To express the Sense of the Senate on Joint STARS reengineering.
What it does: Inserts new text wherever appropriate
Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA)Inserts new text wherever appropriate
InsertsInserted: SEC. (A) FINDINGS.--THE SENATE MAKES THE FOLLOWING FINDINGS.
Inserted: (1) Real time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) is critical to our warfighters in fighting the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Inserted: (2) Secretary of Defense Gates and the military leadership of the United States have highlighted the importance of collecting and disseminating critical intelligence and battlefield information to our troops on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Inserted: (3) The Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Norton Schwartz, has stated that the Air Force is "all-in" for the joint fight.
Inserted: (4) One of the most effective and heavily tasked intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets operating today is the Air Force's E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, also known as Joint STARS.
Inserted: (5) Commanders in the field rely on Joint STARS to give them a long range view of the battlefield and detect moving targets in all weather conditions as well as tactical support to Brigade Combat Teams, Joint Tactical Air Controllers and Special Operations Forces convoy overwatch.
Inserted: (6) Joint STARS is a joint platform, flown by a mix of active duty Air Force and Air National Guard personnel and operated by a joint Army, Air Force, and Marine crew, supporting missions for all the Armed Forces.
Inserted: (7) With a limited number of airframes, Joint STARS has flown over 55,000 combat hours and 900 sorties over Iraq and Afghanistan and directly contributed to the discovery of hundreds of Improvised Explosive Devices.
Inserted: (8) The current engines greatly limit the performance of Joint STARS aircraft and are the highest cause of maintenance problems and mission aborts.
Inserted: (9) There is no other current or programmed aircraft or weapon system that can provide the detailed, broad-area ground moving target indicator (GMTI) and airborne battle management support for the warfighter that Joint STARS provides.
Inserted: (10) With the significant operational savings that new engines will bring to the Joint STARS, re-engining Joint STARS will pay for itself by 2017 due to reduced operations, sustainment, and fuel costs.
Inserted: (11) In December 2002, a JSTARS re-engining study determined that re-engining provided significant benefits and cost savings. However, delays in executing the re-engining program continue to result in increased costs for the re-engining effort.
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Inserted: (12) The budget request for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2010 included $205,000,000 in Aircraft Procurement, Air Force, and $16,000,000 in Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Air Force for Joint STARS re-engining.
Inserted: (13) On September 22, 2009, the Department of Defense reaffirmed their support for the President's Budget request for Joint STARS re-engining.
Inserted: (14) On September 30, 2009, The Undersecretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics) signed an Acquisition Decision Memorandum directing that the Air Force proceed with the Joint STARS re-engining effort, to include expenditure of procurement and research, development, test, and evaluation funds.
Inserted: (b) Sense of Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate that----
Inserted: (1) Funds for re-engining of the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) should be appropriated in the correct appropriations accounts and in the amounts required in fiscal year 2010 to execute the Joint STARS re-engining system design and development program; and
Inserted: (2) the Air Force should proceed with currently planned efforts to re-engine Joint STARS aircraft, to include expending both procurement and research, development, test, and evaluation funds.
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Original wording
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
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As printed
At the appropriate place, insert the following:
SEC. (A) FINDINGS.--THE SENATE MAKES THE FOLLOWING FINDINGS.
(1) Real time intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) is critical to our warfighters in fighting the ongoing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
(2) Secretary of Defense Gates and the military leadership of the United States have highlighted the importance of collecting and disseminating critical intelligence and battlefield information to our troops on the ground in Iraq and Afghanistan.
(3) The Chief of Staff of the Air Force, General Norton Schwartz, has stated that the Air Force is “all-in” for the joint fight.
(4) One of the most effective and heavily tasked intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance assets operating today is the Air Force's E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, also known as Joint STARS.
(5) Commanders in the field rely on Joint STARS to give them a long range view of the battlefield and detect moving targets in all weather conditions as well as tactical support to Brigade Combat Teams, Joint Tactical Air Controllers and Special Operations Forces convoy overwatch.
(6) Joint STARS is a joint platform, flown by a mix of active duty Air Force and Air National Guard personnel and operated by a joint Army, Air Force, and Marine crew, supporting missions for all the Armed Forces.
(7) With a limited number of airframes, Joint STARS has flown over 55,000 combat hours and 900 sorties over Iraq and Afghanistan and directly contributed to the discovery of hundreds of Improvised Explosive Devices.
(8) The current engines greatly limit the performance of Joint STARS aircraft and are the highest cause of maintenance problems and mission aborts.
(9) There is no other current or programmed aircraft or weapon system that can provide the detailed, broad-area ground moving target indicator (GMTI) and airborne battle management support for the warfighter that Joint STARS provides.
(10) With the significant operational savings that new engines will bring to the Joint STARS, re-engining Joint STARS will pay for itself by 2017 due to reduced operations, sustainment, and fuel costs.
(11) In December 2002, a JSTARS re-engining study determined that re-engining provided significant benefits and cost savings. However, delays in executing the re-engining program continue to result in increased costs for the re-engining effort.
(12) The budget request for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2010 included $205,000,000 in Aircraft Procurement, Air Force, and $16,000,000 in Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation, Air Force for Joint STARS re-engining.
(13) On September 22, 2009, the Department of Defense reaffirmed their support for the President's Budget request for Joint STARS re-engining.
(14) On September 30, 2009, The Undersecretary of Defense (Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics) signed an Acquisition Decision Memorandum directing that the Air Force proceed with the Joint STARS re-engining effort, to include expenditure of procurement and research, development, test, and evaluation funds.
(b) Sense of Senate.--It is the sense of the Senate that----
(1) Funds for re-engining of the E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) should be appropriated in the correct appropriations accounts and in the amounts required in fiscal year 2010 to execute the Joint STARS re-engining system design and development program; and
(2) the Air Force should proceed with currently planned efforts to re-engine Joint STARS aircraft, to include expending both procurement and research, development, test, and evaluation funds.
Legislative Activity
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Senate amendment submitted
October 1, 2009
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Senate amendment submitted
October 1, 2009
Senate amendment proposed (on the floor): Amendment SA 2621 proposed by Senator Chambliss.(consideration: CR S10040-10041)
October 1, 2009
Senate amendment agreed to: Amendment SA 2621 as modified agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote.(text as modified: CR S10040-10041)
October 1, 2009
Amendment SA 2621 proposed by Senator Chambliss. (consideration: CR S10040-10041) To express the Sense of the Senate on Joint STARS reengineering.
October 1, 2009
Amendment SA 2621 was modified to be a first degree amendment by Unanimous Consent.
October 1, 2009
Amendment SA 2621 as modified agreed to in Senate by Voice Vote. (text as modified: CR S10040-10041)
October 1, 2009