39.220
legality , survivability and fifth

24:39.220 --> 24:42.130
generation interoperability programmes

24:42.130 --> 24:44.019
to extend the service life of the

24:44.019 --> 24:46.241
hornets such as the high flight hour in

24:46.241 --> 24:48.408
center barrel replacement efforts have

24:48.408 --> 24:50.574
extended the service line up to 10,000

24:50.574 --> 24:52.797
hours . The aircraft will operate until

24:52.797 --> 24:55.390
fiscal year or 30 . The A . B . A . B .

24:55.390 --> 24:57.446
Effort called Reclamation in lieu of

24:57.446 --> 25:00.130
production provides F 402 engines to

25:00.130 --> 25:02.352
account for plant nutrition through the

25:02.352 --> 25:04.519
harrier . Sundown at the end of fiscal

25:04.519 --> 25:06.741
year 27 . Next , as we address our peer

25:06.741 --> 25:08.852
and their peer competitors in today's

25:08.852 --> 25:10.963
great power competition . We continue

25:10.963 --> 25:13.186
to broaden and deepen our understanding

25:13.186 --> 25:15.408
and experience with the F- 35 lightning

25:15.408 --> 25:18.380
too . The F 35 C will integrate and

25:18.380 --> 25:20.324
deploy for all Marine Corps Global

25:20.324 --> 25:22.380
Force commitments to include carrier

25:22.380 --> 25:24.213
air wings as part of tax , their

25:24.213 --> 25:26.800
integration with the Navy , The F- 35 B ,

25:26.800 --> 25:29.430
which can land vertically , will deploy

25:29.430 --> 25:31.430
with marine expeditionary units and

25:31.430 --> 25:33.152
elsewhere . As we continue our

25:33.152 --> 25:35.370
transition to F- 35 , we have to fleet

25:35.370 --> 25:37.426
replacement training squadrons , six

25:37.426 --> 25:39.426
operational line squadrons and have

25:39.426 --> 25:41.481
provided aircraft to one operational

25:41.481 --> 25:44.050
test . Operationally , the Marine Corps

25:44.050 --> 25:46.760
F 35 Bs are deployed currently with the

25:46.760 --> 25:48.950
31st Marine expeditionary unit in the

25:48.960 --> 25:51.293
window pick calm area of responsibility .

25:51.840 --> 25:54.170
Additionally , 10 F 35 Bs are deployed

25:54.170 --> 25:56.059
aboard her majesty's ship , Queen

25:56.059 --> 25:58.003
Elizabeth , as part of the carrier

25:58.003 --> 26:00.226
Strike Group 21 Joint deployment of the

26:00.226 --> 26:02.392
United Kingdom , United States and the

26:02.392 --> 26:04.540
Netherlands . With respect to force

26:04.540 --> 26:06.762
posture related to our comments . Force

26:06.762 --> 26:08.596
designed 2030 . The Marine Corps

26:08.596 --> 26:10.818
contracted with John Hopkins University

26:10.818 --> 26:12.540
in 2020 to study or attack air

26:12.540 --> 26:14.560
transition plan in force posture

26:15.440 --> 26:17.496
Completed this spring . This study ,

26:17.496 --> 26:19.384
along with ongoing war gaming and

26:19.384 --> 26:21.496
experimentation , will help determine

26:21.496 --> 26:23.440
the appropriate number and size of

26:23.440 --> 26:25.662
Marine Corps at 35 squadrons in support

26:25.662 --> 26:27.940
of force design priorities . Currently ,

26:27.940 --> 26:30.051
the F 35 program of record remains at

26:30.051 --> 26:33.990
420 total aircraft , 353 Bs and

26:33.990 --> 26:37.170
67 seas as we look to the future

26:37.170 --> 26:38.726
continued investment in the

26:38.726 --> 26:40.614
survivability and legality of the

26:40.614 --> 26:42.710
Lightning two and of its current and

26:42.710 --> 26:44.880
future suite of weapons will ensure we

26:44.880 --> 26:47.102
are able to counter and defeat are pure

26:47.102 --> 26:49.324
adversaries and others have asked to do

26:49.324 --> 26:51.436
so . Marine Corps . Tactical aviation

26:51.436 --> 26:53.770
is ready . It is lethal and it is fully

26:53.770 --> 26:55.770
integrated into operations with our

26:55.770 --> 26:57.826
partners of the United States Navy ,

26:57.826 --> 26:59.881
the Joint Force and is interoperable

26:59.881 --> 27:02.103
with our international partners enabled

27:02.103 --> 27:04.437
through continued congressional support .

27:04.437 --> 27:06.603
The Navy Marine Corps team is deployed

27:06.603 --> 27:08.826
for imposture to address threats around

27:08.826 --> 27:11.048
the clock and around the world . I look

27:11.048 --> 27:14.070
forward to your questions . Thank you

27:14.080 --> 27:16.410
for your Admiral low sell . You are now

27:16.410 --> 27:19.060
recognized Chairman , Norcross ,

27:19.060 --> 27:20.949
ranking member , Heart Flower and

27:20.949 --> 27:22.560
distinguished members of the

27:22.560 --> 27:24.393
subcommittee . Thank you for the

27:24.393 --> 27:26.616
opportunity to appear today and discuss

27:26.616 --> 27:26.160
the Department of the Navy's Tactical

27:26.160 --> 27:28.820
Aviation Program . Tech air striking

27:28.820 --> 27:30.709
power within our carrier air wing

27:30.709 --> 27:32.820
delivered from the 11 most survivable

27:32.820 --> 27:34.876
airfields in the world . The nuclear

27:34.876 --> 27:36.520
aircraft carrier is vital to

27:36.520 --> 27:38.742
controlling the seas and providing long

27:38.742 --> 27:40.964
range fire is necessary to win the high

27:40.964 --> 27:43.230
end fight as we modernize the carrier

27:43.230 --> 27:45.063
air wing to pace the threat . We

27:45.063 --> 27:47.230
continue to balance the correct mix of

27:47.230 --> 27:49.452
4th and 5th generation fighter aircraft

27:49.740 --> 27:52.310
today . The Navy is managing F 18

27:52.310 --> 27:54.477
inventory requirements through service

27:54.477 --> 27:57.670
life modification SLM and previously

27:57.670 --> 28:00.560
authorized procurement and have 35 c

28:00.560 --> 28:02.282
requirements through continued

28:02.282 --> 28:04.700
procurement This month marks the maiden

28:04.700 --> 28:06.990
deployment of the Navy's first at 35 C

28:06.990 --> 28:10.600
Squadron VF 1 47 embarked in USs Carl

28:10.600 --> 28:13.030
vinson with carrier air wing too . The

28:13.030 --> 28:15.940
F 35 C transition plan is predicated on

28:15.940 --> 28:18.160
the stable procurement profile and on

28:18.160 --> 28:20.860
time delivery . The Navy is committed

28:20.860 --> 28:22.940
to tech refresh three and block for

28:22.950 --> 28:25.290
upgrades for all aircraft in the Navy's

28:25.300 --> 28:27.520
inventory . In order to reduce long

28:27.520 --> 28:29.687
term sustainment costs associated with

28:29.687 --> 28:32.120
maintaining both TR two and TR three

28:32.120 --> 28:35.050
configuration , the Navy will continue

28:35.050 --> 28:37.450
to learn in better quantified costs ,

28:37.460 --> 28:40.270
mission capable rates and operations of

28:40.270 --> 28:42.450
the F 35 C as we conduct our first

28:42.450 --> 28:44.561
deployment and continue transitioning

28:44.561 --> 28:47.450
to our 4th and 5th generation mix . Our

28:47.450 --> 28:49.228
operational test squadrons will

28:49.228 --> 28:51.117
continue to provide critical test

28:51.117 --> 28:52.950
support to ensure all fixed wing

28:52.950 --> 28:55.117
aircraft are poised and ready for high

28:55.117 --> 28:57.061
end requirement , delivering these

28:57.061 --> 28:58.894
transformational capabilities to

28:58.894 --> 29:01.061
frontline forces as soon as possible ,

29:01.061 --> 29:03.470
remains our top priority . The

29:03.470 --> 29:05.470
president's budget 22 continues the

29:05.470 --> 29:07.637
positive trend in arresting our strike

29:07.637 --> 29:10.680
fighters shortfall At 18 slm combined

29:10.680 --> 29:12.950
with changes to the master airplane

29:13.340 --> 29:15.850
Changes to the Navy Adversary Roadmap

29:15.860 --> 29:18.080
and returning 28 Super Hornets from

29:18.080 --> 29:20.750
long term down status has allowed our

29:20.750 --> 29:22.472
strike fighter shortfall to be

29:22.472 --> 29:24.900
eliminated by 2025 , according to

29:24.900 --> 29:28.120
current annual analysis . Strike by the

29:28.120 --> 29:30.287
shortfall will be controlled in future

29:30.287 --> 29:33.130
years with the 78 , new production F18s

29:33.130 --> 29:35.352
that will continue to come off the line

29:35.352 --> 29:38.150
through 2025 and burying the SLM

29:38.150 --> 29:41.070
induction rate as required . Our focus

29:41.070 --> 29:43.292
on increased aircraft availability with

29:43.292 --> 29:45.292
a commitment to appropriate mission

29:45.292 --> 29:47.403
capable rates allows us to manage the

29:47.403 --> 29:49.570
correct footprint of tactical aircraft

29:49.570 --> 29:51.737
across the naval aviation enterprise .

29:51.737 --> 29:53.792
We are laying the groundwork for the

29:53.792 --> 29:56.014
highly networked air wing of the future

29:56.014 --> 29:58.181
with the next generation air dominance

29:58.181 --> 30:00.348
family assist that leverages manned on

30:00.348 --> 30:02.014
man teaming and we'll deliver

30:02.014 --> 30:04.070
overwhelming firepower and contested

30:04.070 --> 30:06.014
spaces in the years ahead , We are

30:06.014 --> 30:07.959
prioritizing funding to accelerate

30:07.959 --> 30:09.959
development of the sixth generation

30:09.959 --> 30:11.848
capability and other key aviation

30:11.848 --> 30:13.959
wholeness investments to ensure carry

30:13.959 --> 30:15.848
it the carrier when Will maintain

30:15.848 --> 30:18.014
dominant strike fighter capability and

30:18.014 --> 30:20.014
capacity to face the most stressing

30:20.014 --> 30:22.126
threat through the 2030s and beyond .

30:22.540 --> 30:24.596
We are developing methods to achieve

30:24.596 --> 30:26.707
the required training and readiness ,

30:26.707 --> 30:28.651
utilizing tactical surrogates live

30:28.651 --> 30:30.818
virtual constructive range integration

30:30.818 --> 30:32.818
to improve training , Fidelity at a

30:32.818 --> 30:35.750
reduced cost . As a naval aviation

30:35.750 --> 30:38.083
enterprise manages physical constraints .

30:38.083 --> 30:40.250
We thank Congress and the subcommittee

30:40.250 --> 30:42.472
for your continued support of important

30:42.472 --> 30:44.750
aviation priorities , including flight ,

30:44.750 --> 30:46.528
our funding , critical aircraft

30:46.528 --> 30:48.417
upgrades and investment in future

30:48.417 --> 30:50.417
capability . I look forward to your

30:50.417 --> 30:53.110
question . Thank you . Dr O'toole . You

30:53.110 --> 30:54.170
are now recognized

30:57.940 --> 30:59.996
Chairman , Norcross ranking member ,

30:59.996 --> 31:02.107
Hartzler and distinguished members of

31:02.107 --> 31:04.329
the committee . Thank you very much for

31:04.329 --> 31:06.551
the opportunity to testify today . I've

31:06.551 --> 31:08.607
submitted a formal statement for the

31:08.607 --> 31:10.718
record and would like to offer just a

31:10.718 --> 31:12.718
few introductory comments While the

31:12.718 --> 31:14.384
majority of the F- 35 initial

31:14.384 --> 31:16.273
operational test and evaluation ,

31:16.273 --> 31:18.051
including open air testing , is

31:18.051 --> 31:20.320
complete . one essential element of the

31:20.320 --> 31:23.210
teeny programmer remains trials in the

31:23.210 --> 31:25.520
joint simulation environment , or JSC .

31:25.520 --> 31:28.660
For short , the JSC is the only means

31:28.670 --> 31:30.726
other than actual combat against the

31:30.726 --> 31:33.860
pure adversary To assess the F- 35

31:33.870 --> 31:36.140
against the threat types , density and

31:36.140 --> 31:39.100
operational scenarios we expected to

31:39.100 --> 31:41.830
face D O T and he therefore cannot

31:41.830 --> 31:44.052
issue . It's IOT any report without the

31:44.052 --> 31:47.000
data JSC would gather from executing

31:47.000 --> 31:50.460
the plan 64 trials . I cannot yet

31:50.460 --> 31:52.680
content on the F 35 operational

31:52.680 --> 31:55.280
effectiveness So I can provide in a

31:55.280 --> 31:57.580
closed session the results of the F- 35

31:57.590 --> 32:00.990
a 10 comparative testing suitability

32:00.990 --> 32:03.140
metrics showed signs of slow

32:03.140 --> 32:05.810
improvement over time , but in any area

32:05.810 --> 32:09.000
still falls short required thresholds I

32:09.000 --> 32:10.910
cannot address after the fire

32:10.910 --> 32:14.850
survivability . In an open forum , F 35

32:14.860 --> 32:17.360
Block four program already is underway .

32:18.540 --> 32:20.651
The current development process known

32:20.651 --> 32:23.110
as continuous capability development

32:23.110 --> 32:25.780
and delivery , or C two D two is

32:25.780 --> 32:27.947
supposed to deliver a new , tested and

32:27.947 --> 32:30.170
verified increment of software every

32:30.170 --> 32:32.920
six months . However , each increment

32:32.930 --> 32:35.130
has been flawed more flawed than

32:35.130 --> 32:37.960
expected . Further software changes

32:37.960 --> 32:40.420
intended to add new capabilities or fix

32:40.420 --> 32:42.750
deficiencies have instead introduce

32:42.750 --> 32:44.639
stability problems that adversely

32:44.639 --> 32:47.580
affected certain existing of 35

32:47.580 --> 32:50.870
functionality And cautiously hopeful

32:50.880 --> 32:53.120
that the program offices decision to

32:53.130 --> 32:56.210
move to a 12-month software cycle will

32:56.210 --> 32:58.720
mitigate some of these issues . But our

32:58.720 --> 33:00.831
remaining concerned about the ability

33:00.831 --> 33:03.290
to conduct adequate operational teeny

33:03.370 --> 33:07.060
block form more broadly diodes D and

33:07.060 --> 33:09.360
the enterprise is now at a crossroads .

33:09.940 --> 33:12.610
Diodes mission success and our national

33:12.610 --> 33:15.170
security reflect the quality of the

33:15.170 --> 33:17.370
operational test and evaluation . We

33:17.370 --> 33:19.770
perform a large number

33:21.340 --> 33:24.530
of new and complex technologies are in

33:24.530 --> 33:26.540
the development and acquisition

33:26.540 --> 33:29.010
pipeline and our adversaries continue

33:29.010 --> 33:33.000
to advance their capabilities . Be

33:33.000 --> 33:35.056
able to properly test the systems we

33:35.056 --> 33:37.470
intend to buy against the threats we

33:37.470 --> 33:39.900
expect to face . D . O . D . Must

33:39.900 --> 33:42.790
invest today in creating a robust TNE

33:42.800 --> 33:45.340
infrastructure with both live and

33:45.340 --> 33:47.396
synthetic environments equipped with

33:47.396 --> 33:49.480
cutting edge tools and staffed by

33:49.480 --> 33:52.890
people with deep expertise , simply put ,

33:52.910 --> 33:55.077
we cannot determine the systems combat

33:55.077 --> 33:57.380
credibility nor thoroughly prepare our

33:57.380 --> 33:59.547
warfighters . If our test and training

33:59.547 --> 34:01.860
capabilities are not kept up to date

34:02.840 --> 34:04.920
bot , any appreciates the committees

34:04.920 --> 34:06.920
continued emphasis on the value of

34:06.920 --> 34:09.760
teeny and allocation of the resources

34:09.760 --> 34:12.410
necessary to deliver combat credible

34:12.410 --> 34:14.790
systems . Again , I appreciate the

34:14.790 --> 34:16.846
opportunity to be part of this panel

34:16.846 --> 34:19.390
today . As always , I would be happy to

34:19.390 --> 34:21.990
meet with any of you or your staff for

34:21.990 --> 34:24.140
a more detailed discussion . I look

34:24.140 --> 34:27.950
forward to your questions . Thank you .

34:27.960 --> 34:31.460
Mr Nogueira , you are now

34:31.470 --> 34:34.010
recognized . Thank you . Chairman

34:34.010 --> 34:36.170
Norcross ranking member Hartzler .

34:36.170 --> 34:37.781
Distinguished members of the

34:37.781 --> 34:39.614
subcommittee . Thank you for the

34:39.614 --> 34:41.837
opportunity to discuss . The Department

34:41.837 --> 34:43.948
of Defense is collaborative effort to

34:43.948 --> 34:45.614
develop , acquire and operate

34:45.614 --> 34:47.781
appropriate mix of tactical aircraft .

34:47.781 --> 34:49.892
These efforts prioritize china is the

34:49.892 --> 34:51.781
pacing challenge while addressing

34:51.781 --> 34:54.003
threats emanating from Russia around in

34:54.003 --> 34:56.003
north Korea . I would like to thank

34:56.003 --> 34:58.170
your staff and the staffs of the other

34:58.170 --> 34:57.990
defense committees for the hours they

34:57.990 --> 34:59.879
have dedicated to discussing this

34:59.879 --> 35:01.657
important topic with us . Their

35:01.657 --> 35:04.100
insights have been very helpful in the

35:04.100 --> 35:06.322
interest of time . I like to succinctly

35:06.322 --> 35:08.378
address your three questions to keep

35:08.378 --> 35:10.570
First in support of the FY 22 budget

35:10.570 --> 35:12.740
request . Cape conducted several

35:12.740 --> 35:15.090
analytic efforts assessing the

35:15.090 --> 35:17.450
capability , capacity and readiness of

35:17.450 --> 35:19.506
the department's tactical aircraft .

35:19.506 --> 35:21.672
Several of these studies were directed

35:21.672 --> 35:23.570
by Congress to include the 2020

35:23.570 --> 35:25.737
independent cost estimate for the F 35

35:25.737 --> 35:29.360
program and the 2021 assessment of F 18

35:30.040 --> 35:32.850
E . F . Service life modifications to

35:32.850 --> 35:34.739
support major Defense acquisition

35:34.739 --> 35:36.810
program milestones . Cape generated

35:36.820 --> 35:39.480
independent cost estimates for the F 15

35:39.490 --> 35:41.410
eagle passive active warning and

35:41.410 --> 35:43.790
survivability system program and the

35:43.790 --> 35:46.440
next generation jammer low and mid band

35:46.450 --> 35:49.240
programs . In addition , Keep oversaw

35:49.240 --> 35:51.296
the joint to care synthetic training

35:51.296 --> 35:53.710
analysis of alternatives and both the

35:53.710 --> 35:56.100
Air Force and Navy next generation air

35:56.100 --> 35:58.260
dominance analysis of alternatives .

35:59.040 --> 36:00.984
Keep also conducted other internal

36:00.984 --> 36:02.762
analyses directed by department

36:02.762 --> 36:04.818
leadership to investigate tech , air

36:04.818 --> 36:07.160
survivability lethality , overall

36:07.160 --> 36:09.640
affordability and novel concepts of

36:09.640 --> 36:11.751
operation to support combat commander

36:11.751 --> 36:14.600
needs taken together this work provided

36:14.600 --> 36:16.433
critical decision support to the

36:16.433 --> 36:18.322
secretary and deputy secretary in

36:18.322 --> 36:20.044
making final decisions in this

36:20.044 --> 36:22.530
portfolio . Second , as part of the

36:22.530 --> 36:24.670
fiscal year 2021 National Defense

36:24.670 --> 36:27.260
Authorization Act Congress task ape to

36:27.260 --> 36:29.170
complete analyses on the service

36:29.170 --> 36:31.060
acquisition strategies for 6th

36:31.060 --> 36:33.480
generation aircraft as well as a non

36:33.480 --> 36:35.702
advocate review , the Air Force Digital

36:35.702 --> 36:37.970
Century series business case . Both

36:37.970 --> 36:40.026
studies are currently underway , and

36:40.026 --> 36:42.248
Cape is engaged in detailed discussions

36:42.248 --> 36:44.414
with the program offices , contractors

36:44.414 --> 36:46.359
and other stakeholders to gain the

36:46.359 --> 36:48.414
necessary data and insight to inform

36:48.414 --> 36:50.526
the department's evolving acquisition

36:50.526 --> 36:52.581
approach and satisfied congressional

36:52.581 --> 36:54.860
reporting requirements . The Digital

36:54.860 --> 36:56.916
Century series business case reviews

36:56.916 --> 36:58.860
should be complete in august and I

36:58.860 --> 37:00.693
expect to send it to you shortly

37:00.693 --> 37:02.960
thereafter . Third , there are a number

37:02.960 --> 37:04.960
of separate but closely related

37:04.960 --> 37:07.127
analytical efforts underway across the

37:07.127 --> 37:09.349
department to determine the appropriate

37:09.349 --> 37:11.890
balance of 6th , 5th and 4th generation

37:11.890 --> 37:15.010
capabilities , Cape is leading analysis

37:15.010 --> 37:17.970
focused on tax care , affordability and

37:17.970 --> 37:20.210
the key trade offs between capability

37:20.210 --> 37:23.020
and capacity . The joint staff in

37:23.020 --> 37:25.340
coordination with Quebec commands is

37:25.340 --> 37:27.396
leading the department's thinking on

37:27.396 --> 37:29.507
how tech errors should be employed in

37:29.507 --> 37:31.729
the future conflict . Finally , the Air

37:31.729 --> 37:33.896
Force and Navy are conducting tack Air

37:33.896 --> 37:36.062
studies focused on assessing both near

37:36.062 --> 37:37.896
and long term requirements . The

37:37.896 --> 37:39.951
results of these efforts will inform

37:39.951 --> 37:41.840
the National Defense Strategy and

37:41.840 --> 37:43.618
decisions to be captured in the

37:43.618 --> 37:45.618
president's fiscal year 2023 budget

37:45.618 --> 37:47.784
submission and associated future years

37:47.784 --> 37:50.020
defense program . Thank you again for

37:50.020 --> 37:52.187
this opportunity and I look forward to

37:52.187 --> 37:54.298
your questions today and a continuing

37:54.298 --> 37:56.631
dialogue about tech , their investments .

37:57.630 --> 37:59.797
Thank you . Lieutenant Colonel . Thank

37:59.797 --> 38:01.960
you now recognized . Thank you very

38:01.960 --> 38:04.016
much . Chairman , Norcross , ranking

38:04.016 --> 38:05.904
member Hartzler and distinguished

38:05.904 --> 38:08.127
members of the subcommittee . Thank you

38:08.127 --> 38:10.238
for this opportunity to discuss the F

38:10.238 --> 38:12.016
35 Lightning to program and for

38:12.016 --> 38:14.182
allowing me to address how the F 35 is

38:14.182 --> 38:16.238
bringing exceptional capabilities to

38:16.238 --> 38:17.960
the services tactical aviation

38:17.960 --> 38:20.182
portfolios . This program continues its

38:20.182 --> 38:22.270
dedicated focus on capability ,

38:22.280 --> 38:24.391
affordability and availability and we

38:24.391 --> 38:26.613
will continue to work with the services

38:26.613 --> 38:28.669
to ensure we meet their war fighting

38:28.669 --> 38:30.836
requirements , the price our taxpayers

38:30.836 --> 38:32.836
can afford . Since appearing before

38:32.836 --> 38:34.947
this committee in April F- 35ves have

38:34.947 --> 38:36.724
continued to deploy and operate

38:36.724 --> 38:38.669
worldwide in support of the United

38:38.669 --> 38:40.947
States and our international teammates .

