WEBVTT

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The readiness subcommittee today meets

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to receive testimony on the posture of

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the United States Transportation

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Command US Transom , and I wanna thank

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our witness this afternoon , General

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Reid , for being here today , sir , it

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was good meeting with you earlier , uh ,

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in the week . I wanna say up front ,

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Transom , uh , is a very , very

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important combatant command . It's not

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the one that you always hear about ,

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but it's really critical . To our

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military , our readiness , and our

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ability to win wars , and our ability

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to project power and sustain our forces .

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As a senator from Alaska , I'm keenly

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aware of the unique challenges and

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strategic opportunities . Our state

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presents in the broader national

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security landscape , but we are also

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operating in an area where logistics

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and sustainment are no longer a given

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in any potential conflict . What used

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to be an asterisk or an incorrect

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assumption or what they call in the

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military fairy dusting away , a problem ,

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uh , on DOD's part with regard to

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sustained . And contested logistics has

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allowed our adversaries such as China

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and Russia to actively develop

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capabilities aimed at disrupting our

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mobility and sustainment operations

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across multiple domains . Current the

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theaters from the Indo-Pacific region

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to the Arctic to the European theater

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in the Middle East all present

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significant . Unique challenges in

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military contested logistics . Our

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military must ensure that pre-position

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stockpiles , robust transportation

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networks , and hardened infrastructure

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are available to sustain forces in high

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end conflicts . I'm particularly

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interested in how Transom is addressed

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in contested logistics through enhanced

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resiliency . In sea lift , airlift ,

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and overland transportation , I would

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also like to hear your thoughts ,

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General , on how we can better leverage

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infrastructure , our ports and

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airfields to strengthen our power

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projection capabilities in both the

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Arctic and the Indo-Pacific regions

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as to as the Air Force looks to the KC

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46 and other next generation programs

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for its air refueling needs . We cannot

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forget about the programs that are

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actually doing today's missions . The

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KC-135 has been a cornerstone of the US

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Air Force's air mobility and refueling

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capabilities since the 1950s .

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That's not an incorrect statement since

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the 1950s , but it needs advances in

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technology to evolve with military

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needs . While this is not a budget

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hearing today , I hope General Reed to

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hear about how Transcom has informed

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the Air Force's tanker strategy moving

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forward , especially in light of the

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long delays in KC-46 deliveries and

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recent reports about cracks in certain

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components of the aircraft . Air

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refueling tankers play a vital role in

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extending the range and endurance of

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fighter aircraft , bombers ,

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surveillance planes , enabling them to

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perform long range missions without

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relying on forward operating bases .

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They are crucial to America's Fight

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tonight mandate and as we talked about

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earlier , uh , general , uh , this

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morning , they're actually very crucial

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in my home state of Alaska , where

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Russian and Chinese incursions into our

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aid is over the last year have spiked .

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The men and women who fly these

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intercept missions from Alaska do

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nearly 2000 mile round trips . To

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intercept Russian and Chinese strategic

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bombers , and they of course rely

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heavily on Transom tankers to get them

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to the intercept and to get them home

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safely . We also want to hear about the

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challenges with regard to ship building

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and military sea lift command , which

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is another element of what Transcom

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does . And does so well . Modernization

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of our sealift capacity must be a top

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priority if we are to maintain our

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ability to surge forces anywhere in the

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world in a crisis . The recently

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initiated tanker security program is a

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natural progression , but broader

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efforts are needed to ensure that we do

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not face a mobility crisis in the

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coming decade . I'm particularly

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interested in hearing about the status

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of sea lift recapitalization efforts ,

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including any challenges Transcom is

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encountering so that when the FY26

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president budget . Is released we can

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follow up to see if funding support is

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needed to accelerate modernization

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efforts . The well-being of our troops

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and their families is obviously a top

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priority of this committee . We must

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ensure that the different changes that

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we've seen in the global household

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contract goods challenges are made in a

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way that provides seamless transitions

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during permanent change of station

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moves . General Reid , I look forward

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to . getting an update on this program ,

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um , in light of the challenges .

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Finally , I wanna thank the men and

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women of US Transom for the critical

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work they do every day to sustain our

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military forces and project power

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globally . Again , this is a .

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Incredible combatant command that not

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enough Americans know about ,

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understand and appreciate and this

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hearing is in part to help change that .

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With that , I wanna recognize ranking

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member Senator Hirono for her opening

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remarks . Thank you very much , Mr .

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Chairman , and , uh , General Reed ,

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it's good to see you . Thank you very

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much for your service . Uh , Senator

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Sullivan , it's good to continue our

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work on this subcommittee this time you

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as chair and me as ranking , so , uh ,

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we will continue our efforts together .

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General Reed , thank you for your

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service to our nation , and I thank the

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service members under your command

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around the globe conducting missions

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even as we speak . Transom plays plays

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a critical role in the movement of

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people , supplies , and equipment

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anywhere in the world . Your command

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remains the backbone of our military to

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ensure the joint force remains agile

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and responsive . However , as the

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landscape for logistics continues to

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evolve , we must adapt to the new

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reality . And full spectrum of

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emerging threats ranging from cyber

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attacks to kinetic strikes on ports and

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airfields and we need to recognize that

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contested logistics will be a

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battlefield in itself . Fortunately the

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Air Forces . taking steps to modernize

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its aerial refueling fleet , shifting

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toward a new tanker design that can

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operate in contested environments . The

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blended wing body BWB

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aircraft is a promising solution

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offering . 90% more range

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upwards of 50% more fuel efficiency ,

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80% more fuel off board capability

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for sort0 generations , takes up to 40 ,

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40% less space on airfields , flies

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2000 ft higher , and requires .

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Less landing and a takeoff distance .

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All I can say is wow and very

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impressive . We have to make it happen .

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Beyond these critical benefits , the

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blended wing body design would save .

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Uh , and at least $900 million

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per year on fuel , $900

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million . In the short term , 3D

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printed micro veins on transport

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aircraft reduced drag pay for itself in

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just seven months . And

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yield a few percentages on fuel .

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As well , while that may not sound like

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much at first glance , the DOD spends

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over $10 billion each

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year on operational energy costs .

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To be clear Investing in operational

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energy programs is not just about cost

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savings it directly enhances our

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lethality , readiness , and ability to

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sustain operations in the Indo-Pacific

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and beyond . Unfortunately , the

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Transcom assets have been recently

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used in a very inefficient manner and

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at great cost to the Department of

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Defense , all for , in my view ,

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political show . The use of C-17s and

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C-130s to transport some

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5000 migrants at 3 times the

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cost of DHS chartered flights and the

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DOD electing to do so on a non .

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Reimbursable basis is not only

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inefficient but also detracts from our

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core military mission . Just last year ,

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the Department of Homeland Security

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removed over 685,000

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individuals without DOD assistance ,

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the largest amount of people since

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2011 , obviously during the Biden years

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that we , DHS managed to do this . Yet

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the DOD has opted to fly at least 3

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times to India each trip costing

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taxpayers over $2.5 million and at

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least one of which . Tasked a refueling

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tanker to fly from New Jersey to

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Honolulu only to return the next day .

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Beyond the questionable legal basis

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under which this is occurring , I want

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to know who is making the decision to

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fly in such an inefficient and costly

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manner . There was a time when my

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Republican counterparts would object to

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DOD writing a blank check to do the job

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of another government agency . Transcom

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must remain focused on strategic

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mobility and not burdened with missions

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that are outside its intended purpose .

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Transcom would be far better off

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returning to its rightful focus on

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contested logistics . Because energy

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security remains a critical challenge .

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Our forces in the Indo-Pacific , for

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example , at Quadline . At all rely on

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vulnerable fuel shipments in the event

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of conflict , these fuel supply lines

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would be prime targets for adversaries .

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A more resilient energy strategy

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incorporating distributed energy assets

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and more efficient technologies is

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essential for maintaining operational

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effectiveness . TransCom is a key

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pillar of our national security , but

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we must ensure that it remains focused

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on its core mission , whether by

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modernizing our tanker fleet or

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strengthening contested logistic

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capabilities , we must make the right

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contested , the right , uh ,

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investments and the policy decisions .

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So General Reed , again , I thank you

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for your leadership . Look forward to

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your testimony . And uh thank you

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Senator Hirono . I see that we have the

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ranking member of the entire committee ,

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the former chairman of the Armed

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Services Committee here with us , my

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good friend Senator Jack Reed . Senator

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Reed , would you wish to , uh , say a

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few opening comments ? Uh , Mr .

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Chairman , thank you for your

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hospitality , but I would just wait for

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my questions . Thank you very much . OK ,

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thank you . Um , General Reed , the

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floor is yours and a longer written

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statement , uh , we can . Make sure it

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gets submitted for the record .

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Chairman Sullivan , ranking member

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Hirono , distinguished members of the

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subcommittee , good afternoon . I am

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honored to join you today with my

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lovely bride Len and senior enlisted

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leader Chief Master Sergeant Brian

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Krazelnick to represent the men and

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women of the United States

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Transportation Command . A war fighting

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command , we project , maneuver , and

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sustain the joint force anytime ,

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anywhere in support of our national

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objectives . Our war fighting elements

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consist of 3 service component commands ,

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Military surface deployment and

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distribution command . Military Sealift

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Command , Air Mobility Command , and

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our direct subordinate , the Joint

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Enabling Capabilities Command . Beyond

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our core military units , US Transcom

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maintains strong partnerships with the

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commercial transportation industry ,

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our fourth component to fully execute

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our unified command plan tasks .

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Today's security environment presents

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numerous complex challenges to force

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projection and logistics as adversaries

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actively seek to disrupt , degrade ,

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and deny our transportation networks ,

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especially within the homeland . With

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85% of US combat power residing within

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the continental United States ,

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resilient transportation networks

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fortified against malicious cyber

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attacks now prioritize the crucial fort

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to port transportation segment . Even

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after overcoming initial deployment

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disruptions , we must continuously

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enhance our material capabilities to

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maintain a decisive advantage .

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Decisive advantage demands a modernized

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and connected sea lift , airlift , and

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air refueling fleet . By 2032 ,

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54% of our government owned sea lift

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ships will reach the end of their

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service life . To support our maritime

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industrial base and protect a healthy

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pool of qualified uh crews to crew the

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vessels , we need a we need fully

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funded maritime security program ,

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tanker security program , the Jones Act ,

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and adherence to cargo preference laws .

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The start of a recapitalization plan is

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due for our airlift fleet because of

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the long lead time for platform

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development . We welcome the service

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led recapitalization plans of the air

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refueling fleet which must continue

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uninterrupted into the future . Even

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after the Air Force accepts the final

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contract at KC 46 , the average age of

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the remaining KC-135 fleet will be 67

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years old . Finally , we remain

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committed to the ongoing transformation

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of the global household goods program .

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Moving is an integral part of our life

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and while most of us relocate every 2

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to 3 years and learn better ways of

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doing it every time we move , it is

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always challenging . The department

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began transitioning to the Global

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household goods contract or GHC in

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April 2024 with the goal of providing

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an improved moving experience for

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service members and their families .

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This transformation is a monumental

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task and reaches into every aspect of a

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service member's relocation . And

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because GHC is reshaping how we move

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service members . Their families and

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their memories we remain in close

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collaboration with the services to

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identify and then take action to

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resolve issues . Because we are

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centered on service members and

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families just this past week we made an

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adjustment to the transfer rate to the

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prime contractor and while it has not

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been an easy path , there have been

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issues there should be no doubt we will

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see this through . These challenges may

16:27.409 --> 16:30.049
sound daunting , however , US Transcom

16:30.049 --> 16:32.271
has the global transportation awareness

16:32.271 --> 16:34.493
and authorities to address them , and I

16:34.493 --> 16:36.716
will be clear that I have no doubt that

16:36.716 --> 16:38.716
our professionals will overcome any

16:38.716 --> 16:40.827
disruption . We are emboldened by our

16:40.827 --> 16:43.479
guiding principles to be ready , united ,

16:43.719 --> 16:47.270
and decisive . US Transom was created

16:47.270 --> 16:49.492
as a purpose-built force to provide the

16:49.492 --> 16:51.714
essential surface , ocean , and airlift

16:51.714 --> 16:53.492
capacity to project and sustain

16:53.492 --> 16:55.714
American military power anywhere in the

16:55.714 --> 16:58.919
world at any time . Thank you for your

16:58.919 --> 17:00.975
continued and unwavering support for

17:00.975 --> 17:03.141
our mission and our people . I welcome

17:03.141 --> 17:05.419
your questions and together we deliver .

17:05.448 --> 17:07.448
Thank you , General , and thank you

17:07.448 --> 17:09.559
again to you and the men and women of

17:09.559 --> 17:11.838
US Transcom , uh , for the exceptional

17:11.838 --> 17:14.005
work that they do . I'm gonna yield my

17:14.005 --> 17:16.239
first round of questioning to my

17:16.239 --> 17:18.239
colleague Senator Fisher , and then

17:18.239 --> 17:20.295
we'll go in the regular order here .

17:20.295 --> 17:22.628
Senator Hirono will be next . Thank you ,

17:22.628 --> 17:24.683
Senator Sullivan , and thank you for

17:24.683 --> 17:26.906
your courtesy and letting me go ahead .

17:27.270 --> 17:30.189
Welcome General Reed . During your

17:30.189 --> 17:32.245
confirmation hearing , you described

17:32.245 --> 17:34.910
how you intended to sharpen Transom's

17:34.910 --> 17:37.619
contribution to the lethal joint force .

