[Senate Hearing 119-75, Part 3]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 119-75, Pt. 3
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
REQUEST FOR APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026
AND THE FUTURE YEARS DEFENSE PROGRAM
=======================================================================
HEARING
before the
COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
ON
S. 2296
TO AUTHORIZE APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026 FOR MILITARY
ACTIVITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, FOR MILITARY CONSTRUCTION,
AND FOR DEFENSE ACTIVITIES OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY, TO PRESCRIBE
MILITARY PERSONNEL STRENGTHS FOR SUCH FISCAL YEAR, AND FOR
OTHER PURPOSES
__________
PART 3
READINESS AND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT
__________
MARCH 5, 2025
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Armed Services
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available via: http://www.govinfo.gov
______
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
60-343 PDF WASHINGTON : 2025
COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi, Chairman
DEB FISCHER, Nebraska JACK REED, Rhode Island
TOM COTTON, Arkansas JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire
MIKE ROUNDS, South Dakota KIRSTEN E. GILLIBRAND, New York
JONI K. ERNST, Iowa RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska MAZIE K. HIRONO, Hawaii
KEVIN CRAMER, North Dakota TIM KAINE, Virginia
RICK SCOTT, Florida ANGUS S. KING, Jr., Maine
TOMMY TUBERVILLE, Alabama ELIZABETH WARREN, Massachusetts
MARKWAYNE MULLIN, Oklahoma GARY C. PETERS, Michigan
TED BUDD, North Carolina TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
ERIC SCHMITT, Missouri JACKY ROSEN, Nevada
JIM BANKS, Indiana MARK KELLY, Arizona
TIM SHEEHY, Montana ELISSA SLOTKIN, Michigan
John P. Keast, Staff Director
Elizabeth L. King, Minority Staff Director
______
Subcommittee on Readiness and Management Support
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska, Chairman
DEB FISCHER, Nebraska MAZIE K. HIRONO, Hawaii
KEVIN CRAMER, North Dakota JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire
RICK SCOTT, Florida TIM KAINE, Virginia
ERIC SCHMITT, Missouri ELIZABETH WARREN, Massachusetts
TIM SHEEHY, Montana TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
(ii)
C O N T E N T S
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march 5, 2025
Page
United States Transportation Command............................. 1
Member Statements
Statement of Senator Dan Sullivan................................ 1
Statement of Senator Mazie K. Hirono............................. 3
Witness Statements
Reed, General Randall, USAF, Commander, United States 4
Transportation Command.
Questions for the Record......................................... 42
(iii)
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
REQUEST FOR APPROPRIATIONS FOR FISCAL YEAR 2026
AND THE FUTURE YEARS DEFENSE PROGRAM
----------
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5, 2025
United States Senate,
Subcommittee on Readiness
and Management Support,
Committee on Armed Services,
Washington, DC.
UNITED STATES TRANSPORTATION COMMAND
The Committee met, pursuant to notice, at 2:31 p.m. in room
SD-106, Dirksen Senate Office Building, Senator Roger Wicker
(Chairman of the Committee) presiding.
Committee Members present: Senators Sullivan, Wicker,
Fischer, Scott, Hirono, Reed, Shaheen, Kaine, and Warren.
OPENING STATEMENT OF SENATOR DAN SULLIVAN
Senator Sullivan. This hearing will come to order. The
Readiness Subcommittee today meets to receive testimony on the
posture of the United States Transportation Command
(USTRANSCOM). I want to thank our witness this afternoon,
General Reed, for being here today. Sir, it was good meeting
with you earlier in the week.
I want to say upfront, TRANSCOM is a very, very important
combatant command. It's not the one that you always hear about,
but it's really critical to our military, our readiness, and
our ability to win wars, and our ability to project power, and
sustain our forces.
As a Senator from Alaska, I'm keenly aware of the unique
challenges and strategic opportunities our State presents in
the broader national security landscape, but we are also
operating in an area where logistics and sustainment are no
longer a given in any potential conflict.
What used to be an asterisk, or an incorrect assumption, or
what they call in the military ``fairy dusting'' away a
problem, on the Department of Defenses (DODs) part with regard
to sustained and contested logistics, has allowed our
adversaries, such as China and Russia, to actively develop
capabilities aimed at disrupting our mobility and sustainment
operations across multiple domains.
Currently, the theaters from the Indo-Pacific region, to
the Arctic, to the European Theater, and in the Middle East,
all present significant, unique challenges in military
contested logistics. Our military must ensure that pre-position
stockpiles, robust transportation networks, and harden
infrastructure are available to sustain forces in high-end
conflicts.
I'm particularly interested in how TRANSCOM is addressing
contested logistics through enhanced resiliency in sealift,
airlift, and overland transportation. I would also like to hear
your thoughts, General, on how we can better leverage
infrastructure, our ports, and airfields to strengthen our
power projection capabilities in both the Arctic and the Indo-
Pacific regions.
As the Air Force looks to the KC-46 and other next-
generation programs for its air refueling needs, we cannot
forget about the programs that are actually doing today's
missions. The KC-135 has been a cornerstone of the U.S. Air
Force's air mobility in refueling capabilities since the 1950s.
That's not an incorrect statement; since the 1950s. But it
needs advances in technology to evolve with military needs.
While this is not a budget hearing today, I hope, General
Reed, to hear about how TRANSCOM has informed the Air Force's
tanker strategy moving forward, especially in light of the long
delays in KC-46 deliveries, and recent reports about cracks in
certain components of the aircraft.
Air refueling tankers play a vital role in extending the
range and endurance of fighter aircraft bombers, surveillance
planes, enabling them to perform long-range missions without
relying on forward operating basis. They're crucial to
America's Fight Tonight mandate, and as we talked about
earlier, General, this morning, they're actually very crucial
in my home State of Alaska where Russian and Chinese incursions
over the last year have spiked.
The men and women who fly these intercept missions from
Alaska do nearly 2,000-mile round trips to intercept Russian
and Chinese strategic bombers, and they, of course, rely
heavily on TRANSCOM tankers to get them to the intercept and to
get them home safely.
We also want to hear about the challenges with regard to
shipbuilding and military sealift command, which is another
element of what TRANSCOM does and does so well. Modernization
of our sealift capacity must be a top priority if we are to
maintain our ability to surge forces anywhere in the world in a
crisis.
The recently initiated tanker security program is a natural
progression, but broader efforts are needed to ensure that we
do not face a mobility crisis in the coming decade. I'm
particularly interested in hearing about the status of sealift
recapitalization efforts, including any challenges TRANSCOM is
encountering so that when the fiscal year 2026 budget is
released, we can followup to see if funding support is needed
to accelerate modernization efforts.
The well-being of our troops and their families is,
obviously, a top priority of this Committee. We must ensure
that the different changes that we've seen in the Global
Household Goods Contract (GHC) challenges are made in a way
that provides seamless transitions during Permanent Change of
Station moves. General Reed, I look forward to getting an
update on this program in light of the challenges.
Finally, I want to thank the men and women of USTRANSCOM
for the critical work they do every day to sustain our military
forces and project power globally. Again, this is an incredible
combatant command that not enough Americans know about,
understand, and appreciate, and this hearing is, in part, to
help change that.
With that, I want to recognize Ranking Member, Senator
Hirono for her opening remarks.
STATEMENT OF SENATOR MAZIE K. HIRONO
Senator Hirono. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. General
Reed, it's good to see you. Thank you very much for your
service.
Senator Sullivan, it's good to continue our work on this
Subcommittee, this time, you as chair and me as ranking. So, we
will continue our efforts together.
General Reed, thank you for your service to our Nation, and
I thank the servicemembers under your command around the globe
conducting missions even as we speak. TRANSCOM plays a critical
role in the movement of people, supplies, and equipment
anywhere in the world. Your command remains the backbone of our
military to ensure the joint force remains agile and
responsive.
However, as the landscape for logistics continues to
evolve, we must adapt to the new reality and full spectrum of
emerging threats ranging from cyberattacks to kinetic strikes
on ports and airfields. We need to recognize that contested
logistics will be a battlefield in itself.
Fortunately, the Air Force is currently taking steps to
modernize its aerial refueling fleet, shifting toward a new
tanker design that can operate in contested environments. The
Blended Wing Body (BWB), aircraft is a promising solution
offering 90 percent more range, upwards of 50 percent more fuel
efficiency, 80 percent more fuel offboard capability for sortie
generations, takes up to 40 percent less space on airfields,
flies 2,000 feet higher, and requires less landing and a
takeoff distance. All I can say is, wow, and very impressive.
We have to make it happen.
Beyond these critical benefits, the blended wing body
design would save at least $900 million per year on fuel. $900
million. In the short-term, 3D-printed microveins on transport
aircraft reduced drag, pay for itself in just 7 months, and
yield a few percentages on fuel as well.
While that may not sound like much at first glance, the DOD
spends over $10 billion each year on operational energy costs.
To be clear, investing in operational energy programs is not
just about cost savings. It directly enhances our lethality,
readiness, and ability to sustain operations in the Indo-
Pacific and beyond.
Unfortunately, the TRANSCOM assets have been recently used
in a very inefficient manner and at great cost to the
Department of Defense, all for, in my view, political show. The
use of C-17s and C-130's to transport some 5,000 migrants at
three times the cost of Department of Homeland Security (DHS)-
chartered flights, and the DOD electing to do so on a non-
reimbursable basis is not only inefficient, but also detracts
from our core military mission.
Just last year, the Department of Homeland Security removed
over 685,000 individuals without DOD assistance. The largest
amount of people since 2011, obviously, during the Biden years
that the DHS managed to do this. Yet, the DOD has opted to fly
at least three times through India, each trip costing taxpayers
over $2.5 million, and at least one of which tasked a refueling
tanker to fly from New Jersey to Honolulu only to return the
next day.
Beyond the questionable legal basis under which this is
occurring, I want to know who is making the decision to fly in
such an inefficient and costly manner. There was a time when my
Republican counterparts would object to DOD writing a blank
check to do the job of another government agency. TRANSCOM must
remain focused on strategic mobility and not burdened with
missions that are outside its intended purpose.