38:40.947 --> 38:42.669
In addition to the Indo pak um

38:42.669 --> 38:44.669
embarkation mentioned by Lieutenant

38:44.669 --> 38:46.891
General Wise , A U . S . Marine Corps F

38:46.891 --> 38:48.947
35 Beast Water and is deployed today

38:48.947 --> 38:51.113
with our UK allies for the H . M . S .

38:51.113 --> 38:53.336
Queen Elizabeth showcasing the value of

38:53.336 --> 38:55.336
the F 35 partnership as well as the

38:55.336 --> 38:57.558
capability and interoperability of this

38:57.558 --> 38:59.780
amazing air system . At the same time ,

38:59.780 --> 39:02.002
the USs Carl Vinson has embarked on the

39:02.002 --> 39:04.002
Navy's First operational deployment

39:04.002 --> 39:06.700
that the F 35 c . These deployments

39:06.700 --> 39:08.811
complement those previously conducted

39:08.811 --> 39:10.644
by the US Air Force and the Home

39:10.644 --> 39:12.820
Station and deployed combat operations

39:12.820 --> 39:15.042
of our warfighting customers around the

39:15.042 --> 39:17.270
world . In these environments around

39:17.270 --> 39:19.492
the world and around the clock . The F-

39:19.492 --> 39:21.750
35 continues to deliver war winning

39:21.750 --> 39:24.290
combat capabilities more powerful than

39:24.290 --> 39:26.401
the hardware itself . However , these

39:26.401 --> 39:28.623
combined operations telegraph impactful

39:28.623 --> 39:30.910
messages of partnership and teaming to

39:30.910 --> 39:33.560
our adversaries around the globe in our

39:33.560 --> 39:35.671
tireless pursuit of affordability , I

39:35.671 --> 39:37.782
am pleased to announce that late last

39:37.782 --> 39:39.893
month the program reached a handshake

39:39.893 --> 39:42.060
agreement with Lockheed martin on a 21

39:42.060 --> 39:44.227
to 23 air vehicle sustainment contract

39:44.227 --> 39:46.227
that emphasizes improved aircraft ,

39:46.227 --> 39:47.949
full mission capable rates and

39:47.949 --> 39:50.060
continues cost reductions for all our

39:50.060 --> 39:52.227
services , partners and customers over

39:52.227 --> 39:54.116
the last 90 days are TR three and

39:54.116 --> 39:56.227
blocked for . Progress has stabilized

39:56.227 --> 39:58.282
and while we're not out of the woods

39:58.282 --> 40:00.338
yet , I am encouraged by the teams ,

40:00.338 --> 40:02.282
improve performance and capability

40:02.282 --> 40:04.060
development and delivery . I am

40:04.060 --> 40:06.282
similarly pleased with the progress the

40:06.282 --> 40:08.282
team is making on our f 35 logistic

40:08.282 --> 40:10.338
systems including the progress we're

40:10.338 --> 40:12.560
making field and upgraded Odin hardware

40:12.560 --> 40:14.504
and planning for the new Odin data

40:14.504 --> 40:16.671
environment and software . Finally , I

40:16.671 --> 40:18.940
will share that . On two june 2021 we

40:18.940 --> 40:20.996
completed our final open air initial

40:20.996 --> 40:23.170
operational test and evaluation trial

40:23.320 --> 40:24.987
and thanks to the independent

40:24.987 --> 40:26.931
assessment of the joint simulation

40:26.931 --> 40:28.653
environment and the successful

40:28.653 --> 40:30.820
execution of arm a full mission threat

40:30.820 --> 40:32.987
event , I am increasingly confident we

40:32.987 --> 40:35.098
will be able to continue and complete

40:35.098 --> 40:37.042
development of the JSC In order to

40:37.042 --> 40:39.440
execute the final 64 runs of Iot any .

40:39.910 --> 40:42.077
We will update the defense acquisition

40:42.077 --> 40:44.243
executive on our projected timeline in

40:44.243 --> 40:45.854
august which will inform our

40:45.854 --> 40:47.910
acquisition program baseline and the

40:47.910 --> 40:49.910
timing for milestone C and our full

40:49.910 --> 40:51.966
rate production decision . The F- 35

40:51.966 --> 40:53.743
continues delivering incredible

40:53.743 --> 40:55.910
capability to our war fighters today .

40:55.910 --> 40:58.021
The operation , the value of this air

40:58.021 --> 41:00.243
system will only improve as we continue

41:00.243 --> 41:02.188
to drive cost out of the program ,

41:02.188 --> 41:01.890
expand our global sustainment

41:01.890 --> 41:03.690
enterprise and deliver future

41:03.690 --> 41:05.634
increments of capability that will

41:05.634 --> 41:07.690
outpace our enemies and serve as the

41:07.690 --> 41:09.412
foundation of the multi domain

41:09.412 --> 41:11.357
integrated warfighting concepts in

41:11.357 --> 41:13.579
development now across the department .

41:13.579 --> 41:15.746
Thank you for your time today . I look

41:15.746 --> 41:18.400
forward to your questions . Thank you

41:18.410 --> 41:20.940
Mr Levinson . You are now recognized

41:22.910 --> 41:24.966
Chairman , Norcross ranking member ,

41:24.966 --> 41:26.521
Hartzler and members of the

41:26.521 --> 41:28.354
subcommittee . Thank you for the

41:28.354 --> 41:30.132
opportunity to discuss Gos F 35

41:30.132 --> 41:32.299
acquisition work . You have 35 remains

41:32.299 --> 41:34.188
diodes most expensive acquisition

41:34.188 --> 41:36.243
intended to provide decades of their

41:36.243 --> 41:38.354
power superiority , replacing a large

41:38.354 --> 41:40.410
portion of our tactical fleet . It's

41:40.410 --> 41:42.577
serving critical roles in the fleet of

41:42.577 --> 41:44.799
our allies . Geo was examined the F- 35

41:44.799 --> 41:46.910
cents inception . The program has not

41:46.910 --> 41:49.132
always followed key acquisition leading

41:49.132 --> 41:51.021
practices as look ahead . Despite

41:51.021 --> 41:53.188
recurring challenges are early reports

41:53.188 --> 41:55.021
raised concerns about technology

41:55.021 --> 41:57.243
maturity , high levels of concurrency ,

41:57.243 --> 41:59.466
unrealistic cost and schedule estimates

41:59.466 --> 42:01.077
and the prospect of deferred

42:01.077 --> 42:03.420
capabilities . Much has been done At

42:03.420 --> 42:05.730
great cost to join the idea of the F-

42:05.730 --> 42:07.990
35 has been operational aircraft . The

42:08.000 --> 42:10.167
baseline development program is nearly

42:10.167 --> 42:12.222
complete , but as I will discuss key

42:12.222 --> 42:14.278
challenges remain With regard to the

42:14.278 --> 42:16.056
baseline program . A few recent

42:16.056 --> 42:18.111
findings included , despite 13 years

42:18.111 --> 42:19.944
building the plane manufacturing

42:19.944 --> 42:22.111
processes were not meeting metrics for

42:22.111 --> 42:24.056
production consistency , Recurring

42:24.056 --> 42:26.056
supply chain challenges , including

42:26.056 --> 42:28.111
late deliveries . And shortages were

42:28.111 --> 42:30.000
compounded by the need to replace

42:30.000 --> 42:32.167
Turkish suppliers of over 1000 parts .

42:32.167 --> 42:34.000
Several reliability and maintain

42:34.000 --> 42:36.056
ability metrics were still not being

42:36.056 --> 42:38.278
met While many deficiencies were closed

42:38.278 --> 42:40.520
but still open remain high . 864

42:40.520 --> 42:42.742
deficiencies , including eight critical

42:42.800 --> 42:44.967
and finally , the program is again not

42:44.967 --> 42:47.022
completed . The simulator , which in

42:47.022 --> 42:49.244
turn has delayed the foreign production

42:49.244 --> 42:51.022
decision . Our recent block for

42:51.022 --> 42:53.133
modernization findings are similar to

42:53.133 --> 42:55.189
early baseline program findings . In

42:55.189 --> 42:57.189
2018 we reported that the block for

42:57.189 --> 42:59.244
effort began without a business case

42:59.244 --> 43:01.133
technology readiness assessment ,

43:01.133 --> 43:03.189
costing , schedule , estimate , test

43:03.189 --> 43:05.189
and evaluation plan and an approved

43:05.189 --> 43:07.300
acquisition strategy . Last year , we

43:07.300 --> 43:09.467
found that the block for cost estimate

43:09.467 --> 43:11.689
previously provided to Congress did not

43:11.689 --> 43:13.689
reflect all development costs . And

43:13.689 --> 43:15.911
finally this year we reported that some

43:15.911 --> 43:15.230
Black four capabilities have been

43:15.230 --> 43:17.008
deferred . The schedule was not

43:17.008 --> 43:19.174
realistic given the recent development

43:19.174 --> 43:21.286
place and the contractor not followed

43:21.286 --> 43:23.452
its own software development process ,

43:23.452 --> 43:25.508
leading to late discovery of defects

43:25.508 --> 43:27.341
over the years . We've made many

43:27.341 --> 43:29.286
recommendations . For example , we

43:29.286 --> 43:31.397
recommended that prior to moving into

43:31.397 --> 43:33.619
for a production program should resolve

43:33.619 --> 43:35.674
all critical deficiencies , meet all

43:35.674 --> 43:37.786
our name metrics or formally reassess

43:37.786 --> 43:39.730
those metrics and provide Congress

43:39.730 --> 43:41.508
information on production risks

43:41.508 --> 43:43.730
remaining with plans to mitigate them ,

43:43.730 --> 43:45.952
including those in the supply chain and

43:45.952 --> 43:48.008
the production processes . Clearly ,

43:48.008 --> 43:50.230
the F- 35 has followed its own path and

43:50.230 --> 43:49.810
has already built a high percentage of

43:49.810 --> 43:52.080
aircraft under low rate initial

43:52.080 --> 43:54.302
production . However , we maintain that

43:54.302 --> 43:56.469
the full rate production decision is a

43:56.469 --> 43:58.358
critical point for weapons system

43:58.358 --> 44:00.358
development . The myriad challenges

44:00.358 --> 44:02.420
with the F 35 confound us efforts to

44:02.420 --> 44:04.531
modernize its tactical fleet in order

44:04.531 --> 44:06.587
to face in your peer adversaries and

44:06.587 --> 44:08.753
modern threats , Delays in high cost .

44:08.753 --> 44:10.753
The F- 35 could impact the size and

44:10.753 --> 44:12.753
composition of the tactical fleet .

44:12.753 --> 44:14.920
Nonetheless , the challenges remaining

44:14.920 --> 44:16.976
with testing production supply chain

44:16.976 --> 44:18.976
and the block for effort along with

44:18.976 --> 44:21.142
sustainment and affordability issues ,

44:21.142 --> 44:23.364
raise questions about how many aircraft

44:23.364 --> 44:25.587
can realistically reproduced on time in

44:25.587 --> 44:27.753
the near term while supporting fielded

44:27.753 --> 44:29.809
aircraft and heightened the need for

44:29.809 --> 44:31.809
continued congressional oversight ,

44:31.809 --> 44:34.031
chairman or craft franking over heart .

44:34.031 --> 44:33.840
So this concludes my statement . We

44:33.840 --> 44:35.673
have to answer any questions the

44:35.673 --> 44:38.780
subcommittee members may have . I'd

44:38.780 --> 44:40.780
like to thank all the witnesses for

44:40.780 --> 44:42.613
their statement and we were well

44:42.613 --> 44:45.600
transitioned to uh , some questions ,

44:45.600 --> 44:49.250
certainly a a huge portfolio

44:49.250 --> 44:51.770
with front of us today . But I'd like

44:51.770 --> 44:55.120
to start out with following up on some

44:55.120 --> 44:58.250
statements that few of the witnesses

44:58.250 --> 45:00.417
talked about . So let's start out with

45:00.417 --> 45:03.010
general no home and mr

45:03.390 --> 45:07.310
no no where uh the

45:07.310 --> 45:10.420
Air Force joint staff have currently

45:10.420 --> 45:12.770
undertaking those studies . Each of you

45:12.770 --> 45:15.170
have mentioned I want to take down a

45:15.170 --> 45:17.226
little bit more . Can you provide us

45:17.226 --> 45:21.120
with you talk about the status but the

45:21.120 --> 45:23.580
scope and the timing that we can expect

45:23.580 --> 45:25.802
that full report . But more importantly

45:25.802 --> 45:28.270
for today in the discussion some of the

45:28.270 --> 45:30.270
early insights and findings and

45:30.270 --> 45:32.910
possible recommendations understanding

45:32.910 --> 45:35.021
that the full report isn't finished .

45:35.290 --> 45:38.860
Um Also the marines and

45:38.860 --> 45:41.450
the navy involved in any of these

45:41.450 --> 45:45.450
studies . Let's start with you general

45:45.450 --> 45:48.500
nail . Uh Thank thank you . Chairman .

45:48.500 --> 45:50.980
Of course the question now for the

45:50.990 --> 45:53.600
broader D . O . D . Studies are for

45:53.600 --> 45:55.800
over to jodi era for clarification

45:55.800 --> 45:57.850
there . I'll try to keep my remarks

45:57.860 --> 45:59.860
specifically to the Air Force . The

45:59.860 --> 46:02.027
service study . It really looks at our

46:02.030 --> 46:04.197
fighter fleet where we sit right now ,

46:04.197 --> 46:06.197
you know , with 77 distinct fighter

46:06.197 --> 46:08.550
fleets . We sit on right now With a

46:08.550 --> 46:10.717
fleet average this year approaching 30

46:10.717 --> 46:12.900
years old . We have we have we have

46:12.900 --> 46:15.122
some problems with our with our fighter

46:15.122 --> 46:17.289
fleets and we're trying to arrest that

46:17.289 --> 46:20.630
and actually um uh modernize our fleet

46:20.630 --> 46:22.852
as well as make it more lethal and make

46:22.852 --> 46:24.908
it match up to the the threat that's

46:24.908 --> 46:27.130
here today and the threat that's coming

46:27.130 --> 46:29.352
with near beer competition . And you've

46:29.352 --> 46:31.408
heard that she's talked about 7 to 4

46:31.408 --> 46:33.463
plus one . That is certainly part of

46:33.463 --> 46:35.686
our attack . Their study for the timing

46:35.686 --> 46:37.463
our attacker study . We're just

46:37.463 --> 46:39.519
finishing it up now . I've seen some

46:39.519 --> 46:41.741
preliminary results on it , We're doing

46:41.741 --> 46:43.852
some final analysis , we're hoping to

46:43.852 --> 46:47.170
have that available for conversation by

46:47.170 --> 46:49.550
the end of the summer . And right now

46:49.550 --> 46:51.606
we're just working through the final

46:51.606 --> 46:53.560
approvals in that too . Um you're

46:53.560 --> 46:56.310
hearing the chief you can share with ,

46:56.320 --> 46:59.120
I would say the big thing is a

46:59.120 --> 47:02.990
7247 to 4 plus one , which

47:02.990 --> 47:04.934
really gets at what is our fighter

47:04.934 --> 47:07.157
fleet gonna look like in 10 to 15 years

47:07.157 --> 47:09.379
and we see four fighter fleets , one at

47:09.379 --> 47:11.434
the very high end . The next general

47:11.434 --> 47:13.810
dominance . The next is the F 35 as

47:13.810 --> 47:16.032
we've talked about for a long time as a

47:16.032 --> 47:18.199
cornerstone . Our fighter fleet . That

47:18.199 --> 47:20.310
fighter that can do things that are F

47:20.310 --> 47:22.532
16 and eight tens do today but do those

47:22.532 --> 47:24.699
things in contested environments . And

47:24.699 --> 47:26.866
then we think there is a place for the

47:26.866 --> 47:29.110
F 15 E . X . And excuse me carrying

47:29.110 --> 47:31.640
those outsized weapons as well as its

47:31.640 --> 47:33.696
ability to critical infrastructure ,

47:33.696 --> 47:36.790
defense . And then then the fourth very

47:36.790 --> 47:39.340
important the Air Force is tasked with

47:39.340 --> 47:41.451
a lot of capacity missions around the

47:41.451 --> 47:43.730
world . I called me right , I'll call

47:43.730 --> 47:45.841
affordable capacity that's sitting in

47:45.841 --> 47:48.008
Afghanistan for a long time , which is

47:48.008 --> 47:50.008
no longer there . But where is that

47:50.008 --> 47:52.063
next location ? The homeland defense

47:52.063 --> 47:54.063
caps , all the things that we don't

47:54.063 --> 47:56.286
need at 35 F 22 is doing . But we as an

47:56.286 --> 47:59.360
Air force must do the F 16 doesn't very

47:59.360 --> 48:01.720
cheap it doesn't very well . What does

48:01.720 --> 48:03.998
that look like in the future right now ?

48:03.998 --> 48:05.998
The good thing is we have F 16 post

48:05.998 --> 48:08.109
block , the newer F sixteen's out for

48:08.109 --> 48:10.331
the next 15 to 18 years and we're going

48:10.331 --> 48:12.498
to take advantage of those . Those may

48:12.498 --> 48:14.609
someday get replaced by about 35 . We

48:14.609 --> 48:16.831
don't know that yet , but we do know we

48:16.831 --> 48:18.942
need that affordable capacity and the

48:18.942 --> 48:20.998
last is the plus one , we have eight

48:20.998 --> 48:23.053
tens . We like to go down to a fleet

48:23.053 --> 48:24.942
seven operational squatters , 218

48:24.942 --> 48:27.053
airplanes . We have them for the next

48:27.053 --> 48:28.998
period of time that we can use for

48:28.998 --> 48:31.053
those lower end mission . So that is

48:31.053 --> 48:33.490
that plus one . So that is a big broad

48:33.500 --> 48:35.611
broad strip where you're going to see

48:35.611 --> 48:37.778
this attacker study going . It's going

48:37.778 --> 48:39.833
to drill down with a lot of analysis

48:39.833 --> 48:41.944
and how this looks Well . Thank you .

48:41.944 --> 48:44.167
Very good at covering the end story and

48:44.167 --> 48:48.000
I look forward to that . Uh Mr

48:48.570 --> 48:51.850
Nor nor vera can you share some of your

48:51.850 --> 48:55.600
insights on what we have so far and

48:55.610 --> 48:58.200
where we might be going ? Yes sir .

48:58.200 --> 49:00.930
Thank you . Mr mr Chairman . Uh right

49:00.930 --> 49:03.240
now we are really setting up the

49:03.240 --> 49:05.770
analysis working closely with the joint

49:05.770 --> 49:08.890
staff as well . Um Our work is really

49:08.890 --> 49:10.950
we're taking a look at a variety of

49:10.950 --> 49:13.000
strategic and operational concepts

49:13.010 --> 49:16.640
trying to set up the models themselves

49:16.640 --> 49:19.490
so we can do a number of different

49:19.970 --> 49:22.810
analytic looks to support the National

49:22.810 --> 49:25.032
Defense Strategy review that's underway

49:25.032 --> 49:27.570
right now . So we have aimed our work

49:27.570 --> 49:31.130
to come to fruition towards the

49:31.140 --> 49:34.670
middle of the fall to support program

49:34.670 --> 49:36.530
budget review decisions by the

49:36.530 --> 49:38.752
secretary and the deputy secretary . Um

49:38.752 --> 49:40.752
That is in line with what the joint

49:40.752 --> 49:42.974
staff stack air mix . So these are sort

49:42.974 --> 49:46.480
of very compatible and uh

49:46.490 --> 49:48.850
complementary studies if you will that

49:48.850 --> 49:51.190
we will bring these together as I said

49:51.200 --> 49:53.860
towards I think the september october

49:53.860 --> 49:56.630
time for him sir . So two degree you

49:56.630 --> 49:58.741
can have that conversation in an open

49:58.741 --> 50:02.070
form obviously when that 35 started

50:02.660 --> 50:05.650
20 plus years ago to the point that we ,

50:05.660 --> 50:08.890
it becomes fully capable 25-30 years

50:09.260 --> 50:12.860
or certainly when the program began ,

50:12.870 --> 50:15.037
some of the developments that are near

50:15.037 --> 50:17.280
peer competitors are able to look at us

50:17.280 --> 50:20.910
with , we're not around or The F- 35 is

50:20.910 --> 50:23.300
a very capable aircraft and will

50:23.300 --> 50:26.030
continue to be used . But when we start

50:26.030 --> 50:28.460
to make these critical decisions moving

50:28.460 --> 50:30.950
forward , is there anything you can

50:30.950 --> 50:33.520
share with us at this meeting before a

50:33.520 --> 50:35.742
year from now that would help enlighten

50:35.742 --> 50:39.700
us to try to Focus on that

50:39.710 --> 50:42.850
mix that we're talking about . Yes sir ,

50:42.860 --> 50:46.860
I think the the evolving nature of the

50:46.860 --> 50:49.440
threat which has been happening quite

50:49.440 --> 50:51.718
rapidly in the last two or three years ,

50:51.718 --> 50:54.800
you might recall Cape led a taxonomic

50:54.800 --> 50:57.580
study that went to Congress in 2017 .

50:57.760 --> 50:59.870
There's been a lot of change in the

50:59.870 --> 51:02.490
threat the last few years . And as

51:02.490 --> 51:04.570
we've watched that happen , We are

51:04.570 --> 51:07.040
starting to see the need even more so

51:07.040 --> 51:09.290
for the F- 35 and its full block for

51:09.290 --> 51:12.650
capabilities . Um that is critical to

51:12.650 --> 51:15.320
being able to execute the emerging

51:15.320 --> 51:17.930
operational concepts that we see coming

51:17.930 --> 51:19.708
out of all the services and and

51:19.708 --> 51:21.874
emerging from the joint staff itself .

51:21.874 --> 51:25.370
Um because of those needs , we also

51:25.370 --> 51:28.290
see in assessing the two analysis of

51:28.290 --> 51:30.512
alternatives that the Air Force and the

51:30.512 --> 51:32.290
Navy did on next generation air

51:32.290 --> 51:36.160
dominance . We we Fully understand and

51:36.160 --> 51:39.200
expect that those kinds of requirements

51:39.200 --> 51:41.550
and technologies , not necessarily the

51:41.550 --> 51:43.494
platform itself , but think of the

51:43.494 --> 51:45.383
technologies are at large and the

51:45.383 --> 51:47.390
weapons which is critical that we

51:47.390 --> 51:49.920
actually have the weapons uh produce

51:49.920 --> 51:53.130
and and arrive on time . Um that that

51:53.140 --> 51:56.470
is what we need for the 2030s , 20 ,

51:56.470 --> 52:00.060
mid 2035 timeframe . So the programs

52:00.060 --> 52:02.550
that are in the FY22 requests are

52:02.550 --> 52:04.717
exactly the kinds of things that we're

52:04.717 --> 52:07.200
starting to see early indications of

52:07.200 --> 52:08.922
the analysis we've done . It's

52:08.922 --> 52:11.089
consistent with past analysis , but as

52:11.089 --> 52:13.422
we've seen , the threat evolved rapidly .

