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America’s New Defense Bill, Part 2

The New York Analysis of Policy and Government concludes its review of the new National Defense Authorization Act, using information from the Senate Armed Services Committee

CONFRONTING RUSSIA, CHINA, AND OTHER THREATS

The National Defense Strategy (NDS) recognizes that we are in an era of major power competition with Russia and China. As our competitors seek to undermine international order and gain influence, the FY20 NDAA includes measures designed to maintain America’s competitive military edge and support our allies and partners. These include a new reporting requirement for the Secretary of Defense – and additional independent reports – on the implementation of the NDS focused on joint operational concepts to deter and defeat strategic competitors. The Pentagon must also report on strategies to impose political, military, economic, budgetary, and technology costs on Russia and China.

Russia

The FY20 NDAA renews a series of authorities to deter Russian aggression.

The FY20 NDAA:

• Increases funding for the European Defense Initiative (EDI) needs by providing an additional $734.3 million for military construction, anti-submarine warfare, and other urgent priorities to deter Russia and work with U.S. partners and allies;

• Renews and extends the authorization of $300 million of funding for the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, to include lethal defensive items as well as new authorities for coastal defense cruise missiles and anti-ship missiles;

• Prohibits military-to-military cooperation with Russia;

• Prohibits U.S. government recognition of the absorption of Crimea into the Russian Federation;

• Requires an update and expansion of the strategy for countering malign influence activities of Russia, China, and other countries;

• Protects European energy security by imposing sanctions related to Russian energy pipelines Nord Stream 2 and TurkStream; Prohibits the transfer of the F-35 to Turkey and expresses a Sense of Congress that Turkey’s acquisition of the S-400 constitutes a significant transaction under the Countering Russian Influence in Europe and Eurasia Act (CAATSA) and the President should implement sanctions under that Act; and

• Authorizes the Department to use up to $30 million for storage of six Turkish F-35 aircraft that were previously being used to train Turkish pilots before Turkey’s suspension and removal from the program.

China

The FY20 NDAA recognizes that China already presents a severe test of U.S. interests in the Indo-Pacific and beyond and:

• Modifies the annual report on Chinese military and security developments to include developments relating to Chinese overseas investments; the use of China’s Coast Guard for gray zone activity; Chinese military relations with Russia; and China’s expansion of its surveillance state and the overall lack of human rights;

• Updates the strategy to counter the threat of malign influence by including China as a required element in the report;

• Expresses a Sense of Congress that Congress unequivocally supports the people of Hong Kong as they defend their rights and preserve their autonomy against China;

• Supports improving Taiwan’s defense capabilities and force readiness, expands joint training, foreign military sales, and senior level military-to- military engagements; directs the Secretary to conduct a review of Chinese military, economic, information, diplomatic, and digital influences in Taiwan;

• Requires a report on resourcing United States defense requirements for the Indo-Pacific region and directs the Office of Net Assessment to conduct studies on competitive strategies with respect to China;

• Adds Pacific Island countries to the Indo-Pacific Maritime Security Initiative but limits the use of funds until the Secretary of Defense, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, submits a report regarding how they will use the security cooperation and assistance programs for those countries;

• Directs reports on Chinese military activities in the Arctic, as well as Chinese foreign direct investment in the Arctic; • Prohibits the purchase of Chinese drones; and

• Places certain restrictions on the purchase of rail cars and buses from certain Chinese state-owned enterprises, excluding pre-existing contracts.

North Korea

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The FY20 NDAA:

• Expresses a Sense of Congress that diplomacy, economic sanctions, and credible deterrence are essential to address North Korea’s weapons of mass destruction program and the conventional threat North Korea poses to U.S. forces on the Korean Peninsula and to U.S. allies in the region; condemns North Korea’s recent missile launches; and states that the United States, in concert with allies, should continue to deter North Korea through a credible defense and deterrence posture;

• Places mandatory sanctions on North Korean imports and exports of coal and other minerals and textiles, as well as refined petroleum products and crude oil up to certain levels; in addition, it penalizes banks that are already on sanctions lists with additional sanctions if they engage in illicit activity with North Korea; and

• Prohibits the Department of Defense from reducing the number of Armed Forces deployed to South Korea below 28,500 unless the Secretary of Defense certifies that it is in the national security interest of the United States, the reduction will not significantly 13 undermine the security of U.S. allies, and that allies (including South Korea and Japan) have been appropriately consulted.

