Senate Armed Services Committee Completes Markup of National Defense Authorization Bill for Fiscal Year 2002

Senator Carl Levin (D-MI), Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, announced today that the committee completed its markup of the National Defense Authorization Bill for Fiscal Year 2002. The bill authorizes funding for the Department of Defense and the national security programs of the Department of Energy.

"The committee has produced a good, balanced bill that meets our defense needs and supports the priorities the committee adopted for the fiscal year 2002 defense program," Senator Levin said.

"This bill:

• adds more than $700 million to the budget request to improve the compensation and quality of life of the men and women of the armed forces and their families;
• adds more than $1 billion to the budget request to improve the readiness of the military services to carry out their assigned missions;
• adds more than $800 million to the budget request to advance the transformation of the military services to lighter, more lethal and more capable forces;
• adds more than $600 million to the budget request to improve the capability of the armed forces to meet nontraditional threats, including terrorism and unconventional means of delivering weapons of mass destruction; and
• improves the efficiency of DOD programs and operations."

"The U.S. military is the most capable fighting force in the world today, and this bill ensures it will remain so," added Levin.

The bill recommended by the committee would authorize $343.5 billion for national defense programs, the amount requested by the administration in the amended fiscal year 2002 budget request.

The funding level recommended by the committee includes the $18.4 billion requested by the President in his amended budget request.

Section 217 of the Budget Resolution allows the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee to increase the funding level for the national defense budget function above the $324.8 billion level in the Budget Resolution under certain conditions. However, the Budget Resolution prohibits an increase in defense spending that would reduce the on-budget surplus below the level of the Medicare Hospital Insurance Trust Fund surplus.

The committee recognizes that some or all of the $18.4 billion requested may not be available. For this reason, the committee approved a provision that would make the authorization of most of these funds contingent upon either: (1) an increased allocation by the Chairman of the Senate Budget Committee in accordance with the requirements of section 217; or (2) a vote to waive the point of order under the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974 to make additional amounts available in the Defense Appropriations Bill.

Improving the compensation and quality of life of U.S. forces and families

The bill reflects the committee's highest priority -- ensuring U.S. military personnel and their families receive the compensation and quality of life they deserve. Toward that end, the committee added more than $700 million to the budget request for pay and quality of life initiatives. Specifically, the committee:

• Added $451.2 million for family housing and other military construction to improve the facilities in which our military personnel work and the housing in which they and their families live.
• Added $232.0 million to increase the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) and eliminate all out-of pocket housing costs for service members and their families by 2003, two years earlier than the Defense Department's plan.
• Added $30.0 million to improve retention efforts by allowing personnel with critical skills to transfer up to 18 months of unused benefits under the Montgomery G.I. Bill to family members in return for a commitment to serve four more years, and $20.0 million to provide U.S. savings bonds to personnel who commit to serve at least six additional years of active-duty service in a critical specialty.
• Approved the pay raise of at least 5 percent for all military personnel and targeted pay raises between 6 and 10 percent for mid- and senior-level enlisted personnel and junior officers, effective January 1, 2002, as requested by the Defense Department.
• Approved the budget request of $17.9 billion to fully fund the Defense Health Program, including new benefits authorized in fiscal year 2001 and an expansion of long-term benefits, including coverage for comprehensive care in skilled nursing facilities, home health care and extended benefits for military dependents with certain disabilities.
• Added $40.0 million for personal gear to improve the safety and comfort of U.S. forces in the field.
• Approved several provisions that ensure overseas voters and absent military voters have a meaningful opportunity to exercise their voting rights as citizens of the United States.

Sustaining the readiness of U.S. forces

The committee added more than $1 billion to the budget request to improve the readiness of U.S. forces. The committee:

• Added nearly $240 million to improve the readiness of Army aviation, including:
  • $102.5 million to procure 10 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters, the Army's primary utility helicopter and the National Guard's highest unfunded requirement in the fiscal year 2002 budget request;
  • $58.8 million for upgrades to the Apache, the highest recapitalization priority on the Army's list of unfunded requirements in fiscal year 2002; and
  • $34.1 million to procure 21 additional TH-67 training helicopters to improve the training of new Army pilots and allow quicker retirement of Vietnam-era helicopters.
• Added $125.0 million for upgrades to B-2 and B-52 bombers to ensure a ready, capable bomber fleet and approved $100.0 million to maintain B-1 bombers in the National Guard until such time as certain reports and studies are completed.
• Added $121.4 million to upgrade engines and reduce maintenance costs in the F-16, the Air Force's primary, multi-role fighter, and in the F-15, the Air Force's current air supremacy fighter.
• Added $98.8 million for maintenance of surface ships and Navy and Marine Corps equipment.
• Added $54.7 million to increase full-time manning in the Army National Guard and Reserve to allow the Army to achieve its end strength and improve readiness and training at the unit level.
• Added $54.0 million to procure newer, digital jamming equipment to improve the Navy's EA-6B electronic warfare fleet and wing improvements to eliminate flying restrictions on these high demand/low density aircraft.
• Added $53.9 million to improve the operational safety and capabilities of ranges and space launch facilities to support spaced-based command control and communications.
• Added $44.6 million to continue modernizing the T-6A Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) fleet, the training aircraft used by the Air Force and Navy, to improve the training of new pilots.

Transforming U.S. forces

The committee added more than $800 million to the budget request to advance the military's transformation into a lighter, more lethal and more flexible force. Specifically, the committee:

• Added nearly $390 million to support Navy transformation, including $307.0 million to support conversion of four excess Trident strategic missile submarines (SSGNs) to carry Tomahawk cruise missiles.
• Added more than $200 million for defense science and technology to support transformation, including:
  • $40.7 million for research into advanced materials and manufacturing technologies;
  • $27.5 million for research into next-generation network-centric warfare, making better use of communications technologies;
  • $12.0 million for research into nanotechnologies to enable advances in critical defense electronics, sensors, and communications systems; and
  • Provision to facilitate the rapid transition of new technologies from science and technology programs into acquisition programs and into the field.
• Added more than $185 million to Army transformation programs, including:
  • $62.5 million in science and technology programs to improve the lethality, efficiency and affordability of Army systems;
  • $43.1 million to support transformation to the Objective Force, fully funding all the Objective Force priorities on the Army's list of unfunded requirements in fiscal year 2002;
  • $28.3 million to develop an improved communications suite for the Comanche;
  • $20.0 million to accelerate the application of quieter and more fuel efficient hybrid electric drive technologies for future ground combat vehicles.
• Added more than $80.0 million to fund efforts to develop and field unmanned vehicles.
• Added $65.2 million to develop and improve naval technologies, hull demonstrations, advanced submarine components and systems, and ocean modeling.

Improving the capability of U.S. forces to meet nontraditional threats

The committee recommended more than $600 million to the budget request for new initiatives to improve the ability of the United States and U.S. forces to deal effectively with nontraditional threats, including terrorism, unconventional means of delivering weapons of mass destruction (WMD), and the proliferation of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons. Specifically, the committee:

• Added $217.2 million in a Combating Terrorism Initiative to improve the ability of U.S. forces to deter and defend against terrorism, including:
  • $77.7 million for minimum antiterrorism requirements at Army installations;
  • $52.0 million for Department of Energy development of technology for the detection, identification, and measurement of WMD agents; and
  • $43.2 million for research into the detection of biological and chemical weapons.
• Approved $403 million for the Cooperative Threat Reduction program to continue destroying and dismantling nuclear warheads and missiles in the former Soviet Union.
• Added $56.8 million for Department of Energy programs to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and related-expertise, including:
  • $15.0 million for the Initiatives for Proliferation Prevention program; and
  • $14.5 million for the Nuclear Cities Initiative.
• Added $96.0 million to improve the ability of P-3 surveillance aircraft to contribute to future missions in shallow coastal waters.
• Added $44.0 million to improve the ability of Navy and Marine Corps AV-8B aircraft to employ precision-guided munitions and to operate at night, and finish development of panoramic night vision goggles for Air Force pilots.
• Added $33.0 million to help the Navy identity, track and defend against cruise missiles.
• Added $28.3 million to accelerate electronic warfare programs designed to improve the situational awareness of air crews and the defenses of combat aircraft.
• Added $20.0 million for Hellfire missiles to help the Navy and Marine Corps defend against the threat of small boats such as that used in the attack on the USS Cole.