52:13.422 --> 52:15.422
It's even more critical that we get

52:15.422 --> 52:18.080
those as we expect them to . And and as

52:18.080 --> 52:19.800
you know , sir , that we have

52:19.800 --> 52:21.970
experienced some uh some issues with

52:21.970 --> 52:24.310
that . And certainly in the time frame

52:24.310 --> 52:27.010
we need it . I'll get another round

52:27.010 --> 52:29.230
after we go through , but first let me

52:29.230 --> 52:31.790
turn it over to my ranking member , Mrs

52:31.790 --> 52:35.710
Hartson . Thank you . Hi . Um We'll try

52:35.710 --> 52:37.543
here . I switched on my phone so

52:37.543 --> 52:39.710
hopefully can you hear me now ? Pretty

52:39.710 --> 52:43.520
good . All right , very good . So last

52:43.520 --> 52:45.520
year the Navy briefed the committee

52:45.520 --> 52:47.464
that it predicted a strike fighter

52:47.464 --> 52:50.500
shortfall of 49 aircraft in fiscal year

52:50.500 --> 52:54.460
2021 and a shortfall of 12 aircraft

52:54.460 --> 52:58.420
in fiscal year 2024 . Uh Furthermore ,

52:58.420 --> 53:00.560
the Navy was not forecast to achieve

53:00.560 --> 53:02.671
its strike fighter aircraft inventory

53:02.671 --> 53:06.210
goal until 2030 , but now

53:06.220 --> 53:09.770
for Fy 2022 planning , the Navy asserts

53:09.770 --> 53:11.659
that the strike fighter inventory

53:11.659 --> 53:15.030
shortfall will be resolved 20 in

53:15.030 --> 53:18.080
Fy 2025 , which is five years earlier

53:18.090 --> 53:21.600
than planned , absent a revised by dep

53:21.610 --> 53:23.480
or additional explanation . The

53:23.480 --> 53:25.647
committee is uncertain of the accuracy

53:25.647 --> 53:27.980
of the Navy's new analysis . Since the

53:27.980 --> 53:30.660
FY 21 budget submission , the Navy has

53:30.670 --> 53:32.830
delayed the fielding of its planned

53:32.840 --> 53:35.620
FAXX aircraft over what was planned

53:35.620 --> 53:39.500
last year . Two removed 104 F

53:39.510 --> 53:42.770
A 18 E F Block two aircraft from the

53:42.770 --> 53:44.826
planned service life modification or

53:44.826 --> 53:47.940
SLM program and three failed to raise

53:47.940 --> 53:50.460
the F 35 C procurement quantity to the

53:50.460 --> 53:53.150
24 aircraft per year that the Navy has

53:53.150 --> 53:55.261
previously testified was necessary to

53:55.261 --> 53:56.983
bring down the strike fighters

53:56.983 --> 53:58.983
shortfall over the next decade . It

53:58.983 --> 54:00.706
seems that these factors would

54:00.706 --> 54:03.450
exacerbate the shortfall rather than

54:03.460 --> 54:05.300
expedite the resolution of the

54:05.300 --> 54:08.650
shortfall prior to Fy 2030 . So , Mr

54:08.650 --> 54:10.930
Stephanie , specifically , the budget

54:10.930 --> 54:12.986
request for the Navy did not request

54:12.986 --> 54:15.097
any funding for continued procurement

54:15.097 --> 54:17.830
of F A 18 F super hornet aircraft and

54:17.830 --> 54:19.997
aircraft . The Navy calls its work for

54:19.997 --> 54:22.530
it workforce and it decreased the

54:22.530 --> 54:25.860
procurement numbers for F 35 C from the

54:25.860 --> 54:29.330
Fy 21 projected 20 aircraft to only 15

54:29.330 --> 54:31.400
aircraft , noting that the next

54:31.400 --> 54:33.456
generation air dominance program has

54:33.456 --> 54:36.440
just begun defining aircraft

54:36.450 --> 54:39.360
requirements and development concepts .

54:39.840 --> 54:42.510
How does the Navy plan to manage

54:42.510 --> 54:45.340
tactical aircraft inventory , risk and

54:45.340 --> 54:47.229
reduce the current strike fighter

54:47.229 --> 54:49.396
inventory shortfall ? Absent continued

54:49.396 --> 54:52.000
procurement of the F a 18 E F super

54:52.000 --> 54:53.667
hornet aircraft and increased

54:53.667 --> 54:56.760
procurement . F 35 C above plans .

54:58.840 --> 55:00.673
Yes , ma'am , thank you for that

55:00.673 --> 55:02.562
question . So , first of all that

55:02.562 --> 55:05.750
Beijing , a very good aircraft , really

55:06.340 --> 55:08.451
Support that aircraft as well as they

55:08.451 --> 55:10.562
have 35 . But a number of things have

55:10.562 --> 55:13.350
changed in the last year uh as far as

55:13.360 --> 55:17.330
the uh the ability of us to

55:17.330 --> 55:20.330
to meet that shortfall . Uh And while

55:20.330 --> 55:22.552
the point you brought up are accurate ,

55:22.552 --> 55:24.330
we also have a different mix of

55:24.330 --> 55:26.760
aircraft in , in the , in the fleet

55:26.760 --> 55:28.816
going forward . And I really like to

55:28.816 --> 55:30.871
turn it over to a melissa because he

55:30.871 --> 55:32.927
actually has the detail we will come

55:32.927 --> 55:35.149
over without , we need to come over and

55:35.149 --> 55:37.093
actually brief you man all the way

55:37.093 --> 55:39.204
through the process so you can see it

55:39.204 --> 55:39.150
all the way through . But at the top

55:39.150 --> 55:41.000
level , admiral , you kind of go

55:41.000 --> 55:43.056
through the things have changed last

55:43.056 --> 55:45.360
year . Absolutely , sir . So uh ma'am ,

55:45.370 --> 55:48.170
we've made several changes to the map .

55:48.640 --> 55:52.310
So we have uh taken the F

55:52.310 --> 55:55.450
35 C . Portion of our 44 strike

55:55.450 --> 55:57.820
fighters and reduced that from two

55:57.820 --> 56:00.500
squadrons of F 35 down to a single

56:00.500 --> 56:02.389
squadron , but then increased the

56:02.389 --> 56:04.500
number of tales in that squadron from

56:04.500 --> 56:08.100
10 to 4 . Uh So we had adversary

56:08.100 --> 56:11.300
requirements for our fleet out at

56:11.310 --> 56:14.370
Fallon and in our reserve squadrons and

56:14.370 --> 56:16.330
so they're in our previous plans .

56:16.330 --> 56:18.920
Those were F eighteens . And now in

56:18.920 --> 56:22.410
Fallon we have taken some F sixteen's

56:22.410 --> 56:24.410
from the Air Force and Air National

56:24.410 --> 56:26.632
Guard to relieve that requirement . And

56:26.632 --> 56:29.680
we bought F five's from Switzerland to

56:29.690 --> 56:31.690
relieve another squadrons worth of

56:31.690 --> 56:35.130
reserve F 18 requirements . And our

56:35.130 --> 56:38.350
Nancy population of professional

56:38.350 --> 56:41.770
maintainers has been able to return 28

56:41.780 --> 56:44.470
Super Hornets from long term down

56:44.470 --> 56:46.960
status and put those back in the fleet .

56:47.330 --> 56:49.441
So we believe that the combination of

56:49.441 --> 56:53.080
those uh improvements has reduced our

56:53.080 --> 56:55.870
strike fighter shortfall to zero by

56:55.880 --> 56:59.200
2025 based on current year analysis .

56:59.210 --> 57:01.420
Uh This is an analysis that we repeat

57:01.420 --> 57:04.860
on an annual basis and based on current

57:04.860 --> 57:08.130
budget projections , we believe that

57:08.140 --> 57:10.260
the SLM lines , we have two lines

57:10.270 --> 57:13.800
operating . We'll have the additional

57:13.800 --> 57:17.720
capacity during the time at the

57:17.720 --> 57:21.540
25 the period in question to take

57:21.550 --> 57:25.310
additional SLM tales should our

57:25.320 --> 57:28.710
current analysis be revised and uh and

57:28.710 --> 57:30.821
we require that additional capacity .

57:30.821 --> 57:32.766
We believe the infrastructure will

57:32.766 --> 57:35.010
support additional modifications to the

57:35.010 --> 57:38.610
Black Free status . So

57:38.620 --> 57:41.200
unfortunately there was a little bit of

57:41.200 --> 57:43.670
a delay and I wasn't able to quite hear

57:43.680 --> 57:45.847
all of that answer , but regarding the

57:45.847 --> 57:49.440
SLM lines , um , these aircraft are

57:49.440 --> 57:52.850
coming in with a lot more

57:53.430 --> 57:56.580
assault damage than originally thought

57:56.590 --> 57:58.990
and it's going to take longer to be

57:58.990 --> 58:02.320
able to produce them . So , so how are

58:02.320 --> 58:04.376
you able to say that you think we're

58:04.376 --> 58:06.209
going to get additional aircraft

58:06.209 --> 58:08.670
through SLM with the condition of these

58:08.670 --> 58:12.040
aircraft ? Yes , ma'am . Uh ,

58:13.050 --> 58:16.380
Okay , so all of our block two aircraft

58:16.380 --> 58:18.910
that we are planning for slm , we

58:18.910 --> 58:21.220
intended for our 1st 30 aircraft and

58:21.220 --> 58:23.442
we're about halfway through that now to

58:23.442 --> 58:27.350
be a learning platform . So uh , agree

58:27.350 --> 58:30.420
100% that there was damaged beyond

58:30.420 --> 58:32.090
expectation from a corrosion

58:32.090 --> 58:34.630
perspective on some of the initial

58:34.640 --> 58:36.840
aircraft . However , Boeing is seeing

58:36.840 --> 58:39.090
significantly improved condition in the

58:39.090 --> 58:41.660
aircraft that we are now submitting for

58:41.660 --> 58:45.500
SLM . So , uh , with a number of block

58:45.500 --> 58:47.278
to super hornets in our current

58:47.278 --> 58:49.490
inventory compared to the number of

58:49.490 --> 58:51.601
block to super hornets that we intend

58:51.601 --> 58:53.768
to conduct a lemon that allows us some

58:53.768 --> 58:56.690
selectivity in those tales that we put

58:56.690 --> 58:59.010
through the modification line . And so

58:59.010 --> 59:01.121
we're learning in this process and we

59:01.121 --> 59:03.343
are now conducting inspections prior to

59:03.343 --> 59:05.343
induction that are looking at these

59:05.343 --> 59:07.570
hard areas to identify whether or not

59:07.570 --> 59:09.681
the corrosion that's present in those

59:09.681 --> 59:11.903
aircraft justifies inclusion in our sLM

59:11.903 --> 59:14.126
process or whether or not we might look

59:14.126 --> 59:17.400
at a different Aircraft to conduct that

59:17.410 --> 59:19.470
uh that on . But right now we are

59:19.470 --> 59:21.210
continuing to learn and we are

59:21.210 --> 59:23.099
continuing to bring down the time

59:23.099 --> 59:26.310
associated with getting uh an aircraft

59:26.310 --> 59:28.143
through the slm process . And we

59:28.143 --> 59:30.500
anticipate that by the 25 timeframe ,

59:30.510 --> 59:32.850
we should be in full swing on two lines

59:32.850 --> 59:35.490
at one year per slm aircraft At that

59:35.490 --> 59:37.980
point time in 23 and after Coming off

59:37.980 --> 59:40.140
the line in a full 10,000 , our

59:40.340 --> 59:42.540
modification in full block three

59:42.540 --> 59:46.200
configuration . So , so if there is a

59:46.200 --> 59:48.311
lot of corrosion , it sounds like you

59:48.311 --> 59:50.144
won't be bringing a man from the

59:50.144 --> 59:52.360
induction into the SLM program . But

59:52.370 --> 59:54.590
just by I don't see how that's gonna

59:54.590 --> 59:57.260
help because if there in such poor

59:57.260 --> 59:59.390
condition that they can't enter the

59:59.390 --> 01:00:01.557
program wolf , that just further delay

01:00:01.557 --> 01:00:03.668
a very bad situation and make it even

01:00:03.668 --> 01:00:06.630
worse when you do bring it in . So ,

01:00:06.630 --> 01:00:08.852
ma'am , those first aircraft that we're

01:00:08.852 --> 01:00:11.019
looking at our aircraft that are right

01:00:11.019 --> 01:00:13.019
up against their 6000 hours service

01:00:13.019 --> 01:00:15.740
life . And so much of that corrosion is

01:00:15.740 --> 01:00:18.250
mitigate herbal at the Navy's level .

01:00:18.260 --> 01:00:20.620
And so , to reduce costs , we're

01:00:20.620 --> 01:00:23.270
looking at employing our own artisans

01:00:23.280 --> 01:00:25.113
to go in there and conduct those

01:00:25.113 --> 01:00:28.560
repairs prior to bringing it to bow it .

01:00:28.570 --> 01:00:30.792
And if it's anything that is structural

01:00:30.792 --> 01:00:32.681
in that nature , then we have our

01:00:32.681 --> 01:00:34.681
engineers that take a look at those

01:00:34.730 --> 01:00:36.730
particular corrosion spots and make

01:00:36.730 --> 01:00:38.841
determinations as to the repair level

01:00:38.841 --> 01:00:41.320
that is necessary for that particular

01:00:41.320 --> 01:00:43.542
aircraft to get it through its uh , its

01:00:43.542 --> 01:00:46.650
remaining service life . Okay . Uh

01:00:46.660 --> 01:00:49.380
there's , you talked about adversary

01:00:49.380 --> 01:00:51.630
support and moving a lot of these new

01:00:51.630 --> 01:00:54.540
aircraft over uh to play the role of

01:00:54.540 --> 01:00:57.210
the adversary . But there's also the

01:00:57.210 --> 01:00:59.440
issue of the Navy Reserves only

01:00:59.440 --> 01:01:01.880
remaining strike fighter squadron , the

01:01:01.880 --> 01:01:05.840
FAA 204 Uh They are currently available

01:01:05.840 --> 01:01:08.450
for contingency deployment and they

01:01:08.460 --> 01:01:10.100
routinely conduct carrier

01:01:10.100 --> 01:01:12.910
qualifications , which is not possible

01:01:12.910 --> 01:01:15.630
for F sixteen's . If if you're right ,

01:01:15.630 --> 01:01:17.463
you're going to be giving them F

01:01:17.463 --> 01:01:19.640
sixteen's instead of the F 18 . So

01:01:20.010 --> 01:01:22.232
Admiral Lewis Hill is the Navy planning

01:01:22.232 --> 01:01:24.232
walk away from that mission and the

01:01:24.232 --> 01:01:27.060
ability for VFA to afford to activate

01:01:27.060 --> 01:01:30.410
in a time of crisis . So , ma'am , the

01:01:30.420 --> 01:01:32.780
Soul and the Soul Reserve Squadron that

01:01:32.780 --> 01:01:36.600
will retain F 18 capability is uh B .

01:01:36.600 --> 01:01:40.460
F . A uh 12 in Oceana .

01:01:40.650 --> 01:01:42.817
And so that decision was made in order

01:01:42.817 --> 01:01:44.930
to single site the Super Hornet

01:01:44.930 --> 01:01:47.240
maintenance at either Oshie on a or

01:01:47.240 --> 01:01:50.760
lamb or and so the F A 204 is planned

01:01:50.760 --> 01:01:54.170
to go to F five because they are the

01:01:54.170 --> 01:01:57.480
closest to our other VF A squadron down

01:01:57.480 --> 01:01:59.630
in Key West and they provide the

01:01:59.630 --> 01:02:02.470
predominant level of support to our FRS

01:02:02.470 --> 01:02:04.692
Training squadron . Thought of both the

01:02:04.692 --> 01:02:06.692
new Orleans ranges and the Key West

01:02:06.692 --> 01:02:09.070
ranges . The F sixteens I mentioned are

01:02:09.070 --> 01:02:11.237
all going to be in Fallon where we are

01:02:11.237 --> 01:02:13.459
currently operating F 16 and we already

01:02:13.459 --> 01:02:15.626
have that maintenance support in place

01:02:15.626 --> 01:02:19.490
there . So so we right now we'll have a

01:02:19.490 --> 01:02:22.290
single reserve squadron flying Super

01:02:22.290 --> 01:02:26.120
ones . Okay , very

01:02:26.120 --> 01:02:28.064
good . Well I have some additional

01:02:28.064 --> 01:02:30.064
questions but I'll give it back and

01:02:30.064 --> 01:02:32.287
other members to go ahead and ask their

01:02:32.287 --> 01:02:35.770
questions . Thank you . Thank you . So

01:02:35.780 --> 01:02:39.030
we have on deck Mr Carvel Hall Turner

01:02:39.030 --> 01:02:41.290
of Woodford and Whitman to give you a

01:02:41.300 --> 01:02:43.411
little bit of indications coming up ,

01:02:43.411 --> 01:02:45.960
we now recognize Mr Carver Hall for

01:02:45.960 --> 01:02:48.370
five minutes . Thank you Chairman or

01:02:48.370 --> 01:02:51.660
across and ranking member Hartzler . Uh

01:02:51.670 --> 01:02:53.892
and I appreciate the witness is joining

01:02:53.892 --> 01:02:56.080
us today When this subcommittee had a

01:02:56.080 --> 01:02:59.120
hearing on the F- 35 in November 2019 .

01:02:59.700 --> 01:03:01.811
I asked about the department's effort

01:03:01.811 --> 01:03:03.811
to develop an intellectual property

01:03:03.811 --> 01:03:06.130
strategy and the issue of D . O . D . S

01:03:06.130 --> 01:03:08.910
inability to obtain I . P . And

01:03:08.910 --> 01:03:12.200
technical data across the entire F 35

01:03:12.200 --> 01:03:15.160
supply chain . Then under Secretary

01:03:15.160 --> 01:03:17.760
Lord and General fix said that the D .

01:03:17.760 --> 01:03:19.871
O . D . Was in the process of doing a

01:03:19.871 --> 01:03:22.220
fundamental rewrite of all acquisition

01:03:22.220 --> 01:03:25.450
policy . General thick , what steps has

01:03:25.450 --> 01:03:27.820
the G . A . P . O . And the department

01:03:27.820 --> 01:03:30.570
taken since that hearing to address its

01:03:30.580 --> 01:03:34.080
concerns In the F- 35 supply chain and

01:03:34.080 --> 01:03:35.820
to develop the strategy ?

01:03:40.800 --> 01:03:43.022
Thank you for your question . Um In the

01:03:43.022 --> 01:03:45.250
time that's elapsed since the fall of

01:03:45.260 --> 01:03:47.910
2019 , we have continued to work to

01:03:47.910 --> 01:03:50.870
ensure that we have the appropriate um

01:03:50.880 --> 01:03:52.880
intellectual property and technical

01:03:52.880 --> 01:03:56.020
data required to execute the mission

01:03:56.030 --> 01:03:59.740
of the F 35 of the F 35 enterprise to

01:03:59.740 --> 01:04:02.580
include uh the establishment in the

01:04:02.580 --> 01:04:06.060
stand up of the component repair depots ,

01:04:06.070 --> 01:04:07.681
each of which comes with the

01:04:07.681 --> 01:04:09.792
appropriate technical data . To allow

01:04:09.792 --> 01:04:13.460
us to do so , we have we

01:04:13.460 --> 01:04:17.090
have established a an intellectual

01:04:17.090 --> 01:04:19.520
property strategy that we are actively

01:04:19.520 --> 01:04:23.000
executing with the number of underlying

01:04:23.010 --> 01:04:26.200
guiding principles that lead us to

01:04:26.210 --> 01:04:28.570
conduct cost benefit analysis of

01:04:28.570 --> 01:04:31.310
whether we should uh whether we should

01:04:31.310 --> 01:04:33.450
challenge technical data assertion or

01:04:33.450 --> 01:04:35.394
intellectual property assertion or

01:04:35.394 --> 01:04:37.830
whether we should consider simply uh

01:04:37.840 --> 01:04:40.320
purchasing or securing the use of the

01:04:40.320 --> 01:04:42.430
intellectual property based upon our

01:04:42.440 --> 01:04:45.080
desired and required and state . So in

01:04:45.080 --> 01:04:47.230
short um it's not and we talked about

01:04:47.230 --> 01:04:49.397
this a little bit uh in april it's not

01:04:49.397 --> 01:04:51.563
about going out and getting all of the

01:04:51.563 --> 01:04:53.730
data because getting all of the data ,

01:04:53.730 --> 01:04:55.397
purchasing all of the data or

01:04:55.397 --> 01:04:58.600
challenging lock it up , rat uh to to

01:04:58.600 --> 01:05:00.920
their ownership of the data would be

01:05:00.920 --> 01:05:03.087
counterproductive . We can't afford to

01:05:03.087 --> 01:05:05.087
buy all of that , but we need to go

01:05:05.087 --> 01:05:07.510
after the data that's required to allow

01:05:07.510 --> 01:05:09.788
us to do the things that we need to do .

01:05:09.788 --> 01:05:11.954
One of the places that we talked about

01:05:11.954 --> 01:05:15.630
in the in april had to do with with

01:05:15.630 --> 01:05:17.970
our intention of expanding the

01:05:17.970 --> 01:05:20.081
authorities of maintainers on the fly

01:05:20.081 --> 01:05:21.970
line back in the beginning of the

01:05:21.970 --> 01:05:23.914
program of maintenance concept was

01:05:23.914 --> 01:05:26.026
developed and as we've worked to move

01:05:26.026 --> 01:05:28.440
forward um and execute changes to our

01:05:28.440 --> 01:05:30.051
maintenance philosophy . Our

01:05:30.051 --> 01:05:32.051
maintenance strategy , we've had to

01:05:32.051 --> 01:05:34.162
secure technical data associated with

01:05:34.162 --> 01:05:36.890
uh the steps required to perform those

01:05:36.890 --> 01:05:40.210
kind of tasks We have over time . And

01:05:40.210 --> 01:05:42.300
this is actually since 2014 , so not

01:05:42.300 --> 01:05:45.320
just since 2019 But we have assessed

01:05:45.320 --> 01:05:48.550
447 different maintenance data changes .

01:05:48.550 --> 01:05:51.160
We've approved 207 of them and we've

01:05:51.160 --> 01:05:53.710
actually completed 105 of them . And we

01:05:53.710 --> 01:05:55.860
anticipate the net savings associated

01:05:55.860 --> 01:05:59.030
with with the stand up of that

01:05:59.030 --> 01:06:01.540
increased organic maintenance uh

01:06:01.550 --> 01:06:04.690
capacity to save us about $1.9 billion

01:06:04.690 --> 01:06:06.857
over the cost of the f 35 live cycle .

01:06:06.857 --> 01:06:09.690
So what we're executing in my mind is a

01:06:09.700 --> 01:06:12.110
broad initiative targeted at getting

01:06:12.110 --> 01:06:14.166
the data we need to do the things we

01:06:14.166 --> 01:06:16.400
need to do and not wasting time and

01:06:16.400 --> 01:06:18.660
money on things that are superfluous to

01:06:18.660 --> 01:06:21.380
that requirement . Thank you . General .

01:06:21.390 --> 01:06:24.620
Uh my second question . My colleague

01:06:24.620 --> 01:06:27.700
Mr Noriega was unable to attend our

01:06:27.700 --> 01:06:29.830
subcommittee hearing today . So I'm

01:06:29.830 --> 01:06:31.886
asking the following question on his

01:06:31.886 --> 01:06:34.410
behalf . Lieutenant General Gnome ,

01:06:35.280 --> 01:06:38.010
Should Congress prohibit divestment of

01:06:38.010 --> 01:06:40.680
the 8 10 fleet ? Once again , I would

01:06:40.680 --> 01:06:42.680
like to make sure the Air Force has

01:06:42.680 --> 01:06:44.569
made plans to keep the full fleet

01:06:44.569 --> 01:06:46.870
sustained and modernized . Perhaps most

01:06:46.870 --> 01:06:48.870
critical is the need to finish wing

01:06:48.870 --> 01:06:51.300
replacement across the fleet as

01:06:51.300 --> 01:06:53.522
aircraft that do not have new wings are

01:06:53.522 --> 01:06:55.522
rapidly approaching the hours limit

01:06:55.522 --> 01:06:57.940
under original wings . Last year , the

01:06:57.940 --> 01:07:00.880
Air Force requested 100 million dollars

01:07:00.880 --> 01:07:03.770
to purchase 24 wing sets and Congress

01:07:03.770 --> 01:07:05.937
fully authorized and appropriated this

01:07:05.937 --> 01:07:07.760
funding while also prohibiting

01:07:07.760 --> 01:07:10.440
divestment . So far , the Air Force has

01:07:10.440 --> 01:07:13.290
only placed orders for two wing sets

01:07:13.780 --> 01:07:15.600
with this funding counter to

01:07:15.600 --> 01:07:18.160
congressional intent . Will you commit

01:07:18.160 --> 01:07:20.000
that ? Should Congress prohibit

01:07:20.000 --> 01:07:22.000
divestment of the a 10 fleet ? Once

01:07:22.000 --> 01:07:24.680
again , The air force will quickly move

01:07:24.680 --> 01:07:27.850
to place at least 22 more wing sets on

01:07:27.850 --> 01:07:31.050
contract . And if Congress provides

01:07:31.050 --> 01:07:33.200
additional wing replacement funding ,

01:07:33.780 --> 01:07:35.730
the Air Force will execute that

01:07:35.730 --> 01:07:39.400
expeditiously as well . Uh , function .

