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Defense Spending Bill Acknowledges Major Threats, Part 2

On Saturday, The New York Analysis of Policy and Government provided a general outline of the National Defense Authorization Act recently passed by the House of Representatives.  In today’s article, we provide specifics. 

Spending for Specific Weapons Systems in the NDAA

  • Authorizes $360.0 million, an increase of $338.1 million, for Stryker A1 combat vehicles, the most survivable and advanced version of the Stryker combat vehicle. ● Supports the President’s budget request to modernize Army Armored Brigade Combat Team vehicles, including 135 M1 Abrams tanks, 60 Bradley fighting vehicles, 197 Armored multi—purpose vehicles, 38 Improved Recovery Vehicles, and 3,390 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles. ● Authorizes multiyear procurement authorities for F/A—18E/F Super Hornet aircraft, C— 130 Super Hercules aircraft, E—2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft, advanced missiles and amphibious ships to generate better cost savings for the taxpayer and provide needed capability to the Navy; ● Supports the President’s budget request for the F—35 Joint Strike Fighter and authorizes 77 aircraft. The bill also authorizes the Department to procure additional F-35 aircraft, if additional funds become available, utilizing cost savings and program efficiencies. ● Authorizes an additional $85.0 million for additional UH—60M Black Hawk utility helicopters for the Army National Guard. The most modern Black Hawk version. ● Supports additional funding to maintain the maximum production rate of critical munitions, such as small diameter bombs, joint direct attack munitions, hellfire missiles, advanced precision kill weapon systems, long range anti—ship missiles, tomahawk missiles, advanced medium—range air—to—air missiles and torpedoes. ● Mandates recapitalization of the Navy’s 43—year old auxiliary fleet which would help to transport Army and Marine Corps forces in times of conflict. ● Encourages the rapid development and fielding of interim maneuver short range air defense capabilities and indirect fire protection solutions to address current deficiencies in air and missile defense. ● Fully supports funding for the Columbia—class ballistic missile submarine and the B—21 Raider bomber programs. ● Adds $150 million to accelerate U.S. efforts to field a conventional prompt strike capability before FY22, in response to the critical advances Russia and China have made in developing their prompt global strike hypersonic weapons.

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STRATEGIC READINESS

The NDAA supports the Nuclear Posture Review’s recommendation to pursue a lower—yield ballistic missile warhead to strengthen deterrence. ● Supports the President’s budget request to restore the nuclear arsenal and adds $325 million for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s nuclear weapons activities and defense nuclear nonproliferation program, including efforts to modernize the nuclear weapons stockpile and address NNSA’s aging facilities and other infrastructure. ● Provides increased funding to accelerate two key Air Force nuclear modernization programs: The Ground—Based Strategic Deterrent and the Long—Range Standoff cruise missile

Missile Defense

The HASC believes the threats from North Korea and Iran demonstrate that the time to debate the utility or practicality of missile defenses has passed. Again, building on the work of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, the NDAA: ● Supports the President’s request for missile defense and adds $140 million to the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) for development of critical directed energy, and Space sensing projects, and the acceleration of hypersonic defense capabilities. ● Adds $175 million to accelerate integration of Patriot (for lower altitudes) andTerminal High Altitude Area Defense (higher altitudes) missiles to meet the requirements of the Commander of U.S. Forces in Korea. ● Requires the director of MDA establish a boost phase intercept program using kinetic interceptors, initiate development of a missile defense tracking and discrimination Space sensor layer and continue efforts to develop high power directed energy for missile defense applications. ● Requires the Director of MDA to continue development for the homeland defense radar in Hawaii, and that it be operationally capable by FY23. ● Provides increased funding to address cyber threats to our missile defense systems. ● Supports the President’s request of $500 million for co—development of missile defense systems with Israel, and co—production of Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow weapons systems.

Space Warfighting

Russia and China are developing capabilities to deny the United States the advantages it derives from operating in space. Equally concerning is the inability of the organizations responsible for the nation’s national security—related space activities to prepare for Space to become a warfighting domain and to adequately develop and/or acquire essential national security Space systems. Efforts to reform the Department’s approach to Space issues can be summarized in four equally important elements: acquisition reform, resources, cadre development, and joint warfighting. The NDAA comprehensively addresses each one of these lines of effort to ensure that our Servicemembers are ready to defend our vital national interests in space. The bill also ensures that the Department’s Space investments are being executed in a way to ensure increased agility, lethality, and accountability by the Department of Defense. The NDAA: ● Directs the Department of Defense to develop a plan to establish a separate alternative acquisition process for Space acquisitions. ● Directs the Secretary of the Air Force to develop and implement a plan to increase the size and quality of the Space cadre within the Air Force. ● Establishes a new numbered Air Force responsible for carrying out Space warfighting. ● Establishes a sub—unified command for Space under the Strategic Command for carrying out joint Space warfighting. ● Directs the Secretary of Defense to develop a plan that identifies joint mission—essential tasks for Space as a warfighting domain. ● Supports the President’s request for Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared, Protected Satellite Communications, and the Air Force’s Space launch efforts.

