[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 71 (Thursday, June 4, 1998)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1021]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          THE NEED FOR TECHNOLOGY FOR THE F-15E EAGLE AIRCRAFT

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                         HON. JERRY F. COSTELLO

                              of illinois

                    in the house of representatives

                         Thursday, June 4, 1998

  Mr. COSTELLO. Mr. Speaker, I want to pass along information to my 
colleagues today bout our nation's defense and a critical issue facing 
our military forces. The issue concerns much-needed technology for the 
F-15E Eagle aircraft. The need for this technology is almost always 
pitted against the realities of the budget and other domestic needs 
which compete with our military readiness and maintenance expenses.
  The F-15E has received the support of the Congress in developing and 
testing low band self-protection. In the FY97 budget deliberations, 
Congress chose to develop and test the ALQ-135 Band 1.5, to help the 
Air Force continue to try and protect the F-15E. We must now move 
forward to ask the Defense Department to consider the need to procure 
the ALQ-135 Band 1.5.
  Procuring this new technology, which is made in my home state of 
Illinois, would give greater protection to our men and women in the Air 
Force. During Desert Shield/Storm, 48 F-15E's were equipped with the 
ALQ-135 Band 3, or high band. It performed so well during Desert Storm 
that no a single F-15E was lost to enemy threats, against which the 
Band 3 provides protection. Unfortunately, there is not the same level 
of protection with the low band threats. Band 1.5 was not available and 
as a result, at least one F-15E valued at $50 million was lost. We 
cannot afford to allow this situation to persist; our airmen and women 
need the most up-to-date technology possible.
  Accelerating funding for the ALQ-135 Band 1.5 will allow much earlier 
installation and protection of the F-15E, and will provide essential 
protection to our aircrews. The F-15E can accept this technology; 
everything is ready to plug the black boxes into the aircraft and 
provide this protection. One reason to accelerate the funding will be 
to keep the ALQ-135 Band 1.5 production line open, and avoiding $100 
million in cost, savings thousands of jobs with only a $25 million 
investment.
  I urge my colleagues to give consideration to the need to accelerate 
funding for the F-15E's ALQ-135 Band 1.5 technology. It will provide 
needed capability to our airmen and allow hardworking citizens to 
continue working on the current production line.

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