TRANSCOM would be far better off returning to its rightful
focus on contested logistics because energy security remains a
critical challenge. Our forces in the Indo-Pacific rely on
vulnerable fuel shipments. In the event of conflict, these fuel
supply lines would be prime targets for our adversaries. A more
resilient energy strategy. incorporating distributed energy
assets and more efficient technologies is essential for
maintaining operational effectiveness.
TRANSCOM is a key pillar of our national security, but we
must ensure that it remains focused on its core mission,
whether by modernizing our tanker fleet or strengthening
contested logistic capabilities. We must make the right
investments and policy decisions. So, General Reed, again, I
thank you for your leadership. I look forward to your testimony
Senator Sullivan. Thank you, Senator Hirono. I see that we
have the Ranking Member of the entire Committee, the former
Chairman of the Armed Services Committee here with us, my good
friend, Senator Jack Reed. Senator Reed, would you wish to say
a few opening comments?
Senator Reed. Mr. Chairman, thank you for your hospitality,
but I would just wait for my questions.
Senator Sullivan. Great.
Senator Reed. Thank you very much.
Senator Sullivan. Okay. Thank you. General Reed, the floor
is yours, and a longer written statement we can make sure it
gets submitted for the record.
STATEMENT OF GENERAL RANDALL REED, USAF, COMMANDER, UNITED
STATES TRANSPORTATION COMMAND
General Reed. Chairman Sullivan, Ranking Member Hirono,
distinguished members of the subcommittee, good afternoon. I am
honored to join you today with my lovely bride, Len, and Senior
Enlisted Leader, Chief Master Sergeant Brian Kruzelnick, to
represent the men and women of the United States Transportation
Command.
A warfighting command, we project, maneuver, and sustain
the joint force anytime, anywhere in support of our national
objectives. Our warfighting elements consist of three service
component commands, military surface deployment, and
distribution command, military sealift command, air mobility
command, and our direct subordinate, the joint enabling
capabilities command. Beyond our core military units,
USTRANSCOM maintain strong partnerships with the commercial
transportation industry, our fourth component, to fully execute
our unified command plan tasks.
Today's security environment presents numerous complex
challenges to force projection and logistics as adversaries
actively seek to disrupt, degrade, and deny our transportation
networks, especially within the homeland. With 85 percent of
U.S. combat power residing within the continental United
States, resilient transportation networks fortified against
malicious cyberattacks, now prioritize the crucial fort-to-port
transportation segment.
Even after overcoming initial deployment disruptions, we
must continuously enhance our materiel capabilities to maintain
a decisive advantage. Decisive advantage demands a modernized
and connected sealift, airlift and air refueling fleet. By
2032, 54 percent of our government-owned sealift ships will
reach the end of their service life. To support our maritime
industrial base and protect a healthy pool of qualified crews
to crew the vessels, we need fully-funded maritime security
program, tanker security program, the Jones Act, and adherence
to cargo preference laws.
The start of a recapitalization plan is due for our airlift
fleet. Because of the long lead time for platform development,
we welcome the service-led recapitalization plans of the air
refueling fleet, which must continue uninterrupted into the
future. Even after the Air Force accepts the final contracted
KC-46, the average age of the remaining KC-135 fleet will be 67
years old.
Finally, we remain committed to the ongoing transformation
of the Global Household goods program. Moving is an integral
part of our life, and while most of us relocate every two to 3
years, and learn better ways of doing it every time we move, it
is always challenging. The department began transitioning to
the Global Household Goods Contract (GHC), in April 2024, with
the goal of providing an improved moving experience for
servicemembers and their families. This transformation is a
monumental task and reaches into every aspect of a
servicemember's relocation.
Because GHC is reshaping how we move servicemembers, their
families, and their memories, we remain in close collaboration
with the services to identify and then take action to resolve
issues. Because we are centered on servicemembers and families,
just this past week, we made an adjustment to the transfer rate
to the prime contractor, and while it has not been an easy
path, there have been issues. There should be no doubt we will
see this through.
These challenges may sound daunting, however, USTRANSCOM
has the global transportation awareness and authorities to
address them, and I will be clear, that I have no doubt that
our professionals will overcome any disruption. We are
emboldened by our guiding principles to be ready, united, and
decisive.
USTRANSCOM was created as a purpose-built force to provide
the essential surface, ocean, and airlift capacity to project
and sustain American military power anywhere in the world at
any time. Thank you for your continued and unwavering support
for our mission and our people.
I welcome your questions, and together, we deliver.
[The prepared statement of General Randall Reed follows:]
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Senator Sullivan. Thank you, General, and thank you, again,
to you, and the men and women at USTRANSCOM for the exceptional
work that they do. I'm going to yield my first round of
questioning to my colleague, Senator Fischer, and then we'll go
in the regular order here. Senator Hirono will be next.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, Senator Sullivan, and thank you
for your courtesy in letting me go ahead. Welcome, General
Reed.
During your confirmation hearing, you described how you
intended to sharpen TRANSCOM's contribution to the lethal joint
force. This includes a ready tanker fleet that is able to
support both contingencies around the world, and U.S. Strategic
Command (STRATCOM), and also U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM)
missions that we have here in the Homeland.
As the B-21 bomber enter service, which will modernize
increase and increase our bomber fleet, we must also ensure
that we have an adequate tanker fleet to support this platform
and the important missions it will perform. I understand that
the Air Force will make the ultimate decision on its tanker
acquisition strategy, but I'd like to better understand how
TRANSCOM is working with the Air Force to communicate its
requirements.
Are you expressing your needs to the Air Force on what you
need to support a nuclear bomber force so that it remains
effective and a credible deterrent globally?
General Reed. Yes, Senator. Just within the last month, my
staff and I took a trip to USTRANSCOM, and we sat down with the
commander there and his staff to hold warfighter talks.
During that time, we described what it is that he's called
to do so that we can more efficiently and effectively
understand how we need to be there with him. During that same
time, we got a really deep understanding in terms of how they
plan to employ their new aircraft, and that will drive a
slightly different way in which we are to support them, which
actually means that it's going to be a little bit higher
requirement specifically in the field transfer.
As a result, he and I are both working together to go to
the service to explain to them what's required and what's
expected in order for us to work together to get that done.
Senator Fischer. If there's anything we can do on this
committee to help you with that endeavor, please let me know.
General Reed. Yes, Senator. Thank you.
Senator Fischer. Thank you. General Reed, it is clear that
in a great power conflict, the U.S. would be unlikely to
achieve the level of air or sea superiority that it achieved in
recent wars. This means that ships and aircraft that will be
part of any sealift or airlift effort must be prepared to
operate in a contested environment with the assumption that
they will be targeted in various ways to prevent material from
reaching its destination.
I appreciated our discussion on this topic during your
confirmation hearing, and in our meeting we had in the
Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF) last week.
Since you've taken command, what steps have you taken to better
prepare TRANSCOM to perform strategic lift in a contested
environment?
General Reed. Senator, one of the things that I've done is
I've made travels around the world to talk to my peers. I've
looked at the world as they see it. I've looked at the threats
as they see it. I've also made sure that our staffs are working
closer together in the planning aspect, which is actually
carrying over into how we exercise together.
So, with that being said, we have a much better
understanding of what the adversaries are likely to do, how
they would fight, what they're most likely to do. With that
being said, we adapt that to the plans, evaluate how that would
change the force, look to see what kind of options we have
left, and then what we can decide to do from that point on. So,
it's a very robust way ahead, ma'am.
Senator Fischer. As you know, our sealift assets are
important to ensuring that our forces and material arrive on
time, in enough time to rapidly execute their mission.
Unfortunately, over the years, an integral part of our sealift
fleet, the Ready Reserve Force has suffered from a reduction in
capacity and readiness as a result of the aging vessels and the
underinvestment.
Given this situation, can you provide an update on the
recapitalization of the Ready Reserve fleet, and how you are
working with The Maritime Administration (MARAD) to increase
capability and capacity in that regard?
General Reed. Together, we're working to get ships in any
way that we absolutely can. The address last night by the
Commander in Chief, stated that sealift is absolutely something
that we need to do. He intends to make sure that we can return
to the seas, so we need to both build here and we actually need
to buy used.
Senator Fischer. Could you repeat your last sentence,
please?
General Reed. Yes, ma'am. We need to build new and we need
to buy used.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, sir.
Senator Sullivan. Thank you, Senator Fischer. Senator
Hirono.
Senator Hirono. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
General Reed, a next-generation tanker, and I mentioned
this in my opening statement, in the form of a Blended Wing
Body aircraft would save between 30 to 50 percent in fuel,
which would be invaluable to operations in the Indo-Pacific in
terms of extended range sortie generation and reducing
contested logistics vulnerabilities.
As a pilot who has flow of more than 3,500 hours in various
types of transport aircraft, how important is it for the Air
Force to continue investing in the Blended Wing Body and other
operational energy programs, and do you think they have
benefits that increase lethality and readiness?
General Reed. Senator, we are actively advocating for any
and all technology that can make sure that we can use the least
amount of fuel possible, that our aircraft can go as long as
possible and they can stay aloft as long as they as they can.
As we have been looking at what's possible in order to
operate, some of the criteria that we also look at, as you
mentioned in your statement, is how long or how short of a
runway can we operate on and balance that with how much fuel we
can carry. Then how far we can go. When it comes to force
projection and sustainment of the force, the more fuel
efficient an aircraft is, then the more effective we'll be and
also the more options we will have.
Senator Hirono. So, all of you are open to other
developments that would save you fuel, et cetera, but would the
Blended Wing Body development be one of those important
modernizations that you would you hope will come about?
General Reed. Ma'am, it's a very promising technology, and
if it's something we can get and something we can use. I will
absolutely take it. The other thing that we consider is that at
some point, the commercial world will most likely catch up with
this. When they're able to produce it, we will already have
done the work to make sure that we can use it as well.
Senator Hirono. I mentioned in my opening that just the
consternation with the use of your assets to transport,
frankly, just the very few migrants at a cost in the instance
that I mentioned of $2.5 million to move only about 100
migrants to India. Contrast with the prior administration, it
was 685,000 people were removed through Homeland Security's own
programs.
