Peters Questions Sec. Austin On Air Force Defense ‘Surveillance Jamming And Deception’ Innovations

5 months ago

Last month, Sen. Gary Peters (D-MI) questioned Sec. Lloyd Austin on new strategies used by the Air Force to combat adversaries during a Senate Armed Sevices Committee hearing.

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Transcript

00:00 >> Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

00:18 Secretary Austin, General Brown, as you know very well, the Air Force plans to field several

00:25 different types of collaborative combat aircraft with varying capabilities, including surveillance,

00:32 jamming, and deception.

00:35 These CCAs, combined with both fifth and sixth generation fighters, will certainly play a

00:40 significant role in disrupting, as well as defeating, our adversaries' counter-air operations

00:46 in any future conflict.

00:48 However, maintaining air security is also going to require that all components, including

00:54 the National Guard, train with CCAs in real-world training environments.

01:01 These training opportunities, found at locations like we have in Michigan, the National All-Domain

01:05 Warfighting Center, I think will likely play a very key role in realizing that potential.

01:12 So my question for both of you, Secretary Austin and then General Brown, with this in

01:16 mind, how can active duty, reserve, and guard components best prepare for CCA integration

01:23 and training, given the near-term acquisition of these uncrewed autonomous systems that

01:29 we're going to see in the near future?

01:31 Secretary Austin, if you'd answer first, please.

01:33 >> Well, as you would imagine, Senator, I remain focused on making sure that we have

01:37 the right mix of capabilities to execute our strategy.

01:43 And I will just speak to the point that the CCA capability is really, really important,

01:50 and it will ensure that we maintain a competitive edge in the future.

01:55 And this is something that our Air Force has been working on for quite some time.

01:59 And we're asking to invest in this, continue to invest in this, in this budget.

02:04 But your specific question about the training of reserve pilots, perhaps I'll let the Chairman

02:11 speak to that, because he is a pretty good F-16 pilot and understands that the training

02:18 requirements very, very well.

02:21 But I would just emphasize that this is a tremendous capability.

02:27 We're investing in the right things, and the total force at some point needs to have that

02:32 capability.

02:33 >> Thank you.

02:34 General Brown?

02:35 >> Senator Peters, thanks for the question.

02:37 And as I think about the joint forces, the joint warfighter, I often think and address

02:42 the total force, and that's active, guard, reserve, and our civilians.

02:46 And in my role as the -- my previous role as the Air Force Chief, as we started the

02:50 path on collaborative combat aircraft, we looked at it from a total force perspective,

02:56 and where we'd apply that capability to make sure it is in all three components across

03:00 the United States Air Force.

03:02 I would also add, as we go down the path of uncrewed systems, not only in the air, but

03:07 maritime and other areas, how we leverage that capability with our -- all aspects of

03:14 our force will be most important to ensure we're able to, you know, have the full capability,

03:20 not only from our active force, but also from our guard and reserve as well.

03:23 >> Great.

03:24 Well, General Brown, as a former fighter pilot, you know better than anyone that aerial refueling

03:30 is a foundation of global mobility and power projection for the U.S. Air Force.

03:36 And I am thrilled that Michigan will continue to support this mission as we welcome a squadron

03:41 of 12 KC-46 refueling tankers to Selfridge Air National Guard Base.

03:47 The capabilities of the KC-46 will support our current and future fighter and bomber

03:53 missions for decades to come.

03:56 And I think their value to the joint force was again highlighted in last year's multinational

04:01 mobility exercise, Mobility Guardian 23.

04:04 But my question for you, General Brown, is what strategic role do you see the KC-46s

04:10 playing in the Indo-Pacific, and how will they really contribute to our broader national

04:16 security goals?

04:18 >> Well, as you highlight, our tankers are strategic assets.

04:22 And that actually allows us to be able to move combat power around the world like no

04:26 other country, and to include the Indo-Pacific.

04:30 And so what it does is it increases our combat reach and our combat effectiveness with these

04:35 tankers.

04:36 And having flown the KC-46, it's an outstanding airplane.

04:39 I realize as we're bringing it on, we're learning some things about the airplane.

04:42 But as you highlight, Mobility Guardian last year was a great opportunity for us to show

04:47 not only what we could do with the KC-46, but what the rest of our mobility force in

04:51 support of a potential conflict in the Indo-Pacific.

04:54 >> Thank you, General.

04:55 Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Peters Questions Sec. Austin On Air Force Defense ‘Surveillance Jamming And Deception’ Innovations

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