Naval Aviation is so cash strapped that they're considering shutting down an AIR WING!

via Naval Institute News.

The naval aviation community is facing a budget shortfall of at least $100 million for the current fiscal year and may have to cut back flight hours and other operations between now and the Sept. 30 end of the fiscal year, USNI News learned.

Commander of Naval Air Force Atlantic Rear Adm. Roy Kelley has notified Navy leadership and the numbered fleets that the aviation community is considering not scheduling additional flyovers until the new fiscal year, reducing flight hours in the fourth quarter of the fiscal year, reducing the operations of expeditionary detachments of helicopter maritime strike squadrons and helicopter sea combat squadron and possibly shutting down an air wing.

USNI News understands that discussions are ongoing and no final decisions have been made.

Three other sources confirmed the basic details to USNI News that the naval aviation community was facing major budget shortfalls and considering altering operations to save money.

Story here. 

What in the name of all that's holy is going on!

This is....strange as hell....I don't know why this isn't front page news on every military blog in creation.

How did they get into this money crunch?

What unexpected emergency occurred that wasn't accounted for?

How could leadership so mismanage taxpayer dollars?

This is just plain weird, disappointing and borderline criminal.  I can't recall this happening before.