F-16S WOULD BE REDUCED at Hill AFB, but Rep. Rob Bishop says new fighters should be in place first.
“The idea of replacing old planes is a good idea, if we had something with which to replace them,” said Rep. Rob Bishop, Monday morning.
He was referring to the Department of Defense budget rollout, announced last month “to retire legacy fighters to fund a smaller and more capable force and redistribute people to higher priority missions,” as it was stated in a U.S. Air Force press release. The Combat Air Forces Restructuring Plan would accelerate retirement of about 250 aircraft, including 134 F-16s.
“It’s too early to tell exact details of how we will implement what was announced Friday,” said Maj. Bernadette J. Dozier, 388th Fighter Wing Public Affairs.
A proposed increase of up to 87 civilian positions at Hill AFB is included in the 2010 Force Structure Announcement from the Air Force. However, 737 military jobs could be lost.
“Unlike the F-22 and missile defense programs, both of which hurt Utah and Utah jobs, as well as the defense of the country (with planned reductions), there was some analysis put into this one,” he said of Friday’s announcement.
“My premise was that we had to get smaller and cut overall spending,” Bishop said from his home in Brigham City. “I have no problem with the idea that we need to replace these aging planes. We’ve been needing to do that for a long time.
“I’m intent on replacing these planes when we receive new planes – not try to do this draw-down as a way of getting the money. It will take a few years to get replacements.”
He referred to what has happened with the F-22 program.
“That program started with a commitment to build 750. Now they’re talking about 187. That doesn’t give me a lot of hope they will replace those planes, even though that’s the goal. I’m not alone on that one (concern),” he said.
“That’s why we were successful (in delaying that implementation),” Bishop said. “There were a lot of people on the House Armed Services Committee, where we unanimously passed language to delay this draw down for at least a year, and give everyone the chance to discuss this premise for at least one more time.”
The process of cutting F-22 production could be stopped if the Senate would act quickly, he said. “The House has already passed this bill.
“The problem is Secretary Gates seems to be moving quickly before Congress has any chance to say anything. This is another case where we’re going to fight.
“It’s a two-fold problem. I don’t think this is good for the military defense of this country. They’re (F-16) old, but they have a function,” he said. “This places greater stress on existing planes. We’re not changing what the Air Force has to do, just allowing them less equipment to do it.
“For Utah, and Hill specifically, I’m very worried,” Bishop said. “There is always a net multiplier loss to the economy” in addition to direct job losses, he said.
“I’m also worried about the future,” he said, recalling how the 388th Fighter Wing and 419th Fighter Wing (reserves) were combined. “So far it has been very successful. But they’re using the same 72 planes (F-16s), and by taking 24 away, that’s reducing the number by one third.”
tbusselberg@davisclipper.com
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