The Insider

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April 6, 2009 at 5:00 AM

Live-blogging the big press conference. . . .

* Gates opens by noting "unorthodox" approach -- pointedly noting it was approved by President Obama.

* "These recommendations will profoundly reform how this department does business."

* Cumulative result of Gates' 30 years in the national security arena.

* Consulted closely with president.

* Chairman and vice chairman "in complete accord" with these recommendations.

* Would have made almost all of the recommendations regardless of the budget situation.

By
April 6, 2009 at 5:00 AM

First, people:

* Properly fund the growth of the military. Will require nearly $11 billion increase above FY-09 level.

* Increase medical research, health care and child care -- but move away from funding these areas through supplemental appropriations. An increase of $13 billion in base budget over last year.

* Needs an "institutional home" for the warfighter. FY-10 budget to be used to increase intelligence, surveillance and recon spending by $2 billion: 50 Predator and Reaper unmanned systems now permanently funded in base budget.

* Increase manned ISR activities, including turbo-props used as part of Task Force ODIN. Research into new platforms.

* $500 million over last year in base budget to sustain and bolster helicopters. Shortages of maintenance crews and pilots noted; training and recruiting needed.

* Increase global partnership activities by $500 million

* Grow special ops personnel by more than 2,800, and buy more special forces-optimized lift and refueling aircraft.

* Increase LCS buys from two to three ships in FY-10; goal is to buy 55 total.

* Four Joint High-Speed Vessels, up from two.

* Stop Army BCTs at 48. Lower the risk of hollowing the force.

By
April 6, 2009 at 5:00 AM

* New or additional investments in key areas including a fifth-generation tactical fighter capability -- increasing the buy of the F-35 from 14 in '09 to 30 in FY-10: $6.8 billion to $11.2 billion. 513 over the FYDP, 2,443 total.

* 31 F/A-18s in FY-10.

* Retire more older aircraft.

* End production of the F-22A with only four requested in FY-09.

* $700 million for most capable theater missile defense systems: Navy Standard Missile and THAAD systems.

* More Aegis ship funding.

* More cyber experts: from 80 students to more than 200.

* Solicit new tanker bids this summer.

* Will not pursue follow-on Air Force bomber until better understanding the need.

By
April 6, 2009 at 5:00 AM

* Shift carriers to five-year build cycle, meaning 10 carriers after 2040

* Delay next-gen cruiser program

* Delay amphib ship and seabasing efforts to FY-11 to assess cost and needs

* Airlift: Complete C-17 build this year

By
April 6, 2009 at 5:00 AM

* Need for acquisition and contracting reform and better oversight

* Welcomes Levin-McCain bill on acquisition reform

* Increase the size of acquisition workforce -- hiring 9,000 more professionals by 2015, with 4,000+ in FY-10; also converting many contractor slots

* Greater funding flexibility needed.

By
April 6, 2009 at 5:00 AM

*VH-71

* CSAR-X

* TSAT; two more AEHF instead

* Refocus on rogue state threat in missile defense arena; no more interceptors in Alaska; will fund robust R&D

* Cancel second ABL prototype aircraft; keep existing prototype and shift to R&D-only program

* Multiple Kill Vehicle program

* MDA to be reduced $1.4 billion

* Include funds to buy two Navy destroyers in FY-10; restart DDG-51; DDG-1000 to end with third ship if plans work out; if not DOD likely will build only a single prototype DDG-1000

* Significantly restructure FCS; retain and accelerate initial spin-out to all combat brigades. However, FCS vehicle design strategy poses too many questions. Does not adequately reflect lessons learned in recent operations. Does not include a role for MRAPs. Troubled by the terms of the contract, particularly its "unattractive" fee structure. Must have more confidence in program strategy and requirements. Accordingly: Cancel the vehicle component of FCS, and relaunch the Army's "vehicle modernization program" competitively.

By
April 6, 2009 at 5:00 AM

* Asked about congressional reaction, Gates notes decisions will be controversial, says he hopes Congress will "rise above parochial interests" and consider the best interests of the nation.

* Gates says he did not take political interests into account in making decisions. Hopes Obama will approve and Congress will support "as much of it as possible."

* Decisions "emanate directly from the National Defense Strategy," Gates says -- strong analytical base.

* Programs he recommends delaying will be examined in the QDR. A list of "probably 10 or a dozen or more" issues to be examined in the QDR that came out of the exercise.