So, I wanted to know, because this is very out of
proportion in my view, to what should be undertaking by
TRANSCOM. So, who makes the decision to fly in this inefficient
manner using your assets?
General Reed. The Department of Homeland Security is the
lead agency for this in that the Department of Defense is
supporting them. The lead combatant command within our
department is NORTHCOM, and we work with them to receive the
task to actually fly sorties.
Senator Hirono. So, you are saying that you did not make
this decision to use your assets to fly 100 people to India?
General Reed. No, ma'am, I did not.
Senator Hirono. Are you going to be tasked to do more of
this kind of transport?
General Reed. Ma'am, if I get the task, I'll absolutely fly
it.
Senator Hirono. But do you have some sort of an
understanding already of what the expectations are and these
are all non-reimbursable to you events?
General Reed. Ma'am, in a few conversations that I've had,
I am to expect maybe more flights. I will tell you that within
the last 48 hours, we have not flown any.
Senator Hirono. I think that it is really important for me,
at least as the ranking person on this committee, that we
express our concern to you that this would not be the kind of
use of your assets that we should contemplate. Since you are
not the person to make that decision, that there are no
guarantees that that this use of your assets will not continue.
So, if you are given this decision to transport more
people, I would like this committee to be informed of that. As
of now, that's what you're telling me, you have no idea whether
you'll be tasked to conduct this kind of mission in a way that
I think it's not part of your mission. So, will you let this
committee know if you begin to use your assets for these kinds
of transport?
General Reed. Yes, I will.
Senator Hirono. Thank you. So, you did mention that you
have an aging fleet and there is the possibility of you
purchasing used ships from other countries, and I think we put
a limit on what you can do there. For the long-term, obviously,
I think we need to create a capability for shipbuilding because
you have an aging fleet. But for the short-term, what would be
helpful to you?
General Reed. In the short-term, we would need maximum
flexibility to buy used foreign ships on the commercial market,
obtain those ships, refurb them here in the States, and then
put those ships to sea.
Senator Hirono. Well, Mr. Chairman, if you don't mind, we
put a limit on the number of these kinds of ships. So, I'm
asking whether in the short-term, how many more ships would you
like to be authorized to buy from foreign sources?
General Reed. Yes, I would--I am asking for the limit to be
raised beyond 10 to allow us to actually shop the market.
Currently, there are 10 ships available for us to pursue.
Senator Hirono. Are you asking for authorization to buy 10
more?
General Reed. I'm asking authorization to buy 10 more.
Senator Hirono. Well, good luck with that. No, that was--
forget I said that. I mean, we want you to be able to do your
job. Just one more thing. You mentioned the Jones Act. Are
people who, sometimes, do not understand the importance of the
Jones Act. Can you very briefly tell us why the Jones Act is
important to TRANSCOM and to national security?
General Reed. The Jones Act allows us to actually have
shipping resources here and a fleet, and so, because of that
Act, we actually have a way to make sure that we can build
ships here in the United States, that we can sail those ships
to maintain commerce, that we can actually produce the crews
that actually sail those ships so that we have a core of folks
that can actually operate. At the same time, if the Nation
needs folks to go to sea, we can call on that force to actually
sail, and there are citizens, and then we will be more secure
in that way.
Senator Hirono. Yes. One aspect of the Jones Act that's
very important is that you can work with the commercial
shippers, private sector ships. Isn't that correct?
General Reed. That that's correct, ma'am.
Senator Hirono. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman for your
indulgence.
Senator Sullivan. Thank you, Senator Hirono.
General, I'm going to ask my round of questions now. Let me
just followup on a couple of questions. Senator Hirono asked.
For the going above the 10-ship cap. Does that require--is
there a waiver authority that we can grant, that can be granted
by someone in DOD, or does that require a change in
legislation?
General Reed. Chairman, that's a change in the National
Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), and so, if we can get that
changed, ideally what we would need to recap the fleet are four
ships a year. If they're available on the market, we would
pursue that. At a minimum, we would need two a year.
Senator Sullivan. Let me ask, 2 years ago, your predecessor
told us that by 2023, 37 of the 50 Government-owned surge
sealift ships will approach the end of their service life.
Military Sealift Command (MSC) and the Navy announced in
November that it would sideline 17 ships from the MSC to ease
the stress of civilian mariners. These ships, obviously, play a
very important role like oilers, hospital ships, cable layers.
Can you walk us through the current TRANSCOM plan, General,
for increasing and manning maintenance programs for the MSC
vessels so they are not left sidelined in the long term?
General Reed. Chairman, on the Navy side, the MSC commander
with his Navy hat made that decision mainly for the welfare of
the crews, and so, the problem is that
Senator Sullivan. He knows there are civilian mariner
crews?
General Reed. That's correct, and so, the challenge there
is that with the number of ships and the shortfall of the
crews, it was very hard to manage the crews in a way that was
sustainable. So, he did that separate from that for under the
Department of Transportation and the Maritime Administration.
What we're seeking to do there is for the civilian crews
that we have there, these are merchant mariners in the
commercial fleet that when called, come to sail with us and
support our needs, what we would like to do for them is to
build new ships, if we can, and to buy younger used ships so
that they have much better equipment. In that same way, when
they have the better equipment, then they're more likely to
stay with us, and that is our way to make sure that we can
sustain that force.
Senator Sullivan. Okay. Thank you. We've recently seen a
number of incidents in the Taiwan Strait and the Baltic Sea
whereby undersea cables were damaged or destroyed by ships with
connections to Russia and China. Can you talk specifically
about the current condition of our cable layers, and whether or
not you think we are ready to respond to the types of attacks
we may see in any kind of conflict? Or heck, the Russians and
Chinese are doing it in nonconflict situations that relate to
our undersea cables. By the way, I know you know this, General,
nearly 95 percent of the world's internet traffic goes through
these cables.
General Reed. Chairman, those are specialty ships that we
have. We don't have very many of them. They are old. The ships
that crew them those ships are very capable. Those are also
ships that we actually need to make sure that they're younger,
that they're faster, and that they're more reliable as well.
Senator Sullivan. Do we have any ships online that you see
coming into the fleet that are those kinds of ships you just
described?
General Reed. Chairman, I do not.
Senator Sullivan. Let me ask about another challenge that
you highlighted, and Senator Fischer already mentioned. Can you
walk me through the kind of broader readiness concerns that you
have with the KC-135 and KC-46 tankers? I know this is a top
priority, so how you integrate them, how you use one set, which
is, as you mentioned, up to 70 years old, and then the incoming
one that's been plagued with problems. I think Boeing really
needs to get its act together on this. What's your sense of how
we're integrating that in your strategic plan?
General Reed. Chairman, the KC-135 is a fantastic airplane.
I was qualified in it once, and it's gotten me around the world
and back. It needs to consistently be looked at to improve, to
update. Over the years, we've increased the electronics in it.
Years back, we improved the propulsion systems. But as we go
forward, what's the most important for that is that it gets
connected to the joint force. Connectivity is king for that
aircraft as it goes forward. If it's not connected, it's not as
survivable as it should be.
The KC-46 is a great airplane as well. I've had the fortune
to fly it. There are some things that the manufacturer needs to
fix, but when that airplane works, it works in fine fashion. It
is an airplane that, I think, that they are going to fix. We
need to stick with it and we need to keep going.
Senator Sullivan. Thank you, General. Senator Reed.
Senator Reed. Well, thank you very much, Mr. Chairman, and
welcome, General Reed. I must say that's quite an impressive
name you have, but I'm very impressed.
Senator Sullivan. No relation, I assume?
Senator Reed. We are related in an emotional way.
[Laughter.]
Senator Reed. We're both committed. He's much more
committed than I.
General Reed, TRANSCOM relies heavily on commercial
aircraft in peace time, and also depends on commercial aircraft
who participate in the Civil Reserve Air Fleet craft for
wartime needs. Craft participants are always concerned about
how much cargo capacity TRANSCOM will purchase from them.
First, are you taking action to rely more heavily on craft
fleet in peace time?
General Reed. Senator, we do have access to those aircraft,
which most important to note is that craft, if we were to
activate it, would be in case of wartime or a severe crisis. In
return of those aircraft being in the craft program, we do use
them and they are able to operate with us.
But what's most important is, when we have the need for
something beyond what we have in the gray hole, they make
themselves available in this way. We can keep them ready and
trained to operate with us. In this way also, for the organic
craft that we have, we can use them for higher priority
sorties.
Senator Reed. Now, there's been some discussion about the
transportation of detainees and others. Have you considered
using craft participants rather than military aircraft to move
these people?
General Reed. Senator, right now, we have authorization to
fly these sorties in support of the Department of Homeland
Security on a non-reimbursable structure. So, as such, I'm not
able to use craft.
Senator Reed. So, DOD is paying for this movement of
detainees?
General Reed. That's correct, Senator.
Senator Reed. As I mentioned in our meeting, I heard that
the Air Force personnel on these aircraft were not wearing name
tags or unit symbol. Is that accurate, and what can be done
about that?
General Reed. That is accurate, Senator. If you don't mind,
I'd like to discuss that in a separate session.
Senator Reed. That's quite all right, sir. I appreciate
that. Thank you.
We've talked a lot about contested logistics here. What
requirements are you trying to levy on the system to get the
services to pay greater attention on operating the logistics
system and contested areas, the requirements you're asking for.
Can you briefly describe those?
General Reed. One of the clearest ways that we're doing
that is in our new role for global bulk fuel management and
delivery. As we do fuel assessments, we are doing fuel
assessments with our fellow combatant commands. We did an
initial one with INDOPACOM. We learned some lessons in that
one. We next took the assessment to U.S. Central Command
(CENTCOM).
As part of that, when we look at where the fuel should be,
how it should be set up, what the infrastructure is, and how to
meet the needs, we also run a contested logistics scenario on
it. Then once we do that, that allows us insight into what's
required from the theater as well.
Senator Reed. General, we all recognize the importance of
cyber. In fact, it's more important, it seems, every moment.
The issue of cyber seems to be particularly challenging when it
comes to our civilian aircraft, the craft aircraft. Could you
tell us what you're trying to do to enhance their cybersecurity
and their ability to communicate with Air Force aircraft?
