WEBVTT 00:00.183 --> 00:01.016 - Ladies and gentlemen, 00:01.016 --> 00:01.993 I call this joint hearing 00:01.993 --> 00:03.519 of the Subcommittee on Readiness 00:03.519 --> 00:06.233 and Seapower and Projection Forces 00:06.233 --> 00:09.194 of the House Armed Services Committee to order. 00:09.194 --> 00:10.306 I'm pleased to welcome members 00:10.306 --> 00:12.239 of the Seapower and Projection Forces 00:12.239 --> 00:15.160 and the Readiness subcommittees to the hearing today 00:15.160 --> 00:17.991 for an unclassified session on the current state 00:17.991 --> 00:19.983 of US Transportation Command. 00:19.983 --> 00:23.948 I'd especially like to thank Congressman Rob Wittman, 00:23.948 --> 00:26.444 Chairman of the Seapower and Projection Subcommittee, 00:26.444 --> 00:28.432 and Congressman Joe Courtney, the ranking member 00:28.432 --> 00:31.997 of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, 00:31.997 --> 00:34.259 joining us today in our effort 00:34.259 --> 00:36.702 to better understand the topic. 00:36.702 --> 00:39.173 This hearing follows a series of hearings and briefings 00:39.173 --> 00:42.182 highlighting the individual readiness challenges 00:42.182 --> 00:45.467 of each military service, which further confirms 00:45.467 --> 00:49.477 that armed services are indeed in a readiness crisis. 00:49.477 --> 00:53.265 The cornerstone of the US military is its service members. 00:53.265 --> 00:55.279 Underpinning their success is the ability 00:55.279 --> 00:58.687 of our soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines 00:58.687 --> 01:00.711 to go where they are needed 01:00.711 --> 01:04.190 and to have fully operational equipment ready to be used. 01:04.190 --> 01:05.326 While I firmly believe 01:05.326 --> 01:08.290 the United States military remains the world's best, 01:08.290 --> 01:10.758 I'm concerned about its shortfalls in readiness 01:10.758 --> 01:12.769 and the trend lines that we see. 01:12.769 --> 01:15.491 US Transportation Command enables our military 01:15.491 --> 01:18.576 to deliver an immediate and powerful force 01:18.576 --> 01:21.993 against US adversaries anywhere in the globe 01:21.993 --> 01:26.160 through airlift, air refueling, and our strategic sea lift. 01:26.752 --> 01:29.021 As members of these subcommittees know, 01:29.021 --> 01:30.466 US Transportation Command 01:30.466 --> 01:33.196 will always answer the nation's call, 01:33.196 --> 01:36.958 but there are challenges that demand our attention today 01:36.958 --> 01:39.927 to ensure the readiness of our military. 01:39.927 --> 01:41.261 I reiterate my belief that 01:41.261 --> 01:43.978 the first responsibility of the federal government 01:43.978 --> 01:46.773 is to provide for the security of its citizens, 01:46.773 --> 01:48.449 to accomplish for citizens 01:48.449 --> 01:50.464 what they cannot do for themselves. 01:50.464 --> 01:52.758 Therefore, it's our responsibility 01:52.758 --> 01:55.031 as members of these subcommittees 01:55.031 --> 01:57.698 to continue to better understand 01:57.705 --> 02:00.266 the readiness and force structure situation 02:00.266 --> 02:02.479 of the United States Transportation Command 02:02.479 --> 02:05.349 to understand where we continue to take risk 02:05.349 --> 02:08.001 and understand where more attention is needed. 02:08.001 --> 02:10.492 I'd like to welcome our distinguished witness 02:10.492 --> 02:13.193 who we're honored to have with us today, 02:13.193 --> 02:15.193 General Darren W. McDew, 02:16.943 --> 02:19.110 and US Air Force Commander 02:19.945 --> 02:22.006 United States Transportation Command, 02:22.006 --> 02:24.747 and I do like to point out that Congressman Wittman and I 02:24.747 --> 02:28.042 were both commenting just now, a distinguished graduate 02:28.042 --> 02:32.209 of the Virginia Military Institute of Lexington, Virginia. 02:32.962 --> 02:34.999 I thank you for testifying today, 02:34.999 --> 02:38.214 and look forward to your thoughts and insights 02:38.214 --> 02:39.526 as you highlight the current state 02:39.526 --> 02:41.675 of the US Transportation Command. 02:41.675 --> 02:43.917 I'd like to now turn to the ranking member 02:43.917 --> 02:46.418 of the Seapower and Projection Force Subcommittee, 02:46.418 --> 02:50.585 also ranking in as member of the Readiness Subcommittee, 02:50.739 --> 02:54.188 Congressman Joe Courtney, for any remarks you may have. 02:54.188 --> 02:56.041 - Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you again 02:56.041 --> 02:59.499 to my colleague from Virginia, Mr. Wittman, 02:59.499 --> 03:02.466 for coordinating this joint hearing this morning. 03:02.466 --> 03:05.162 It's a good, efficient way to get the message out 03:05.162 --> 03:08.329 to as large a group of us as possible. 03:09.224 --> 03:12.231 And I think this hearing offers an important opportunity 03:12.231 --> 03:14.248 for our two panels to receive a timely update 03:14.248 --> 03:16.680 on the readiness status of the US Transportation Command, 03:16.680 --> 03:19.673 which plays a critical but too often overlooked role 03:19.673 --> 03:21.453 in our air lift and sea lift capabilities. 03:21.453 --> 03:23.201 Getting the people, supplies, and equipment 03:23.201 --> 03:25.750 to the locations they are needed, when they are needed, 03:25.750 --> 03:28.022 is one of the foundational pieces of our nation's ability 03:28.022 --> 03:30.262 to project power around the globe. 03:30.262 --> 03:31.494 Under TRANSCOM, the mix 03:31.494 --> 03:33.983 of organic military assets and commercial partners 03:33.983 --> 03:35.372 makes a powerful combination 03:35.372 --> 03:37.718 that must be carefully managed and sustained. 03:37.718 --> 03:40.499 And while I believe that TRANSCOM remains ready today 03:40.499 --> 03:42.735 to fulfill its important mission, 03:42.735 --> 03:44.738 I'm concerned about some of the longer term challenges 03:44.738 --> 03:46.766 it will face without action by Congress. 03:46.766 --> 03:50.248 For example, while the emerging buildup of our Navy fleet 03:50.248 --> 03:52.748 has received significant attention in the recent months, 03:52.748 --> 03:56.253 the state of our sea lift capabilities is just as important. 03:56.253 --> 03:58.420 Many of the sea lift ships that reside in the fleet today 03:58.420 --> 04:00.980 are the result of congressional urging and funding 04:00.980 --> 04:03.541 due to insufficient prioritization and planning 04:03.541 --> 04:05.510 within the executive branch. 04:05.510 --> 04:06.943 As the Navy potentially embarks 04:06.943 --> 04:08.390 on an increased shipbuilding initiative 04:08.390 --> 04:10.784 for combatants to support the new FSA, 04:10.784 --> 04:12.902 it is just as critical that our sea lift requirements 04:12.902 --> 04:14.977 are not once again sidelined. 04:14.977 --> 04:16.292 America's Ready Reserve fleet 04:16.292 --> 04:18.681 and the vessels within the Maritime Security Program 04:18.681 --> 04:21.464 are strategic and irreplaceable national assets, 04:21.464 --> 04:23.023 and like other strategic assets, 04:23.023 --> 04:25.450 we must ensure that we do all we can 04:25.450 --> 04:27.005 to maintain, support, and replace 04:27.005 --> 04:28.849 the ships that comprise them. 04:28.849 --> 04:30.985 I'm deeply concerned, however, 04:30.985 --> 04:33.738 that we have not paid enough attention as a nation 04:33.738 --> 04:35.951 to the health and viability of our pool of vessels 04:35.951 --> 04:38.173 or the mariner pipeline needed to crew them. 04:38.173 --> 04:39.199 As we look at addressing 04:39.199 --> 04:41.678 some of the more urgent near term needs 04:41.678 --> 04:43.005 facing our sea lift capability, 04:43.005 --> 04:45.933 it is important as well to have a clear and long term path 04:45.933 --> 04:48.713 towards fully recapitalizing our sea lift fleet 04:48.713 --> 04:51.406 and the mariners needed to man them. 04:51.406 --> 04:52.239 In the near term, 04:52.239 --> 04:54.417 I believe we need to take action to ensure that 04:54.417 --> 04:56.976 the MSP has the resources and support it needs. 04:56.976 --> 04:58.824 Chairman Wittman and I have teamed up to lead 04:58.824 --> 05:01.274 a bipartisan letter with more than 50 other members 05:01.274 --> 05:04.038 to the House appropriators, urging them to fully fund 05:04.038 --> 05:07.291 the Maritime Security Program for fiscal year 2018. 05:07.291 --> 05:09.233 The Maritime Security Program provides 05:09.233 --> 05:11.765 an extremely cost effective means of ensuring 05:11.765 --> 05:14.001 critical sea lift capability during times of crisis 05:14.001 --> 05:15.718 and deserves strong support 05:15.718 --> 05:18.266 as we consider the budget in the months ahead. 05:18.266 --> 05:20.217 I'm also proud that the Seapower Subcommittee 05:20.217 --> 05:21.919 has led the way to assure that we continue to have 05:21.919 --> 05:24.405 the ability to train the next generation of mariners 05:24.405 --> 05:26.223 that will support our sea lift needs. 05:26.223 --> 05:28.263 Last year, we authorized the construction 05:28.263 --> 05:30.971 of a national security multi mission vessel 05:30.971 --> 05:33.153 that will replace the aging fleet of training ships 05:33.153 --> 05:35.749 allocated to our state maritime academies. 05:35.749 --> 05:37.272 Together, these institutions provide 05:37.272 --> 05:39.748 the majority of our nation's trained mariners, 05:39.748 --> 05:42.516 and this program is key to ensuring 05:42.516 --> 05:45.499 that we protect and grow this vital pipeline. 05:45.499 --> 05:48.455 Equally important to America's ability to deliver the fight 05:48.455 --> 05:50.515 is our strategic airlift capacity. 05:50.515 --> 05:52.541 This subcommittee has strongly supported 05:52.541 --> 05:56.708 the recapitalization of key assets like the KC-46A tankers, 05:56.768 --> 05:59.674 while also backing cost effective modernization efforts 05:59.674 --> 06:03.841 of other platforms, like the C-130 H fleet and the C-5Ms. 06:04.258 --> 06:05.913 While each service must balance 06:05.913 --> 06:08.484 competing efforts to restore readiness as we have heard 06:08.484 --> 06:10.997 during the State of the Air Force hearing last week, 06:10.997 --> 06:13.986 continued modernization efforts on our C-130 H fleet 06:13.986 --> 06:17.287 must be prioritized as a relatively inexpensive means 06:17.287 --> 06:19.806 of maintaining critical capacity. 06:19.806 --> 06:22.764 And we heard a shoutout for Virginia a few minutes ago. 06:22.764 --> 06:26.606 Just wanted to recognize that the C-130 H airlift wing 06:26.606 --> 06:28.343 of the Connecticut Flying Yankees, 06:28.343 --> 06:31.260 I say that grudgingly as a Red Sox fan, 06:31.260 --> 06:33.534 are deployed right now overseas, 06:33.534 --> 06:36.279 supporting the important mission in the Middle East. 06:36.279 --> 06:38.232 And again, that was a lot of hard work, 06:38.232 --> 06:40.765 and I wanna thank the Air Force and the Air Force reserves 06:40.765 --> 06:43.452 for basically getting that flying mission 06:43.452 --> 06:45.202 back in action again. 06:46.126 --> 06:49.446 And again, I wanna thank the general for being here today, 06:49.446 --> 06:52.211 and again, salute his outstanding service to our nation. 06:52.211 --> 06:54.499 With that, Mr. Chairman, I yield back. 06:54.499 --> 06:55.664 - Thank you, Congressman Courtney, 06:55.664 --> 06:58.536 and thank you for being dual headed today, 06:58.536 --> 07:00.715 serving as also the ranking member 07:00.715 --> 07:03.215 of the Readiness Subcommittee. 07:03.520 --> 07:04.706 Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo 07:04.706 --> 07:07.201 I know would want to be here today, 07:07.201 --> 07:11.368 but she's back in Guam, the beautiful territory of Guam, 07:12.259 --> 07:14.426 to provide a presentation, 07:16.231 --> 07:19.310 her annual presentation on service in Congress 07:19.310 --> 07:21.011 to the people of Guam. 07:21.011 --> 07:23.844 And we know of her great affection 07:23.972 --> 07:26.972 for the beautiful territory of Guam. 07:27.552 --> 07:30.028 I now turn to the gentleman from Virginia and Chairman 07:30.028 --> 07:32.762 of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, 07:32.762 --> 07:33.942 Congressman Rob Wittman, 07:33.942 --> 07:36.952 for any opening remarks that he may have. 07:36.952 --> 07:38.252 - Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman. 07:38.252 --> 07:40.502 And General McDew, welcome. 07:40.592 --> 07:42.273 Thanks so much for all of your time and effort 07:42.273 --> 07:43.966 on this extraordinarily important issue, 07:43.966 --> 07:46.941 and in deference to that great school there in Lexington, 07:46.941 --> 07:49.930 go Keydets. (laughs) 07:49.930 --> 07:51.715 I also wanna thank Chairman Wilson 07:51.715 --> 07:54.755 for offering to have this joint subcommittee hearing today, 07:54.755 --> 07:57.365 and I believe that there are a number of overlapping issues 07:57.365 --> 07:58.742 with the Readiness Subcommittee, 07:58.742 --> 08:00.234 and I look forward to working with 08:00.234 --> 08:02.027 the distinguished gentleman from South Carolina 08:02.027 --> 08:04.235 to make sure we move these issues forward 08:04.235 --> 08:07.152 in this year's NDAA markup process. 08:08.409 --> 08:11.669 General McDew, as you know, we are a seafaring nation, 08:11.669 --> 08:14.050 and this was a vision of our founding fathers 08:14.050 --> 08:17.633 when they commissioned the US Navy in 1775. 08:17.759 --> 08:21.926 And our seafaring nature is now the bedrock of our economy. 