February 3, 2010 | Posted by
Christine Parthemore - 9:19am |
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Yesterday was full of fun with the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the FY2011 budget. Here are the natural security-related exchanges from the transcript, beginning with Secretary Gates confirming that DOD is indeed working on alternative energy:
Senator Begich (D-Alaska): I'm trying to rapid-fire these, knowing my time is limited. Do you still -- in your DOD presentation of the budget, do you still have a very robust -- another issue separate -- alternative renewable energy program? I know that's been a big plus, to be very frank with you, with the military. You have been leaders in this area. Are you still fairly in your mind aggressive in this arena?
Sec. Gates: Yes.
* * *
In this line of inquiry, Senator Jeff Sessions seems quite concerned with fuel costs. Rather than drilling Admiral Mullen on this point, he could refer to page 87 of the QDR, which states that “DoD must integrate geostrategic and operational energy considerations into force planning, requirements development, and axquisition processes. To address these challenges, DoD will fully implement the statutory requirement for the energy efficiency Key Performance Parameter and fully burdened cost of fuel…”
Senator Sessions (R-Alabama): With regard to our procurement of major weapons systems, I know that the Department of Defense, Admiral Mullen, has focused on life- cycle cost. And I guess you would agree that things such as fuel and maintenance are important factors to evaluate if you're going to evaluate the cost of a weapons systems over a period of years.
Adm. Mullen: Yes, sir.
Senator Sessions: I know we did that on the tanker aircraft, and in fact, fuel and that sort of things are counted as evaluating that aircraft. Are you -- should that be applied to a procurement program like the Littoral Combat Ship, that the cost of fuel over its lifespan, should that be accounted for?
Adm. Mullen: I've long been concerned about lifecycle costs; I think, Senator Sessions, you know that, long before now. And the secretary pointed out, and I think very importantly, in his opening statement, that the programs that he cut last year actually had some lifecycle value, focused on about $330 billion. As far as what's in an RFP and what it's going to be focused on, that's something that I really can't comment on if that RFP is --
Senator Sessions: Well, I don't know, we've got our RFP in the Littoral Combat Ship that I'm told does not have factor for fuel costs.
Adm. Mullen: But you know more about it than I do. I haven't seen it.
Senator Sessions: Well, if that's so, would you be willing to look at it and ask questions, if that's a wise decision?
Adm. Mullen: Again, I've -- as I've said, I've been -- long time I've been concerned about lifecycle costs. Actually, one of the, I think, weaknesses of the acquisitions system is typically the line is not involved in it. The uniform side is not involved in it. So I'm not involved from that -- from that point of view --