House panel OKs more planes, not more airmen

House panel OKs more planes, not more airmen
By Erik Holmes - Staff writer
Posted : Friday May 16, 2008 6:59:58 EDT

The House Armed Services Committee’s fiscal 2009 defense budget gives the Air Force a shot in the arm, approving funding for service priorities such as more F-22s, C-17s and C-130Js and providing start-up cash for the KC-45 tanker program.

But the bill, passed by the committee Thursday, denies an Air Force request in its wish list for about 14,000 more airmen — pretty much ending, like the Senate’s version of the funding bill, any chance for an early end to the drawdown.

The Air Force’s unfunded priority list — which highlights needs the Air Force could not fit into its budget — had included a need for $385 million to keep the service’s end strength at around 330,000 rather than planned draw down to 316,771.

In testimony about the budget in February, Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne said the service was getting increasingly nervous that completing the original plan to shrink the service to 316,600 airmen would cut too deep.

He said the 2005 plan to draw down to 316,000 did not account for growth of the Army — which will require more airmen to support it — and the continued use of airmen to fill Army taskings “in lieu of” soldiers.


Rest of article at: http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/05/airforce_budget_051508w/