08:21.992 --> 08:26.159 Today, merchant ships carry around 90% of everything, 08:26.910 --> 08:31.077 with that total amount having more than tripled since 1970. 08:34.214 --> 08:36.812 Unfortunately for our national security, this seaborne trade 08:36.812 --> 08:39.536 is being increasingly outsourced to other nations, 08:39.536 --> 08:42.566 and our own merchant fleet is in rapid decline. 08:42.566 --> 08:45.233 Between the years 2000 and 2014, 08:45.458 --> 08:47.928 our US commercial fleet has shrunk 08:47.928 --> 08:50.595 from 282 vessels to 179 vessels, 08:52.231 --> 08:54.739 a reduction of almost 40%. 08:54.739 --> 08:56.546 This decline in our commercial fleet 08:56.546 --> 08:59.987 increasingly represents a national security challenge 08:59.987 --> 09:02.702 because the mariners that support our commercial sector 09:02.702 --> 09:06.279 will be used extensively by the US Transportation Command 09:06.279 --> 09:09.216 during times of war or mobilization. 09:09.216 --> 09:11.275 The Maritime Administration has indicated 09:11.275 --> 09:15.021 that our commercial sector does not have sufficient mariners 09:15.021 --> 09:17.938 to sustain a prolonged mobilization 09:17.949 --> 09:20.003 of our Ready Reserve forces. 09:20.003 --> 09:22.086 Our nation cannot presume 09:22.237 --> 09:25.211 that a foreign owned maritime sea lift component 09:25.211 --> 09:28.017 will be available during times of conflict 09:28.017 --> 09:30.684 to deploy into contested waters. 09:30.976 --> 09:35.059 Our nation needs US mariners on US flagged ships. 09:36.920 --> 09:38.975 As our strategic airlift capabilities, 09:38.975 --> 09:41.491 today we depend on a much smaller fleet 09:41.491 --> 09:43.574 to move cargo, personnel, 09:43.964 --> 09:47.752 and to medevac the wounded from more remote battlefields 09:47.752 --> 09:50.502 than during the Desert Storm era. 09:50.504 --> 09:53.659 Even with the larger Desert Storm force, 09:53.659 --> 09:55.944 a 1993 RAND study found that 09:55.944 --> 09:59.523 more than 60% of our troops and 23% of the cargo 09:59.523 --> 10:01.954 airlifted in or out of the theater 10:01.954 --> 10:04.204 went by the private sector. 10:04.534 --> 10:06.460 In future major theater wars, 10:06.460 --> 10:08.820 the Civil Reserve air lift fleet 10:08.820 --> 10:11.507 may be asked to absorb even more of the demands 10:11.507 --> 10:13.733 for cargo and troop movements. 10:13.733 --> 10:16.202 I am concerned that outdated planning assumptions 10:16.202 --> 10:17.869 need to be reviewed. 10:18.138 --> 10:20.197 The new administration has made it clear 10:20.197 --> 10:21.529 that it wants to increase 10:21.529 --> 10:24.249 Army and Marine Corps force structure. 10:24.249 --> 10:26.054 However, at the same time, 10:26.054 --> 10:28.699 areas of the globe are becoming less permissive 10:28.699 --> 10:30.994 for civilian aviation operations 10:30.994 --> 10:34.173 to deliver these additional soldiers and marines 10:34.173 --> 10:36.414 to their areas of operation. 10:36.414 --> 10:39.708 I believe TRANSCOM should thoughtfully consider 10:39.708 --> 10:42.999 how to best increase strategic airlift capacity 10:42.999 --> 10:45.965 and its ability to operate in contested environments 10:45.965 --> 10:47.194 around the globe. 10:47.194 --> 10:49.443 I thank Chairman Wilson for working 10:49.443 --> 10:52.950 within the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee 10:52.950 --> 10:54.500 on this important issue, 10:54.500 --> 10:56.970 and I yield back the balance of my time. 10:56.970 --> 10:59.439 - Thank you, Congressman Rob Wittman of Virginia. 10:59.439 --> 11:02.496 We now begin with the opening statement from General McDew. 11:02.496 --> 11:05.829 We look forward to your testimony today. 11:07.533 --> 11:08.535 - Good morning, 11:08.535 --> 11:12.442 Chairman Wilson and Wittman, Ranking Member Courtney, 11:12.442 --> 11:15.227 and distinguished members of both subcommittees. 11:15.227 --> 11:17.214 It is an honor and I'm nearly giddy this morning 11:17.214 --> 11:20.447 to have the privilege to be here with you today 11:20.447 --> 11:22.409 representing the fine men and women 11:22.409 --> 11:24.899 of the United States Transportation Command. 11:24.899 --> 11:26.912 I thank you for your continued support 11:26.912 --> 11:29.817 of our dedicated professionals who are all working together 11:29.817 --> 11:32.284 to provide our nation with a broad range 11:32.284 --> 11:35.451 of strategic capabilities and options. 11:35.680 --> 11:39.039 I also want to emphasize the vital role that you mentioned 11:39.039 --> 11:40.968 that our commercial industry, 11:40.968 --> 11:44.726 who I call our fourth component, plays in our success. 11:44.726 --> 11:47.987 As I appear before you today, I can say confidently 11:47.987 --> 11:50.558 that your United States Transportation Command 11:50.558 --> 11:53.488 stands ready to deliver our nation's objectives 11:53.488 --> 11:55.238 anywhere at any time. 11:55.644 --> 11:57.450 We do this in two ways. 11:57.450 --> 11:59.953 We can provide an immediate force tonight 11:59.953 --> 12:03.222 through the use of our airlift and air refueling fleets, 12:03.222 --> 12:06.517 and we can provide that decisive force when needed 12:06.517 --> 12:09.007 through the use of our strategic sea lift 12:09.007 --> 12:10.590 and surface assets. 12:10.953 --> 12:13.175 You see evidence of this every single time 12:13.175 --> 12:15.425 you read or watch the news. 12:15.923 --> 12:17.267 When North Korea increased 12:17.267 --> 12:19.768 its provocation of our Pacific allies, 12:19.768 --> 12:21.958 America responded with assistance. 12:21.958 --> 12:23.777 US TRANSCOM delivered that assistance 12:23.777 --> 12:25.921 in the form of missile defense systems, 12:25.921 --> 12:27.400 personnel, and support equipment 12:27.400 --> 12:30.770 flying 3,000 miles within a matter of hours. 12:30.770 --> 12:33.502 When you read about America's brigade combat teams 12:33.502 --> 12:34.994 rolling through your Europe, 12:34.994 --> 12:38.242 it was US TRANSCOM's ability to provide a decisive force 12:38.242 --> 12:40.659 to reassure our European allies. 12:40.659 --> 12:43.011 When America needed B-2 Stealth Bombers 12:43.011 --> 12:47.178 to fly 11,000 miles from Missouri to Libya and back 12:47.743 --> 12:50.750 to deliver over 100 precision weapons, 12:50.750 --> 12:53.481 our air refuelers got them there. 12:53.481 --> 12:56.958 From national disasters to epidemics to acts of war, 12:56.958 --> 12:59.284 the men and women of US TRANSCOM are standing ready 12:59.284 --> 13:03.232 to deliver this nation's aid, assistance, and hope 13:03.232 --> 13:04.815 to a world in need. 13:04.946 --> 13:09.113 These missions must execute seamlessly and without fail. 13:09.474 --> 13:12.666 All the while, these great professionals quietly manage 13:12.666 --> 13:14.739 a myriad of daily tasks around the globe 13:14.739 --> 13:18.906 which most Americans will never hear or read about. 13:20.524 --> 13:23.696 It takes, I believe, great diligence, skill, and innovation 13:23.696 --> 13:26.270 to provide that kind of readiness for America. 13:26.270 --> 13:29.222 And since 1987, nearly 30 years now, 13:29.222 --> 13:31.059 the men and women of US TRANSCOM 13:31.059 --> 13:33.285 have never let this nation down. 13:33.285 --> 13:34.979 I am proud to serve next to them, 13:34.979 --> 13:37.472 and I say with confidence that our organization 13:37.472 --> 13:40.702 is ready to respond when our nation calls. 13:40.702 --> 13:41.872 Now, I have great confidence, 13:41.872 --> 13:46.039 but my confidence comes, however, it's not without concern. 13:46.298 --> 13:49.466 The environment we operate in today is increasingly complex, 13:49.466 --> 13:51.200 and we expect future adversaries 13:51.200 --> 13:53.950 will be more versatile and more dynamic, 13:53.950 --> 13:57.283 forcing us to adapt, change, and evolve. 13:57.465 --> 13:59.512 Furthermore, as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs, 13:59.512 --> 14:02.189 General Joe Dunford, laid out in his vision for our future, 14:02.189 --> 14:03.973 we are viewing potential adversaries 14:03.973 --> 14:06.205 through a transregional, multidomain, 14:06.205 --> 14:08.066 and multifunctional lens. 14:08.066 --> 14:10.063 Properly understanding the potential threats 14:10.063 --> 14:13.159 from China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, 14:13.159 --> 14:16.692 as well as worldwide global violent extremists, 14:16.692 --> 14:20.275 in the global context is of utmost concern. 14:21.746 --> 14:24.545 And it is a concern for our national security. 14:24.545 --> 14:27.020 In each of these scenarios, I believe, 14:27.020 --> 14:31.161 logistics plays a critical but often overlooked role. 14:31.161 --> 14:33.483 Today, US TRANSCOM is critically examining 14:33.483 --> 14:35.928 how we execute our logistics mission 14:35.928 --> 14:38.504 in the contested environments of the future, 14:38.504 --> 14:41.775 a space we haven't had to operate in, at least logistically, 14:41.775 --> 14:43.889 for a very, very long time. 14:43.889 --> 14:46.264 We are exercising in war gaming scenarios, 14:46.264 --> 14:49.534 forcing planners to account for transportation's vital role 14:49.534 --> 14:51.117 and potential loss. 14:51.943 --> 14:53.695 Earlier this year, US TRANSCOM held 14:53.695 --> 14:56.221 its first ever contested environment war game, 14:56.221 --> 14:59.469 imagining a scenario where we didn't, hard to believe, 14:59.469 --> 15:03.237 dominate the skies or own every line of communication. 15:03.237 --> 15:04.748 This war game uncovered 15:04.748 --> 15:06.960 a surprising amount of lessons learned 15:06.960 --> 15:08.695 which we've already started absorbing 15:08.695 --> 15:12.727 into our tactics, techniques, and procedures accordingly. 15:12.727 --> 15:13.755 I'm also concerned about 15:13.755 --> 15:16.212 our national strategic sea lift capability. 15:16.212 --> 15:18.977 A delay in recapitalizing our military sea lift fleet 15:18.977 --> 15:22.179 creates risk in our ability to deploy forces 15:22.179 --> 15:23.596 across the globe. 15:24.415 --> 15:26.507 These concerns are compounded further 15:26.507 --> 15:28.211 by merchant mariner shortages 15:28.211 --> 15:30.542 and the reduction of US flagged vessels. 15:30.542 --> 15:32.087 Today, our resources make us capable 15:32.087 --> 15:34.679 of meeting today's logistics needs. 15:34.679 --> 15:36.502 However, if we don't take action soon, 15:36.502 --> 15:38.942 many of our military sea lift command vessels 15:38.942 --> 15:41.442 will begin to age out by 2026. 15:41.756 --> 15:43.450 A significant portion of the DoD's 15:43.450 --> 15:47.251 wartime cargo capability moves on these ships. 15:47.251 --> 15:50.198 My final concern is one that runs throughout our operations 15:50.198 --> 15:54.115 and no doubt concerns us all, the cyber threat. 15:54.561 --> 15:57.196 We aren't the only government agency to face these threats, 15:57.196 --> 15:59.926 but US TRANSCOM has a unique problem set. 15:59.926 --> 16:02.048 Unlike other combatant commands, 16:02.048 --> 16:03.963 commercial industry plays a vital role 16:03.963 --> 16:05.963 in how we accomplish our mission. 16:05.963 --> 16:09.222 The DoD's information network is relatively secure, 16:09.222 --> 16:12.712 but how do we guarantee the security of military data 16:12.712 --> 16:14.545 on commercial systems? 16:14.703 --> 16:16.110 In short, we operate in 16:16.110 --> 16:19.277 an ambiguous seam between DoD and DHS. 16:20.950 --> 16:24.950 Our mission includes both .mil and .com domains. 16:26.008 --> 16:28.161 We are accelerating several initiatives 16:28.161 --> 16:29.710 and also our thinking 16:29.710 --> 16:33.877 to help try to close that gap between DoD and DHS. 16:33.958 --> 16:35.269 Also, before I conclude, 16:35.269 --> 16:39.054 I'd like to extend my gratitude to Miss Vickie Plunkett, 16:39.054 --> 16:41.470 a member of the Readiness Subcommittee professional staff, 16:41.470 --> 16:44.739 for her dedication and her work with US TRANSCOM. 16:44.739 --> 16:45.925 To our nation's benefit, 16:45.925 --> 16:48.483 she's always asked the tough questions, 16:48.483 --> 16:51.022 and she knew how to match Congress's intent 16:51.022 --> 16:53.532 to the capabilities TRANSCOM delivers. 16:53.532 --> 16:56.023 We thank her for all she has done for the nation 16:56.023 --> 16:59.440 and wish her the very best in retirement. 17:00.250 --> 17:02.174 Thank you again, Chairman Wilson and Wittman 17:02.174 --> 17:05.218 and Ranking Member Courtney and members of the subcommittees 17:05.218 --> 17:06.737 for inviting me, interesting, 17:06.737 --> 17:09.045 inviting me to speak to you today. 17:09.045 --> 17:10.692 I respectfully request my written testimony 17:10.692 --> 17:12.061 be submitted for the record, 17:12.061 --> 17:13.262 and I look forward to your questions. 17:13.262 --> 17:14.095 Thank you. 17:14.338 --> 17:15.492 - General, thank you very much. 17:15.492 --> 17:16.968 And we've just been notified 17:16.968 --> 17:19.941 that we may be having votes around 10, 17:19.941 --> 17:22.525 and so fortunately, we have Margaret Dean here 17:22.525 --> 17:26.243 who is gonna maintain strict five minute rule, 17:26.243 --> 17:27.710 beginning with me. 17:27.710 --> 17:29.543 And so it shall begin. 17:33.265 --> 17:36.455 I'm really grateful, again, that you're here, 17:36.455 --> 17:39.031 and the challenges that you've indicated 17:39.031 --> 17:43.198 that become even more gruesome as you approach 2026. 