Allies and Partners

The NDS emphasizes how critical allies and partners are to our own national security. The FY20 NDAA supports America’s allies and partners by requiring new reports related to ally and partner nation contributions, specifically from NATO member and East Asian allies, including South Korea and Japan. The NDAA provides $2.3 billion to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency and improves security cooperation programs to build capabilities of allies and partners to contribute to U.S. national security objectives while also dedicating funds to assistance, monitoring, and evaluation of programs, and increasing oversight to prevent human rights violations.

The FY20 NDAA also: The NDS emphasizes how critical allies and partners are to our own national security. The FY20 NDAA supports America’s allies and partners by requiring new reports related to ally and partner nation contributions, specifically from NATO member and East Asian allies, including South Korea and Japan. The NDAA provides $2.3 billion to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency and improves security cooperation programs to build capabilities of allies and partners to contribute to U.S. national security objectives while also dedicating funds to assistance, monitoring, and evaluation of programs, and increasing oversight to prevent human rights violations.

PROTECTING AMERICA AGAINST TRANSNATIONAL THREATS

The United States military faces a number of complex threats, including those posed by transnational terrorist groups like ISIS and al Qaeda, and illegal narcotics. An effective national defense strategy must take these challenges into account and leverage the assets of our partners and allies to address them in a comprehensive manner.

Afghanistan

The FY20 NDAA provides $4.5 billion to continue building the Afghan security forces and modifies reporting requirements to enhance oversight of the Department’s South Asia Strategy. The agreement requires the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, to work to ensure the meaningful participation of Afghan women in the ongoing peace process in Afghanistan and authorizes 4,000 Special Immigrant Visas for Afghan wartime partners.

Middle East

The conference agreement continues support for the Iraqi Security Forces, vetted Syrian groups, and other counterterrorism partners while seeking to gradually normalize security assistance to the Government of Iraq. It includes the text of the CAESAR Syria Civilian Protection Act, which applies sanctions to those who lend support to the Assad regime’s military efforts in the Syrian civil war, and grants authorities to the Secretary of State to support entities collecting evidence and pursuing prosecutions against those who have committed war crimes in Syria. In addition, the conference report authorizes families of victims of the 1983 Beirut Marine barracks bombing access to $1.68 billion in Iranian funds. Finally, the conference report prohibits aerial refueling of Saudi-led coalition aircraft participating in the civil war in Yemen, codifying current DOD policy in statue, and requires additional reporting on harm to Yemeni civilians resulting from military action by the Houthis and Saudi-led coalition.

GTMO

The FY20 NDAA prohibits transferring GTMO detainees to the U.S., transferring GTMO detainees to certain other countries, constructing or modifying new detention centers in the United States, or on closing or relinquishing control of GTMO. The NDAA also establishes a Chief Medical Officer to oversee the medical care provided to individuals detained at Guantanamo Bay, reporting directly to the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Health Affairs.

Counternarcotics

The FY20 NDAA provides $945 million for drug interdiction and counter-drug activities. It also requires an assessment of the impact of any planned or proposed border wall construction would have on the volume of illegal narcotics entering the United States. Finally, it adopts the Fentanyl Sanctions Act, which implements a number of economic and financial sanctions to cripple the operations of foreign traffickers of opioids.

Photo: Russian Mobile Missile launchers (Russian Ministry of Defense)

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Quick Analysis

America’s New Defense Bill

The New York Analysis of Policy and Budget presents an outline of the new National Defense Authorization Act, using information from the Senate Armed Services Committee. Rep. Mac Thornberry (R-TX), ranking member of the House Armed Services Committee, has stated: “This action comes nearly three months into the fiscal year, but it is not substantially different from the version passed by the House months ago. National security funding was once again held hostage for other partisan priorities, a recurring habit in Washington, and one that has cost our military billions in lost buying power and readiness over the last decade. While I am pleased that we have averted a full year CR for the military, we cannot ignore the harm we have inflicted on our armed forces to get here.”

