Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Mr. Chairman and members of the committee, good morning, I appreciate the opportunity to appear before you today to discuss the Department of the Air Force's Nuclear, Biological and Chemical (NBC) Passive Defense Program. I thank you for your continued support of the NBC defense program. Today, I want to share with the committee the way we manage this program within the Air Force.

First I'll explain how the AF organizational structure supports the NBC Defense Program. The Deputy Chief of Staff, Air and Space Operations, referred to as our XO, is responsible for the Air Force's Counterproliferation (CP) Program. Nuclear, Biological and Chemical Passive Defense is one of the four focus pillars of our Counterproliferation Program, so the XO is the principle Air Force officer responsible for our participation in the OSD Chemical-Biological Defense Program and is the AF representative on the Joint NBC Defense Board. In my role as the Air Force Civil Engineer, I support the XO and I am responsible for training and equipment aspects of the AF NBC Passive Defense Program. I represent the AF in Joint NBC training, doctrine and requirements development. I am supported by the Director of Supply who is responsible for AF NBC Individual Protective Equipment management as part of the overall AF supply management system and for shelf-life management policies.

Two other key members of the Air Force NBC Passive Defense team include the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisitions, Director of Global Power Programs, referred to as AQ, and The Director of Medical Readiness, Office of the Air Force Surgeon General. The AQ is responsible for research, development and acquisition of all NBC passive defense equipment and he represents the Air Force in Joint Research, Development and Acquisitions. The Medical Director is responsible for the medical NBC passive Defense program. Together we form the triad to support the XO's Counterproliferation program and the OSD Chemical-Biological Defense Program.

The Defense Planning Guidance recently described the NBC threat as a likely condition of future wars. The Air Force is committed to ensuring our forces can, and will, survive to conduct sustained mission operations in a NBC environment. In order to accomplish this, we have established a comprehensive NBC passive defense program.

The Air Force participates with OSD and the Joint NBC Defense Board for research, development and initial acquisition of avoidance/detection, decontamination, collective protection and individual protection equipment. We work with the other Services and OSD to identify joint requirements such as the Joint Service Lightweight Integrated Suit Technology (JSLIST), Joint Protective Aircrew Ensemble (JPACE), Joint Service Aircrew Mask (JSAM) and the Joint Service General Purpose Mask (JSGPM) programs. With Congressional support, we have seen funding for these programs increase in recent years to meet the growing NBC threat and ensure the safety of all DoD forces.

Each Service is responsible for sustainment and maintenance of their equipment as well as training for our respective personnel. Air Force expenditures in these three areas average $15-16 million per year. With the currently constrained budget environment, this funding level does not satisfy all of our requirements to replace consumable items and perform all required equipment maintenance. However, we do prioritize our requirements to reduce risk and to ensure we provide protection to our personnel in high and medium threat locations.

The Air Force's NBC defense sustainment program provides operations and maintenance funding for protective ensembles and masks, detection and decontamination equipment, medical supplies, collective protective systems and training. Like the other Services, we are currently transitioning from older equipment to newer, lighter, more effective equipment, particularly the individual protective ensemble, and are adjusting our training as we bring this new equipment into our inventory.

The Air Force's standard issue groundcrew PPE includes protective overgarments (4 pr), rubber gloves with cotton inserts (8 pr), overboots (4 pr), protective hoods (8), a protective mask (1) and filter canisters (8).

Overgarment - We currently utilize the Battledress Overgarment (BDO) as our primary protective overgarment. We have introduced the JSLIST suit into our inventory in limited quantities and are transitioning the bulk of our force from the BDO to the JSLIST over the next ten years. All BDOs in the AF inventory will expire by FY07.

Glove - We currently utilize a butyl rubber glove with cotton insert. We plan to transition to a new protective glove being developed by the JSLIST program. This improved groundcrew/aircrew protective glove will provide increased protection and enhance finger dexterity and grip.

Overboot - We currently utilize both a butyl rubber footwear cover (soft) and a vinyl overboot (hard). We are transitioning to a new protective footwear cover, the multi-purpose overboot (MULO), developed by the JSLIST program. The MULO is weatherproof and chemical/petroleum resistant with improved sole and grip.

