Air Force officials are sounding the alarm in Washington on a possible long-term continuing resolution, saying the avoidance of a budget deal would stop 60 new starts and upgrades on existing programs. Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James, in a Wednesday state of the Air Force briefing at the Pentagon, said a long-term continuing resolution would delay upgrades to aircraft such as the M-9 Reaper, B-2, and B-52, among others. A continuing resolution would fund the Air Force at $1.3 billion less than the amount it requested, which would limit KC-46A production at 12, instead of 15 aircraft, cap the B-21 bomber program at Fiscal 2016 levels, and limit the production of joint direct attack munitions at Fiscal 2016 levels, a move that is “unacceptable in light of current operations” against ISIS, James said. (See also: Readiness Shortfalls.)
Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, nominee to be chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the Defense Department needs to upgrade its electronic warfare capability and its EW training ranges; just as his predecessor said at his own confirmation hearing.