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Secretary Michael Wynne says nonlethal weapons should be tested on U.S. civilians before being used on the battlefield.
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Nonlethal weapons such as high-power microwave devices should be used
on American citizens in crowd-control situations before being used on the battlefield,
the Air Force secretary said Tuesday.
The object is basically public relations. Domestic use would make it easier
to avoid questions from others about possible safety considerations, said Secretary
Michael Wynne.
"If we're not willing to use it here against our fellow citizens, then
we should not be willing to use it in a wartime situation," said Wynne.
"(Because) if I hit somebody with a nonlethal weapon and they claim that
it injured them in a way that was not intended, I think that I would be vilified
in the world press."
The Air Force has paid for research into nonlethal weapons, but he said the
service is unlikely to spend more money on development until injury problems
are reviewed by medical experts and resolved.
Nonlethal weapons generally can weaken people if they are hit with the beam.
Some of the weapons can emit short, intense energy pulses that also can be effective
in disabling some electronic devices.
On another subject, Wynne said he expects to choose a new contractor for the
next generation aerial refueling tankers by next summer. He said a draft request
for bids will be put out next month, and there are two qualified bidders: the
Boeing Co. and a team of Northrop Grumman Corp. and European Aeronautic Defence
and Space Co., the majority owner of European jet maker Airbus SAS.
The contract is expected to be worth at least $20 billion (€15.75 billion).
Chicago, Illinois-based Boeing lost the tanker deal in 2004 amid revelations
that it had hired a top Air Force acquisitions official who had given the company
preferential treatment.
Wynne also said the Air Force, which is already chopping 40,000 active duty,
civilian and reserves jobs, is now struggling to find new ways to slash about
$1.8 billion (€1.4 billion) from its budget to cover costs from the latest
round of base closings.
He said he can't cut more people, and it would not be wise to take funding
from military programs that are needed to protect the country. But he said he
also incurs resistance when he tries to save money on operations and maintenance
by retiring aging aircraft.
"We're finding out that those are, unfortunately, prized possessions of
some congressional districts," said Wynne, adding that the Air Force will
have to "take some appetite suppressant pills." He said he has asked
employees to look for efficiencies in their offices.
The base closings initially were expected to create savings by reducing Air
Force infrastructure by 24 percent.
