A damning report by the Clone Defence Forces Oversight Committee has cited plummeting availability rates for warplanes, land vehicles and weapon systems. Some squadrons, the report states, have less than 40% of its planes available with an average across the Clone Air Force of 63% down from 78% in 2105. The Clone Army isn't doing much better, some units have hardly any serviceable vehicles, one company of mechanised infantry on Paragon is reported to have had to use taxis during a recent redeployment as not enough AFVs and lorries were working!
The problems are due to under investment in maintenance the report says as well as a generally ageing force portfolio. Engineering and maintenance has suffered huge cuts thanks to Clone budget woes over the last decade and a major effect of this has been a lack of newly trained mechanics and engineers to replace natural wastage as well as fewer available spare parts.
The Committee has called for a 10% real terms increase in the maintenance budget as well as the establishment of 3 new technical schools. With defence budget pressures greater than ever though because of the looming worm drive purchase it is unlikely the Committee's recommendations will find any favour. The Committee warns that the alternative will be huge defacto cuts in the CDF as the soldiers won't have enough equipment to do anything!
