[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 84 (Wednesday, May 21, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E992-E993]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          EARMARK DECLARATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. VERNON J. EHLERS

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 20, 2008

  Mr. EHLERS. Madam Speaker, I submit the following:
  Requesting Member: Congressman Vernon J. Ehlers
  Bill Number: H.R. 5658
  Account: Ap,A Aircraft Procurement, Army; 020 Utility Helicopter Mods
  Legal Name of Requesting Entity: Army National Guard Readiness Center
  Address of Requesting Entity: 111 S. George Mason Drive, Arlington, 
VA, 22204

[[Page E993]]

  Description of Request: Provide an earmark of $5 million for 
helicopter modernization. The UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter is an 
essential capability of the National Guard. It provides units in every 
State with a multi-mission aircraft for search & rescue, utility lift, 
disaster relief and medical evacuation. The Army National Guard (ARNG) 
is authorized 782 Black Hawk aircraft, but is short of this 
authorization by almost 100 aircraft. This shortage requires ARNG units 
to loan or transfer Black Hawks in support deployments, training or 
State missions, resulting in a higher usage rate of available 
airframes. Additionally, more than 500 of the 782 National Guard 
aircraft are older UH-60A models, with an average age of approximately 
25 years. The Army is procuring over 1,200 UH-60M Black Hawks for 
utility, special operations and MEDEVAC missions to replace the aging 
UH-60A from operational units by 2016. The Army acquired 33 UH-60M 
Black Hawks by the end of FY07, and from FY09 to FY13, the Army plans 
to procure an additional 300 UH-60M Black Hawks (70 of those aircraft 
are programmed for ARNG units). However, without an accelerated 
procurement of the UH-60M, the Army National Guard will be operating 
more than 400 UH-60A helicopters beyond 2020. The ARNG and the Active 
Army developed a program to support the continued modernization of the 
ARNG Black Hawk fleet. Unfortunately, this program is not fully funded. 
The ARNG plan is to accelerate the fielding of UH-60M Black Hawks by 10 
aircraft per year. Although the Active Army has programmed UH-60A 
recapitalization for the ARNG with Operations and Maintenance (O&M) 
funds, which includes an airframe life extension, fleet-wide product 
improvements and the replacement of components, the UH-60A to L upgrade 
is not funded. The UH-60L Black Hawk is more economical to operate and 
has 1,000 lbs. of additional lift than the UH-60A. The desired rate of 
UH-60A to L upgrades is 38 per year. Funding the UH-60A to L upgrade 
will significantly improve the Black Hawk fleet, and assure that ARNG 
units are ready, deployable, and available to protect our national 
interests both abroad and at home. This ARNG aviation initiative has 
been identified by the Chief of the National Guard Bureau (CNGB) as 
FY09 ``Essential 10--Top 25'' unfunded priorities.

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