17:44.062 --> 17:47.062 But additionally, in line with that, 17:48.001 --> 17:50.212 every week, we read about potential adversaries 17:50.212 --> 17:54.223 challenging our freedom of navigation by air or sea 17:54.223 --> 17:56.538 in areas such as the South China Sea, 17:56.538 --> 17:59.638 Straits of Hormuz, and the Baltic Sea. 17:59.638 --> 18:03.721 Is TRANSCOM prepared to deliver combat capability 18:05.008 --> 18:08.091 in these potentially contested areas? 18:10.042 --> 18:12.509 - Chairman, this is a new challenge for us. 18:12.509 --> 18:15.203 For 70 years, we've had domain dominance. 18:15.203 --> 18:17.682 We haven't been challenged in any domain 18:17.682 --> 18:20.438 for as long as I can remember in my military service 18:20.438 --> 18:21.935 and long before that. 18:21.935 --> 18:23.118 So it is definitely something 18:23.118 --> 18:24.723 we are now coming to grips with. 18:24.723 --> 18:27.997 Our contested environment war game that we had recently 18:27.997 --> 18:30.770 that had 64 different agencies part of it, 18:30.770 --> 18:33.383 every COCOM, everybody in logistics communities, 18:33.383 --> 18:35.471 some commercial partners, and others, 18:35.471 --> 18:37.464 has brought us to the realization that 18:37.464 --> 18:38.916 we can't always assure 18:38.916 --> 18:42.517 that everything we send in a direction will make it. 18:42.517 --> 18:44.552 We can't always be sure that we'll have 18:44.552 --> 18:46.975 the clear lines of communication that we need. 18:46.975 --> 18:48.524 We haven't, to this point, 18:48.524 --> 18:50.743 planned for any losses in logistics. 18:50.743 --> 18:53.891 It's 100% success and 100% of the things get there 18:53.891 --> 18:55.507 at 100% of the time. 18:55.507 --> 18:58.001 I don't think that's a valuable proposition going forward 18:58.001 --> 18:58.960 to think that way. 18:58.960 --> 19:00.749 So we're changing the way we think, 19:00.749 --> 19:02.491 and we're putting it into every exercise 19:02.491 --> 19:04.692 to try to get at it differently. 19:04.692 --> 19:07.719 - Thank you very much for being so proactive. 19:07.719 --> 19:10.972 And you mentioned, of course, cyber as a threat. 19:10.972 --> 19:14.286 With the threats increasing, are they impacting readiness? 19:14.286 --> 19:16.818 Are there any threats or challenges in this domain 19:16.818 --> 19:18.477 that are unique to TRANSCOM 19:18.477 --> 19:20.824 and may not be currently addressed by DoD 19:20.824 --> 19:22.407 or the interagency? 19:22.447 --> 19:24.977 If so, what is being done to ensure 19:24.977 --> 19:28.310 operational security in the cyber realm? 19:29.522 --> 19:31.476 - Well Chairman, about a year ago, 19:31.476 --> 19:34.906 we started down a path of discovery on cyber. 19:34.906 --> 19:36.973 We were not ready to have this kind of dialogue 19:36.973 --> 19:38.506 a year ago when I sat in front of you. 19:38.506 --> 19:41.284 I was understanding that the threat was approaching, 19:41.284 --> 19:44.509 but I didn't understand the depth of the problem. 19:44.509 --> 19:47.944 We've had three cyber round tables over the last 18 months, 19:47.944 --> 19:50.253 and in those cyber round tables, we've had academia, 19:50.253 --> 19:53.689 we've had business leaders, we've had hackers, 19:53.689 --> 19:57.710 join us to take us from cyber awareness to cyber knowledge. 19:57.710 --> 19:59.201 And now we understand 19:59.201 --> 20:02.271 how nervous we should be in this domain. 20:02.271 --> 20:05.604 The seam that exists between DoD and DHS 20:05.899 --> 20:07.732 is a real seam for us. 20:07.996 --> 20:10.942 Because we have 90% of my activity on a daily basis 20:10.942 --> 20:13.458 runs through the commercial networks, 20:13.458 --> 20:15.697 we are becoming more and more vulnerable, 20:15.697 --> 20:17.290 because those commercial assets 20:17.290 --> 20:19.525 are part of national security. 20:19.525 --> 20:20.561 Our industrial base 20:20.561 --> 20:22.942 is part of national security in my realm. 20:22.942 --> 20:24.036 And I don't believe that 20:24.036 --> 20:27.258 we protect the rest of the federal government 20:27.258 --> 20:30.011 the same way we protect inside of DoD. 20:30.011 --> 20:31.431 So that's our challenge, 20:31.431 --> 20:32.916 and we're trying to bridge that gap 20:32.916 --> 20:34.933 and make that understanding more relevant. 20:34.933 --> 20:37.037 - Well again, thank you for being so proactive, 20:37.037 --> 20:41.204 and the changes over the past year certainly are a positive. 20:42.012 --> 20:43.650 Our government continues to operate 20:43.650 --> 20:45.692 under a continuing resolution. 20:45.692 --> 20:47.677 The military services are taking risks 20:47.677 --> 20:49.927 to prevent capability gaps. 20:50.222 --> 20:52.978 How will a full year continuing resolution 20:52.978 --> 20:56.269 impact US Transportation Command's readiness? 20:56.269 --> 20:58.519 Are there cascading impacts 20:58.696 --> 21:00.925 to the service members or their families? 21:00.925 --> 21:02.151 Are we breaking faith 21:02.151 --> 21:05.818 with the service members and their families? 21:06.701 --> 21:09.005 - Chairman, a continuing resolution 21:09.005 --> 21:11.672 is not good for anybody, really. 21:11.919 --> 21:14.712 Directly impacting US Transportation Command, 21:14.712 --> 21:17.452 they're not as prevalent as they are in the services, 21:17.452 --> 21:21.119 but that's a direct indirect on US TRANSCOM. 21:21.437 --> 21:22.937 So as the services 21:23.006 --> 21:25.040 individually take risks in their portfolio 21:25.040 --> 21:26.717 because of their lack of ability 21:26.717 --> 21:29.228 to plan or to program for different things, 21:29.228 --> 21:33.263 and they take risks in what they can continue to operate, 21:33.263 --> 21:34.967 it disproportionately impacts 21:34.967 --> 21:37.558 the logistics and transportation communities. 21:37.558 --> 21:40.966 If a Marine decision is made to take a risk in logistics, 21:40.966 --> 21:43.969 if an Air Force makes a decision to take risks in logistics, 21:43.969 --> 21:46.183 and so on, all of those are compounded 21:46.183 --> 21:48.281 by the time they come to my joint command 21:48.281 --> 21:50.031 at US Transportation Command. 21:50.031 --> 21:52.773 And what I've seen through sequestration 21:52.773 --> 21:54.715 and years of continuing resolutions 21:54.715 --> 21:57.716 is that is starting to now hurt in ways 21:57.716 --> 22:00.003 in the services and now in my enterprise. 22:00.003 --> 22:02.452 Luckily, I have the Transportation Working Capital Fund 22:02.452 --> 22:04.717 that allows me to continue to operate, 22:04.717 --> 22:07.990 but the resourcing, the ability to get after 22:07.990 --> 22:10.159 how many C-5s we have available and flying, 22:10.159 --> 22:12.533 how many C-17s are in the active duty force, 22:12.533 --> 22:14.750 all of those are impactful now. 22:14.750 --> 22:15.625 - Thank you very much. 22:15.625 --> 22:18.652 We now proceed to Congressman Courtney. 22:18.652 --> 22:19.485 - Thank you, General. 22:19.485 --> 22:21.198 I'm just gonna ask really one area 22:21.198 --> 22:23.618 and give some of the members a chance to jump in, 22:23.618 --> 22:25.781 'cause I know we're gonna have votes coming up pretty fast. 22:25.781 --> 22:29.948 So again, your command, really, is an interesting one, 22:30.254 --> 22:31.772 because you have your feet 22:31.772 --> 22:33.283 in a lot of different other agencies 22:33.283 --> 22:34.999 that fall outside of DoD. 22:34.999 --> 22:36.562 And one of the issues that 22:36.562 --> 22:38.791 we have tried to work on in seapower 22:38.791 --> 22:40.026 over the last couple years 22:40.026 --> 22:42.455 is really this workforce issue 22:42.455 --> 22:45.924 in terms of just making sure that we have merchant mariners 22:45.924 --> 22:49.413 ready to perform the mission that you quarterback. 22:49.413 --> 22:51.234 And obviously, one of the big needs 22:51.234 --> 22:54.662 is having training vessels at the maritime academies. 22:54.662 --> 22:57.797 And again, that's not directly under your portfolio, 22:57.797 --> 23:00.193 but I was just wondering if you could... 23:00.193 --> 23:02.525 We put some authorizing money to jumpstart 23:02.525 --> 23:04.772 design and construction of some new vessels, 23:04.772 --> 23:07.955 and if you have any thoughts or perspective, 23:07.955 --> 23:10.453 that would be helpful in terms of trying to create a record 23:10.453 --> 23:13.036 as we go into next year's NDAA. 23:15.213 --> 23:18.630 - As you know, the merchant mariner force 23:19.207 --> 23:23.027 is the bedrock to how we move the force in our country. 23:23.027 --> 23:25.690 It makes the difference between us being 23:25.690 --> 23:27.229 the most powerful military in the world 23:27.229 --> 23:29.486 and us not being the most powerful military in the world. 23:29.486 --> 23:31.234 There are nations around the world that wish they had 23:31.234 --> 23:33.533 the power projection ability we have. 23:33.533 --> 23:36.910 The mariner force we have today is insufficient 23:36.910 --> 23:39.297 to go to war for an extended period of time. 23:39.297 --> 23:42.536 We have got to continue to grow and nurture 23:42.536 --> 23:45.211 that seed corn that comes from the state military academies. 23:45.211 --> 23:46.706 I've met with many of them. 23:46.706 --> 23:48.903 I'm about to do another commissioning or a graduation speech 23:48.903 --> 23:51.153 at another one pretty soon. 23:51.304 --> 23:54.727 Some great Americans serving their nation in a powerful way, 23:54.727 --> 23:56.604 and we've gotta give them better training tools, 23:56.604 --> 23:59.104 and we need to change it fast. 24:00.367 --> 24:01.200 - Thank you. 24:01.200 --> 24:04.450 We now proceed to Chairman Rob Wittman. 24:04.967 --> 24:05.800 - Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 24:05.800 --> 24:06.943 General McDew, thanks again. 24:06.943 --> 24:08.254 Thanks so much for your service. 24:08.254 --> 24:10.171 I wanted to talk about, 24:11.927 --> 24:14.281 well, for you to give us your perspective on, 24:14.281 --> 24:17.686 first of all, the importance of the Ready Reserve fleet. 24:17.686 --> 24:21.353 Secondly, today, is there the capacity there 24:21.920 --> 24:25.003 for a full mobilization if necessary? 24:25.980 --> 24:27.683 And this other realm is, 24:27.683 --> 24:31.850 if we lose a couple hundred additional merchant mariners, 24:32.212 --> 24:34.265 is the Ready Reserve fleet even in a position 24:34.265 --> 24:37.682 to be able to begin an initial activation 24:37.990 --> 24:42.157 for moving supplies and personnel to an engagement? 24:44.407 --> 24:47.157 Give us your perspective on that. 24:47.468 --> 24:48.320 - Thanks, Chairman. 24:48.320 --> 24:52.194 The Ready Reserve fleet, about 61 strong ships, 24:52.194 --> 24:53.611 is aging rapidly. 24:54.023 --> 24:57.137 We have ships as old as 54 years years in the fleet, 24:57.137 --> 24:58.904 and the average age is somewhere around 24:58.904 --> 25:00.821 39 years in this fleet. 25:01.121 --> 25:02.121 Not optimum. 25:02.634 --> 25:05.236 We're working very strongly with the United States Navy 25:05.236 --> 25:08.228 on a recap program that's gonna be multifaceted. 25:08.228 --> 25:10.301 But to get to the core of your question, 25:10.301 --> 25:12.218 are we ready right now? 25:13.003 --> 25:16.501 We have found some readiness cracks over the last few months 25:16.501 --> 25:17.952 on being able to activate these ships 25:17.952 --> 25:19.510 and get them under way. 25:19.510 --> 25:21.715 We believe we have the numbers of ships 25:21.715 --> 25:25.215 to be able to start the initial deployment 25:25.952 --> 25:28.229 and maybe the second round of deployment, 25:28.229 --> 25:31.722 but maybe beyond that, we're starting to be hurt by 25:31.722 --> 25:33.669 how available these ships will be 25:33.669 --> 25:35.249 and the capacity of the mariners. 25:35.249 --> 25:38.220 I think the first LIMFAC we'll have is the mariners. 25:38.220 --> 25:39.742 We'll fall short of the mariners. 25:39.742 --> 25:42.825 So 11,280, by merit, is what we need, 25:43.220 --> 25:45.759 but that has some assumptions that all of those mariners 25:45.759 --> 25:48.649 will be available right when we need them. 25:48.649 --> 25:51.752 I'm not sure that's assumption we can hold to. 25:51.752 --> 25:53.460 There are larger numbers of mariners out there, 25:53.460 --> 25:54.937 but the standards we put on them, 25:54.937 --> 25:56.057 we'd like our mariners to have 25:56.057 --> 26:00.140 at least 18 months of relatively current training 26:00.766 --> 26:03.772 before we put them on board to go to war, 26:03.772 --> 26:05.333 and so there's other things we've gotta look at. 26:05.333 --> 26:09.187 The NDAA this past year puts together a working group 26:09.187 --> 26:11.955 to get after the mariner question in more depth. 26:11.955 --> 26:13.458 US Transportation Command will work 26:13.458 --> 26:15.520 with the Coast Guard and MARAD 26:15.520 --> 26:18.520 to get after those numbers and more. 26:18.714 --> 26:22.459 - Wanna look at a little bit now about our airlift capacity. 26:22.459 --> 26:25.376 As you know, you've been looking at 26:25.693 --> 26:28.256 what the increased demand signal will be 26:28.256 --> 26:31.512 for increasing the number of soldiers and marines 26:31.512 --> 26:34.244 and the airlift capacity that goes along with that 26:34.244 --> 26:37.161 in having to move those individuals 26:37.243 --> 26:39.326 to theaters if necessary. 26:39.979 --> 26:43.312 We know that the Civil Reserve Air Fleet 26:43.745 --> 26:45.503 has a certain amount of capacity. 