GAO On Electronic Airborne Attack

InsideDefense.com reports this afternoon that the Pentagon has set aside a proposal to further expand its small fleet of Air Force EC-130H Compass Call aircraft as part of the fiscal year 2014 spending proposal, citing the planned drawdown of forces from Afghanistan, budget constrains and the time needed to convert a cargo plane into an electronic warfare platform:

While finalizing the Defense Department's fiscal year 2013 budget proposal, the Office of the Secretary of Defense directed the Air Force to lead a study this spring exploring the possibility of expanding the 15-aircraft Compass Call fleet by a single aircraft, according to DOD sources.

"Yes, recently the Department of Defense and the Air Force considered adding a sixteenth operational EC-130H aircraft," Col. Joseph M. Skaja, head of Air Combat Command's combat enabler division's requirements directorate, wrote in response to questions from InsideDefense.com. The proposal for an additional Compass Call aircraft was crafted to meet an operational gap stemming from delays in fielding another system, according to Skaja.

The Air Force was directed to deliver the findings of its Compass Call analysis to the office of cost assessment and program evaluation by the end of June.

The story further reports:

"According to a fleet viability assessment completed in 2010, the current size of the fleet is insufficient to meet combatant commander taskings for Compass Call," the Government Accountability Office noted in a March report, "Airborne Electronic Attack: Achieving Mission Objectives Depends on Overcoming Acquisition Objectives."

To view the GAO report, click here.