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Texas Air National Guard Strategic Issues Brief. Brigadier General Ken Wisian Assistant Adjutant General of Texas Commander, Texas Air National Guard. Air National Guard Fleet Age & TXANG Aircraft Modernization and Recapitalization .
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Texas Air National Guard Strategic Issues Brief Brigadier General Ken Wisian Assistant Adjutant General of Texas Commander, Texas Air National Guard
Air National Guard Fleet Age &TXANG Aircraft Modernization and Recapitalization • The entire ANG fleet is older and aging faster than the active duty fleet • ANG is about 1/3 of the USAF combat power • Creeping obsolescence threatens viability of the Guard as an (operational) reserve and the very combat capability of the USAF • You cannot be a front-line force with second string equipment • This is not “concurrent and proportional” • Long history of the ANG having to “fend for itself” to stay a front-line force • 1991 Iraq war an example of being left behind due to old equipment (A-7s) • Litening targeting pod an example of ANG developing its own equipment (that active duty then adopted) • Congress has “forced” many of the ANG aircraft modernizations in the past
TXANG C-130s • TXANG C-130s are 30 years old • 5 of 8 Texas C-130s are on the list of the 65 oldest H-models facing imminent retirement • This retirement was part of the original PB-13 plan, now put on hold by Congress • New airlift aircraft have gone disproportionately to the active duty • C-130H - only 23% in AD • C-130J - 63% to AD • C-17 - 86% to AD! • C-130s face inability to fly in FAA airspace by 2020 without a significant avionics upgrade • AMP (Avionics Modernization Program) cancelled with no replacement identified yet Data from 2012 Air Force Almanac
TXANG F-16s • TXANG F-16s are of the oldest operational Block (30) still in the inventory (26 years old) • Need to program new aircraft (F-35) to stay relevant as a fighter pilot training unit • Our FTU (and the ANG FTUs in general) provide better trained aircrew, faster and at less cost than active duty FTUs • New aircraft have gone disproportionately to the Active Duty • A-10, F-15C and F-16C about equal between AD and ARC • F22 – 90% to AD! • Continued F-35 delays drive need for an F-16 SLEP* or buy of new (4.5 generation) F-16s • No plan in place to re-capitalize the unit • Last round of F-35 basing scoring was seriously flawed & under-rated the 149th FW Data from 2012 Air Force Almanac *Service Life Extension Program
TXANG RPAs • TXANG MQ-1 Predators are first generation RPAs* • Currently at the end of the line for MQ-9 second generation RPA • Our MQ-1s are only a few years old but facing obsolescence in this fastest changing area of military technology • As the need for RPAs decreases – this makes us vulnerable • New Aircraft have gone disproportionately to the Active Duty • 92% of MQ-9, 100% or RQ-4 • ANG share of the RPA mission: 15% • The 147 RW has been in surge since 2008 • Maximum surge scheduled to go down to “normal” surge this June (two years at Max) • Mob authority ends this Sep Data from 2012 Air Force Almanac * Remotely Piloted Aircraft
Cyber/Intel Growth • Texas is perfectly positioned for growth in the Cyber/Intel mission areas • Texas’ civil computer/internet workforce/ education/ industry is #2 in the US* • The ANG is the best way to tap the civil expertise out there and retain experience • DoD cannot compete with industry $$ for top talent • Consider a 5% (mostly officer) full-time model vs. 25% standard • ANG is the essential bridge between federal and local/business worlds • Austin will be the second city to get Google fiber – making it even more attractive to key civilian industries and workers • Manpower available right now to jump into new missions • 217th Intel Training Squadron slated to close 30 Sep! • The need for this “bill payer” is greatly reduced by the latest AF force structure plans • Infrastructure is ready • Demand signal is pegged • The only DoD “growth” area • Current force structure is skewed (similar to aircraft) • AD - 67% (100% of Group and higher structure is AD) • ANG – 24% • AFRES – 9% * http://www.texaswideopenforbusiness.com
Authorized ANG personnel versus State Population 96.1% 96.8% 99.8% 100.2% 95.1% 97.2% 95.7% Texas is only authorized 1.2 ANG personnel per 10,000 citizens 92.2% ANG Strength – Accessions Report, Dec 2012 Manning rates for larger states as of Dec 12 8