Air Force secretary nominee Heather Wilson on Wednesday would not pledge to put any future retirement of the F-15C/D Eagle fighter jet on hold, despite urging from Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.
Wilson, who testified about her nomination to the Senate Armed Services Committee, said she had not been briefed on the Air Force discussions after reports it could retire the successful-yet-aging aircraft in the coming decade and instead repeatedly promised Warren transparency as Air Force secretary.
The F-15 discussion — which would not include the newer F-15E Strike Eagle — could be a cost-cutting measure as the Air Force struggles with a shrinking, aging fleet and curtailed funding under federal budget caps. Wilson, who is President Trump’s second nominee for a top Pentagon post, pledged to begin rebuilding the Air Force, and Republicans on the committee touted her qualifications.
Wilson told Warren she was unsure whether the service was considering the F-16 Fighting Falcon jet to take over the current job of the F-15C. If confirmed, Wilson would get access to classified Air Force planning documents and discussions.
“My problem is I’m not sure it was an F-16 substitute … I don’t know what the something else was,” she said. “But what I will commit to is, I will be very transparent with you.”
Warren, a Democratic firebrand, asked Wilson to defer any decision on the future of the F-15 until the Air Force provides the Senate committee with an analysis showing any retirement plan would not degrade the service’s capabilities and would also save taxpayers money.
The Senate committee hearing Thursday was the first step in Wilson’s confirmation process and members will make a recommendation to the full Senate on whether to confirm her.
The Trump administration has yet to fill many key Pentagon positions. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis was approved by the Senate in January.
Two other Trump secretary nominees bowed out in February due to financial entanglements. Vincent Viola, the billionaire owner of the Florida Panthers hockey team, withdrew from the Army secretary nomination and Philip Bilden, a businessman and Army Reserve intelligence officer, withdrew his Navy secretary bid.
