Congress reviews future Reserve equipment upgrades

Published Oct. 18, 2011
By Col. Bob Thompson
Air Force Reserve Public Affairs

WASHINGTON -- As Congress works on the fiscal year 2012 budget and to reduce federal debt, Army and Air Force Reserve and National Guard leaders were on Capitol Hill to testify and answer questions about their future funding on Oct. 12.

Chairman Roscoe Bartlett (R-Md.) and Ranking Member Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas), lead the House Armed Services Committee's Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee. They questioned the Reserve Component leaders about modernization and equipping strategies, new initiatives, program changes, and potential impacts on the U.S. industrial base.

"The National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account is our primary means of modernizing our force with the most cost-effective technologies out there," said Lt. Gen. Charles E. Stenner Jr., chief of Air Force Reserve at the Pentagon. "Since 1982, this money is vital to upgrading our combat equipment and aircraft. This funding has resulted in better targeting, self protection and communication capabilities in Afghanistan and Iraq combat operations."

Congress allocates this special account separately from the President's Budget Request and funded the Air Force Reserve equipment upgrades with $70 million last year.

The special funding was used to install the "Smart Multi-Function Color Display" in 15 Air Force Reserve combat search and rescue helicopters. This high-tech communication upgrade provides the aircrews with enhanced data links, situational awareness, and survivor information while airborne. The new system provides aircrews with critical information while enroute to rescue scenes resulting in reduced mission launch times, upgraded threat awareness, and reduced flight crew workload.

"In less than 20 months, 331 wounded warriors' lives were saved by the quicker response times and safer evacuations," said Stenner. "This is a direct result of equipment upgrades from this outstanding program."

The advantage of the National Guard and Reserve Equipment Account is that it uses off-the-shelf, commercially-available technology and products. This "ready now" capability greatly shortens the acquisition process and saves time and money. New ideas come from the troops in the field and the proposals get evaluated, validated and prioritized -resulting in equipment upgrades getting quickly to the combat zone, increasing mission success and saving lives.

Also, these equipment upgrades have enabled the Air Force Reserve support of Homeland Defense missions. The Air Force Reserve's 910th Airlift Wing at Youngstown-Warren Air Reserve Station, Ohio, has begun replacement of their unique aerial spray systems. This is the only unit within the Department of Defense with this special capability to control disease vectors, insect populations, and disperse oil spills. The unit responds to national disasters and emergencies such as the oil spill clean-up in the Gulf of Mexico.

"The goal of Air Force Reserve's modernization efforts is to ensure that all our combat aircraft and capabilities work interchangeable with our Regular Air Force and Air National Guard counterparts," said Stenner. "To meet future challenges, our equipment must be ready for combat operations in all theaters and any crisis or contingency at home or abroad."