General Reed. The cyber domain is very problematic,
especially for USTRANSCOM. Because as stated before, most of
our capability actually resides in the commercial realm. So,
their networks are not within ours and they're not as protected
as ours. Fortunately, we have a lot of help with law
enforcement, also cyber command, and also with the U.S. Coast
Guard, to make sure that we can share information, we can
collaborate both for aircraft and for sealift.
Senator Reed. Thank you very much. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Senaror Sullivan: Thank you, Senator Reed. Senator Scott.
Senator Scott. Thank you. Thank you, Chairman. General
Reed, thanks for your service. I appreciate the opportunity to
sit down with you. Thank you for your service, your family's
service, everything. Everything you do. Go Navy.
It's my understanding that the Department of Defense is now
moving servicemembers and their families under new Global
Household Goods contract. With peak moving season just around
the corner, can you share some of the feedback you've received
on implementing the contract? Can you explain the Army's
decision to pause moves under this program that do not have
enough lead time?
General Reed. Senator, first and foremost, the reason for
the contract is to correct past performance that wasn't as
strong as it should be to get after years of frustration from
those of us who move. Also, years of frustration from
yourselves to help us to try to fix it.
In this transition, what we are actually doing is we are
having a transformation within a market that still exists. With
this transformation, we actually have a structure, both IT and
with rule structure, that actually allows us to see more what's
happening in the market, to monitor trends that are positive,
monitor trends that are not so much so, and actually have the
tools to actually do something about it.
We are about 2 years into what is actually a 10-year
contract, if you will, base contract of 6 years with four 1-
year options. So, we're fairly new at this. There are some
performance issues. We are able to see those, and we're
actually able to do something about that.
With regards to the comment about what the Army has done,
the Army has not paused their participation in the contract.
What we're doing instead is we, in conjunction with the
services, are monitoring the rate of the transfer to the
contract because this is not about the vendor, it's not about
the program, it's about those who move. So, as we support those
who move, we will match them up for success as we help the
transformation mature.
Senator Scott. So, you've got enough capacity to do the
moves? Because I guess the summer's your biggest moves, is that
right, just based on school years?
General Reed. Summer is the peak season, and usually during
that time, both combined Continental United States (CONUS) and
Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS), it's about
300,000 moves, although we are not putting OCONUS moves out
just yet. But with that, we have moves that are still in the
contract piece and there are still moves that are in the
current system as well.
Senator Scott. What's happening with the international
move. Is that being impacted at all?
General Reed. Not at all. That's designed to come at a much
later date once we solve this piece here.
Senator Scott. Okay. Our Ready Reserve Force program plays
a critical role in making--you know, our ability to deliver
equipment and critical supplies. With about 20 of those, we got
20 of the ships that are over 50 years old. Do you have any
concerns about the military's ability to keep up?
General Reed. I do. These ships are really, really old. The
reliability of them sometimes are in question because of that.
I take my hat off to the crews that are actually on them to
keep them warm. But to give an idea of the State of the ships,
some of these ships are still run by steam. The last time that
I was on a steam ship, I was a high schooler in Navy Junior
Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC). So, the sailors that we
actually put on these ships and the crews that we put on these
ships, they deserve something younger.
Senator Scott. So, do you think if we had a conflict in the
Asia Pacific, do you think you could perform?
General Reed. We could perform. We would have some
challenges with that. We would struggle, but we would not
perform to the level that I would like to.
Senator Scott. Okay. Thank you, General. Thank you,
Chairman.
Senator Sullivan. Thank you, Senator Scott. Senator
Shaheen.
Senator Shaheen. Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman. I'm happy
to defer to our chairman of----
Thank you, General Reed, for being here and for taking time
to meet with me before this hearing. As we discussed in that
office meeting, New Hampshire's home to the 157th Air Refueling
Wing. It's the only KC-46 wing in the country to reach an
initial operating capacity. Had to get that in.
But you referenced this in your previous statements that
TRANSCOM has assessed that the aerial refueling fleet of KC-
135s and KC-46s would be subject to considerable stress during
wartime. As you're looking at what this new Administration is
talking about with respect to funding cuts in the defense
budget, is the KC-46 program exempt from those funding cuts?
General Reed. Senator, in this case, I would have to defer
to the Air Force for that. But I have spoken to the service,
and I've let them know that I am concerned in terms of the
choices that they have to make. We absolutely have to have
those aircraft fully supported and funded. Whatever I can do to
help the service, I'll certainly do that.
Senator Shaheen. Well, thank you. I agree with that. As we
discussed, again, in that meeting, the ongoing logistic
composite model, which I know the chairman of the subcommittee
understands well because it's been an issue in Alaska. But
they're doing the study right now, Pease is, and it's the
result of the Air National Guard's Releveling initiative, which
under the current projections, would reduce the 157th's ability
to support TRANSCOM by 22 percent. Would that have an impact on
your needs should you need to use that 157th for a refueling
mission?
General Reed. Senator, in this case, I'd have to defer to
the service in terms of what they see as the outcomes for that.
However, that being said, being familiar with that model, I
know that they're going to take a very good look at not only
the aircraft itself which will change how folks work on it, but
they'll also look at how we use that aircraft in the unit that
it's associated with.
So, the fact that it's in a Reserve component is another
aspect of actually looking at how folks will work the tasks.
That should get looked at when they worked that study, and I'll
wait to see how that study concludes.
Senator Shaheen. Well, thank you. I appreciate that, and I
know that you're looking for opportunities to come up to Pease
to see firsthand how the 157th is operating and how they're
working with the KC-46. So, I look forward to welcoming you
there sometime in the near future.
General Reed. If I may add. Yes, your unit was the first
one, KC-46 that we employed. They went to CENTCOM, and they did
a fantastic job. So, thank you so much for that.
Senator Shaheen. Thank you. We will definitely make sure
that the 157th knows that you said that. I appreciate that. We
also discussed your desire to increase TRANSCOM's sealift
capacity. It's something that you've already referenced here,
and to increase the 10-ship limit on the buy used.
Again, I know that you are not the person who's going to
decide about the 8 percent cuts that are being projected at the
Department of Defense, but if you had to cut 8 percent out of
your sealift capacity, what would that mean for your ability to
address the mission that you're charged with
General Reed. In our pursuit to buy used on the market,
that would limit the flexibility that we would have to actually
shop the market and find the ships that we need and get them at
a suitable price.
Senator Shaheen. So, as you're thinking about--you have the
capacity to do 10 ships this year, is that correct, under the
NDAA and hopefully we can get another 10 ships. So, what are
you hoping to get within the next--this year in terms of that
additional sealift capacity
General Reed. This year, the most immediate need would be
to make sure that we can have on the order of about $210
million. That would allow us to secure two ships on the market,
make sure that we could get them into a shipyard, and then
reflag them within about 9 to 14 months.
Senator Shaheen. How concerned are you about having the
civilian workforce that it's going to operate those ships?
General Reed. Right now, we have the workforce. My main
concern is making sure that I have a young, reliable ship to
keep the workforce.
Senator Shaheen. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Sullivan. Thank you, Senator Shaheen. It's good to
know the 157th is up and running with the--I didn't know the
KC-46 had a full squadron. So, that's great.
Senator Shaheen. Oh, we'd love to have you come and visit.
Senator Sullivan. I would love to see it. That's great
news. We want them all over the country. We are honored to have
our Chairman of the full Committee, Senator Wicker. Mr.
Chairman, the floor is yours.
Chairman Wicker. Yes. We don't need to be cutting the KC-46
program. Now, let's see. I don't know if contested logistics
has been asked in this regard, but there's been conversation
about coalescing around a single manager for contested
logistics.
So, let's talk about that. Is it time to look for a single
manager for contested logistics, and might TRANSCOM be where
that role might be assigned. If the balloon goes up? Do you
think the department currently has a joint contested logistics
strategy in place that would be successful?
General Reed. When faced with a conflict, we figure it out,
Senator. So, whether or not we could get the job done or not,
we'll get the job done. But to your question, in terms of
having a structure and someone who can lead that way prior to a
conflict, I am aware of the deep discussions. We've had some of
those, and it is time to look at some aspect of that.
Chairman Wicker. Can you give us your best advice here?
General Reed. Senator, my best advice is to allow me to
look at that, and structure that, figure out how best TRANSCOM
can contribute to that with the current authorities that we
already have. It's aligned in a good way, and I think there's a
way forward.
Chairman Wicker. Okay. More later on that. The Red Hill
facility has been closed. It amplifies the logistical
challenges in the Indo-Pacific. I think you'll agree. What
about levering existing U.S.-flagged platform supply vessels to
enhance military sustainment capabilities in the region?
My understanding is that there are at least 13 at sea
resupply ships afloat and ashore near this environment. What do
you think about that?
General Reed. If I understand your question, you're asking
how do we work fuel in the theater, whether it's ashore or
afloat. That is one of the things that we look at in TRANSCOM.
When it comes to the ships to actually do that, we are
looking to the employment strategy of the theater commander in
terms of how he would want to move the fuel around, to look at
where that fuel needs to be. When it comes to some of the
vessels that we would use for that, I understand that that
there is a class of ship that has been mentioned to me that's
built here in the states. That shallow draft vessel has some
potential, perhaps, in the dry cargo arena, but not necessarily
for fuels because the tanks that it has is only a single layer.
Chairman Wicker. Okay. So, right now, where would you say
the plans are? Is it just some--I think you said you're looking
at it. You don't specifically have plans yet to leverage those
platforms?
General Reed. We do not, Chairman, have plans to leverage
those particular ships.
Chairman Wicker. Okay, and then, one other thing; on
unfunded requirements. You said during your confirmation you'd
be a fierce advocate to get all the equipment that our folks
needed. Do we still have your commitment that you are going to
give us a complete list of what you need in terms of these
unfunded requirements?
General Reed. Chairman, I am a fierce advocate to give the
force whatever they need using any lever that I have right now
for an unfunded requirement. Since I have not seen the budget
I'm not there yet.
Chairman Wicker. Oh, okay. Yes. But my exhortation to you
is that you not hold back on what you need. Tell us. I mean,
you're new, and you haven't had a chance to assess all this.