01:07:39.400 --> 01:07:41.400
I'll start off then I'm out for the

01:07:41.400 --> 01:07:43.370
wing set . I'm leaner . I'm miss

01:07:43.370 --> 01:07:45.481
Costello's next to me . But thank you

01:07:45.481 --> 01:07:47.592
for the question . Uh , the Air Force

01:07:47.592 --> 01:07:49.870
is not divest is divesting out of the 8

01:07:49.870 --> 01:07:52.270
10 mission . Our intention with this

01:07:52.270 --> 01:07:54.437
year's president's budget is to reduce

01:07:54.437 --> 01:07:58.280
our A tens from 281 down to 218 . That

01:07:58.280 --> 01:08:00.500
is nine operational squadrons of tens

01:08:00.870 --> 01:08:03.150
Down to seven . And this is part of the

01:08:03.150 --> 01:08:05.372
transformation of our air force . The a

01:08:05.372 --> 01:08:07.483
10 is a wonderful airplane , has done

01:08:07.483 --> 01:08:09.594
incredible things for our nation . We

01:08:09.594 --> 01:08:11.706
have to start repurposing some of the

01:08:11.706 --> 01:08:13.872
resources on the 10 into some moderate

01:08:13.872 --> 01:08:16.039
capabilities , specifically manpower .

01:08:16.039 --> 01:08:17.872
Um , if we don't reduce the a 10

01:08:17.872 --> 01:08:19.928
slightly this year , we run into the

01:08:19.928 --> 01:08:22.850
extreme problems . If I could the

01:08:22.850 --> 01:08:25.430
gentleman's time inspired , I gave 32nd

01:08:25.430 --> 01:08:28.150
sector If we can we'll come back to

01:08:28.150 --> 01:08:31.490
that next round . Obviously that was a

01:08:31.500 --> 01:08:34.070
fairly uh tough question to answer in

01:08:34.070 --> 01:08:36.670
17 seconds . So if you could allow the

01:08:36.670 --> 01:08:38.710
witnesses enough time as you answer

01:08:38.710 --> 01:08:41.770
questions with that will turn to Mr

01:08:41.770 --> 01:08:43.603
Turner , you're now recognized .

01:08:46.770 --> 01:08:48.881
Thank you . Mr Chairman General thick

01:08:48.881 --> 01:08:51.430
engines for the F 35 represent a

01:08:51.430 --> 01:08:54.180
significant cost both in operation ,

01:08:54.570 --> 01:08:56.950
maintenance and in production . And the

01:08:56.950 --> 01:08:59.400
J . O . Report that we had showed that

01:08:59.400 --> 01:09:01.930
there's significant concern about the

01:09:01.930 --> 01:09:05.790
effects of the current engines for the

01:09:05.790 --> 01:09:09.150
F 35 and its effect on Production

01:09:09.210 --> 01:09:12.250
with the jail reports saying that less

01:09:12.250 --> 01:09:14.780
than 4% of the engines are delivered on

01:09:14.780 --> 01:09:17.290
time as we look to trying to lower the

01:09:17.290 --> 01:09:20.280
overall costs for operations and

01:09:20.280 --> 01:09:22.447
maintenance engine . Certainly an area

01:09:22.447 --> 01:09:25.210
where we could pick up both in lowering

01:09:25.210 --> 01:09:26.988
our overall maintenance costs ,

01:09:26.988 --> 01:09:29.321
increasing our operational capabilities .

01:09:29.860 --> 01:09:33.120
And I was wondering what our current

01:09:33.120 --> 01:09:35.410
status is . Has been looking at

01:09:35.420 --> 01:09:37.800
alternative engine configurations or

01:09:37.800 --> 01:09:40.490
future engine opportunities for the F-

01:09:40.490 --> 01:09:43.650
35 that can increased flight time range

01:09:43.650 --> 01:09:45.780
and lower overall operational costs .

01:09:45.820 --> 01:09:49.200
General thick Sir . Thank you for your

01:09:49.200 --> 01:09:53.140
question first . Relative to the 4% uh ,

01:09:53.150 --> 01:09:56.800
delivered on time metric . I don't , I

01:09:56.810 --> 01:09:59.060
don't challenge your data uh , in any

01:09:59.060 --> 01:10:01.116
way , shape or form . I believe that

01:10:01.116 --> 01:10:03.380
that's actually correct . But I do know

01:10:03.390 --> 01:10:05.557
that we have not delivered an aircraft

01:10:05.557 --> 01:10:07.557
late due to an engine , late engine

01:10:07.557 --> 01:10:09.980
delivery . Um , to my knowledge in my

01:10:09.980 --> 01:10:12.147
time on the program , which dates back

01:10:12.147 --> 01:10:14.470
to 2017 . So , well , while I'll agree

01:10:14.470 --> 01:10:16.192
that there have been some late

01:10:16.192 --> 01:10:19.650
deliveries , by and large , obviously

01:10:19.650 --> 01:10:21.817
judgmental in the J . A . Report cited

01:10:21.817 --> 01:10:25.530
in in uh Yes sir . Thank you . I will

01:10:25.530 --> 01:10:28.120
note also that despite the impact of

01:10:28.130 --> 01:10:31.300
Covid in 2020 Pratt did in fact deliver

01:10:31.300 --> 01:10:33.300
all of the engines that they had on

01:10:33.300 --> 01:10:35.189
contract plus one extra . So they

01:10:35.189 --> 01:10:37.189
actually did pretty good . But with

01:10:37.189 --> 01:10:39.300
that said , um , engine cost in uh in

01:10:39.300 --> 01:10:41.540
sustainment are challenging And as we

01:10:41.550 --> 01:10:43.772
rapidly approached the 2000 , our first

01:10:43.772 --> 01:10:46.040
scheduled engine removal , those , we

01:10:46.040 --> 01:10:48.151
will start to bear those costs in the

01:10:48.151 --> 01:10:50.318
sustainment of the of the air system .

01:10:50.318 --> 01:10:52.484
And we also know that we have begun to

01:10:52.484 --> 01:10:55.220
reach a flat or a flatter spot in the

01:10:55.220 --> 01:10:57.387
learning curve relative to the overall

01:10:57.387 --> 01:10:59.770
cost of production uh , engines . Uh ,

01:10:59.780 --> 01:11:02.470
when I couple that with the notion that

01:11:02.660 --> 01:11:05.100
post , post the current block for

01:11:05.100 --> 01:11:07.550
content , we will likely need increased

01:11:07.560 --> 01:11:09.830
power and increased thermal management

01:11:09.830 --> 01:11:12.052
capability from our propulsion system .

01:11:12.052 --> 01:11:14.680
I think that the need to look for um

01:11:15.160 --> 01:11:17.620
options from a propulsion system

01:11:17.620 --> 01:11:19.676
perspective is present . I will tell

01:11:19.676 --> 01:11:23.280
you I was in , I went to uh , to the G .

01:11:23.280 --> 01:11:25.790
E . And even dale about six weeks ago ,

01:11:25.800 --> 01:11:28.430
I toured the line , I saw the work

01:11:28.430 --> 01:11:30.763
they're doing on a D . P . And candidly ,

01:11:30.763 --> 01:11:32.986
I was impressed . Um , there's a lot of

01:11:32.986 --> 01:11:35.097
work to be done before that becomes a

01:11:35.097 --> 01:11:37.319
production engine before that becomes a

01:11:37.319 --> 01:11:39.486
reality for the F 35 program perhaps .

01:11:39.486 --> 01:11:41.541
But so I will pledge to work with my

01:11:41.541 --> 01:11:44.070
Air Force , Navy and Marine Corps um ,

01:11:44.560 --> 01:11:47.690
Services as we work to explore options

01:11:47.690 --> 01:11:50.430
and alternatives to addressing the F-

01:11:50.430 --> 01:11:52.541
35 propulsion issues moving forward .

01:11:53.160 --> 01:11:55.500
Great , thank you . Generally home . Um

01:11:55.510 --> 01:11:57.990
the uh the Air Force looks to retire

01:11:57.990 --> 01:12:01.320
aircraft . Certainly the C 1 30 H . Is

01:12:01.320 --> 01:12:03.730
on the block in Mansfield Ohio . There

01:12:03.730 --> 01:12:06.180
is a guard base which they operate . It

01:12:06.180 --> 01:12:08.236
could be affected significantly as a

01:12:08.236 --> 01:12:10.124
result of the decreased number of

01:12:10.124 --> 01:12:12.347
planes that will need to be transitions

01:12:12.347 --> 01:12:14.300
um for that facility and other

01:12:14.300 --> 01:12:16.510
facilities across the country . Could

01:12:16.510 --> 01:12:18.677
you please give us some information as

01:12:18.677 --> 01:12:20.621
to what the current plans or plans

01:12:20.621 --> 01:12:23.030
that's under being ? They can look to

01:12:23.030 --> 01:12:26.990
future or facilities that might be blue

01:12:26.990 --> 01:12:29.400
thing . But 1 38

01:12:31.230 --> 01:12:33.508
Congressman thank you for the question .

01:12:33.508 --> 01:12:35.619
We have said we were we would like to

01:12:35.619 --> 01:12:37.730
our stretch goal is to reduce the C 1

01:12:37.730 --> 01:12:41.240
30 inventory from 302 55 . Those

01:12:41.240 --> 01:12:43.780
45 C130 ages would be approximately

01:12:43.780 --> 01:12:46.690
five units . We've also said we stand

01:12:46.690 --> 01:12:48.850
by that we will not reduce any units

01:12:48.850 --> 01:12:50.794
with unless we can find a mutually

01:12:50.794 --> 01:12:52.739
agreeable replacement mission . So

01:12:52.739 --> 01:12:54.850
we're working very closely with units

01:12:54.850 --> 01:12:56.794
that have C one thirties to see if

01:12:56.794 --> 01:12:59.017
there's something out there that we can

01:12:59.017 --> 01:13:01.017
agree on . We've done this recently

01:13:01.017 --> 01:13:03.270
with Maxwell the reserve unit , their

01:13:03.280 --> 01:13:05.630
transition into the Mh 1 39 our news

01:13:05.630 --> 01:13:07.797
helicopter and we're looking for other

01:13:07.797 --> 01:13:09.963
options . One of the opportunities out

01:13:09.963 --> 01:13:11.852
there is cyber and we're actually

01:13:11.852 --> 01:13:14.019
looking for looking for a unit that is

01:13:14.019 --> 01:13:16.074
interested in taking on a cyber wing

01:13:16.074 --> 01:13:18.186
because it's something we're going to

01:13:18.186 --> 01:13:20.297
need as we look at your competition .

01:13:20.297 --> 01:13:20.110
But again we're only gonna look if we

01:13:20.110 --> 01:13:22.221
can find something mutually agreeable

01:13:22.221 --> 01:13:24.140
with the unit in the state . Well

01:13:24.140 --> 01:13:26.362
general I know that there's a number of

01:13:26.362 --> 01:13:28.696
people would be very interested in that .

01:13:28.696 --> 01:13:30.918
So I like to look forward to additional

01:13:30.918 --> 01:13:30.740
discussion as to how you're you're

01:13:30.740 --> 01:13:33.980
progressive . Yes sir . Thank you . Can

01:13:33.980 --> 01:13:36.200
write your back my time . Thank you .

01:13:36.200 --> 01:13:38.311
Mr Horse for you are now recognized .

01:13:40.550 --> 01:13:42.710
Thank you . Mr Chairman and thank you

01:13:42.710 --> 01:13:45.400
also to our witnesses for your service

01:13:45.410 --> 01:13:48.750
and your testimony today . I was very

01:13:48.750 --> 01:13:50.750
pleased that the Air Force recently

01:13:50.750 --> 01:13:54.030
selected Mellis Air Force Base Located

01:13:54.030 --> 01:13:57.150
in my district as its 5th generation

01:13:57.150 --> 01:13:59.900
centre of excellence . Excellent .

01:13:59.900 --> 01:14:02.290
Excuse me . This election not only

01:14:02.290 --> 01:14:05.570
reinforces NEllis critical role in Air

01:14:05.570 --> 01:14:08.240
force modernization , but also means

01:14:08.240 --> 01:14:11.010
that a substantial number of new fifth

01:14:11.010 --> 01:14:13.710
generation aircraft will soon be coming

01:14:13.710 --> 01:14:17.370
to nellis Lieutenant . No home

01:14:18.040 --> 01:14:20.320
very briefly , can you speak to any

01:14:20.320 --> 01:14:24.140
potential impacts on F 35 F 22

01:14:24.150 --> 01:14:26.740
basing decisions if the Air Force is

01:14:26.740 --> 01:14:29.800
prevented from divesting the requested

01:14:29.810 --> 01:14:32.370
42 A 10 aircraft ?

01:14:33.840 --> 01:14:35.618
Yes sir . Well , thanks for the

01:14:35.618 --> 01:14:38.160
question . And then uh that that is uh

01:14:38.540 --> 01:14:40.762
We're obviously working very closely to

01:14:40.762 --> 01:14:42.960
make sure we can reduce the ultimately

01:14:42.960 --> 01:14:46.320
over two years at 63 . And in the 22PV

01:14:46.320 --> 01:14:48.431
it is 42 aircraft . You correctly say

01:14:48.431 --> 01:14:51.370
that . And it is important to reduce

01:14:51.370 --> 01:14:54.100
those because that it very much relates

01:14:54.100 --> 01:14:56.211
to NEllis Air Force Base in the fifth

01:14:56.211 --> 01:14:58.420
Center of Excellence . Because part of

01:14:58.420 --> 01:15:00.420
the problem now is over the last 10

01:15:00.420 --> 01:15:02.420
years . We continually poured stuff

01:15:02.420 --> 01:15:04.476
into NEllis really without check and

01:15:04.476 --> 01:15:06.587
now we have an overcrowding . They're

01:15:06.587 --> 01:15:08.587
not only in the dormitories for the

01:15:08.587 --> 01:15:10.587
urban , certainly in the airspace ,

01:15:10.587 --> 01:15:12.753
certainly on the ramp . So pulling out

01:15:12.753 --> 01:15:14.976
some of the non fifth gen related items

01:15:14.976 --> 01:15:17.087
at NEllis Air Force Base to make room

01:15:17.087 --> 01:15:19.340
for more F 35 is very important . And

01:15:19.340 --> 01:15:21.562
one of the things we would like to pull

01:15:21.562 --> 01:15:23.784
out of there is the rescue capability ,

01:15:23.784 --> 01:15:25.840
uh , the not only the weapons school

01:15:25.840 --> 01:15:27.840
and the rescue tests , but also the

01:15:27.840 --> 01:15:29.951
operational rescue and pull that down

01:15:29.951 --> 01:15:32.173
to David Small thin . What that does is

01:15:32.173 --> 01:15:34.229
that it frees up space at nellis for

01:15:34.229 --> 01:15:36.284
those fifth gen assets that coming ,

01:15:36.340 --> 01:15:38.340
The place we're going to go down at

01:15:38.340 --> 01:15:40.562
David Small Thin is where some of the A

01:15:40.562 --> 01:15:42.673
10 ft print is down there right now .

01:15:42.673 --> 01:15:46.090
And so by reducing the A 10 , it allows

01:15:46.090 --> 01:15:48.257
us to open up this room for that fifth

01:15:48.257 --> 01:15:50.423
gen Center of Excellence , as as you ,

01:15:50.423 --> 01:15:52.646
as you discuss . So if we do not reduce

01:15:52.646 --> 01:15:54.868
those a tens , we're gonna , we're just

01:15:54.868 --> 01:15:56.757
going to go back and take further

01:15:56.757 --> 01:15:58.868
analysis and see what we can do Right

01:15:58.868 --> 01:16:00.979
now . It will be problematic though .

01:16:00.979 --> 01:16:03.090
If we if we keep all the A1 as are in

01:16:03.090 --> 01:16:05.770
the system right now . Thank you . I'd

01:16:05.770 --> 01:16:07.714
like to move to a broader national

01:16:07.714 --> 01:16:09.770
security issue . In the past weeks ,

01:16:09.770 --> 01:16:12.440
we've seen the taliban make territorial

01:16:12.440 --> 01:16:14.990
gains at a pace that was unimaginable

01:16:14.990 --> 01:16:17.030
Just a couple of months ago , It's

01:16:17.030 --> 01:16:19.252
increasingly clear that we will need to

01:16:19.252 --> 01:16:21.630
rely exclusively on our over the

01:16:21.630 --> 01:16:24.600
horizon intelligence assets like the MQ

01:16:24.600 --> 01:16:27.460
nine reaper to ensure that Afghanistan

01:16:27.460 --> 01:16:29.900
does not again become a safe haven for

01:16:29.900 --> 01:16:32.900
terrorist groups like al Qaeda . Last

01:16:32.900 --> 01:16:35.122
week , Secretary Austin said that while

01:16:35.122 --> 01:16:37.680
the effort to station I . S . R . S .

01:16:37.690 --> 01:16:40.220
Assets in neighboring countries was

01:16:40.220 --> 01:16:42.870
still a work in progress , I . S . Our

01:16:42.870 --> 01:16:45.100
missions were already being flown from

01:16:45.100 --> 01:16:47.250
countries in the gulf . General

01:16:47.250 --> 01:16:49.840
Mackenzie told this committee last

01:16:49.840 --> 01:16:51.790
month that his number one unfunded

01:16:51.790 --> 01:16:53.940
priority for Central Command Was

01:16:53.940 --> 01:16:55.960
additional funding for the MQ nine

01:16:55.960 --> 01:16:58.380
program . He assessed that planned

01:16:58.390 --> 01:17:01.120
reductions to the MQ nine fleet would

01:17:01.120 --> 01:17:04.270
endanger both deployed and redeploying

01:17:04.270 --> 01:17:07.510
forces . This assessment was deeply

01:17:07.510 --> 01:17:09.880
concerning to me and other members and

01:17:09.880 --> 01:17:12.400
I believe better reflects the reality

01:17:12.400 --> 01:17:14.350
on the ground . As we complete our

01:17:14.350 --> 01:17:17.020
withdraw The risk assumptions

01:17:17.020 --> 01:17:19.370
surrounding MQ nine procurement made by

01:17:19.370 --> 01:17:21.980
the Air Force when developing their

01:17:21.980 --> 01:17:24.410
budget requests were based on a starkly

01:17:24.420 --> 01:17:27.450
different reality in Afghanistan , One

01:17:27.450 --> 01:17:30.050
in which the Taliban had not rapidly

01:17:30.070 --> 01:17:32.800
captured nearly 1/3 of Afghanistan's

01:17:32.800 --> 01:17:35.570
territory . The loss of control over

01:17:35.570 --> 01:17:37.560
broader regions is especially

01:17:37.710 --> 01:17:40.190
concerning to me , and I think it's a

01:17:40.200 --> 01:17:42.950
fair assumption that we will soon see a

01:17:42.950 --> 01:17:45.970
proliferation of anti air assets in the

01:17:45.970 --> 01:17:48.660
country that could place many of our

01:17:48.660 --> 01:17:51.640
manned and unmanned aircraft at risk .

01:17:52.030 --> 01:17:54.030
I was pleased to see that the House

01:17:54.030 --> 01:17:55.919
appropriations Committee plans to

01:17:55.919 --> 01:17:59.640
include funding for 12 new MQ nines in

01:17:59.640 --> 01:18:02.520
the 2020 appropriations bill , and I

01:18:02.520 --> 01:18:04.760
firmly believe that we should follow

01:18:04.760 --> 01:18:07.280
suit to ensure that the program meets

01:18:07.280 --> 01:18:09.391
the needs of our forces on the ground

01:18:09.391 --> 01:18:12.870
and considers possible attrition of the

01:18:12.870 --> 01:18:15.440
aircraft . MR . Costello , can you give

01:18:15.820 --> 01:18:18.060
any specific reasons why this committee

01:18:18.060 --> 01:18:21.810
should not authorize the procurement of

01:18:21.810 --> 01:18:25.040
these 12 MQ nines ? And what steps the

01:18:25.050 --> 01:18:27.590
Air Force has taken to re assess the

01:18:27.590 --> 01:18:31.320
risks of ending MQ nine procurement ,

01:18:31.330 --> 01:18:33.990
given the rapidly deteriorating

01:18:33.990 --> 01:18:36.750
situation in Afghanistan

01:18:37.220 --> 01:18:40.140
uh , four second . So , if you could .

01:18:40.150 --> 01:18:44.130
Okay , so we're not we're not reducing

01:18:44.130 --> 01:18:46.186
the MQ nine fleet . We have 300 plus

01:18:46.186 --> 01:18:48.610
airplanes that will give us MQ nine out

01:18:48.610 --> 01:18:50.777
into the mid twenties thirties . If we

01:18:50.777 --> 01:18:52.888
have a fleet we have right now . Um ,

01:18:52.888 --> 01:18:55.054
we're not reducing any airmen that fly

01:18:55.054 --> 01:18:57.110
or fix those airplanes were actually

01:18:57.110 --> 01:18:59.277
just reducing some of the combat lines

01:18:59.277 --> 01:19:00.999
which are very , very manpower

01:19:00.999 --> 01:19:02.888
intensive . The mp and it is very

01:19:02.888 --> 01:19:04.832
valuable but also it has very much

01:19:04.832 --> 01:19:06.943
limitations . It's not an asset we're

01:19:06.943 --> 01:19:08.999
gonna be taking into the south china

01:19:08.999 --> 01:19:10.777
sea or in any kind of contested

01:19:10.777 --> 01:19:12.999
environment . So we have to have a good

01:19:12.999 --> 01:19:15.054
balance of our assets across the Air

01:19:15.054 --> 01:19:17.166
Force . Thank you gentlemen . As time

01:19:17.166 --> 01:19:19.920
expired . So on deck we have Mr Westman ,

01:19:19.930 --> 01:19:22.180
MS Cheryl , Jackson , Castelli

01:19:22.580 --> 01:19:25.660
Desjarlais and Mr Brown . So with that

01:19:25.660 --> 01:19:27.604
Mr weapon you are now recognized .

01:19:33.820 --> 01:19:35.350
Mr Whitman there

01:19:39.020 --> 01:19:41.470
not hearing from Mr Whitman , Let's go

01:19:41.480 --> 01:19:44.380
to Mr Jackson , wait a second . Here we

01:19:44.380 --> 01:19:48.130
are . There you are . It helps when I

01:19:48.130 --> 01:19:51.580
press the mute button . Thank you . Mr

01:19:51.580 --> 01:19:53.802
Chairman , Lieutenant General at home .

