The latest round of US defence cuts, if they go ahead, will result in the retirement of all the USAF A-10s and U-2s, together with all of the US Army's OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopters. The proposals, which had been anticipated for some time, were announced by US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel at a Pentagon media briefing on February 24 to preview the Fiscal Year 2015 budget. The plans were confirmed when the full budget proposals were unveiled on March 4, on which date they were sent to Congress, which must give its approval before they can be implemented. Hagel said the new budget places emphasis on capability over capacity in order to protect key modernisation programmes. This means that funding is protected for the new long-range bomber, F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) and the KC-46A tanker. Hagel said, however, that in order to fund these investments, some serious cuts have to be made elsewhere. As a result, the USAF will reduce its number of tactical air squadrons, which will include retiring the entire A-10 fleet, confirming previously announced proposals. Hagel said: "the advent of precision munitions means that many more types of aircraft can now provide effective close air support, from B-1 bombers to remotely piloted aircraft." Hagel also confirmed that the USAF will retire the veteran U-2 reconnaissance aircraft in favour of the unmanned Global Hawk system.
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