According to Senate’s Armed Services Committee, “This year’s NDAA charts a consensus national defense policy that continues the restoration of military readiness, implements a National Defense Strategy to confront Russia, China, and other threats around the world, reforms and modernizes Pentagon business systems and bureaucracy, and – most importantly – cares for our troops and their families…The NDAA Conference Report …supports a base budget of $658.4 billion, an additional $71.5 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations, and $5.3 billion for emergency disaster recovery to restore installations damaged by extreme weather or earthquakes.”

CARING FOR TROOPS THE CIVILIAN WORKFORCE, AND THEIR FAMILIES

 “You recruit a service member but retain a family” is a military maxim reflected in the FY20 NDAA. The Conference report pays particular attention to family support, including providing for a 3.1 percent pay raise (the largest increase in a decade), extending special pay and bonuses for service members, programs to offset the costs of acquiring professional licenses for military spouses, including additional measures to combat sexual assault and harassment in 2 the military while supporting survivors, and historic reforms to the military privatized housing system. The NDAA also includes a three-year phased repeal of the requirement that Survivor Benefit Plan payments be reduced by Dependency and Indemnity Compensation payments.

Military Health Care

The FY17 NDAA included a comprehensive reform of the military health care system to improve medical readiness and patient experience. The FY20 NDAA prohibits the reduction of certain military medical personnel billets until the completion of reviews required under the FY17 NDAA to ensure any reductions or realignments will not negatively impact military health care.

The Conference Report enhances combat casualty care for troops through partnerships with medical expertise outside the Department of Defense. The NDAA extends Tricare Reserve Select to certain Reservists who are currently covered under a federal health benefits plan.

The NDAA requires the Department of Defense to develop a comprehensive policy on providing mental health care to service members as well as a strategy on how to recruit and retain mental health providers.

The Conference Report also authorizes the National Guard to establish a pilot program that would allow National Guard members to receive immediate access to mental health professionals through a smartphone application.

Although the NDAA does not change or repeal the Feres doctrine, it authorizes the Secretary of Defense to allow, settle, and pay an administrative claim against the United States for personal injury or death of a member of the uniformed services that was the result of medical malpractice caused by a Department of Defense health care provider.

CONTINUING TO REBUILD READINESS AND MODERNIZE THE MILITARY

According to the Congressional Research Service, America’s military has started 13 of the past 18 years under a continuing resolution. Since 2010, our troops have had to contend with wasteful and inefficient stopgap funding for 39 months. This, together with successive years of high op-tempo and inadequate budgets, contributed to a fatal readiness crisis in the force. This year, the Military Times found that while total aviation accidents fell for the first time since 2013’s budget cuts, military aviation deaths hit a six-year high in 2018. Senior commanders and DOD leaders repeatedly testified to the Committee that while we have arrested the readiness crisis, we have not yet reached the readiness levels required.

The readiness of our military is built on training, sustainment of weapon systems, and adequate facilities that support troops and their families. The conference agreement includes provisions that will increase the Department of Defense’s capacity to build military readiness and modernize military capabilities. To continue to address military aviation safety, the FY20 NDAA provides a nine-month extension and authorizes an additional $3 million for the National Commission on Military Aviation Safety to complete its assessments and issue recommendations related to military aviation safety. In addition, conferees in both parties intend to continue monitoring border support missions and assessing the impact on military readiness, but deferred final decisions on border security support to the FY20 Appropriations process.

Replenishing the Force

The NDAA supports our military services by providing the necessary authorities and resources to equip, modernize, and manage risk across weapons systems and programs, as well as develop the required force structure to meet future challenges.

