BILL ANALYSIS Ó
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|SENATE RULES COMMITTEE | AJR 31|
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THIRD READING
Bill No: AJR 31
Author: Perea (D)
Amended: As introduced
Vote: 21
SUBJECT : 144th Fighter Wing
SOURCE : Author
DIGEST : This resolution requests Congress and the
Department of Defense to remain committed to maintaining
the 144th Fighter Wing and the Aerospace Control Alert
mission in California, in order to prevent any negative
impacts to Southwest air defense operations, the California
economy, and the ability of first responders to protect the
residents of this state.
ANALYSIS : The California Air National Guard 144th
Fighter Wing located in Fresno is composed of 1,046 airmen,
22 F-16 aircraft and one RC-26 Intelligence, Surveillance
and Reconnaissance aircraft.
The primary mission of the 144th is to provide Air
Superiority worldwide in support of joint operations and
Aerospace Control Alert (ACA) for the Southwest United
States. The ACA mission requires the Wing to maintain a
number of aircraft ready for immediate launch to intercept
air threats to the United States, 24/7/365. Aircraft on
alert are positioned at Fresno and March Air Reserve Base
at Riverside. The Wing is responsible for the air defense
from the Mexican border to Oregon, from the western sea
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lanes and inland to include Reno, Las Vegas, and western
Arizona.
Airmen from the 144th also deploy in support of overseas
operations including civil engineering, communications,
maintenance, logistics, security and medical. The Wing
also provides those capabilities to support civilian first
responders throughout the state and Federal Emergency
Management Agency (FEMA) Region IX.
Aircraft Conversion . Aircraft conversion at the 144th Wing
involves replacing the F-16 aircraft with the F-15 aircraft
in order to provide a better platform to conduct the air
superiority and air defense missions. The conversion to
F-15 aircraft is programmed as part of the FY 2012 defense
budget.
The 144th Fighter Wing has been preparing facilities,
maintenance, and support functions for several years. More
than half of the support equipment required for the F-15
conversion is on hand and maintenance training began in
May. The delegation supported the military construction
money that the FY 2010 budget appropriated for the 144th
Fighter Wing for its operations facility. The Wing has
already trained five pilots to fly the F-15, has four
scheduled to begin training in July, and has hired four
experienced F-15 pilots. The Environmental Impact Study is
on schedule and will be completed by July 15, 2012. The
first of 21 assigned F-15 aircraft are scheduled to arrive
at Fresno on August 15, 2012. The Wing will have 18 F-15
aircraft by January 31, 2013, with the balance arriving by
May. Arizona will be receiving California's F-16s.
FY 2013 Proposed Fielding Changes . The Air Force's
proposed FY 2013 budget directly impacts aircraft
conversion and fielding plans in the Montana Air National
Guard and Texas Air National Guard, thus affecting
California.
Aircraft fielding for the Montana Air National Guard
originally entailed sending them C-27J Spartan aircraft,
however the Air Force's proposed FY 2013 budget includes
divesting the already purchase aircraft. The Air Force
then proposed that Montana receive a C-130 airlift
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capability mission from Texas as an alternative. This
alternative is part of the President's 2013 proposed
budget. The Texas delegation has already opposed this move
by arguing that it will cost the Air Force $100 million and
reduce their response capability to state emergencies.
The Montana delegation and its Air National Guard have
tried to fight the transfer of F-15s to the California
National Guard in the past. Their actions delayed the
process for conversion to the new aircraft at Fresno. They
are likely to resist letting the aircraft go without a
replacement aircraft mission.
Comments
According to the author's office, closing the 144th Fighter
Wing in Fresno and backfilling the Wing's air defense
mission would create unnecessary and negative impacts to
Southwest air defense operations, and the national and
local economies.
Economic Loss . Pursuing this course of action could
significantly impact the economies of Fresno and Riverside.
The Air Force spends over $70 million dollars per year on
the 144th, whose base equipment, infrastructure, and
aircraft total $471 million. The 144th Fighter Wing
employs 1,046 airmen with 1,642 dependents. The area
around Fresno suffers from current unemployment rates
between 15 percent and 19 percent, more than double the
national unemployment rate.
Cost to Federal Government . There will be significant
operational costs associated with conducting an air defense
alert site for the Southwest United States from outside
California. Conservative estimates place the cost at
$550,000 to $1.2 million for just travel and per diem to
rotate personnel to their assignments. An extra $1-1.2
million in flying hours will be required to ferry out of
state aircraft to the alert site after routine maintenance.
Additional costs would be incurred for fixing aircraft
away from its home station including the shipment of
equipment and supplies.
Risk to Homeland Defense . Operationally, the California
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Air National Guard has the second busiest Aerospace Control
Alert mission in the U.S. behind the National Capitol
Region. NORTHCOM establishes specific timelines and
criteria to protect major population centers and their
approaches into the United States. The initiative to
divest the 144th Fighter Wing would eliminate an air
defense base consisting of 22 jets and replace it with two
out-of-state detachments consisting of six jets
significantly reducing response time to increased threats.
From their locations within California, the 144th can
respond immediately to an air defense threat with six jets,
and launch an additional 12 jets in less than six hours.
Out of state units would require 24-72 hours to mobilize
additional aircraft, personnel, and equipment during an
emergency to the Southwest region.
Risk to Civil Support . California will lose valuable
civilian support capabilities and personnel trained and
ready for a variety of domestic emergencies. Law
enforcement, fire, and other agencies frequently rely on
the Wing's ground capabilities which include: civil
engineering, explosive ordnance disposal, communications,
aerial imaging, maintenance, logistics, and medical. In
addition, the 144th's security force teams are integral to
California National Guard's immediate response capability
to support civilian first responders. Two other unique
capabilities reside at Fresno as well.
The 144th Fighter Wing is the home of the medical component
of FEMA Region IX's Homeland Response Force. The medical
element contains a Chemical, Biological, Radiological,
Nuclear and Enhanced Explosives Response Force Package
which has a strong and well-exercised relationship with
first responders throughout the state. The Wing also has
an Urban Search and Rescue team.
The proposal to divest the 144th Fighter Wing is costly,
places the Southwest air defense mission at risk, and
eliminates the ground capabilities available to support
first responders throughout the state and FEMA Region IX.
FISCAL EFFECT : Fiscal Com.: No
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RM:do 3/14/12 Senate Floor Analyses
SUPPORT/OPPOSITION: NONE RECEIVED
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