17:37.910 --> 17:40.839
This includes a ready tanker fleet that

17:40.839 --> 17:43.829
is able to support both contingencies

17:43.829 --> 17:46.430
around the world and Stratcom and also

17:46.430 --> 17:48.829
NorthCO missions that we have here in

17:48.829 --> 17:51.910
the homeland . As the B-21 bomber

17:51.910 --> 17:54.780
enters service , which will modernize

17:54.780 --> 17:57.219
and increase and increase our bomber

17:57.219 --> 17:59.949
fleet , we must also ensure that we

17:59.949 --> 18:02.400
have an adequate tanker fleet to

18:02.400 --> 18:04.829
support this platform and the important

18:04.829 --> 18:07.579
missions it will perform . I understand

18:07.579 --> 18:09.412
that the Air Force will make the

18:09.412 --> 18:11.239
ultimate decision on its tanker

18:11.239 --> 18:13.979
acquisition strategy , but I'd like to

18:13.979 --> 18:16.420
better understand how Transcom is

18:16.420 --> 18:18.380
working with the Air Force to

18:18.380 --> 18:22.339
communicate its requirements . Or do

18:22.339 --> 18:26.260
you ? Expressing your needs

18:26.260 --> 18:29.099
to , to the Air Force on what you need

18:29.099 --> 18:32.739
to support a nuclear bomber force so

18:32.739 --> 18:35.939
that it remains effective and um and a

18:35.939 --> 18:37.739
credible deterrent globally .

18:40.189 --> 18:42.245
Yes , Senator , just within the last

18:42.245 --> 18:44.411
month my staff and I took a trip to US

18:44.411 --> 18:46.522
Stratcom and we sat down with the the

18:46.522 --> 18:48.633
commander there and his staff to hold

18:48.633 --> 18:50.689
war fighter talks , uh , during that

18:50.689 --> 18:52.689
time we described , uh , what it is

18:52.689 --> 18:55.000
that he's called to do so that we can ,

18:55.130 --> 18:57.760
uh , more efficiently and effectively

18:58.410 --> 19:00.632
understand how we need to be there with

19:00.632 --> 19:02.577
him during that same time we got a

19:02.577 --> 19:04.688
really deep understanding in terms of

19:04.688 --> 19:06.895
how they plan to . Deploy their new

19:06.895 --> 19:09.694
aircraft and uh that will drive a

19:09.694 --> 19:11.861
slightly different way in which we are

19:11.861 --> 19:13.916
to support them which actually means

19:13.916 --> 19:15.972
that it's going to be a a little bit

19:15.972 --> 19:18.165
higher requirement uh specifically in

19:18.175 --> 19:21.135
in in the in the fuel transfer as a

19:21.135 --> 19:23.079
result , he and I are both working

19:23.079 --> 19:24.935
together to go to the service to

19:24.935 --> 19:27.334
explain to them what's uh what's

19:27.334 --> 19:29.445
required and what's expected in order

19:29.445 --> 19:31.445
for us to work together to get that

19:31.445 --> 19:33.667
done . If there's anything we can do on

19:33.667 --> 19:35.890
this committee uh to help you with that

19:35.890 --> 19:38.530
endeavor , please let me know . Yes ,

19:38.569 --> 19:40.920
Senator , thank you , thank you , uh ,

19:40.969 --> 19:43.530
General Reed , it is clear that in a

19:43.530 --> 19:46.089
great power conflict , the US would be

19:46.089 --> 19:50.010
unlikely to achieve the level of air or

19:50.010 --> 19:52.489
sea superiority that it achieved in

19:52.489 --> 19:55.709
recent wars . This means that ships and

19:55.709 --> 19:57.900
aircraft that will be part of any sea

19:57.900 --> 20:01.339
lift or airlift effort must be prepared

20:01.339 --> 20:04.469
to operate in a contested environment

20:04.750 --> 20:07.270
with the assumption that they will be

20:07.270 --> 20:10.119
targeted in various ways to prevent

20:10.119 --> 20:12.660
material from reaching its destination .

20:13.069 --> 20:16.310
I appreciated our discussion on this

20:16.310 --> 20:18.869
topic during your confirmation hearing

20:18.869 --> 20:21.036
and in our meeting we had in the skiff

20:21.036 --> 20:24.410
last week . Since you've taken command ,

20:24.619 --> 20:27.910
what steps have you taken to better

20:27.910 --> 20:30.770
prepare Transom to perform strategic

20:30.770 --> 20:33.489
lift in a contested environment ?

20:35.699 --> 20:37.810
Senator , one of the things that I've

20:37.810 --> 20:39.866
done is I've made travels around the

20:39.866 --> 20:41.977
world to talk to my peers . Um , I've

20:41.977 --> 20:44.088
looked at the , the world as they see

20:44.088 --> 20:46.310
it . I've looked at the threats as they

20:46.310 --> 20:48.532
see it , and I've also , uh , made sure

20:48.532 --> 20:50.477
that our staffs are working closer

20:50.477 --> 20:52.588
together in the planning aspect which

20:52.588 --> 20:54.699
is actually carrying over into how we

20:54.930 --> 20:57.579
exercise together . So with that being

20:57.579 --> 21:00.089
said , uh , we have a much better

21:00.089 --> 21:02.599
understanding . Of what uh the

21:02.599 --> 21:05.400
adversaries are likely to do , um , how

21:05.400 --> 21:07.760
they would uh fight what they're most

21:07.760 --> 21:10.189
likely to do and with that being said ,

21:10.390 --> 21:12.279
uh , we adapt that to the plans ,

21:12.319 --> 21:14.263
evaluate how that would change the

21:14.263 --> 21:16.097
force , look to see what kind of

21:16.097 --> 21:18.319
options we have left , and then what we

21:18.319 --> 21:20.430
can decide to do from that point on .

21:20.430 --> 21:22.849
So , uh , it's a very robust way ahead ,

21:22.859 --> 21:25.349
ma'am . You know , as you know , our

21:25.349 --> 21:27.469
sealift assets are important to

21:27.469 --> 21:29.910
ensuring that our forces and material

21:29.910 --> 21:33.380
arrive on time . Uh , in enough

21:33.380 --> 21:36.359
time to rapidly execute their mission .

21:36.689 --> 21:38.619
Unfortunately over the years , an

21:38.619 --> 21:41.199
integral part of our sealift fleet ,

21:41.569 --> 21:44.359
the ready reserve force has suffered

21:44.359 --> 21:47.689
from a reduction in capacity and

21:47.689 --> 21:50.099
readiness as a result of the aging

21:50.099 --> 21:53.910
vessels and the underinvestment . Given

21:53.910 --> 21:56.319
this situation , can you provide an

21:56.319 --> 21:58.839
update on the recapitalization of the

21:58.839 --> 22:01.569
ready reserve fleet and how you're

22:01.880 --> 22:04.800
working uh with MARRAD to increase

22:04.800 --> 22:08.050
capability and capacity in that regard ?

22:09.359 --> 22:12.550
Together we're working to uh get ships

22:12.550 --> 22:15.390
in any way that we absolutely can . Uh ,

22:15.469 --> 22:18.709
the address last night um by the by the

22:18.709 --> 22:20.989
commander in chief stated that sealift

22:20.989 --> 22:23.211
is absolutely something that we need to

22:23.211 --> 22:25.378
do . Uh , he intends to make sure that

22:25.378 --> 22:27.545
we can return to the seas , so we need

22:27.545 --> 22:29.656
to both build it here and we actually

22:29.656 --> 22:32.270
need to buy used . Could you repeat

22:32.270 --> 22:34.989
your last sentence , please ? Uh , yes

22:34.989 --> 22:36.989
ma'am . We need to build new and we

22:36.989 --> 22:39.050
need to buy used . Thank you , sir .

22:41.050 --> 22:43.106
Thank , thank you , Senator Fisher .

22:43.119 --> 22:45.770
Senator Hirono . Thank you , Mr .

22:45.780 --> 22:49.380
Chairman . General , uh , Reed ,

22:49.839 --> 22:52.180
um , a next generation tanker , and I ,

22:52.229 --> 22:54.285
I mentioned , I mentioned this in my

22:54.285 --> 22:56.229
opening statement in the form of a

22:56.229 --> 22:59.900
blended wing body aircraft would save

22:59.900 --> 23:03.660
between 30 to 50% in fuel , which would

23:03.660 --> 23:06.219
be invaluable to operations in the

23:06.219 --> 23:09.069
Indo-Pacific in terms of extended range

23:09.069 --> 23:10.902
shortage generation and reducing

23:10.902 --> 23:13.829
contested logistics vulnerabilities as

23:13.829 --> 23:16.469
a pilot who has flown more than 3500

23:16.469 --> 23:18.580
hours . In various types of transport

23:18.580 --> 23:21.305
aircraft , how important is it for the

23:21.305 --> 23:24.064
Air Force to continue investing in the

23:24.064 --> 23:26.964
blended wing body and other operational

23:26.964 --> 23:30.675
energy programs , and do you think they

23:30.944 --> 23:34.064
have benefits that increase lethality

23:34.064 --> 23:35.265
and readiness ?

23:39.099 --> 23:41.349
Senator , we are , um , actively

23:41.349 --> 23:44.699
advocating for any and all technology

23:44.699 --> 23:47.380
that can make sure that we can use the

23:47.380 --> 23:49.739
least amount of fuel possible that our

23:49.739 --> 23:52.300
aircraft can go as long as possible and

23:52.300 --> 23:54.467
they can stay aloft as long as they as

23:54.467 --> 23:57.479
as as they can . As we have been

23:57.479 --> 24:00.619
looking at uh what's possible in order

24:00.619 --> 24:02.841
to operate some of the criteria that we

24:02.841 --> 24:05.280
also look at is , um , as you mentioned

24:05.280 --> 24:08.199
in in your statement , is how long or

24:08.199 --> 24:10.479
how short of a runway can we operate on

24:10.800 --> 24:12.967
and balance that with how much fuel we

24:12.967 --> 24:15.022
can carry and then how far we can go

24:15.160 --> 24:17.300
when it comes to force projection and

24:17.300 --> 24:19.430
sustainment of the force , the more

24:19.430 --> 24:21.670
fuel efficient an aircraft is , then

24:21.670 --> 24:23.800
the more effective we'll be and also

24:23.800 --> 24:26.349
the more options we will have . So of

24:26.349 --> 24:29.349
all of the these uh uh you're open to

24:29.349 --> 24:31.709
um other developments that would save

24:31.709 --> 24:34.859
you fuel , etc . but with the a blended

24:34.859 --> 24:37.630
wing body development be one of those

24:37.630 --> 24:40.589
uh important modernizations that you

24:40.589 --> 24:44.300
would , uh , you hope . Will come

24:44.300 --> 24:47.729
about ? Ma'am , it's a very promising

24:47.729 --> 24:49.896
technology and uh if it's something we

24:49.896 --> 24:51.979
can get and something we can use , I

24:51.979 --> 24:53.923
will absolutely take it . Uh , the

24:53.923 --> 24:56.859
other thing that uh we consider is that

24:56.859 --> 24:59.459
at some point the commercial world will

24:59.459 --> 25:01.579
most likely catch up with this , and

25:01.579 --> 25:03.635
when they're able to produce it , we

25:03.635 --> 25:05.857
will already have done the work to make

25:05.857 --> 25:07.746
sure that we can use it as well .

25:09.810 --> 25:12.170
I mentioned in my opening the the this

25:12.170 --> 25:14.530
uh the the consternation uh with the

25:14.530 --> 25:17.359
use of your assets to transport .

25:18.589 --> 25:20.699
Frankly , just a very few , uh ,

25:20.709 --> 25:23.829
migrants , uh , at a cost in the

25:23.829 --> 25:26.270
instance that that I mentioned at the

25:26.270 --> 25:28.750
cost of 2.5 million to move only about

25:28.750 --> 25:31.530
100 migrants in uh to India , uh ,

25:31.550 --> 25:34.709
contrast with um the prior

25:34.709 --> 25:38.119
administration , uh , it was uh

25:38.119 --> 25:41.739
685,000 people were

25:42.069 --> 25:45.089
removed . Through Homeland Security's

25:45.089 --> 25:47.849
own programs , uh , so , uh , you know ,

25:47.930 --> 25:50.449
I wanted to know because this is very

25:50.449 --> 25:53.839
out of proportion in my view to , uh ,

25:53.969 --> 25:57.199
what should be undertaken by TransCom .

25:57.410 --> 26:00.800
So who makes the decision to fly in

26:01.050 --> 26:03.640
this inefficient manner using your

26:03.640 --> 26:07.609
assets ? The

26:07.609 --> 26:10.050
Department of Homeland Security is the

26:10.050 --> 26:13.089
lead agency for this , um , uh , in

26:13.089 --> 26:14.978
that the Department of Defense is

26:14.978 --> 26:17.930
supporting them . The lead combatant

26:17.930 --> 26:20.890
command within our department is NOCOM ,

26:21.290 --> 26:23.346
and we work with them to receive the

26:23.346 --> 26:26.199
task to actually fly sorties . So

26:26.199 --> 26:28.199
you're saying that you did not make

26:28.199 --> 26:30.421
this decision to use your assets to fly

26:30.421 --> 26:32.680
100 people to India . No , ma'am , I

26:32.680 --> 26:34.920
did not . Oh , are you gonna be tasked

26:34.920 --> 26:37.089
to do more of this kind of transport ?