* F-22A decision: "Not a close call," Gates says. "We have fulfilled the program -- it's not like we're killing the F-22."

* "The military advice that I got was that there is no military requirement for F-22s" beyond current level -- including advice from the Air Force.

* More money for rotorcraft: "most focused" on "the need for more helicopters." In analysis noted principal shortfall was in crews, not airframes. Virtually all of the additional money going to accelerate the training of crews and pilots.

* "There needs to be a new presidential helicopter." Still good service life in current fleet and "we have time to do this." Will review requirements after FY-10 budget is submitted.

* Canceling CSAR-X, but will look at whether there is a requirement for a specialized search-and-rescue helicopter.

By
April 6, 2009 at 5:00 AM

* Gates concerned about jobs to be lost by cancellations but notes increases also part of the plan. Direct employment on the F-22 program about 22,000 this year, to decline to 13,000 in FY-11 as last aircraft rolls off the line. But, F-35 already employs 30,000+, to go to 82,000 in FY-11. Decisions "do a pretty good job of taking care of the industrial base there."

"We cannot be oblivious to the consequences of these decisions," he says, but national security interests trump.

* Irregular warfare constituency to have "a seat at the table" for the first time.

* Missile defense: Cartwright says SM-3 and THAAD needed; cites North Korea launch as proof. For fourth site of ground-based interceptor -- sufficient funds in FY-09 to carry forward as QDR is conducted and negotiations continue with European countries.

* KEI program: Cartwright says great utility in boost-phase systems. Need more analysis."What do we need in the boost phase?"

* Refueling tankers: Gates has talked with Murtha on split-buy strategy. "I still believe that it is not the best deal for the taxpayer to go with a split buy."

By
April 6, 2009 at 5:00 AM

The statement of Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as released by the Pentagon:

I fully support the program decisions Secretary Gates has laid out today. None of them was easy to make. All of them are vital to the future.

These decisions put our people first. I have said and remain convinced the best way to guarantee our future is to support our troops and their families. It is the "recruit" and "retain" choices of American families that will make or break the all volunteer force. I could not agree more strongly with him making this his top priority.

The Secretary also took pains to shape that force by seeking better balance. If adopted in the President’s budget and passed into law, his recommendations will improve critical "enablers," such as aviation, special forces, cyber operations, civil affairs, intelligence analysis, unmanned aerial vehicles, MRAPs, and language skills. These are the capabilities we desperately need for the wars we are fighting and the ones we are likely to fight in years to come.

Some will argue he is tilting dangerously away from conventional capabilities. He is not. His decisions with respect to missile defense, tactical aviation, shipbuilding, Army modernization, ISR, and communications bear witness to his commitment to preserving our traditional strengths. In truth, he is evening out what has been in this time of war a fairly lop-sided approach to defense acquisition.

If we are what we buy, one might conclude we have become the world’s finest counter-insurgency force by sheer will alone. We simply must invest more aggressively in this vital mission.

Our ground forces remain our center of gravity in the current fight. The Secretary has protected the size of those forces. By adjusting active Army BCT growth to 45, he has ensured our ability to impact the fight sooner, increase dwell time, and reduce overall demand on equipment. This commitment will provide better manned units and end stop-loss. He has also provided for a healthy and attainable Army modernization program.

In all this, Secretary Gates is working hard to fix a flawed procurement process. Programs that aren’t performing well are getting the scrutiny they deserve. The acquisition workforce is getting the manpower and expertise it merits. And a struggling industrial base is getting the support and the oversight it warrants. More critically, we -- the military leadership of the nation -- are getting the top-down guidance we need to develop the right warfighting capabilities.

The Secretary presided over a comprehensive and collaborative process to arrive at his decisions. Every Service Chief and Combatant Commander had a voice, and every one of them used it. I know I speak for all of them when I say we are prepared to execute each and every one of these recommendations.

By Dan Dupont
April 3, 2009 at 5:00 AM

News flash: Budget details coming on Monday, from the podium at the Pentagon.

Defense Secretary Gates will brief reporters.

Our story coming soon.

By John Liang
April 3, 2009 at 5:00 AM

With speculation over which defense programs will suffer the budget ax reaching a fever pitch just days before Defense Secretary Robert Gates is scheduled to brief Congress on those cuts, the developer of the Airborne Laser -- one of the programs with a bulls-eye on it -- today continued its full-court-press to sway public opinion on the effort, touting the ancillary benefits from that multiyear, multibillion-dollar program.

