all theater combatant commands now have the capability to respond to crises with SOF already present in theater. The CENTCOM CRE was established because CENTCOM was the only theater combatant command without a permanently assigned "in-extreme" capability. Question. How will the establishment of these Crisis Response elements enhance the current capabilities of the Commander of USSOCOM to perform his responsibilities? Answer. The Central Command (CENTCOM) Crisis Response Element (CRE) and “inextremis" forces assigned to the other theaters provide both the geographic combatant commanders and the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) Commander with a rapidly deployable special operations forces (SOF) element when emerging high value targets are identified and located during the prosecution of the War on Terrorism. These elements, and others, will provide the capability to respond quickly and effectively to time sensitive targets. CENTRAL COMMAND AVIATION AND SEAL COMPONENTS Question. The Committee is aware that SOCOM plans to establish an aviation component and two SEAL teams in the Central Command Area of Responsibility. What aircraft will this aviation component fly? Answer. The Central Command (CENTCOM) Aviation Component will have four (4) MH-53M or MH-47G helicopters and 3 MC-130s. Question. Are they currently in the inventory? Answer. There are no MH-47Gs off of the mod line yet. The first one comes off in FY 2005. Question. How many forces will be required to forward base this element in the CENTCOM area of responsibility? Answer. The Department resourced 313 (out of a total of 410 for ARSOA plus up) people for the aviation component. Question. What will be the costs associated with this initiative? Answer. FY 2004 cost is $132 million. Question. Is the equipment for the two new SEAL teams currently in the inventory? Answer. No, however the Department has provided funds for the equipment for these two Teams within the Future Years Defense Program. Question. How many personnel will be required to forward base these teams in the CENTCOM area of responsibility? Answer. United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) plans to forward base the following special operations forces (SOF) forces in the Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility (AOR): 1 Theater SOC 4 MH53s or MH47s, 3 MC-130s, Joint Special Operations Air Component 1 SEAL platoon with Command and Control (C&C) and Ground Mobility Ve- 1 SF Co mounted Total personnel NEW PSYCHOLOGICAL OPERATIONS COMPANIES 152 313 24 130 619 Question. The Committee is aware that SOCOM plans to establish two new active and four reserve regional Psychological Operations Companies. Please describe the mission of the current Psychological Operations Companies including their end strength. Answer. The two new active component (AC) Psychological Operations (PSYOP) Companies will conduct theater PSYOP in Central Command (CENTCOM) and Pacific Command (PACOM) with a combined total end strength of 154 soldiers. The four reserve component (RC) PSYOP Companies will conduct tactical PSYOP with Ground forces wherever they are deployed. Total RC end strength of 308 RC soldiers. Question. Where are they located? Answer. The two active component (AC) and four reserve component (RC) Psychological Operations (PSYOP) Companies will be located at Fort Bragg, North Carolina the RC companies are part of the multi-composition (RC/AC) units. Question. Where will the new Psychological Operations Companies be located? Answer. The new Psychological Operations (PSYOP) Companies will be located at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Question. What will be the costs associated with this initiative? Answer. Funding in the amount of $205 million across the Future Year Defense Plan (FYDP) was received for the Psychological Operations (PSYOPS) initiative; $99 million in operation and maintenance (O&M); $71 million in Procurement; $31 million in research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E), and $4 million in Military Construction (MILCON). SPECIAL OPERATIONS PROCUREMENT BUDGET Question. The President's budget proposes to increase the Special Operations Procurement budget by 126% from $873.3 million in Fiscal year 2003 to $1,978.5 million in Fiscal year 2004. This increase is in addition to the $691 million for the procurement of items provided by the Congress above the budget through the DERF and the Supplemental during fiscal year 2002, and what has been included in the Fiscal year 2003 supplemental budget request. The fiscal year 2002 increases above the budget were added in response to the events which occurred on September 11th. They were intended to provide Special Forces operators with items which could be procured quickly to meet unanticipated needs. Please provide the Committee a detailed list of the items procured and fielded. Answer. Items procured and fielded to meet the unanticipated needs of the special operations forces (SOF) operators are provided by P-1/Program in the following Defense Emergency Response Fund (DERF) and FY02 Supplemental Listings: SOF DERF FUNDING FOR GWOT-COMPONENT: USSOCOM P-1 Line/Program C-130 Modifications AC-130U All Light Level TV MC-130 Air Refueling Moving Map Capability Communications Equipment & Electronics Special Mission Radio Systems Multi-Band Multi-Mission Radio Multi-Band Inter/Intra Team Radio Blue Force Tracking Devices PLGR-11 and ARC-231 Radio Systems Tactical Local Area Network C4 & Intelligence Automation System Joint Base Station AN/PRC-112 Radios SOF Intel Tactical Local Area Network Joint Threat Warning System Multi-Mission Advanced Tactical Terminal Special Operations Tactical Video System Remote Miniature Weather System Special Operations Joint Interagency Collaboration Center PSYOP Equipment Leaflet Delivery PSYOP Distribution System Special Reconnaissance Capability Remote Observation Post Remote Camera Controller Standoff Explosive Detection System MASINT Rotary Wing Upgrades/Sustainment CH-47D to MH-47E Mods Radar Warning Receiver Ballistic Protection System Air Transportability Kits MH-53 Upgrades Miscellaneous Equipment Civil Engineering Support Equipment Joint Operational Stocks Sustainment Equipment Small UAV Thermal Identification Device Non-Standard Commercial Vehicles Hardened Sport Utility Vehicles Small Arms & Weapons Dessert Patrol Vehicle