DoDBuzz: OMB Floats 5 Year Tanker Delay

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OMB Floats 5 Year Tanker Delay
By Colin Clark Tuesday, March 10th, 2009 2:24 pm
Posted in Air, International, Policy

One of the oldest ploys in the budget wars is to cut a program you absolutely, positively know Congress will fund no matter what you do. You move money from that program to one you know is on shakier ground. Then, when Congress funds both programs you can protest that it’s something you really don’t need and is pulling money from more deserving programs. Voila! You have zee cake and eat it too!

That seems the most logical explanation for the Obama administration’s well leaked plans to delay the airborne tanker program by five years. There can be no other rationale explanation. This is the top priority of a remade Air Force, one run by a man who knows and loves tankers and other big planes that don’t shoot at stuff. This is the top priority of Transportation Command, the people who fly big heavy stuff to Afghanistan, Iraq and anywhere else it is needed. I think you’ll also find quite a bit of support for tankers from the COCOMS, who need them if they want to maintain global reach.

Unless the Air Force and everyone involved with tankers has been lying about how old and tired the planes are — remember the engine struts on the KC-135 E models are suffering from corrosion and senior Air Force officials wanted them retired by the end of last year — it is difficult to believe the country’s military can be effective without one of its most unique capabilities. No other country possesses the ability to refuel dozens of planes in the air virtually anywhere in the world.

My colleague Josh Rogin broke the news about the Obama administration’s plan to move the tankers out five years and kill the next generation bomber. The bomber has a tentative hold on life and losing its capabilities would be much less traumatic to the military than a tanker delay of five years.

Lawmakers are already expressing disbelief at the tanker decision. Josh’s story contains pithy comments from senators and congressmen to the effect that the tanker decision will not stand.


Rest of article at: http://www.dodbuzz.com/2009/03/10/omb-floats-5-year-tanker-delay/?wh=wh