But do I have your commitment that you will give us as complete
a list as possible of those requirements?
General Reed. Absolutely, Chairman.
Chairman Wicker. All right. Thank you, and thank you, Mr.
Chairman.
Senator Sullivan. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Senator Warren.
Senator Warren. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for
holding this hearing.
So, TRANSCOM is responsible for making sure that our
military and our allies get everything they need to win on the
battlefield, whether it is a new engine for a fighter jet in
the Middle East or a missile battery in the Philippines. That
means that TRANSCOM knows better than anyone why it is a very
big problem if the military doesn't have the right to repair
its own equipment.
General Reed, one of TRANSCOM's major workhorses is the C-
5M Super Galaxy, a strategic transport aircraft that carries
cargo and DOD personnel all around the world. But in 2022, it
was able to fly its mission only 52 percent of the time. That
means that nearly half the times that commanders needed it, it
wasn't there.
Congress saw this, said that is not acceptable, and gave
the Air Force $10 billion to fix that problem. General Reed,
about how often was the C-5 mission-ready the next year after
you got the money?
General Reed. What I can tell you is that in 2023, the
mission capable rate of the C-5 was about 46 percent.
Senator Warren. About 46 percent. So, it went from 52
percent to 46 percent. So, we could reasonably ask what
happened? Well, the Air Force said the supply chain for
replacement parts had dried up. When companies can't or won't
meet DOD's needs, one option is for the military to actually
make the parts themselves so you can get things up and running.
It's often cheaper and faster anyway, but you can't do that if
big defense contractors slip restrictions into their contracts
that deny the military the technical data that they need to be
able to make these repairs.
So General Reed, it's your responsibility to make sure the
warfighter gets everything that they need. How important is it
to national security for C-5s to be ready to respond to
commander's requests to carry cargo and personnel?
General Reed. The C-5 is a key aircraft for us, and some of
the things that we may be asked to do in the future, it would
actually produce about 20 percent of the lift for us, so.
Senator Warren. So, you need this thing?
General Reed. Yes, we do.
Senator Warren. Ready to go. So TRANSCOM's job is getting
harder here because our enemies are making it more difficult to
send ships and planes to our troops. As Senator Wicker was
talking about a minute ago, this is contested logistics.
TRANSCOM models show that ``The Fight to Get into The
Fight'' means that getting critical materials to our troops is
only going to get harder over time. That means the last thing
our troops should be doing is waiting around for contractors
who charge more for slower repairs. So, General Reed, do you
agree that giving the military more flexibility to repair parts
in the field will increase our military readiness?
General Reed. I do, Senator.
Senator Warren. Good. Thank you, General Reed. Senator
Grassley and I got a provision into last year's NDAA for the
military to start a pilot program to reverse-engineer parts for
sole source programs. It's a good start, but it is a backstop
because reverse engineering can actually take years to get
done. But if DOD negotiates with contractors for the right to
repair from the start, that means our men and women in uniform
get their equipment faster and at a lower cost to the
taxpayers.
That is exactly what my Servicemember Right to Repair Act
does. It has bipartisan support here in the Senate and on the
committee. What's happening right now is fundamentally wrong,
and we can put a stop to it. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Sullivan. Thank you, Senator Warren. Senator Kaine.
Senator Kaine. Thank you, Mr. Chair. General Reed, good to
see you.
I want to ask about a couple of topics. My colleagues have
covered some of the others that I hope to ask about adequately.
One is about the connection. If we want to have adequate
sealift for military purposes, the connection between that and
our food aid programs. So, you know, we're all grappling with
cuts, pauses. The Supreme Court rendered a ruling today that
may reopen the door on humanitarian assistance through the
United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Food aid, about 40 percent of our humanitarian aid programs
are food aid, and it's the delivery of U.S. grown food to other
nations. Just using Africa, the African continent as an
example, the U.S. flagships that deliver the aid sort of count
on that as what they call one leg of a three-legged stool. They
transfer food aid, they transfer DOD cargo, and they transfer
Foreign Military Sales (FMS) or other executive agency cargo.
By transferring all of those and earning revenue for doing it,
it maintains a business model where they can keep these ships
available for sealift capacity.
If food aid were to disappear and one leg of that three-
legged stool were to go away, what would the effect be on the
availability of U.S.-flagged vessels to be around when we need
it for sealift chores?
General Reed. U.S.-flagged vessels with U.S. crews are
critical. We need to make sure that they can go to sea and stay
afloat. By us following cargo preference laws, we can actually
provide the material for them to actually sail. What that does
is it makes them ready. I need them ready. I need them to have
a job and know that they have something that they can do, and
so, when they actually get called to be there for the Nation,
they're actually there. If for some reason they were not there,
then we don't have U.S. citizens supporting us at sea.
Senator Kaine. This is really important. My colleagues did
a good job of asking, for example, about the need to purchase
more, you know, high quality used vessels so we'd have more
sealift capacity, but with the existing capacity we have, if we
were to fundamentally change the sort of business model that
keeps those ships ready and on the water by cutting out one
part of their revenue, that food aid, for example, then we
would reduce even further the capacity that we need so that it
might not be available at the time that we need it. Would you
agree with that?
General Reed. I agree.
Senator Kaine. Thank you for that. My colleagues asked some
questions and you talked in your opening testimony about the
DOD contract for the Global Housing Goods Contract, 40,000 DOD
personnel in Virginia--I'm sorry, 120,000 Active Duty in
Virginia, and assuming you move about every 3 years, that's
40,000 moves out and 40,000 moves in.
You talked a little bit about how the transition is going,
but there was a specific question I wanted to ask. There's
something called the continuing to use the tender of Service
legacy program during the ongoing GHC ramp up program. So, the
kind of the old way of doing it now, the rates associated with
the legacy program are often 20 to 30 percent higher than those
outlined in the GHC contract. So understandably, some suppliers
might be hesitant to transition to the GHC program if they're
able to secure more favorable rates by remaining under the
legacy system. So this creates an odd situation where two
programs are unintentionally positioned against one another,
and TRANSCOM can incur significantly higher costs under the
legacy program.
So how are you managing this legacy to GHC program so that
there's not this perverse incentive to remain in the legacy
program because the rates are higher?
General Reed. So, the rates are set by what we call a
government-constructed cost, and we are only able to adjust
those rates once a year, which actually happens in May. So once
again, we're in a situation where to allow the process to go,
we have to wait until May when we have the next opportunity to
adjust the rates, which we will do. Those rates will be more in
line with the constructed costs. So therefore, it will be a
less of an incentive to stay outside than to join the GHC.
Senator Kaine. Great. I'll follow back up after May to see
how much we've narrowed that gap and whether that's doing what
it needs to do. I will express my support for a position, I
think my colleagues have already gotten that, that if you need
authorization within the NDAA to expand the fleet by purchasing
more high-quality used vessels, I really would like to make
sure you have that authority and I'll join with my colleagues
to see if we can be helpful in that regard. I'll yield back,
Mr. Chair. Thank you.
Senator Sullivan. Thank you, Senator Kaine.
General, we're going to do a quick second round of
questions, and then, we'll move this to a classified setting
for a couple additional questions. I want to go over this map
and handout that you and I discussed in our meeting today.
[The information referred to follows:]
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
You know, there's a lot of discussion on what's happening
on the southern border, not so much about what's happening on
the northern border. As you and I talked about, we've had a
really high level of Russian and Chinese incursions both into
our Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) and into our
Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) on the water, and very
disturbingly and unprecedented, a number of these are joint
Chinese/Russian operations, including strategic ``Bear'' bomber
and Chinese strategic bomber incursions into our ADIZ this past
summer with armed MiG fighters.
As you know, the operations to go intercept these
incursions take a lot of work. Our young men and women in the
military do a fantastic job up in Alaska, but they also need a
lot of tanker support for these kinds of missions. Similarly,
with they need fuel support for our Navy when we're doing
operations in the Northern Pacific and the Arctic, which we've
been doing a lot over the last three summers. Additionally,
there's a lot of attention paid to the Central and South
Pacific logistics lanes for any kind of conflict in Taiwan.
But I think it's important to also look at the Northern
Pacific logistic lanes as it relates to any kind of conflict
like that. During World War II, General Simon Bolivar Buckner
called the Aleutian Island chain, which obviously goes out
there, ``a spear pointing right at the heart of Imperial
Japan.'' By that he meant it was a very strategic location, not
only attacking Japan, but forgetting logistics into the fight
as our forces throughout the Pacific move closer to Japan.
Right now, if you look at one of the ports there, the Port
of Adak, which is on this map, the closest the U.S. Navy base
that is a gateway to the Arctic, but is also on the flank of
China. It has three piers, two nearly 8,000-foot runways, and
one of the largest bulk fuel storage facilities in the world. A
lot of people don't know that. So the distance, too, in terms
of where Adak sits, it's about 2,900 nautical miles from
Okinawa. While our good friends in Hawaii are about 4,000
nautical miles from Okinawa, making Adak the closest U.S. port
outside of Guam to Okinawa to Taiwan.
So, President Trump has talked about ensuring Alaska gets
more defense investment as we fully rebuild our military,
especially as Russia and China are making menacing moves in the
Pacific. Admiral Paparo and General Guillot have testified that
Adak would provide them with very significant logistical and
basing needs, and that we should reopen it.
In terms of logistics, including with the shutting down a
Red Hill, what's your thought on this base in terms of for
logistics capability, fighter, and aviation, and navy shipping
support? There's also was a submarine base there. I'd like your
view on that, General?
General Reed. North American Aerospace Defense Command
(NORAD) and NORTHCOM when it comes to the great State of Alaska
and the forces that they have there do a fantastic job of
letting us know when they need our help. So, whenever they ask,
we're always there. We've never failed them.
As they continue to look at how far, forward they can go
for the extension, if they're going to be present, so will we.
Coming from the other direction, Admiral Paparo, I have given
him my word that I will always be there with him wherever he
needs us to be. If there's an opportunity to establish more of
a footprint in the region, we will be there as well.