The Conference Report:

• Supports the budget request for 73 UH-60M Blackhawks, 48 AH-64 Apaches, 9 MH-47G Chinooks, 6 CH-53K King Stallions, 12 HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopters, and 6 MQ-1 Gray Eagles;

• Includes an additional $28 million for the CH-47 Block II program and preserves the option for the Army to buy this helicopter in future years;

• Prohibits the retirement of RC-135 and KC-10 aircraft;

• Expands maritime patrol by adding three additional P-8 Poseidon and one E-2D Hawkeye aircraft;

• Increases intertheater airlift by adding four additional C-130 Hercules aircraft;

• Fully supports the Air Force UH-1N utility helicopter replacement program;

• Supports the Army budget request for 131 Armored Multipurpose Vehicles, 152 Stryker Combat Vehicles, and 165 Abrams Tanks; and • Provides for additional funding for Army medium and heavy tactical trucks.

Building A Larger Navy

The NDAA reaffirms that the United States must maintain a minimum of 11 aircraft carriers to protect our interests around the world and authorizes the first year of appropriations for the midlife refueling of USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75).

The NDAA takes other action to build a larger Navy, including:

• Preserving a Navy plan to procure 10 Virginia-class attack submarines, nine of which include the Virginia Payload Module across a FY19-23 multiyear contract, and authorizing an additional $1.5 billion to eliminate a submarine construction deficit in FY20, an additional $200 million for FY21 submarine advance procurement, and an additional $100 million for advanced submarine design;

• Supports full funding for the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine development;

• Authorizes construction of three Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and one new frigate;

• Authorizes construction of two additional amphibious ships including an America-class amphibious assault ship and a San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock; and

• Authorizes construction of one large unmanned surface vessel and two medium unmanned surface vessels

The NDAA reforms how aircraft carriers are constructed and paid for. It requires the Navy to insert the Joint Strike Fighter ship alterations on the USS John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) before her first deployment. The NDAA also inserts congressional cost controls over CVN 80 and 81 to ensure cost visibility associated with the anticipated $4 billion two-carrier cost savings.

REFORMING THE PENTAGON TO IMPROVE EFFICIENCY, AGILITY, AND ACCOUNTABILITY

Making the Pentagon more efficient, while helping our troops become more agile, is critical to maintaining America’s competitive edge. That’s why, since the FY15 NDAA, Congress has instituted numerous reforms, including an updated military retirement system, an improved health care system, a sustainable commissary benefit, and a major reorganization of Pentagon bureaucracy and business systems and practices. This year, the conferees focused on enforcing reforms already enacted by Congress while creating new pathways for innovators to bring their ideas to DOD.

Accelerating Defense Innovation

The FY20 NDAA aspects of the Accelerating Defense Innovation Act to assist DOD’s efforts to access new sources of innovation. It establishes inclusive pathways for the most promising small businesses to commercialize their innovations for the DOD market. The NDAA increases DOD’s engagement with innovation hubs across the country by establishing a Joint Reserve Detachment at Defense Innovation Unit locations and authorizing $75 million to the Defense Innovation Unit for the creation of a National Security Innovation Capital Fund.

Space Force

The FY20 NDAA recognizes space as a warfighting domain and establishes the U.S. Space Force in Title 10 as the sixth Armed Service of the United States, under the U.S. Air Force. In doing so, the NDAA provides the Secretary of the Air Force with the authority to transfer Air Force personnel to the newly established Space Force. To minimize cost and bureaucracy, the Space Force will require no additional billets and remains with the President’s budget request. The conference agreement creates a Chief of Space Operations (CSO) for the U.S. Space Force who will report directly to the Secretary of the Air Force and become a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. During the first year, the CSO may also serve as the Commander of U.S. Space Command. The CSO will provide updates to the committees of jurisdiction every 60 days, with briefings and reports on implementation and establishment status.

Nuclear Forces:

Nuclear forces have been the cornerstone of our national defense and the conference agreement funds the President’s budget request for Nuclear National Security Administration programs, including nuclear weapons and nuclear non-proliferation activities.

• In addition, the FY20 NDAA supports the U.S. Strategic Command requirement to produce 80 plutonium pits per year by 2030 and doesn’t prohibit the Department from deploying low-yield nuclear weapons. It also clarifies nuclear safety authorities.

