In one corner, we have the "Challengers"--President Obama and defense Secretary Gates. Across the ring, we have The "Defenders"--The Boeing Company, Senator Boxer, Representatives Royce, and Rohrabacher, and a bipartisan host of other elected officials from around the country. The fight is the second 2009 supplemental funding bill. The timing is May 22, 2009. 5,000 well-paid jobs hang in the balance and the fight is on.

Working to fulfill President Obama's promise to bring change to the nation, Defense Secretary Gates is pushing his fiscal 2010 defense budget which will "reshape the priorities of America’s defense establishment and profoundly reform how this department does business." (1)  Gates also said "we will complete production of the C-17 airlifter program this fiscal year. Our analysis concludes that we have enough C-17s with the 205 already in the force and currently in production."--A strong left jab to the jaw.

The battle over next year's budget will have to wait for the next round because they are still working on this year's budget.  In a quick blocking move, the defenders bring into the ring the fiscal 2009 supplemental funding bill (part 2). This bill's primary purpose is to fund the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.  The defenders are trying to use it to keep the prize in their corner. The prize is, of course, continued production of Boeing's C-17 airlifter. At about $200 million each, production of this airplane employs about 5,000 at the Boeing Integrated Defense Systems plant in Long Beach.

If more planes are not funded through the supplemental funding bill or the fiscal 2010 budget, the production line will close in early 2011. Since the defense department has all the C-17s they want, they are not asking for more in the supplemental funding bill, and based on Gates' speech, would not be expected to ask for more in next year's budget. But, in a counter blow, the defenders are lobbying to include additional funding for C-17s in the supplemental funding bill, and Gates is pushing for passage of this bill before Memorial Day. Assuming the Congress will close on the Friday before the holiday, that deadline suddenly is looming upon us.  Specifically, May 22.

In a strong blow to the chin, California Senator Boxer requested funding for 15 additional C-17s (worth about $3 billion) be added to the supplemental funding bill.  She writes "We also strongly support continued funding for the C-17 in the forthcoming fiscal year 2009 Supplemental Defense Appropriations Bill because of concern that not doing so may irreversibly shut down production just short of the release of several studies that may indicate a need for additional C-17s. Those studies, including a long-overdue Mobility Capability Requirements Study, will give policy makers important insight into future strategic and tactical airlift needs. The studies will also take into account previously unforeseen needs that will largely dictate the demand for airlift in the future." (2)

Boxer is joined in her advocacy by a group of senators who are circulating a letter to Gates. It has been reported that this letter reads "...though the decision to end production of the C-17 at 205 aircraft was supported by the 2005 Mobility Capability Study, this Study was criticized by the Government Accountability Office for underestimating our nation’s future airlift requirements. We are also unaware of any risk assessment that has been performed based on the Combatant Commanders' requirements as to the decision to cease procurement of the F-22 and C-17".--Another thrust to the head.

In his counter attack, it was reported that Gates called the C-17 "a terrific aircraft".  Gates stressed that the Air Force and the U.S. Transportation Command "have more than necessary capacity" for airlift over the next 10 years. The Defense secretary also emphasized that a legislative prohibition from retiring the oldest version of Lockheed Martin's much larger C-5A cargo aircraft exists. There are about 59 of the aircraft in the Air Force's inventory, Gates said. Consequently, buying more C-17s would build "excess capacity".  (3)

In a round-ending jab from Gates, he said "After Memorial Day, we will need to consider options to delay running out of funds...I urge you to take up this bill and pass it as quickly as possible, but please not later than Memorial Day." Gates' version of the bill, of course, does not include any funding for more C-17s. Watch for the next round in this battle.

(1) Defense Budget Recommendation Statement, as Prepared for Delivery by Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates, Arlington, VA, Monday, April 06, 2009, (2) Senator Boxer's web site (3) This comes from an on line article titled "Gates defends dropping C-17 cargo plane" by Roxana Tiron. Although the article indicates the quotes are from Gates' April 30, 2009 testimony before the Senate Appropriations Committee, the DOD web site which "documents all DoD news briefings and significant interviews" did not include the information by our deadline.