Wednesday, April 24, 2024
Wednesday, April 24, 2024
This Tuesday INSIDER Daily Digest has news from the Senate Appropriations Committee's fiscal year 2022 defense spending bill and more.
We start off with an overall look at the defense spending bill:
Senate appropriators would increase defense spending by $24B above Biden's request
The Senate Appropriations Committee wants to provide $24 billion more for national defense than what President Biden has requested, according to a draft fiscal year 2022 defense spending bill, which is in line with separate legislation passed by the Senate Armed Services Committee.
. . . followed by a look at funding for the Army:
Draft Senate spending bill would cut Army procurement
The Senate Appropriations Committee seeks to cut $174 million from the Army procurement budget in a draft of its fiscal year 2022 defense spending bill, although it would add $667 million in funding for the Army Reserve and National Guard.
. . . the Navy:
Senate lawmakers to increase Navy spending on major programs
The Senate Appropriations Committee wants to increase funding for the Marine Corps Force Design effort, the Navy’s shipyard infrastructure and fund a second destroyer.
Senate appropriators caution Navy against adding second frigate shipyard too fast
The Senate Appropriations Committee is concerned the Navy may be moving too fast to add a second shipyard for Constellation-class frigate production.
. . . the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program:
Senate appropriators recommend $366 million cut for F-35 C2D2
Frustrated by delays to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's near-term modernization plans, Senate appropriators want to cut $365.8 million from the program's $1.9 billion budget request for fiscal year 2022 -- a proposal that, if enacted, could lead to further delays as the program seeks to ready its jets for the future high-end fight.
. . . the Air Force:
Senate appropriators seek to add $65 million to ABMS budget
After Congress nearly halved the budget for the Air Force’s Advanced Battle Management System last year, Senate appropriators are looking to add another $65 million to the program as service officials work to pivot away from experimentation and focus on capability delivery.
. . . and missile defense:
Senate panel recommends $10.3B for MDA; 15% hike in FY-22 buys added interceptors, Guam capability
Senate appropriators are proposing $10.3 billion for the Missile Defense Agency in fiscal year 2022, an increase of $1.4 billion above the Pentagon’s request, including funds to buy 14 additional Terminal High Altitude Area Defense and eight Standard Missile-3 Block IIA interceptors as well as finance the start of a new air and missile defense system for Guam.
We also have news on Army combat vehicle programs:
AMPV production reaches LRIP levels
Monthly production of the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle has reached contracted levels for low-rate initial production, and the early manufacturing troubles that plagued the program appear to have subsided, James Schirmer, deputy program executive officer for ground combat systems, told reporters Oct. 12 at the Association of the United States Army conference.
Army to create motorized infantry formations with new vehicles
The Army will use the Infantry Squad Vehicle, electric Light Reconnaissance Vehicle and Mobile Protected Firepower light tank to motorize some infantry brigades and divisions for large-scale combat operations, Maj. Gen. Patrick Donahoe, commander of the Maneuver Center of Excellence, said during an Oct. 11 interview.
. . . as well as the Missile Defense Agency’s Long Range Discrimination Radar program:
LRDR initial fielding now estimated to be one full year behind schedule
The Missile Defense Agency's plan to deliver the Long Range Discrimination Radar for operations is delayed yet again -- pushing the key milestone off by an entire year compared to original plans -- with a new target date now set for December 2021 as the government and prime contractor Lockheed Martin work to complete installation of the new sensor next month.
A senior naval officer wants the service to do better at reducing its days of maintenance delays:
Kitchener: Navy has more work to do to limit maintenance delays
The Navy is not reducing days of maintenance delays fast enough and must take action to improve its maintenance efforts, according to Vice Adm. Roy Kitchener, the commander of Naval Surface Forces.
The Navy is also working on artificial intelligence and machine learning:
Navy building task force to focus on AI across surface warfare enterprise
The Navy is building "Task Force Hopper" to apply artificial intelligence and machine learning to the surface force.