Reduced Flying Hours Forces USAF To Ground 17 Combat Air Sqn

[Wim]

The U.S. Air Force will begin grounding combat air squadrons Tuesday in response to forced spending cuts that have eliminated more than 44,000 flying hours through September, according to internal documents obtained by Defense News.

The Air Force’s budget for flying hours was reduced by $591 million for the remainder of fiscal 2013, making it impossible to keep all squadrons ready for combat, according to a memo signed by Maj. Gen. Charles Lyon, director of operations for Air Combat Command. The across-the board spending cuts, called sequestration, took effect March 1 when Congress failed to agree on a deficit-reduction plan.

Seventeen combat-coded squadrons will stand down effective Tuesday or upon their return from deployments, according to the documents. The Air Force will distribute 241,496 flying hours that are funded to squadrons that will be kept combat ready or at a reduced readiness level called “basic mission capable” for part or all of the remaining months in fiscal 2013, the documents said.

The grounding includes F-22s from the 1st Fighter Wing’s 94th Fighter Squadron at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va. The squadron is returning from a deployment to the Pacific where airmen participated in a high-profile exercise in South Korea.

Other squadrons to stand down when they return to the U.S. include F-16s from the 4th Fighter Squadron at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, which is returning from a deployment in the Pacific; B-1B Lancers from the 34th and 37th Bomb Squadrons at Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D.; and A-10s from the 354th Fighter Squadron, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.

The other grounded units include B-52s from the 2nd and 5th Bomb Wings, F-15Es from the 336th, 492nd, 494th and 391s Fighter Squadrons; F-16s from the 77th Fighter Squadron, 555th Fighter Squadron, 18th Aggressor Squadron and the Thunderbirds; and A-10s from the 81st Fighter Squadron, which will close as a result of the fiscal 2013 National Defense Authorization Act.

Grounded associate units — Air National Guard and Reserve units that share assets with the active-duty force — include the 158th, 169th, 187th, 442nd and 917th squadrons.

Any flying hours not used by the grounded squadrons will be reallocated to meet Air Combat Command requirements. Additionally, all combat aircraft will stand down the last seven operation and maintenance days in September, the memo said.

Air Force officials did not respond to a request for comment Monday night.

Air Force leaders had warned that mandatory budget cuts would lead to a reduction of flying hours by 18 percent, with readiness dropping to “sub-optimal levels,” according to information provided to Congress. The drop in flying hours would mean that it could take up to six months to repair the damage to readiness, the Air Force warned lawmakers in a February presentation.

Air Combat Command officials announced a stand down and reallocation of flying hours for the rest of the fiscal year due to mandatory budget cuts. The limitation of flying hours means squadrons will stand down or maintain readiness at the reduced “basic mission capable” level, while others will remain at full “combat mission ready.”

The affected aircraft and units, by airframe:

F-22
94th Fighter Squadron — Grounded April 9

27th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September

3rd Fighter Wing — Two squadrons combat mission ready through September

15th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

49th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

F-15 C/D
67th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September

44th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through July, then Combat mission ready through September

48th Fighter Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

F-15E
336th Fighter Squadron — Grounded April 9

335th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September

48th Fighter Wing — Two squadrons stand down April 9

391st Fighter Squadron — Stands down April 9

F-16 C/D
8th Fighter Wing — Two squadrons combat mission ready through September

77th Fighter Squadron — Stands down April 9

55th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September

79th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through July, then combat mission ready through September

555th Fighter Squadron — Stands down April 9

510th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September

13th Fighter Squadron — Combat mission ready through September

14th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September

51st Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

57th Wing — One squadron (Thunderbirds) stands down April 9

158th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

169th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

187th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

354th Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

4th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable until redeployment

421st Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through September

A-10C
75th Fighter Squadron — Basic mission capable through July, then combat mission ready through September

51st Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

52nd Fighter Wing — Closing

442nd Fighter Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

917th Wing — One squadron stands down April 9

HH-60G
18th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

48th Fighter Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

B-1B
7th Bomb Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

2nd Bomb Wing — Two squadrons stand down April 9

B-2
509th Bomb Wing — Two squadrons combat mission ready through September

B-52
2nd Bomb Wing — One squadron stand down April 9

5th Bomb Wing — Two combat squadrons combat mission ready through September

E-3B/C/G
2nd Bomb Wing — Basic mission capable through September

18th Wing — One squadron basic mission capable through September

552nd Air Control Wing — One squadron basic mission capable through September

SE-4B
55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

EC-130H
55 Electronic Combat Group — One squadron combat mission ready through September

OC-135B
55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

RC-135S
55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

RC-135U
55th Wing — One squadron combat mission ready through September

RC-135V/W
55th Wing — One squadron basic mission capable through September

TC-135W
55th Wing (training) — One squadron basic mission capable through September

WC-135C/W
55th Wing. — One squadron combat mission ready through September

Source: http://www.defensenews.com/article/2013 ... -Squadrons

[danledan]

Hi,

So this means no flying Strike eagles and A10's anymore for FY13 ?

Strange.......

[perrie]

Maybe there will be a mix of F015C/D/E's flying as one squadron from RAF Lakenheath? Grounding all F-15E's there would be remarkable. Was planning to go there after RIAT

These budget cuts are getting serious now

regards, Per

[Arjan]

Well they are not specifically talking about grounding squadrons. They will still make hours to remain airworthiness of machine and pilots however they will not be funded for anymore than that (weapontraining etc).
Flying will be much reduced though!

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[Arjan]

From Lakenheath facebookpage;

4/10/2013 - ROYAL AIR FORCE LAKENHEATH, England - -- U.S. Air Force officials began to stand down active-duty combat units April 9 to ensure remaining units supporting worldwide operations can maintain sufficient readiness through the remainder of the fiscal year.

At this time, no official information has been released on whether RAF Lakenheath will be grounding any of its approximately 75 F-15 fighter aircraft. The base will release more information as it becomes available.

Wing leadership would like to reassure the public that even in the event of a stand down of aircraft at RAF Lakenheath, there will be no change to the base's manning. The 4,500 Airmen and 2,000 civilian employees will remain a part of the local community, and normal duty cycles will continue.

Additional information will be provided Thursday, April 11.