4 septembre 2018 | International, Aérospatial

Inde: conclu il y a deux ans, l'achat de «Rafale» à la France fait polémique

L'accord sur la vente de 36 avions de chasse français « Rafale » à l'Inde fait polémique dans le pays, deux ans après sa conclusion. Le principal parti d'opposition accuse le gouvernement Modi d'avoir payé trop cher pour l'achat des « Rafale » et d'avoir favorisé un industriel réputé proche du Premier ministre. Le gouvernement accuse à son tour l'opposition de compromettre la sécurité nationale en cherchant à rendre public des détails précis sur l'accord.

Avec notre correspondant à New Delhi, Antoine Guinard

« Une corruption mondialisée ». C'est en ces termes que Rahul Gandhi, président du Congrès, le principal parti d'opposition, a décrit vendredi l'accord sur les Rafale. Une députée appartenant elle aussi au parti du Congrès a également fustigé les termes de l'accord dans la presse, accusant le gouvernement de Narendra Modi de « copinage », aux dépens du secteur public.

Le Congrès affirme en effet que l'Inde a conclu l'achat des 36 Rafale à la France à un prix par avion trois fois supérieur au prix négocié en 2012, lorsque le parti de Rahul Gandhi était encore au pouvoir.

La raison de cette différence, selon ce dernier : le gouvernement Modi a choisi le conglomérat Reliance, dont le PDG est réputé proche du Premier ministre, comme partenaire indien avec l'avionneur français Dassault dans l'accord. A la place du groupe aéronautique public indien HAL prévu au départ.

Selon la presse indienne, le groupe Reliance aurait également signé en janvier 2016 accord pour co-produire le film Tout là-haut avec l'actrice et productrice Julie Gayet, compagne de Francois Hollande à l'époque. Deux jours plus tard, le président Français signait à New Delhi un protocole d'accord sur la vente des 36 Rafale à l'Inde.

http://www.rfi.fr/asie-pacifique/20180831-inde-polemique-accord-vente-rafale-france

