On Wednesday, the House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee voted to increase missile defense spending. The subcommittee, which is in charge of oversight for missile defense programs, added $361.6 million to the FY 2011 missile defense budget. This additional funding, combined with President Obama's budget request of $9.9 billion, would bring total spending on missile defense for 2011 to $10.3 billion. Below is a list of the programs that will receive additional funding:
- Airborne Laser: $50 million
- PAC-3: $133.6 million
- AN/TPY-2: $65 million
- Aegis SM-3s: $50 million
- U.S. Israeli Program: $88 million
Further amendments increasing missile defense funding are likely when the full Armed Services Committee meets for markup of the 2011 National Defense Authorization Act on May 19.
The subcommittee also addressed two legislative provisions that affect missile defense:
1. Consistent with previous defense authorizations, limited the availability of funds for deployment of medium- or long-range missile defense until any host country has signed and ratified the necessary agreements authorizing deployment; and until 45 days after the committee receives the independent assessment required by the defense bill last year. It would also limit deployment until the Secretary of Defense certifies that the proposed system is operationally effective based on realistic flight testing.
2. At the request of the Administration, the mark would repeal the ban on contracting directly with a foreign government for missile defense activities, to allow for more direct collaboration with our friends and allies on missile defense.
Missile defense programs and funding received bi-partisan support as was stated in a press release from Strategic Forces Ranking Member Michael Turner (OH-3):
No comments:
Post a Comment