Strategic Stability

• With respect to key arms control treaties, the conference agreement requires congressional notification and a 120-day waiting period before the provision of notice of any intent to withdraw from the New START and Open Skies treaties (including requiring consultation with allies prior to withdrawal from the Open Skies Treaty);

• The conference agreement prohibits the procurement and deployment of new ground launched INF-range missiles in fiscal year 2020 and requires information on the analysis 15 of alternatives to such new missiles, basing options and foreign countries consulted including NATO; and

• The conference report requires an independent study on the policy of no-first-use of nuclear weapons, and a report on military-to-military dialogue with foreign countries to reduce the risk of miscalculation, unintended consequences, or accidents that could precipitate a nuclear war.

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Missile Defense

The FY20 NDAA continues bipartisan efforts for a robustly tested layered missile defense system for the U.S. and increases regional capability and capacity to protect the nation’s deployed forces, and our global partners and allies.

The conference agreement:

• Requires an independent assessment on the impacts of U.S. missile defense development on the security of the United States as a whole vis-à-vis adversary responses to deployment.

• Requires increased operationally realistic testing, specifically with regards to countermeasures, of missile defense systems and increased analysis and reporting on the results of those tests.

• Mandates an independent report on the organization and structure of missile defense programs to increase accountability and oversight.

• Increases oversight on the Ground-Based midcourse Defense System to address the cancellation of the Redesigned Kill Vehicle effort, which will improve transparency and avoid similar errors in future programs.

• Supports Israeli missile defense by authorizing the President’s full budget request of $500 million for development and procurement of the Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow weapon systems, and requires acquisition milestones be met prior to release of funds.

Emerging Technology

The FY20 NDAA directs policies to ensure that the national security innovation base is poised to meet long-range emerging threats and the rise of global competitors. The Conference report:

• Directs the Department of Defense to develop a cyber science and technologies activities roadmap;

• Supports efforts across DOD and the Services to deliver a hypersonic capability in the mid-2020s;

• Extends the activities of the Joint Hypersonics Transition Office and authorizes the establishment of a new university consortium focused on hypersonic research and development;

• Extends unique hiring authorities to the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center to attract experts in science and engineering and advance the DoD’s artificial intelligence efforts;

• Establishes an interagency working group within the Office of Science and Technology Policy at the White House to coordinate activities to better protect federally funded research and development from foreign interference; • Creates new reporting requirements for national security academic research;

• Authorizes the creation of a new technology and national security fellowship for undergraduate and graduate students in the areas of science, technology, engineering, and math;

• Authorizes $8 million for the establishment of a Quantum Information Science Innovation Center;

• Commissions a Defense Science Board study on emerging biotechnologies pertinent to national security; • Transfers control of the Strategic Capabilities Office to the Deputy Secretary of Defense and establishes a cross-functional team to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the Office;

• Establishes an independent National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine study to review the state of defense research at Historically Black Colleges and Universities and other minority institutions; and

• Extends the completion date of the National Security Commission on Artificial Intelligence

NDS-Related Modernization Programs

• Authorizes an additional $1 billion for 12 additional F-35A aircraft to address an identified Air Force unfunded requirement and accelerate delivery of needed 5th generation capability and $440 million for the purchase of additional F-35s originally ordered by Turkey;

• Provides the necessary authority for buying F-35 long lead spare parts in bulk to help achieve better cost savings for the F-35 program and authorizes buy-to-budget authority to capitalize on lower unit cost savings;

• Supports the budget request for 10 F-35B and 20 F-35C 5th generation strike fighters to help address Navy and Marine Corps strike fighter shortfalls;

• Supports the budget request for 24 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets to help address Navy strike fighter shortfalls; • Supports full funding for the B-21 long-range strike aircraft development;

• Supports the budget request for 8 F-15EX aircraft to begin replacing aging aircraft while also enhancing congressional oversight of the program;

• Authorizes an additional $75.6 million to address an identified Army unfunded requirement for Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft program; a critical future vertical lift modernization priority;

• Supports nearly $1 billion for the Air Force Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Program ensuring U.S. air superiority for our future; 17 • Authorizes an additional $249.2 million for the Stryker combat vehicle medium caliber weapon system, an identified Army unfunded requirement; and

• Bolsters maritime sealift and mobilization by reauthorizing the Maritime Administration, including authorizing a new cable security fleet program and requiring the Secretary of the Navy to seek to enter into a contract for two used sealift vessels and one new vessel for mobilization purposes.

