Scrapping U-2 Won’t Save As Much As Touted

The money is still significant, since it roughly covers funding the service’s Combat Rescue Helicopter program. But budget sequestration has forced the service to look for cuts “measured in billions rather than ‘just’ millions of dollars,” as Air Force testimony to Congress put it. “I expect it will be a wash cost-wise, with a certain degree of risk in that capability gap,” said Richard Aboulafia, an aviation expert with the Teal Group. “That’s a short-term illusion of savings.”