Bipartisan Measure Stands To Save Taxpayers $1.2 Billion

Press Release

The U.S. Senate today unanimously passed an amendment offered by U.S. Senator Kelly Ayotte (R-NH) that would allow the Air Force to reduce its strategic airlift aircraft inventory of C-5s and C-17s, an action that could save taxpayers over $1.2 billion over the next few years. Offered as an amendment to the Fiscal Year 2012 National Defense Authorization Act, the measure would reduce the strategic airlift aircraft floor from 316 to 301 aircraft; it is identical to the Strategic Airlift Force Structure Reform Act of 2011 (S. 1704) introduced by Senator Ayotte and fellow Armed Services Committee member Senator Jack Reed (D-RI). Senior Air Force officials have testified that the service would retire 15 C-5As, which is the oldest model of C-5 aircraft, in Fiscal Year 2012.

"We shouldn't be paying for aircraft that the Air Force has said it doesn't need. Reducing the aircraft floor is a commonsense step that will save over $1 billion while ensuring that our military continues to meet strategic airlift requirements," said Senator Ayotte. "Today's approval of my amendment is good news for taxpayers. I will continue to carefully scrutinize spending throughout the federal government, including the Pentagon, to find savings."

Current federal law sets the Air Force's minimum number of strategic airlift aircraft at 316, but officials say only approximately 300 aircraft are needed to meet strategic airlift capacity requirements. The Defense Department and the Air Force support the removal of the 316 minimum for the inventory, consistent with the President's Fiscal Year 2012 budget request.

During a meeting in Senator Ayotte's Capitol Hill office last week, Air Force Chief of Staff Norton Schwartz thanked her for her leadership and presented her with an Air Force seal as a token of appreciation. Senator Ayotte first raised the issue during a July Senate Armed Services Seapower Subcommittee hearing, during which top Pentagon officials testified that reducing the number of aircraft to approximately 300 would allow the Air Force to meet airlift requirements while saving over $1.2 billion and not increasing operational risk.

The Senate continues to debate the underlying National Defense Authorization Act.

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