Saxby Chambliss: “As the chairman has mentioned, the conference report on the fiscal year 2004 National Defense Authorization Act required…”

“As the chairman has mentioned, the conference report on the fiscal year 2004 National Defense Authorization Act required the Secretary of Defense to submit a report to the congressional defense committees providing an economic analysis comparing the options of maintaining the current engines on the E-8C JointSTARS aircraft, purchasing and installing new engines, and leasing and installing new engines. This report was to have been submitted by February 13, 2004, but has yet to be received. The engines that currently power the E-8C JointSTARS aircraft fleet are the same engines we have gone to great lengths to replace over the last decade in the Air Force's tanker fleet. The engines are old, provide marginal power to support the E-8C's taskings, and are expensive to operate and maintain compared to new engines currently available in the commercial market. These are not just my observations. Let me quote from a recent memorandum from the Vice Commander of Air Combat Command to the Air Force Vice Chief of Staff: This letter provides a brief update on our efforts to re-engine JSTARS, which continues to be one of our top initiatives for the E-8. The current TF-33-102C engines do not satisfy desired safety margins or meet operational needs. An Air Force Flight Standards Agency critical field length waiver is required to support takeoffs with current engines.”