Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2007

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE APPROPRIATIONS ACT, 2007 -- (Senate - September 07, 2006)

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Mr. REED. Mr. President, I rise to offer an amendment along with my colleague from Indiana, Senator Evan Bayh, which would provide an additional $65.4 million for the procurement of Predators for our special operations forces. The Predator is an unmanned aerial vehicle--or UAV, for short--used for armed reconnaissance, airborne surveillance, and target acquisition. It has become a critical asset in the war on terror. It is a small, remotely piloted aircraft that brings the battlefront to the military.

Through the use of cameras and other sensors, the Predator monitors, in real time, buildings or people. Because it is unmanned, it is ideal for use in areas that are inaccessible to the U.S. military such as areas where the airspace is unsecure, the terrain is unpassable, or the environment is contaminated by chemical or biological weapons. The Predator system's hardware consists of a small monoplane with sensors, a ground control station, and data communications system.

The special operations forces--the front line in our war on terror--rely on Predator surveillance as part of their work to capture and kill the terrorists targeting our troops and the Governments of Iraq and Afghanistan.

There has been a lot of discussion recently about the war on terror. This is actually one of the systems which has been most decisive in killing the terrorists. That is why I think we have to support additional funding for this antiterrorist system.

Right now, special operations forces depend upon Air Force assets, which are already in high demand, for Predator support. With more Predators, we can be more effective in going after and taking out the terrorists. According to the Defense News article entitled ``Inside the Zarqawi Takedown: Persistent Surveillance Helps End 3-Year Manhunt,'' the capture of the terrorist Abu Mus'Ab al-Zarqawi--the leader of al-Qaida in Iraq, notorious for his despicable conduct--was facilitated decisively by Predator surveillance provided to special operations forces.

The Quadrennial Defense Review recognized that special operators need dedicated UAV support and called for the establishment of a UAV squadron organic to special operations forces.

The QDR reads:

To achieve the future force characteristics for SOF--special operations forces--and to build on progress to date, the Department will: ..... establish a SOF unmanned aerial vehicle squadron to provide organic capabilities to locate and target enemy capabilities in denied or contested areas.

This special operations squadron would eventually provide coverage 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to assist the forces working to capture and kill terrorists in Iraq and Afghanistan. The objective, according to GEN Doug Brown, Commander of the Special Operations Command, SOCOM, is to establish an ``unblinking eye,'' which would help special operators targeting terrorists.

The President's budget request for fiscal year 2007 included funding sufficient to begin to build the squadron, including the purchase of eight UAVs.

On April 6, VADM Eric Olson, Deputy Commander of SOCOM, testified to the Armed Services Committee that the command did not have sufficient surveillance platforms. On April 27, Senator Bayh sent a letter to the Armed Services Committee expressing his intent to address this issue via legislation. Subsequently, the Appropriations Committee took action in the fiscal year 2006 supplemental and accelerated funding for this purpose. This funding would have allowed the initial operating capability to be achieved in 2007, rather than 2008, and for the squadron to be fully operational with 24 UAVs in 2010 instead of 2011.

I believe this acceleration would have been significantly contributing to the capability of our Special Operations Command. However, the acceleration was reversed by the Appropriations Committee just a few months later when it cut the funding for the UAV procurement for SOCOM--a cut to the Air Force aircraft procurement line.

According to the Special Operations Command, this cut ``would negate the effect of the FY2006 Supplemental, ..... causing Full Operation Capability to revert back to the original timeline. This delay will adversely affect AFSOC's urgent ongoing requirement to conduct persistent intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeting missions.''

The amendment Senator Bayh and I are offering would put the acceleration back on track by adding $65.4 million for six UAVs and associated equipment.

Just 2 weeks ago, during a trip to Afghanistan and Iraq, the Armed Services Committee staff was told by the special operations forces in both countries, who are working hard to track the terrorists targeting our troops and the Governments of Iraq and Afghanistan, that their No. 1 need is for Predator coverage. They need dedicated UAV support.

We have not captured Osama bin Laden yet, and unfortunately there are many more targets for the special operators to conduct reconnaissance, surveillance, and, we hope, preemption. There is no rationale for not accelerating the establishment of the UAV squadron.

SOCOM wants this, and they have stated such. They can execute this in the timeframe they have given the Congress. We need to increase the pressure on al-Qaida operatives in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as other terrorists attacking U.S. and coalition troops. These terrorists are threatening, each day, the success of our operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and the safety of our personnel.

If we really want to carry the fight to the terrorists, if we really want to individually and collectively go after and take out these terrorists, the Predator, according to our special operations forces, is a key ingredient in this effort. Rather than rhetoric about fighting the war on terrorism, let's give these special operators the tools to effectively fight and destroy terrorists wherever they may be.

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Mr. REED. Mr. President, this amendment that is offered by myself and Senator Bayh would add $64.7 million to continue an accelerated acquisition of Predator. These are unmanned aerial vehicles that are critical to our war on terror. They were instrumental in the detection and the ultimate destruction of Zarqawi and other terrorists. They are the chief tool of our special operations forces in terms of going after, seeking, finding, and destroying terrorists and terrorist networks.

There was a plan to accelerate the deployment of these UAVs. That plan was disrupted, if you will, because of decisions previously made. But I think today we can send a uniform and unanimous message that we need to acquire these six additional UAVs to create ultimately a squadron of UAVs for our special operations command. With these weapons systems, we can continue to deal effective and decisive blows against terrorists. I urge unanimous passage of this legislation adding $64.5 million. I commend Senator Bayh because he really was a leader in this effort in terms of drawing the attention of the committee to this shortfall in funding and requesting that it be added with this amendment.

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