"Continued Airborne Laser development can protect a very perishable industrial base," one that has also helped develop very advanced optics that could be used in other laser projects, Boeing Vice President and General Manager of Missile Defense Systems Greg Hyslop told a Capitol Hill audience this morning.

Hyslop, who spoke at a Marshall Institute-sponsored event, also touted other possible missions for ABL above and beyond shooting down ballistic missiles in their boost phase, like cruise missile defense or counter-air defense.

Inside the Air Force cited Boeing officials last month warning that roughly 1,000 jobs -- and the United States' edge in laser technology -- are at risk if the ABL program is canceled.

An operational fleet of Airborne Laser aircraft is still years -- possibly decades -- away, and Boeing estimates that the per-plane cost could be between $1 billion and $1.5 billion. The Air Force predicts that a seven-aircraft fleet would be needed to successfully defend the United States from possible missile attacks.

As such, ABL has been on the table as one program that could be vulnerable in budget cuts predicted for the fiscal year 2010 defense budget.

. . . ((L))awmakers arguing for the cancellation of the program noted ABL’s schedule delays and cost increases. Other congressmen fighting for the program wrote a letter to Defense Secretary Robert Gates pleading for the continuation of the laser’s development and did so because of their concerns of reports of the project’s possible termination.

But ABL wasn't the only boost-phase missile defense program being touted this morning. Michael Booen, Raytheon's vice president of advanced missile defense systems, spoke about his company's nascent effort to build an air-launched missile to shoot down ballistic missiles early in flight.

The proposed Net-Centric Airborne Defense Element (NCADE) is a two-stage missile with an infrared seeker that is designed to intercept short- and medium-range missiles in their boost phase. It is essentially an upgraded Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM), which, Raytheon officials say, means that any aircraft or unmanned aerial vehicle capable of carrying AMRAAM can carry NCADE.

The Missile Defense Agency awarded Raytheon a $10 million contract last year to continue research-and-development work on NCADE.

Booen said this morning that the interceptors could be built for less than $1 million apiece.

By Sebastian Sprenger
April 2, 2009 at 5:00 AM

Combatant commanders want the issue of sufficient "enablers" in the military to be treated as a topic of the Quadrennial Defense Review, U.S. Central Command Chief Gen. David Petraeus told members of the House Armed Services Committee this morning.

The term enablers is military jargon for non-combat forces performing crucial support work.

Petraeus singled out intelligence analysts, biometrics specialists and counter-IED experts as important enablers for the Obama administration's new strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

As for intelligence specialists, in particular, Petraeus said those individuals were crucial in Iraq because they provided information about the populace that helped U.S. officials support local reconciliation efforts.

By John Liang
April 1, 2009 at 5:00 AM

We've all heard about Sens. Carl Levin (D-MI) and John McCain (R-AZ) introducing legislation to reform the Defense Department's acquisition system. Well, now it's the turn of their colleagues on the other side of the Capitol dome.

Reps. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA) and John Spratt (D-SC) introduced the exact same bill to the House yesterday.

"Our acquisition and contracting processes too often result in cost overruns and delays," Tauscher, chairwoman of the House Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee, said in a joint statement. "At a time when we are trying to restore the economy and find ways to reduce spending, or spend more efficiently, we have to rework how the Pentagon awards and monitors contracts."

For his part, Spratt, chairman of the House Budget Committee, said in the same statement that there was "huge room for improvement in defense procurement," adding:

Our bill does not pretend to be a panacea, but it offers some solid, well considered ideas, which have been carefully researched. It’s a good piece of work, and I am glad to sponsor it along with Senators Levin and McCain, and my colleague in the House, Rep. Ellen Tauscher.

As InsideDefense.com reported yesterday:

With the Senate expected this week to weigh in on new legislation geared toward revamping the Pentagon's troubled acquisition process, lawmakers are hammering out the final details before Thursday's vote, one of the bill's cosponsors said today.

Senate Armed Services Chairman Carl Levin (D-MI) said discussions have been held in recent weeks about specific elements of the bill ahead of Thursday's anticipated vote on the measure. While the Michigan Democrat noted that no significant push-back against the legislation has been seen, he said some on Capitol Hill have expressed concerns over the measure.