26:39.619 --> 26:41.452
Ma'am , if I get the task , I'll

26:41.452 --> 26:43.452
absolutely fly it . But do you have

26:43.452 --> 26:45.563
some sort of an understanding already

26:45.563 --> 26:47.508
of what the expectations are , and

26:47.508 --> 26:50.130
these are all non-reimbursable to you

26:50.739 --> 26:54.650
events . Ma'am , in a few conversations

26:54.650 --> 26:57.689
that I've had , uh , I , uh , am to

26:57.689 --> 27:00.050
expect maybe more flights . Um , I will

27:00.050 --> 27:02.217
tell you that within the last 48 hours

27:02.217 --> 27:05.890
we have not flown any . I , I think

27:05.890 --> 27:08.189
that that that uh is it is really

27:08.189 --> 27:10.245
important for me at least , says the

27:10.245 --> 27:12.356
ranking person on this committee that

27:12.356 --> 27:14.411
we express our concern to you , uh ,

27:14.411 --> 27:16.578
that this would not be the kind of use

27:16.578 --> 27:19.119
of your assets that we should , uh ,

27:19.130 --> 27:21.569
contemplate and uh since you are not

27:21.569 --> 27:23.680
the person to make that decision that

27:23.680 --> 27:25.847
there's , uh , there are no guarantees

27:25.847 --> 27:28.599
that uh that this use . Of your assets

27:28.599 --> 27:32.560
will not continue and so um if you are

27:32.560 --> 27:36.079
given this decision to transport more

27:36.079 --> 27:38.400
people , I would like this committee to

27:38.400 --> 27:41.380
be informed of that and as of now there

27:41.390 --> 27:43.612
there you have no um that's what you're

27:43.612 --> 27:45.779
telling me no idea whether you will be

27:45.779 --> 27:48.199
tasked to conduct this kind of mission

27:48.199 --> 27:51.439
in a way that uh I think it's not part

27:51.439 --> 27:54.160
of your mission . So will you let this

27:54.160 --> 27:56.760
committee know if you uh begin to use

27:56.760 --> 27:58.593
your assets for these kinds of .

27:59.900 --> 28:02.640
Transport ? Yes , I will . Thank you .

28:03.910 --> 28:05.930
So you did mention that you have an

28:05.930 --> 28:09.689
aging fleet and uh there is the

28:09.689 --> 28:12.880
possibility of your purchasing used

28:12.880 --> 28:15.680
ships from um other countries and I

28:15.680 --> 28:18.969
think we put a limit on what you can do

28:18.969 --> 28:20.969
there for for the long term , yes ,

28:20.969 --> 28:23.080
obviously I think we need to create a

28:23.080 --> 28:25.329
capability for shipbuilding , uh ,

28:25.349 --> 28:27.516
because you have an aging fleet , um ,

28:27.516 --> 28:29.571
but for the short term what would be

28:29.571 --> 28:32.800
helpful to you ? In the short term we

28:32.800 --> 28:36.079
would uh need maximum flexibility to

28:36.079 --> 28:38.119
buy used foreign ships on the

28:38.119 --> 28:40.880
commercial market , um , obtain those

28:40.880 --> 28:43.390
ships , refurb them here in the states ,

28:43.459 --> 28:46.479
and then uh put those uh ships to . So

28:46.479 --> 28:48.757
we , Mr . Chairman , if you don't mind ,

28:48.757 --> 28:50.812
uh , we put a limit on the number of

28:50.812 --> 28:52.868
these kinds of ships , so I'm asking

28:52.868 --> 28:55.090
whether in the short term how many more

28:55.090 --> 28:57.201
ships would you like to be authorized

28:57.201 --> 28:59.880
to buy from foreign sources . Yes , I

28:59.880 --> 29:02.047
would , uh , I am asking for the limit

29:02.047 --> 29:04.920
to be raised beyond 10 to allow us to

29:04.920 --> 29:07.310
actually shop the market . Currently

29:07.310 --> 29:09.869
there are 10 ships available for us to

29:09.880 --> 29:13.560
to pursue . Are you asking for

29:13.560 --> 29:16.540
authorization to buy 10 more ? I'm

29:16.540 --> 29:18.651
asking authorization to buy 10 more .

29:19.550 --> 29:21.717
Well , good luck with that . No , that

29:21.717 --> 29:23.949
was , forget I said that . I mean , we

29:23.949 --> 29:26.171
want you to be able to do your job . uh

29:26.171 --> 29:28.282
just one more thing you mentioned the

29:28.282 --> 29:30.338
Jones Act . There's , uh , there are

29:30.338 --> 29:32.505
people who sometimes do not understand

29:32.505 --> 29:34.727
the importance of the Jones Jones Act .

29:34.727 --> 29:36.782
Can you very briefly tell us why the

29:36.782 --> 29:38.949
Jones Act is important to TransCom and

29:38.949 --> 29:41.390
and to national security ? The Jones

29:41.390 --> 29:44.439
Act allows us to actually have uh

29:44.439 --> 29:47.229
shipping resources here and a fleet and

29:47.229 --> 29:49.750
so because of that act we actually have

29:49.750 --> 29:52.599
a way to uh make sure that we can build

29:52.599 --> 29:55.910
ships here in the United States that we

29:55.910 --> 29:57.790
can sail those ships to maintain

29:57.790 --> 30:00.390
commerce , that we can actually produce

30:00.390 --> 30:02.334
the crews that actually sail those

30:02.334 --> 30:04.589
ships so that we have a core of folks

30:04.589 --> 30:07.329
that can actually operate at the same

30:07.329 --> 30:10.510
time . Um , if the nation needs folks

30:10.510 --> 30:13.469
to go to sea , we can , uh , call on

30:13.469 --> 30:15.910
that force to actually sail , and there

30:15.910 --> 30:18.077
are citizens , and then , uh , we will

30:18.077 --> 30:20.299
be more secure in that way . Yeah , one

30:20.299 --> 30:22.188
aspect of the Jones that are very

30:22.188 --> 30:24.299
important is that , uh , you can work

30:24.299 --> 30:26.270
with uh the commercial shippers ,

30:26.430 --> 30:28.910
private sector ships , isn't that

30:28.910 --> 30:30.854
correct ? That's correct , ma'am .

30:30.854 --> 30:33.077
Thank you . Thank you , Mr . Chairman ,

30:33.077 --> 30:32.709
for your indulgence . Thank you ,

30:32.760 --> 30:34.760
Senator Hirono , uh , General , I'm

30:34.760 --> 30:36.871
gonna ask my round of questions now ,

30:36.871 --> 30:39.550
um . Let me just follow up on a couple

30:39.550 --> 30:42.520
of questions Senator Hirono asked for

30:42.520 --> 30:46.390
the going above the 10 ship , uh ,

30:46.400 --> 30:49.349
cap , does that require you , is there

30:49.349 --> 30:51.405
a waiver authority that we can grant

30:51.405 --> 30:54.469
that can be granted by someone in DOD ,

30:54.479 --> 30:56.560
or does that require a change in

30:56.560 --> 31:00.469
legislation ? Uh , Chairman , that's a

31:00.469 --> 31:02.670
change in in the AA and so if we can

31:02.670 --> 31:05.739
get that change , um , ideally , uh ,

31:05.750 --> 31:07.880
what we would need to recap the fleet

31:08.150 --> 31:11.150
are 4 ships a year , um , and if

31:11.150 --> 31:13.206
they're available on the market , we

31:13.206 --> 31:15.428
would pursue that at a minimum we would

31:15.428 --> 31:17.539
need 2 a year , OK ? And let me ask ,

31:17.539 --> 31:20.290
um , um , 2 years ago your predecessor

31:20.290 --> 31:24.160
told us that by 2023 . 37 of the

31:24.160 --> 31:27.239
50 government owned surge sealift ships

31:27.239 --> 31:29.760
will approach the end of their service

31:29.760 --> 31:32.800
life . Uh , Military sea lift command

31:32.800 --> 31:35.359
and the Navy announced in November that

31:35.359 --> 31:39.349
it would sideline 17 ships from the

31:39.349 --> 31:41.989
MSC to ease the stress of civilian

31:42.439 --> 31:45.280
mariners . Uh , these ships obviously

31:45.280 --> 31:47.558
play a very important role like oilers .

31:48.369 --> 31:50.479
Uh , hospital ships , cable layers .

31:50.969 --> 31:52.969
Can you walk us through the current

31:52.969 --> 31:55.191
Transom plan , general , for increasing

31:55.191 --> 31:57.250
and manning maintenance programs for

31:57.250 --> 32:00.810
the MSC vessels so they are not left

32:00.810 --> 32:02.421
sidelined in the long term ?

32:04.459 --> 32:07.859
Chairman , on the Navy side , the MSC

32:07.859 --> 32:10.099
commander with this Navy hat made that

32:10.099 --> 32:12.810
decision , uh , mainly for the welfare

32:12.810 --> 32:15.819
of the crews and so the problem is is

32:15.819 --> 32:17.930
that those are civilian mariner crews

32:17.930 --> 32:20.489
that's correct . And so , uh , the ,

32:20.609 --> 32:22.849
the challenge there is that , uh , with

32:22.849 --> 32:24.960
the number of ships and the shortfall

32:24.960 --> 32:27.099
of the cruise , it was very hard to

32:27.099 --> 32:29.099
manage the cruise in a way that was

32:29.099 --> 32:30.932
sustainable and so he did that .

32:31.510 --> 32:34.229
Separate from that for uh under the

32:34.229 --> 32:36.285
Department of Transportation and the

32:36.285 --> 32:39.430
maritime administration um what we're

32:39.430 --> 32:42.750
seeking to do there is for the civilian

32:42.750 --> 32:44.806
crews that we have there , these are

32:44.806 --> 32:46.806
merchant mariners in the commercial

32:46.806 --> 32:49.790
fleet that when called come to sail

32:49.790 --> 32:52.670
with us and support our needs . What we

32:52.670 --> 32:55.709
would like to do for them is to buy to

32:55.709 --> 32:58.660
build new ships if we can . And to buy

32:58.660 --> 33:01.099
younger used ships so that they have

33:01.099 --> 33:03.920
much better equipment in that same way

33:03.920 --> 33:05.920
when they have the better equipment

33:06.099 --> 33:08.210
then they're more likely to stay with

33:08.210 --> 33:10.210
us and that is our way to make sure

33:10.210 --> 33:13.000
that we can uh sustain that force . OK ,

33:13.099 --> 33:14.060
thank you , um .

33:17.079 --> 33:18.857
We've recently seen a number of

33:18.857 --> 33:21.023
incidents in the Taiwan Strait and the

33:21.023 --> 33:24.119
Baltic Sea whereby undersea cables were

33:24.119 --> 33:26.520
damaged or destroyed by ships with

33:26.520 --> 33:29.869
connections to Russia and China . Can

33:29.869 --> 33:32.091
you talk specifically about the current

33:32.091 --> 33:34.979
condition of our cable layers and

33:35.270 --> 33:37.709
whether or not you think we are ready

33:37.709 --> 33:41.260
to respond to the types of attacks

33:41.550 --> 33:45.000
we may see in any kind of conflict or

33:45.670 --> 33:47.892
heck the Russians and Chinese are doing

33:47.892 --> 33:50.949
it in non-conflict situations that

33:50.949 --> 33:54.709
relate to um our undersea cables .

33:55.800 --> 33:57.689
By the way , I know you know this

33:57.689 --> 33:59.689
general , nearly 95% of the world's

33:59.689 --> 34:02.400
internet traffic , um . Goes through

34:02.400 --> 34:06.359
these cables . Chairman , those are

34:06.359 --> 34:10.330
specialty ships that we have , um . We

34:10.330 --> 34:12.330
don't have very many of them , uh ,

34:12.449 --> 34:14.671
they are old , uh , the ships that crew

34:14.671 --> 34:16.505
them , uh , those ships are very

34:16.505 --> 34:18.505
capable . um , those are also ships

34:18.505 --> 34:20.560
that , uh , we actually need to make

34:20.560 --> 34:22.838
sure that they're that they're younger ,

34:22.838 --> 34:24.838
uh , that they're faster , and that

34:24.838 --> 34:26.949
they're more reliable as well . Do we

34:26.949 --> 34:28.893
have any ships online that you see

34:28.893 --> 34:31.409
coming into the fleet that are those

34:31.409 --> 34:33.353
kind of ships you just described ,

34:33.409 --> 34:36.229
Chairman , I do not . Let me ask about

34:36.229 --> 34:38.648
another challenge that you highlighted

34:38.648 --> 34:41.509
and uh Senator Fisher already mentioned .

34:42.158 --> 34:44.269
Um , can you walk me through the kind

34:44.269 --> 34:46.968
of broader readiness concerns that you

34:46.968 --> 34:50.519
have with the KC-135 and KC 46 ,

34:51.089 --> 34:54.208
uh , tankers ? Um , I know this is a

34:54.208 --> 34:57.208
top priority , so how you integrate

34:57.208 --> 34:59.430
them , how you use one set , which is ,

34:59.448 --> 35:01.918
as you mentioned , up to 70 years old ,

35:02.358 --> 35:04.529
um , and then the incoming one that's

35:04.529 --> 35:06.696
been plagued with problems , I think .

35:07.399 --> 35:09.343
Boeing really needs to get its act

35:09.343 --> 35:11.343
together on this . Um , what's your

35:11.343 --> 35:13.510
sense of how we're integrating that in

35:13.510 --> 35:15.566
your strategic plan ? Chairman , the

35:15.566 --> 35:18.409
KC-135 is a fantastic airplane . Um , I

35:18.409 --> 35:20.465
was qualified in it once and uh it's

35:20.465 --> 35:22.687
got me around the world and , and , and

35:22.687 --> 35:25.760
back . Um , it needs to consistently be

35:25.760 --> 35:28.639
looked , uh , looked at to improve , uh ,

35:28.649 --> 35:31.600
to update , um , over the . Years we've

35:31.600 --> 35:34.780
um increased the electronics in it um

35:35.100 --> 35:37.139
years back we improved the the

35:37.139 --> 35:39.649
propulsion systems but as we go forward ,

35:39.659 --> 35:41.770
what's the most important for that is

35:41.770 --> 35:43.770
that it gets connected to the joint

35:43.770 --> 35:46.570
force . Connectivity is king for that

35:47.060 --> 35:49.282
aircraft as it goes forward and if it's

35:49.282 --> 35:51.449
not connected , it's not as survivable

35:51.449 --> 35:55.020
as it should be . The KC 46 , uh , is a

35:55.020 --> 35:57.131
great airplane as well . I've had the

35:57.131 --> 35:59.800
fortune to to fly it . Um , there are

35:59.800 --> 36:02.360
some things that the manufacturer needs

36:02.360 --> 36:04.600
to fix , but when that airplane works

36:04.600 --> 36:07.760
it works in fine fashion . Uh , it is

36:07.760 --> 36:09.927
an airplane that I think that they are

36:09.927 --> 36:12.149
going to fix . We need to stick with it

36:12.149 --> 36:14.149
and we need to keep going . Great ,

36:14.149 --> 36:16.979
thank you , General Senator Reid . Well ,

36:17.060 --> 36:19.338
thank you very much , uh Mr . Chairman ,

36:19.338 --> 36:21.580
and welcome General Reed . I , I must

36:21.580 --> 36:23.802
say that's quite an impressive name you

36:23.802 --> 36:26.060
have . I , I'm very impressed . No

36:26.060 --> 36:28.300
relation , I assume . Uh , we are

36:28.300 --> 36:30.356
related , uh , in an emotional way .