Weapons Body Armor & Improved Ballistic Protection JOS Weapons Night Vision Devices Modular Integrated Comm Helmet M4A1 SOF Carbine Accessory Kits Man-Portable Decontamination Classified Programs FY 2002 SUPPLEMENTAL FOR GWOT-COMPONENT: USSOCOM P-1 Line/Program Communications Equipment & Electronics Joint Base Station Multi-Band Inter/Intra Team Radio SCAMPI SOF Tactical Assured Connectivity System Video Teleconferencing SOF Operations Enhancements Integrated Survey Program AC-130U Weight Reduction SOF Training Systems SOF Planning and Rehearsal System C-130 Modifications APQ Radar PSYOP Equipment PSYOP Broadcasting System Small Arms and Weapons Advanced Lightweight Grenade Launcher Body Armor/Load Carrying System Improved Night/Day Observation Device M4A1 SOF Carbine Accessory Kit Modular Integrated Comm Helmet SOF Laser Acquisition Marker SOF Personal Equipment Adv Req Miscellaneous Equipment Joint Operational Stocks Rotary Wing Upgrades MH-47 Mini Gun Replacement MH-53 Upgrades MH-47/60 Modular Avionics MH-47/60 Mission Processor Upgrades MH-60 Altitude Hold MH-60 Machine Gun MH-47 Initial Spares Ordnance Replenishment Ordnance Acquisition SOF Demolition Kit Remote Activated Munitions System 105 MM High Fragmentation Rounds Foreign Weapons and Ammunition Question. The fiscal year 2003 increases above the budget were provided to pay for sunk costs and anticipated needs for ongoing Operations ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM. Please provide the Committee a detailed list of the items you expect to procure with these funds. Answer. We do not have the detailed list at this time. We're certain that funding will be used to address shortfalls in deployment and redeployment related expenses, flying hour costs, reconstituting the equipment and spares shortages. The original Supplemental list was developed in November, and we're currently going through the process of revalidating shortfalls and prioritizing the Commander's highest priority combat needs. Question. The fiscal year 2004 requests reflect the need for increased capability requirement and force structure requirements based on the Command's expanded mission. Even though the increase is large, the Command still has a substantial Unfunded Requirements list. Please provide the Committee with this list. Answer. Question. The Special Operations Command has a requirement to increase its inventory of MH-47 helicopters and to forward deploy more of them to participate in future conflicts anticipated in the Global War on Terrorism. The Committee is aware that during OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, the MH-47 was the only airlift helicopter in the inventory able to fly at the high altitudes required in the mountains of Afghanistan. How many MH-47 helicopters have experienced battle damage during OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM and IRAQI FREEDOM and how many are total losses? Answer. Since October 2001, the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR) has experienced battle damage to ten of its MH-47 fleet in eleven different instances. Two were destroyed beyond repair. All remaining damaged aircraft have been repaired. Question. What is the current authorized inventory of MH-47 helicopters? Answer. The current authorized inventory of MH-47 helicopters is 37. This includes 23 MH-47E and 11 MH-47D on hand. The inventory requested in FY04 is 53. All will eventually be MH47G. Included in that number are three aircraft that are being reconstituted to the MH-47G configuration. One is a previously crash damaged (1996) MH-47E, while the other two are CH-47D aircraft provided by the Army to replace combat losses. Question. What is the objective inventory approved by the Department of Defense for USSOCOM? Answer. The objective inventory for MH-47s approved by the Department of Defense is 61 aircraft. Question. What is the real world requirement (USSOCOM's acquisition objective) for Special Operations MH-47s based on the Command's increased role in the war on terrorism? Answer. The real world requirement is the Objective Force requirement of 74 aircraft. Question. The Special Operations MH-47 capabilities exceed those of the Army's CH-47 based on its mission requirements. Please explain the differences in capabilities. Answer. The MH-47 incorporates a variety of unique equipment that allows it to successfully complete its special operations forces (SOF) mission. It is much more capable, lethal and survivable than is its Army CH-47 counterpart. Major differences include: long-range fuel tanks, aerial refuel probes, a highly advanced digital/glass cockpit, advanced avionics/navigation suite, Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE) to defeat both IR and RF threats, a mini-gun weapons system, and a Multi-Mode Radar for terrain following/terrain avoidance navigation. Question. The Fiscal Year 2004 budget proposes to provide for the conversion of 16 U.S. Army CH-47Ds to the MH-47G configuration which, barring further battle or training loss, should bring the inventory to 53 aircraft leaving Special Operations Forces 8 aircraft short of its DoD objective inventory. How will you make up that shortfall? Answer. Additional funds are being sought within the Department. Question. Where do you propose to forward deploy them in the future? Answer. It is imperative that we reach the Objective Force requirement of 74 aircraft, given the increased operational tempo (OPTEMPO) and requirements we have experienced since September 11, 2001. The capability that the MH-47 provides cannot be replaced or replicated anywhere else within DoD. Without this capability, operation ENDURING FREEDOM (OEF) would not have been possible on the timeline in which it was executed. CV-22 AIRCRAFT Question. The CV-22 is the Air Force Special Operations variant of the Marine Corps MV-22 and has a requirement to perform the covert high-speed, long-distance insertion/extraction/resupply of Special Operations Forces at night and in adverse weather. To accomplish this mission, the CV-22 will have a terrain following/terrain avoidance (TF/TA) radar whereas the MV-22 has no radar. When do you expect to complete testing on the TF/TA radar, which will be installed in the CV-22? Answer. Developmental testing of the AN/APQ-186 Terrain Following/Terrain Avoidance (TF/TA) Radar is scheduled for completion in conjunction with the com |