The INSIDER daily digest -- March 13, 2023

By John Liang / March 13, 2023 at 2:29 PM

Details surrounding the Pentagon's fiscal year 2024 budget request dominate this Monday INSIDER Daily Digest.

We start off with the overall Defense Department budget request:

Pentagon budget request eyes key munitions investments for bulk buys

The Pentagon is requesting $170 billion for procurement in fiscal year 2024, with $30.6 billion slated for missiles and munitions, focusing on weapon systems with industrial base shortfalls highlighted by the ongoing war in Ukraine and also on those that could deter China from acting militarily against Taiwan.

Document: OSD's FY-24 budget overview

Document: DOD's FY-24 program acquisition cost by weapon system

Navy:

Navy FY-24 topline increasing while shipbuilding plans remain flat

The Navy plans to procure nine ships and decommission eight in its fiscal year 2024 budget request, investing in submarines, destroyers and frigates but likely teeing up a fight in Congress over amphibious warship requirements and a fleet size projected to remain flat over the next five years.

Document: Navy's FY-24 budget overview briefing slides

Army:

Army FY-24 budget request includes increases for PAC-3, Precision Strike Missile

The Army’s fiscal year 2024 budget request includes increases for the Patriot Advanced Capability-3 and Precision Strike Missile, among its major weapon systems, according to documents from the Defense Department.

Document: Army's FY-24 budget overview, highlights

Air Force:

Air Force not seeking AETP competition, Kendall announces with $215.1B budget request

The Air Force will not move forward with the Adaptive Engine Technology Program that would have refitted F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft with a new engine and will instead pursue an engine core upgrade for the platform, Secretary Frank Kendall said.

Document: Air Force's FY-24 budget overview

Missile Defense Agency:

DOD seeks $29.8 billion for FY-24 missile defense and defeat, including $10.9B for MDA

The Biden administration is proposing nearly $30 billion in fiscal year 2024 to counter missiles, a request that includes $10.9 billion for the Missile Defense Agency, funds improved space-based sensors, seeks $1.5 billion to defend Guam against Chinese ballistic, cruise and hypersonic threats and bolsters the U.S. military's all-domain missile defense backbone.

Document: MDA's FY-24 budget overview

In non-budget news, a big hypersonic weapon test scheduled for last week was postponed:

DOD scrubs key hypersonic weapons test, adding risk to Army FY-23 fielding plans

The Pentagon last week scrubbed a long-delayed, high-stakes hypersonic weapon flight test after discovering a faulty component during a pre-flight check of the joint Army-Navy program to develop an ultra-fast, maneuvering, intermediate-range offensive capability, setting in motion a review to resolve the root cause of the problem.

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