26:45.503 --> 26:46.995 We also know that 26:46.995 --> 26:50.948 within the current lift capacity within the Air Force, 26:50.948 --> 26:53.198 it has been static at best. 26:53.617 --> 26:56.617 We know the C-17 line now is closed. 26:57.181 --> 27:01.348 We do know, though, that we have 27 C-5s in storage 27:01.699 --> 27:03.950 at the Aerospace Maintenance Regeneration Group 27:03.950 --> 27:05.117 out in Tucson. 27:05.623 --> 27:08.885 The question then becomes is, looking at craft, 27:08.885 --> 27:11.802 and looking at the current capacity 27:11.936 --> 27:16.103 with airlift within the Air Force and TRANSCOM assets, 27:17.439 --> 27:19.784 should TRANSCOM consider increasing 27:19.784 --> 27:22.034 the strategic lift capacity 27:22.036 --> 27:25.536 by returning these C-5 aircraft to service 27:25.994 --> 27:29.163 through the C-5M model conversion program 27:29.163 --> 27:32.015 as we're upgrading or bringing those aircraft back in? 27:32.015 --> 27:33.901 Should that be something that we look at 27:33.901 --> 27:38.068 to make sure that going forward we have that capacity? 27:40.683 --> 27:42.205 - Chairman, thanks for that question 27:42.205 --> 27:44.019 and the opportunity to talk a little bit about 27:44.019 --> 27:45.438 airplane stuff, which I don't get a chance 27:45.438 --> 27:47.688 to talk about much anymore. 27:48.205 --> 27:51.473 Our capacity on the lift side is being challenged. 27:51.473 --> 27:55.442 As we drew back forces from overseas locations... 27:55.442 --> 27:57.040 When I was a youngster, 27:57.040 --> 27:59.921 there were 300,000 soldiers in Europe. 27:59.921 --> 28:02.157 Now there's about 60,000 soldiers in Europe. 28:02.157 --> 28:04.239 As I talk to General Scaparrotti, 28:04.239 --> 28:08.406 his concern is how we can get the forces to him in time. 28:08.753 --> 28:11.490 That primarily, without great indications and warnings, 28:11.490 --> 28:13.804 will be airlift and air refueling. 28:13.804 --> 28:15.471 So that's a concern. 28:16.223 --> 28:18.702 I would first like to start with 28:18.702 --> 28:22.869 where the Air Force has taken risk in its portfolio today. 28:23.225 --> 28:24.996 So a couple years ago, the Air Force decided 28:24.996 --> 28:29.163 to put two squadrons of C-17s in back of inventory, 28:29.523 --> 28:31.014 purely a fiscal decision, 28:31.014 --> 28:32.330 not because the airplanes weren't performing 28:32.330 --> 28:33.571 or the squadrons weren't performing, 28:33.571 --> 28:36.752 and took down two flags on active duty. 28:36.752 --> 28:38.038 Put them in back of inventory. 28:38.038 --> 28:41.705 We also put eight C-5s in back of inventory. 28:42.303 --> 28:44.993 What that has done is put us closer on the risk scale 28:44.993 --> 28:47.076 of what we can move when. 28:47.446 --> 28:49.385 The plan is for the Air Force to be able to afford 28:49.385 --> 28:51.709 to bring those airplanes back 28:51.709 --> 28:54.697 from backup inventory into primary inventory 28:54.697 --> 28:57.554 and put them in the Guard and Reserve. 28:57.554 --> 28:58.754 I love the Guard and Reserve. 28:58.754 --> 29:00.977 I'm a big advocate for the Guard and Reserve. 29:00.977 --> 29:03.983 But what we now have is a problem of balance. 29:03.983 --> 29:06.672 We now have so much assets in the Guard and Reserve 29:06.672 --> 29:08.952 because initially we thought it was gonna be cheaper 29:08.952 --> 29:11.281 and that risk was more affordable there, 29:11.281 --> 29:13.791 but then it becomes a timing issue. 29:13.791 --> 29:15.202 Those guardsmen and reservists 29:15.202 --> 29:18.221 aren't at their duty locations every single day, 29:18.221 --> 29:20.444 ready to respond immediately. 29:20.444 --> 29:23.527 When they come up on duty 30 days in, 29:24.159 --> 29:27.207 I have great faith and confidence in their ability. 29:27.207 --> 29:29.709 But what can we do to hasten those airplanes 29:29.709 --> 29:31.943 being brought back in the primary inventory? 29:31.943 --> 29:33.047 'Cause we need those assets 29:33.047 --> 29:35.731 to get to a moderate level of risk. 29:35.731 --> 29:36.957 - Thank you. Mr. Chairman, I yield back. 29:36.957 --> 29:37.929 - And thank you, Chairman. 29:37.929 --> 29:38.986 And we now proceed 29:38.986 --> 29:42.653 to Congressman John Garamendi of California. 29:43.499 --> 29:45.499 - Thank you, Mr. Wilson. 29:47.924 --> 29:49.988 I guess I was surprised when I found 29:49.988 --> 29:52.821 my colleague and chair of the Navy 29:56.457 --> 29:57.959 talking about the Air Force. 29:57.959 --> 29:59.042 So here I am. 29:59.426 --> 30:01.538 I'm gonna talk about the Navy. 30:01.538 --> 30:03.205 So let's go at that. 30:05.464 --> 30:07.430 The mariner issue has been some discussion. 30:07.430 --> 30:09.026 My apologies for having stepped out. 30:09.026 --> 30:13.193 There was another general, Mr. Oliver, General Oliver, 30:13.727 --> 30:15.517 who wanted to talk about some of the issues 30:15.517 --> 30:17.600 that are your turf, also. 30:18.477 --> 30:19.894 Where to go here. 30:21.366 --> 30:23.696 In your written testimony, General, 30:23.696 --> 30:27.863 you talked about the problem of the Ready Reserve, 30:29.258 --> 30:32.841 the MSP, and the fact that we will not have 30:33.200 --> 30:37.163 many mariners in another 10 years, or even five years, 30:37.163 --> 30:39.746 and I understand in my absence, 30:39.769 --> 30:42.411 Mr. Courtney brought up the issue of training 30:42.411 --> 30:45.211 and the training ships, all of which are important. 30:45.211 --> 30:47.286 But the fundamental problem is, 30:47.286 --> 30:51.389 there won't be any place for these mariners to work. 30:51.389 --> 30:54.666 And I believe some of the earlier discussion 30:54.666 --> 30:58.205 centered on the fact that our commercial maritime fleet 30:58.205 --> 31:00.150 has all but disappeared. 31:00.150 --> 31:03.786 And so we may train people, but where are they gonna work? 31:03.786 --> 31:07.453 And so what I wanna really get into here is, 31:08.154 --> 31:11.821 detailed on what your plans are to deal with 31:12.028 --> 31:16.028 the Ready Reserve fleet, and then the MSP fleet. 31:16.254 --> 31:19.744 The MSP, I believe, there was a discussion earlier 31:19.744 --> 31:22.661 about the necessity of the subsidy. 31:23.206 --> 31:24.531 I think we're in agreement on that. 31:24.531 --> 31:25.994 Whether there's money for it or not, 31:25.994 --> 31:27.395 that's another question. 31:27.395 --> 31:29.280 But nonetheless, that's not where I wanna go. 31:29.280 --> 31:32.892 I wanna go to the ships, and I wanna hear your discussion 31:32.892 --> 31:36.745 about what to do with the ships for the Ready Reserve. 31:36.745 --> 31:38.669 I notice that they are aged, 31:38.669 --> 31:42.836 so please, if you'll get into that in some detail with us. 31:44.090 --> 31:46.179 - Congressman, the Ready Reserve fleet 31:46.179 --> 31:48.757 is a vital part of our portfolio to be able to project-- 31:48.757 --> 31:50.840 (static) 31:52.084 --> 31:53.744 a vital part of our portfolio to be able 31:53.744 --> 31:56.773 to project the Army particularly to war. 31:56.773 --> 31:58.024 Those 60 ships are the ones 31:58.024 --> 32:01.422 that we have available initially to get moving. 32:01.422 --> 32:02.416 You are correct. 32:02.416 --> 32:06.583 We are having an issue with the maritime community at large, 32:07.390 --> 32:08.890 the lack of cargo. 32:09.148 --> 32:11.418 But if we get back to the Ready Reserve fleet, 32:11.418 --> 32:13.150 we are working with the United States Navy 32:13.150 --> 32:14.703 to recapitalize that fleet 32:14.703 --> 32:17.190 that is averaging now 39 years of age. 32:17.190 --> 32:19.708 Some of them are as old as 54 years. 32:19.708 --> 32:22.020 We're starting to see cracks in their availability. 32:22.020 --> 32:24.271 When we activate those ships for readiness, 32:24.271 --> 32:26.530 they're not always getting underway. 32:26.530 --> 32:27.702 Now, right now, today, 32:27.702 --> 32:31.745 I've got five of those ships globally engaged, working fine, 32:31.745 --> 32:33.460 but we need more than just the five. 32:33.460 --> 32:35.714 And I'm sure we have more availability than just five, 32:35.714 --> 32:36.940 but we're finding that we don't have 32:36.940 --> 32:40.003 100% availability of those ships. 32:40.003 --> 32:44.170 The recap of those ships will take a multifaceted solution. 32:44.174 --> 32:47.479 Rebuilding new ships is where we all want to go. 32:47.479 --> 32:49.716 That won't happen very, very quickly. 32:49.716 --> 32:52.528 I would guarantee that the CNO of the Navy 32:52.528 --> 32:54.957 probably doesn't wanna put my sea lift ships 32:54.957 --> 32:58.030 at the top of his list when he's gonna recap the Navy. 32:58.030 --> 32:59.113 I understand. 32:59.429 --> 33:00.978 But that's part of the portfolio. 33:00.978 --> 33:04.477 The other part is to see if we can service life extend 33:04.477 --> 33:07.991 some of our younger ships out a few more years 33:07.991 --> 33:09.491 to bridge the gap. 33:09.748 --> 33:12.681 And I believe we ought to consider what we can do 33:12.681 --> 33:14.268 with some of the ships that we're using 33:14.268 --> 33:16.935 every day in the Maritime Security Program, 33:16.935 --> 33:19.933 those US flagged ships with US mariners 33:19.933 --> 33:21.761 that we're using every single day. 33:21.761 --> 33:24.670 Can we buy some of those used ships 33:24.670 --> 33:26.473 and put 'em in the Ready Reserve fleet 33:26.473 --> 33:28.004 to augment that force? 33:28.004 --> 33:29.731 Some of those ships are available 33:29.731 --> 33:32.044 at 10 to 15 years of service, 33:32.044 --> 33:35.968 and we can use those for a number of years as a bridge. 33:35.968 --> 33:37.984 - In doing so, we come up against 33:37.984 --> 33:39.480 what I think is a fundamental issue, 33:39.480 --> 33:42.016 and that is, are they American built? 33:42.016 --> 33:43.218 And this is something 33:43.218 --> 33:47.218 we're gonna have to wrestle with as a team here. 33:47.433 --> 33:48.541 I think most of us 33:48.541 --> 33:52.208 are advocates of buy America, build America. 33:52.951 --> 33:56.846 And we may find that some of those ships that you wanna buy 33:56.846 --> 33:58.793 may not be American made. 33:58.793 --> 34:00.436 We need to work our way through that. 34:00.436 --> 34:02.696 I'm gonna take my last 40 seconds here 34:02.696 --> 34:06.613 to really lobby my colleagues here on the dais. 34:08.043 --> 34:11.543 We can expand the American maritime fleet, 34:13.994 --> 34:15.896 the commercial maritime fleet, 34:15.896 --> 34:19.479 by requiring that the export of oil and gas 34:21.002 --> 34:23.252 be on American built ships. 34:23.552 --> 34:26.488 We can start at 10, 15%, and then ramp it up. 34:26.488 --> 34:28.187 That would give us an opportunity 34:28.187 --> 34:31.187 for mariners to be trained and ready 34:31.479 --> 34:34.229 for the Ready Reserve or the MSP. 34:35.243 --> 34:37.160 We can also build ships 34:37.687 --> 34:41.438 by requiring that those ships be American built. 34:41.438 --> 34:42.796 There's legislation to do this. 34:42.796 --> 34:46.024 This is part of what the subcommittee in the transportation, 34:46.024 --> 34:48.790 the Coast Guard Maritime Committee, is working on. 34:48.790 --> 34:52.123 So I'm gonna lobby members here on that. 34:52.200 --> 34:54.712 But we really need detailed plans, General, 34:54.712 --> 34:57.444 from you on how you're going to transition this. 34:57.444 --> 34:59.790 It fits directly with the work that we're doing 34:59.790 --> 35:03.545 over in the Transportation Committee, and it's possible. 35:03.545 --> 35:06.015 It's gonna take some money, and frankly, it's gonna take 35:06.015 --> 35:10.182 some of that 54 additional ships that the Navy wants 35:13.101 --> 35:14.716 to be this piece of it. 35:14.716 --> 35:18.883 With that, I'd best yield back, 'cause I'm 37 seconds over. 35:19.270 --> 35:20.231 - Thank you, Congressman. 35:20.231 --> 35:24.398 We now proceed to Congressman Austin Scott of Georgia. 35:24.934 --> 35:25.767 - Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 35:25.767 --> 35:27.200 General, great to see you. 35:27.200 --> 35:31.367 I want to reiterate the importance of our merchant marines 35:31.766 --> 35:33.457 and the Merchant Marine Academy. 35:33.457 --> 35:34.969 Whatever challenges we have there, 35:34.969 --> 35:37.772 we need to overcome those challenges and move forward. 35:37.772 --> 35:39.943 Those young men and women there 35:39.943 --> 35:41.917 are a tremendous asset to the United States, 35:41.917 --> 35:46.084 and I know that you couldn't function without them. 35:47.764 --> 35:50.070 I wanna go back to what friend, Rob Wittman, 35:50.070 --> 35:51.987 brought up on the C-5s. 35:53.475 --> 35:55.020 I represent Robins Air Force Base, 35:55.020 --> 35:58.770 obviously, one of the three Air Force depots. 35:59.447 --> 36:01.986 We do depot level maintenance on the C-5 Galaxy, 36:01.986 --> 36:05.175 the C-17 Globemaster for the strategic airlift, 36:05.175 --> 36:08.444 the C-130 Hercules for tactical airlift. 36:08.444 --> 36:09.940 You say that we're seeing stress 36:09.940 --> 36:13.962 on the strategic airlift fleets in your testimony. 36:13.962 --> 36:17.437 Would you please expound on these stresses 36:17.437 --> 36:19.241 and what the concerns are? 36:19.241 --> 36:20.736 And can you outline for me 36:20.736 --> 36:24.192 the plan for large airlift platforms like the C-5 36:24.192 --> 36:26.859 if we intend to bring them back? 36:27.310 --> 36:29.643 And then one final question. 