Senator Sullivan. Let me ask just real quickly. You were up
in Alaska recently. I appreciated the visit in January. Can you
give me a sense of kind of lessons learned? I know you're at
the Port of Anchorage, which is a really important DOD
strategic port, again, relating to these kinds of logistical
issues. We think it's important to have additional
infrastructure capability in my State. But any main takeaways
from the visit you had in January, General, and I really
appreciate you coming up to our great State.
General Reed. Chairman, it was a great visit. Went there,
intentionally, in the winter time. Good to see the conditions
there. Unfortunately, it was colder in Illinois than it was in
Alaska, and I got in trouble with----
Senator Sullivan. Yes, we've had a little bit of a warm
winter, particularly with the Iditarod last week.
General Reed. But being in Alaska again and having a really
good feeling standing there, almost standing on top of the
world, looking at what's around us and how close it is, it is
incredibly strategic. The reach that you can have from that
location is incredible, and it's a big advantage to the United
States.
Looking at the Port of Alaska and that port cluster, I was
very impressed with what I saw there. The port is well situated
where it is, despite the fact that there was ice on the sea
they were still able to operate, the ability of the port
authority to adapt to the conditions. The snow and the ice
didn't stop them. There was a tremendous amount that we learned
there in terms of how to just adapt. Period.
The other thing was I was very impressed with the
conditions in terms of the tides and the tide swings, which I
understand can be as high as 12 to 17 feet swing.
General Reed. But the port authorities there and the folks
who work the port, they know how to time it and they know how
to marshal things. They know how to line it up, and when it
comes time to load and unload, some of the best I've ever seen.
So, I was incredibly impressed by that.
With the U.S. forces that are there, they have a very good
handle on their strategic role not only in terms of what they
can project, but the forces that they may host to operate there
or the forces that will actually flow through. So, when we
combine all of that together I'm really impressed with the
platform we have in that State.
Senator Sullivan. Great. Thank you very much. I just
actually had a meeting with our mayor of Anchorage, and we had
a lot of discussion on the port, and we'll keep you appraised
on the, you know refurbishing of that port. It's really
important for our military. It's also really important for the
people of Alaska, as that's where the vast majority of our
supplies, and food, and everything, and fuel come through the
Port of Anchorage. We want to keep that viable, strong, and
we're continuing to work on that with you, and NORAD, and
others. So, thank you very much on that, General. Senator
Hirono.
Senator Hirono. This was an interesting conversation
because the fuel that was sort of Red Hill was massive, mainly
to be used by the Air Force. I think that there are concerns
relating to the how fuel ought to be distributed more than
located in Red Hill.
I have a question. July 2021, the Government Accountability
Office (GAO) found that U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE) does not know the extent to which its
officers are taking enforcement actions against individuals who
could be U.S. citizens. Between fiscal year 2015 to 2020, 674
U.S. citizens were arrested, 121 were detained, and 70 were
moved outside the U.S. by mistake.
The GAO recommended that ICE should systematically collect
and maintain electronic data on its encounters with individuals
for whom there is probative evidence of U.S. citizenship, but
ICE has yet to do so. This lack of accountability is troubling.
General Reed, ICE gives TRANSCOM a copy of every flight
manifest prior to transporting migrants. But I understand that
you take no steps to verify the identity of the people you are
transporting on your aircraft. Is that so?
General Reed. We do get a list of everyone that we fly.
However, ICE maintains control of everyone that's on the
aircraft. So, from that standpoint, they have the
responsibility for the verification.
Senator Hirono. So, since there have been mistakes made by
ICE in terms of them erroneously transporting people who are
citizens that shouldn't be transported. So that's an issue. Do
you know what the legal basis is for transferring non-citizens
arrested inside the U.S. via military aircraft to a location
outside the U.S. for deportation for detention?
General Reed. I do not know that completely.
Senator Hirono. To date have any U.S. citizens or
individuals not charged with any crimes been mistakenly flown
to Guantanamo Bay on TRANSCOM assets?
General Reed. I'm not aware of any.
Senator Hirono. What steps have you taken to ensure the
answer you just gave me is accurate?
General Reed. For the air crew, we make sure that they
follow established procedures to get a list of the folks and
also to make sure that ICE is complying with the things that
they tell us that they need to do to maintain control.
Senator Hirono. We know that Guantanamo Bay is subject to
various weather events. What is the evacuation plan for all of
the migrants being sent to Guantanamo Bay in the event of a
hurricane or other disaster in Cuba. This is especially
important in light of the fact that the President has said he's
planning to send some 30,000 migrants to Guantanamo Bay. So, do
you know what kind of evacuation plans?
General Reed. I would have to defer that one to U.S.
Southern Command (SOUTHCOM).
Senator Hirono. Okay. Another concern. Thank you very much,
Mr. Chairman.
Senator Sullivan. Well, General, thank you very much for
your testimony. What we plan on doing, we have a vote around 4.
We will close the hearing here, and I want to thank you. If
there's additional question for the record from members, we
will send those to you in the next couple days, and we ask that
you try to respond to those within 2 weeks.
We will reconvene in SVC-217 for a classified scene setter.
We'll try and do that in the next 10 to 15 minutes. We'll break
now. I'm going to go vote, and then we will come down and be
ready to have a classified update as well in the classified
SCIF in the Senate.
So, with that, thank you, again, very informative hearing.
This hearing is now adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 3:49 p.m., the Subcommittee adjourned.]
[Questions for the record with answers supplied follow:]
Questions Submitted by Senator Ted Budd
global household goods contract
1. Senator Budd. General Reed, regarding reported issues with the
GHC, is it your sense that these issues are simply due to the
transition from one contract to another or are there systemic
challenges with household goods shipping that must be addressed?
General Reed. GHC transformation does not simply shift from one
contract to another; it transforms individual tender-based contracts
with over 800 vendors into a single contract with improved
accountability requirements. This single contract is a network
integrator who oversees the entire DOD moving enterprise. The tender-
based program lacks accountability and operates in a fractured manner.
Contractors bid on each of the approximately 300,000 annual moves in
isolation, replicating the process 300,000 times. This system prevents
network optimization for servicing moves and makes it nearly impossible
to identify trends (positive or negative) or proactively mitigate
issues.
The GHC contract addresses the systemic issues and incorporates key
performance metrics and a more rigorous contract performance oversight
process, adding accountability previously absent from the program.
The Defense Personal Property Program historically faced capacity
deficiencies. The GHC allows the prime contractor to build capacity in
addition to working with the vendors that previously operated under the
legacy program.
As this transition continues, providers in the legacy program may
hold out for higher rates under the legacy Tender of Service program.
We are implementing strategies to align 2025 Tender of Service rates
with the market and maximize DOD's buying potential. The GHC prime
contractor is working to attract the necessary capacity and provide
vendors with competitive compensation to deliver the standardized,
quality customer experiences our servicemembers, and their families,
deserve.
2. Senator Budd. General Reed, how long do you expect the
transition to full implementation of the GHC under the HomeSafe
Alliance will take?
General Reed. USTRANSCOM uses a conditions-based approach focused
primarily on the performance of the GHC prime contractor. USTRANSCOM
and the Military Services will continuously assess the GHC prime
contractor's performance and make collective decisions to move forward
at the conclusion of peak season in September 2025.
USTRANSCOM currently projects completion of the domestic transition
in Fall 2025 and plans to transition international shipments no earlier
than September 2025. HomeSafe's performance during the peak summer
moving season will significantly influence transition timelines.
Pending demonstrable improvements in contractor performance, DOD site
readiness, and systems integration, USTRANSCOM will continue shifting
volume until it completes the GHC transition.
3. Senator Budd. General Reed, if there are already so many issues
affecting the moving cycle now, how will TRANSCOM ensure household
goods moves will be effectively executed during the peak moving season
in the late spring, early summer?
General Reed. For the 2025 peak moving season, USTRANSCOM will
operate both GHC and the legacy Tender of Service program to meet
Military Service demands. Both programs face capacity constraints and
exhibit less than satisfactory customer satisfaction scores. However,
USTRANSCOM now has visibility into the portion transitioned to GHC and
possesses contractual levers to address performance with the prime
contractor. While it has not been an easy path and there have been
issues, there should be no doubt--we will see this through for our
fellow servicemembers and military families who deserve an improved
moving experience, and we are going to deliver an improved moving
experience.
military port infrastructure challenges
4. Senator Budd. General Reed, Military Ocean Terminal Sunny Point
in North Carolina plays a critical role in shipping ammunition to the
warfighter. I've been concerned about the aging infrastructure on the
terminal. Can you provide an update on infrastructure challenges there
and what resources, if any are needed to ensure Sunny Point is able to
successfully complete its mission for decades to come?
General Reed. USTRANSCOM agrees on the criticality of Military
Ocean Terminal Sunny Point (MOTSU), as well as the Department of
Defense's other ammunition terminal, Military Ocean Terminal Concord
(MOTCO) in California. We keep a very close eye on the condition of
infrastructure at these unique seaports. Congress' ongoing interest and
support, most recently at MOTCO, has been invaluable to preserving the
ability of these terminals to conduct ammunition resupply operations.
MOTSU's waterfront infrastructure dates from the 1950s and is
beyond its original design life. DOD has programmed a project to
construct a new wharf at MOTSU for fiscal year 2031. I have
communicated the importance of this project to the Office of the
Secretary of Defense as well as to the Army, which has MILCON
responsibilities for these terminals.
There is ongoing work to improve or replace aging infrastructure at
MOTSU. My primary concern, however, is not the infrastructure, but
rather a shortfall in rail operating crews to operate MOTSU's assigned
locomotives. We are working with the Army to identify and implement a
solution.
5. Senator Budd. General Reed, how resilient are our ports of
embarkation like Sunny Point in the event of conflict and should our
adversaries decide to conduct cyberattacks or sabotage nearby
infrastructure?
General Reed. USTRANSCOM takes all of our ports of embarkation very
seriously and regularly assesses the ability of our ammunition
terminals, including MOTSU, to meet ammunition resupply requirements.
These assessments test the resilience of the ammunition sustainment
network by simulating various delays and measuring its ability to
overcome challenges and meet requirements.
With respect to unit cargo operations, USTRANSCOM periodically
completes holistic assessments of the Strategic Seaport Program to
ensure there is enough excess capacity on each coast to mitigate the
impacts of kinetic or non-kinetic disruptions. We are currently
confident there is sufficient seaport capacity available to meet unit
cargo deployment requirements.