36:30.356 --> 36:32.467
We're both committed to the country .

36:32.959 --> 36:35.350
Um , he's much more fitter than I .

36:35.879 --> 36:37.959
General Reed , uh , Transom relies

36:37.959 --> 36:40.159
heavily on commercial aircraft in

36:40.159 --> 36:42.590
peacetime and also depends on

36:42.590 --> 36:45.159
commercial aircraft who participate in

36:45.159 --> 36:48.389
the civil reserve air fleet craft . Ah ,

36:48.590 --> 36:51.439
for wartime needs . And craft

36:51.439 --> 36:53.661
participants are always concerned about

36:53.661 --> 36:56.159
how much cargo capacity Transcom will

36:56.159 --> 36:58.939
purchase from them . First , are you

36:58.939 --> 37:01.340
taking action to rely more heavily on

37:01.340 --> 37:03.500
craft fleet in peacetime ?

37:06.409 --> 37:08.770
Senator , uh , we do have access to

37:08.770 --> 37:11.169
those aircraft . What's , uh , most

37:11.169 --> 37:13.370
important to note is that , uh , uh ,

37:13.379 --> 37:15.601
craft , if we were to activate it would

37:15.601 --> 37:18.300
be in case of wartime or a severe

37:18.300 --> 37:21.060
crisis , um , in , in return of those

37:21.060 --> 37:23.171
aircraft being in the craft program ,

37:23.171 --> 37:26.330
uh , we do use them and , uh , they are

37:26.330 --> 37:29.270
able to operate . With us , but what's

37:29.270 --> 37:32.189
most important is , is , uh , when we

37:32.189 --> 37:34.949
have the need for something beyond what

37:34.949 --> 37:37.280
we have in the gray hall , uh , they

37:37.280 --> 37:40.020
make themselves available in this way ,

37:40.189 --> 37:42.411
uh , we can keep them ready and trained

37:42.411 --> 37:44.633
to operate with us and in this way also

37:44.633 --> 37:47.139
for the organic craft that we have , uh ,

37:47.149 --> 37:50.590
we can use them for uh higher priority

37:50.590 --> 37:53.360
uh sorties . Now , uh ,

37:54.469 --> 37:56.636
There's been some discussion about the

37:56.636 --> 37:59.120
transportation of detainees and others .

37:59.469 --> 38:01.247
Have you considered using craft

38:01.247 --> 38:03.760
participants rather than military

38:03.760 --> 38:07.699
aircraft to move these people ? Senator ,

38:07.780 --> 38:10.340
right now , uh , we have authorization

38:10.340 --> 38:12.580
to fly these sorties in support of the

38:12.580 --> 38:14.636
Department of Homeland Security on a

38:14.636 --> 38:17.969
non-reimbursable , uh , uh , structure ,

38:18.260 --> 38:20.482
so , uh , as such , I'm not able to use

38:20.482 --> 38:23.969
craft . So , uh , DOD is paying for ,

38:24.479 --> 38:27.250
uh , this movement of detainees .

38:27.699 --> 38:30.419
That's correct , Senator . Uh , as I

38:30.419 --> 38:33.860
mentioned in our meeting , uh , I heard

38:33.860 --> 38:37.020
that the Air Force personnel on these

38:37.020 --> 38:39.580
aircraft were not , uh , wearing name

38:39.580 --> 38:43.459
tags or , uh , this unit symbol . Is

38:43.459 --> 38:45.459
that accurate and what can be done

38:45.459 --> 38:48.300
about that ? Uh , that is accurate ,

38:48.340 --> 38:50.618
Senator , and , uh , if you don't mind ,

38:50.618 --> 38:52.562
uh , I'd like to discuss that in a

38:52.562 --> 38:54.729
separate session's quite right , sir .

38:54.729 --> 38:56.784
I appreciate that . Thank you . Uh ,

38:59.179 --> 39:01.123
We've talked a lot about contested

39:01.123 --> 39:04.580
logistics here and what requirements

39:04.580 --> 39:07.379
are you trying to levy on the system to

39:07.379 --> 39:10.149
get the services to pay greater

39:10.149 --> 39:12.300
attention on operating the logistics

39:12.300 --> 39:15.020
systems in contested areas , the

39:15.020 --> 39:17.076
requirements you're asking for . Can

39:17.076 --> 39:20.479
you please describe those ? One of the

39:20.479 --> 39:22.757
clearest ways that we're doing that is ,

39:22.757 --> 39:24.923
uh , in our new role , uh , for global

39:24.923 --> 39:28.320
bulk fuel management and delivery as we

39:28.320 --> 39:30.919
do , uh , fuel assessments . Uh , we

39:30.919 --> 39:32.919
are doing fuel assessments with our

39:32.919 --> 39:35.560
fellow combatant commands . Uh , we did

39:35.560 --> 39:39.120
an initial one with Endo Paycom . Um ,

39:39.320 --> 39:41.431
we learned some lessons in that one .

39:41.560 --> 39:44.760
we next took the assessment to CEO . Um ,

39:44.770 --> 39:47.169
and as part of that , uh , when we look

39:47.169 --> 39:49.409
at where the fuel should be , um , how

39:49.409 --> 39:51.131
it should be set up , what the

39:51.131 --> 39:53.409
infrastructure is , and , uh , how to

39:53.409 --> 39:55.409
meet the needs , we also run a

39:55.409 --> 39:59.120
contested logistics scenario on it , um ,

39:59.129 --> 40:01.209
and then once we do that , uh , that

40:01.209 --> 40:03.409
allows us insight into what's required

40:03.409 --> 40:06.379
from the theater as well . And , uh ,

40:06.389 --> 40:09.030
general , we all recognize the

40:09.030 --> 40:11.086
importance of cyber , in fact , it's

40:11.086 --> 40:13.363
more important , it seems every moment ,

40:13.363 --> 40:16.550
uh . The

40:17.469 --> 40:19.820
Uh , issue of cyber seems to be

40:19.820 --> 40:22.060
particularly uh challenging when it

40:22.060 --> 40:24.116
comes to our civilian aircraft , the

40:24.116 --> 40:26.338
craft aircraft . Could you tell us what

40:26.338 --> 40:28.610
you're trying to do to enhance their

40:28.610 --> 40:30.979
cybersecurity and their and their

40:30.979 --> 40:33.090
ability to communicate with Air Force

40:33.090 --> 40:36.929
aircraft ? Uh , the cyber domain is

40:36.929 --> 40:39.199
very problematic , especially for US

40:39.199 --> 40:41.370
Transcom , because , uh , as stated

40:41.370 --> 40:43.148
before , most of our capability

40:43.148 --> 40:45.330
actually resides in the commercial

40:45.330 --> 40:47.760
realm . So their networks are not

40:47.760 --> 40:49.760
within ours and they're not as

40:49.760 --> 40:52.159
protected as ours . Uh , fortunately we

40:52.159 --> 40:54.439
have a lot of help , uh , with law

40:54.439 --> 40:57.330
enforcement , um , also cyber command

40:57.560 --> 40:59.959
and also with the US Coast Guard to

40:59.959 --> 41:02.449
make sure that we can , uh , share

41:02.449 --> 41:05.110
information , we can collaborate , uh ,

41:05.120 --> 41:07.320
both for aircraft and for sealift .

41:08.399 --> 41:10.566
Thank you very much . Thank you , Mr .

41:10.566 --> 41:12.677
Chairman . Thank you , Senator Reid .

41:12.677 --> 41:14.899
Senator Scott , thank you , thank you ,

41:14.899 --> 41:16.955
Chairman . Um , to Reed , thanks for

41:16.955 --> 41:19.010
your service . Um , I appreciate the

41:19.010 --> 41:21.232
opportunity to sit down with you , um ,

41:21.232 --> 41:23.649
and thank , thank you for Your service ,

41:23.729 --> 41:25.673
your family service , everything ,

41:25.673 --> 41:28.360
everything you do go navy . Um , it's I

41:28.360 --> 41:30.249
understand that the Department of

41:30.249 --> 41:32.360
Defense is now moving service members

41:32.360 --> 41:34.471
and their families under a new global

41:34.471 --> 41:36.416
household goods contract with peak

41:36.416 --> 41:36.189
moving season just around the corner .

41:36.550 --> 41:38.717
Can you share some of the feedback you

41:38.717 --> 41:40.939
received on implementing the contract ?

41:40.939 --> 41:43.161
And can you explain the Army's decision

41:43.161 --> 41:44.994
to pause moves under this , uh ,

41:44.994 --> 41:47.050
program that do not have enough lead

41:47.050 --> 41:49.290
time ? Senator Folston , uh , first and

41:49.290 --> 41:51.969
foremost , the , the reason for the

41:51.969 --> 41:55.300
contract is to . Correct

41:56.360 --> 41:58.320
Past performance that wasn't uh as

41:58.320 --> 42:00.800
strong as it should be uh to get after

42:00.800 --> 42:02.911
years of frustration from those of us

42:02.911 --> 42:05.600
who move and also years of frustration

42:05.600 --> 42:07.959
from yourselves um to help us to try to

42:07.959 --> 42:10.959
fix it um in this transition what we

42:10.959 --> 42:14.199
are actually doing is we are having a

42:14.199 --> 42:16.280
transformation within a market that

42:16.280 --> 42:19.540
still exists . And uh with this

42:19.540 --> 42:21.899
transformation we actually have a

42:21.899 --> 42:25.080
structure um both uh IT

42:25.669 --> 42:29.459
and uh with uh uh rule structure that

42:29.459 --> 42:31.979
actually uh that actually allows us to

42:31.979 --> 42:34.201
see more what's happening in the market

42:34.340 --> 42:36.451
to monitor trends that are positive ,

42:36.459 --> 42:38.737
monitor trends that are not so much so ,

42:38.780 --> 42:41.002
and actually have the tools to actually

42:41.002 --> 42:43.250
do something about it . We are about 2

42:43.250 --> 42:47.090
years into what is actually a 10 year

42:47.090 --> 42:49.312
contract , if you will , basic contract

42:49.312 --> 42:52.090
of 6 years with 41 year options so

42:52.090 --> 42:54.530
we're fairly new at this . um , there

42:54.530 --> 42:56.760
are some performance issues we are able

42:56.760 --> 42:58.982
to see those and we're actually able to

42:58.982 --> 43:01.570
do something about that , uh , with

43:01.570 --> 43:03.681
regards to the comment about what the

43:03.681 --> 43:05.792
army has done , uh , the army has not

43:05.792 --> 43:08.250
paused their participation in the

43:08.250 --> 43:10.340
contract . Um , what we're doing

43:10.340 --> 43:12.620
instead is , uh , we in conjunction

43:12.620 --> 43:15.540
with the services are monitoring the

43:15.540 --> 43:18.090
rate of the transfer to the contract

43:18.620 --> 43:20.810
because this is not about the vendor ,

43:21.020 --> 43:23.139
it's not about the program it's about

43:23.379 --> 43:26.260
those who move and so as we support

43:26.260 --> 43:29.379
those who move we will match them up uh

43:29.379 --> 43:32.260
for success as we um help this uh

43:32.350 --> 43:35.780
uh help the transformation mature .

43:36.280 --> 43:38.502
So you've got enough capacity to do the

43:38.502 --> 43:40.502
moves because I guess the summer is

43:40.502 --> 43:42.558
your biggest moves , is that right ?

43:42.558 --> 43:44.780
Just based on Summer is the peak season

43:44.780 --> 43:46.947
and uh usually during that time , um ,

43:46.947 --> 43:48.891
uh , both combined , uh , KOus and

43:48.891 --> 43:50.780
Oconus , it's about 300,000 moves

43:50.780 --> 43:52.724
although we are not , um , putting

43:52.724 --> 43:55.439
Oconus moves out just yet , um , but

43:55.439 --> 43:57.661
with that , uh , we have moves that are

43:57.661 --> 44:00.310
still in the contract piece and there

44:00.310 --> 44:02.532
are still moves that are in the current

44:02.532 --> 44:04.643
system as well . And what's happening

44:04.643 --> 44:06.810
with the international moves ? Is that

44:06.810 --> 44:09.143
being impacted at all ? Not at all . Uh ,

44:09.143 --> 44:11.489
that's designed to come at a much later

44:11.489 --> 44:13.545
date once we solve , uh , this piece

44:13.545 --> 44:16.820
here . Um , our our ready

44:16.820 --> 44:18.987
reserve force program plays a critical

44:18.987 --> 44:21.060
role in making , um , you know , our

44:21.060 --> 44:23.282
ability to deliver , uh , equipment and

44:23.282 --> 44:25.610
critical supplies . Um , with about 20

44:25.610 --> 44:27.777
of those , we got 20 of the ships that

44:27.777 --> 44:29.999
are over 50 years old . Do you have any

44:29.999 --> 44:32.110
concerns about the military's ability

44:32.110 --> 44:35.969
to keep up ? I do , um , these , these

44:36.060 --> 44:38.116
ships are really , really old , um ,

44:38.169 --> 44:40.500
the reliability of them , uh ,

44:40.510 --> 44:42.677
sometimes aren't questioned because of

44:42.677 --> 44:45.379
that . Um , I take my hat off to the

44:45.379 --> 44:47.601
crews that are actually on them to keep

44:47.601 --> 44:49.823
them warm , um , but to give an idea of

44:49.823 --> 44:51.935
the state of the ships , uh , some of

44:51.935 --> 44:53.990
these ships are still run by steam ,

44:53.990 --> 44:56.212
and the last time that I was on a steam

44:56.212 --> 44:58.659
ship , um , I was a high schooler and

44:58.659 --> 45:02.050
Navy junior ROTC . Um , and so the

45:02.050 --> 45:04.272
sailors that we actually put on these ,

45:04.272 --> 45:06.439
uh , these ships and the crews that we

45:06.439 --> 45:08.328
put on these ships , they deserve

45:08.328 --> 45:12.010
something younger . So do you

45:12.010 --> 45:14.343
think if uh if we had a conflict in the ,

45:14.343 --> 45:16.399
um , Asia Pacific , do you think you

45:16.399 --> 45:20.179
could perform ? We could

45:20.320 --> 45:22.260
perform , uh , we would have some

45:22.260 --> 45:24.538
challenges with that we would struggle ,

45:24.538 --> 45:26.639
um , but we would not perform to the

45:26.639 --> 45:28.917
level that I would like to . Thank you ,

45:28.919 --> 45:32.149
General . Thank you , Chairman . Thank

45:32.149 --> 45:34.371
you , Senator Scott . Senator Shaheen .

