This is a summery what interested us in the FY09 Senate Armed Services Defense Markup Bill that will be sent to committee. A larger copy of this list is available on the Senate Armed Services Committee website press release section.
SUBCOMMITTEE ON PERSONNEL
Authorizes pilot programs that allow secretaries of military departments to evaluate the need for more flexibility in career progression of service members by allowing a limited number of service members to leave active service for up to three years, and return at the same grade and years of service.
Authorizes FY2009 active-duty end strengths for the Army and Marine Corps of 532,400 and 194,000, respectively, an increase of 7,000 soldiers and 5,000 marines from 2008 authorized levels.
Authorizes FY2009 active-duty end strengths for the Air Force and the Navy of 316,771 and 325,300, respectively.
Authorizes a regular warrant officer of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard to retire 60 days after the date on which the officer completes a total of 30 years of active service.
Increases authorized strength at Naval Academy to 4,400 midshipmen.
Authorizes the superintendents of the service academies to pay certain expenses of officers, students, and representatives of foreign countries visiting the service academy concerned.
Authorizes the Secretary of Defense to carry out programs to provide training and education to spouses of active-duty service members who are pursuing portable careers.
SUBCOMMITTEE ON READINESS AND MANAGEMENT SUPPORT
Adds $63 million for Navy aircraft depot maintenance to keep naval aviation safe and ready for worldwide deployment.
Requires the military departments to ensure that urgent requirements documents developed by operational field commanders are presented to senior officials for review within 60 days of the time they are submitted. This is a response to reports that Marine Corps leadership failed to respond to requests for Mine Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, known as MRAPs, and other critical equipment for several years.
Codifies the requirement for boards to review and approve (or disapprove) any new requirements that could add to the costs of a major weapon system.
European Missile Defense - Fully authorizes both the interceptor site in Poland and the radar site in the Czech Republic.
SUBCOMMITTEE ON EMERGING THREATS AND CAPABILITIES
States the sense of Congress about the importance of establishing the Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and high-yield Explosive (CBRNE) Consequence Management Response Forces (CCMRFs) under U.S. Northern Command and requiring reports on progress in establishing these units.
Increases the Department’s investments in innovative science and technology programs by nearly $400 million to over $11.8 billion.
Increases the Department’s investments in innovative science and technology programs by nearly $400 million to over $11.8 billion.
Supports fully the Secretary of Defense’s initiative to increase university defense basic research funding and increasing the level by nearly $50 million over the President’s request.
Manufacturing enhancements for Defense Industrial Base - Adds over $50 million in next generation manufacturing research and technologies, including nanomanufacturing and rapid prototyping systems, to support the defense industrial base and its ability to meet urgent defense production requirements.
SUBCOMMITTEE ON STRATEGIC FORCES
Missile Defense - Adds more than $270 million for near-term missile defense capabilities: $100 million for Aegis BMD/SM-3; $115 million for THAAD; $28 million for Short-Range BMD; $30 million for an upper-tier follow-on to the Arrow missile; and adds more than $20 million for Army BMD technology development programs.
Fully funds the budget request for the proposed European missile defense deployment, with continued conditions placed on the use of funds until certain conditions are met.
Establishes a new Defense-wide procurement line for ballistic missile defense to correct the noncompliance of the DOD with Section 223 of the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2008. Transfers $122 million from R&D accounts for THAAD and SM-3, and adds $135 million for those programs in the new procurement line.
Reliable Replacement Warhead (RRW) - Retains the budget request for RRW at the National Nuclear Security Administration, but reduced Navy RRW funding by $23 million.
Includes a provision continuing limitations on the use of funds for construction or deployment of a European missile defense system until two conditions are met: (1) the European government gives final approval (including parliamentary approval) of any deployment agreement negotiated with the United States; and (2) 45 days have elapsed after Congress receives the report required in the National Defense Authorization Act for FY2008. Also limits the use of funds for acquisition, other than initial long-lead procurement, or deployment of the interceptor planned for Europe until the Secretary of Defense, after receiving the views of the Director of Operational Test & Operation, certifies that the interceptor has demonstrated a high probability of accomplishing its mission in an operationally effective manner.