36:29.948 --> 36:32.919 I'm extremely concerned as we look at Europe, 36:32.919 --> 36:34.752 because we don't have, 36:35.156 --> 36:38.446 the rail system is not there to move forward. 36:38.446 --> 36:41.196 The gauges are different on rail. 36:41.901 --> 36:45.318 Do we have the ability to land those C-5s 36:48.782 --> 36:51.502 in the areas that we would need to land them 36:51.502 --> 36:54.419 for any type of conflict in Europe? 36:59.473 --> 37:01.756 - If I step back for just a second, Congressman, 37:01.756 --> 37:05.506 on your question, it is a matter of capacity. 37:05.515 --> 37:09.515 So our strategic airlift capacity is what it is. 37:09.759 --> 37:12.534 It depends on what we'll ask the community to do 37:12.534 --> 37:15.406 and to what level of risk we're willing to assume. 37:15.406 --> 37:17.083 I can always tell you that I could use 37:17.083 --> 37:19.744 double the numbers of C-17s and C-5s that we have, 37:19.744 --> 37:20.974 but that may not be practical. 37:20.974 --> 37:23.670 One, we can't make anymore C-17s, 37:23.670 --> 37:24.781 and it may not be practical 37:24.781 --> 37:27.283 to bring all those airplanes back and modify them. 37:27.283 --> 37:30.508 But we may not need all of them if we manage the risk 37:30.508 --> 37:32.446 on the ones that we do have. 37:32.446 --> 37:34.359 I would say that the number of airplanes 37:34.359 --> 37:36.760 we have in the backup inventory 37:36.760 --> 37:40.297 and our plans to wait to bring them back on active inventory 37:40.297 --> 37:42.985 for a couple more years as the Air Force can afford them 37:42.985 --> 37:44.718 is one that puts us in greater risk 37:44.718 --> 37:46.673 than I believe we should take. 37:46.673 --> 37:48.818 And when we bring them back on active inventory, 37:48.818 --> 37:52.452 that I believe they should go back to an active duty unit 37:52.452 --> 37:53.947 and bring those airplanes back 37:53.947 --> 37:57.252 so that they're readily available more quickly. 37:57.252 --> 37:59.153 As I talk to General Scaparrotti about Europe 37:59.153 --> 38:02.938 and the problem set that he faces, he will tell you that 38:02.938 --> 38:05.659 response quickly is gonna be important. 38:05.659 --> 38:08.217 The rail gauge issue in Europe is a big one. 38:08.217 --> 38:09.984 Most of our command spends time 38:09.984 --> 38:12.482 all around the globe every single day 38:12.482 --> 38:14.722 and looking at our master plan for access 38:14.722 --> 38:18.889 and points that we can use, ports, rail, and airfield 38:19.131 --> 38:20.708 all around the globe. 38:20.708 --> 38:23.744 So I believe we have some places in Europe we can go. 38:23.744 --> 38:25.752 Are there as many as we used to have? 38:25.752 --> 38:26.835 Probably not. 38:27.010 --> 38:28.198 Are we as practiced 38:28.198 --> 38:31.682 at rolling through some places in Europe as we once were? 38:31.682 --> 38:32.599 Not, again. 38:33.140 --> 38:36.169 But we're going after trying to exercise in a different way. 38:36.169 --> 38:38.908 General Scaparrotti is leading that effort for Europe. 38:38.908 --> 38:40.706 But we're also working the other combatant commands 38:40.706 --> 38:42.484 for similar issues around the globe. 38:42.484 --> 38:45.298 As we've drawn back forces into the United States, 38:45.298 --> 38:46.929 how will we project power? 38:46.929 --> 38:48.542 How will we project aid? 38:48.542 --> 38:50.178 How we can project our assistance 38:50.178 --> 38:52.928 to these nations that rely on us? 38:54.282 --> 38:56.807 - General, if you decided today, 38:56.807 --> 38:58.536 if we as a country decided today 38:58.536 --> 39:02.211 that we were gonna bring back a squad of those C-17s, 39:02.211 --> 39:05.711 how long would it take to have that squad, 39:06.252 --> 39:07.716 the command and control of the squad 39:07.716 --> 39:10.549 as well as the units ready to fly? 39:12.163 --> 39:13.732 - I'm gonna speak slightly out of my lane, 39:13.732 --> 39:14.980 'cause although I'm wearing 39:14.980 --> 39:16.529 a nice looking blue uniform right now, 39:16.529 --> 39:18.703 I'm not in the Air Force this moment, 39:18.703 --> 39:20.247 and so I would have to defer a little bit 39:20.247 --> 39:21.645 to my air component. 39:21.645 --> 39:23.980 But I believe right now, we have not fully drawn down 39:23.980 --> 39:26.452 those aviators in those active duty units 39:26.452 --> 39:28.511 that were just stood down about a year ago. 39:28.511 --> 39:30.930 They're slightly overmanned today, 39:30.930 --> 39:32.483 but we're gonna slowly bring those down 39:32.483 --> 39:34.974 if we don't do something relatively quickly, 39:34.974 --> 39:36.781 because that's what the budget will do. 39:36.781 --> 39:38.991 It'll bring down to 100% manning. 39:38.991 --> 39:41.279 If we were to act today, which I don't think we can, 39:41.279 --> 39:43.232 we could maybe salvage those crew members 39:43.232 --> 39:44.703 and not take them down 39:44.703 --> 39:48.751 with a plan to bring them right back up with the airplanes. 39:48.751 --> 39:51.458 - So if we act today, it would not take that long 39:51.458 --> 39:52.998 to bring the units back? 39:52.998 --> 39:53.831 - I don't believe so. 39:53.831 --> 39:55.456 And I don't wanna speak too much out of turn, 39:55.456 --> 39:57.708 because like I said, but I believe right now, 39:57.708 --> 40:00.201 those units, in Charleston in particular, 40:00.201 --> 40:03.868 are still overmanned with C-17 crew members, 40:04.180 --> 40:06.262 and we could probably bring those airplanes back 40:06.262 --> 40:09.023 out of back of inventory into primary inventory 40:09.023 --> 40:12.501 and use those crew members to still man those airplanes. 40:12.501 --> 40:13.990 - General, thank you for your service. 40:13.990 --> 40:15.276 Mr. Chairman, my time has expired. 40:15.276 --> 40:18.233 My concern is, if we do this in BCT numbers, 40:18.233 --> 40:19.524 if you take down a BCT, 40:19.524 --> 40:20.987 it takes a couple of months to take one down. 40:20.987 --> 40:23.195 It takes three years to bring it back. 40:23.195 --> 40:25.535 And that's my concern with the actions we're taking. 40:25.535 --> 40:27.719 With that, I yield the remainder of my time. 40:27.719 --> 40:28.552 - Thank you, Congress-- 40:28.552 --> 40:29.978 - I'm not sure that the Air Force has the capacity 40:29.978 --> 40:32.664 to rapidly generate that many pilots right now anyway 40:32.664 --> 40:34.757 if we let 'em all go away. 40:34.757 --> 40:35.730 - Thank you, Congressman. 40:35.730 --> 40:36.563 And we now proceed 40:36.563 --> 40:40.152 to Congresswoman Colleen Hanabusa of Hawaii. 40:40.152 --> 40:41.777 - Thank you, Mr. Chair. 40:41.777 --> 40:42.735 And thank you, General, 40:42.735 --> 40:44.890 and thank you for acknowledging Vicki, 40:44.890 --> 40:48.557 who made my first transition here very easy. 40:49.485 --> 40:51.075 General, I wanna talk of, 40:51.075 --> 40:53.688 I'm following up from Congressman Garamendi, 40:53.688 --> 40:57.421 because one of the things that I'm interested in 40:57.421 --> 41:00.671 is the military sea lift portion of it. 41:03.006 --> 41:06.728 I was interested in your testimony from pages nine to 10 41:06.728 --> 41:09.535 when you talked about the MSP program. 41:09.535 --> 41:12.708 And then you also spoke about the Jones Act, 41:12.708 --> 41:15.234 and you do say in your testimony 41:15.234 --> 41:19.401 that by subsidizing a robust domestic maritime industry, 41:20.171 --> 41:23.459 including US industrial shipyard infrastructure 41:23.459 --> 41:27.523 for building, repairing, and overhauling US vessels, 41:27.523 --> 41:29.185 and we are of course talking about 41:29.185 --> 41:30.688 in terms of the Jones Act, 41:30.688 --> 41:32.969 that's the only requirement that we build America. 41:32.969 --> 41:36.997 And in addition, they also have to have the mariner staff. 41:36.997 --> 41:41.164 So on this MSP program, you have about 60 US flagged. 41:42.940 --> 41:44.773 Is that about correct? 41:44.798 --> 41:48.215 And we, meaning Congress, has authorized, 41:48.278 --> 41:50.245 and the military subsidizes it, 41:50.245 --> 41:54.078 the program to the tune of about $186 million. 41:55.293 --> 41:59.248 We, of course, do not subsidize any Jones Act carriers. 41:59.248 --> 42:00.415 First tell me, 42:02.403 --> 42:05.270 is there a requirement that while they receive the subsidy 42:05.270 --> 42:08.533 that they be manned, quote on quote manned, 42:08.533 --> 42:12.700 not to be sexist, but manned with our mariners only? 42:14.203 --> 42:15.036 - Yes. 42:15.036 --> 42:17.316 - So they have our mariners, 42:17.316 --> 42:20.066 but they are not built in the US? 42:22.716 --> 42:25.191 - Those ships are not required to be built in the US, 42:25.191 --> 42:27.039 but they have to be US flagged 42:27.039 --> 42:28.949 and US mariners on board the ships 42:28.949 --> 42:30.450 when they carry our goods. 42:30.450 --> 42:34.617 - So when we are looking at a situation like, for example, 42:34.960 --> 42:38.740 we all could recognize that our shipbuilding industry 42:38.740 --> 42:40.960 depends too heavily on the military, 42:40.960 --> 42:42.630 and what we really would like to see 42:42.630 --> 42:44.952 is the robust commercial aspects of it. 42:44.952 --> 42:48.269 I'm sure my colleagues from San Diego and Norfolk 42:48.269 --> 42:51.019 would agree with me that what we don't have 42:51.019 --> 42:53.943 is that component with the MSP program. 42:53.943 --> 42:57.193 However, we do subsidize them, correct? 42:57.540 --> 42:59.706 - I like to use the word stipend. 42:59.706 --> 43:00.539 - Okay. 43:00.539 --> 43:03.756 So what is the stipend that they receive? 43:03.756 --> 43:06.985 - They receive a stipend basically to stay with us. 43:06.985 --> 43:10.780 Congresswoman, as you may know, back in the 1950s, 43:10.780 --> 43:13.960 there were 1500 ships sailing under US flag 43:13.960 --> 43:15.429 in international trade. 43:15.429 --> 43:16.752 - It's a little before my time, 43:16.752 --> 43:18.221 but okay, I'll take your word for it. 43:18.221 --> 43:19.054 - I'm old. 43:19.054 --> 43:19.974 (laughter) 43:19.974 --> 43:22.028 1500 ships, but today there are 43:22.028 --> 43:24.861 only 78 in US international trade. 43:25.226 --> 43:27.459 We're still a maritime nation from what I understand, 43:27.459 --> 43:29.706 but that's the decline we're talking about. 43:29.706 --> 43:32.373 - So how does this stipend work? 43:32.671 --> 43:34.984 What do they get the stipend for? 43:34.984 --> 43:37.199 They basically get the stipend to being available 43:37.199 --> 43:40.289 to move our goods and services when we need them, 43:40.289 --> 43:42.506 and to be ready to go to war when we need them. 43:42.506 --> 43:45.464 - But they do not have to be actively engaged 43:45.464 --> 43:47.762 in any military activity at the point 43:47.762 --> 43:49.211 that they receive the stipend, though? 43:49.211 --> 43:50.044 - [Gen. McDew] No. 43:50.044 --> 43:51.926 - So they can be moving commercial goods 43:51.926 --> 43:53.278 and receive the stipend? 43:53.278 --> 43:54.111 - [Gen. McDew] Yes. 43:54.111 --> 43:54.944 - Okay. 43:54.944 --> 43:57.296 And do you know on average what this stipend is 43:57.296 --> 44:00.213 that we provide to the MSP program? 44:00.712 --> 44:03.236 And is it per vessel, per route? 44:03.236 --> 44:04.129 How do you do it? 44:04.129 --> 44:05.629 - It's per vessel. 44:05.915 --> 44:08.998 It is currently 3.2 million per ship. 44:10.481 --> 44:11.564 3.5 per ship. 44:12.496 --> 44:13.943 - [Colleen] Is that in a year? 44:13.943 --> 44:14.893 - Per year. - Per year? 44:14.893 --> 44:16.976 - It is authorized up to five million. 44:16.976 --> 44:20.740 And in the out years of the plan, it goes to 5.2, I believe. 44:20.740 --> 44:24.907 - So they could never move any military goods or services, 44:25.162 --> 44:27.202 whatever we may call upon them, 44:27.202 --> 44:31.369 and they will still receive that stipend per year? 44:31.687 --> 44:33.913 - Theoretically, that could happen. 44:33.913 --> 44:36.432 Realistically, I can't imagine it happening. 44:36.432 --> 44:38.432 I use those ships daily. 44:38.954 --> 44:40.763 - But it may not be the same ship. 44:40.763 --> 44:43.691 There's 60 some odd number of them, correct? 44:43.691 --> 44:45.738 So you could be using one or two 44:45.738 --> 44:47.923 or whatever the number may be. 44:47.923 --> 44:49.215 - I can get you the exact numbers, 44:49.215 --> 44:51.476 but we have a robust use of those 60 ships. 44:51.476 --> 44:52.523 - I would appreciate that. 44:52.523 --> 44:54.760 But isn't also a major component of it 44:54.760 --> 44:57.677 that they do not in any way compete 44:58.045 --> 45:01.545 with our domestic, quote Jones Act, ships? 45:01.932 --> 45:03.569 Isn't that a requirement under the law 45:03.569 --> 45:06.319 that established the MSP program? 45:06.746 --> 45:10.079 - I would have to double check that one. 45:10.462 --> 45:12.243 The Jones Act allows us to have 45:12.243 --> 45:15.743 additional ships in US trade with US flag. 45:15.984 --> 45:18.283 It also provides additional mariners. 