45:36.290 --> 45:38.457
Well , thank you , Mr . Chairman . I'm

45:38.457 --> 45:40.479
happy to defer to our chairman of .

45:42.110 --> 45:44.310
Thank you . Um , thank you , General

45:44.310 --> 45:47.110
Reed , for being here and for taking

45:47.110 --> 45:49.550
time to meet with me before this

45:49.550 --> 45:53.229
hearing . Um , as we discussed in that

45:53.229 --> 45:55.659
office meeting . New Hampshire is home

45:55.659 --> 45:58.830
to the 157th air refueling wing . It's

45:58.830 --> 46:02.070
the only KC 46 wing in the country to

46:02.070 --> 46:04.300
reach an initial operating capacity .

46:04.629 --> 46:07.729
Had to get that in . Um , but you

46:07.729 --> 46:10.850
referenced this in your previous

46:10.850 --> 46:13.330
statements that , um , Transom has

46:13.330 --> 46:15.409
assessed that the aerial refueling

46:15.409 --> 46:18.929
fleet of KC-135s and KC-46s

46:19.330 --> 46:21.552
would be subject to considerable stress

46:21.552 --> 46:24.449
during wartime . And as you're looking

46:24.449 --> 46:27.090
at what this new administration is

46:27.090 --> 46:29.201
talking about with respect to funding

46:29.201 --> 46:31.850
cuts in the defense budget , is the KC

46:31.850 --> 46:34.409
46 program exempt from those funding

46:34.409 --> 46:38.310
cuts ? Uh , senator , in this case

46:38.310 --> 46:40.477
I would have to defer to the Air Force

46:40.477 --> 46:42.590
for that , um , but I have spoken to

46:42.590 --> 46:44.923
the service and I've let them know that ,

46:44.923 --> 46:46.923
uh , I am concerned in terms of the

46:46.923 --> 46:49.129
choices that they have to make . Um ,

46:49.469 --> 46:51.302
we absolutely have to have those

46:51.302 --> 46:54.580
aircraft fully supported and funded and ,

46:54.590 --> 46:56.534
uh , whatever I can do to help the

46:56.534 --> 46:58.750
service I'll certainly do that . Well

46:58.750 --> 47:00.861
thank you . I , I agree with that and

47:00.861 --> 47:03.179
as we discussed again in that meeting ,

47:03.469 --> 47:05.590
um , the ongoing logistic composite

47:05.590 --> 47:08.229
model which I know the , the chairman

47:08.229 --> 47:10.285
of the subcommittee understands well

47:10.285 --> 47:12.451
because it's been an issue in Alaska ,

47:12.451 --> 47:14.618
um , but they're doing the study right

47:14.618 --> 47:16.840
now at peace and it's the result of the

47:16.840 --> 47:18.562
Air National Guard's releveing

47:18.562 --> 47:20.969
initiative , um , which . Under the

47:20.969 --> 47:23.929
current um projections would reduce the

47:23.929 --> 47:27.770
157's ability to support Transom by

47:27.770 --> 47:31.209
22% . Would that have an impact on

47:31.489 --> 47:34.129
um your needs ? Should , should you

47:34.129 --> 47:37.810
need um to use that um

47:37.810 --> 47:41.729
157th for a refueling mission ?

47:43.300 --> 47:45.522
Uh , senator , in this case I'd have to

47:45.522 --> 47:47.744
defer to the service in terms of , uh ,

47:47.744 --> 47:50.022
what they see as the outcomes for that .

47:50.022 --> 47:52.133
However , uh , that being said , uh ,

47:52.133 --> 47:54.800
being familiar with that model , um , I

47:54.800 --> 47:56.967
know that they're going to take a very

47:56.967 --> 47:58.840
good look at , uh , not only the

47:58.840 --> 48:01.550
aircraft itself , uh , which , uh ,

48:01.560 --> 48:04.199
will change how folks work on it , but

48:04.199 --> 48:06.366
they will also look at how we use that

48:06.366 --> 48:08.088
aircraft in the unit that it's

48:08.088 --> 48:10.310
associated with . So the fact that it's

48:10.310 --> 48:12.199
in a reserve component is another

48:12.199 --> 48:14.421
aspect of actually looking at how folks

48:14.421 --> 48:17.330
will work the tasks um that should get

48:17.330 --> 48:19.497
looked at um when they work that study

48:19.497 --> 48:22.639
and um I'll wait to see how that uh

48:23.330 --> 48:25.929
study concludes . Well , thank you . I

48:25.929 --> 48:28.096
appreciate that and I know that you're

48:28.096 --> 48:30.318
looking for opportunities to come up to

48:30.318 --> 48:32.679
peace to see firsthand how the 157th is

48:32.679 --> 48:35.120
operating and . How they're working

48:35.169 --> 48:37.810
with the KC 46 , so I look forward to

48:37.810 --> 48:40.169
welcoming you there sometime in the

48:40.169 --> 48:43.040
near future . And uh if I may add , uh ,

48:43.050 --> 48:46.449
yes , your unit was the first one KC 46

48:46.449 --> 48:49.090
that we employed um they went to CEO

48:49.090 --> 48:51.159
and uh they did a fantastic job . So

48:51.159 --> 48:53.437
thank you so much for that . Thank you .

48:53.437 --> 48:55.603
Um , we will definitely make sure that

48:55.603 --> 48:57.929
the 157 knows that you said that . I

48:57.929 --> 49:01.100
appreciate that , um . We also

49:01.100 --> 49:02.989
discussed your desire to increase

49:02.989 --> 49:04.989
Transcom's sea lift capacity . It's

49:04.989 --> 49:06.656
something that you've already

49:06.656 --> 49:08.822
referenced here , um , and to increase

49:08.822 --> 49:12.370
the The 10 ship limit on the buy used

49:13.239 --> 49:15.939
again . I know that

49:17.270 --> 49:19.381
You are not the person who's going to

49:19.381 --> 49:22.040
decide about the 8% cuts that are being

49:22.040 --> 49:24.318
projected at the Department of Defense ,

49:24.318 --> 49:28.090
but if you had to cut 8% out of

49:28.090 --> 49:31.360
um your sea lift capacity , what would

49:31.360 --> 49:34.080
that mean for your ability to address

49:34.080 --> 49:36.247
the mission that you're charged with ?

49:38.169 --> 49:40.270
In our pursuit to buy used on the

49:40.270 --> 49:41.992
market that would uh limit the

49:41.992 --> 49:43.881
flexibility that we would have to

49:43.881 --> 49:45.992
actually shop the market and find the

49:45.992 --> 49:48.048
ships that we need and get them at a

49:48.048 --> 49:50.489
suitable price . So as you're thinking

49:50.489 --> 49:54.110
about . You have the

49:54.110 --> 49:56.830
capacity to do 10 ships this year . Is

49:56.830 --> 49:59.989
that correct ? Under the NDAA and

49:59.989 --> 50:02.870
hopefully we can get another 10 ships .

50:03.030 --> 50:05.989
So , what are you hoping to get within

50:05.989 --> 50:09.189
the next , um , this year in terms of

50:09.189 --> 50:11.389
that additional sea lift capacity ?

50:13.270 --> 50:15.270
This year , the most immediate need

50:15.270 --> 50:17.437
would be to make sure that we can have

50:17.437 --> 50:20.590
on the order of about 210 million that

50:20.590 --> 50:22.701
would allow us to secure two ships on

50:22.701 --> 50:24.701
the market , uh , make sure that we

50:24.701 --> 50:27.429
could get them into a shipyard , and

50:27.429 --> 50:30.429
then reflag them within about 9 to 14

50:30.429 --> 50:32.590
months . And how concerned are you

50:32.590 --> 50:34.590
about having the civilian workforce

50:34.590 --> 50:36.534
that it's going to take to operate

50:36.534 --> 50:39.290
those ships ? Right now we have the

50:39.290 --> 50:41.520
workforce . My main concern is making

50:41.520 --> 50:43.520
sure that I have a young , reliable

50:43.520 --> 50:46.010
ship to keep the workforce . Thank you .

50:46.179 --> 50:48.401
Thank you , Mr . Chairman . Thank you ,

50:48.401 --> 50:50.735
Senator Shaheen . It's good to know the .

50:50.735 --> 50:53.310
157th is up and running with the I

50:53.310 --> 50:55.270
didn't know the KC-46 had a full

50:55.270 --> 50:57.437
squatter , so that's great . We'd we'd

50:57.437 --> 50:59.437
love to have you come and visit . I

50:59.437 --> 51:01.437
would love to see it . That's great

51:01.437 --> 51:01.189
news . We want them all over the

51:01.189 --> 51:03.300
country . Uh , we are honored to have

51:03.300 --> 51:05.356
our chairman of the full committee ,

51:05.356 --> 51:07.522
Senator Wicker . Mr . Chairman , floor

51:07.522 --> 51:09.578
is yours . Yes , we don't need to be

51:09.578 --> 51:12.810
cutting the KC 46 , um ,

51:13.229 --> 51:16.350
program . Uh , now let's see , um .

51:16.989 --> 51:19.929
I , I don't know if contested logistics

51:19.929 --> 51:23.050
has been asked in in this regard , but

51:23.050 --> 51:25.330
there's been conversation about

51:25.330 --> 51:29.120
coalescing um around a single manager

51:29.449 --> 51:32.290
for contested logistics so let's talk

51:32.290 --> 51:36.250
about that , um . Is it time to look

51:36.250 --> 51:38.860
for a single manager for contested ?

51:39.689 --> 51:43.489
Logistics and might . Uh , trends

51:43.489 --> 51:47.489
come be , um , where that role

51:47.489 --> 51:49.600
might be assigned . If the bloom goes

51:49.600 --> 51:52.270
up . Do you think the department

51:52.270 --> 51:54.790
currently has a joint contested

51:54.790 --> 51:57.620
logistics strategy in place that would

51:57.620 --> 51:58.580
be successful ?

52:01.520 --> 52:03.742
When faced with a conflict we figure it

52:03.742 --> 52:05.909
out , Senator and so whether or not we

52:05.909 --> 52:08.131
could get the job done or not we'll get

52:08.131 --> 52:10.187
the job done but to your question in

52:10.187 --> 52:13.229
terms of having a structure and someone

52:13.229 --> 52:15.639
who can lead that way prior to a

52:15.639 --> 52:18.520
conflict , um , there , uh , I am aware

52:18.520 --> 52:20.687
of the deep discussions we've had some

52:20.687 --> 52:22.742
of those , and it is time to look at

52:22.742 --> 52:24.853
some aspect of that . Can you give us

52:24.853 --> 52:28.610
your best advice here ? Senator , my

52:28.610 --> 52:32.110
best advice is , uh , to allow me to

52:32.649 --> 52:34.816
look at that and structure that , uh ,

52:34.816 --> 52:37.100
figure out how best Transcom can

52:37.100 --> 52:39.100
contribute to that with the current

52:39.100 --> 52:41.322
authorities that we already have , um ,

52:41.322 --> 52:43.810
it's aligned in a good way and I think

52:43.810 --> 52:46.899
there's a way forward . Um , OK , more

52:46.899 --> 52:48.909
later on that , um .

52:52.449 --> 52:56.320
The There there's been um .

52:57.379 --> 53:00.320
The , the , the Red Hill facility . Has

53:00.320 --> 53:03.520
been closed . It amplifies the

53:03.520 --> 53:05.131
logistical challenges in the

53:05.131 --> 53:07.242
Indo-Pacific , I think you'll agree .

53:08.649 --> 53:11.159
Uh , what about

53:11.689 --> 53:15.489
levering existing US flag platform

53:15.489 --> 53:18.860
supply vessels ? To enhance military

53:18.860 --> 53:21.459
sustainment capabilities in the region .

53:21.949 --> 53:24.060
My understanding is that there are at

53:24.060 --> 53:27.889
least 13 at sea resupply ships , um ,

53:28.489 --> 53:31.919
afloat and ashore near this

53:32.540 --> 53:34.651
environment . What do you think about

53:34.651 --> 53:38.050
that ? If I understand your question ,

53:38.129 --> 53:40.489
you're asking , um , how do we uh work

53:40.489 --> 53:42.545
fuel in the theater , whether it's a

53:42.545 --> 53:44.929
shore or a float um that is one of the

53:44.929 --> 53:47.479
things that we look at in Transom , uh ,

53:47.489 --> 53:49.656
when it comes to the ships to actually

53:49.656 --> 53:52.280
do that , um , we also , we are looking

53:52.280 --> 53:54.600
to the employment strategy of the

53:54.610 --> 53:57.370
theater commander in terms of , uh ,

53:57.689 --> 53:59.633
how he would want to move the fuel

53:59.633 --> 54:01.633
around , uh , to look at where that

54:01.633 --> 54:03.633
fuel needs to be . When it comes to

54:03.633 --> 54:05.745
some of the vessels that we would use

54:05.745 --> 54:07.967
for that , um , I , I understand that ,

54:07.967 --> 54:10.189
um , that there is a class of ship that

54:10.189 --> 54:12.520
has uh been mentioned to me that's

54:12.520 --> 54:15.070
built here in the states , um , that ,

54:15.090 --> 54:17.199
uh , shallow draft vessel has some

54:17.199 --> 54:19.560
potential , um , perhaps in the dry

54:19.560 --> 54:21.560
cargo arena but not necessarily for

54:21.560 --> 54:24.030
fuels because the uh tanks that it has

54:24.030 --> 54:26.959
is uh only uh uh single layer .

