Appropriators reduce Ground Based Strategic Deterrent funding in new spending bill

House and Senate appropriators have proposed a $557 million budget for the Ground Based Strategic Deterrent program, about $13 million less than what the Air Force requested earlier this year, in a fiscal year 2020 defense spending bill released Monday.

According to an explanatory statement published with the bill, lawmakers arrived at the new sum after cutting $100 million from the program, arguing the service did not need the money for technology maturation contract funding, and adding $65 million for risk reduction and another $22 million to support a transfer the service requested.

The $100 million reduction likely comes from the Air Force's decision to stop funding Boeing’s contract to mature technology for the GBSD program. The company informed reporters of the development in October, though the service never confirmed that. The Air Force originally awarded Boeing and Northrop Grumman contracts worth more than $300 million each in August 2017 that are set to expire in August 2020.