I think what Admiral McCoy indicated was that the recent ships that have delivered have much fewer problems.

had we not added additional C-17s, either at the request of the Air Force or the request of Congress, then we would not be able to retire these C-5As.

General Johns, is there any attrition reserve in the 301 number, or back-up aircraft inventory, or provisions for training aircraft?

This is the opinion not just of the Department of the Air Force and TRANSCOM. This is DOD, the Secretary, presumably as General McNabb said, all the CINCs, commanders, have been able to weigh in.

General Johns, normal Air Force planning for force structure includes additional aircraft for attrition reserve, so-called back-up inventory aircraft that protect against aircraft being unavailable during periods of depot maintenance, et…

General Johns wouldn`t the Air Force plans for retirement actually allow capabilities for million ton-miles per day (MTM/D) to fall below the revised requirement for several years in the Future Years Defense Program (FYDP)?

General Johns, which aircraft and which units would be affected if we either eliminate the floor or lower the floor to 301 aircraft?

I again am confident, working together, we can provide the resources necessary for the mission of the Marine Corps and the Navy in very difficult times and, I emphasize, on a bipartisan basis.

You're taking this and you're trying with Secretary Stackley to plug it into the design phase.

But it really is a long-haul effort, and as we get into the challenges ahead with regard to the budget and new ship programs, we really have to carry this discipline further forward to ensure that we don't have breakage at a period when…

Have you done--and this is, again, the worst-case, and again, we have to ask these questions--an analysis of how much it would cost you to take a C-5A out of the desert and put it back in the air, if all this very thoughtful analysis…

Thank you, Senator. I want to join you in thanking the panel for very insightful and very, very helpful, constructive testimony this afternoon.

Are we looking outside the proverbial box at all these interrelated issues to make a comprehensive presentation?

Let me associate myself with the thoughtful comment of my colleague that this was a very productive hearing, as a result of your questions particularly.

Mr. Secretary, you have $12 million in the budget for the AoA. Is that enough, given the complexity of evaluating several moving parts?

I think one of the obvious impressions in the questioning of everyone is that these are a series of very critical decisions that are interrelated in so many different ways.

You've made the very explicit point that you've beefed up dramatically your supervisory staff.

You have learned a great deal. We've all learned a great deal.

It is appropriate that we consider this change very carefully.

Given the devastating impacts to wildlife from the Deep Water Horizon oil spill, it seems very timely for the Congress to pass legislation to permanently fund the LWCF at $900 million.

Getting the number right is absolutely important.

strategic and tactical airlift is central to everything we do, everywhere we do it, and it deserves premier attention.

So, have you effectively factored in a situation, and particularly in the surge, where, for many reasons, just the insurance companies simply saying, 'you ain't flying,' that you would not be able to meet your----

What are you doing proactively along with your other colleagues in the Administration, the Department of Commerce, et cetera, to get potential export companies, small business companies, in the game?

I think your goals are not only laudable but actually essential to the success of the country going forward.