Pentagon to Request $179 Billion in Modernization for FY2013

The U.S. Defense Department on Feb. 13 will ask Congress to approve a fiscal 2013 budget request that includes $47.6 billion to buy new fighters jets, tankers, helicopters and cargo planes, according to the document obtained by Defense News.

That money for aviation is part of an overall modernization request that includes $179 billion to buy and develop aircraft, ships, vehicles, missiles and satellites.

The modernization portion of the budget includes procurement — $109 billion — and research and development (R&D) — $69.7 billion. The total is $25 billion less than the Pentagon asked lawmakers to approve for modernization in 2012. That’s a decline of 12 percent.

The $179 billion includes funds requested in DoD’s base and overseas contingency operations budget. The funds are only a portion of the Pentagon’s entire 2013 budget. In all, DoD’s 2013 base budget request totals $525 billion. Another $88 billion will be requested for overseas contingency operations in Afghanistan.

DoD also will send a proposal to lawmakers on Feb. 13 that details $259 billion in cuts to planned spending over the next five years. The cuts are part of $487 billion that the Pentagon plans to trim from its accounts over the next decade as mandated by the Budget Control Act, which was signed into law in August 2011.

The largest request in the modernization budget, $9.2 billion, is for 29 Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters — 19 for the Air Force and 10 for the Navy.

As for other programs, DoD will ask Congress to approve $1.9 billion for 43 General Atomics Predator and Reaper drones.

The budget request includes $1.2 billion for six Northrop Grumman RQ-4 surveillance drones. Three will be for the Navy and another three for NATO.

It also includes $835 million for seven Lockheed Martin HC/MC-130J aircraft. The request includes 21 Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft: 17 for the Marine Corps and four for the Air Force.

As for helicopters, the budget request includes $1.1 billion for Boeing Apache helicopters. That money would go toward remanufacturing aircraft and 10 new builds.

The Army is requesting $1.4 billion for 44 Boeing CH-47 Chinooks, $1.3 billion for 59 Sikorsky Black Hawks and $272 million for 34 EADS Light Utility Helicopters.

The Air Force is requesting $1.8 billion for its Boeing KC-46A aerial refueling tanker program. The air service is also asking for $808 million for Lockheed F-22A fighter modernization.

The Navy is requesting $1.2 billion for five Northrop Grumman E-2D Hawkeyes, $2.2 billion for 26 Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and $1.1 billion for 12 Boeing EA-18 Growler jamming aircraft.

The Pentagon is requesting $10.9 billion for ground systems.

Specifically, the Army is requesting $116.8 million for Joint Light Tactical Vehicle technology development. It has also requested $377.4 million for 1,471 Oshkosh Family of Medium Tactical Vehicles and $332.3 million for General Dynamics Strykers.

DoD is asking lawmakers to approve $9.7 billion for ballistic-missile defense programs. The request continues integration into Navy ships.

In addition the budget request includes $1.3 billion to complete manufacturing and development of 24 Raytheon SM-3 Block IB interceptors and procurement of 29 SM-3 Block 1B missiles.

The request also includes $777.7 million for Lockheed’s Terminal High Altitude Area Defense program, and $763 million for 84 Patriot PAC-3 interceptors. Another $401 million is includes for the Medium Extended Air Defense System.

Finally, $903 million is for the Boeing Ground-Based Midcourse Defense system.

In the weapons portfolio, DoD is requesting $10.2 billion for missiles and munitions.

The request includes $423 million for 180 Raytheon Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles, $200 million for 314 Raytheon AIM-9X missiles, $248 million for 157 Lockheed Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles, $156 million for 4,678 Boeing Joint Direct Attack Munitions, $133 million for 280 Raytheon Joint Standoff Weapons and $216 million for the Small Diameter Bomb program.

Beyond that, the Army has requested $382 million for the Lockheed Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System, while the Navy has requested $320 million for 196 Raytheon Tomahawk cruise missiles and $1.5 billion for the Lockheed Trident II Ballistic Missile program.

The Pentagon is requesting $22.6 billion for shipbuilding programs.

The request includes $3.5 billion for two Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, $2.2 billion for four Littoral Combat Ships, $966 million for the Navy’s CVN 21 carrier replacement program and $191 million for one Austal Joint High Speed Vessel.

The Navy request also includes $4.3 billion for two Virginia-class submarines and $1.6 billion to overhaul the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln.

The Pentagon’s budget request includes $8 billion for space programs. This includes $786 million for the Lockheed Advanced Extremely High Frequency satellite, $1.7 billion for four United Launch Alliance Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles, $1.3 billion for two new Lockheed GPS III satellites and $950 million for the Lockheed Space Based Infrared System program.


Source: By MARCUS WEISGERBER, 11 February 2012 - Gannett Government Media / DefenceNews (www.defensenews.com)

Photo: Modernization will carry a big price tag in the Pentagon's FY2013 budget proposal. (File photo / U.S. Air Force)

(11.02.2012)