The House Armed Services seapower and projection forces subcommittee mark of the fiscal 2020 defense policy bill is critical of the U.S. Air Force’s B-52 re-engining plan, directs the Pentagon to reassess its mobility needs and proposes canceling the cost cap for the Ford-class aircraft carrier.
The Air Force intends to use Section 804 authorities granted by Congress to accelerate the B-52 re-engining effort. The House panel is concerned the service is not doing due diligence in setting requirements, committee staff told reporters June 3. The subcommittee mark requires the Air Force to submit a test plan before any fiscal 2020 funding can be used for the project.
Another pressing item for the subcommittee is that lawmakers were not satisfied with the Pentagon’s 2018 Mobility Capabilities and Requirements Study. The Fiscal 2018 National Defense Authorization Act directed the department to report the estimated number of airlift aircraft, tanker aircraft and sealift ships needed to meet combatant commander requirements.
The study was co-led by U.S. Transportation Command’s joint distribution process analysis center, the Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation office, and in consultation with the joint staff. Lawmakers are concerned that the study did not reflect the National Defense Strategy and the mark would direct a new study, committee staff said.
Another important provision in the subcommittee mark is the panel proposes repealing the cost cap requirement for Ford-class aircraft carriers because it has done nothing to contain cost, committee staff said.
For instance, the cost cap has only driven inefficiencies such as the Lockheed Martin F-35not being able to deploy on the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79). A separate provision would mandate the Kennedy must be able to deploy the F-35 before it is delivered to the U.S. Navy.