Requires the next administration to conduct a full review of U.S. ballistic missile defense policy, strategy, and related matters.
SUBCOMMITTEE ON SEAPOWER
P-3 aircraft modifications - Provides $160 million to fund P-3 aircraft structural improvements to fix service life problems with these aircraft ($548 million for this effort is the number one Chief of Naval Operations’ (CNO) Unfunded Priorities List item).
Attack submarine advance procurement - Adds $79 million to support Navy’s acceleration of SSN-774 procurement to two boats per year in FY 11.
Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) - Reduces by $123 million the FY2009 budget request to reflect resources derived from cancelled contracts in ship prices. This leaves enough money in Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy to fund the two ships in the Navy’s budget request.
LPD-17 - Adds $170 million for LPD-17 advance procurement, which is combined with other funds for a total of $323 million in advance procurement. Full funding for this ship (at a cost of $1.7 billion) was number one on the Commandant’s Unfunded Priorities List and number two on the CNO’s list.
Prepositioning ship program - Reduces by $170 million the Navy’s maritime prepositioning force - future (MPF(F)) ship (called an MPF(F) LHA(R)). The ships in the production line ahead of this ship are both over cost and behind schedule.
SSBN(X) - Adds $15 million to accelerate studies on the next generation strategic missile submarine.
New cruiser R&D - Reduces by $120.8 million the Navy’s program to develop a new air and missile defense cruiser called (CG)X, effectively capping CG(X) R&D at FY2008 levels. The Navy has deferred making a decision on the requirements for this ship at least until sometime in FY2009, and cannot spend the extra R&D money they budgeted for FY2009 usefully.
BAMS UAV program - Reduces by $48.2 million the new Navy Broad Area Maritime Surveillance (BAMS) unmanned aerial vehicle due to delays in the development program.
Allegany Ballistics Laboratory - Provides $30 million for Allegany Ballistics Laboratory facilities upgrade.
VH-71 presidential helicopter - Withholds obligations until the Navy submits a comprehensive report on the plan for modernizing the Presidential Helicopter fleet, and DOD updates the programs Selected Acquisition Report.
Open Architecture - Fences obligations until the Navy provides measures of progress in the plan to open the combat systems software and hardware.
Ship Maintenance and Materiel Condition - Requests a comprehensive report on fleet material condition in response to failures of two major surface combatants to pass inspection and be deemed fit for service.
Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF) - Includes an authorization for the Department to provide guaranteed minimum purchases level for services from CRAF participants.
SUBCOMMITTEE ON AIRLAND
Supports the President’s budget request for the Army’s Future Combat Systems and acknowledges that FY2009 is a critical year for the program and emphasizing funding stability provides the Army the best chance of success.
Land Warrior - Adds $102 million to procure an additional brigade set of Land Warrior equipment for a deploying unit.
Army Unfunded Priorities List - Adds over $390 million from the Army Chief of Staff’s Unfunded Priorities List for National Guard homeland defense items.
Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) alternate engine - Adds $430 million in R&D and $35 million in advance procurement to support the GE/Rolls Royce F136 engine program.
JSF basic engine - Adds $35 million to improve technologies in the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine program.
E-2D advanced Hawkeye - Defers 1 of 3 aircraft ($165.5 million reduction) in the FY2009 request due to delays in building and testing the new radar. In FY2008, Navy R&D is paying for 3 aircraft.
F-22 advance procurement - Provides $497 million for either advance procurement continuing the production line in FY2010, or for shutting down the line. Further, the bill would require the President to certify the manner in which the funding should be spent.
F/A-18 E/F - Includes report language encouraging the Department to assess a potential third multi-year procurement for the F/A-18 E/F to help close a projected shortfall of fighter aircraft in the Department of the Navy.
OTHER MATTERS
Authorizes the DOD to establish a Center for Complex Operations to facilitate the education and training of civilian and military personnel from various agencies in order to facilitate and improve on peace, stability, and other operations.
Authorizes the Navy to provide meals at no cost to non-governmental, host, and partner nation participants in civil-military operations, as well as foreign national patients treated during operations.
Extends and increases funding for DOD to support State Department security and stabilization assistance efforts.
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