54:27.840 --> 54:31.699
OK , uh , so . Uh , right now ,

54:31.830 --> 54:34.590
uh , where would you say the plans are ?

54:34.719 --> 54:36.775
I is it just some , I think you said

54:36.775 --> 54:38.989
you're looking at it . You don't

54:38.989 --> 54:42.229
specifically have plans yet to leverage

54:42.229 --> 54:45.739
those platforms . Uh , we do not ,

54:45.830 --> 54:48.370
uh , chairmen have plans to leverage

54:48.370 --> 54:51.020
those particular ships . OK . And , uh ,

54:51.030 --> 54:53.363
and then one other thing , uh , on , um .

54:55.189 --> 54:58.840
Unfunded requirements um . You

54:58.840 --> 55:01.007
said during your confirmation you'd be

55:01.007 --> 55:02.840
a fierce advocate to get all the

55:02.840 --> 55:05.007
equipment that that our folks needed .

55:05.040 --> 55:06.818
Do , uh , do we still have your

55:06.818 --> 55:09.040
commitment that you're going to give us

55:09.040 --> 55:12.040
a complete list of what you need in

55:12.040 --> 55:14.280
terms of these unfunded requirements ?

55:15.560 --> 55:17.689
Chairman , I am a fierce advocate to

55:17.689 --> 55:20.080
give the force whatever they need using

55:20.080 --> 55:22.719
any lever that I have right now for an

55:22.719 --> 55:25.040
unfunded requirement since I have not

55:25.040 --> 55:27.096
seen the budget . Um , I'm not there

55:27.096 --> 55:29.590
yet . Oh , OK , yes , but , but , um ,

55:30.320 --> 55:34.070
my , um , exhortation to you is ,

55:34.399 --> 55:37.520
um , that you not hold back on what you

55:37.520 --> 55:39.899
need . Tell us , I mean you , you ,

55:40.000 --> 55:42.167
you're new and you and you haven't had

55:42.167 --> 55:44.409
it . A chance to assess all this , but

55:44.409 --> 55:46.631
do I have your commitment that you will

55:46.631 --> 55:48.889
give us as complete a list as possible

55:48.889 --> 55:50.945
of those requirements ? Absolutely ,

55:50.945 --> 55:53.000
Chairman . All right , thank you and

55:53.000 --> 55:55.222
thank you , Mr . Chairman . Thank you ,

55:55.222 --> 55:57.222
Mr . Chairman Senator Warren . uh ,

55:57.222 --> 55:59.445
thank you , Mr . Chairman and thank you

55:59.445 --> 56:01.556
for holding this hearing . So Transom

56:01.556 --> 56:03.778
is responsible for making sure that our

56:03.778 --> 56:05.945
military and our allies get everything

56:05.945 --> 56:08.056
they need to win on the battlefield ,

56:08.056 --> 56:10.439
whether it is a new engine for a

56:10.439 --> 56:12.699
fighter jet in the Middle East or a

56:13.080 --> 56:15.949
missile battery in the Philippines ,

56:16.199 --> 56:18.840
and that means that Transom knows

56:18.840 --> 56:22.600
better than anyone why it is a very big

56:22.600 --> 56:25.310
problem if the military doesn't have

56:25.310 --> 56:27.719
the right to repair its own equipment .

56:28.169 --> 56:30.409
General Reed , one of Transom's major

56:30.409 --> 56:34.090
workhorses is the C5M

56:34.090 --> 56:36.850
Super Galaxy , a strategic transport

56:36.850 --> 56:40.209
aircraft that carries cargo and DOD

56:40.209 --> 56:43.530
personnel all around the world . But in

56:43.530 --> 56:47.459
2022 , it was able to fly its

56:47.459 --> 56:51.000
mission only 52% of the time .

56:51.409 --> 56:54.040
That means that nearly half the times

56:54.040 --> 56:56.770
that commanders needed it , it wasn't

56:56.770 --> 56:59.709
there . Congress saw this , said that

56:59.709 --> 57:01.870
is not acceptable , and gave the Air

57:01.870 --> 57:05.850
Force $10 billion to fix that problem ,

57:05.949 --> 57:09.270
General Reid . About how often was the

57:09.270 --> 57:12.790
C5 mission ready the next year after he

57:12.790 --> 57:13.790
got the money ?

57:16.510 --> 57:18.732
Uh , what I can tell you is that , uh ,

57:18.732 --> 57:21.889
in 2023 , the mission capable rate of

57:21.889 --> 57:25.550
the C5 was about 46% , about 46% . So

57:25.550 --> 57:28.409
it went from 52% to 46% .

57:29.280 --> 57:31.290
So we could reasonably ask what

57:31.290 --> 57:33.959
happened . Well , the Air Force said

57:34.280 --> 57:36.969
the supply chain for replacement parts

57:36.969 --> 57:40.729
had dried up and when companies can't

57:40.729 --> 57:44.719
or won't meet DOD's needs , one option

57:44.719 --> 57:47.159
is for the military to actually make

57:47.159 --> 57:49.270
the parts themselves , so you can get

57:49.270 --> 57:51.215
things up and running . It's often

57:51.215 --> 57:54.909
cheaper and faster anyway . But you

57:54.909 --> 57:57.350
can't do that if big defense

57:57.350 --> 57:59.629
contractors slip restrictions into

57:59.629 --> 58:02.909
their contracts that deny the military

58:02.909 --> 58:05.489
the technical data that they need to be

58:05.489 --> 58:07.711
able to make these repairs . So General

58:07.711 --> 58:10.290
Reed , it's your responsibility to make

58:10.290 --> 58:12.429
sure the war fighter gets everything

58:12.429 --> 58:15.370
that they need . How important is it to

58:15.370 --> 58:18.840
national security for C5s to be ready

58:18.840 --> 58:21.889
to respond to commander's requests to

58:21.889 --> 58:24.020
carry cargo and personnel ?

58:26.229 --> 58:29.750
The C-5 is a key aircraft for us , um ,

58:29.820 --> 58:32.100
and some of the things that we may be

58:32.100 --> 58:34.156
asked to do in the future , it would

58:34.156 --> 58:36.322
actually produce about 20% of the lift

58:36.322 --> 58:39.239
for us . So , so you need this thing

58:39.239 --> 58:43.020
ready to go . So Transcon's job is

58:43.020 --> 58:45.242
getting harder here because our enemies

58:45.242 --> 58:47.929
are making it more difficult to send

58:47.929 --> 58:51.050
ships and planes to our troops , as ,

58:51.439 --> 58:53.661
uh , Senator Wicker was talking about a

58:53.661 --> 58:55.383
minute ago , this is contested

58:55.383 --> 58:58.889
logistics . And Transcon models show

58:58.889 --> 59:01.149
that the fight to get into the fight

59:01.659 --> 59:03.770
means that getting critical materials

59:03.770 --> 59:06.600
to our troops is only gonna get harder

59:06.600 --> 59:09.909
over time . That means the last thing

59:09.909 --> 59:12.030
our troops should be doing is waiting

59:12.030 --> 59:15.550
around for contractors who charge more

59:15.550 --> 59:18.540
for slower repairs . So General Reed ,

59:18.949 --> 59:21.060
do you agree that giving the military

59:21.060 --> 59:24.629
more flexibility to repair parts in the

59:24.629 --> 59:27.350
field will increase our military

59:27.350 --> 59:29.989
readiness ? I do , Senator . Good .

59:30.469 --> 59:32.691
Thank you , General Reed . Uh , Senator

59:32.691 --> 59:35.149
Grassley and I got a provision into

59:35.149 --> 59:38.530
last year's NDAA . For the military to

59:38.530 --> 59:41.090
start a pilot program to reverse

59:41.090 --> 59:44.600
engineer parts for sole source

59:44.600 --> 59:47.330
programs . It's a good start , but it

59:47.330 --> 59:49.810
is a backstop because reverse

59:49.810 --> 59:52.050
engineering can actually take years to

59:52.050 --> 59:55.360
get done . But if DOD

59:55.360 --> 59:57.530
negotiates with contractors for the

59:57.530 --> 01:00:00.760
right to repair from the start . That

01:00:00.760 --> 01:00:02.959
means our men and women in uniform get

01:00:02.959 --> 01:00:05.719
their equipment faster and at a lower

01:00:05.719 --> 01:00:08.800
cost to the taxpayers . That is exactly

01:00:08.800 --> 01:00:11.250
what my service member right to repair

01:00:11.250 --> 01:00:14.250
Act does . It has bipartisan support

01:00:14.250 --> 01:00:16.583
here in the Senate and on the committee .

01:00:16.959 --> 01:00:18.719
What's happening right now is

01:00:18.719 --> 01:00:21.320
fundamentally wrong , and we can put a

01:00:21.320 --> 01:00:23.598
stop to it . Thank you , Mr . Chairman .

01:00:24.449 --> 01:00:26.505
Thank you , Senator Warren , Senator

01:00:26.505 --> 01:00:28.616
King . Thank you Mr . Chair . General

01:00:28.616 --> 01:00:30.671
Reed , good to see you . I wanna ask

01:00:30.671 --> 01:00:32.505
about a couple of topics my , my

01:00:32.505 --> 01:00:34.505
colleagues have covered some of the

01:00:34.505 --> 01:00:36.282
others that I hope to ask about

01:00:36.282 --> 01:00:38.227
adequately . Um , one is about the

01:00:38.227 --> 01:00:40.393
connection if we want to have adequate

01:00:40.393 --> 01:00:42.449
sea lift for military purposes , the

01:00:42.449 --> 01:00:44.505
connection between that and our food

01:00:44.505 --> 01:00:46.560
aid programs , so . You know , we're

01:00:46.560 --> 01:00:48.699
all grappling with um cuts , pauses .

01:00:48.709 --> 01:00:50.709
The Supreme Court rendered a ruling

01:00:50.709 --> 01:00:52.729
today that may reopen the door on

01:00:53.020 --> 01:00:55.649
humanitarian assistance through USAID .

01:00:56.110 --> 01:00:59.300
Um , food aid , about 40% of our

01:00:59.300 --> 01:01:01.578
humanitarian aid programs are food aid ,

01:01:01.578 --> 01:01:03.909
and it's the delivery of US grown food

01:01:03.909 --> 01:01:07.429
to other nations . Just using Africa ,

01:01:07.510 --> 01:01:09.732
the African continent , as an example ,

01:01:10.110 --> 01:01:12.221
the US flagged ships that deliver the

01:01:12.221 --> 01:01:14.388
aid sort of count on that as what they

01:01:14.388 --> 01:01:16.939
call one leg of a three-legged stool .

01:01:17.310 --> 01:01:19.477
They transfer food aid , they transfer

01:01:19.477 --> 01:01:22.590
DOD cargo , and they transfer FMS or

01:01:22.590 --> 01:01:25.189
other executive agency cargo and by

01:01:25.189 --> 01:01:27.300
transferring all of those and earning

01:01:27.300 --> 01:01:29.411
revenue for doing it , it maintains a

01:01:29.411 --> 01:01:31.356
business model where they can keep

01:01:31.356 --> 01:01:33.356
these ships available for seal lift

01:01:33.356 --> 01:01:35.300
capacity . If food aid were to

01:01:35.300 --> 01:01:37.620
disappear and one leg of that

01:01:37.620 --> 01:01:39.842
three-legged sew were to go away , what

01:01:39.842 --> 01:01:42.290
would the effect be on the availability

01:01:42.659 --> 01:01:46.139
of US flag vessels to uh be around when

01:01:46.139 --> 01:01:48.361
we need it for sea lift , uh , chores ?

01:01:49.840 --> 01:01:52.159
US flag vessels with US crews are

01:01:52.159 --> 01:01:54.679
critical . Um , we need to make sure

01:01:54.679 --> 01:01:57.199
that they can go to sea and stay afloat

01:01:57.570 --> 01:02:00.320
um by us following cargo preference

01:02:00.320 --> 01:02:04.000
laws , um , we can actually provide the

01:02:04.000 --> 01:02:06.649
material for them to actually sail . uh ,

01:02:06.840 --> 01:02:09.062
what that does is it makes them ready .

01:02:09.062 --> 01:02:11.284
I need them ready . um , I need them to

01:02:11.284 --> 01:02:13.229
have a job and know that they have

01:02:13.229 --> 01:02:15.396
something that they can do and so when

01:02:15.396 --> 01:02:17.451
they actually get called to be there

01:02:17.451 --> 01:02:19.784
for the nation , they're actually there .