Sur le même sujet

  • Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - January 30, 2020

    31 janvier 2020 | International, Aérospatial, Naval, Terrestre, C4ISR, Sécurité

    Contract Awards by US Department of Defense - January 30, 2020

    ARMY General Dynamics Mission Systems, Orlando, Florida, was awarded an $883,000,000 order-dependent contract for the enhancement and maintenance of the Live Training Transformation (LT2) product line, including software architecture, LT2 framework, and individual products associated with the LT2 product line. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2028. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (W900KK-20-D-0007). PAE Professional Services, LLC, Falls Church, Virginia, was awarded a $90,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to provide temporary construction security infrastructure, equipment, services and security surveillance services to support secure construction projects to support the Yongsan Relocation Program in the Far East District, South Korea. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 29, 2025. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Far East District, South Korea, is the contracting activity (W912UM-20-D-0002). Lockheed Martin Corp., Missiles and Fire Control, Dallas, Texas, was awarded a $77,064,274 Foreign Military Sales (Bahrain, Republic of Korea, Germany, Japan, Kuwait, Netherlands, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, United Arab Emirates) contract for Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target, Advanced Capability-3. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work will be performed in Dallas, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2023. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 aircraft procurement, Army funds in the amount of $77,064,274 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-19-F-0003). Aerojet Rocketdyne, Camden, Arkansas, was awarded a $76,874,368 modification (P00005) to contract W31P4Q-18-D-0027 for procurement of Stinger flight motors. Bids were solicited via the internet with one received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2021. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama, is the contracting activity. Trade West Construction,** Mesquite, Nevada, was awarded a $52,672,800 firm-fixed-price contract to deepen the upstream approach to the locks in the north canal at the Soo Locks complex in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. Bids were solicited via the internet with three received. Work will be performed in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2021. Fiscal 2019 civil construction and State of Michigan contributed funds in the amount of $52,672,800 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Detroit, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W911XK-20-C-0002). Schutt Industries Inc.,** Clintonville, Wisconsin, was awarded a $51,492,774 firm-fixed-price contract for procurement of four models of a 2.5-ton single-axle chassis trailer. Bids were solicited via the internet with four received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 28, 2027. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity (W56HZV-20-D-0023). Hensel Phelps Construction Co, Tysons Corner, Virginia, was awarded a $34,227,105 firm-fixed-price contract for the design and construction of a new warehouse facility of approximately 44,000 gross square foot with associated office space. Bids were solicited via the internet with 10 received. Work will be performed at Fort Meade, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of July 8, 2022. Fiscal 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 military construction, Army funds in the amount of $34,227,105 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Baltimore, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W912DR-20-C-0004). Applied Visual Technology Inc.,** Orlando, Florida, was awarded a $31,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract to design, develop, integrate, manage, deliver, install, test, document and support construction equipment virtual trainers. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 29, 2025. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Orlando, Florida, is the contracting activity (W900KK-20-D-0008). General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan, was awarded a $29,886,655 modification (P00096) to contract W56HZV-17-C-0067 for Abrams Systems technical support. Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 29, 2021. Fiscal 2019 and 2020 procurement of weapons and tracked combat vehicles, Army; operations and maintenance, Army; and Kuwait Foreign Military Sales funds in the amount of $29,886,655 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Detroit Arsenal, Michigan, is the contracting activity. Vectrus Systems Corp., Colorado Springs, Colorado, was awarded a $26,321,249 firm-fixed-price contract for information technology services to support the mission of the 2nd Theater Signal Brigade/U.S. Army Europe. Bids were solicited via the internet with two received. Work will be performed in APO AE, Germany, and APO AE, Italy, with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2021. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $26,321,249 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Fort Huachuca, Arizona, is the contracting activity (W91RUS-17-C-0010). Marton Technologies Inc.,** Newport News, Virginia, was awarded a $9,090,390 modification (000191) to contract W52P1J-14-G-0021 for continued performance of logistics support services at Fort Riley, Kansas. Work will be performed in Fort Riley with an estimated completion date of Jan. 31, 2121. Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance, Army funds in the amount of $9,090,390 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois, is the contracting activity. SGS LLC, Yukon, Oklahoma, was awarded an $8,996,222 contract to design and construct a single story, 13,838 square foot blood donor center at Fort Bliss, Texas. Bids were solicited via the internet with five received. Work will be performed at Fort Bliss, Texas, with an estimated completion date of Nov. 2, 2021. Fiscal 2016 military construction, Army funds in the amount of $8,996,222 were obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Fort Worth, Texas, is the contracting activity (W9126G-20-C-0009). AIR FORCE Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd., Lod, Israel, has been awarded a $240,000,000 estimated ceiling indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the acquisition of T-38 Wings. Work will be performed in Lod, Israel, and is expected to be complete by Jan. 2033. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition and four offers were received. Fiscal 2020 consolidated sustainment activity group working capital funds in the amount of $34,426,532 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Sustainment Center, Hill Air Force Base, Utah, is the contracting activity (FA8208-20-D-0001). Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., Savannah, Georgia, has been awarded a delivery order in the amount of $127,430,000 firm-fixed‐price contract for the acquisition of two C-37B aircraft. Work will be performed in Savannah, Georgia, and is expected to deliver by September 2021. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2020 procurement funds in the amount of $127,430,000 are being obligated at the time of award. The cumulative face value of the contract order is $127,430,000. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Tinker Air Force Base, Oklahoma, is the contracting activity (FA8134‐20-F‐3100). The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Missouri, has been awarded an $84,108,947 contract modification (P00007) to the previously awarded contract FA8634-18-C-2698 for the F-15 Advanced Display Core Processor (ADCP) II Low-Rate Initial Production 4. This contract modification exercises an option that provides the production and integration of the ADCP II boxes and related equipment into the F-15 platform. Work will be performed in St. Louis, Missouri, and is expected to be completed by July 22, 2022. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2018, 2019 and 2020 procurement and working capital funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award. Total cumulative face value of the contract is $260,932,155. Fiscal 2018, 2019 and 2020 procurement funds in the amount of $74,346,630; and fiscal 2020 working capital funds in the amount of $9,762,318 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Fighter/Bomber Directorate, F-15 Division, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity. Global Connections to Employment Inc., Pensacola, Florida, has been awarded a $28,683,615 firm-fixed-price contract for custodial services. The contractor will provide non-personal services for continued operational support. Work will be performed at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, and is expected to complete by Jan. 31, 2027. This award is to a mandatory source under the AbilityOne program (41 U.S. Code 85 and 41 Code of Federal Regulations 51). Fiscal 2020 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $5,657,808 will be obligated under multiple task orders at the time of award. The 6th Contracting Squadron, MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, is the contracting activity (FA4814-20-D-0003). Booz Allen Hamilton Inc., McLean, Virginia, has been awarded a $19,999,836 modification to previously awarded contract FA8750-18-C-0116 for Operational Resilient Cyber Advancements. The contract modification allows the performer to design and develop Microservice Architectures for defensive cyber operations technology in addition to utilizing a cloud-based orchestration engine to automate processes and develop Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning technology thrusts. Work will be performed in McLean, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by Aug. 5, 2023. Fiscal 2020 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $1,528,884 are being obligated at the time of award. The total cumulative face value of the contract is $67,435,795. The Air Force Research Laboratory, Rome, New York, is the contracting activity. NAVY Lockheed Martin Corp., Rotary and Mission Systems, Manassas, Virginia, is awarded an $81,645,285 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract modification to a previously awarded contract (N00024-17-C-6259) to exercise and fund options for naval production, engineering services and required materials for the government of Canada under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program. Work will be performed in Manassas, Virginia (65%); Clearwater, Florida (32%); Syracuse, New York (2%); and Marion, Florida (1%), and is expected to be completed by June 2026. FMS (Canada) funding for $79,584,238 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity. Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, Linthicum, Maryland, is awarded a $45,479,156 modification for the firm-fixed-price portion of a previously awarded contract (M67854-19-C-0043). This modification is for the purchase of two Gallium Nitride full rate production systems and spares in support of Program Executive Officer Land Systems, Quantico, Virginia. Work will be performed in Linthicum, Maryland, and is expected to be complete by April 4, 2023. Fiscal 2020 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $45,479,156 will be obligated at the time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The contract modification was not competitively procured. The base contract was prepared in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1 and 10 U.S. Code § 2304(c)(1). The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Jacobs Ewingcole JV, Pasadena, California, is awarded a firm-fixed-price task order N62473-20-F-4247 at $21,627,696 under an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for design-bid-build construction packages at Naval Air Weapons Station, China Lake, California. The work to be performed provides for