Levin's comments came during a briefing with reporters today in Washington.

In February, Levin and Senate Armed Services Committee ranking Republican John McCain (AZ) introduced legislation calling for the creation of new posts within DOD to oversee cost assessments and developmental testing on current and future military weapon systems.

The Levin-McCain bill also calls for significantly strengthening the certification mandates for programs that violate cost-growth limits under the Nunn-McCurdy statute.

A similar version of the bill sponsored by Rep. Ellen Tauscher (D-CA) is being mulled over on the House side. The companion House proposal was expected to be introduced last week, a Democratic aide told InsideDefense.com, adding that it would be “very, very close” to the mandates outlined in the Levin-McCain legislation.

Tauscher's bill is under review by House Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt (D-SC) and is expected to be introduced sometime this month, the aide said.

During the ensuing debate in the Senate over the Levin-McCain bill, some senators had questioned language in the legislation calling for a ban on defense firms conducting progress assessments on major weapon systems being manufactured by the same company, Levin said. . . .

By John Liang
April 1, 2009 at 5:00 AM

With a North Korean ballistic missile test looming, Republicans on the House Armed Services Committee want to make sure that the Obama administration keeps its eyes on the ball regarding the U.S. missile defense system.

In a letter sent yesterday to Obama, the GOP lawmakers call on the president to authorize military commanders to employ the nation's missile defense system if the U.S. or its allies are put at risk by the launch:

As you are aware, recent news reports suggest that North Korea is imminently close to launching a long-range Taepodong ballistic missile that could reach the United States. The commander of U.S. forces in the Pacific recently testified before our committee, "We're ready to defend U.S. territory, our allies and our national interests if the president so directs." However, it remains unclear whether the administration has made any decision, based upon comments made by your Secretary of Defense this weekend where he said the administration is, "not prepared to do anything about it." We respectfully encourage you to authorize our military commanders to employ our nation's missile defense system, should the United States or our allies be put at risk. . . .

While we support diplomatic efforts by your administration to prevent such a launch from occurring, we also believe prudent steps can be taken to make use of our missile defense capabilities should the United States or our allies be put at risk. Our nation’s top military generals recently testified before Congress that they believe our missile defense system is “effective” and has a “high probability" of intercepting an incoming missile if they were commanded to do so.

By John Liang
April 1, 2009 at 5:00 AM

In case you call a Pentagon contact and you get a wrong number, this may be why: The Defense Department today announced a reshuffling of senior executive service positions within DOD. They are:

Richard Davison, foreign relations and defense policy manager, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy) reassigned to foreign relations and defense policy manager, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict and Interdependent Capabilities), Washington, D.C.

Thomas P. Dee, director, Joint Rapid Acquisition Cell, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology and Logistics), Washington, D.C,

John W. Fischer, director, Defense Laboratory Programs, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology and Logistics), Washington, D.C.

Robert A. Gold, director, engineering, prototyping, and technology integration reassigned to deputy director, space and intelligence capabilities, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology and Logistics), Washington, D.C.

Rebecca Hersman, deputy assistant secretary of defense (countering weapons of mass destruction), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy), Washington, D.C.

Kathleen Hicks, deputy under secretary of defense (strategic plans and forces), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy), Washington, D.C.

Colin Kahl, deputy assistant secretary of defense (Middle East), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy), Washington, D.C.

Elizabeth McGrath, assistant deputy under secretary for business integration, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology and Logistics) reassigned to assistant deputy chief management officer, Office of the Deputy Chief Management Officer, Washington, D.C.

David Ochmanek, deputy assistant secretary of defense (forces transformation and resources), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy), Washington, D.C.

Barry Pavel, foreign relations and defense policy manager, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy) reassigned to foreign relations and defense policy manager, Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Special Operations/Low-Intensity Conflict and Interdependent Capabilities), Washington, D.C.

Robert Salesses, foreign relations and defense policy manager, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Crisis Management) reassigned to foreign relations and defense policy manager, Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense (Homeland Defense), Washington, D.C.

Julianne Smith, principal director (Europe and NATO), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy), Washington, D.C.

James Townsend, deputy assistant secretary of defense (Europe and NATO), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy), Washington, D.C.

Christine Wormuth, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense (homeland defense and America's security affairs), Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Policy), Washington, D.C.