45:18.283 --> 45:21.295 So the Jones Act for me is part of the overall readiness 45:21.295 --> 45:24.706 of our maritime industry and our ability to go to war-- 45:24.706 --> 45:26.238 - I agree with that, General, 45:26.238 --> 45:28.651 but the Jones Act has that additional requirement 45:28.651 --> 45:30.701 that keeps our industrial base there, 45:30.701 --> 45:33.368 which your MSP program does not. 45:33.721 --> 45:35.451 So what I would like to know, if you would, 45:35.451 --> 45:37.172 is to provide me all that information, 45:37.172 --> 45:39.412 and I'd also like to understand, 45:39.412 --> 45:40.982 with the Chair's permission, 45:40.982 --> 45:45.149 how is it that we're subsidizing non-US built ships 45:45.418 --> 45:47.964 and our US built ships are the ones with 45:47.964 --> 45:50.172 all these additional constraints on? 45:50.172 --> 45:52.439 And it doesn't help my colleagues 45:52.439 --> 45:55.960 with the great shipbuilding yards in their neighborhood. 45:55.960 --> 45:58.168 Thank you, Mr. Chair, and I yield back. 45:58.168 --> 45:59.401 - Thank you, Congresswoman. 45:59.401 --> 46:02.998 We now proceed to Congressman Bradley Byrne of Alabama. 46:02.998 --> 46:03.979 - Good morning, General. 46:03.979 --> 46:06.375 We're pleased to have you here. 46:06.375 --> 46:07.496 Before I get started on my questions, 46:07.496 --> 46:09.041 I wanna let you know my Uncle Jack 46:09.041 --> 46:12.240 was a merchant marine officer during World War II. 46:12.240 --> 46:15.701 Tragically, he and all hands went down on his ship 46:15.701 --> 46:18.917 while they were performing a very important task 46:18.917 --> 46:20.741 for the American military. 46:20.741 --> 46:23.458 So I'm always conscious of the fact that these mariners 46:23.458 --> 46:25.758 are not only performing important tasks. 46:25.758 --> 46:28.915 They, too, are in harm's way, and I appreciate that. 46:28.915 --> 46:30.753 I wanna talk to you about 46:30.753 --> 46:34.836 the Expeditionary Fast Transport vessel, the EPF. 46:35.159 --> 46:38.226 I was in Singapore last month and saw two of 'em at dock 46:38.226 --> 46:40.011 preparing to be loaded. 46:40.011 --> 46:42.656 I would like to know how you and TRANSCOM 46:42.656 --> 46:44.158 are using those ships. 46:44.158 --> 46:45.720 They seem to be pretty good ships, 46:45.720 --> 46:47.235 seem to be utilized a lot. 46:47.235 --> 46:51.039 Just like to know in general how you're using them. 46:51.039 --> 46:53.498 - Thanks, Congressman, first for the mariners. 46:53.498 --> 46:55.171 During World War II, I believe they were 46:55.171 --> 46:57.661 one of the largest groups of losses that we had 46:57.661 --> 47:00.003 in any single grouping in World War II. 47:00.003 --> 47:04.170 I think some 9,000 plus mariners, civilian mariners, 47:04.447 --> 47:06.271 were lost during the war. 47:06.271 --> 47:08.935 They are valiant servants of this nation, 47:08.935 --> 47:11.432 and we can't do what we do in the US Transportation Command 47:11.432 --> 47:13.349 without those mariners. 47:14.002 --> 47:17.252 On the vessels that you just mentioned, 47:17.262 --> 47:19.766 they are underneath the United States Navy. 47:19.766 --> 47:23.712 I don't have direct access to those ships, those vessels. 47:23.712 --> 47:25.485 Our military sea lift command 47:25.485 --> 47:26.753 and through the US Navy channels 47:26.753 --> 47:27.737 is how those would get used, 47:27.737 --> 47:31.540 but they're not part of the TRANSCOM portfolio. 47:31.540 --> 47:32.917 - And let me ask you once again 47:32.917 --> 47:36.000 to go over the continuing resolution. 47:36.528 --> 47:38.238 I was listening very carefully to what you said, 47:38.238 --> 47:40.711 'cause we're imminently going to have to make 47:40.711 --> 47:42.544 a decision about that. 47:43.710 --> 47:46.719 If you would go down a little bit further in your testimony 47:46.719 --> 47:50.886 and tell us very precisely and succinctly as you can, 47:50.917 --> 47:53.278 if we adopted a continuing resolution in April, 47:53.278 --> 47:55.278 what would it do to you? 47:57.479 --> 48:00.396 - And again, Congressman, directly, 48:01.146 --> 48:03.492 because of the Transportation Working Capital Fund, 48:03.492 --> 48:04.963 which is a revolving fund 48:04.963 --> 48:08.274 that allows me to continue operating without, 48:08.274 --> 48:10.216 it basically allows me to continue operating year long 48:10.216 --> 48:13.513 because I have to be ahead of the fighting force. 48:13.513 --> 48:15.735 If we decided to deploy the fighting force, 48:15.735 --> 48:18.510 I can't wait for the money to move, 48:18.510 --> 48:20.245 'cause I've gotta move ahead of time. 48:20.245 --> 48:23.686 So directly, not that much of a direct impact 48:23.686 --> 48:25.763 on US Transportation Command. 48:25.763 --> 48:29.930 Indirectly, if the CR causes the Air Force to stop flying, 48:30.258 --> 48:32.675 which I just read this morning, 48:32.675 --> 48:35.239 if the Air Force has to stop flying 48:35.239 --> 48:37.259 the last six weeks of the quarter, 48:37.259 --> 48:39.775 that will impact my ability to maintain 48:39.775 --> 48:43.442 ready pilots and crews to man the airplanes. 48:43.924 --> 48:47.217 And conversely, if the other services have to take risks 48:47.217 --> 48:48.246 because they don't have the money 48:48.246 --> 48:50.006 they thought they were gonna have to have, 48:50.006 --> 48:53.006 because a CR really is a budget cut. 48:53.121 --> 48:54.736 You're planning on the money from last year, 48:54.736 --> 48:56.757 so it is somewhat of a cut. 48:56.757 --> 48:58.241 So if you don't have that money available 48:58.241 --> 48:59.723 and you have to stop operating, 48:59.723 --> 49:02.765 then it starts to impact my ability to do my job. 49:02.765 --> 49:05.932 - Well, I know you said it's indirect, 49:06.242 --> 49:08.484 but it sure feels like it's direct, 49:08.484 --> 49:12.567 because you're not able to carry out the function 49:12.725 --> 49:16.407 that you're supposed to be carrying out as a result of it. 49:16.407 --> 49:18.943 - I only say it's indirect because I can't know 49:18.943 --> 49:22.189 how the services are going to take the risks 49:22.189 --> 49:24.178 when the CR comes on them. 49:24.178 --> 49:26.917 I can make assumptions that they might 49:26.917 --> 49:29.186 reduce this or reduce that, but until they actually 49:29.186 --> 49:31.225 get faced with it and make the actual decision, 49:31.225 --> 49:32.907 then it becomes my problem. 49:32.907 --> 49:35.036 - Do you plan as if you're going to have 49:35.036 --> 49:37.536 those planes at your disposal? 49:38.438 --> 49:42.481 Or do you have contingency plans if they're not there? 49:42.481 --> 49:45.770 - My contingency plans are always being worked. 49:45.770 --> 49:47.959 That's the nature of the business we're in. 49:47.959 --> 49:49.036 We always have to plan. 49:49.036 --> 49:53.119 So that's why we have the civil side of our work. 49:53.223 --> 49:54.711 If I don't have the military side, 49:54.711 --> 49:57.242 I can, through the Civil Reserve Air Fleet 49:57.242 --> 49:58.483 potentially get after 49:58.483 --> 50:00.690 some additional civilian aircraft to do that 50:00.690 --> 50:02.412 if we're in a permissive environment. 50:02.412 --> 50:03.679 If it's non permissive, 50:03.679 --> 50:06.457 then next step would be go to the Guard and Reserve. 50:06.457 --> 50:07.974 There's a lot of options we can pick, 50:07.974 --> 50:10.780 but CRs can start to impact a lot of those things 50:10.780 --> 50:12.511 other than the civil sector. 50:12.511 --> 50:14.449 - Well, I hope that we avoid that-- 50:14.449 --> 50:15.282 - [Gen. McDew] I do, too. 50:15.282 --> 50:16.894 - For a lot of different reasons. 50:16.894 --> 50:18.475 We appreciate what you do, 50:18.475 --> 50:20.752 and please let us know what we can do further 50:20.752 --> 50:23.500 to support your very important component 50:23.500 --> 50:25.437 of defending the United States of America. 50:25.437 --> 50:27.172 I yield back, Mr. Chairman. 50:27.172 --> 50:28.229 - Thank you, Congressman. 50:28.229 --> 50:32.396 We now proceed to Congressman Don McEachin of Virginia. 50:34.962 --> 50:37.129 - Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 50:38.261 --> 50:41.809 General, I am a freshman, and so I'm trying to make sure 50:41.809 --> 50:44.221 I understand about all sorts of things 50:44.221 --> 50:46.240 and learn about all sorts of things. 50:46.240 --> 50:49.211 Can you help me understand to what extent TRANSCOM 50:49.211 --> 50:53.378 is reliant on civilian facilities and infrastructure? 50:57.408 --> 51:00.719 - Broadly, Congressman, and don't be reluctant 51:00.719 --> 51:04.013 to ask me really strange sounding questions, 51:04.013 --> 51:06.430 it is not a simple portfolio, 51:06.906 --> 51:10.037 although it seems to be simple on the surface. 51:10.037 --> 51:14.014 We rely on just about everything this nation has to offer 51:14.014 --> 51:16.218 when it comes to infrastructure, 51:16.218 --> 51:19.385 civilian rail, trucking, civilian air. 51:20.002 --> 51:21.494 So all of that infrastructure 51:21.494 --> 51:23.718 that would impact what most people would think 51:23.718 --> 51:27.034 were the economic viability of a commercial company 51:27.034 --> 51:29.468 is actually a part of national security, 51:29.468 --> 51:31.659 and for my case, national defense 51:31.659 --> 51:33.699 and our ability to project power in war. 51:33.699 --> 51:35.921 We can't move an Army unit, 51:35.921 --> 51:40.088 we can't move marines or anything through this country 51:40.445 --> 51:44.612 without using some commercial port, some commercial rail, 51:44.998 --> 51:47.998 or some commercial trucking company. 51:49.984 --> 51:52.460 - Well this, then, may be a difficult question 51:52.460 --> 51:55.377 for you to answer, but perhaps not. 51:56.478 --> 51:58.180 Do you see any significant investments 51:58.180 --> 51:59.494 in civilian infrastructure 51:59.494 --> 52:03.494 that's needed to help you complete your mission? 52:06.475 --> 52:08.892 - We always need improvements 52:09.673 --> 52:11.756 in rail, road, sea ports. 52:14.608 --> 52:16.747 We're always working with commercial entities 52:16.747 --> 52:19.554 to ensure that the latest technology is incorporated, 52:19.554 --> 52:23.232 that cyber defenses are incorporated in these. 52:23.232 --> 52:25.972 My request if I could make one of you is, 52:25.972 --> 52:28.471 anytime you're looking at improving or changing 52:28.471 --> 52:30.234 something in the commercial industry, 52:30.234 --> 52:32.506 think about the impact on national security. 52:32.506 --> 52:33.961 For me, it's national security. 52:33.961 --> 52:36.170 Most agencies don't think of 52:36.170 --> 52:38.430 all of those mom and pop trucking companies 52:38.430 --> 52:39.676 as potentially being something 52:39.676 --> 52:41.484 that may take our nation to war. 52:41.484 --> 52:43.679 That's the way I view it, Congressman. 52:43.679 --> 52:44.513 - Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 52:44.513 --> 52:45.596 I yield back. 52:45.938 --> 52:47.214 - Thank you very much, Congressman. 52:47.214 --> 52:50.728 We proceed to Congressman Duncan Hunter of California. 52:50.728 --> 52:52.463 - Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 52:52.463 --> 52:53.301 General, good to see you. 52:53.301 --> 52:56.202 I remember in 2004 when I deployed, 52:56.202 --> 52:58.025 I was the embarkation officer 52:58.025 --> 53:00.920 and dropped off our artillery pieces on a RORO in San Diego 53:00.920 --> 53:03.471 which met us in Kuwait which we then went up into Iraq with. 53:03.471 --> 53:07.206 So I've got on the ground in touch with this. 53:07.206 --> 53:09.623 I guess my first question is, 53:10.377 --> 53:12.970 if you had to do North Korea and Russia at the same time, 53:12.970 --> 53:15.053 do you have enough ships? 53:17.212 --> 53:18.045 Pretty easy? 53:18.045 --> 53:18.878 - No. 53:19.003 --> 53:19.836 - No? 53:20.160 --> 53:20.993 Okay. 53:20.993 --> 53:22.910 How short would you be? 53:25.844 --> 53:26.927 - It depends. 53:27.173 --> 53:29.542 We'd really have to take a look at the actual scenario 53:29.542 --> 53:31.945 and what effects you would have to try to make 53:31.945 --> 53:33.193 and in what timing. 53:33.193 --> 53:34.737 If it's completely simultaneously, 53:34.737 --> 53:37.274 I don't know if there's enough ships in the world, 53:37.274 --> 53:40.967 but depending on what effects at what time scale 53:40.967 --> 53:43.478 and what the TPFDD would have to go through, 53:43.478 --> 53:44.513 we'd have to see. 53:44.513 --> 53:46.547 And I can get the analysis folks to take a look at it, 53:46.547 --> 53:48.220 and I'm sure we can come up with a number. 53:48.220 --> 53:49.970 - And if you're set up to do one of them 53:49.970 --> 53:52.303 and you calculate attrition, 53:54.663 --> 53:57.699 what is the attrition rate that you calculate? 53:57.699 --> 53:59.548 Let's just take Korea, 'cause they're being crazy. 53:59.548 --> 54:02.881 - I'm ashamed to say, up until recently, 54:02.920 --> 54:05.587 we didn't account for attrition. 54:05.948 --> 54:06.915 We assumed-- 54:06.915 --> 54:10.420 - You assumed that none of the ships would get sunk? 54:10.420 --> 54:14.420 - We have never battled lack of domain dominance 54:14.648 --> 54:17.398 for this nation in 70 plus years. 54:17.929 --> 54:19.262 We're there now. 54:19.711 --> 54:21.257 We're in a different mindset today. 54:21.257 --> 54:23.665 We're looking at a different enemy, a different fight. 54:23.665 --> 54:24.907 We have to think differently. 54:24.907 --> 54:29.074 We're now incorporating attrition, but not before now. 54:29.187 --> 54:30.207 - So when you look at 54:30.207 --> 54:32.947 the Ready Reserve fleet and the MSP, 54:32.947 --> 54:34.911 is attrition gonna be built into 54:34.911 --> 54:36.747 your next recommendation to Congress 54:36.747 --> 54:40.498 of what we authorize and appropriate for those ships? 