preparation of design-bid-build construction packages consisting of full plans, specifications, cost estimates and other services. Work will be performed in Ridgecrest, California, and is expected to be completed by March 2021. Fiscal 2020 military construction (Navy) contract funds for $21,000,000 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One proposal was received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southwest, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity (N62473-18-D-5801). URS Group Inc., Morrisville, North Carolina, is awarded a $7,000,000 modification on a firm-fixed-price task order under a multiple award construction contract for phase one of Hurricane Michael repairs for stabilization and repairs to multiple buildings at Naval Support Activity, Panama City, Florida. After award of this modification, the total task order value will be $69,246,764. The work to be performed provides for construction, alteration and repair of real property and utilities because of Hurricane Michael. Work also includes any and all ancillary and incidental mechanical and electrical support services needed to accomplish required work including, but not limited to, disconnects, temporary reconnects, removals, extensions, modifications, alterations, reinstalls, new components and permanent reconnects necessary for functional operation. Work will be performed in Panama City, Florida, and is expected to be completed by October 2020. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance (Navy) contract funds for $7,000,000 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Southeast, Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity (N62470-13-D-6022). DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Pinnacle Petroleum Inc.,* Huntington Beach, California, (SPE605-20-D-4516, $63,570,797); Falcon Fuels Inc.,** Paramount, California, (SPE605-20-D-4509, $57,497,366); Brad Hall and Associates Inc., Idaho Falls, Idaho, (SPE605-20-D-4505, $55,451,197); Petroleum Traders Corp.,** Fort Wayne, Indiana, (SPE605-20-D-4515, $18,411,287); Merrimac Petroleum Inc.,* Long Beach, California, (SPE605-20-D-4514, $16,596,199); Mansfield Oil Company of Gainesville Inc., Gainesville, Georgia, (SPE605-20-D-4513, $9,251,400) and Foster Fuels Inc.,** Brookneal, Virginia, (SPE605-20-D-4510, $7,238,675) have each been awarded a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract under solicitation SPE605-20-R-0200 for various types of fuel. These were competitive acquisitions with 39 offers received. These are 54-month contracts with a six-month option period. Locations of performance are Arizona, California, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Nevada, Utah and Virginia, with a Sept. 30, 2024, performance completion date. Using customers are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2024 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Federal Resources Supply Co., Stevensville, Maryland, has been awarded a maximum $30,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for hospital equipment and accessories for the Defense Logistics Agency electronic catalog. This was a competitive acquisition with 102 responses received. This is a five-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Maryland, with a Jan. 29, 2025, performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2025 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2DH-20-D-0028). Minburn Technology Group LLC,** Great Falls, Virginia, has been awarded an $18,191,117 firm-fixed-price delivery order (SP4701-20-F-0029) against a 10-year Department of Defense Enterprise Services Initiative blanket purchase agreement (N66001-19-A-0006) and General Services Administration Federal Supply Schedule (GS-35F-309AA) for a Microsoft enterprise licensing agreement. This was a competitive acquisition with five responses received. This is a one-year delivery order with two one-year option periods. Location of performance is Virginia, with a Jan. 31, 2021, performance completion date. Using customer is Defense Logistics Agency. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2021 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Contracting Services Office, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Robertson Fuel Systems LLC, Tempe, Arizona, has been awarded an $8,899,105 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery requirements contract for fuel tank assemblies. This was a sole-source acquisition using justification 10 U.S. Code 2304 (c)(1), as stated in Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. This is a four-year contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Arizona, with a Jan. 31, 2024, performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2020 through 2024 Army working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Redstone Arsenal, Alabama (SPRRA1-19-D-0012). DEFENSE COUNTERINTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY AGENCY ASRC Federal Professional Services LLC, Beltsville, Maryland, was awarded an estimated $54,757,914 firm-fixed-price contract (HS0021-20-C-0002) for the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA). The contract provides for case processing and overall operation center support services in support of the background investigation process. Work will be performed at Boyers, Pennsylvania, and St. Louis, Missouri. This contract is funded with fiscal 2020 DCSA working capital funds with $13,577,188 obligated at time of award. The anticipated period of performance includes one 12-month base period and four 12-month option periods. The estimated lifecycle award value is $276,794,547. This requirement was synopsized on the Federal Business Opportunities website as a single-award, small business set-aside on Nov. 20, 2018. As a result, all small businesses were solicited and six offers were received. The Contracting Office, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity. *Woman-owned small business **Small business https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Contracts/Contract/Article/2070367/source/GovDelivery/