Improving the efficiency of DOD programs and operations

The committee believes that the Department should be able to save billions of dollars through improved efficiency of defense operations and programs, and recommends a number of provisions to assist the Department in this effort. Specifically, the committee:

• Authorized an additional round of base realignments and closures in 2003 so that additional savings from closing excess facilities -- which the Department of Defense estimates to be $6.0 billion a year already from the four previous rounds -- can be redirected to higher priority defense needs and support the successful transformation of our military and implementation of the Quadrennial Defense Review.
• Directed the Defense Department to achieve a savings of $1.6 billion through application of best commercial practices to the management of service contracts and other management improvements.
• Approved a reduction of $592.3 million to the V-22 tilt-rotor Osprey aircraft program, given continuing concerns about the ability of the Marine Corps and the Air Force to meet the requirements established for the program and the recommendations of the Panel to Review the V-22 Program that production should be kept to a minimum sustaining rate in order to minimize the number of aircraft requiring retrofit at a later date.
• Approved a net reduction of $247.2 million to the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program, given the likely delay of the launch of the engineering and manufacturing development phase of the JSF program.
• Authorized provisions to address the Department of Defense's inability to produce reliable financial information or auditable financial statements, including a provision to authorize the department to redirect resources from its efforts to prepare and audit financial statements to improving financial management systems, policies, and procedures.

Ballistic missile defense

Given the real and growing threat of theater ballistic missiles to U.S. forces abroad and allies, the committee supports development and deployment of improved theater missile defense systems as soon as possible after rigorous testing has proven these systems to be operationally effective. To support theater missile defense, the committee:

• Approved $625.7 million more than in fiscal year 2001 for theater missile defense systems such as PAC-3 and THAAD; and
• Added $76.0 million to the joint U.S.-Israeli Arrow program for performance and interoperability upgrades.

Given the longer-term threat of intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) to the United States, the committee supports aggressive research, development and testing for defenses against ICBMs -- i.e., national missile defense (NMD) to give the United States the option to deploy such a system, provided four criteria are met: (1) the threat should warrant deployment; (2) the system should be demonstrated through realistic testing to be operationally effective; (3) the cost should be weighed against other critical defense needs; and (4) the deployment should make the United States more secure, taking into account the actions of other nations. To support national missile defense, the committee approved $1.1 billion -- or 20 percent -- more than in fiscal year 2001 for national missile defense, including funding for a new midcourse test bed.

The committee was guided by these goals, as well as by concerns about (1) the lack of clarity regarding potential conflicts between the Department's missile defense testing schedule and the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty; (2) the administration's proposal for the greatest funding increase in response to one of the least likely threats to the United States involving weapons of mass destruction; and (3) the lack of specific plans for expenditure of missile defense funding.

The administration appears determined to withdraw from the ABM Treaty if a testing activity conflicts with it. The committee has made repeated efforts to obtain information from the DOD as to whether any NMD testing activities funded in the bill conflict with the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, and was assured that such a determination would be forthcoming. That way, Congress would have that information to authorize expenditures for such activities. That information has not been forwarded to the committee. Therefore, the committee:

• Adopted a provision that would condition expenditure of funds authorized by this bill for a missile defense activity that conflicts with the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty, as determined by the President, upon Congress voting under expedited procedures to approve such expenditures.
• Identified $1.3 billion of the proposed $8.3 billion in missile defense funding that is poorly justified and would better be used to meet more pressing defense needs.

The Personnel Subcommittee, under the leadership of the Chairman, Senator Max Cleland (D-GA) and Ranking Member, Senator Tim Hutchinson (R-AR), focused on quality of life for military personnel and their families as a key to enhanced recruiting and retention. The committee:

• Authorized $82.4 billion for military personnel, $89.6 million more than the administration requested.
• Approved a targeted pay raise ranging from 5 percent to 10 percent, effective January 1, 2002. Enlisted personnel and junior officers will receive a pay raise of 6 percent or more.
• Accelerated the current five-year plan to reduce out-of-pocket housing expenses by two years. Average out-of-pocket expenses for off-post housing is limited to 7.5 percent in 2002, and should be fully covered in 2003.
• Authorized the services to permit service members with critical skills to transfer to family members up to 18 months of unused benefits under the Montgomery G.I. Bill.
• Authorized an education savings plan using savings bonds for personnel with critical skills who reenlist for at least six additional years.
• Approved several provisions that ensure overseas voters and absent military voters have a meaningful opportunity to exercise their voting rights as citizens of the United States.
• Authorized a temporary housing allowance for junior enlisted personnel in a leave or travel status between permanent duty stations.
• Authorized payment of a dislocation allowance for moves to the member's first duty station, and to married service members moving to government quarters at a new duty station.
• Authorized payment of a partial dislocation allowance for members ordered to move into or out of military family housing.
• Authorized retired service members with a service connected disability to receive both military retired pay and veterans' disability compensation without an offset if the President proposes, and Congress enacts, legislation to offset the increased cost of this benefit.
• Extended bonuses and special pay authorities that enhance recruiting and retention.
• Authorized a new accession bonus for officers in critical skills.
• Authorized subsistence expenses for officers making their first permanent change of station.
• Authorized an active duty military personnel end strength of 1,387,400. This reflects an increase of 3,358 in the Navy and 1,800 in the Air Force.
• Increased end strength for the Army National Guard and Army Reserve full-time manning by 1,759, recognizing that full-time manning is one of the Reserve's top readiness issues.
• Authorized $35.0 million dollars for impact aid, and $5.0 million for impact aid for children with severe disabilities.
• Authorized modernization of TRICARE benefits by integrating the Individual Case Management Program benefits into the basic TRICARE benefit, defining domiciliary and custodial care, aligning long-term care benefits with Medicare benefits, and authorizing extended benefits for disabled family members of active duty personnel.
• Required studies of the adequacy and quality of health care for women under the Defense Health Program, and of the health care coverage of members of the Selected Reserve.

Subcommittee Chairman Senator Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI) and Ranking Member Senator James M. Inhofe (R-OK) focused the subcommittee's efforts on supporting the readiness of U.S. military forces, improving the quality of the facilities in which our personnel live and work, and increasing the efficiency of Department of Defense operations to free up resources for higher priority defense needs.

The subcommittee supported the increase in funding requested for installations in order to reverse a downward trend in the quality of military facilities and family housing. The subcommittee also supported the increased funding in the budget request for training and other readiness activities, and welcomed the Department's effort to include estimates of operating and equipment maintenance and repair costs that more accurately reflect higher prices and higher usage of spare parts associated with older weapons systems. The subcommittee also took steps to set savings goals for the Department of Defense based on improved management and oversight of contracts for services.

The subcommittee added additional funds to improve readiness, including:

• $98.8 million for maintenance of surface ships and other Navy and Marine corps equipment;
• $40.0 million for personal gear for military members to improve their safety and comfort in the field;
• $25.0 million for munitions programs to reduce training and war reserve shortfalls and increase tactical maneuverability; and
• $3.7 million for additional training for the Army's Interim Brigade Combat Teams, to help advance Army transformation efforts.

The subcommittee included a number of legislative provisions to improve Department of Defense management and financial oversight, including:

• Requiring the Department to set up a management structure, management information system, and a program review structure for the Department's contracts for services;
• Improving the management of service contracts through best commercial practices, resulting in an estimated three percent savings on such contracts in fiscal year 2002;
• Strengthening requirements for competition of multiple-award contracts to purchase products and services, and require approval for sole-source awards;
• Refocusing comptroller and auditor resources on addressing systemic problems in DOD financial systems rather than wasting resources on reviews of financial statements;
• Codifying the Department's Senior Financial Management Oversight Council and financial feeder systems compliance process to provide top-level guidance in addressing financial management problems;
• Enabling DOD to shorten the acquisition cycle for weapons systems by codifying a technological maturity requirement for key technologies to be incorporated into new systems;
• Codifying DOD's plan for a test-based phased implementation of the Navy-Marine Corps Intranet program, ensuring increased oversight because of schedule delays; and
• Protecting the Department's acquisition workforce and ensure that the defense components have sufficient staff to manage acquisition requirements in a cost effective manner.

Military Construction

The committee continued to support improvements to the facilities in which our service members work and in which they and their families live. The administration's request for military construction and family housing was $10.0 billion, an increase of $952.0 million above last year's authorized level. The committee increased the budget request by adding $451.2 million for projects that would improve mission effectiveness and quality of life. Included in this total were land acquisition projects the subcommittee added to prevent, where possible, future conflicts with nearby civilian populations that might threaten the military services' ability to make full use of key military installations.