FACING NEW THREATS

Russia and China are reasserting their power and leveraging new technologies, The U.S. competitive edge has eroded in every domain of warfare, air, land, sea, Space, and cyberspace, and it is continuing to erode. The NDAA includes threat—specific initiatives designed to maximize defense resources and keep America safe.

Emerging Technologies

America’s security is challenged by our strategic competitors’ advances in Artificial Intelligence, Space and counter—Space capabilities, Cyber, Influence Operations, and Hypersonics, among others. To address these threats, the NDAA: ● Places emphasis on policy and programs to advance Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, quantum computing, and other critical national security technologies; ● Fully supports innovation efforts of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and Defense Innovation Unit Experimental to ensure our technological superiority and dominance over current and future threats; ● Advances hypersonic and directed energy weapons research, development, and transition efforts within DoD; ● Provides additional funds to accelerate Artificial Intelligence, machine learning programs, as well as directed energy, and hypersonics programs.

Photo: U.S. DoD

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Defense Spending Bill Acknowledges Major Threats

The United States has never faced a collection of opponents more dangerous than that of the Russian-Chinese Axis, with Iran and North Korea thrown in for added problems.

Despite that, as Moscow and Beijing have dramatically upgraded their armed forces and engaged in aggressive acts, Washington, during the Obama Administration, depleted the nation’s defenses, reducing even further a military that was decimated following the end of the cold war in the mistaken belief that the end of the USSR meant that peace was at hand.

There is, finally, a growing sense of urgency within the government about the decline of American strength even as the threat expands. According to the House Armed Services Committee,(HASC)  “America’s military is facing challenges on multiple fronts, including the troubling increase in serious training accidents in all the military services; the re—emergence of competitors like Russia and China; the nuclear ambitions of Iran and North Korea; and the imperative to keep up the pressure on ISIS, al Qaeda, and other terrorist groups.”

The HASC notes that “Competitors like Russia and China are investing in new strategic weapons designed to challenge America’s credible nuclear deterrent, undermine missile defense capabilities, and erode the advantages the U.S. derives from Space.” According to the Congressional Committee, “…The NDAA takes a comprehensive approach to ensuring U.S. security by answering each one of those these challenges. Russia and China are building new modern nuclear weapons. At the same time, America’s nuclear deterrent has been neglected.”

In response, The House of Representatives has passed the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, which reflects that growing concern.

If passed by the Senate and approved by the President in its current form, the spending bill would authorize $717 billion in spending for defense needs, including significant increases for readiness recovery, and fully fund a 2.6 percent pay raise for servicemembers, the highest increase in 9 years. It also extends special pay and bonuses for servicemembers in high-demand fields to combat the high turnover of these jobs.

The HASC notes that “While the world has grown more dangerous, our military has grown smaller. Rebuilding the U.S. military must begin with growing the number of uniformed personnel. To help alleviate the stress on the force, the NDAA authorizes increases in the size of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Naval and Air Reserve, and Air Guard commensurate with the threats we face. …Continuing to recruit and retain America’s best…The NDAA also takes steps to address the ongoing pilot shortage, which is hampering readiness in every Service. In an effort to address the persistent pilot shortage in the Air Force, the NDAA requires the Service to evaluate all pilot staff requirements to maximize pilots’ time in the cockpit. Similarly, the bill extends the National Guard recruiting pilot program, which is designed to use retired senior enlisted members to fill recruiter positions so that current National Guard members can focus on their primary mission.”

General Outline

  • Authorizes $18.5 billion to begin to rehabilitate and replace worn out Army equipment, $39.4 billion to begin address the military aviation crisis, $36 billion to restore sea strength, and $23.3 billion to rebuild military buildings and infrastructure;
  • Funds the growth of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Naval and Air Reserve, and Air Guard;
  • Increases funding for training in each service;
  • Creates a Chief Management Officer (CMO) who will be charged with finding efficiencies and reducing 25 percent of the cost of certain Department-wide activities, enhancing accountability;
  • Provides $21.8 billion for equipment maintenance and $3.7 billion for spare parts;
  • Adds funding to improve America’s missile defense;
  • Makes key investments in other critical military capabilities to confront aggression and address threats around the world, including threats from Russia, China, North Korea and Iran; and
  • Places emphasis on policy and programs to advance America’s security against emerging threats – Artificial intelligence, space and counter-space capabilities, cyber, influence operations, hypersonics, among others.