  • Will the stars finally align to upgrade Britain’s ‘obsolete’ tanks?

    7 juin 2019 | International, Terrestre

    Will the stars finally align to upgrade Britain’s ‘obsolete’ tanks?

    By: Andrew Chuter LONDON – Britain has fallen behind its allies and potential adversaries in key armored combat vehicle capabilities and must do more to become a force to be reckoned with, Defence Secretary Penny Mordaunt has warned. “The future may look very different in years to come, but meantime, while armour is relevant it must be capable, and we must be competitive. We have not been,” Mourdaunt told an audience of senior international army chiefs and industry executives at a land warfare conference in here June 4. The Challenger 2 main battle tank and the Warrior infantry fighting vehicle, two of the key elements of the British army's battle formations, were both labeled as “obsolete” by a defense secretary who only started the job a month ago but could move on once a new Conservative prime minister is elected in July to replace Theresa May. “Challenger 2 has been in service without a major upgrade since 1998. During this time the U.S., Germany and Denmark have completed two major upgrades, whilst Russia has fielded five new variants with a sixth pending,” she said. “Warrior is even more obsolete, and is twenty years older than those operated by our key allies. Since Warrior's introduction in 1988 the United States and Germany have conducted four major upgrades and Russia has invested in three new variants,” said Mordaunt. What does she mean by obsolete? In the case of Warrior its best known shortcoming is the inability to fire on the move, and a 30mm cannon that has to be manually loaded with three round clips of ammunition. As it stands, the vehicle is unlikely to scare potential adversaries like the Russians. The British have been under-invested in combat armored capability for years aside from meeting the urgent operational requirements to counter improvised explosive devices in Afghanistan. Many of those vehicles remain in service, even though the threat has changed. Efforts are finally underway to improve the situation, sparked, in part, by the army's move to form two armored strike brigades by 2025. That force is planned to include tracked reconnaissance vehicles, an 8x8 mechanized infantry vehicle and a new 155mm artillery system. General Dynamics UK has started delivering the first of 589 Ajax reconnaissance and support vehicles in what has been touted by the government as the largest armored vehicle investment in three decades. Germany's Artec has been nominated as the preferred supplier with its Boxer 8x8, although no contract has been signed yet. A competition on the artillery is getting underway. Programs to upgrade both the vehicles named as obsolete by Mordaunt are in the works, but there is no manufacturing contract yet for either. In the Warrior's case Lockheed Martin UK secured the upgrade development program from the defense ministry in 2011, but is only now undertaking the reliability trials on which a final production contract depends. At one time the number of hulls to be updated was in the region of 380, but suppliers at a recent Lockheed Martin briefing said that as the British Army has shrunk and budgets got tighter, that figure is now down to around 265 and could go even lower. As for Challenger 2 upgrades, an assessment phase involving BAE Systems and Rheinmetall has been completed and is now under review. It seems no final decision has been made, but the signals coming out of the defense ministry suggest the Army may get what they want, which is a Challenger 2 sporting a German turret and smoothbore cannon. Tank numbers to be upgraded are unclear, with defense procurement minister Stuart Andrew telling Parliament recently that the final decision would be informed by “the assessment phase, the defense requirement and a balance of investment consideration.” The British Army currently has a fleet of 227 Challenger 2 tanks. BAE and Rheinmetall recently announced their intention to form an armored vehicle joint venture including the British companies activities in the sector, with the German company having the majority shareholding. Final approval of the deal is expected this month and a decision about the way forward on Challenger 2 could follow in the following two or three months. The scope and size of the armored-vehicle effort depends, like everything else, on the availability of funding. The defense ministry has budgeted £18.4 billion ($23.4 billion) for land-warfare equipment purchases over the next 10 years. Shorter-term budget considerations, though, will be resolved in the next few months. A government-wide review of departmental budgets, known as the comprehensive spending review, is currently underway. That will dictate whether the currently cash-strapped military will get the sizeable spending increases they are hoping for over the next three years. In opening remarks to the RUSI conference this week, Gen. Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, the chief of the general staff, made it clear he saw the threat of the tank diminishing in the military of the future as the focus shifts to issues like cyber warfare. “The main threat is less missiles and tanks. It's the weaponization of those elements of globalization that hitherto have made us prosperous and secure, such as mobility of goods, people, data and ideas," he said. "Living on an island gives no guarantees against the corrosive and intrusive effects of disinformation, subversion and cyber.” Perhaps for now, at least, the last word over the utility of the tank in today's information-rich environment should go to the conference speaker who voiced the opinion, “You can cyber all you like, but there comes a time when only a tank will do." https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2019/06/05/will-the-stars-finally-align-to-upgrade-britains-obsolete-tanks/