The Emerging Threats and Capabilities Subcommittee, under the leadership of its Chairman, Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA), and Ranking Member, Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS), focused its efforts on two principal areas recommended by the chairman of the committee: encouraging the transformation of the military services to lighter, more lethal and more capable forces; and improving the ability of the armed forces to meet nontraditional threats, including terrorism and unconventional means of delivering weapons of mass destruction. The subcommittee:

• Added $217.2 million for a Combating Terrorism Initiative to improve the capability of U.S. forces to deter, defeat and manage the consequences of terrorist threats, including the threat of using weapons of mass destruction. As part of this Combating Terrorism Initiative, the committee:
  • Added $77.7 million to establish minimum access and entry controls at Army installations abroad. This partially addresses the Army's number two unfunded priority by targeting installation security at the most vulnerable installations those located overseas;
  • Added $52.0 million for Department of Energy development of technology for the detection, identification, and measurement of WMD agents;
  • Added $43.2 million for research into the detection of biological and chemical weapons;
  • Added $13.0 million for handheld explosive detection for Navy ships, standoff explosive detection research and development, and a proof of concept system for pre-detonation of improvised explosive devices, fulfilling urgent requirements identified in the aftermath of the October 2000 attack on the USS Cole;
  • Added $14.3 million for counterterrorism training for U.S. Special Operations forces; and
  • Added $10.0 million to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff's Combating Terrorism Readiness Initiative Fund to help fund high-priority needs identified by the combatant commanders to defend against emerging threats.
• Added approximately $250 million for Research, Development, Test and Evaluation for a wide variety of leading technologies, including those for Army Transformation ($62.5 million); network-centric warfare ($27.5 million); and nanotechnology ($12.0 million).
• Approved the budget request of $820.4 million for Defense Department Counter-Drug programs and added $40.0 million for National Guard counter-drug activities.
• Added $56.8 million for Department of Energy programs to prevent the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and related-expertise. As part of this increase, the committee:
  • Added $15.0 million for the Initiatives for Proliferation Program in the former Soviet Union to reduce the risk of "brain drain" of weapon scientists;
  • Added $14.5 million for the Nuclear Cities Initiative to help find non-weapons work at Russia's nuclear weapons production complexes;
  • Added $9.0 million for disposition of Russian surplus nuclear fissile materials; and
  • Added $5.0 million for Materials Protection, Control and Accounting to improve safeguards of nuclear materials in the former Soviet Union.
• Approved the Defense Department budget request of $403.0 million for the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) program, including funds for destruction of chemical weapons in Russia, subject to meeting certain conditions.
• Approved the budget request of approximately $1.2 billion for chemical weapons demilitarization in the United States.
• Added $18.0 million for procurement of items to improve the capabilities of Special Operations Forces (SOF), offset by reductions of CV-22 excess funds, including:
  • $14.3 million for multi-band radios that will significantly improve the operational capabilities of individual operators;
  • $2.5 million for the Advanced Grenade Launching System; and
  • $1.2 million for modification kits to special SOF M4A1 Carbines.

The Strategic Subcommittee, led by Chairman Jack Reed (D-RI) and Ranking Member Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO), reviewed the national security space programs, strategic forces, ballistic and cruise missile defense programs, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance programs, and Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear and environmental programs.

The major effort in the subcommittee was the ballistic missile defense program, for which the committee approved a substantial increase of 37 percent increase compared to the fiscal year 2001 level.

With respect to theater missile defense, the committee supports development and deployment of theater ballistic missile defense systems as soon as they are proven operationally effective, but opposes ill-advised "contingency deployments" of untested missiles and components. The committee included significant funding increases over the fiscal year 2001 level for theater missile defense programs. Specifically, the committee:

• Approved $625.7 million more than in fiscal year 2001 for theater missile defense systems, keeping mature, well defined programs like PAC-3 and THAAD robustly funded to keep them on track, and increasing funding for Navy Area and Airborne Laser to help resolve emerging technical problems to keep programs on schedule; and
• Added $76.0 million to the joint U.S.-Israeli Arrow program for performance and interoperability upgrades.