01:19:53.802 --> 01:19:56.280
I wanted to , to begin with talking

01:19:56.280 --> 01:19:58.480
about what we've been through now ,

01:19:58.480 --> 01:20:00.647
essentially for the last six years and

01:20:00.647 --> 01:20:03.410
that is the need for modernization and

01:20:03.410 --> 01:20:05.577
the balance between generating current

01:20:05.577 --> 01:20:08.010
readiness and modernization and what

01:20:08.010 --> 01:20:09.950
we're seeing is that there are

01:20:09.950 --> 01:20:13.450
anticipated projections where conflicts

01:20:13.450 --> 01:20:15.450
brought over by certain flashpoints

01:20:15.450 --> 01:20:17.561
around the world , like Taiwan may be

01:20:17.561 --> 01:20:19.617
upon us faster than what we had ever

01:20:19.617 --> 01:20:21.940
imagined . Uh And essentially looking

01:20:21.940 --> 01:20:24.380
at this balance , we have a couple of

01:20:24.380 --> 01:20:26.436
options are actually three options I

01:20:26.436 --> 01:20:28.213
believe in front of us . We can

01:20:28.213 --> 01:20:29.936
increase the top line , we can

01:20:29.936 --> 01:20:32.550
compromise uh near term readiness to

01:20:32.550 --> 01:20:34.661
fund modernization or we can continue

01:20:34.661 --> 01:20:37.620
to pay uh the appreciating cost of

01:20:37.620 --> 01:20:39.564
aging platforms . So these are all

01:20:39.564 --> 01:20:41.620
challenges that we face . And uh and

01:20:41.620 --> 01:20:43.620
sea power . We're talking about the

01:20:43.620 --> 01:20:45.842
bathtub . The Navy is going through and

01:20:45.842 --> 01:20:48.064
retiring legacy systems and bringing on

01:20:48.064 --> 01:20:50.287
new systems . The problem is , is , you

01:20:50.287 --> 01:20:52.009
know , all of the dreams about

01:20:52.009 --> 01:20:54.120
modernization come outside the future

01:20:54.120 --> 01:20:56.176
years . Defense plan , better notice

01:20:56.176 --> 01:20:55.830
the fit up . So we're going to do all

01:20:55.830 --> 01:20:57.719
these great things . Yeah , we go

01:20:57.719 --> 01:21:01.130
through a bathtub of losing capability .

01:21:01.210 --> 01:21:03.266
And when I look at the Air Force has

01:21:03.266 --> 01:21:05.488
proposed investments , I see that there

01:21:05.488 --> 01:21:07.654
are 48 F fifteens , we're gonna retire

01:21:07.654 --> 01:21:11.580
47 F 16 and eight C one thirties . And

01:21:11.580 --> 01:21:14.690
I have to ask if you let us know uh

01:21:14.700 --> 01:21:16.700
what's the Air Force going to do to

01:21:16.700 --> 01:21:18.867
address this bathtub that you're gonna

01:21:18.867 --> 01:21:20.922
find yourselves in with retiring all

01:21:20.922 --> 01:21:23.033
these assets as you try to take these

01:21:23.033 --> 01:21:25.033
savings and plow then in the future

01:21:25.033 --> 01:21:27.256
assets . But many times those are going

01:21:27.256 --> 01:21:27.190
to be available for at least five years

01:21:27.190 --> 01:21:30.120
plus out in the future . What

01:21:30.120 --> 01:21:31.898
Congressman , thank you for the

01:21:31.898 --> 01:21:33.953
question , I would say also over the

01:21:33.953 --> 01:21:35.898
last couple years we brought on in

01:21:35.898 --> 01:21:38.300
excess of 335 now and we were actually

01:21:38.300 --> 01:21:40.467
reduced very few fighters in that time

01:21:40.467 --> 01:21:42.633
frame . So we actually have to have to

01:21:42.633 --> 01:21:44.800
start getting rid of some of our older

01:21:44.800 --> 01:21:46.911
planes . So these F 30 five's , we're

01:21:46.911 --> 01:21:48.967
bringing on , we have the resource ,

01:21:48.967 --> 01:21:51.133
the manpower . And I'll tell you right

01:21:51.133 --> 01:21:53.356
now , we are really short on manpower ,

01:21:53.356 --> 01:21:55.244
especially maintainers because we

01:21:55.244 --> 01:21:58.640
continue to buy uh 48 35 this year

01:21:58.650 --> 01:22:01.980
48 35 plus uh 12 50

01:22:01.980 --> 01:22:04.620
Xs . We've got to retire some older

01:22:04.620 --> 01:22:07.050
airplanes so we can make a room uh in

01:22:07.050 --> 01:22:09.050
the resources and you're absolutely

01:22:09.050 --> 01:22:11.272
right . We've got to compromise . We've

01:22:11.272 --> 01:22:13.383
got to have that balance between that

01:22:13.383 --> 01:22:15.383
modernization and some of the aging

01:22:15.383 --> 01:22:17.439
platforms . So we can continue to do

01:22:17.439 --> 01:22:19.661
the capacity of the Coco ops need today

01:22:19.661 --> 01:22:21.772
for the Air Force . Very good . Thank

01:22:21.772 --> 01:22:23.883
you . General Home Lieutenant General

01:22:23.883 --> 01:22:25.939
Fic let me ask you uh several months

01:22:25.939 --> 01:22:28.050
ago there was testimony about engines

01:22:28.050 --> 01:22:30.560
for F 30 five's , about supply chain

01:22:30.560 --> 01:22:32.727
issues with parts for the engines . At

01:22:32.727 --> 01:22:34.990
that time we were sure that the supply

01:22:34.990 --> 01:22:37.323
chain issues are gonna be taken care of .

01:22:37.323 --> 01:22:39.546
It's been roughly three months , I said

01:22:39.546 --> 01:22:41.712
two months but it's roughly been three

01:22:41.712 --> 01:22:41.590
months since that hearing . Can you

01:22:41.590 --> 01:22:43.479
give us an update on where we are

01:22:43.479 --> 01:22:45.740
supply chain issues Concerning the F 35

01:22:45.740 --> 01:22:48.100
engine ? Yes , sir , I can thank you

01:22:48.100 --> 01:22:50.840
for your question . Uh so in the 90

01:22:50.840 --> 01:22:53.610
days that have passed since our last uh

01:22:53.620 --> 01:22:55.676
conversation on this topic , we have

01:22:55.676 --> 01:22:57.842
continued to execute the three pronged

01:22:57.842 --> 01:22:59.787
plan that we described there , the

01:22:59.787 --> 01:23:01.676
first of which is to increase our

01:23:01.676 --> 01:23:03.676
throughput at the heavy maintenance

01:23:03.676 --> 01:23:05.564
center at Tinker Air Force Base ,

01:23:05.564 --> 01:23:07.287
marking very very closely with

01:23:07.287 --> 01:23:07.140
Lieutenant Colonel Jean Kirkland , the

01:23:07.140 --> 01:23:09.307
sustainment center commander out there

01:23:09.307 --> 01:23:11.362
with Matthew bromberg , president of

01:23:11.362 --> 01:23:13.418
Pratt Whitney Military engines to to

01:23:13.418 --> 01:23:15.473
put a number of uh of initiatives in

01:23:15.473 --> 01:23:17.140
place to including to include

01:23:17.140 --> 01:23:18.807
increasing tooling , reducing

01:23:18.807 --> 01:23:20.973
engineering disposition , turn times ,

01:23:20.973 --> 01:23:22.640
stand up a second shift , the

01:23:22.640 --> 01:23:24.862
establishment of a notable pool of many

01:23:24.862 --> 01:23:26.696
modules that will have Increased

01:23:26.696 --> 01:23:28.751
capacity there as well as the burned

01:23:28.751 --> 01:23:30.918
down of defense and the technical data

01:23:30.918 --> 01:23:32.918
that that work is going very well .

01:23:32.918 --> 01:23:35.084
We've actually seen over the course of

01:23:35.084 --> 01:23:37.140
uh of our time there at Tinker , the

01:23:37.140 --> 01:23:39.350
turn time go from 240 days down to

01:23:39.350 --> 01:23:42.750
about 183 . Uh our target by the end of

01:23:42.750 --> 01:23:44.972
this calendar year is 100 and 20 days .

01:23:45.300 --> 01:23:48.390
Since that time we've also continued uh

01:23:48.400 --> 01:23:51.770
to to work the stand up of capacity at

01:23:51.780 --> 01:23:53.780
other locations . And of course the

01:23:53.780 --> 01:23:55.840
third lever that we're pulling on is

01:23:55.840 --> 01:23:57.840
doing things to keep the engines on

01:23:57.840 --> 01:23:59.951
wing longer . We're actually actively

01:23:59.951 --> 01:24:02.173
investigating the c mass issue that was

01:24:02.173 --> 01:24:04.340
leading to the coding degradation that

01:24:04.340 --> 01:24:06.451
we talked about and I was last before

01:24:06.451 --> 01:24:08.229
you And we're exploring ways to

01:24:08.229 --> 01:24:10.284
potentially believe those engines on

01:24:10.284 --> 01:24:12.340
the wing longer based upon increased

01:24:12.340 --> 01:24:14.562
understanding of those mechanisms . The

01:24:14.562 --> 01:24:16.673
big picture result is we believe that

01:24:16.673 --> 01:24:18.729
now this number has changed since we

01:24:18.729 --> 01:24:20.840
last spoke . Supply will equal demand

01:24:20.840 --> 01:24:23.062
from a engine power module . Throughput

01:24:23.062 --> 01:24:25.390
perspective in 2024 And we anticipate

01:24:25.390 --> 01:24:27.690
being recovered 20 backlog By about

01:24:27.700 --> 01:24:30.960
2029 . Um Thank you . Thank you .

01:24:30.970 --> 01:24:33.026
Lieutenant General thing . I want to

01:24:33.026 --> 01:24:35.248
get to Mistress stefanie real quick . A

01:24:35.248 --> 01:24:37.470
simple 11 word answer if looking at the

01:24:37.470 --> 01:24:39.526
window potential conflict with china

01:24:39.526 --> 01:24:41.470
over Taiwan if that were to happen

01:24:41.470 --> 01:24:43.470
before 2025 when you talk about the

01:24:43.470 --> 01:24:45.470
shortfall of strike fighters , does

01:24:45.470 --> 01:24:48.010
that shortfall today introduce

01:24:48.020 --> 01:24:50.200
unacceptable risk if that conflict

01:24:50.200 --> 01:24:54.140
scenario has moved to the left ? So

01:24:54.140 --> 01:24:56.480
that uh that's not a one word answer .

01:24:56.480 --> 01:24:59.520
But I think our co coms have I have

01:24:59.530 --> 01:25:01.650
seen it as a as a risk that they

01:25:01.650 --> 01:25:04.470
understand and would be able to address .

01:25:04.480 --> 01:25:06.369
Okay . Very good . Thank you . Mr

01:25:06.369 --> 01:25:09.210
Chairman of you back . Thank you Miss

01:25:09.210 --> 01:25:11.432
Sheryl . You're now recognized for five

01:25:11.432 --> 01:25:14.890
minutes . Thank you Mr

01:25:14.890 --> 01:25:17.660
Norcross . Um And thank you gentlemen

01:25:17.670 --> 01:25:21.490
for being here and uh Madam . Um I

01:25:21.500 --> 01:25:23.730
want to start with Mr Nogueira , given

01:25:23.730 --> 01:25:26.070
both the current cost overruns with the

01:25:26.070 --> 01:25:28.910
F 35 as well as the long term operation

01:25:28.910 --> 01:25:31.670
and sustaining it cost , Which to meet

01:25:31.670 --> 01:25:33.781
current acquisition requirements will

01:25:33.781 --> 01:25:36.003
require the air force to come up with a

01:25:36.003 --> 01:25:38.920
43% sustainment cost reduction And the

01:25:38.920 --> 01:25:41.470
Marine Corps to come up with a 24% cost

01:25:41.470 --> 01:25:43.480
reduction . I'm curious what other

01:25:43.480 --> 01:25:46.120
systems were missing out on as a result

01:25:46.120 --> 01:25:48.064
of fielding these aircraft , which

01:25:48.064 --> 01:25:50.287
didn't perform well in recent strategic

01:25:50.287 --> 01:25:52.509
games . Countering are pacing threat of

01:25:52.509 --> 01:25:53.676
China in the Pacific

01:25:56.590 --> 01:25:59.010
Thank you , ma'am . I'm not we've gone

01:25:59.010 --> 01:26:02.310
back and looked uh to try to find

01:26:02.310 --> 01:26:05.670
systems that have had to realize these

01:26:05.670 --> 01:26:07.781
kinds of cost savings and we have not

01:26:07.781 --> 01:26:09.781
found anything in the previous cost

01:26:09.781 --> 01:26:11.781
estimates that we've done that have

01:26:11.781 --> 01:26:13.948
shown that . So I think you're right .

01:26:13.948 --> 01:26:16.350
Our cost estimates are last ice that we

01:26:16.350 --> 01:26:19.670
sent over in 2020 clearly lays out the

01:26:19.680 --> 01:26:21.680
challenges of bringing down the

01:26:21.680 --> 01:26:23.860
sustainment costs . And I think

01:26:23.870 --> 01:26:26.020
Lieutenant General fit can speak to

01:26:26.020 --> 01:26:28.520
those specific steps that the J PO and

01:26:28.520 --> 01:26:30.690
the services are undertaking . But we

01:26:30.690 --> 01:26:32.357
agree with you . It's clearly

01:26:32.357 --> 01:26:34.600
challenging to reduce those costs .

01:26:36.580 --> 01:26:39.410
And so you're not worried about some of

01:26:39.410 --> 01:26:42.270
the other systems we may be missing out

01:26:42.270 --> 01:26:45.500
on because of those continued greater

01:26:45.500 --> 01:26:49.070
than expected costs , Ma'am at this

01:26:49.070 --> 01:26:52.600
point in terms of a capability uh

01:26:52.610 --> 01:26:55.490
that that we think the department needs

01:26:55.490 --> 01:26:58.790
to meet the future threat . The F- 35

01:26:58.800 --> 01:27:02.700
fully deployed would block for is

01:27:02.700 --> 01:27:04.450
really the capability that the

01:27:04.450 --> 01:27:07.410
department needs in this portfolio . So

01:27:07.410 --> 01:27:11.120
the challenge becomes then Not so much ,

01:27:11.130 --> 01:27:13.186
you know , a combination of things .

01:27:13.186 --> 01:27:15.186
How do we bring those costs down to

01:27:15.186 --> 01:27:17.470
make sure that we can deploy the F- 35

01:27:17.470 --> 01:27:19.748
is expected ? Because that , as I said ,

01:27:19.748 --> 01:27:22.230
that capability is is critical that we

01:27:22.230 --> 01:27:24.452
have seen thus far in the modeling that

01:27:24.452 --> 01:27:27.780
we've done . So . Lieutenant General no

01:27:27.780 --> 01:27:30.780
home . Um , Over the past several weeks ,

01:27:30.790 --> 01:27:33.330
you know , I've had several concerning

01:27:33.330 --> 01:27:35.470
conversations with former acquisition

01:27:35.470 --> 01:27:37.470
and sustainment officials about the

01:27:37.470 --> 01:27:39.560
amount of risk we're taking on with

01:27:39.560 --> 01:27:41.449
other modernization priorities by

01:27:41.449 --> 01:27:43.610
continuing to shore up the F- 35

01:27:43.620 --> 01:27:46.780
program . Um , I guess as a thought

01:27:46.790 --> 01:27:49.060
exercise of tomorrow , Congress stopped

01:27:49.070 --> 01:27:53.050
funding the F- 35 program to

01:27:53.050 --> 01:27:55.106
get at this another way . What we're

01:27:55.106 --> 01:27:57.328
missing out on , what would your plan b

01:27:57.328 --> 01:27:59.439
to modernize our aircraft and perform

01:27:59.439 --> 01:28:01.494
the required missions ? Well , man ,

01:28:01.494 --> 01:28:03.439
thanks for the question . Um , and

01:28:03.439 --> 01:28:05.661
obviously we're very concerned to , you

01:28:05.661 --> 01:28:07.717
know , the F 35 R chief has recently

01:28:07.717 --> 01:28:09.772
said that it is a very good aircraft

01:28:09.772 --> 01:28:11.883
and the crews that fly very much like

01:28:11.883 --> 01:28:13.939
what it does . Unfortunately , we're

01:28:13.939 --> 01:28:15.883
paying for outstanding . We're not

01:28:15.883 --> 01:28:18.106
getting outstanding . So we we actually

01:28:18.106 --> 01:28:20.540
if you look at what the F 35 although

01:28:20.540 --> 01:28:22.540
our numbers about 35 have come down

01:28:22.540 --> 01:28:24.762
over the years , we were purchasing our

01:28:24.762 --> 01:28:26.984
level of funding has not changed and is

01:28:26.984 --> 01:28:28.707
continually gone up . So it is

01:28:28.707 --> 01:28:30.762
concerning to us in the Air Force of

01:28:30.762 --> 01:28:32.984
the increasing cost , especially in the

01:28:32.984 --> 01:28:35.096
modernization as well as the oh and S

01:28:35.096 --> 01:28:37.262
the operation , sustain the costs have

01:28:37.262 --> 01:28:39.262
not come down to the level where we

01:28:39.262 --> 01:28:41.373
would like . And I think you've heard

01:28:41.373 --> 01:28:43.540
that in our chief recently saying that

01:28:43.540 --> 01:28:45.484
right now , we were filling in the

01:28:45.484 --> 01:28:45.450
holes for some of those , those , those

01:28:45.450 --> 01:28:47.680
capacity missions around the world with

01:28:47.680 --> 01:28:50.040
f 16 and eight tens . Well , eventually

01:28:50.040 --> 01:28:52.096
we said years ago that we were gonna

01:28:52.096 --> 01:28:54.318
replace all of 16 and eight tens of the

01:28:54.318 --> 01:28:56.540
F 35 . I'm not sure we're at that point

01:28:56.540 --> 01:28:58.762
yet , where we can say that right now ,

01:28:58.762 --> 01:29:00.818
because unless the F 35 comes down ,

01:29:00.818 --> 01:29:03.040
it's O . N . S . Costs , we will not be

01:29:03.040 --> 01:29:05.207
able to afford an entire fleet of fire

01:29:05.207 --> 01:29:07.540
aircraft in the Air Force at that level .

01:29:07.540 --> 01:29:09.707
That's why the chief said there may be

01:29:09.707 --> 01:29:11.762
something else later on if we cannot

01:29:11.762 --> 01:29:11.660
get these costs down . So it is

01:29:11.660 --> 01:29:13.938
certainly a concern with the Air Force .

01:29:14.570 --> 01:29:17.350
And general high note recently note ,

01:29:17.360 --> 01:29:19.471
Lieutenant General Hein , it recently

01:29:19.471 --> 01:29:21.527
noted that much of our currently was

01:29:21.527 --> 01:29:23.749
not effective actually in the simulated

01:29:23.749 --> 01:29:25.804
conflict against china , the pacific

01:29:25.804 --> 01:29:28.027
and in june , he mentioned the need for

01:29:28.027 --> 01:29:30.193
dispersed vertical lift capability for

01:29:30.193 --> 01:29:32.082
logistics . Do you see a vertical

01:29:32.082 --> 01:29:34.082
takeoff and landing capability as a

01:29:34.082 --> 01:29:36.082
future requirement for our fighting

01:29:36.082 --> 01:29:38.304
fleet ? And if so , how do you see this

01:29:38.304 --> 01:29:40.193
changing your requirements in the

01:29:40.193 --> 01:29:42.304
coming years ? We do . We're watching

01:29:42.304 --> 01:29:44.527
the technology very closely . Certainly

01:29:44.527 --> 01:29:46.749
our army friends are involved with very

01:29:46.749 --> 01:29:48.916
critical lift up the technologies that

01:29:48.916 --> 01:29:51.027
are out there . You're seeing us with

01:29:51.027 --> 01:29:53.193
things like our Agility prime and some

01:29:53.193 --> 01:29:55.249
of our other R and D . Efforts right

01:29:55.249 --> 01:29:57.360
now , if you look and I would have to

01:29:57.360 --> 01:29:56.860
get back into a classified second to

01:29:56.860 --> 01:29:59.082
really get into this conversation . But

01:29:59.082 --> 01:30:01.027
if you look at the places where we

01:30:01.027 --> 01:30:03.027
think you're gonna need logistics ,

01:30:03.027 --> 01:30:05.027
there could be limited runway or no

01:30:05.027 --> 01:30:07.193
runway . So there will be a need for a

01:30:07.193 --> 01:30:09.840
vertical takeoff and land type of

01:30:09.850 --> 01:30:12.570
capability in the future . I do believe

01:30:12.570 --> 01:30:14.792
that tactical lift as we see it today ,

01:30:14.792 --> 01:30:16.570
will change and something we're

01:30:16.570 --> 01:30:18.626
certainly keeping an eye on watching

01:30:18.626 --> 01:30:20.681
the technology very , very closely .

01:30:20.681 --> 01:30:22.626
And I would love to come back in a

01:30:22.626 --> 01:30:24.737
classified setting to talk more about

01:30:24.737 --> 01:30:26.903
this camp . I appreciate that . Thanks

01:30:26.903 --> 01:30:29.310
so much . And I yield back Mr Jackson .

01:30:29.310 --> 01:30:31.643
You are now recognized for five minutes .

01:30:32.260 --> 01:30:34.260
Thank you . Mr Chairman and ranking

01:30:34.260 --> 01:30:36.316
member hearts of holding the hearing

01:30:36.316 --> 01:30:38.371
today . I also want to thank each of

01:30:38.371 --> 01:30:37.860
our distinguished witnesses for being

01:30:37.860 --> 01:30:39.916
here . Uh , I've been pleased to see

01:30:39.916 --> 01:30:41.471
the department investing in

01:30:41.471 --> 01:30:43.638
technologies to field systems that are

01:30:43.638 --> 01:30:45.693
both lethal and survivable against a

01:30:45.693 --> 01:30:47.749
peer threat and move on from some of

01:30:47.749 --> 01:30:49.971
our outdated and costly platforms . One

01:30:49.971 --> 01:30:51.971
of these investments that I want to

01:30:51.971 --> 01:30:54.193
focus on is the advanced pilot training

01:30:54.193 --> 01:30:56.304
program and the new T seven Alpha Red

01:30:56.304 --> 01:30:58.416
Hawk , which will replace the aging T

01:30:58.416 --> 01:31:00.582
38 fleet that has flown in my district

01:31:00.582 --> 01:31:02.471
at Sheppard Air Force Base . This

01:31:02.471 --> 01:31:04.360
year's budget request contained a

01:31:04.360 --> 01:31:06.416
decrease in funding relative to what

01:31:06.416 --> 01:31:08.471
previous years budgets had projected

01:31:08.471 --> 01:31:10.693
that we would need last month . I asked

01:31:10.693 --> 01:31:12.749
uh I asked the Chief of staff of the

01:31:12.749 --> 01:31:14.804
Air Force , General Brown about this

01:31:14.804 --> 01:31:17.027
decrease in funding . He told me it was

01:31:17.027 --> 01:31:19.027
caused by technical issues with the

01:31:19.027 --> 01:31:21.193
program that I think were related to a

01:31:21.193 --> 01:31:21.070
missed milestone . I understand there

01:31:21.070 --> 01:31:23.292
have been supply chain issues that have

01:31:23.292 --> 01:31:25.237
caused delays regardless . General

01:31:25.237 --> 01:31:27.070
Brown reaffirmed the Air Force's

01:31:27.070 --> 01:31:29.292
commitment to the T seven , which I was

01:31:29.292 --> 01:31:31.514
glad to hear because we absolutely need

01:31:31.514 --> 01:31:33.737
to update our trainer fleet . The theme

01:31:33.737 --> 01:31:35.959
of supply chain issues has seemed to be

01:31:35.959 --> 01:31:38.014
a common trend across many different

01:31:38.014 --> 01:31:39.570
programs with the T seven .