6. Senator Budd. General Reed, how can Congress help improve
resiliency of these critical nodes?
General Reed. Congress can help preserve global ammunition delivery
capabilities by authorizing and appropriating as requested the MILCON
funding for major infrastructure projects, like the new wharf at MOTSU.
Both the Military Ocean Terminals and the Strategic Seaports depend
on a resilient commercial rail network to deliver containerized
ammunition and heavy DOD equipment. Congress can help by continuing
funding and support of our partners in the Department of Homeland
Security's Transportation Security Administration and their work to
regulate and inspect cybersecurity hygiene for the commercial rail
carriers serving ports important to us.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Mazie K. Hirono
southwest border security
7. Senator Hirono. General Reed, the Trump administration, through
the Department of Homeland Security (DHA), has directed your C-17s and
C-130's to conduct deportation flights. Would you agree that providing
non-reimbursed support to move migrants for DHS at a significant cost
to the Department of Defense (DOD) is wasteful when Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE) already has the funding, the charter
contracts, and the capacity to move more migrants for far less money
and at no cost to DOD?
General Reed. At this time, DHS requests only non-reimbursable
support, which by statute only military airlift can provide. However,
it is USTRANSCOM's understanding that DHS' intent is to use its own
contracting office for any commercial airlift requirements.
Additionally, DOD obtains an operation and training benefit for its
pilots and support staff flying Mil-Air for this DHS support.
8. Senator Hirono. General Reed, to what extent, if any, do you
evaluate cost-effectiveness before allowing ICE to use your aircraft?
General Reed. We conduct a mission cost estimate so the Command is
fiscally informed, but perform all missions tasked to us by the SecDef.
9. Senator Hirono. General Reed, if this non-reimbursable request
from DHS continues to deport another requested 4,000 migrants, how will
this impact your core mission this spring when you must also transport
the surge of force rotations around the globe?
General Reed. There is no impact to our core mission.
kwajalein atoll
10. Senator Hirono. General Reed, Kwajalein Atoll and other
strategically important locations throughout the Indo-Pacific rely on
shipments of diesel fuel and other non-renewable sources of energy to
power their missions. In your professional military opinion, in the
event of a conflict, how likely is it that China or another adversary
would target a vulnerable fuel supply like diesel shipments to
Kwajalein?
General Reed. Historical precedent and strategic considerations
suggest adversaries will target logistical vulnerabilities, including
movement and storage of bulk fuel. The People's Republic of China, with
its advanced ballistic and hypersonic missile capabilities, can target
locations like Kwajalein Atoll. USINDOPACOM mitigates this threat by
dispersing assets and investing in redundant supply points. As the
Single Manager for bulk fuel, I analyze and mitigate identified
vulnerabilities, particularly within the bulk fuel network, in close
coordination with USINDOPACOM and other combatant commands. USTRANSCOM
supports this resiliency with a mix of organic and commercial maritime
tankers, providing fuel delivery flexibility and dispersing targets
throughout the USINDOPACOM Area of Responsibility.
11. Senator Hirono. General Reed, if so, would it be in DOD's
interest to pursue a more resilient energy strategy so the joint force
is better postured throughout the Indo-Pacific?
General Reed. The DOD benefits from pursuing more resilient energy
strategies. DOD policy supports mission readiness through assured and
resilient operational energy availability. Achieving resilience by
diversifying energy sources, expanding and positioning capacity,
minimizing military-specific applications, and strengthening supply
chains incurs costs and potential sustainability challenges requiring
consideration. Operationally, the DOD will remain reliant on petroleum
for the foreseeable future, a responsibility I bear as DOD's Single
Manager for bulk fuel. Regarding energy diversification strategies for
installations and operating locations, I defer to the Service Chiefs
and their title 10 authorities.
civilian mariners
12. Senator Hirono. General Reed, the Military Sealift Command has
implemented a plan to remove crews from 17 Navy support ships due to a
lack of qualified civilian mariners in a ``force generation reset.'' Do
you agree this ``force generation reset'' was necessary, and how can we
reverse these concerning manning issues?
General Reed. The Military Sealift Command's (MSC) placement of
these ships in extended maintenance and redistributing its finite pool
of Civil Service Mariners to mission-critical ships is less a choice
and more an operational imperative to ensure its continued ability to
sustain worldwide Navy operations amid a nationwide shortage of
skilled, licensed mariners, and an atrophied maritime industry. I am
supportive of MSC's initiatives to build trust and address the quality
of service and compensation concerns of its workforce to make it the
industry employer of choice. It is encouraging to see Congress consider
legislation like the SHIPS for America Act aimed at the revitalization
of our Nation's shipbuilding and Merchant Marine workforce. The Bill's
passage into law would benefit both USTRANSCOM and MSC.
13. Senator Hirono. General Reed, what operational impact does
sidelining these 17 ships have on your ability to resupply the joint
force around the world, including the Indo-Pacific?
General Reed. Actions supporting the MSC workforce initiative
predominately impact the combat logistics support of Navy and Marine
Corps operations. These actions do not directly affect USTRANSCOM since
global deployment capabilities rely on the use of ships with contract
mariner crews vice government civil service mariners. However, it is
important again to note that there is a national shortfall of merchant
mariners that is affecting the readiness of all ships supporting
national defense requirements.
global household goods contract
14. Senator Hirono. General Reed, I remain concerned about how the
roll-out for the Global Household Good Contract (GHC) is proceeding.
Recently, the Army, and possibly also the Air Force, have issued
directives pulling back all moves that have been awarded through the
GHC vehicle that do not have 21 days lead time. I would like to get a
commitment from you to personally keep the relevant Armed Services
Committee staff apprised, (Creighton Greene and John Quirk, minority
staffers), as well as my National Security Advisor, (Adam Yost), of any
additional issues associated with GHC and provide regular updates
throughout 2025 as the roll-out continues. This is an extremely
important issue as peak Permanent Change of Station (PCS) move season
is approaching.
General Reed. The change from the Tender of Service to the GHC
necessitates a deliberate process. USTRANSCOM will continue to inform
the congressional defense committee staff, to include your committee
staff, on the issues with the transition to GHC. Our servicemembers and
their families have faced challenges with GHC. However, a single
company does not define GHC. Our servicemembers' and their families'
experiences will ultimately define GHC. We owe them our best, and I am
determined to ensure they receive the quality experience they deserve.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Elizabeth Warren
guantanamo bay
15. Senator Warren. General Reed, what has been the number of
shipments and the content of cargo transported to U.S. Naval Station
Guantanamo Bay since January 20, 2025?
General Reed. USTRANSCOM conducted 31 military and contract airlift
missions to U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay between January 20, 2025,
and March 25, 2025. These missions transported 715 passengers and
1016.9 short tons of cargo. The cargo consisted of sustainment supplies
and equipment in support of Operation Southern Guard. This included
both supplies for the base's general operations and equipment
specifically designated for Operation Southern Guard.
16. Senator Warren. General Reed, what is the total number of
flight hours U.S. Transportation Command (TRANSCOM) has flown
transporting migrants on deportation flights since January 20, 2025,
and what has been the average cost per flight hour?
General Reed. As of 08 April, USTRANSCOM has flown a total of 46
flights on military aircraft in support of migrant deportation flights.
The flights total 802.5 hours at an average cost of $26,277 per flight
hour.
17. Senator Warren. General Reed, has TRANSCOM used contractors to
transport personnel or cargo related to migrants held at U.S. Naval
Station Guantanamo Bay since January 20, 2025?
General Reed. USTRANSCOM used contract airlift for a portion of the
31 missions mentioned previously to transport personnel and equipment
in support of Operation Southern Guard. None of these contract flights
transported migrants to or from Guantanamo Bay. Military aircraft
handled all migrant transport.
18. Senator Warren. General Reed, please provide a list of all
contracts paid, agreed to, or modified since January 20, 2025,
including the cost, for transporting personnel or cargo related to
migrants held at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay?
General Reed. USTRANSCOM has a single-award contract that provides
liner services of containerized and breakbulk cargo (food, household
goods, privately owned vehicles, etc.) between Jacksonville, FL and US
Naval Station Guantanamo Bay (NSGB), Cuba in support of DOD personnel
stationed at NSGB. The contract supports the Navy, awarded in July 2024
for a base year plus four option years at ?$83M. There have been no
modifications to the contract or costs identified or associated to
transporting cargo related to the migrants held at NSGB.
Since January 20, 2025, USTRANSCOM has contracted 10 flights,
operated by the carriers identified below, to support migrant
operations. None of the contracted flights moved any migrants to U.S.
Naval Station Guantanamo Bay.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Contract Number Carrier Type Cost
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HTC711-25-D-CC04 ATLAS AIR INC Cargo $ 194,104.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HTC711-25-D-CC05 DELTA AIRLINES INC Passenge $ 200,000.00
r
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HTC711-25-D-CC15 OMNI AIR INTERNATIONAL Passenge $ 490,463.04
r
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HTC711-25-D-CC17 UNITED AIRLINES INC Passenge $ 660,814.30
r
------------------------------------------------------------------------
HTC711-25-D-CC29 SUN COUNTRY, INC Passenge $ 126,077.50
r
========================================================================
$1,671,458.84
------------------------------------------------------------------------
19. Senator Warren. General Reed, please describe any steps
TRANSCOM is currently taking to prepare to increase its capacity to
transport people or goods to U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay.
General Reed. In anticipation of U.S. presence and increased
capacity at U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay and support to Operation
Southern Guard, USTRANSCOM has temporarily increased the number of
weekly rotator flights to three, consisting of two passenger and one
cargo (previously one of each). In addition, USTRANSCOM deployed a
Contingency Response Element to enhance throughput and provided
USSOUTHCOM with Joint Enabling Combatant Command planning,
communications and public affairs support.
__________
Questions Submitted by Senator Mark Kelly
commercial maritime capacity
20. Senator Kelly. General Reed, the job of TRANSCOM is to be able
to move personnel, equipment, and cargo for the U.S. military around
the world--correct? Can you do that job without shipping goods by sea?