The committee made a number of reductions in the administration's request for theater missile defense programs, targeting ill-advised "contingency deployments." These reductions:

• Saved approximately $390 million by not funding untested THAAD and Navy Theater-Wide missiles, and premature THAAD radar and Airborne Laser components; and
• Saved more than $200 million by rationalizing Navy Theater-Wide test and radar development programs, while funding testing for Block I missile.

With respect to national missile defense, the committee supports aggressive research, development, and testing of defenses against intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs). Therefore, the committee:

• Approved an increase of $1.1 billion or 20 percent for national missile defense above the fiscal year 2001level, including funding for a new midcourse test bed.

In addition, the committee:

• Saved more than $500 million by moderating the national missile defense and SBIRS-Low systems' funding growth, since plans and architectures for these systems are still undecided; and
• Saved over $200 million by reducing excessive funding for ballistic missile defense activities not associated with specific programs.

The committee adopted a provision that provides for an expedited congressional vote if the administration determines that any of the activities funded in this bill are in conflict with the requirements of the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty. Another provision ensures that the Department completes a robust testing program before significant investments are made in a national missile defense system.

In order to move toward further reductions in nuclear forces, the committee repealed the statute that prevents the United States from moving to lower levels of nuclear weapons and forces. As part of this effort, the committee increased the funds to speed up the retirement of the Peacekeeper ICBM.

The committee also provided additional funds to modernize the strategic bomber forces to enhance their conventional capabilities. Specifically, the committee:

• Added $100.0 million and transferred $64.4 million to keep the B-1B Lancer bomber in the National Guard until the DOD completes the Quadrennial Defense Review the Nuclear Posture Review and a study on the B-1B future fleet size and basing structure; and
• Added $125.0 million in bomber upgrades for the B-2 and the B-52 bombers.

The committee established a facilities and infrastructure fund to begin to fix the aging facilities in the nuclear weapons complex, established a principle deputy administrator at the National Nuclear Security Administration, and provided substantial additional funds to the DOE environmental cleanup programs.

The committee continued the effort begun in previous years to enhance the capabilities of unmanned aerial vehicles by providing additional funds programs in each of the military services. Specifically, the committee:

• Added $9.0 million for the Navy unmanned combat aerial vehicle;
• Added $6.0 million for the Air Force Predator unmanned aerial vehicle;
• Added $16.0 million for the Air Force Global Hawk SIGINT demonstration;
• Added $11.0 million for the Navy vertical takeoff unmanned aerial vehicle; and
• Added $16.2 million for the Army unmanned aerial vehicle.

In addition, the committee:

• Added $53.9 million to improve operations and modernize East and West coast space launch and range facilities.
• Added $10.0 million to purchase commercial imagery.
• Added $32.6 million to the Wide-band Gap Filler satellite to exercise an option to buy three additional satellites.
• Added $12.8 million to the NUDET detection system to put the NUDET sensor on the GPS III- F satellites and process the existing sensor data.
• Added $528.1 million to the National Nuclear Security Administration at the Department of Energy, including $267.9 million for the new facilities and infrastructure initiative and $109.2 million for pit manufacturing and certification.
• Added $422.2 million to the Department of Energy environmental cleanup programs.

The Subcommittee on Seapower, under its Chairman, Senator Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA), and Ranking Member, Senator Jeff Sessions (R-AL), supported transformation of the Navy while also promoting the readiness of the Navy to respond to near- and mid-term threats. In accordance with the guidance of the chairman of the committee, the subcommittee also sought opportunities to improve capabilities to meet non-traditional threats. The subcommittee:

