Military Modernization Worth $70B Under US National Defense Authorization Act FY18

The US Senate passed the $700 billion defense policy bill to boost military spending such as weapons and wartime missions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and elsewhere.

The committee earmarked prioritized modernization to direct funds of close to $70 billion to provide critical military capabilities to warfighters, according to the National Defense Authorization Act for financial year 2018 document published Tuesday.

The committee,

Authorizes $10.6 billion for procuring 94 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, which is $3.1 billion and 24 aircraft more than the administration’s request.  The aircraft include$6.3 billion for procuring 60 F-35A fighters, which is $1.8 billion and 14 aircraft more than the administration’s request,  $2.9 billion for procuring 24 F-35B fighters, which is $526 million and 4 aircraft more than the administration’s request and $1.4 billion for procuring 10 F-35C fighters, which is $800 million and 6 aircraft more than the administration’s request.

Authorizes $2.9 billion for procuring 17 KC-46A tankers, which is $400 million and 2 tankers more than the administration’s request.

Authorizes $1.6 billion for procuring 17 MC-130J aircraft, which is $1.2 billion and 12 aircraft more than the administration’s request.

Authorizes $103 million above the administration’s request to restart A-10 replacement wing production.

Authorizes $1.2 billion for procuring a fleet of Light Attack/Observation aircraft.

Authorizes $8.5 billion for space requirements, which is $771 million more than the administration’s request.

Authorizes $3 billion for Army helicopters, including $1.4 billion for 74 AH-64E Apaches, $1.1 billion for 84 UH-60 Blackhawks, $203 million for 6 CH-47F Chinooks, $247 million for 4 MH-47G Chinooks, and $108 million for 13 Light Utility Helicopters.

Authorizes $2.2 billion for Army ground combat vehicles, including $1.3 billion for M1 Abrams tanks, $793 million for Stryker armored combat vehicles, $111 million for Bradley Fighting Vehicles, and $41 million for Ground Mobility Vehicles.

Authorizes $133 million for Active Protection System development.

Authorizes $103 million for development of a ground combat vehicle prototype.

Authorizes $25 billion for shipbuilding to fund 13 ships, which is $5 billion and 5 ships more than the administration’s request. The spending includes $5.5 billion for Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, which is $1.9 billion more than the administration’s request, including funds for 1 additional destroyer and $300 million for multiyear economic order quantity procurement, $3.1 billion for Virginia-class submarine advance procurement, which is $1.2 billion more than the administration’s request, including $750 million for multiyear economic order quantity procurement and $450 million for either a third FY20 Virginia-class submarine or initiatives to expand the submarine industrial base, $1 billion and incremental funding authority for either 1 amphibious ship replacement (LX(R)) or 1 amphibious transport dock (LPD-30), which is in addition to the administration’s request, $661 million for 1 expeditionary sea base (ESB), which is in addition to the administration’s request, $250 million for 1 cable ship, which is in addition to the administration’s request and $509 million for 8 ship-to-shore connectors (SSCs), which is $297 million and 5 SSCs more than the administration’s request.

Authorizes $30 million for preliminary design of a smaller aircraft carrier, which is in addition to the administration's request.

Authorizes $1.9 billion for procuring 24 F/A-18 Super Hornets, which is $739 million and 10 aircraft more than the administration’s request.

Authorizes $2.3 billion for procuring 13 P-8A Poseidon aircraft, which $1.0 billion and 6 aircraft more than the administration’s request.

Authorizes a $1.5 billion increase for various missile procurement and development.

Authorizes $8.5 billion for the Missile Defense Agency to strengthen homeland, regional, and space missile defenses, which is $630 million more than the administration’s request.

Authorizes $700 million more than the administration’s request for cyber requirements.