01:02:19.784 --> 01:02:21.896
Um , if for some reason they were not

01:02:21.896 --> 01:02:24.062
there , then we don't have US citizens

01:02:24.062 --> 01:02:26.173
supporting us at sea . And , and this

01:02:26.173 --> 01:02:28.340
is really important that my colleagues

01:02:28.340 --> 01:02:30.618
did a good job of asking , for example ,

01:02:30.618 --> 01:02:32.729
about the need to purchase more , you

01:02:32.729 --> 01:02:34.729
know , high quality used vessels so

01:02:34.729 --> 01:02:36.840
we'd have more sealift capacity . But

01:02:36.840 --> 01:02:39.062
with the existing capacity we have , if

01:02:39.062 --> 01:02:41.062
we were to fundamentally change the

01:02:41.062 --> 01:02:43.284
sort of business model that keeps those

01:02:43.284 --> 01:02:45.507
ships ready and on the water by cutting

01:02:45.507 --> 01:02:47.507
out one part of their revenue , the

01:02:47.507 --> 01:02:49.784
food aid , for example , then would we ,

01:02:49.784 --> 01:02:52.989
we would reduce even further the uh

01:02:52.989 --> 01:02:55.156
capacity that we need so that it might

01:02:55.156 --> 01:02:57.211
not be available at the time that we

01:02:57.211 --> 01:02:59.433
need it . Would you agree with that ? I

01:02:59.433 --> 01:03:01.600
agree . um , thank you for that . Um ,

01:03:01.600 --> 01:03:03.767
my colleagues asked some questions and

01:03:03.767 --> 01:03:05.822
you talked in your opening testimony

01:03:05.822 --> 01:03:07.989
about the uh . The DOD contract for uh

01:03:07.989 --> 01:03:09.989
the global housing goods contract ,

01:03:09.989 --> 01:03:13.429
40,000 DOD personnel in

01:03:13.429 --> 01:03:16.070
Virginia , I'm sorry , 120,000 active

01:03:16.070 --> 01:03:18.237
duty in Virginia and assuming you move

01:03:18.237 --> 01:03:20.350
about every 3 years , that's 40,000

01:03:20.350 --> 01:03:22.989
moves out and 40,000 moves in . You

01:03:22.989 --> 01:03:24.878
talked a little bit about how the

01:03:24.878 --> 01:03:26.989
transition is going , but there was a

01:03:26.989 --> 01:03:28.989
specific question I wanted to ask .

01:03:29.189 --> 01:03:31.149
There's uh something called the uh

01:03:31.149 --> 01:03:33.371
continuing to use the tender of service

01:03:33.371 --> 01:03:36.270
legacy program . During the ongoing GHC

01:03:36.270 --> 01:03:38.326
ramp up program , so the kind of the

01:03:38.326 --> 01:03:40.326
old way of doing it . Now the rates

01:03:40.326 --> 01:03:42.492
associated with the legacy program are

01:03:42.492 --> 01:03:44.510
often 20% to 30% higher than those

01:03:44.510 --> 01:03:47.820
outlined in the GHC contract . So

01:03:47.820 --> 01:03:49.989
understandably some suppliers might be

01:03:49.989 --> 01:03:52.580
hesitant to transition to the GHC

01:03:52.580 --> 01:03:54.747
program if they're able to secure more

01:03:54.747 --> 01:03:57.030
favorable rates by remaining under the

01:03:57.030 --> 01:03:59.790
legacy system . So this creates an odd

01:03:59.790 --> 01:04:01.623
situation where two programs are

01:04:01.623 --> 01:04:03.870
unintentionally positioned against one

01:04:03.870 --> 01:04:06.469
another . And Transcom can incur

01:04:06.469 --> 01:04:08.525
significantly higher costs under the

01:04:08.525 --> 01:04:10.302
legacy program . So how are you

01:04:10.302 --> 01:04:12.525
managing this legacy to GHC programs so

01:04:12.525 --> 01:04:14.247
that there's not this perverse

01:04:14.247 --> 01:04:16.136
incentive to remain in the legacy

01:04:16.136 --> 01:04:18.302
program because the rates are higher .

01:04:18.649 --> 01:04:22.159
So the rates are uh set by a what we

01:04:22.159 --> 01:04:25.469
call a government constructed uh cost

01:04:25.889 --> 01:04:28.800
and uh we are only uh we are only able

01:04:28.800 --> 01:04:31.022
to adjust those rates once a year which

01:04:31.022 --> 01:04:33.244
actually happens in May . So once again

01:04:33.244 --> 01:04:35.411
we're in a situation where , uh , to ,

01:04:35.411 --> 01:04:38.360
uh , allow the process to go , um , we

01:04:38.360 --> 01:04:40.582
have to wait until May when we have the

01:04:40.582 --> 01:04:42.760
next opportunity to opportunity to

01:04:42.760 --> 01:04:45.429
adjust the rates which we will do . Uh ,

01:04:45.550 --> 01:04:47.661
those rates will be more in line with

01:04:47.661 --> 01:04:49.883
the constructed costs , so therefore it

01:04:49.883 --> 01:04:52.250
will be uh less of an incentive to stay

01:04:52.250 --> 01:04:55.830
outside than to join . The GHC . Great ,

01:04:55.919 --> 01:04:57.975
I , I'll follow back up after May to

01:04:57.975 --> 01:05:00.030
see how much we've narrowed that gap

01:05:00.030 --> 01:05:02.197
and whether that's doing what it needs

01:05:02.197 --> 01:05:04.419
to do . I will express my support for a

01:05:04.419 --> 01:05:06.419
position I think my colleagues have

01:05:06.419 --> 01:05:08.363
already gotten at that if you need

01:05:08.363 --> 01:05:10.530
authorization within within the NDA to

01:05:10.530 --> 01:05:12.530
expand the fleet by purchasing more

01:05:12.530 --> 01:05:14.752
high quality uh used vessels , uh , I ,

01:05:14.800 --> 01:05:16.856
I , I really would like to make sure

01:05:16.856 --> 01:05:19.078
you have that authority , and I'll join

01:05:19.078 --> 01:05:21.244
with my colleagues to see if we can be

01:05:21.244 --> 01:05:23.578
helpful in that regard . I'll yell back ,

01:05:23.578 --> 01:05:25.633
Mr . Thank you . Thank you , Senator

01:05:25.633 --> 01:05:27.856
Kaine . Uh , general , we're gonna do a

01:05:27.856 --> 01:05:29.856
quick second round of questions and

01:05:29.856 --> 01:05:31.911
then , uh , I'll , I'll , we'll move

01:05:31.911 --> 01:05:31.659
this to a classified setting for a

01:05:31.659 --> 01:05:33.939
couple of additional questions . I

01:05:33.939 --> 01:05:37.570
wanna do , uh . Uh Go over

01:05:37.570 --> 01:05:41.500
this um . Map and handout that you and

01:05:41.500 --> 01:05:44.300
I discussed in our meeting today you

01:05:44.300 --> 01:05:46.300
know there's a lot of discussion on

01:05:46.300 --> 01:05:48.522
what's happening on the southern border

01:05:48.522 --> 01:05:50.689
and not so much about what's happening

01:05:50.689 --> 01:05:52.911
on the northern border and as you and I

01:05:52.911 --> 01:05:54.967
talked about we've had a really high

01:05:54.967 --> 01:05:57.260
level of Russian and Chinese um .

01:05:58.000 --> 01:06:01.050
Incursions both into our AI and into

01:06:01.050 --> 01:06:05.010
our EEZ on the water , uh , and

01:06:05.010 --> 01:06:07.330
very disturbingly and unprecedented , a

01:06:07.330 --> 01:06:09.409
lot of number of these are joint

01:06:10.219 --> 01:06:14.090
Chinese Russian uh operations including

01:06:14.090 --> 01:06:17.129
uh strategic bear bomber and Chinese ,

01:06:17.209 --> 01:06:19.889
uh , strategic bomber incursions into

01:06:19.889 --> 01:06:22.479
our 8 days this past summer with armed

01:06:22.969 --> 01:06:26.899
MiG fighters , um , as you know . The

01:06:26.899 --> 01:06:29.500
operations to go intercept these uh

01:06:29.500 --> 01:06:32.340
incursions take a lot of work . Our

01:06:32.340 --> 01:06:34.507
young men and women in the military do

01:06:34.507 --> 01:06:36.979
a fantastic job up in Alaska , but they

01:06:36.979 --> 01:06:40.050
also need a lot of tanker support for

01:06:40.050 --> 01:06:42.383
these kind of missions . Similarly with ,

01:06:42.383 --> 01:06:44.939
uh , they need fuel support for our

01:06:44.939 --> 01:06:47.540
navy when we're doing operations , uh .

01:06:48.229 --> 01:06:50.507
In the northern Pacific and the Arctic ,

01:06:50.507 --> 01:06:52.618
which we've been doing a lot over the

01:06:52.618 --> 01:06:55.699
last 3 summers . Additionally , there's

01:06:55.699 --> 01:06:58.040
a lot of attention paid to the Central

01:06:58.040 --> 01:07:01.979
and South Pacific logistics lanes for

01:07:01.979 --> 01:07:04.899
any kind of conflict in Taiwan , but I

01:07:04.899 --> 01:07:07.219
think it's important to also look at

01:07:07.219 --> 01:07:10.719
the northern . Pacific logistic lanes

01:07:10.719 --> 01:07:13.429
as it relates to any kind of conflict

01:07:13.429 --> 01:07:16.800
like that during World War II , General

01:07:16.800 --> 01:07:20.250
Simon . Bolivia Buckner called the

01:07:20.250 --> 01:07:22.472
Aleutian Island chain , which obviously

01:07:22.472 --> 01:07:25.409
goes out there , a spear pointing right

01:07:25.409 --> 01:07:28.290
at the heart of imperial Japan , and by

01:07:28.290 --> 01:07:30.401
that he meant it was a very strategic

01:07:30.401 --> 01:07:33.850
location not only attacking uh Japan

01:07:33.850 --> 01:07:36.489
but for getting logistics into the

01:07:36.489 --> 01:07:38.969
fight as our forces throughout the

01:07:38.969 --> 01:07:42.679
Pacific move closer to Japan .

01:07:43.050 --> 01:07:45.217
Um , right now , if you look at one of

01:07:45.217 --> 01:07:47.840
the ports there , the port of Adak . It

01:07:47.840 --> 01:07:50.820
is on this map , a closed US Navy base

01:07:50.820 --> 01:07:52.931
that is a gateway to the Arctic , but

01:07:52.931 --> 01:07:56.219
is also on the flank of China . It um

01:07:57.270 --> 01:08:00.270
It has 3 piers , nearly

01:08:00.270 --> 01:08:04.219
22 nearly 8000 ft runways , and

01:08:04.610 --> 01:08:07.340
one of the largest bulk fuel storage

01:08:07.340 --> 01:08:10.479
facilities in the world . lot of people

01:08:10.479 --> 01:08:12.820
don't know that . So , uh , the

01:08:12.820 --> 01:08:15.540
distance to in terms of , uh , where

01:08:15.540 --> 01:08:19.020
Adex sits is about 2900 nautical miles

01:08:19.020 --> 01:08:22.259
from Okinawa , uh , while our good

01:08:22.259 --> 01:08:24.830
friends in Hawaii are about 4000

01:08:24.830 --> 01:08:27.459
nautical miles from Okinawa , making

01:08:27.459 --> 01:08:30.770
ADAC the closest US port , um , outside

01:08:30.770 --> 01:08:34.049
of Guam to Okinawa to

01:08:34.299 --> 01:08:37.259
Taiwan . President Trump has talked

01:08:37.259 --> 01:08:40.819
about . Ensuring Alaska gets more

01:08:40.819 --> 01:08:43.140
defense investment as we fully rebuild

01:08:43.140 --> 01:08:46.020
our military , especially as Russia and

01:08:46.020 --> 01:08:48.187
China are making menacing moves in the

01:08:48.187 --> 01:08:51.290
Pacific , Admiral Paparo and General

01:08:51.890 --> 01:08:54.819
Gio have testified that AIDA would

01:08:54.819 --> 01:08:56.763
provide them with very significant

01:08:56.763 --> 01:09:00.740
logistical and basing needs and that we

01:09:00.740 --> 01:09:03.069
should reopen it , uh , in terms of

01:09:03.069 --> 01:09:05.859
logistics , including with the shutting

01:09:05.859 --> 01:09:09.199
down a red hill . Um , what's your

01:09:09.199 --> 01:09:11.488
thought on this base in terms of her

01:09:11.488 --> 01:09:15.429
logistics capability , um , uh ,

01:09:15.719 --> 01:09:19.438
fighter and , um , aviation and navy

01:09:19.438 --> 01:09:21.605
shipping support . There's also it was

01:09:21.605 --> 01:09:24.479
a submarine base there . Um , I'd like

01:09:24.479 --> 01:09:26.146
your view on that , General .

