Gen. Daniel Allyn, vice chief of staff at the U.S. Army, has said the military branch developed a plan to restructure its aviation fleet and strategy due to budget uncertainty, the Army News Service reported Thursday.
J.D. Leipold writes Allyn also warned that another round of sequestration could have a devastating impact on the service’s air component.
Cutbacks in defense spending have forced the Army to eliminate three of the branch’s 13 active combat aviation brigades, according to the report.
“In order to maximize the capability and capacity of our total force and protect our critical modernization programs, such as future vertical lift, the improved turbine engine program and the UH-60-Lima digital upgrades, crafting the aviation restructure initiative was necessary,” he told audience at an Association of the U.S. Army-hosted aviation forum.
Allyn also noted the branch prioritizes development of technologies that would help recruit, educate and train future warfighters, according to Leipold’s article.
