A S HAD BEEN widely expected, the latest US Air Force budget requests have recommended the complete retirement of the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack and U-2S reconnaissance aircraft. Senior officials daim that retiring the A-10 fleet will save S3.5 billion over five years and accelerates the long-standing modernization plan. The service says it will also mothball nearly 30 airlift aircraft and that 24 strategic airlifters will be re-assigned to the back-up inventory. More than 100 MQ-1 Predators will be retired, while Air Combat Command (ACC)'s MC-12 W fleet will be transferred to Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) and the US Army. More than 50 F-15Cs will be divested, but the remaining 179 aircraft will receive the full suite of offensive and defensive system improvements including advanced electronically scanned array (AESA) radars. Released on March 4. the US Department of Defense's proposed S495.6-billion defense budget for Fiscal Year 2015 provides S90.4 tillion for procurement, including S40 billion for aircraft and related systems. Aligned with the strategies outlined in the US Quadrennial Defense Review, the request reflects a balance betwreen readiness, capacity and capability in both the short and long term, reduces the force structure and streamlines modernization programs. Whereas the Departments of the Army, Navy and Air Force are all making deep cuts to their respective force structures in favor of modernization, those proposed by the Army and the Air Force are the deepest and could result in the retirement of well over 1,000 fixed- and rotary-wing manned and remotely-piloted aircraft. Further procurements may still be included in the Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) budget request, which will be submitted at a later date. In addition, the sen-ices are expected to provide a list of un-funded priorities for consideration as part of the approval process.
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