01:31:39.570 --> 01:31:41.570
Specifically , I'm told that we are

01:31:41.570 --> 01:31:43.403
having trouble with sourcing and

01:31:43.403 --> 01:31:45.459
establishing critical parts from the

01:31:45.459 --> 01:31:47.570
global supply chain . Miss Costello ,

01:31:47.570 --> 01:31:49.570
can you speak to some of the supply

01:31:49.570 --> 01:31:51.514
chain issues That the T- seven has

01:31:51.514 --> 01:31:53.459
faced ? Also do these supply chain

01:31:53.459 --> 01:31:55.570
issues have any link to reliance on a

01:31:55.570 --> 01:31:59.080
peer competitors such as china . Thank

01:31:59.080 --> 01:32:01.302
you very much for the question . So you

01:32:01.302 --> 01:32:03.247
referenced supply chain issues and

01:32:03.247 --> 01:32:05.191
that's something that we're seeing

01:32:05.191 --> 01:32:06.969
globally right now . Covid only

01:32:06.969 --> 01:32:08.913
exacerbated that across our entire

01:32:08.913 --> 01:32:11.136
industrial base and the T seven program

01:32:11.136 --> 01:32:13.302
is one of the many who is experiencing

01:32:13.302 --> 01:32:16.470
some of that uh unprecedented supply

01:32:16.470 --> 01:32:19.340
chain challenges Boeing and T seven is

01:32:19.340 --> 01:32:21.451
no different than anybody else . Uh ,

01:32:21.451 --> 01:32:23.673
the tail assembly is one example within

01:32:23.673 --> 01:32:25.673
the T seven program that's affected

01:32:25.673 --> 01:32:28.150
because of reliance on international

01:32:28.160 --> 01:32:31.420
supply partners . The real , we have to

01:32:31.420 --> 01:32:34.420
get through the covid pandemic recovery

01:32:34.430 --> 01:32:36.652
efforts and really then we can get back

01:32:36.652 --> 01:32:38.652
to where we were before . But every

01:32:38.652 --> 01:32:40.708
company is dealing with a little bit

01:32:40.708 --> 01:32:42.486
differently in every country is

01:32:42.486 --> 01:32:44.430
actually we are committed to the T

01:32:44.430 --> 01:32:46.520
seven program . That is one of the

01:32:46.520 --> 01:32:48.742
factors that led to the milestone . See

01:32:48.742 --> 01:32:51.530
delay from first quarter two , Fourth

01:32:51.530 --> 01:32:53.641
quarter of 23 , but it's not the only

01:32:53.641 --> 01:32:55.530
issue , but it was a contributing

01:32:55.530 --> 01:32:57.530
factor . Um And we will continue to

01:32:57.530 --> 01:32:59.419
work with Boeing and our industry

01:32:59.419 --> 01:33:02.000
partners to address and try to mitigate

01:33:02.010 --> 01:33:04.232
any of the supply chain challenges . We

01:33:04.232 --> 01:33:05.954
believe Boeing is working Very

01:33:05.954 --> 01:33:08.066
carefully and we have confidence will

01:33:08.066 --> 01:33:10.232
be able to mitigate that impact for T-

01:33:10.232 --> 01:33:12.399
seven specifically . Yes , ma'am . And

01:33:12.399 --> 01:33:14.510
are there any are there any things in

01:33:14.510 --> 01:33:16.510
the supply chain they're related to

01:33:16.510 --> 01:33:20.200
china in particular ? Um I

01:33:20.210 --> 01:33:22.432
can't say right now if there's any that

01:33:22.432 --> 01:33:24.599
are specific to china , but our entire

01:33:24.599 --> 01:33:27.710
force um is intended to satisfy that

01:33:27.710 --> 01:33:30.290
vision requirements so I can take that

01:33:30.290 --> 01:33:32.346
for action and come back and let you

01:33:32.346 --> 01:33:34.457
know if that would be helpful . Yes ,

01:33:34.457 --> 01:33:36.234
ma'am , thank you . And my next

01:33:36.234 --> 01:33:38.290
question is some of the T 30 eight's

01:33:38.290 --> 01:33:40.457
being flown in my district are over 50

01:33:40.457 --> 01:33:42.623
years old . Obviously we can all agree

01:33:42.623 --> 01:33:42.460
that training and an aircraft built in

01:33:42.460 --> 01:33:44.460
the 19 seventies is not going to be

01:33:44.460 --> 01:33:46.571
adequate for training pilots for an F

01:33:46.571 --> 01:33:49.170
22 F 35 or future fighter aircraft Mr

01:33:49.170 --> 01:33:53.110
Castle . Uh can as we have seen

01:33:53.110 --> 01:33:55.277
the T 38 in service for many decades .

01:33:55.277 --> 01:33:57.443
What is the projected timeline that we

01:33:57.443 --> 01:33:59.666
can expect to see the T7 being used for

01:33:59.666 --> 01:34:03.500
pilot training ? Um So we were

01:34:03.500 --> 01:34:06.880
looking at an IOC for T for T 7

01:34:06.890 --> 01:34:10.790
24 . So our plan is to

01:34:10.790 --> 01:34:12.846
start transitioning at that point in

01:34:12.846 --> 01:34:15.050
time . The rate of which of course we

01:34:15.050 --> 01:34:17.161
based on the deliveries and of course

01:34:17.161 --> 01:34:19.272
we do agree it's time to replace T 30

01:34:19.272 --> 01:34:21.106
days which is why we have the 27

01:34:21.106 --> 01:34:23.410
aircraft and it is very important that

01:34:23.410 --> 01:34:25.700
we get this in place on time . Yes

01:34:25.700 --> 01:34:27.867
ma'am , thank you . My last question .

01:34:27.867 --> 01:34:29.811
Uh I would like to speak about the

01:34:29.811 --> 01:34:32.033
decrease in funding for the program and

01:34:32.033 --> 01:34:34.256
the delays that we faced understand why

01:34:34.256 --> 01:34:34.060
the funding request is at a level . It

01:34:34.060 --> 01:34:36.730
is uh that it is but I think I speak

01:34:36.740 --> 01:34:38.907
for all my colleagues when we say that

01:34:38.907 --> 01:34:40.573
we need significantly need to

01:34:40.573 --> 01:34:42.518
significantly reduce the number of

01:34:42.518 --> 01:34:44.407
delays that we're seeing in major

01:34:44.407 --> 01:34:46.351
acquisition programs . Many of our

01:34:46.351 --> 01:34:48.407
industry partners are working in the

01:34:48.407 --> 01:34:47.780
best interests of the department and

01:34:47.780 --> 01:34:50.002
working to help us feel Next generation

01:34:50.002 --> 01:34:52.224
systems . They will allow us to compete

01:34:52.224 --> 01:34:54.391
with countries like china and Russia .

01:34:54.391 --> 01:34:56.280
Miss Costello . Well , Delays are

01:34:56.280 --> 01:34:58.280
usually unexpected . Do you see any

01:34:58.280 --> 01:35:00.336
further delays occurring with the T-

01:35:00.336 --> 01:35:02.558
seven or do you anticipate things being

01:35:02.558 --> 01:35:04.836
on time from here ? On out and further ?

01:35:04.836 --> 01:35:07.002
Can you speak to how the department is

01:35:07.002 --> 01:35:06.910
working with industry partners to avoid

01:35:06.920 --> 01:35:10.210
any more delays ? So relative to the

01:35:10.210 --> 01:35:12.960
T7 , we do not project any further

01:35:12.960 --> 01:35:16.060
delays . We believe Boeing has uh

01:35:16.540 --> 01:35:19.100
supply chain issues being mitigated

01:35:19.100 --> 01:35:21.440
properly and the particular software

01:35:21.440 --> 01:35:23.551
design issue that's been identified .

01:35:23.551 --> 01:35:25.662
The fix has already been identified .

01:35:25.662 --> 01:35:27.551
We have to go back and finish the

01:35:27.551 --> 01:35:29.829
testing to demonstrate and validate it .

01:35:29.829 --> 01:35:31.718
But we believe we can support the

01:35:31.718 --> 01:35:33.773
schedule based on sliding from first

01:35:33.773 --> 01:35:35.662
quarter 2/4 quarter of 23 . So we

01:35:35.662 --> 01:35:37.884
project we can still maintain our I . C

01:35:37.884 --> 01:35:39.996
and F s . Two days on that particular

01:35:39.996 --> 01:35:41.884
program . And there are there are

01:35:41.884 --> 01:35:44.107
issues across acquisition programs that

01:35:44.107 --> 01:35:46.420
we work daily with industry in order to

01:35:46.420 --> 01:35:48.530
mitigate so that we don't have

01:35:48.530 --> 01:35:50.863
scheduled . Thank you . Thank you ma'am .

01:35:50.863 --> 01:35:53.086
I think my time is that Mr chairman , I

01:35:53.086 --> 01:35:56.030
go back Thank you . Mr Cale , you're

01:35:56.030 --> 01:35:58.750
now recognized for five minutes . Uh

01:35:58.760 --> 01:36:00.982
Hello Mr chair and thank you for having

01:36:00.982 --> 01:36:03.093
us hearing today . My question is for

01:36:03.093 --> 01:36:05.230
general nejame and just for some

01:36:05.230 --> 01:36:08.320
background Um my question is

01:36:08.320 --> 01:36:11.830
gonna revolve around the C130

01:36:11.840 --> 01:36:15.130
aircraft . Recently . The Air National

01:36:15.130 --> 01:36:17.220
Guard leadership has called for

01:36:17.220 --> 01:36:19.276
installation of infrared suppression

01:36:19.276 --> 01:36:22.400
systems On the Legacy C130 aircraft

01:36:22.400 --> 01:36:24.570
which is critical to protect against

01:36:24.570 --> 01:36:28.250
the man pad threat

01:36:28.630 --> 01:36:32.360
June 23 and Ethiopian government

01:36:32.360 --> 01:36:35.260
C130 was Shot down . This was a seal

01:36:35.260 --> 01:36:37.427
and 30 I was provided to the Ethiopian

01:36:37.427 --> 01:36:40.080
Air Force by the United States by

01:36:40.090 --> 01:36:43.190
Tigray forces in the ongoing conflict

01:36:43.190 --> 01:36:46.620
in the region . Um that aircraft

01:36:46.630 --> 01:36:48.852
obviously it's a US aircraft and shares

01:36:48.852 --> 01:36:50.741
the same engines the same general

01:36:50.741 --> 01:36:52.963
airframe and the structure that many of

01:36:52.963 --> 01:36:54.797
our Air National Guard Air Force

01:36:54.797 --> 01:36:57.210
Reserve in active duty C 1 30 H is have

01:36:57.220 --> 01:37:00.580
it's a unfortunate visited reminder of

01:37:00.580 --> 01:37:02.747
the constant threat environment facing

01:37:02.747 --> 01:37:05.540
our legacy taxpayer earlier fleet , not

01:37:05.540 --> 01:37:07.651
only from complex missile systems but

01:37:07.651 --> 01:37:10.510
also widely proliferated weapons like

01:37:10.510 --> 01:37:13.290
the man portable air defense uh system .

01:37:13.290 --> 01:37:15.880
So my question is in seeking to counter

01:37:15.880 --> 01:37:17.720
this threat posed by manpads

01:37:17.720 --> 01:37:19.442
specifically for the Air Guard

01:37:19.442 --> 01:37:21.590
designated C 1 30 H infrared

01:37:21.590 --> 01:37:24.630
suppression hardware As a critical need

01:37:24.640 --> 01:37:26.810
in the 2021 weapons modernization

01:37:26.810 --> 01:37:29.070
priorities book . Given that you

01:37:29.070 --> 01:37:31.126
previously stated that the air force

01:37:31.126 --> 01:37:33.900
intends to continue fielding C130 H

01:37:33.900 --> 01:37:36.011
models into the future . Do you agree

01:37:36.011 --> 01:37:37.860
with the guards assessment that

01:37:37.870 --> 01:37:40.450
infrared suppression is a critical need

01:37:40.830 --> 01:37:43.870
for these aircraft ? Do you also think

01:37:43.870 --> 01:37:47.610
that additional um , T . T . P . S .

01:37:47.610 --> 01:37:49.900
Techniques , tactics , techniques and

01:37:49.900 --> 01:37:52.320
procedures need to be modified for the

01:37:52.330 --> 01:37:55.060
man pad threat for a mobility aircraft

01:37:55.060 --> 01:37:58.810
like the C 1 30 potentially C five C 17 .

01:37:58.820 --> 01:38:00.931
Uh , And can you describe how the Air

01:38:00.931 --> 01:38:03.200
Force is addressing this critical need

01:38:03.200 --> 01:38:05.820
in its budget submission and given the

01:38:05.820 --> 01:38:07.640
lack of a future years defense

01:38:07.640 --> 01:38:10.250
programming this year , how this

01:38:10.250 --> 01:38:12.306
program will be implemented over the

01:38:12.306 --> 01:38:14.770
next few years ? Well , congressman ,

01:38:14.770 --> 01:38:16.714
thanks for the question and I just

01:38:16.714 --> 01:38:18.659
looked around my team too weak . I

01:38:18.659 --> 01:38:20.659
don't currently have anything in my

01:38:20.659 --> 01:38:22.714
book right now and where we are , we

01:38:22.714 --> 01:38:24.810
see 1 30 counter man Pat . I'm gonna

01:38:24.820 --> 01:38:27.042
take that for the record to get back to

01:38:27.042 --> 01:38:29.098
you . I do agree though that the man

01:38:29.098 --> 01:38:31.153
pad threat is proliferating and it's

01:38:31.153 --> 01:38:30.890
everywhere , something we're very

01:38:30.890 --> 01:38:33.080
concerned with , especially with low

01:38:33.080 --> 01:38:35.136
flying , relatively slow airplanes ,

01:38:35.136 --> 01:38:37.500
that legacy 1 30 . Um , and I know as

01:38:37.500 --> 01:38:39.722
we look at our modifications across all

01:38:39.722 --> 01:38:41.833
mobility platforms and this , this is

01:38:41.833 --> 01:38:43.778
something that the modifications ,

01:38:43.778 --> 01:38:45.889
mobility platforms are very expensive

01:38:45.889 --> 01:38:48.167
and I know working very closely with A .

01:38:48.167 --> 01:38:50.222
M . C . And the guard and reserve to

01:38:50.222 --> 01:38:52.278
make sure we prioritized correctly .

01:38:52.278 --> 01:38:52.010
But let me take that for the record .

01:38:52.010 --> 01:38:54.010
Get back to tell you where we are .

01:38:54.120 --> 01:38:56.342
Okay , Thanks so much sir , let me jump

01:38:56.342 --> 01:38:58.560
over the the A . C . C . And what most

01:38:58.560 --> 01:39:00.893
of our conversation has revolved around ,

01:39:00.893 --> 01:39:04.310
which is F 35 F 22 . And are , you know ,

01:39:04.310 --> 01:39:08.100
tactical uh fighter training programs ,

01:39:08.110 --> 01:39:11.230
I guess specifically for the F 22 you

01:39:11.230 --> 01:39:13.452
know the Hawaii Air National Guard , we

01:39:13.452 --> 01:39:15.508
have a composite unit out there . We

01:39:15.508 --> 01:39:17.452
fly up 20 twos as well . We have F

01:39:17.452 --> 01:39:19.674
22,000 Cadena at Elmendorf . So the air

01:39:19.674 --> 01:39:21.563
force maintains approximately 186

01:39:21.563 --> 01:39:23.619
aircraft in this inventory . What do

01:39:23.619 --> 01:39:25.786
you see sir as the future of the F- 22

01:39:25.786 --> 01:39:28.200
as the air force ? Uh And God is

01:39:28.200 --> 01:39:30.422
developed and is the Air Force planning

01:39:30.422 --> 01:39:33.250
to reduce any of its F 22 sleep prior

01:39:33.250 --> 01:39:36.950
to enjoy that being fielded ? Well ,

01:39:36.950 --> 01:39:38.950
sir , thanks , thanks again for the

01:39:38.950 --> 01:39:41.330
question . Um the F 22 is the dominant

01:39:41.330 --> 01:39:43.670
fighter of our time and it needs to be ,

01:39:43.670 --> 01:39:45.837
our nation needs that dominant fighter

01:39:45.837 --> 01:39:48.000
right now . We intend to keep it that

01:39:48.000 --> 01:39:50.150
way in the near term . Um And if you

01:39:50.150 --> 01:39:51.761
look at our schedule for our

01:39:51.761 --> 01:39:53.928
modifications for the F 22 fleet , the

01:39:53.928 --> 01:39:56.970
123 Operational F 22s and then the

01:39:56.970 --> 01:39:59.270
others you mentioned are our test

01:39:59.270 --> 01:40:01.430
training weapons school , maintaining

01:40:01.430 --> 01:40:03.652
that over the near term until we get to

01:40:03.652 --> 01:40:05.763
the what next , what next is the next

01:40:05.763 --> 01:40:07.763
generation their dominance ? We can

01:40:07.763 --> 01:40:09.874
upgrade the F 22 for a certain amount

01:40:09.874 --> 01:40:11.986
of time . And then at some point that

01:40:11.986 --> 01:40:14.152
the threat we know is going to outpace

01:40:14.152 --> 01:40:16.374
its capability , That's why end God and

01:40:16.374 --> 01:40:18.541
getting it and God now is so important

01:40:18.541 --> 01:40:21.270
because we think the US , what does the

01:40:21.270 --> 01:40:24.250
nation expect out of the Air Force ? We

01:40:24.250 --> 01:40:26.083
know that our nation expects air

01:40:26.083 --> 01:40:28.306
dominance and that that's what the F 22

01:40:28.306 --> 01:40:30.472
provides today . That's what we got 20

01:40:30.472 --> 01:40:32.694
to provide over the next decade or so .

01:40:32.694 --> 01:40:34.750
And then beyond that we expect to do

01:40:34.750 --> 01:40:34.730
that with the next generation air

01:40:34.730 --> 01:40:37.090
dominance . Do you foresee any

01:40:37.090 --> 01:40:40.520
potential um fighter airframes

01:40:40.530 --> 01:40:44.360
being based at any future Pacific bases

01:40:44.360 --> 01:40:46.670
like Anderson or other bases that we

01:40:46.670 --> 01:40:49.930
may want to base this type of aircraft

01:40:49.930 --> 01:40:53.130
out to um shore up the pacific

01:40:53.130 --> 01:40:55.130
deterrence initiative and the china

01:40:55.130 --> 01:40:57.297
threat , sir , After that will be very

01:40:57.297 --> 01:40:59.408
careful because I really want to come

01:40:59.408 --> 01:41:01.630
back in a classified setting uh to tell

01:41:01.630 --> 01:41:03.686
because we're actually very actively

01:41:03.686 --> 01:41:05.852
talking about what the pacific as well

01:41:05.852 --> 01:41:07.908
as the european a threat uh friendly

01:41:07.908 --> 01:41:10.130
lay down is going to be in terms of our

01:41:10.130 --> 01:41:12.408
fighters and I want to be real careful .

01:41:12.408 --> 01:41:11.920
I don't say something over an open line .

01:41:11.920 --> 01:41:13.587
So I'd like to come back in a

01:41:13.587 --> 01:41:15.642
classified setting if you don't mind

01:41:15.642 --> 01:41:15.630
certain you bet . No problem . Thank

01:41:15.630 --> 01:41:17.741
you . Mr Chair and I yield back to my

01:41:17.741 --> 01:41:20.180
time . Thank you . As I understand it .

01:41:20.180 --> 01:41:23.590
Mr V C is the last one for first round .

01:41:23.590 --> 01:41:26.930
So from the home of the F 35 Mr VCR now

01:41:26.930 --> 01:41:27.930
recognized

01:41:34.010 --> 01:41:37.470
Mark for you there ? Yes , I'm

01:41:38.510 --> 01:41:39.510
there you are .

01:41:42.410 --> 01:41:46.180
You are muted although

01:41:46.190 --> 01:41:49.330
you're can others here Mr busy ,

01:41:50.810 --> 01:41:54.130
Mark , we cannot hear you ,

01:41:58.910 --> 01:42:02.810
Mark . Uh

01:42:02.820 --> 01:42:05.040
Do we have him muted because it's

01:42:05.040 --> 01:42:08.020
showing on my screen as he is a muted ?

01:42:13.500 --> 01:42:17.300
Okay . Uh we're gonna go to the second

01:42:17.300 --> 01:42:19.540
round , let's see if we can get a hold

01:42:19.540 --> 01:42:22.910
of Mark and work that out in the

01:42:24.600 --> 01:42:27.070
in the meantime he's going to look up

01:42:27.070 --> 01:42:30.370
and realized we didn't hear . Uh Anyway ,

01:42:30.370 --> 01:42:33.900
so until we give Mark rolling , uh

01:42:33.910 --> 01:42:36.110
we're gonna start our second round and

01:42:36.110 --> 01:42:39.480
I'd like to uh start out just a

01:42:39.480 --> 01:42:43.020
clarification of Mr

01:42:43.900 --> 01:42:46.460
No . Where uh I think I heard you say

01:42:46.460 --> 01:42:49.220
during your testimony that fully

01:42:49.220 --> 01:42:53.050
capable of 35 would be there

01:42:53.050 --> 01:42:56.260
to meet the need against our near peer

01:42:56.260 --> 01:42:58.920
competitor in particular china .

01:42:59.900 --> 01:43:03.560
Although very effective , we're looking

01:43:03.560 --> 01:43:07.040
at the next generation as one to truly

01:43:07.050 --> 01:43:10.930
be able to penetrate and

01:43:10.940 --> 01:43:12.940
go up against some of our near peer

01:43:12.940 --> 01:43:15.051
competitors . Isn't that correct ? Or

01:43:15.051 --> 01:43:18.580
did I misunderstand what you said ? So

01:43:18.580 --> 01:43:20.790
sir , without getting a classified

01:43:20.800 --> 01:43:23.133
really quickly here . Um , we think the ,

01:43:23.133 --> 01:43:25.300
based on analysis we've done to date ,

01:43:25.300 --> 01:43:27.920
we think the F 35 and its full

01:43:27.920 --> 01:43:30.142
capabilities of block four capabilities

01:43:30.142 --> 01:43:33.220
is critical for the chinese fight going

01:43:33.220 --> 01:43:35.330
through , you know , the 20 thirties

01:43:35.900 --> 01:43:38.950
and God is also in God and God also

01:43:38.950 --> 01:43:41.750
will play a vital role in particular as

01:43:41.750 --> 01:43:44.190
Lieutenant general NATO mentioned and

01:43:44.190 --> 01:43:46.210
God for the air force is the air

01:43:46.210 --> 01:43:48.790
dominance platform and I think beyond

01:43:48.790 --> 01:43:50.846
that we should come back and talk to

01:43:50.846 --> 01:43:52.846
you classified to really go through

01:43:52.846 --> 01:43:55.750
that . I am , we're on the same page .

01:43:55.760 --> 01:43:58.100
I thought I misunderstood what you said

01:43:58.420 --> 01:44:01.200
once in china or Russia . It was

01:44:01.210 --> 01:44:04.520
someone uh , Mark and oh ,

01:44:05.290 --> 01:44:08.160
can you hear me mark ? You're muted

01:44:08.160 --> 01:44:11.030
during your question . You still are .

01:44:11.040 --> 01:44:13.151
So we'll see if you can work that out

01:44:13.151 --> 01:44:15.520
and then will recognise you as we go on .

01:44:15.890 --> 01:44:19.020
I want to switch back to follow up on

01:44:19.020 --> 01:44:21.076
some of the questions that Mr Turner

01:44:21.076 --> 01:44:23.242
talked about with regards to the power

01:44:23.242 --> 01:44:25.880
module and the F 35 engine And the

01:44:25.880 --> 01:44:28.200
maintenance issue . So this would go to

01:44:28.200 --> 01:44:30.230
Mr Stephanie , Miss Costello and

01:44:30.230 --> 01:44:33.420
federal thick for the F- 35 . How many

01:44:33.420 --> 01:44:36.020
aircraft today do not have engines ?

