PRECISION-GUIDED
MUNITIONS
SHORTAGES
STATEMENT: Recent U.S. military missions have relied heavily on the use of precision munitions. The Clinton Administration failed to provide enough resources to fund the military's 2 Major Theater War (MTW) requirement for these munitions. As a result of this failure, and the recent use of precision munitions in Afghanistan, the U.S. military's inventory of precision-guided munitions is low.
* * * FACTS * * *
In April 1999 the Navy had only 55% of its 2 MTW requirement of Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles. Even with the Bush Administration's new Capabilities Based Munitions Requirement Report (CBMRR), the Tomahawk inventory will still be less than what is needed. In a recent letter to Chairman Hunter dated November 11, 2001, regarding the Tomahawk inventory, Admiral Vern Clark, Chief of Naval Operations, noted, "Although our new requirement [of Tomahawks] has yet to be defined, our current inventory will likely continue to be below what is needed to execute the new strategy."
In late November 2001, the Navy further stated that it needed to "immediately increase production and procurement of Laser Guided Bomb Kits (LGBs) and Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) to meet the anticipated requirements of a sustained war on terrorism, replenish war reserve stocks, and rebuild both a combat and training inventory."
The Air Force is also facing shortages in its precision-guided munitions. In 1999, the Air Force had less than 10% of its 2 MTW requirement of Conventionally Air Launched Cruise Missiles (CALCM). Under the CBMRR strategy, the Air Force will still be short CALCMs with only 20% of its requirement.
In addition, the Air Force has relied heavily on the CBU-103 in its operations
in Afghanistan. According to information provided by the Joint Chief
of Staff dated January 7, 2002, the Air Force only had 4% of the CBU-103
requirement on-hand. Of the on-hand inventory, 39% has been
expended in Operation Enduring Freedom.
* * * ACTION * * *
Immediately ensure that precision munition inventories are at war requirement levels. Specifically, restart the Tomahawk cruise missile line and increase production levels for LGBs, JDAM and CBU-103. In addition, the Air Force should define and fund a replacement program for the CALCM.
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