US Air Force QDR and FY2007 Budget Highlights

Released on Monday, February 06, 2006

The Air Force announced today details related to the Quadrennial Defense Review as well as the Air Force Fiscal Year 2007 Budget Roll Out. As the Air Force continues to transform, it will have three priorities: winning the war on terror, developing and caring for its Airmen, and recapitalizing and modernizing its air and space systems.

The Air Force is continuing F-22A production and restructuring the program to procure 20 aircraft per year through 2010, an increase of four aircraft throughout the life of the program.

The Air Force is funding procurement of 24 Light Cargo Aircraft in the Fiscal Year 2007-2011 Future Years Defense Program to meet intra-theater requirements and potentially enable acceleration of C-130E retirements.

It will also continue to support the operational requirements of combatant commanders by procuring 6 additional Global Hawks, 24 additional Predators, and making key investments in their space portfolio.

A Mobility Capability Study confirmed the current fleet of C-17s and modernized C-5s is sufficient to support DoD warfighting units.

It was also announced that 141 CSAR-X aircraft will replace the current fleet of HH-60G Combat Search and Rescue helicopters, retirement of the F-117 will be accelerated from Fiscal Year 2011 to Fiscal Year 2008, and U2 operations will be ramped down until its retirement by Fiscal Year 2011. The C-130E will be divested by Fiscal Year 2014. Additionally, the Air Force will retire 50 percent of the US-based C-21 fleet.

Changes to the Air Force will also include manpower adjustments. The Air Force will be enhancing joint operations and interdependencies by increasing tactical air controllers by 1,064 people. It will also be reducing Total Force end strength by approximately 16,100 in Fiscal Year 2007.