Mask - We currently utilize two types of groundcrew protective masks, the MCU-2A/P and the M17A2. The MCU-2A/P mask is our primary protective mask with the M17A2 being used for our "hard to fit" personnel. Both masks are used in-conjunction with butyl rubber hood and filter canisters. The Air Force is participating in the development of the Joint Service General Purpose Mask (JSGPM) and will transition from the MCU-2A/P to the JSGPM between FY06 and FY12. Our "hard to fit" program will transition from the M17A2 to the M45 Land Warrior Mask in FY01.

The Air Force requires all military and emergency essential civilian personnel stationed in or deployable to NBC high and medium threat locations to receive annual NBC defense training. This training includes classroom and hands on instruction on detection and decontamination equipment and procedures, protective clothing, mask components, inspection and wear. The Air Force enhanced the protective mask portion of training in 1998 by implementing the quantitative mask fit test using the M41 Protection Assessment Test System (PATS) and updating the Air Force manual on NBC Mask Fit and Liquid Hazard Simulant Training. The Air Force's mask fit test is designed to improve NBC defense survivability and increase the individual airman's confidence.

In Dec 1998, the DOD/IG published the M41 PATS Capabilities Audit Report. In the report, the Joint Service's interim minimum standard fit factor criteria of 1,667 was reviewed and a recommendation was made for the OSD CB Defense Program to validate current and/or establish new criteria. The Air Force is participating in this program and will apply the final result to its mask fit test program. In the interim, the Air Force is using a minimum fit factor of 2,000. We increased the criteria from 1,667 to 2,000 to allow for errors associated with the fit test method. The Air Force established a robust training course of instruction on mask fit test operations at our technical schools at Fort Leonardwood, Missouri and Brooks AFB, Texas, in both the apprentice and advanced level courses for our NBC technicians. These technicians then provide instruction and perform fit test training for unit-level personnel.

Equipment maintenance checks and service are critical elements of the Air Force's NBC defense program, especially for the individual protective equipment. The Air Force mask maintenance and inspection program includes participating in the Joint Service Retail Mask Surveillance Program, maintaining and using the MCU-2A/P mask technical manual/technical order, implementing the mask fit test program, and acquiring future equipment sets to perform protective assessment tests.

Maintenance and inspections are conducted on Air Force protective masks every six months during peacetime and every seven days during contingency operations. Except for visual procedures outlined in the mask technical manuals, the Air Force has no inherent capability to perform detailed quantitative mask inspections. The need for this capability led us to participate in the Joint Service Mask Surveillance Program managed by the Marines. Based on the Joint Service Mask Working Group's recommendations and its review of a DOD/IG audit report focusing on mask maintenance, the Air Force initiated a rewrite of our technical orders. The rewrite, which is scheduled for completion in Aug 00, addresses and enhances procedures to tighten loose front voicemitters and clean the mask; increases emphasis on inspections; and clarifies responsibility for mask care and maintenance. The Air Force is also reviewing and updating various instructions and lesson plans that improve procedures for mask maintenance and inspection during initial and refresher chemical warfare defense training.

The Air Force conducts visual inspections and uses the M41 PATS fit test to identify gross defective components on a mask. To identify less obvious defects we are acquiring the Joint Service Mask Leakage Tester. The leakage tester will perform the mask fit test and identify defective individual components of the mask for replacement by the operator. The AF plans to deploy the mask leakage tester at every installation and with deployable units when funded through the OSD Defense program.

In conclusion, Mr. Chairman, I again thank Congress for its strong support of the overall OSD and Air Force NBC Passive Defense Program. We have an aggressive program that capitalizes on cooperation among the Services to develop and procure new, high-tech protective equipment. We believe our sustainment and training programs are meeting the most pressing needs of our forces, and that we carefully balance fiscal reality, shortfalls and risk. Our goal, like yours, is to ensure Air Force men and women are protected with the very best equipment. I will be happy to address any questions you may have at this time.