01:09:30.759 --> 01:09:33.120
No Northcom , uh , when it comes to the

01:09:33.120 --> 01:09:36.319
great state of Alaska , uh , and the

01:09:36.319 --> 01:09:38.152
forces that they have there do a

01:09:38.152 --> 01:09:40.263
fantastic job of letting us know when

01:09:40.263 --> 01:09:43.350
they need our help and so whenever , uh ,

01:09:43.359 --> 01:09:45.415
they ask , we're always there , um ,

01:09:45.415 --> 01:09:48.160
we've never failed them , um , as they

01:09:48.160 --> 01:09:50.310
continue to look at how far forward ,

01:09:50.379 --> 01:09:53.430
uh , they can go for the extension , um ,

01:09:53.439 --> 01:09:55.439
if they're going to be present , so

01:09:55.439 --> 01:09:57.609
will we . Uh , coming from the other

01:09:57.609 --> 01:09:59.729
direction , Admiral Paparo , I have

01:09:59.729 --> 01:10:01.930
given him my word that , uh , I will

01:10:01.930 --> 01:10:03.986
always be there with him wherever he

01:10:04.169 --> 01:10:06.370
needs us to be . If there's an

01:10:06.370 --> 01:10:08.314
opportunity to establish more of a

01:10:08.314 --> 01:10:10.649
footprint in the region , we will be

01:10:10.649 --> 01:10:13.209
there as well . And let me ask just

01:10:13.209 --> 01:10:15.320
real quickly , you , uh , you were up

01:10:15.320 --> 01:10:17.487
in Alaska recently . I appreciated the

01:10:17.487 --> 01:10:20.729
visit in January . um , can you give me

01:10:20.729 --> 01:10:22.896
a sense of kind of lessons learned ? I

01:10:22.896 --> 01:10:25.062
know you're at the port of Anchorage ,

01:10:25.062 --> 01:10:27.140
which is a really important DOD

01:10:27.140 --> 01:10:29.810
strategic port . Again relating to

01:10:29.810 --> 01:10:31.754
these kind of logistical issues we

01:10:31.754 --> 01:10:33.977
think it's important to have additional

01:10:33.977 --> 01:10:36.359
infrastructure capability in my state

01:10:36.359 --> 01:10:39.669
but any um any main takeaways from the

01:10:39.879 --> 01:10:42.229
visit you had in January general and I

01:10:42.240 --> 01:10:44.520
I really appreciate you coming up to

01:10:44.520 --> 01:10:47.100
our great state . Chairman , it was a

01:10:47.100 --> 01:10:48.767
great visit . Uh , went there

01:10:48.767 --> 01:10:51.009
intentionally in the winter time , uh ,

01:10:51.060 --> 01:10:53.410
to see the conditions there . Um ,

01:10:53.740 --> 01:10:56.500
unfortunately it was colder in Illinois

01:10:56.500 --> 01:10:58.556
than it was in Alaska , and I got in

01:10:58.556 --> 01:11:00.778
trouble , we had a little bit of a warm

01:11:00.778 --> 01:11:03.000
winter , particularly with the Iditarod

01:11:03.000 --> 01:11:06.339
last week , but , uh , being in in

01:11:06.339 --> 01:11:09.180
Alaska again and having a really good

01:11:09.180 --> 01:11:11.640
feeling standing there . Almost

01:11:11.640 --> 01:11:13.862
standing on top of the world looking at

01:11:13.862 --> 01:11:16.029
what's around us and how close it is ,

01:11:16.029 --> 01:11:18.140
it is uh incredibly strategic and the

01:11:18.140 --> 01:11:20.029
reach that you can have from that

01:11:20.029 --> 01:11:22.819
location is incredible and it's a big

01:11:22.819 --> 01:11:25.709
advantage to the United States , um ,

01:11:25.720 --> 01:11:28.680
and looking at the port of Alaska and

01:11:28.680 --> 01:11:30.680
that port cluster , I was very

01:11:30.680 --> 01:11:32.847
impressed with what I saw there , um .

01:11:33.330 --> 01:11:36.270
Uh , the port is well situated where it

01:11:36.270 --> 01:11:38.437
is despite the fact that there was ice

01:11:38.437 --> 01:11:40.603
on the sea , um , they were still able

01:11:40.603 --> 01:11:43.830
to operate . Um , the ability of the

01:11:43.830 --> 01:11:45.790
port authority to adapt to the

01:11:45.790 --> 01:11:48.250
conditions , um , the snow and the ice

01:11:48.250 --> 01:11:50.472
didn't stop them . Uh , there was a tre

01:11:50.472 --> 01:11:52.472
a tremendous amount that we learned

01:11:52.472 --> 01:11:54.528
there in terms of , um , how to just

01:11:54.528 --> 01:11:56.959
adapt , period . Uh , the other thing

01:11:56.959 --> 01:11:59.879
was , Um , I was very impressed with

01:11:59.879 --> 01:12:02.399
the , uh , conditions in terms of the

01:12:02.399 --> 01:12:05.359
tides and the tide swings , which I

01:12:05.359 --> 01:12:07.470
understand can be as high as 12 to 17

01:12:07.470 --> 01:12:10.120
ft swing , um , but the port

01:12:10.120 --> 01:12:12.120
authorities there and the folks who

01:12:12.120 --> 01:12:14.231
work the port , um , they know how to

01:12:14.231 --> 01:12:16.287
time it and they know how to marshal

01:12:16.287 --> 01:12:18.342
things . They know how to line it up

01:12:18.342 --> 01:12:20.287
and when it comes time to load and

01:12:20.287 --> 01:12:22.564
unload some of the best I've ever seen ,

01:12:22.564 --> 01:12:24.676
um , so I was incredibly impressed by

01:12:24.676 --> 01:12:26.898
that . Um , with the US forces that are

01:12:26.898 --> 01:12:29.140
there , uh , they have a very good

01:12:29.140 --> 01:12:32.169
handle on their strategic role , um ,

01:12:32.270 --> 01:12:34.214
not only in terms of what they can

01:12:34.214 --> 01:12:36.381
project , but the forces that they may

01:12:36.381 --> 01:12:38.830
host to operate there or the forces

01:12:38.830 --> 01:12:40.950
that will actually flow through . And

01:12:40.950 --> 01:12:43.240
so , uh , when we combine all of that

01:12:43.240 --> 01:12:45.296
together , um , I'm really impressed

01:12:45.296 --> 01:12:47.629
with the platform we have in that state .

01:12:48.270 --> 01:12:50.326
Great , thank you very much . I just

01:12:50.326 --> 01:12:52.437
actually had a meeting with our mayor

01:12:52.437 --> 01:12:54.270
of Anchorage and we had a lot of

01:12:54.270 --> 01:12:56.492
discussion on the port and . We'll keep

01:12:56.492 --> 01:12:58.659
you appraised on the , you know , uh ,

01:12:58.659 --> 01:13:00.881
refurbishing of that port . It's really

01:13:00.881 --> 01:13:00.759
important for our military . It's also

01:13:00.759 --> 01:13:02.703
really important for the people of

01:13:02.703 --> 01:13:04.520
Alaska is that's where the vast

01:13:04.520 --> 01:13:06.640
majority of our supplies and food and

01:13:06.640 --> 01:13:09.319
everything and fuel come through the

01:13:09.319 --> 01:13:11.486
port of Anchorage . We wanna keep that

01:13:11.486 --> 01:13:13.430
viable , strong , and , um , we're

01:13:13.430 --> 01:13:15.652
continuing to work on that with you and

01:13:15.652 --> 01:13:17.708
Murad and others . So thank you very

01:13:17.708 --> 01:13:21.310
much on that general . Senator locating

01:13:21.310 --> 01:13:23.959
a fuel storage facility in Alaska the

01:13:23.959 --> 01:13:26.080
closure . No , there's , there's one

01:13:26.080 --> 01:13:29.919
that already exists . It's huge . Uh ,

01:13:30.080 --> 01:13:32.024
not really . That's crazy , yeah ,

01:13:32.589 --> 01:13:34.879
that's a potential help on Red Hill .

01:13:37.720 --> 01:13:40.759
Yeah , well , you can continue to think

01:13:40.759 --> 01:13:44.620
through that . This was an excuse me ,

01:13:44.910 --> 01:13:46.521
uh , this was an interesting

01:13:46.521 --> 01:13:48.688
conversation because the fuel that was

01:13:48.688 --> 01:13:50.799
sort of Red Hill was massive , mainly

01:13:50.799 --> 01:13:52.799
to be used by the Air Force , and I

01:13:52.799 --> 01:13:54.910
think uh that that there are concerns

01:13:54.910 --> 01:13:57.021
relating to the , uh , how fuel ought

01:13:57.021 --> 01:13:59.649
to be distributed . More than uh

01:13:59.649 --> 01:14:01.970
located in Redhill . I have a question .

01:14:02.049 --> 01:14:05.169
In July of 2021 , the GAO found that

01:14:05.169 --> 01:14:07.959
ICE does not know the extent to which

01:14:07.959 --> 01:14:10.089
its officers are taking enforcement

01:14:10.089 --> 01:14:12.720
actions against individuals who could

01:14:12.720 --> 01:14:16.299
be US . Citizens and between fiscal

01:14:16.299 --> 01:14:19.970
year 15 to 2674

01:14:20.419 --> 01:14:23.740
US citizens were arrested , 121 were

01:14:23.740 --> 01:14:26.359
detained , and 70 were moved outside

01:14:26.359 --> 01:14:29.799
the US by mistake . The

01:14:29.799 --> 01:14:31.839
GAO recommended that ICE should

01:14:31.839 --> 01:14:33.839
systematically collect and maintain

01:14:33.839 --> 01:14:36.870
electronic data on its encounters with

01:14:36.870 --> 01:14:40.529
individuals or whom for whom there is

01:14:40.529 --> 01:14:44.000
pro uh probative evidence of US

01:14:44.000 --> 01:14:47.689
citizenship , but ICE has yet to do so .

01:14:47.959 --> 01:14:49.681
This lack of accountability is

01:14:49.681 --> 01:14:52.020
troubling . General Reed ICE gives

01:14:52.020 --> 01:14:55.029
Transcom a copy of every flight

01:14:55.029 --> 01:14:57.660
manifest prior to transporting migrants ,

01:14:57.750 --> 01:15:01.299
but I understand that you take no steps

01:15:01.589 --> 01:15:04.029
to verify the identity of the people

01:15:04.029 --> 01:15:06.790
you are transporting on your aircraft .

01:15:07.839 --> 01:15:11.750
Is that so ? Uh ,

01:15:11.870 --> 01:15:13.950
we do get a list of everyone that we

01:15:13.950 --> 01:15:17.109
fly . However , uh , ICE maintains

01:15:17.109 --> 01:15:20.069
control of everyone that's on the

01:15:20.069 --> 01:15:22.419
aircraft . So from that standpoint , uh ,

01:15:22.430 --> 01:15:25.069
they have the responsibility for the

01:15:25.069 --> 01:15:27.549
verification . And so since uh there

01:15:27.549 --> 01:15:29.779
have been mistakes made by ICE in terms

01:15:29.870 --> 01:15:32.229
of um uh erroneously transporting

01:15:32.229 --> 01:15:34.396
people who are citizens that shouldn't

01:15:34.396 --> 01:15:36.562
be transported , so that's a that's an

01:15:36.562 --> 01:15:38.785
issue . Uh , do you know what the legal

01:15:38.785 --> 01:15:41.339
basis is for transferring non-citizens

01:15:41.339 --> 01:15:43.540
arrested inside the US via military

01:15:43.540 --> 01:15:46.540
aircraft to a location outside the US

01:15:46.540 --> 01:15:48.620
for deportation or detention ?

01:15:50.879 --> 01:15:53.700
Uh , I do not know that completely . To

01:15:53.700 --> 01:15:56.220
date , uh , have any US citizens or

01:15:56.220 --> 01:15:58.540
individuals not charged with any crimes

01:15:58.540 --> 01:16:02.180
been mistakenly flown to Guantanamo Bay

01:16:02.419 --> 01:16:06.020
on Transcom assets ? I'm not aware of

01:16:06.020 --> 01:16:08.459
any . What steps have you taken to

01:16:08.459 --> 01:16:11.270
ensure the answer you just gave me is

01:16:11.270 --> 01:16:12.049
accurate ?

01:16:15.220 --> 01:16:17.276
Uh , for the air crew , we make sure

01:16:17.276 --> 01:16:19.609
that they follow established procedures ,

01:16:19.609 --> 01:16:21.609
uh , to get a list of the folks and

01:16:21.609 --> 01:16:24.169
also to make sure that , uh , uh , uh ,

01:16:24.220 --> 01:16:26.660
ICE is complying with the things that

01:16:26.660 --> 01:16:28.716
they tell us that they need to do to

01:16:28.716 --> 01:16:31.750
maintain control . We know that

01:16:31.750 --> 01:16:35.259
Guantanamo Bay is subject to uh various

01:16:35.259 --> 01:16:37.990
uh weather events and what is the

01:16:37.990 --> 01:16:40.549
evacuation plan for all of the migrants

01:16:40.549 --> 01:16:42.549
being sent to Guantanamo Bay in the

01:16:42.549 --> 01:16:44.790
event of a hurricane or other disaster

01:16:44.790 --> 01:16:46.990
in Cuba and this is especially

01:16:46.990 --> 01:16:49.212
important in light of the fact that the

01:16:49.212 --> 01:16:51.379
president said he's , uh , planning to

01:16:51.379 --> 01:16:53.601
send some 30,000 migrants to Guantanamo

01:16:54.029 --> 01:16:56.229
Bay . So do you know what what kind of

01:16:56.229 --> 01:16:59.609
evacuation plans ? I would have to

01:16:59.609 --> 01:17:01.950
defer that one to , to , I'd have to

01:17:01.950 --> 01:17:05.600
defer that one to SEO . OK .

01:17:05.680 --> 01:17:08.350
Another concern . Thank you very much ,

01:17:08.430 --> 01:17:09.430
Mr . Chairman .

01:17:14.990 --> 01:17:17.046
Well , General , thank you very much

01:17:17.046 --> 01:17:19.212
for your testimony , uh , what we plan

01:17:19.212 --> 01:17:21.709
on doing , uh , we have a vote around 4

01:17:22.240 --> 01:17:25.490
and um . Uh , we will , uh .

01:17:26.419 --> 01:17:29.899
Close the hearing here , um , and , uh ,

01:17:29.910 --> 01:17:32.759
I wanna thank you if there's , um ,

01:17:33.439 --> 01:17:35.660
additional questions for the record

01:17:35.660 --> 01:17:38.169
from members , we will send those to

01:17:38.169 --> 01:17:40.660
you in the next couple days and we ask

01:17:40.660 --> 01:17:43.729
that you try to um respond to those

01:17:43.729 --> 01:17:47.500
within 2 weeks and we will reconvene

01:17:47.979 --> 01:17:51.700
uh in SVC 217 for a

01:17:51.700 --> 01:17:54.470
classified . Scene setter we'll try and

01:17:54.470 --> 01:17:56.637
do that in the next 10 to 15 minutes .

01:17:56.637 --> 01:17:59.870
We'll break now . um , I'm gonna go

01:17:59.870 --> 01:18:02.450
vote , uh , and then we'll come down

01:18:02.750 --> 01:18:04.740
and be ready to , uh , have a

01:18:05.310 --> 01:18:08.149
classified update as well in uh in the

01:18:08.149 --> 01:18:10.779
classified skiff , uh , in the Senate .

01:18:10.830 --> 01:18:13.109
So with that , thank you again , very

01:18:13.109 --> 01:18:15.331
informative hearing this hearing is now

01:18:15.331 --> 01:18:16.799
adjourned . I think