54:40.498 --> 54:41.714 - It has to be. 54:41.714 --> 54:42.693 It doesn't necessarily have to be-- 54:42.693 --> 54:44.722 - Well, I'm assuming your numbers are gonna go up. 54:44.722 --> 54:45.877 - Well, it also has to mean 54:45.877 --> 54:49.287 we have to change our tactics, techniques, and procedures. 54:49.287 --> 54:51.173 Not everything is an increase in numbers. 54:51.173 --> 54:54.930 Sometimes it's just how we employ, how we deploy. 54:54.930 --> 54:56.385 The fact that you still remember 54:56.385 --> 54:58.744 how to put some stuff on a ship-- 54:58.744 --> 54:59.930 - Not how. - I'd like to bring you back 54:59.930 --> 55:01.739 as a G4 over here, 'cause we've forgotten 55:01.739 --> 55:02.697 how to do that. - I just sat there 55:02.697 --> 55:03.530 while my marines did it. 55:03.530 --> 55:05.695 (Gen. McDew laughs) 55:05.695 --> 55:06.972 - But we don't have, actually, 55:06.972 --> 55:09.275 many people left in the military 55:09.275 --> 55:11.038 who remember what it was like to actually deploy. 55:11.038 --> 55:13.937 What we've been in for the last 15, 16 years is sustainment. 55:13.937 --> 55:17.437 That's a completely different proposition. 55:17.690 --> 55:19.979 - Second question, totally different thing. 55:19.979 --> 55:20.933 What ability do you have 55:20.933 --> 55:23.208 to bring life support in in big amounts, 55:23.208 --> 55:26.926 giant, massive quantities of life support, or ammo, 55:26.926 --> 55:28.722 let's just call it ammo, life support, 55:28.722 --> 55:31.555 beans, bandages, bullets, two way, 55:31.749 --> 55:35.916 if you don't have a port and you don't have an air strip? 55:38.937 --> 55:39.989 - We are challenged 55:39.989 --> 55:41.709 if you don't have a port or an air strip. 55:41.709 --> 55:43.709 There's always air drop. 55:43.966 --> 55:45.516 There's ability to get in behind lines, 55:45.516 --> 55:47.776 but we gotta look at the contested environment 55:47.776 --> 55:51.109 and the ability for the enemy to deny us 55:51.126 --> 55:52.266 the ability to get in there. 55:52.266 --> 55:53.993 If we don't have air superiority, 55:53.993 --> 55:55.491 we don't have a lot of things. 55:55.491 --> 55:58.908 And so I rely on that still being a fact, 55:58.911 --> 56:01.190 but if it isn't, we start to look at different ways 56:01.190 --> 56:04.529 to bring problems to bear and bring solutions to bear. 56:04.529 --> 56:07.913 Another piece, you talked about bringing medical evacuation. 56:07.913 --> 56:09.542 That's another part of my portfolio 56:09.542 --> 56:13.709 that has been underrepresented, probably by me as well, 56:14.009 --> 56:15.986 in understanding the impact of our ability 56:15.986 --> 56:19.508 to evacuate large numbers of people from a hostile zone. 56:19.508 --> 56:21.011 So we're looking at all those things, 56:21.011 --> 56:23.539 and I believe we have plans that take care of some of them, 56:23.539 --> 56:27.289 but this anti-access, denial by an adversary, 56:27.752 --> 56:30.692 is new for all of us, and we have to think differently. 56:30.692 --> 56:31.677 - I would just throw out there, 56:31.677 --> 56:34.927 there's a thing called the Aeros craft. 56:35.186 --> 56:36.955 It's a giant blimp, basically, 56:36.955 --> 56:38.176 that can hold three or four tanks, 56:38.176 --> 56:39.716 can hold a lot of supplies and stuff, 56:39.716 --> 56:41.239 and they can just drop in, 56:41.239 --> 56:43.104 if you have air superiority, obviously. 56:43.104 --> 56:46.280 A floating airship is easy to shoot down, right? 56:46.280 --> 56:47.701 - Otherwise we'd call those targets. 56:47.701 --> 56:48.534 - Right. 56:49.180 --> 56:50.097 Last thing. 56:50.513 --> 56:51.647 Would you say there's anything 56:51.647 --> 56:53.276 more important than the Jones Act 56:53.276 --> 56:57.443 for the maritime industrial base in US law at all? 56:59.037 --> 57:00.970 - There are several pieces of US law 57:00.970 --> 57:04.505 that are part of the industrial base, and it's not just one. 57:04.505 --> 57:07.003 The Jones Act is probably the anchor for it, 57:07.003 --> 57:08.423 but without the Jones Act, 57:08.423 --> 57:10.973 without the Maritime Security Program, 57:10.973 --> 57:12.933 without cargo preference, 57:12.933 --> 57:15.320 our maritime industry is in jeopardy, 57:15.320 --> 57:17.787 and our ability to project the force is in jeopardy. 57:17.787 --> 57:19.959 If we think we need to project our force 57:19.959 --> 57:23.523 with US flagged vessels with US mariners on board, 57:23.523 --> 57:26.948 we need all of those things right now to secure that. 57:26.948 --> 57:28.680 - And your stipend, you said, 57:28.680 --> 57:30.720 is like 3.2 million right now for MSP. 57:30.720 --> 57:34.006 We've authorized and appropriated five million. 57:34.006 --> 57:35.398 We've upped that. 57:35.398 --> 57:37.648 If these US flagged vessels 57:38.191 --> 57:40.260 were not doing commercial work at all, 57:40.260 --> 57:42.251 they were just sitting there, 57:42.251 --> 57:45.084 what would the stipend have to be? 57:46.932 --> 57:48.251 - You could debate the number a little bit, 57:48.251 --> 57:50.509 but it would be upwards of seven, eight, 57:50.509 --> 57:51.515 to $10 million a year. 57:51.515 --> 57:52.481 - [Duncan] If they just sat there? 57:52.481 --> 57:53.314 - Yeah. 57:53.314 --> 57:54.147 - Okay. 57:54.397 --> 57:55.688 Thank you, General. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 57:55.688 --> 57:56.521 I yield back. 57:56.521 --> 57:57.354 - Thank you, Congressman. 57:57.354 --> 58:01.498 We now proceed to Congressman Don Norcross of New Jersey. 58:01.498 --> 58:02.938 - Thank you, Chairman. 58:02.938 --> 58:04.779 General, thank you for being here today, 58:04.779 --> 58:06.279 and very sobering. 58:08.200 --> 58:12.367 Things that appear not to be immediately in front of us 58:12.510 --> 58:13.963 tend to fall off the edges, 58:13.963 --> 58:15.518 whether it's deferred maintenance 58:15.518 --> 58:17.970 or building our transportation, 58:17.970 --> 58:19.523 but as we all know, 58:19.523 --> 58:22.940 we're only as strong as our weakest link. 58:24.023 --> 58:28.190 What area in your portfolio keeps you up at night? 58:30.498 --> 58:32.498 - Air refueling tankers. 58:35.320 --> 58:36.343 - And that doesn't get better 58:36.343 --> 58:39.432 for another three years at the earliest? 58:39.432 --> 58:40.932 - At the earliest. 58:41.172 --> 58:45.339 If we had 1,000 air refueling tankers, it might be enough, 58:47.239 --> 58:50.194 but if you look about any contingency around the world, 58:50.194 --> 58:51.838 so you pick a spot in the world 58:51.838 --> 58:54.718 and you bring up any kind of issue, 58:54.718 --> 58:58.716 if you had a simultaneous or even a competing regard 58:58.716 --> 59:00.174 anywhere else in the world, 59:00.174 --> 59:04.047 your tanker use rate goes up to a place that I can imagine, 59:04.047 --> 59:05.536 but the numbers are daunting. 59:05.536 --> 59:07.232 Because any significant battle 59:07.232 --> 59:11.183 also brings up the rate of defense of the homeland, 59:11.183 --> 59:14.683 and any corresponding COCOM near that area 59:14.999 --> 59:16.773 has to bring up their defenses. 59:16.773 --> 59:19.755 All of that needs air refueling tankers. 59:19.755 --> 59:21.960 So when your recommendations go in 59:21.960 --> 59:24.460 as you heard earlier for NDAA, 59:24.481 --> 59:28.314 is that your largest and most focused request? 59:31.150 --> 59:32.900 - It would be one 1A. 59:33.003 --> 59:35.415 One would be getting back the C-5s 59:35.415 --> 59:38.158 off back of inventory into active inventory. 59:38.158 --> 59:41.441 1A would be accelerating the tanker program as best we can 59:41.441 --> 59:43.491 and taking us out of the risk bathtub 59:43.491 --> 59:45.949 we've been in for a while on tankers. 59:45.949 --> 59:48.277 We made some of it intentionally, 59:48.277 --> 59:51.025 but now we've gotta climb our way out. 59:51.025 --> 59:53.174 - We've read recently where that might be 59:53.174 --> 59:54.803 even pushed back a little further 59:54.803 --> 59:58.970 due to a number of technical issues in the production line. 59:59.178 --> 01:00:02.928 When is the earliest, given what you've seen, 01:00:03.469 --> 01:00:06.969 you think the first one will be delivered? 01:00:09.342 --> 01:00:10.923 - I wish I could really tell you. 01:00:10.923 --> 01:00:14.256 There's a projection by the manufacturer 01:00:14.705 --> 01:00:16.972 and there's a projection by the United States Air Force, 01:00:16.972 --> 01:00:19.749 and they are not the same projections right now. 01:00:19.749 --> 01:00:22.428 And I would hate to speculate between the two of them. 01:00:22.428 --> 01:00:25.981 The Air Force is primarily working with Boeing 01:00:25.981 --> 01:00:30.148 to make sure that that is as quick as they can make it. 01:00:30.764 --> 01:00:32.097 - What's plan B? 01:00:34.520 --> 01:00:36.743 - There are some programming actions out there in the plan B 01:00:36.743 --> 01:00:38.820 that we're probably not gonna be able to execute. 01:00:38.820 --> 01:00:40.970 Right now, the plan to retire the KC-10s 01:00:40.970 --> 01:00:42.760 may have to be revisited, 01:00:42.760 --> 01:00:45.461 although I understand the expense that's going to come with 01:00:45.461 --> 01:00:49.173 trying to keep the KC-10s around longer than the plan, 01:00:49.173 --> 01:00:52.270 but we have to find a way to climb out of the bathtub 01:00:52.270 --> 01:00:55.124 if the KC-46 is not gonna be online 01:00:55.124 --> 01:00:57.030 in a reasonable amount of time 01:00:57.030 --> 01:01:00.440 to allow us to potentially accelerate that recap. 01:01:00.440 --> 01:01:04.607 And at 12 aircraft per year, that's gonna take a long time. 01:01:04.951 --> 01:01:08.215 We built 700 of them in seven years in the '60s, 01:01:08.215 --> 01:01:10.967 and we're looking to recap them at 12 a year. 01:01:10.967 --> 01:01:12.008 - So let me understand this. 01:01:12.008 --> 01:01:15.188 Your biggest concern are the refuelers, 01:01:15.188 --> 01:01:17.819 and yet we're not making a decision 01:01:17.819 --> 01:01:21.986 to keep them active enough to take that risk off your plate? 01:01:22.744 --> 01:01:25.544 - The decision is there for the next few years. 01:01:25.544 --> 01:01:27.268 The retirement, I don't recall that, 01:01:27.268 --> 01:01:28.556 and I'll get you the exact date 01:01:28.556 --> 01:01:30.415 that the Air Force plans to retire the KC-10, 01:01:30.415 --> 01:01:34.261 but it was also based on bringing the KC-46 on. 01:01:34.261 --> 01:01:37.029 So it may be shifting as we speak. 01:01:37.029 --> 01:01:38.779 I just don't wanna speak for the Air Force right now 01:01:38.779 --> 01:01:39.699 on that particular issue, 01:01:39.699 --> 01:01:41.889 because those negotiations are going on 01:01:41.889 --> 01:01:43.889 almost minute by minute. 01:01:44.393 --> 01:01:45.226 - Very sobering. 01:01:45.226 --> 01:01:46.939 Thank you. I yield back. 01:01:46.939 --> 01:01:47.965 - Thank you, Congressman. 01:01:47.965 --> 01:01:51.674 We now proceed to Congresswoman Martha McSally of Arizona. 01:01:51.674 --> 01:01:53.489 - Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 01:01:53.489 --> 01:01:55.673 Thanks for your testimony and your service, General McDew. 01:01:55.673 --> 01:01:57.423 It's good to see you. 01:01:57.455 --> 01:01:59.178 We've moved a lot of assets 01:01:59.178 --> 01:02:01.982 out of the European theater over the last years, 01:02:01.982 --> 01:02:05.724 thinking that there is a lasting peace there, 01:02:05.724 --> 01:02:09.891 to include A-10s and other fighters and Army units, 01:02:11.464 --> 01:02:14.120 and now as part of the European Reassurance Initiative, 01:02:14.120 --> 01:02:18.287 we are deploying them back on a rotational manner. 01:02:20.753 --> 01:02:22.170 So my concern is, 01:02:22.659 --> 01:02:25.474 with the strains that you've talked about today, 01:02:25.474 --> 01:02:28.391 what tax does that have on TRANSCOM 01:02:28.924 --> 01:02:31.178 to be continuously deploying units 01:02:31.178 --> 01:02:34.225 to meet the requirements for security and reassurance 01:02:34.225 --> 01:02:37.502 and dealing with Russian aggression in Europe? 01:02:37.502 --> 01:02:38.654 I think we really need to, 01:02:38.654 --> 01:02:40.000 and this is really more the services, 01:02:40.000 --> 01:02:41.860 do a cost benefit analysis here, but I just wanna know, 01:02:41.860 --> 01:02:46.027 have you quantified that tax both on tankers and cargo 01:02:46.276 --> 01:02:48.506 to be constantly moving units back and forth now 01:02:48.506 --> 01:02:51.423 versus having them stationed there? 01:02:52.977 --> 01:02:54.720 - Congresswoman McSally, well first of all, 01:02:54.720 --> 01:02:55.776 it's good to see you again. 01:02:55.776 --> 01:02:59.871 You may not remember having met me 20 some odd years ago, 01:02:59.871 --> 01:03:01.788 but Lieutenant McSally, 01:03:03.199 --> 01:03:05.766 when you were first selected to go fly combat aircraft, 01:03:05.766 --> 01:03:08.025 there was a young captain in the Pentagon 01:03:08.025 --> 01:03:09.235 who researched all the women 01:03:09.235 --> 01:03:11.642 who could've actually selected combat aircraft 01:03:11.642 --> 01:03:14.169 if it had been made available to them at the time. 01:03:14.169 --> 01:03:15.315 It was Captain Darren McDew 01:03:15.315 --> 01:03:16.941 that actually did some of that research back in the day, 01:03:16.941 --> 01:03:18.248 so it's good to see you where you are now. 01:03:18.248 --> 01:03:20.515 - [Martha] Good to see you again, too. 01:03:20.515 --> 01:03:24.266 - So some of that tax is not necessarily a tax. 01:03:24.266 --> 01:03:25.915 One of the things that we've realized, 01:03:25.915 --> 01:03:28.479 we've been in 15 years of sustainment, 01:03:28.479 --> 01:03:31.934 and so some of it, we need to exercise the muscle again. 