01:44:36.490 --> 01:44:38.546
Let's start out with that question .

01:44:38.546 --> 01:44:40.990
And then from there , I want to go into

01:44:41.000 --> 01:44:44.820
the capacity and repair issues at the

01:44:44.820 --> 01:44:47.042
Apple in 35 heavy maintenance center in

01:44:47.042 --> 01:44:49.120
Oklahoma . But first , how many

01:44:50.090 --> 01:44:52.110
Aircraft that we have today ? 1:35

01:44:52.110 --> 01:44:55.950
without engines . J Stephanie from the

01:44:55.950 --> 01:44:58.590
Navy Marine Corps Marine Corps is zero .

01:44:58.600 --> 01:45:01.690
Uh right now and the Navy were just as

01:45:01.690 --> 01:45:03.857
you know , we're just starting to feel

01:45:03.857 --> 01:45:06.023
the aircraft . So I believe red zero .

01:45:06.023 --> 01:45:08.246
But I would have to take a look upon uh

01:45:09.290 --> 01:45:12.980
And from the air force as of July eight

01:45:12.990 --> 01:45:16.930
of this month . Uh we're 41 F 30 fives

01:45:16.930 --> 01:45:20.430
are without an engine and 56 F 1 35

01:45:20.430 --> 01:45:22.652
power modules are in work at the repair

01:45:22.652 --> 01:45:25.150
facility at Tinker . I think general

01:45:25.150 --> 01:45:27.317
thing can speak to the other actions .

01:45:29.390 --> 01:45:32.630
Yes sir . I will tell you there is uh

01:45:32.640 --> 01:45:34.640
there is some difference of opinion

01:45:34.640 --> 01:45:37.100
relative to the total number of of my

01:45:37.100 --> 01:45:39.200
cap engines . I know that in some

01:45:39.200 --> 01:45:41.670
corners uh aircraft that are long term

01:45:41.670 --> 01:45:43.781
down are being counted against the my

01:45:43.781 --> 01:45:46.170
cap count uh those uh counting

01:45:46.170 --> 01:45:48.281
sometimes and don't count on others .

01:45:48.281 --> 01:45:50.740
But to miss Costello's point . Uh if I

01:45:50.740 --> 01:45:53.230
look at the 41 U . S . Aircraft , my

01:45:53.230 --> 01:45:55.410
information as of today says I have 41

01:45:55.410 --> 01:45:57.640
U . S . Air Force tails using Miss

01:45:57.640 --> 01:45:59.807
Costello's Math . I have three partner

01:45:59.807 --> 01:46:01.751
aircraft . I have one Marine Corps

01:46:01.751 --> 01:46:03.918
aircraft and I one U . S . Navy tail .

01:46:03.918 --> 01:46:05.973
Um , that are that are my cap for an

01:46:05.973 --> 01:46:07.807
engine . Some of those are power

01:46:07.807 --> 01:46:09.973
modules . Some of those are my cap for

01:46:09.973 --> 01:46:12.140
other reasons . Well thank you and and

01:46:12.140 --> 01:46:14.140
you made a point to suggest general

01:46:14.140 --> 01:46:16.940
think that not one delivery of an

01:46:16.940 --> 01:46:18.884
aircraft was delayed by the engine

01:46:18.884 --> 01:46:21.220
which is obviously very important . You

01:46:21.220 --> 01:46:23.331
know , we've had issues . Turkey . We

01:46:23.331 --> 01:46:25.660
all know that set us back a little bit

01:46:25.660 --> 01:46:27.771
the pandemic . No question about it .

01:46:27.980 --> 01:46:30.040
But additionally what I call in some

01:46:30.040 --> 01:46:32.210
ways a self inflicted wound is those

01:46:32.210 --> 01:46:34.740
additional uh aircraft that we

01:46:34.740 --> 01:46:37.060
purchased that were not requested And

01:46:37.060 --> 01:46:39.490
the idea of rolling out a new aircraft

01:46:40.180 --> 01:46:42.402
with an engine while others are sitting

01:46:42.402 --> 01:46:44.569
and I'm hearing the numbers and we can

01:46:44.569 --> 01:46:47.120
argue over which ones they are but are

01:46:47.120 --> 01:46:50.070
certainly something that is real

01:46:50.070 --> 01:46:53.450
concern . And as we have heard in

01:46:53.450 --> 01:46:56.470
testimony , the idea is to make sure

01:46:56.480 --> 01:46:58.700
those engines are available just as

01:46:58.700 --> 01:47:01.270
importantly in the deep post . So let's

01:47:01.270 --> 01:47:04.580
talk about the 135 heavy maintenance

01:47:04.580 --> 01:47:07.700
center in Oklahoma , the status of that

01:47:08.080 --> 01:47:09.760
uh , increasing repairing and

01:47:09.760 --> 01:47:12.820
capacities . Uh , where are we today in

01:47:12.820 --> 01:47:16.770
terms of the operation and the parts

01:47:16.770 --> 01:47:19.200
that they need to perform ? Yes sir .

01:47:19.200 --> 01:47:21.200
If I can conflate the two questions

01:47:21.200 --> 01:47:23.800
relative to Pratt Whitneys ability to

01:47:23.800 --> 01:47:26.420
deliver production engines throughout

01:47:26.420 --> 01:47:28.476
the pandemic . We've actually pulled

01:47:28.476 --> 01:47:30.698
six production engines forward and sent

01:47:30.698 --> 01:47:32.864
them to the field to take advantage of

01:47:32.864 --> 01:47:35.031
their ability to continue to deliver .

01:47:35.031 --> 01:47:36.976
And we've actually pulled 12 power

01:47:36.976 --> 01:47:39.400
modules forward from calendar year 22

01:47:39.580 --> 01:47:41.691
Into calendar year 21 again , to help

01:47:41.691 --> 01:47:44.410
leverage some of that capacity to help

01:47:44.410 --> 01:47:46.560
the field and fleet relative to the

01:47:46.560 --> 01:47:48.782
progress at Tinker , we've they've done

01:47:48.782 --> 01:47:52.070
a good job , of of optimizing

01:47:52.080 --> 01:47:54.500
the maintainers on the floor , really

01:47:54.500 --> 01:47:56.750
treating them like we treat surgeons in

01:47:56.750 --> 01:47:58.750
an operating room , finding ways to

01:47:58.750 --> 01:48:00.806
keep them on the engines longer , on

01:48:00.806 --> 01:48:02.806
the power modules longer uh and and

01:48:02.806 --> 01:48:04.917
make them more effective at what they

01:48:04.917 --> 01:48:07.083
do . Whether it's increased training ,

01:48:07.083 --> 01:48:09.361
increased access to tools . We have uh ,

01:48:09.361 --> 01:48:11.472
we have moved the needle from a heavy

01:48:11.472 --> 01:48:13.306
maintenance uh center production

01:48:13.306 --> 01:48:15.472
perspective . Now conversely , we have

01:48:15.472 --> 01:48:17.850
also seen in the time since we last

01:48:17.850 --> 01:48:21.770
spoke , an increase in the removals of

01:48:21.770 --> 01:48:25.230
power modules As a , as a byproduct of

01:48:25.240 --> 01:48:27.810
the same phenomenology that we saw over

01:48:27.810 --> 01:48:31.110
the summer with the the sea mass

01:48:31.120 --> 01:48:33.070
degradation . Uh , these are power

01:48:33.070 --> 01:48:35.070
modules that should have been found

01:48:35.070 --> 01:48:37.130
over the course of the last 9 to 12

01:48:37.130 --> 01:48:40.490
months , but due to deficiencies in

01:48:40.500 --> 01:48:43.930
our ability to execute the horoscope

01:48:43.930 --> 01:48:45.986
inspections in the field , they were

01:48:45.986 --> 01:48:48.320
left on the aircraft longer than than

01:48:48.320 --> 01:48:50.487
usual . We have been working very very

01:48:50.487 --> 01:48:53.290
closely with the Air Force to help with

01:48:53.300 --> 01:48:55.450
the uh the horoscope inspection

01:48:55.450 --> 01:48:57.617
procedures . We've removed those power

01:48:57.617 --> 01:48:59.610
modules from service uh with the

01:48:59.610 --> 01:49:01.443
exception of a few who are being

01:49:01.443 --> 01:49:03.443
monitored very very closely for the

01:49:03.443 --> 01:49:05.443
progression of damage . We're using

01:49:05.443 --> 01:49:08.300
this as an opportunity to learn from uh

01:49:08.310 --> 01:49:10.590
the aircraft in the field at what the

01:49:10.590 --> 01:49:12.850
progression of this coding degradation

01:49:12.850 --> 01:49:15.530
and uh turbine blade distress looks

01:49:15.530 --> 01:49:19.510
like . Thank you . Uh I want to do now

01:49:19.510 --> 01:49:22.120
is turn it over to ranking member

01:49:22.120 --> 01:49:24.520
Hartzler and then I understand Mr . B .

01:49:24.520 --> 01:49:26.540
C . Has returned . We'll give him

01:49:26.540 --> 01:49:28.651
another shot . But thank you . You're

01:49:28.651 --> 01:49:31.390
now recognized . Sure . Uh Thank you .

01:49:31.400 --> 01:49:33.567
I'd like to ask a question about the F

01:49:33.567 --> 01:49:36.570
15 E . X . Um , so in addition to the

01:49:36.570 --> 01:49:39.470
budget request for funding for 12 F 15

01:49:39.470 --> 01:49:41.359
E excess Air Force also submitted

01:49:41.359 --> 01:49:44.000
funding request for an additional 12 F

01:49:44.470 --> 01:49:47.200
15 E . X . Aircraft in its Fy 22

01:49:47.210 --> 01:49:49.650
unfunded requirements list . So could

01:49:49.650 --> 01:49:53.450
you elaborate General name on why the

01:49:53.450 --> 01:49:55.394
procurement of these additional 12

01:49:55.394 --> 01:49:59.240
aircraft or critical and fy 22 ? It

01:49:59.240 --> 01:50:01.910
is a man . Uh Mark sir , thank you for

01:50:01.910 --> 01:50:03.910
the question . So you know , if you

01:50:03.910 --> 01:50:05.966
look at our aging are aging aircraft

01:50:05.966 --> 01:50:08.020
and the F 15 C that the ZX are

01:50:08.020 --> 01:50:11.030
replacing the elite Are very

01:50:11.030 --> 01:50:13.010
problematic right now , the

01:50:13.010 --> 01:50:15.177
International Guard will tell you they

01:50:15.177 --> 01:50:17.177
have 20 airplanes . Their long term

01:50:17.177 --> 01:50:19.343
grounded . We have similar airplanes .

01:50:19.343 --> 01:50:21.566
Acadians guard at our at our depot that

01:50:21.566 --> 01:50:23.566
are long term grounded for cracks .

01:50:23.566 --> 01:50:25.732
Getting the f 15 seat of his well past

01:50:25.732 --> 01:50:27.788
service life retired and getting its

01:50:27.788 --> 01:50:30.010
replacement as quickly as possible . Is

01:50:30.010 --> 01:50:32.130
a concern of ours . We were only able

01:50:32.130 --> 01:50:34.910
to put 12 E . Xs on our original

01:50:34.920 --> 01:50:38.200
budget uh for the couple . If there's

01:50:38.200 --> 01:50:40.200
additional money that this would be

01:50:40.200 --> 01:50:43.410
great greatly help us in not getting

01:50:43.410 --> 01:50:45.410
the F 15 seizure place and keep any

01:50:45.410 --> 01:50:47.770
spider operations open . I am worried

01:50:47.770 --> 01:50:50.030
as the F 15 CS retire if we retire on

01:50:50.030 --> 01:50:52.330
time , about not having enough aircraft

01:50:52.330 --> 01:50:54.219
in the right places to keep these

01:50:54.219 --> 01:50:55.941
operations continuous . So the

01:50:55.941 --> 01:50:58.520
additional airplanes uh would be very ,

01:50:58.520 --> 01:51:00.770
very helpful . And the X and the reason

01:51:00.770 --> 01:51:03.120
we put the X is over 35 is the exes are

01:51:03.120 --> 01:51:05.920
ready to go . Uh you know , we have 35

01:51:05.930 --> 01:51:07.986
are coming off the line right now at

01:51:07.986 --> 01:51:10.208
full tr three and block four . It would

01:51:10.208 --> 01:51:12.430
be a different discussion , but they're

01:51:12.430 --> 01:51:12.390
not . So that's why there's the X is

01:51:12.390 --> 01:51:15.470
their man You bet . OK . Thank you .

01:51:15.470 --> 01:51:18.640
Also wanted to ask about a different

01:51:18.650 --> 01:51:21.790
take on the F- 35 engine . Uh , we know

01:51:21.790 --> 01:51:23.846
that Congress and the taxpayers have

01:51:23.846 --> 01:51:26.068
invested over $4 billion dollars in the

01:51:26.068 --> 01:51:28.240
last decade , uh to mature adaptive

01:51:28.240 --> 01:51:31.660
cycle engine technology across multiple

01:51:31.670 --> 01:51:34.340
engine companies . Those programs are

01:51:34.340 --> 01:51:36.810
culminating this year with testing a

01:51:36.820 --> 01:51:38.900
full scale prototypes of engines

01:51:38.900 --> 01:51:41.380
designed to integrate with the F- 35 .

01:51:41.760 --> 01:51:43.704
My understand that these can bring

01:51:43.704 --> 01:51:45.290
transformational capability

01:51:45.290 --> 01:51:47.012
improvements in aircraft range

01:51:47.012 --> 01:51:49.012
acceleration and thermal management

01:51:49.012 --> 01:51:51.270
capacity that will be needed to support

01:51:51.270 --> 01:51:53.460
the block for tech refresh three

01:51:53.460 --> 01:51:55.182
enhancement . So , how are you

01:51:55.182 --> 01:51:57.860
integrating this capability into your

01:51:57.860 --> 01:52:01.650
long term F 35 road map ? Um and do you

01:52:01.650 --> 01:52:03.872
intend to capitalize on the significant

01:52:03.872 --> 01:52:06.039
taxpayer investment that has been made

01:52:06.039 --> 01:52:07.928
to this point and transition this

01:52:07.928 --> 01:52:10.150
capability to our warfighter ? And what

01:52:10.150 --> 01:52:12.206
timing do you think is appropriate ?

01:52:13.950 --> 01:52:16.061
And then thank you for the question .

01:52:16.061 --> 01:52:18.061
I'll start , I'll let miss Costello

01:52:18.061 --> 01:52:19.950
take a hack as well . We are very

01:52:19.950 --> 01:52:22.006
excited about this technology . Uh ,

01:52:22.006 --> 01:52:24.510
and as general fix said , it's very ,

01:52:24.510 --> 01:52:26.740
very impressive . Not only the fact of

01:52:26.740 --> 01:52:28.851
having an alternative power plant for

01:52:28.851 --> 01:52:30.907
the F 35 with the capability of this

01:52:30.907 --> 01:52:33.980
brings with its efficiency . It's and

01:52:33.980 --> 01:52:36.120
as well as its increased power ,

01:52:36.130 --> 01:52:38.241
greatly enhance the capability of the

01:52:38.241 --> 01:52:40.463
F- 35 . We are going to struggle though

01:52:40.463 --> 01:52:42.519
as an air force to bring this to any

01:52:42.519 --> 01:52:44.686
kind of operational capability because

01:52:44.686 --> 01:52:47.110
we got significant investor , you said

01:52:47.110 --> 01:52:49.221
to get this technology , but there is

01:52:49.221 --> 01:52:51.332
another significant investment that's

01:52:51.332 --> 01:52:53.666
needed to integrate this into the F- 35 .

01:52:53.666 --> 01:52:55.777
And right now , given the current top

01:52:55.777 --> 01:52:57.999
line we have right now , we're going to

01:52:57.999 --> 01:53:00.110
struggle to get any further with this

01:53:00.110 --> 01:53:03.060
technology and as you said , you'll

01:53:03.060 --> 01:53:06.220
have this test information and Fy

01:53:06.220 --> 01:53:09.970
22 we are working closely with J .

01:53:09.970 --> 01:53:12.510
P . O . In order for them to understand

01:53:12.510 --> 01:53:15.390
it and planted in their future . But we

01:53:15.390 --> 01:53:17.223
do have fiscal issues we have to

01:53:17.223 --> 01:53:19.390
consider to and integration costs have

01:53:19.390 --> 01:53:23.270
not been factored . Thank you .

01:53:24.250 --> 01:53:26.417
You bet . Thank you . And I don't know

01:53:26.417 --> 01:53:28.600
if Mr Carver Hall is long or not . And

01:53:28.600 --> 01:53:31.000
that's the question for Mr dying about

01:53:31.010 --> 01:53:34.220
eight tens . But it's not like maybe we

01:53:34.220 --> 01:53:36.442
can circle back and get some clarity on

01:53:36.442 --> 01:53:39.540
the replacement and the uh the budget

01:53:39.540 --> 01:53:42.050
and what this man has it . So thank you .

01:53:42.050 --> 01:53:44.740
Flat on your back , Chairman . Thank

01:53:44.740 --> 01:53:47.610
you . As I understand it . Mr V . C .

01:53:47.610 --> 01:53:49.970
Is connected . So Mark , you are now

01:53:49.970 --> 01:53:52.180
recognized . Thank you . Mr Chairman .

01:53:52.180 --> 01:53:54.590
Can you hear me ? Okay ? Very good .

01:53:54.600 --> 01:53:58.160
Okay , awesome , awesome . Um , I

01:53:58.170 --> 01:54:02.090
wanted to ask neither the Navy's Fy

01:54:02.090 --> 01:54:04.130
22 budget requests or unfunded

01:54:04.130 --> 01:54:07.390
priorities list included new F 18 super

01:54:07.390 --> 01:54:09.840
hornets . And when asked about this

01:54:09.850 --> 01:54:12.530
during the most recent Fy 22 budget

01:54:12.530 --> 01:54:14.860
hearing , Admiral Gilded testified that

01:54:14.860 --> 01:54:17.340
the Navy has procured as many F 18 on

01:54:17.340 --> 01:54:19.570
it says with me . Uh , he went on to

01:54:19.570 --> 01:54:21.570
say we're at the twilight of fourth

01:54:21.570 --> 01:54:23.910
generation purchases and we're picking

01:54:23.910 --> 01:54:27.140
up the pace on fifth G . N . I was

01:54:27.140 --> 01:54:30.600
wondering , do you concur with

01:54:30.610 --> 01:54:34.190
general guilds comments that the navy

01:54:34.190 --> 01:54:37.460
is pivoting to , uh , fifth generation

01:54:37.460 --> 01:54:41.370
fighters and uh , it was just open if ,

01:54:41.380 --> 01:54:45.140
if you had a comment or thought on that ,

01:54:45.150 --> 01:54:47.400
that that would be yeah , I think that

01:54:47.400 --> 01:54:51.330
would be interesting . Okay .

01:54:51.340 --> 01:54:54.670
Okay . Yes , there is . Uh , I'll start

01:54:54.670 --> 01:54:58.350
and pass it over . Uh , yes .

01:54:58.360 --> 01:55:01.170
Uh , we have the right transition the

01:55:01.170 --> 01:55:04.040
right mix of , of uh , generation for

01:55:04.040 --> 01:55:06.207
in general generation five aircraft in

01:55:06.207 --> 01:55:08.560
our air wings going forward . And while

01:55:08.560 --> 01:55:10.727
we have a shortfall in the near term ,

01:55:10.727 --> 01:55:12.893
by the time any aircraft that would be

01:55:12.893 --> 01:55:14.949
bought in 22 would show up . We will

01:55:14.949 --> 01:55:18.300
address that shortfall for the plan

01:55:18.310 --> 01:55:21.710
uh to get by the end of 20 or 25 to get

01:55:21.710 --> 01:55:23.766
that to a zero shortfall With that ,

01:55:23.766 --> 01:55:25.877
I'll turn it over to a result . Yes ,

01:55:25.877 --> 01:55:27.877
just a little bit more specifics on

01:55:27.877 --> 01:55:30.370
that . We currently are executing a

01:55:30.370 --> 01:55:33.800
multi-year procurement of F- 1878 total .

01:55:33.800 --> 01:55:35.967
We've got 70 left to deliver that will

01:55:35.967 --> 01:55:38.360
deliver between now and fiscal year 25 .

01:55:38.840 --> 01:55:41.590
So they are continuing to to add to our

01:55:41.590 --> 01:55:44.470
totals of F18s uh throughout the next

01:55:44.470 --> 01:55:46.637
time frame . That's why I think we can

01:55:46.637 --> 01:55:48.859
get to slm and modifications of current

01:55:49.140 --> 01:55:52.230
F eighteens after that time frame , uh

01:55:52.240 --> 01:55:54.462
you mentioned the U boat , we have five

01:55:54.462 --> 01:55:56.518
F 30 five's on our unfunded priority

01:55:56.518 --> 01:55:58.820
list as well to try and accelerate that

01:55:58.820 --> 01:56:01.630
transition because the F 35 C is the

01:56:01.630 --> 01:56:05.080
last customer . Uh , We are , we have

01:56:05.080 --> 01:56:07.410
the smallest number of tales in the F

01:56:07.410 --> 01:56:10.150
35 fleet thus far In the Navy . So

01:56:10.150 --> 01:56:12.820
we're in the mid-50s right now And so

01:56:12.820 --> 01:56:15.160
that will allow us to accelerate our

01:56:15.160 --> 01:56:18.800
transition to a 4th 5th gen mix . Okay ,

01:56:18.800 --> 01:56:20.800
good , good . Yeah , I think that's

01:56:20.800 --> 01:56:23.022
really important that if that will help

01:56:23.022 --> 01:56:26.160
pick up the pace as admiral guild a

01:56:26.160 --> 01:56:28.271
pointed out that that that's a really

01:56:28.271 --> 01:56:31.070
good information for the committee . Uh

01:56:31.080 --> 01:56:33.080
Lieutenant General nejame , the Air

01:56:33.080 --> 01:56:35.700
Force has been procuring F 30 fives at

01:56:35.700 --> 01:56:39.670
a rate at nearing full production for

01:56:39.670 --> 01:56:41.614
the past several years . Air Force

01:56:41.614 --> 01:56:43.670
leaders have testified that the F 35

01:56:43.730 --> 01:56:46.080
it's coming off of the production line

01:56:46.080 --> 01:56:48.310
today , that they have the best break

01:56:48.310 --> 01:56:50.940
rate in the Air Force . Recently

01:56:50.940 --> 01:56:53.510
publicized data showed F 35 is having

01:56:53.520 --> 01:56:55.750
the best mission capable rate out of

01:56:55.760 --> 01:56:59.090
all of the Air Force fighter fleets uh

01:56:59.100 --> 01:57:01.290
in 2020 . And despite the significant

01:57:01.290 --> 01:57:04.550
achievements , their force fy 22 budget

01:57:04.630 --> 01:57:07.250
proposes reducing F- 35's annual

01:57:07.250 --> 01:57:09.400
procurement below last year's

01:57:09.400 --> 01:57:11.400
appropriated level while purchasing

01:57:11.400 --> 01:57:13.400
additional fourth gen fighters that

01:57:13.400 --> 01:57:16.240
have not produced at rates for the Air

01:57:16.240 --> 01:57:19.130
Force and roughly 20 plus years as Air

01:57:19.130 --> 01:57:21.540
Force Trust to mitigate a fighter

01:57:21.540 --> 01:57:23.429
shortfall . How does this revised

01:57:23.429 --> 01:57:26.540
acquisition plan ? Uh not at additional

01:57:26.540 --> 01:57:29.230
risk . And how does the Air Force plan

01:57:29.230 --> 01:57:32.370
to mitigate this risk ? Uh thank you

01:57:32.370 --> 01:57:34.648
congressman the question . So you know ,

01:57:34.648 --> 01:57:36.890
we have the 48 aircraft on our , on our

01:57:36.890 --> 01:57:39.250
budget . Um and the reason we have put

01:57:39.250 --> 01:57:41.306
in the couple is as the airport , as

01:57:41.306 --> 01:57:43.472
these aircraft coming off their line ,

01:57:43.472 --> 01:57:46.010
these will not be in the tech refresh

01:57:46.010 --> 01:57:49.240
three block four configuration . Every

01:57:49.240 --> 01:57:51.440
aircraft in the Air Force buys before

01:57:51.440 --> 01:57:53.551
we get to that point , we're going to

01:57:53.551 --> 01:57:55.662
have to spend money to retrofit . And

01:57:55.662 --> 01:57:57.773
so right now we're watching that very

01:57:57.773 --> 01:58:00.107
closely . As I said before , the , your ,

01:58:00.107 --> 01:58:02.930
your stats right on the sea rate , the

01:58:02.940 --> 01:58:05.107
crews that fly this airplane love it .

