The Air Force will commit about $600 million across its Fiscal 2013-2017 future years defense program to realign certain missions across the Total Force and mitigate the effect of the service’s proposed force-structure changes. Specifically, the funding will help preserve 14 of 24 units identified for new missions and maintain an Air Force presence on seven of eight affected installations, while expanding the Air National Guard’s and Air Force Reserve’s participation in growing missions such as ISR, according to the service’s new white paper, issued on Feb. 3, detailing these plans. The funding also will preserve “an appropriate active and reserve component force mix,” it states. Briefing reporters on Feb. 3, Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said the service is “fully committed” to the Total Force and acknowledged “we can’t do what we do without the Guard and Reserve.” However, he said the changes are necessary to help the Defense Department absorb some $487 billion in budget cuts over the next 10 years. For the detailed Total Force re-missioning breakdown by fiscal year, click here. (See also Donley-Schwartz transcript.)
It'll take up to 18 months for Lockheed Martin to deliver the 100 or so F-35s that went directly from production line to storage, awaiting the completion of Tech Refresh 3 testing. Customers haven't complained about the order in which the backlog is being delivered.