General Reed. No. Sealift is critical to execution of the current
Operation Plan (OPLAN) and sealift moves roughly 90 percent of unit
equipment and sustainment cargo in times of war. The ability to deploy
and sustain a sizable land force is fundamental to current and future
defense strategies and drives the need for a responsive sealift fleet.
As an example, moving two Armored Brigade Combat Teams would require
612 C-17A airlift sorties, which would make any OPLAN difficult if not
impossible. Airlift alone cannot move a force big enough to matter or
fast enough to be useful.
21. Senator Kelly. General, Reed, does the Government--through
Military Sealift Command (MSC)--have sufficient capacity to move all of
the equipment and cargo you are responsible for moving?
General Reed. While the Nation possesses a significant fleet of
government-owned and leased vessels, they fall well short of the
required capacity of approximately 19 million square feet. The Nation's
Strategic Sealift requirement is satisfied through a combination of the
Maritime Administration's (MARAD) Ready Reserve Force (RRF) and U.S.
commercial shipping companies' participation in the Maritime Security
Program (MSP)/Voluntary Intermodal Sealift Agreement (VISA) programs.
The age of the ships in the RRF is creating readiness problems. We must
continue to recapitalize the organic capacity within the RRF to
maintain strategic deterrence through Force Projection.
22. Senator Kelly. General Reed, you rely on the commercial
maritime industry--that is U.S.-flag vessels crewed by American
mariners--to move goods by sea, correct?
General Reed. Yes.
23. Senator Kelly. General Reed, those vessels are basically a part
of the Maritime Security Program (MSP) and Tanker Security Program
(TSP), right?
General Reed. The MSP and Tanker Security Program (TSP)
participants provide USTRANSCOM significant capacity operating in
international trade. USTRANSCOM also relies on participants enrolled in
the VISA and the Voluntary Tanker Agreement (VTA) programs, with some
vessels operating internationally and others operating in the U.S.
domestic Jones Act coastwise trade.
24. Senator Kelly. General, Reed, how many vessels do we have in
both of those programs combined and is that enough vessels to meet
TRANSCOM's immediate requirements, as well as any requirements you may
have to move equipment and cargo overseas in a time of conflict?
General Reed. The U.S. currently has 95 ocean-going dry cargo ships
in the VISA program, of which 60 of those vessels are also enrolled in
MSP. Thirteen tankers in the VTA program of which 10 of those tankers
are in TSP. While these four major programs (VISA, MSP, VTA and TSP)
provide a vital capability, USTRANSCOM relies on a mix of assets--
including our organic fleet, commercial U.S.-flag, and commercial
foreign-flag vessels--to meet the full spectrum of our requirements in
a major conflict. USTRANSCOM is constantly evaluating the adequacy of
our sealift capacity and work closely with the Navy, the Maritime
Administration, and the maritime industry to address shortfalls.
25. Senator Kelly. General Reed, even if we did have enough
vessels, are there enough credentialed merchant mariners--both licensed
and unlicensed mariners--to crew the number of ships we need during a
time of conflict?
General Reed. In accordance with Presidential Directives and
National Policy, USTRANSCOM relies on the Department of
Transportation's Maritime Administration (MARAD) to determine whether
adequate manpower is available to activate and operate the ships of the
Ready Reserve Force as well as the commercial fleet during a crisis.
Past assessments indicated sufficient mariners to initially activate
and operate both organic and commercial sealift assets, but
insufficient mariners for sustained operations on both the organic and
commercial fleets requiring crew rotations. USTRANSCOM participated in
MARAD's 2024 Maritime Workforce Working Group, mandated by Congress and
formed to reassess mariner sufficiency and operational risk, and DOD
looks forward to the recommendations and way forward.
26. Senator Kelly. General Reed, the reason for that is a self-
fulfilling prophecy, right? Because we don't have enough ships, we
don't have enough jobs for mariners, which means people find other jobs
doing something else and then their license expires, right?
General Reed. There are many factors that affect the number of
mariners. For example, maritime operators adjust the size of their
fleets based on cargo and must have sufficient cargo opportunities to
keep the ships and mariners employed. Without cargo, the maritime
operators struggle to sustain their fleets and remain economically
viable. The success of the DOD sealift mission is inextricably linked
to the health of the U.S. commercial maritime industry.
27. Senator Kelly. General Reed, what's the average age of one of
those ships--either the Government-owned cargo ships through MSC or the
commercial MSP and TSP ships?
General Reed. In the commercial fleet, MSP and TSP ships are
limited in age by statute. Ships must be replaced in MSP at a maximum
age of 25 years and replaced in TSP at a maximum age of 20 years. Due
to this self-recapitalization, the average ages are 14.5 years for MSP
ships and 9.5 years for TSP tankers. For the government-owned ships
through the MARAD Ready Reserve Force (RRF), the average age is 43
years, with 14 ships more than 50 years old.
28. Senator Kelly. General Reed, are all of those ships built in
shipyards in the United States? Are most of them?
General Reed. Currently no U.S.-built ships are in MSP or TSP.
Within MARAD's RRF, of 52 total ships, there are 16 U.S.-built ships.
29. Senator Kelly. General Reed, in planning for a wartime
contingency--is it TRANSCOM's responsibility to plan to ensure we have
enough cargo vessels to support our economy during war time? But you
would agree during a wartime contingency, the United States will need
to keep our economy functioning? So, in reality, we probably need more
ships than even TRANSCOM projects, correct? For economic sustainment,
replenishment of lost vessels, and more?
General Reed. The responsibility for ensuring sufficient military
and civil maritime resources to meet defense deployment and essential
economic requirements, as defined in National Security Directive on
Sealift (NSD 28), extends beyond USTRANSCOM to a national level. The
NSD 28 emphasizes the need for the United States to be prepared for
unilateral responses to security threats outside of alliance
commitments, requiring sufficient U.S.-owned sealift resources. While
USTRANSCOM's primary focus is projecting and sustaining military power,
we consider the broader impact on the Nation's economic well-being by
working with the Maritime Administration and the commercial shipping
industry to understand their needs and vulnerabilities in wartime
scenarios, recognizing potential temporary disruptions to commercial
trade when prioritizing national strategic objectives.
30. Senator Kelly. General Reed, if Congress set a goal of bringing
250 ships under the U.S.-flag and operating in international commerce,
do you believe that is an appropriate target that fully meets
TRANSCOM's requirements and could sustain our economy?
General Reed. While a significant increase in the size of the U.S.-
flag fleet is an encouraging goal, the exact number needed, such as a
proposed 250, depends on vessel specifics like size, deck strengths,
draft, carrying capacity, and port accessibility. Although 250 ships
would undoubtedly improve our current posture, it's crucial to consider
the mix of ship types and capabilities required, the need for a larger
pool of skilled mariners, and the long-term commitment from both
government and private sectors to build, sustain, and utilize such a
fleet, including having sufficient cargo. USTRANSCOM will be an active
partner in this endeavor to restore the United States as a maritime
powerhouse.
31. Senator Kelly. General Reed, if we sought to remove regulatory
barriers and create incentives to bring more vessels into the fleet, we
would want them to be operating, correct? Because then they'd have a
full crew who was training on the vessel and keeping their credentials
current?
General Reed. USTRANSCOM depends on both the commercial fleet and
the government-owned organic fleet for our operations. Regarding the
commercial fleet, removing barriers and creating incentives are
beneficial to grow the fleet, and operating ships serve as optimal
training platforms. For the organic fleet, we need MARAD's RRF to be in
the Continental United States (not operating in trade) and readily
available for rapid force deployment surge outbound.
32. Senator Kelly. General Reed, thank you for reviewing the SHIPS
for America Act that I introduced last year. As we prepare to
reintroduce the bill, will you make sure that your team gives us any
and all technical assistance we need to make sure our bill serves
TRANSCOM's needs?
General Reed. Thank you for the multiple opportunities to review
the draft SHIPS for America Act and provide USTRANSCOM's inputs to your
staff. USTRANSCOM supports legislation intended to strengthen our
Nation's maritime posture and will provide technical assistance
whenever your staff requests the assistance.
air mobility command/migrant detainees
33. Senator Kelly. General Reed, last month, the committee had the
opportunity to speak to your colleagues at U.S. Northern Command and
U.S. Southern Command about the DHS support mission the military has
been tasked with. What are the impacts of utilizing TRANSCOM assets
like C-17s to transport migrants?
General Reed. Using strategic airlift assets to transport migrants
is not an efficient use of these military aircraft. By committing
strategic airlift assets to transport migrants, they are unavailable
for the joint force to conduct other real-world operations and
training.
34. Senator Kelly. General Reed, how are these missions impacting
your budget and operational readiness?
General Reed. USTRANSCOM does not expect these actions to result in
any net financial impact. The Transportation Working Capital Fund
(TWCF), a revolving fund, provides upfront funding for mission-critical
expenses and the subsequently reimbursement of the expenses to the TWCF
maintain a zero-sum budgetary effect. As of 04 April, USTRANSCOM
incurred $38.1 million in expenses and reimbursed $28.2 million from
the Air Force.
35. Senator Kelly. General Reed, are these costs affecting
TRANSCOM's ability to meet other mission requirements, and how are they
being accounted for within your budget?
General Reed. The border mission costs are not impacting USTRANSCOM
ability to meet other mission requirements. The Transportation Working
Capital Fund's current balance can maintain working capital fund
operations at present levels. As of 04 April, USTRANSCOM incurred $38.1
million in expenses and reimbursed $28.2 million from the Air Force.
36. Senator Kelly. General Reed, while TRANSCOM is transporting DHS
detainees, what does the chain of custody look like? Who is responsible
for the detainees from start to finish and has that been officially
recorded anywhere?
General Reed. DOD is in support of DHS for these operations. DHS
agents maintain custody of detainees on USTRANSCOM removal flights,
with one exception on a recent Guantanamo Bay to El Salvador flight
where JTF-SG (USSOUTHCOM) security forces were responsible. Consistent
with the Immigration and Nationality Act, DHS, as the lead Federal
agency, retains legal, physical, and administrative control of illegal
aliens and fulfills those responsibilities through the direction of DHS
personnel, as reflected in the relevant classified DOD execute orders.
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