Details Leaked For USAF 5-Year Budget Plan

Citing savings of almost $3 billion over the next five years, the U.S. Air Force is considering cancelling a planned software upgrade for its fleet of C-130 transports, Bloomberg News reports.

Boeing won the contract to write and install the upgrades in 2001. It is the largest of 16 programs the service is considering for cancellation due to budgetary concerns. Air Force Officials are currently reviewing the 5 year plan, which will go to President Obama along with a detailed FY2011 budget in January.

A Boeing satellite communications system is also on the chopping block as is a Lockheed Martin terrestrial-based communications system.

The Pentagon directed the Air Force to cut 3.8 percent, or about $24.2 billion from its current five-year plan, Bloomberg reports. In a document prepared for senior Pentagon officials and presented last month, Lieutenant General Raymond Johns, deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and programs, wrote the proposed budget has a goal of protecting “to the greatest degree possible” funding for the F-35 JSF, the V-22 Osprey, and the aerial refueling tanker program, the Air Force's top three aviation priorities.

Documents obtained by Bloomberg indicate other programs that could be cut are the Northrop Grumman Corp. program to build new engines for E-8 Jstars reconnaissance aircraft, cutting the number of advanced Block 40 Global Hawk drones being built by Northrop Grumman to eight from about 22, and canceling the Joint Tactical Radio program, a communications system that Lockheed is building for the Air Force and Navy, which the Navy has also put up for cancellation.

FMI: www.af.mil