01:03:31.934 --> 01:03:36.101 And as long as these rotations are planned and scheduled, 01:03:36.403 --> 01:03:39.903 it's not that bad, and it's actually good. 01:03:40.914 --> 01:03:44.761 We have forgotten, units, how to move themselves 01:03:44.761 --> 01:03:48.928 from Alaska through the continental United States to a port, 01:03:49.686 --> 01:03:53.769 get on a ship, and move to Europe or the Pacific. 01:03:54.021 --> 01:03:58.002 That muscle memory is a good exercise for the Army. 01:03:58.002 --> 01:04:00.004 It's not a bad one for the enterprise of ours. 01:04:00.004 --> 01:04:01.515 We recently tried one of those 01:04:01.515 --> 01:04:04.457 and blew a bunch of tires on a bunch of striker vehicles 01:04:04.457 --> 01:04:07.024 because of things that we had forgotten how to do. 01:04:07.024 --> 01:04:09.415 So not all of it is a bad tax. 01:04:09.415 --> 01:04:13.498 What's bad for us, if it's emergent, not planned, 01:04:13.716 --> 01:04:15.532 like, say, for a real war or contingency. 01:04:15.532 --> 01:04:17.160 - Or if another contingency emerges. 01:04:17.160 --> 01:04:19.398 In a resource constrained environment, 01:04:19.398 --> 01:04:20.464 that may be nice to do, 01:04:20.464 --> 01:04:23.199 but there's a cost with that, as well, right? 01:04:23.199 --> 01:04:26.776 Have you captured what that cost is of the rotation 01:04:26.776 --> 01:04:29.688 versus what it would be steady state 01:04:29.688 --> 01:04:31.771 if we weren't doing that? 01:04:32.975 --> 01:04:35.295 - Not really, because that would take us 01:04:35.295 --> 01:04:37.515 assuming what level of presence 01:04:37.515 --> 01:04:39.424 the Army or the Department of Defense 01:04:39.424 --> 01:04:41.037 would like to have in Europe. 01:04:41.037 --> 01:04:43.696 Would it be the 300,000 plus we used to have? 01:04:43.696 --> 01:04:45.449 Would it be something short of that? 01:04:45.449 --> 01:04:46.451 Given those assumptions, 01:04:46.451 --> 01:04:49.941 we could probably make that calculation fairly easily. 01:04:49.941 --> 01:04:50.793 - Great, thank you. 01:04:50.793 --> 01:04:52.478 I know votes are being called, so I'll yield back. 01:04:52.478 --> 01:04:54.978 Thanks. Good to see you again. 01:04:55.428 --> 01:04:56.726 - Thank you, Congresswoman. 01:04:56.726 --> 01:05:00.456 We now proceed to Congresswoman Vicky Hartzler, Missouri. 01:05:00.456 --> 01:05:01.786 - Thank you, Mr. Chairman. 01:05:01.786 --> 01:05:03.752 Thank you, General, for all that you do. 01:05:03.752 --> 01:05:07.866 I wanted to hone in just a little bit on the rail situation. 01:05:07.866 --> 01:05:11.034 I've heard some concerns from some other commanders 01:05:11.034 --> 01:05:13.562 and National Guard units and such from my district 01:05:13.562 --> 01:05:16.270 who are over there in the Baltics, 01:05:16.270 --> 01:05:17.942 and they were explaining the difficulty 01:05:17.942 --> 01:05:20.525 with the different rail gauges. 01:05:20.705 --> 01:05:24.205 Can you address what steps are being taken 01:05:24.717 --> 01:05:26.884 to rectify this situation? 01:05:28.744 --> 01:05:30.280 - Congresswoman, one of the first things we're doing 01:05:30.280 --> 01:05:32.983 is realizing that the problem is a problem. 01:05:32.983 --> 01:05:35.983 So we haven't been in Europe in this manner in a while, 01:05:35.983 --> 01:05:37.451 and so it's realizing, 01:05:37.451 --> 01:05:39.454 we know that the rail gauges are different, 01:05:39.454 --> 01:05:41.605 but what has transpired in Europe 01:05:41.605 --> 01:05:44.025 has been similar to what's transpired 01:05:44.025 --> 01:05:45.918 in other places around the world. 01:05:45.918 --> 01:05:47.460 If you don't use it for a while, 01:05:47.460 --> 01:05:49.802 you've gotta go back and figure out how to use it again 01:05:49.802 --> 01:05:51.084 and how it's being used. 01:05:51.084 --> 01:05:53.007 IE, what's being contracted out? 01:05:53.007 --> 01:05:54.971 What's owned by the government of the nation 01:05:54.971 --> 01:05:57.638 that we're trying to go through? 01:05:58.031 --> 01:06:00.690 What are the ways to connect those dots? 01:06:00.690 --> 01:06:02.743 That's what we're trying to relearn. 01:06:02.743 --> 01:06:05.232 The rail gauge issue has been around for a long time, 01:06:05.232 --> 01:06:06.706 but we had enough people there before 01:06:06.706 --> 01:06:10.158 and we had enough access and we had enough muscle memory 01:06:10.158 --> 01:06:11.442 that it wasn't as big a problem 01:06:11.442 --> 01:06:14.574 as when you're trying to start all over again. 01:06:14.574 --> 01:06:17.574 - How does that tactically work now? 01:06:18.139 --> 01:06:20.256 What plan do you anticipate doing, 01:06:20.256 --> 01:06:23.071 to getting to the border and unloading 01:06:23.071 --> 01:06:27.071 and putting it on their rail cars that do match, 01:06:27.164 --> 01:06:31.331 or are we looking at changing the types of rail cars 01:06:32.237 --> 01:06:35.987 that have perhaps a movable gauge capability? 01:06:36.000 --> 01:06:39.558 I don't know, but how are you gonna address this? 01:06:39.558 --> 01:06:42.245 - We're not there with the movable rail gauge, 01:06:42.245 --> 01:06:44.814 but maybe I can have my team start to work on that one. 01:06:44.814 --> 01:06:47.750 We'd have to trans-load onto rail cars 01:06:47.750 --> 01:06:51.187 that would be available to move on that rail gauge. 01:06:51.187 --> 01:06:53.227 And we have contingency plans for that, 01:06:53.227 --> 01:06:55.191 but we've gotta go back and look at it again. 01:06:55.191 --> 01:06:58.941 One of the things that we're starting to realize, 01:06:58.941 --> 01:07:00.259 not starting to realize, 01:07:00.259 --> 01:07:03.053 we had all these management headquarters cuts. 01:07:03.053 --> 01:07:04.262 And I understand efficiency. 01:07:04.262 --> 01:07:06.259 I understand budgets and all that stuff. 01:07:06.259 --> 01:07:09.475 But what's happened is, our ability to think, 01:07:09.475 --> 01:07:12.216 our ability to project different, 01:07:12.216 --> 01:07:15.715 to go after those problem sets, is starting to slow down. 01:07:15.715 --> 01:07:17.210 So we can identify the problem. 01:07:17.210 --> 01:07:18.517 It takes us a while to get to that one 01:07:18.517 --> 01:07:21.275 as we're addressing all the myriad of problems we have. 01:07:21.275 --> 01:07:23.509 And so my request is, the other thing is, 01:07:23.509 --> 01:07:25.676 as we cut all the commands 01:07:25.925 --> 01:07:28.842 and we brought down their manpower, 01:07:29.650 --> 01:07:32.003 where did they make those cuts? 01:07:32.003 --> 01:07:32.967 I would guarantee you, 01:07:32.967 --> 01:07:34.643 not many of them tried to salvage 01:07:34.643 --> 01:07:38.060 their logistics, transportation planners, 01:07:39.146 --> 01:07:41.037 and so what I'm finding is I'm trying to help 01:07:41.037 --> 01:07:42.425 all those other combatant commands 01:07:42.425 --> 01:07:44.241 try to get after these problem sets, too. 01:07:44.241 --> 01:07:45.074 - Very good. 01:07:45.074 --> 01:07:47.764 Just a quick question about the last tactical mile. 01:07:47.764 --> 01:07:50.272 I understand that DoD has not incorporated 01:07:50.272 --> 01:07:53.855 those distribution metrics into their plan, 01:07:54.268 --> 01:07:55.476 and it's the responsibility 01:07:55.476 --> 01:07:57.031 of the distribution process owner 01:07:57.031 --> 01:08:00.002 to oversee the overall effectiveness. 01:08:00.002 --> 01:08:01.952 So what progress is US TRANSCOM making 01:08:01.952 --> 01:08:03.972 working with the combatant commands 01:08:03.972 --> 01:08:07.000 to routinely collect distribution performance information 01:08:07.000 --> 01:08:09.250 for the last tactical mile? 01:08:11.000 --> 01:08:13.230 - Well, I'm thankful that the combatant commands 01:08:13.230 --> 01:08:15.186 are thinking differently than when TRANSCOM 01:08:15.186 --> 01:08:18.230 was given that moniker of the distribution process owner. 01:08:18.230 --> 01:08:20.176 When TRANSCOM was first given that moniker 01:08:20.176 --> 01:08:22.008 of the distribution process owner, 01:08:22.008 --> 01:08:24.207 not everybody was happy about it. 01:08:24.207 --> 01:08:25.386 And the reason the word 01:08:25.386 --> 01:08:28.179 is owner and not commander or director 01:08:28.179 --> 01:08:30.057 is because they wanted TRANSCOM to have 01:08:30.057 --> 01:08:33.721 less power in some of those areas to make decisions. 01:08:33.721 --> 01:08:36.002 Today moving forward, all the combatant commands 01:08:36.002 --> 01:08:38.943 understand how much we need a global person 01:08:38.943 --> 01:08:41.033 to look at transportation at large. 01:08:41.033 --> 01:08:44.279 At the last distribution process owner executive board, 01:08:44.279 --> 01:08:47.040 I let the team know of all the people represented 01:08:47.040 --> 01:08:48.953 that we're gonna make some decisions now 01:08:48.953 --> 01:08:50.034 about a number of things, 01:08:50.034 --> 01:08:52.785 and many of them are welcoming TRANSCOM's role 01:08:52.785 --> 01:08:56.184 to look more deeply at the end to end solution. 01:08:56.184 --> 01:08:59.430 That wasn't there a decade ago when we got this decision. 01:08:59.430 --> 01:09:00.263 - You bet. 01:09:00.263 --> 01:09:01.096 Thank you very much. 01:09:01.096 --> 01:09:02.054 I'll yield back for time. 01:09:02.054 --> 01:09:03.012 - Thank you, Congresswoman. 01:09:03.012 --> 01:09:04.534 We now be concluding 01:09:04.534 --> 01:09:07.704 with Congresswoman Elise Stefanik of New York. 01:09:07.704 --> 01:09:08.787 - Thank you, Chairman Wilson, 01:09:08.787 --> 01:09:10.519 and thank you General McDew for your service 01:09:10.519 --> 01:09:12.465 and for your testimony today. 01:09:12.465 --> 01:09:13.298 In your testimony, 01:09:13.298 --> 01:09:15.504 you discussed how our enemies continue to use 01:09:15.504 --> 01:09:17.993 our dependence on the cyber domain against us 01:09:17.993 --> 01:09:20.258 and that the greatest challenge for TRANSCOM 01:09:20.258 --> 01:09:23.445 is the threat of an attack in the cyber domain. 01:09:23.445 --> 01:09:26.022 Obviously, we have some unique challenges in cyber, 01:09:26.022 --> 01:09:28.237 especially when compared to the rest of the DoD. 01:09:28.237 --> 01:09:31.536 Can you describe some of the ongoing activities 01:09:31.536 --> 01:09:33.494 related to cyber, and then specifically, 01:09:33.494 --> 01:09:35.257 how are you working with Cyber Command 01:09:35.257 --> 01:09:37.924 to better protect your networks? 01:09:39.945 --> 01:09:42.955 - Congresswoman, our networks are fairly well defended. 01:09:42.955 --> 01:09:45.238 CYBERCOM, I have great confidence in what they're doing 01:09:45.238 --> 01:09:46.804 to protect our networks. 01:09:46.804 --> 01:09:49.285 It is the rest of my network that I'm most concerned about. 01:09:49.285 --> 01:09:53.188 It's the part outside the Department of Defense network. 01:09:53.188 --> 01:09:56.508 I extend throughout the entire country and around the world, 01:09:56.508 --> 01:09:58.766 most of it on commercial .com networks 01:09:58.766 --> 01:10:00.508 is where I have to do my business. 01:10:00.508 --> 01:10:01.999 If a combatant command were to give me 01:10:01.999 --> 01:10:04.039 all their best secret information, 01:10:04.039 --> 01:10:06.262 I've then still got to contract it out. 01:10:06.262 --> 01:10:10.012 And right now, that chasm between DoD and DHS 01:10:10.477 --> 01:10:11.953 and how we think about cyber 01:10:11.953 --> 01:10:14.241 and what authorities we have to bridge that gap 01:10:14.241 --> 01:10:16.658 are my most relevant concern. 01:10:17.483 --> 01:10:21.471 - And then just quickly before I have to run to votes, 01:10:21.471 --> 01:10:24.921 I wanna ask specifically what the impact of a CR would be 01:10:24.921 --> 01:10:26.754 on your cyber efforts? 01:10:27.712 --> 01:10:30.477 Similar to Mr. Byrne's questions, this is an issue 01:10:30.477 --> 01:10:33.184 that we are going to continue grappling with, 01:10:33.184 --> 01:10:35.776 and we know that CRs are devastating to DoD, 01:10:35.776 --> 01:10:39.435 but I'm asking specifically when it comes to cyber. 01:10:39.435 --> 01:10:40.927 - That would be a direct impact 01:10:40.927 --> 01:10:42.994 on our cyber protection force, 01:10:42.994 --> 01:10:44.473 that Cyber Command puts a force 01:10:44.473 --> 01:10:47.140 against protecting our networks. 01:10:47.261 --> 01:10:49.193 The training and resourcing of that team 01:10:49.193 --> 01:10:50.437 would slow down probably, 01:10:50.437 --> 01:10:52.717 and the training would be impacted. 01:10:52.717 --> 01:10:54.775 I would imagine that would eventually get to 01:10:54.775 --> 01:10:56.949 maybe less defending of our network, 01:10:56.949 --> 01:10:59.158 but I would hope that they'd find a way to get around it. 01:10:59.158 --> 01:10:59.991 - Thank you. 01:10:59.991 --> 01:11:01.074 I yield back. 01:11:01.160 --> 01:11:03.688 - And thank you very much, Congresswoman Stefanik. 01:11:03.688 --> 01:11:05.696 And General, thank you very much for being here, 01:11:05.696 --> 01:11:07.544 and we are in the midst of votes, 01:11:07.544 --> 01:11:10.456 but I'm just so grateful for the members 01:11:10.456 --> 01:11:13.247 who have taken time to stay the entire time, 01:11:13.247 --> 01:11:16.030 their dedication, and appreciation of your service. 01:11:16.030 --> 01:11:17.447 We are adjourned.