• Approved more than $9 billion in requested funding for such major programs as the three DDG-51 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, one SSN-774 Virginia-class attack submarines, one T-AKE auxiliary cargo and ammunition ship, and advance procurement funding for the LPD-17 amphibious transport dock and the LHD-8 amphibious assault ship. The subcommittee also approved more than $3 billion in requested funding for 15 C-17 strategic airlift aircraft.
• Authorized almost $390 million in additional funding for Navy transformation programs, including:
  • A net increase of $307.0 million for converting four Trident ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) to carry Tomahawk cruise missiles (SSGN);
  • $27.0 million for submarine combat systems modernization to develop common combat control systems for all submarines; and
  • $10.0 million to improve the way we upgrade submarine tactical control information systems.
• Added nearly $90 million in additional funding to sustain readiness, with emphasis on aviation programs. These included:
  • $21.1 million for C-17 maintenance trainers;
  • $20.0 million for sonobuoys to support peacetime training usage;
  • $14.0 million for improved shipboard navigation radars;
  • $9.0 million to integrate a submarine radar into the tactical data system to preclude the need for keeping paper navigation charts; and
  • $7.0 million to upgrade ships with ring laser gyroscope navigation systems.
• Authorized more than $170 million to improve the ability to meet non-traditional threats, including:
  • $96.0 million for P-3 modifications to the capability of the P-3 aircraft to support operations in littoral environments, shifting emphasis from blue water threats;
  • $20.0 million for Hellfire missiles to provide Navy and Marine Corps helicopters better capability to engage threats on land and small boats and other threats at sea;
  • $15.0 million for the upgrades to the Close-in Weapons System (CIWS) to permit ships to defend themselves better against small boat and helicopter threats;
  • $15.0 million for accelerating the shipboard infrared search and track system to provide the Navy better capability to detect and engage low-flying cruise missiles in near-shore engagements; and
  • $14.0 million for buying more decoys that will enable Navy vessels to defend against challenging cruise missile threats.
• Recommended authority for the Navy to extend its purchases of submarine components under economic order quantity buys to allow the Navy to achieve additional savings.

The Subcommittee on Airland under its Chairman, Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), and Ranking Member, Senator Rick Santorum (R-PA), continued its efforts to accelerate Army transformation while also promoting the readiness of the Army and of the air arms of the other services to respond to near- and mid-term threats. In accordance with the guidance of the chairman of the committee, improved the capability of U.S. forces to meet non-traditional threats. Specifically, the subcommittee:

• Approved more than $11 billion in requested funding for major programs such as the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the F-22 Raptor, the Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS), C130J Hercules, Crusader artillery system, Abrams tank, Bradley fighting vehicle, Interim Armored Vehicles, and Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles.
• Added $113.4 million for Army transformation programs identified on the Army's list of unfunded requirements, including:
  • $20.0 million for the Objective Force task force;
  • $21.5 million for the Aerial Common Sensor;
  • $28.3 million for development of the Comanche communications suite;
  • $20.0 million to accelerate the development of hybrid electric drive for the Interim Armored Vehicle; and
  • $10.0 million for additional Enhanced Position Location Reporting System radios.
• Added $528.9 million in additional funding to sustain readiness, with emphasis on aviation programs, including:
  • $102.5 million for 10 additional Black Hawk helicopters;
  • $58.8 million for Apache attack helicopter recapitalization needs;
  • $34.1 million for 21 TH-67 training helicopters to meet Army requirements through fiscal year 2014;
  • $10.0 million for Army helicopter engine component improvements;
  • $44.6 million for 10 additional Navy Joint Primary Aircraft Training System aircraft;
  • $25.0 million for F-15 engines;
  • $88.0 million for F-16 engines;
  • $38.0 million for EA-6B Band 9/10 digital jamming transmitters;
  • $16.0 million to replace EA-6B wing center sections;
  • $18.0 million for C-130J maintenance trainers;
  • $36.0 million for an additional battalion of upgraded M270A1 Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) launchers; and
  • $40.0 million for Army digital communications network upgrades.
• Added $99.3 million to improve the ability of U.S. forces to meet non-traditional threats, including:
  • $36.0 million for Litening II targeting pods for USMC AV-8B aircraft;
  • $15.0 million for the F-18 integrated defensive electronic countermeasures system;
  • $27.0 million for the F-18 joint helmet mounted cueing systems; and
  • $13.3 million for the precision location and identification program to modernize several families of radar warning receivers.
• Recommended authority for the Navy to enter into a multiyear procurement contract for purchasing F/A-18E/F engines.
• Recommended removing the current legislative cost cap on the F-22 engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) program. The F-22 program has experienced a number of delays, which means that there will be a delay in operational testing. Since much of what remains to be funded in the F-22 EMD program is testing, the committee wanted to remove the EMD cost cap to ensure that there is no reason to curtail or modify required developmental and operational testing.