Navy seeks $324M for European Deterrence Initiative

By Lee Hudson / February 12, 2018 at 4:18 PM

The Navy and Marine Corps are seeking $324 million in the fiscal year 2019 budget to support the European Deterrence Initiative, according to an official.

Rear Adm. Brian Luther, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for budget, told reporters today the money will be used for several Navy and Marine Corps projects. For instance, the Navy plans to recapitalize its integrated undersea surveillance system for anti-submarine warfare and prepositioning.

The Navy would set aside $215 million for four military construction projects. These include stationing the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy; building an enhanced seaport at Naval Station Rota, Spain; establishing multimodal capabilities at Naval Support Activity Souda Bay, Greece; and making P-8 improvements at Royal Air Force Lossiemouth, Scotland.

The Marine Corps plans to spend $68 million on adding and replacing inventory at the service's prepositioning program in Norway, equipping a rotational Marine Air-Ground Task Force and funding multinational exercises.

In 2014, the Obama administration established the European Reassurance Initiative to support NATO in the face of an increased Russian threat. The Trump administration has changed the name.

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