01:58:05.107 --> 01:58:07.640
It's doing great work . It is a very ,

01:58:07.640 --> 01:58:09.751
very good airplane . We're paying for

01:58:09.751 --> 01:58:12.250
outstanding though . And we were , we

01:58:12.250 --> 01:58:14.417
would like to get this aircraft in the

01:58:14.417 --> 01:58:16.472
configuration we need , which is the

01:58:16.472 --> 01:58:18.250
tech refresh three and block or

01:58:18.250 --> 01:58:20.417
modernization . We're committed to the

01:58:20.417 --> 01:58:22.639
F- 35 and we truly believe it is a core

01:58:22.639 --> 01:58:24.694
stone of our , of our future fighter

01:58:24.694 --> 01:58:26.806
fleet . Thank you very much general .

01:58:26.806 --> 01:58:28.694
Now . I'm in the , uh , in the 25

01:58:28.694 --> 01:58:30.694
seconds or so that I have remaining

01:58:30.694 --> 01:58:32.970
article that I saw from just a few days

01:58:32.970 --> 01:58:35.410
ago . I wanted to quit , comment on it .

01:58:35.410 --> 01:58:38.660
And this is that's the Air Force's F 16

01:58:38.670 --> 01:58:42.140
Bone Yard um uh , project that you're

01:58:42.140 --> 01:58:43.973
working on . Is that going to be

01:58:43.973 --> 01:58:46.140
something that y'all are just going to

01:58:46.140 --> 01:58:48.251
do just for the F 16 or is that going

01:58:48.251 --> 01:58:50.307
to be something that can be used for

01:58:50.307 --> 01:58:52.362
other models , for other platforms ?

01:58:52.362 --> 01:58:54.529
And let me know . And I did read about

01:58:54.529 --> 01:58:56.640
it . Let me are you talking about the

01:58:56.640 --> 01:58:58.584
digital twin piece that's come out

01:58:58.584 --> 01:59:01.370
exactly ? Uh , do you have anything to

01:59:01.370 --> 01:59:03.592
say for the record ? I think we need to

01:59:03.592 --> 01:59:05.537
take that . Yeah , we'll take that

01:59:05.537 --> 01:59:05.120
record , sir . We'll get we'll come

01:59:05.120 --> 01:59:07.280
back . Thank you . Thank you . Thank

01:59:07.280 --> 01:59:10.910
you . Mr Chairman ? Absolutely . Mr

01:59:10.910 --> 01:59:13.132
Jackson . If you're still with us , you

01:59:13.132 --> 01:59:14.250
are recognized

01:59:20.920 --> 01:59:22.864
Mr Jackson , Are you still with us

01:59:24.420 --> 01:59:26.587
going once ? Mr Horse furred ? Are you

01:59:26.587 --> 01:59:27.587
there ?

01:59:31.920 --> 01:59:35.460
Yeah . Okay . Not hearing any

01:59:35.470 --> 01:59:38.730
of them . Uh , Vicky we're back to you .

01:59:38.740 --> 01:59:41.960
You are now recognized till one of the

01:59:41.960 --> 01:59:42.850
others return .

01:59:46.420 --> 01:59:48.910
There you go . Great . Just if you

01:59:48.910 --> 01:59:51.050
could finish up and and clarify ,

01:59:51.050 --> 01:59:54.790
believe Mr Costello ? Miss Costello ,

01:59:54.790 --> 01:59:56.734
excuse me . You were answering the

01:59:56.734 --> 02:00:00.320
question or someone about 18 uh you

02:00:00.320 --> 02:00:03.560
know the That the request because

02:00:03.570 --> 02:00:07.040
you're 2021 container request for $99.9

02:00:07.050 --> 02:00:10.130
million 24 wing set

02:00:10.510 --> 02:00:12.677
which of course as you know , Congress

02:00:12.677 --> 02:00:16.320
fully authorized And appropriated . So

02:00:16.320 --> 02:00:18.487
as we replacement for the entire fleet

02:00:18.487 --> 02:00:20.431
is a critical element of the fleet

02:00:20.431 --> 02:00:22.650
sustainment into the 2030s . But we

02:00:22.650 --> 02:00:24.780
have learned recently that the

02:00:24.780 --> 02:00:26.947
Department , the Air Force has not yet

02:00:26.947 --> 02:00:29.058
obligated the vast majority of fiscal

02:00:29.058 --> 02:00:31.169
year 25 1 funding for additional wing

02:00:31.169 --> 02:00:33.336
sets and the Chief of Staff of the Air

02:00:33.336 --> 02:00:35.558
Force stated in congressional testimony

02:00:35.558 --> 02:00:38.520
May 7th 2021 that the Air Force plan to

02:00:38.520 --> 02:00:41.720
execute 55% of their many fiscal Year

02:00:41.720 --> 02:00:45.300
21 funds by the fiscal year . Um ,

02:00:45.310 --> 02:00:48.270
so that's obviously not 100% of the

02:00:48.270 --> 02:00:50.326
funds that Congress provided for the

02:00:50.326 --> 02:00:52.214
wing set . So does the department

02:00:52.214 --> 02:00:54.381
therefore still intend to obligate the

02:00:54.381 --> 02:00:56.740
full fiscal year 2021 funding for

02:00:56.740 --> 02:01:00.150
additional wing sets during this fiscal

02:01:00.150 --> 02:01:02.940
year consistent with Congress

02:01:03.210 --> 02:01:06.800
appropriate ? Please explain what the

02:01:06.800 --> 02:01:09.330
Department Force plans to do with the

02:01:09.330 --> 02:01:11.820
remaining funds authorized appropriated

02:01:11.820 --> 02:01:13.931
traditional wing sets . If you're not

02:01:13.931 --> 02:01:15.876
going to spend them on new wings .

02:01:16.210 --> 02:01:18.266
Thank you very much for the question

02:01:18.266 --> 02:01:20.800
and the opportunity to clarify . So we

02:01:20.800 --> 02:01:24.460
do have uh we have , we have procured

02:01:24.470 --> 02:01:27.230
all of the wing kits that were planning

02:01:27.230 --> 02:01:30.240
to with the Fy 21 funds . The final

02:01:30.240 --> 02:01:33.330
four wing kits are spares and are going

02:01:33.330 --> 02:01:35.940
to be on contract in august of 2021 .

02:01:36.310 --> 02:01:38.532
The first article is going to arrive in

02:01:38.532 --> 02:01:40.532
the fourth quarter of 22 3 . Elrich

02:01:40.532 --> 02:01:42.532
articles are going to arrive at the

02:01:42.532 --> 02:01:44.199
beginning of 23 the full rate

02:01:44.199 --> 02:01:46.421
production fourth quarter . So we're on

02:01:46.421 --> 02:01:48.366
track for procuring to support our

02:01:48.366 --> 02:01:51.660
planned fleet Size of 218 aircraft .

02:01:51.670 --> 02:01:53.837
The balance of that funding is planned

02:01:53.837 --> 02:01:56.270
to do the installs , um , and continue

02:01:56.270 --> 02:01:58.492
to work there and we do plan to have it

02:01:58.492 --> 02:02:00.381
flowing obligated and expended in

02:02:00.381 --> 02:02:02.659
accordance with our required timelines .

02:02:03.100 --> 02:02:05.890
Thank you . You bet . Thank you . Mr

02:02:05.890 --> 02:02:09.890
Chairman back . Thank you . Uh , so

02:02:09.890 --> 02:02:13.450
let me , uh , unless somebody else is

02:02:13.460 --> 02:02:15.571
still with us , let me just follow up

02:02:15.571 --> 02:02:19.060
on the F 35 tr Block four

02:02:19.060 --> 02:02:21.610
Development . Mr Lloyd Woodson , right ?

02:02:22.600 --> 02:02:26.550
Major risk where we foresee the uh the

02:02:26.550 --> 02:02:30.120
F- 35 program and the upgraded ,

02:02:30.500 --> 02:02:34.220
where where do you see us going ? What

02:02:34.220 --> 02:02:37.130
is our largest risk before that comes

02:02:37.140 --> 02:02:39.950
online ? Obviously you hear about the

02:02:39.960 --> 02:02:43.470
buys that we're making uh and trying to

02:02:43.480 --> 02:02:45.840
wait till that is fully capable where

02:02:45.840 --> 02:02:48.290
we buy those additional planes ? Well ,

02:02:48.290 --> 02:02:51.060
we can't wait , but we have to be able

02:02:51.060 --> 02:02:53.004
to plan . Won't you bring us up to

02:02:53.004 --> 02:02:55.990
speed from where you sit and what you

02:02:55.990 --> 02:02:59.960
see with that update ? Are you

02:02:59.960 --> 02:03:02.500
asking about the block for upgrade or

02:03:02.510 --> 02:03:04.454
the risks in general ? In relation

02:03:04.454 --> 02:03:08.370
program ? The risk to not having

02:03:08.370 --> 02:03:10.700
the TR three block war in the

02:03:10.700 --> 02:03:14.590
timeliness that we needed ? Well , I

02:03:14.600 --> 02:03:16.767
think that some of the other , some of

02:03:16.767 --> 02:03:18.989
the other witnesses have clarified that

02:03:18.989 --> 02:03:21.580
there ain't still aiming for uh

02:03:21.590 --> 02:03:25.490
insertion for the lot 15 .

02:03:25.500 --> 02:03:27.500
The challenges as I understand it ,

02:03:27.500 --> 02:03:30.090
there still conceivably going to be

02:03:30.090 --> 02:03:33.710
installing TR two kids during

02:03:33.710 --> 02:03:37.130
the production and then retrofitting

02:03:37.130 --> 02:03:39.130
those tales before they're actually

02:03:39.130 --> 02:03:41.310
received by D . O . B . So you you've

02:03:41.310 --> 02:03:44.120
built in this retrofit cost because of

02:03:44.120 --> 02:03:46.064
the delays that have occurred with

02:03:46.064 --> 02:03:49.000
relation to final development of the

02:03:49.010 --> 02:03:52.650
full TR three kid . And I think that

02:03:52.660 --> 02:03:55.780
a lot of the witnesses also noted the

02:03:55.780 --> 02:03:58.110
Black Four capabilities are really

02:03:58.110 --> 02:04:02.010
instrumental to why YF-

02:04:02.010 --> 02:04:04.250
35 . Right ? I mean F- 35 has a lot of

02:04:04.250 --> 02:04:06.472
characteristics that are pretty helpful

02:04:06.472 --> 02:04:08.583
I think for the war fighter . But the

02:04:08.583 --> 02:04:10.694
blocks more capabilities are what you

02:04:10.694 --> 02:04:12.639
really needed . A high end fight .

02:04:12.890 --> 02:04:14.890
Thank you . I'm not sure if I'm the

02:04:14.890 --> 02:04:17.080
only one hearing , but your sound is

02:04:17.090 --> 02:04:20.360
broken up like but I got most of your

02:04:20.360 --> 02:04:24.100
answer . So uh Darryl fake , let's talk

02:04:24.100 --> 02:04:26.260
about Alison Odin . I know it's your

02:04:26.260 --> 02:04:28.680
favorite subject , right ? Certainly ,

02:04:28.690 --> 02:04:30.840
uh , the issues that we're addressing

02:04:30.840 --> 02:04:33.840
and when mrs Lord was on board , I

02:04:33.850 --> 02:04:36.810
thought that transition to Odin , uh

02:04:37.390 --> 02:04:39.501
quite frankly , it would be quicker ,

02:04:39.501 --> 02:04:43.120
easier and more helpful . Uh

02:04:43.990 --> 02:04:47.050
give us an update on where we are in

02:04:47.050 --> 02:04:49.600
terms and this is the difference

02:04:49.600 --> 02:04:51.710
between readiness and Chairman

02:04:51.710 --> 02:04:54.200
Garamendi and the joint uh

02:04:55.390 --> 02:04:57.560
meeting that we had because it's

02:04:57.560 --> 02:04:59.690
important when we look to the future

02:04:59.690 --> 02:05:01.801
and what we're going to buy , we need

02:05:01.801 --> 02:05:04.134
to know where the system is going to be .

02:05:04.134 --> 02:05:06.246
So bring us up to speed on Alice owed

02:05:06.246 --> 02:05:08.490
and and where you think we're going

02:05:08.490 --> 02:05:11.440
with that ? Absolutely , sir , thank

02:05:11.440 --> 02:05:13.440
you very much for the question . We

02:05:13.440 --> 02:05:15.440
continue to make progress along the

02:05:15.440 --> 02:05:17.830
Alice toad and transition plan that we

02:05:17.830 --> 02:05:19.886
discussed back in the , in the april

02:05:19.886 --> 02:05:22.600
timeframe , which which relies upon

02:05:22.610 --> 02:05:26.590
uh deliberate and consistent upgrades

02:05:26.590 --> 02:05:29.050
to the Alice baseline so that we can

02:05:29.050 --> 02:05:32.650
both increase um the I'm sorry ,

02:05:32.650 --> 02:05:35.540
decrease the pain experienced by the

02:05:35.540 --> 02:05:37.484
users as they continue to use that

02:05:37.484 --> 02:05:40.470
system over time . Uh and then uh put

02:05:40.470 --> 02:05:42.581
us in a place where we can seamlessly

02:05:42.581 --> 02:05:45.960
transition into the new Odin uh

02:05:45.970 --> 02:05:47.748
software and capabilities now ,

02:05:47.748 --> 02:05:50.180
remember Odin is not just one thing .

02:05:50.190 --> 02:05:53.180
Odin is a hardware kit . Odin is a new

02:05:53.190 --> 02:05:55.357
software environment and Odin is new .

02:05:55.590 --> 02:05:58.060
Uh a new underlying data environment ,

02:05:58.060 --> 02:05:59.949
all all of those things are being

02:05:59.949 --> 02:06:02.640
simultaneously developed . The delivery

02:06:02.640 --> 02:06:06.060
of the new Odin base kit um is really

02:06:06.070 --> 02:06:08.310
uh really helping the field as we push

02:06:08.310 --> 02:06:10.540
it out there . It's it's 75% smaller

02:06:10.550 --> 02:06:14.130
physically , it's 90% smaller in weight

02:06:14.140 --> 02:06:16.260
and it's 30% cheaper than the legacy

02:06:16.260 --> 02:06:18.260
hard whether it's replacing and and

02:06:18.260 --> 02:06:20.316
we're getting great reviews from the

02:06:20.316 --> 02:06:22.204
team and we're also getting great

02:06:22.204 --> 02:06:24.371
reviews from our interactions with the

02:06:24.371 --> 02:06:27.630
users . Uh We have established what we

02:06:27.630 --> 02:06:29.830
call a joint Alice working group where

02:06:29.830 --> 02:06:32.460
we actually interact with the units in

02:06:32.460 --> 02:06:34.830
the field as they work to establish the

02:06:34.830 --> 02:06:36.719
user agreement capability , needs

02:06:36.719 --> 02:06:38.830
statement . We talked about last time

02:06:38.830 --> 02:06:40.941
and then to prioritize the fixes that

02:06:40.941 --> 02:06:42.941
go into Alice as we work our way uh

02:06:42.941 --> 02:06:45.240
into I think that over the course of

02:06:45.240 --> 02:06:48.590
the last uh 9 to 12 months we've

02:06:48.590 --> 02:06:51.550
decreased uh the admin workload time uh

02:06:51.560 --> 02:06:53.920
by about 40% . We've decreased air

02:06:53.920 --> 02:06:56.031
vehicle flight download time by about

02:06:56.031 --> 02:06:58.070
30% . Uh We've decreased the air

02:06:58.070 --> 02:07:00.050
vehicle transfer time from days to

02:07:00.050 --> 02:07:03.020
minutes . We've increased or enhanced

02:07:03.020 --> 02:07:05.131
the cybersecurity posture of Alice by

02:07:05.131 --> 02:07:07.860
making a transition to win 10 . Uh the

02:07:07.860 --> 02:07:10.082
team is doing a lot of work both on the

02:07:10.082 --> 02:07:12.490
near term and fixing Alice while at the

02:07:12.490 --> 02:07:14.657
same time ensuring a smooth transition

02:07:14.657 --> 02:07:18.450
into . So let me just dig into a little

02:07:18.450 --> 02:07:21.150
bit . So you talked about the decrease

02:07:21.150 --> 02:07:23.620
time , the speed that we're now doing

02:07:23.620 --> 02:07:27.200
it . And is that with the new hardware

02:07:27.980 --> 02:07:31.620
using Alice ? Or is that with the new

02:07:31.620 --> 02:07:35.500
hardware using the Odin ? So what is

02:07:35.510 --> 02:07:37.677
the base that those figures are coming

02:07:37.677 --> 02:07:41.070
from ? So those decreased download

02:07:41.080 --> 02:07:44.740
and um and processing times are using

02:07:44.740 --> 02:07:47.890
legacy hardware and the upgraded Alice

02:07:47.900 --> 02:07:51.730
software . Um are our next steps are

02:07:51.730 --> 02:07:53.452
going to be to to what we call

02:07:53.452 --> 02:07:55.650
deprecate or break up the Alice

02:07:55.650 --> 02:07:58.190
spaghetti code into discernible chunks

02:07:58.190 --> 02:08:00.412
that we can then begin to transition in

02:08:00.470 --> 02:08:03.170
uh into into . And whether we use them

02:08:03.170 --> 02:08:05.080
as is or whether we change them ,

02:08:05.090 --> 02:08:07.257
whether we have , we hire someone else

02:08:07.257 --> 02:08:09.970
to do that work or whether we uh use

02:08:09.970 --> 02:08:11.970
Lockheed or or a commercial off the

02:08:11.970 --> 02:08:14.081
shelf product to do those functions .

02:08:14.081 --> 02:08:16.303
Those are those next steps that we have

02:08:16.303 --> 02:08:18.026
to do to allow us to make that

02:08:18.026 --> 02:08:20.248
transition smoothly and seamlessly . So

02:08:20.248 --> 02:08:22.192
the results that we've seen from a

02:08:22.192 --> 02:08:24.303
software perspective and a processing

02:08:24.303 --> 02:08:26.248
time perspective are largely Alice

02:08:26.248 --> 02:08:28.137
software on legacy hardware . The

02:08:28.137 --> 02:08:30.359
improved hardware , the target hardware

02:08:30.359 --> 02:08:32.359
for Odin , if you will , is showing

02:08:32.359 --> 02:08:35.000
even better progress . So why all of a

02:08:35.000 --> 02:08:37.167
sudden is Alice working better ? Quite

02:08:37.167 --> 02:08:40.560
frankly , uh , we collectively made

02:08:40.560 --> 02:08:43.490
that decision with yourself mrs Lord ,

02:08:43.500 --> 02:08:46.230
that we were gonna keep the

02:08:46.230 --> 02:08:48.452
intellectual property location is going

02:08:48.452 --> 02:08:50.619
to have that . We're going to have our

02:08:50.619 --> 02:08:52.674
own ocean that we in essence control

02:08:52.674 --> 02:08:54.841
yet here . Which is good news . All of

02:08:54.841 --> 02:08:56.897
a sudden these numbers that you just

02:08:56.897 --> 02:09:00.100
share with us our great wines house all

02:09:00.100 --> 02:09:02.600
of a sudden working in a better form ,

02:09:02.600 --> 02:09:04.822
in fact . So , so I don't want to leave

02:09:04.822 --> 02:09:07.044
you with the impression that everything

02:09:07.044 --> 02:09:09.156
is rainbows and unicorns . Right ? We

02:09:09.156 --> 02:09:11.156
still have a lot of work to do with

02:09:11.156 --> 02:09:13.156
respect to Alice , but I think that

02:09:13.156 --> 02:09:12.970
what I've seen over the course of the

02:09:12.970 --> 02:09:15.820
last year is that is that my team and

02:09:15.820 --> 02:09:17.876
the Laki team really buckle down and

02:09:17.876 --> 02:09:20.042
decided that , you know what , we have

02:09:20.042 --> 02:09:21.820
to do this and we have to do it

02:09:21.820 --> 02:09:23.876
together . uh the environment in the

02:09:23.876 --> 02:09:26.100
fall of 2019 when we first set about

02:09:26.470 --> 02:09:29.910
this transition was uh , I'm gonna say

02:09:29.910 --> 02:09:32.610
what was better and contested uh was

02:09:32.610 --> 02:09:34.610
adversarial . It was , it was tough

02:09:34.610 --> 02:09:36.610
going uh as we , as we started down

02:09:36.610 --> 02:09:38.900
that path and as we learn more about

02:09:38.900 --> 02:09:40.622
what it would take to actually

02:09:40.622 --> 02:09:42.733
transition this system um in a smooth

02:09:42.733 --> 02:09:44.900
and seamless way without impacting the

02:09:44.900 --> 02:09:47.122
user that we were going to have to team

02:09:47.122 --> 02:09:49.289
and do this differently . So I think ,

02:09:49.289 --> 02:09:51.178
I think in part the relationships

02:09:51.178 --> 02:09:53.011
better . I think the , the , the

02:09:53.011 --> 02:09:55.850
expressed and executed intent to do the

02:09:55.850 --> 02:09:58.330
quarterly releases based upon uh ,

02:09:58.340 --> 02:10:00.810
solving user pain points has been a

02:10:00.810 --> 02:10:02.977
huge win for the program as we've been

02:10:02.977 --> 02:10:05.199
able to focus on those things that make

02:10:05.199 --> 02:10:06.977
the most difference uh , to the

02:10:06.977 --> 02:10:08.921
maintainers on the flight line . I

02:10:08.921 --> 02:10:11.088
think those things are all positive as

02:10:11.088 --> 02:10:13.199
we move forward and then , you know ,

02:10:13.199 --> 02:10:12.680
again , the feedback that we're

02:10:12.680 --> 02:10:14.902
starting to get from the users is , you

02:10:14.902 --> 02:10:16.847
know what we like , the way you're

02:10:16.847 --> 02:10:18.847
going as you transition to code and

02:10:18.847 --> 02:10:21.180
let's make sure you don't lose all this .

02:10:21.180 --> 02:10:23.291
So I think I'm still gonna transition

02:10:23.291 --> 02:10:25.350
to Odin , that original concept that

02:10:25.350 --> 02:10:28.290
was rolled out . Yes , sir . Absolutely .

02:10:30.460 --> 02:10:34.120
Thank you . Uh , with that . Uh , do we

02:10:34.120 --> 02:10:36.880
have anybody else waiting ? And they

02:10:36.880 --> 02:10:38.824
keep you have any more questions ?

02:10:42.660 --> 02:10:45.850
No , I can't wait to get back to

02:10:45.850 --> 02:10:48.850
live who were obviously having some

02:10:48.850 --> 02:10:51.130
challenges . But I want to thank all

02:10:51.130 --> 02:10:54.980
the witnesses . We had a a very

02:10:54.980 --> 02:10:57.091
full agenda to say the least , and we

02:10:57.091 --> 02:10:59.960
really appreciate the answers for with

02:10:59.960 --> 02:11:02.450
and we have a couple of follow ups with

02:11:02.450 --> 02:11:04.290
that we are adjourned .