[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 115 (Tuesday, July 28, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Pages S8188-S8189]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION

  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I appreciate the assistance of the 
chairman and ranking member of the Committee on Armed Services last 
week in clearing an amendment I offered to the fiscal year 2010 
National Defense Authorization Act dealing with irregular warfare 
aircraft. As the conference committee prepares to resolve the 
differences between the House and Senate versions of the NDAA, I want 
to provide in the Record some context for this provision.
  Years of combat in Afghanistan and Iraq have shown that insurgents 
take refuge among regular civilians to complicate our ability to find 
them and increase the chances of civilian casualties that inflame local 
populations. We also have learned that fighting insurgencies requires 
an enormous amount of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, 
ISR, data. Our highly advanced tactical aircraft can perform close air 
support, light strike, and ISR missions, but repeatedly using such 
fighters for these missions shortens their lifespan without ever 
employing their most advanced capabilities. It is like buying a laptop 
computer to use as a calculator.
  Indeed, smaller, lighter planes designed for counterinsurgency 
missions can provide the firepower and intelligence data the warfighter 
needs at a fraction of the cost to purchase and operate bigger, faster 
aircraft. Moreover, such aircraft would allow us to provide ideal 
platforms to partner nations struggling to develop their own air forces 
and deal with local insurgencies.
  Secretary Gates, the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General 
Schwartz, and other officials from the Air Force, Navy, and special 
operations forces have commented recently that the Department of 
Defense needs to consider developing a light strike, light 
reconnaissance aircraft specifically designed for irregular warfare. 
And to their credit, the Air Force and Navy are beginning to explore 
the utility of such aircraft in detail.
  I want to ensure, however, that the Department of Defense makes the 
best possible use of money Congress has already spent in this area. 
Over the past 2 fiscal years, Congress has appropriated $8.4 million to 
the Air National Guard for a project to demonstrate the capabilities of 
a light strike, light reconnaissance aircraft. In fact, the 
demonstrator aircraft in that project made its first flight yesterday 
and will demonstrate its capabilities over the course of the rest of 
this year. The knowledge gained in this demonstration program should be 
incorporated into the Air Force, Navy, and special

[[Page S8189]]

operations discussions of manned irregular warfare aircraft.
  My amendment, then, simply declares it the sense of Congress that the 
Secretary of Defense should include the reserve components when 
establishing requirements for manned airborne irregular warfare 
platforms. Congress has led the way in examining the concept of a light 
attack, light reconnaissance aircraft. In this era of constrained 
defense budgets, it is vital to make every dollar count. I am pleased 
that in this amendment the Senate signaled the importance of reserve 
component work on this concept, and I hope that the language is 
retained in conference so the House can send a similar signal. It is 
increasingly clear that the Nation needs this capability, and the 
combined efforts of all components at the Defense Department will bring 
these aircraft to the warfighter sooner rather than later.

                          ____________________