  • A Smart Approach To Retaining Most Of The A-10s

    5 mai 2020 | International, Aérospatial

    A Smart Approach To Retaining Most Of The A-10s

    The Air Force leaders who sought to retire the A-10 in 2014 did not want to cut the aircraft, but they had no other choice due to the Budget Control Act of 2011. While that era has passed, the same dynamics are still at play— a service that is under-resourced, overtasked, compelled to retire aircraft to free up resources to modernize the remaining inventory of mostly geriatric aircraft. By DAVID DEPTULA In American politics people like to talk about third-rail issues, those that kill you when you touch them. For the Air Force, retiring the much-loved and much-misunderstood A-10 Warthog has been a third-rail issue. Army folks, generally not known for their knowledge of aircraft capabilities, LOVE the A-10, largely because it is something Army troops can see results from and it's really loud and looks aggressive, a combination ground pounders appreciate. Key members of Congress have loved the A-10 because it's based in their districts (the late Sen. John McCain) or because their spouse flew the airplane (former Sen. Kelly Ayotte.) OK, and a few really do believe the A-10 should be kept because it is the best close-air-support aircraft. In the 2021 budget, the Air Force is taking a new approach, trying to blend extending the life of most of the A-10 fleet while retiring some. The head of the Mitchell Institute, Dave Deptula, presents a detailed argument in favor of the new approach. Will the Air Force touch the rail or? Read on? The Editor. Some were surprised to see the Air Force again trying in the latest budget request to retire 44 A-10s from, bringing the total force of 281 Warthogs down to 237. Any discussion regarding the status of the A-10—or any other capability in the Air Force's inventory—needs to start with the fact that the Air Force is seriously underfunded. Between 1989 and 2001, the Air Force absorbed the largest cuts of all the services as a percentage of the overall defense budget. Between 2008 and 2011, the Air Force received its lowest share of the defense budget going all the way back to the Eisenhower Administration. On top of those slim budgets, the service does not even receive all that is allocated to it in its total budget. Roughly 20 percent is removed from its control as a budget pass-through to the Intelligence Community. In 2020, that equaled $39 billion—enough to buy 400 F-35As. The chronic deficiencies in Air Force funding were the motivating force behind service leaders releasing “The Air Force We Need,” a plan that calls for growing the number of operational squadrons from 312 today to the 386 required to execute the national defense strategy. While that assessment has yet to be met with funding from the administration or Congress it provides a realistic way to view risk; the difference between what the Air Force needs and what it currently possesses. Because of this disparity, the Air Force is continuously forced to trade existing force structure to pay for modern weapons. It does not matter that the Air Force fields the oldest and smallest aircraft force in its history, or that nearly every mission area is coded “high demand, low density.” The Air Force leaders who sought to retire the A-10 in 2014 did not actually want to cut the aircraft, but they had no other choice due to the Budget Control Act of 2011. While that era has passed, the same dynamics are still at play— a service that is under-resourced, overtasked, compelled to retire aircraft to free up resources to modernize the remaining inventory of mostly geriatric aircraft. With that background, it is important to understand the Air Force's plan to cover the panoply of mission requirements that it faces. Defense leaders today are anticipating a broad array of future threats ranging from non-state actors like the Islamic State and Boko Haram on the low end, North Korea and Iran in the middle, and China and Russia as peer adversaries on the top of the spectrum. The overlapping concurrency of these challenges makes for a difficult balancing act given the chronic underfunding of the Air Force and the fact that dealing with each threat demands a different set of tools. This is precisely why the Air Force wants to retain the bulk of the A-10 inventory. They are planning on doing it in a smart way to achieve two primary goals. First, to assure sufficient capacity to ensure that when combatant commanders need the aircraft the Air Force has enough aircraft so that one squadron can be continuously deployed for combat operations. Second, to assure sufficient capability, leaders are investing in re-winging all the remaining A-10 airframes, funding avionics improvements, and other critical upgrades. Taking these steps will ensure the A-10 can continue to fly and fight into the 2030s. The reason for this is simple: when it comes to effectively and efficiently dealing with certain missions in the low- to medium-threat environment, few aircraft can net better results than the A-10. These aircraft are incredibly precise, efficient to operate, can haul a tremendous load of munitions, and their ability to integrate with other aircraft as well as ground forces is legendary. However, when defense leaders consider operations at the higher end of the threat spectrum, the reality is that A-10 cannot survive. In such environments, commanders select appropriate capabilities rather than risking airmen or mission success. Close air support is a mission—not an aircraft—and it can be executed by many aircraft other than the A-10, particularly in higher threat scenarios. This is why A-10s were not employed over Syria. It would have put them at risk against sophisticated Russian air defenses and combat aircraft. Commanders prudently decided to harness F-22s, F-15Es, F/A-18s, F-16s, and others to secure desired objectives because these aircraft could better defend themselves against those threats. Such sophisticated defenses require continued investment in aircraft like the F-35 and B-21. These are the sorts of aircraft—empowered with fifth generation attributes like stealth, advanced sensors, and computing power—that will be far better equipped to handle mission demands against potential adversaries equipped with the most advanced weapons coming out of China or Russia. Preparing for the future demands adjusting the Air Force's existing aircraft inventory in response to budget realities. Dialing up investment in fifth-generation aircraft is an essential requirement, especially given that too few B-2s and F-22s were procured in the past. The types of combat scenarios that defined the post-9/11 world occurred in permissive airspace at the low end of the threat spectrum. America's interests demand a much more far reaching set of options able to operate and survive in high threat environments. That is why investments in A-10 modernization and newer designs like the F-35, B-21, and next generation air dominance aircraft are so important. However, capacity still matters. The Air Force needs to be properly resourced so it does not have to gut the very numbers that will prove essential in future engagements. No matter the theater in which a fight may erupt, the type of combat action, or the scale of the operation, the need for numbers of airframes is a constant—the same cannot be said for surface forces. It is well past time for leaders in the Department of Defense, the White House and on Capitol Hill to start properly scaling Air Force resources to align for the actual mission demand required by our National Defense Strategy. David Deptula, a member of the Breaking Defense Board of Contributors, is a retired Air Force lieutenant general with over 3,000 flying hours. He planned the Desert Storm air campaign, orchestrated air operations over Iraq and Afghanistan and is now dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. https://breakingdefense.com/2020/05/a-smart-approach-to-retaining-most-of-the-a-10s

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