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The Report concludes Monday.

Photo: U.S. DoD

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Overcoming Obama’s Defense Funding Mistakes

Will The House of Representatives’ National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) (passed yesterday)  be sufficient to both address rising threats from abroad as well as make up the significant loss of funding during the Obama Administration? The $686.6 billion (which exceeds President Trump’s request of $603 billion; the Senate seeks to add another $14 billion) goes over the $549 billion limit established by the 2011 Budget Control Act by about $72 billion, so further work would have to be done for the House, Senate or Trump funding figures to be established.

Despite the unprecedented arms buildup and aggressive acts by Russia, China, Iran and North Korea, the Obama Administration chose to slash defense spending, and Congress, which had agreed to the sequester in response to the doubling of the national debt during the former president’s tenure, failed to respond.

America’s military is in a sharply deteriorated state. It had its last major upgrade during the Reagan Administration over three decades ago, and has been sharply reduced over the past 27 years. Its equipment has been worn down from repeated conflicts in the Middle East and Afghanistan; the same can be said for its personnel.

While all branches of the armed forces have been affected, the latest examples of damage have come the Navy and the Marines. Marine aviation has recently experienced a rise in “Class A Mishaps,” which are incidents that cause death or result in more than $2 million in aircraft damage. House Armed Services Chairman Mac Thornberry pointed out at a hearing last year that the rate for the Marine aviation community has “been increasing significantly.”

The Wall Street Journal recently noted that “Marine aviation has recently experienced a rise in ‘Class A Mishaps,’ which are incidents that carry a body count or result in more than $2 million in aircraft damage. House Armed Services Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-Texas) pointed out at a hearing last year that the accident rate for the Marine aviation community has ‘been increasing significantly’…One hypothesis that deserves to be examined is a combination of old equipment and the fact that pilot hours have been reduced in recent years because of funding cuts. Planes like the F/A-18 are stretching past their lifetimes.”

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“Through 2009, the Department’s Strike Fighter force was relatively healthy. Several events transpired since 2009, however, which drove our current Strike Fighter inventory shortfall. The Budget Control Act of 2011 started multiple years of reduced military funding and F-35B/C fielding plans were delayed. As a result, the [Navy] decided to extend the life of legacy F/A-18A-Ds…Sequestration led to furlough and a hiring freeze of a skilled government civilian artisan workforce at aviation depots, significantly impacting depot throughput and fleet readiness along with other factors such as high utilization rates, lack of aircraft procurement and lack of spare parts. Throughout this period, the operational demand for Naval Aviation forces remained high and accelerated the consumption of existing fleet aircraft. In essence, consumption of aircraft exceeded new and re-work production capacity of aircraft causing an increasing shortfall… years of underfunding cannot be corrected in one budget year and will require stable, predictable funding over multiple years to achieve positive results. This shortfall will take time and likely require several years to correct…”

An unclassified study by the Mitre organization found that the “Navy’s budget is insufficient to fund required force levels. The Navy’s budget is insufficient to develop, procure, operate, and sustain all the forces need to meet the revised defeat / hold scenario force structure. In addition, budget instability forces the Navy to make acquisition decisions that undermine affordability initiatives…for the last four years, the Navy has been operating under reduced top-lines and significant shortfalls. There will likely continue to be increasing pressure on the procurement accounts, which in turn threatens the near-term health of the defense industrial base.”

Testifying before the House Armed Services Committee, Adm. William F. Moran painted a dismal picture of a Navy that has been strained to the limit. Moran told committee members the ongoing demand for U.S. Naval forces far exceeds its long-term supply. And, he added, the Navy is the smallest it’s been in 99 years, making it urgent to “adequately fund, fix and maintain the fleet we do have.” The U.S. Navy has never been busier in a world of global threats, Admiral Moran said. While the Navy is getting the job done the unrelenting pace, inadequate resources and small size are taking their toll.

The House Armed Service Committee noted, following the vote, “Today, we have too many planes that cannot fly, too many ships that cannot sail, too many Soldiers who cannot deploy, while too many threats are gathering. We have come to a key decision point. For six years, we have been just getting by – cutting resources as the world becomes more dangerous, asking more and more of those who serve, and putting off the tough choices. The Chairman and members of the committee believe that we cannot keep piling missions on our service members without ensuring they have all they need to succeed.”