DOD brass tally $18 billion FY-21 wish lists

The Defense Department's top brass have identified a collective $18 billion in "priority" projects not funded in the Trump administration's $705 billion fiscal year 2021 budget request, a set of wish lists prepared at Congress' direction nearly each year since the mid-1990s that circumvent the Pentagon's budget formulation process.

Inside Defense obtained lists prepared by all the service chiefs and select combatant commanders. The Army and the Navy proffered lists with the largest price tags, $7.2 billion and $5.4 billion, respectively.

The Air Force's list weighs in at $3.2 billion and the fledgling Space Force identified $1 billion in unfunded requirements.

The Marine Corps' list is $770 million.

The Missile Defense Agency provided Congress a $1.1 billion wish list.

U.S. Central Command tallied a $370 million wish list, U.S. Northern Command identified $180 million in projects it could use more money for, and U.S. Cyber Command sent a letter saying it could use another $106 million. U.S. Transportation Command pointed to areas of the defense budget it would prefer Congress add money to support its mission rather than directly identifying how it could execute funds.