Cyber

The NDAA strengthens congressional oversight of cyber operations, and enhances the Department of Defense’s cybersecurity strategy and cyber warfare capabilities.

The Conference Report:

• Directs the Secretary of Defense to develop a consistent, comprehensive framework to enhance the cybersecurity of the U.S. defense industrial base;

• Requires development of metrics for the assessment of the readiness of the Cyber Mission Forces;

• Establishes a consortium of universities to advise the Secretary of Defense on cybersecurity matters;

• Establishes Principal Cyber Advisors on military cyber force matters for each military service;

• Allows the secretaries of the military departments to use up to $3 million in Operation and Maintenance funds to develop cyber operations-peculiar capabilities for the rapid creation, testing, fielding, and operation of cyber capabilities;

• Requires the Secretary of Defense to notify the congressional defense committees and describe various operational details of any delegation of authorities from the National Command Authority for military cyberspace operations;

• Directs an annual report on military cyberspace operations;

• Directs a zero-based review of Department of Defense cyber and information technology personnel;

 • Mandates a study on improving cyber career paths in the Navy;

• Refines the role of the Chief Information Officer in improving enterprise-wide cybersecurity;

• Commissions a Defense Science Board study on future cyber warfighting capabilities of Department of Defense;

• Directs the Secretary of Defense to conduct a review of the cyber posture of the United States on a quadrennial basis; and

• Extends the completion date of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission.

Intelligence Authorization

The conference report includes three years of Intelligence Authorization Act (IAA), which authorizes critical intelligence and intelligence-related activities for Fiscal Year 2018, 2019, and 2020 to ensure the Intelligence Community is postured to effectively address the growing array of threats to our national security. Further, the IAA seeks to deter Russian and other foreign influence in our U.S. elections by requiring assessments of foreign intelligence threats to Federal elections and a strategy for countering Russian cyber threats to U.S. elections. The IAA also addresses challenges to the Intelligence Community’s supply chain by requiring an Intelligence Community-led task force to protect against counterintelligence threats from countries such as Russia and China and requires accountability for foreign threats to our infrastructure before entering into foreign intelligence sharing agreements. The bill also focuses on the security of the homeland by requiring relevant intelligence agencies to conduct a strategic intelligence assessment of domestic terrorism threats.

The Report Concludes Tomorrow.

Photo: The Defense Department has finalized an agreement to purchase 478 additional F-35 Lightning II airplanes in a deal totaling $34 billion (DoD photo)

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Defense Budget Addresses Major Threats

President Trump has continued his bid to remedy the substantial reduction in the capabilities of America’s armed forces during the Obama Administration with the latest National defense Authorization Act (NDAA.) Politifact reported that from 2012 to 2016, military spending was cut each year, to a total of 15%.

In a Military Times review, James Jay Carafano, deputy director of international studies at the Heritage Foundation noted: “There’s no question [that the Obama]era will go down as the third ‘hollow’ army, and it’s that president’s fault. For all his promises, the operations tempo hasn’t gone down as much as he hoped, and he has invested little in the military.”

This didn’t occur in a vacuum.  While the U.S. cut back, Russia engaged in a significant arms buildup and China hiked spending at a faster percentage than either Washington or Moscow did during the height of the cold war.  Making matters worse, Obama and Clinton agreed to an arms control package that gave, for the first time, Moscow the lead in nuclear weapons, and totally ignored Beijing’s rising atomic arsenal.

The measure provides a $22 billion hike in the defense budget, amounting to $738 billion. That represents approximately 15% of all federal spending. Since President Trump’s election, a total of about $130 billion has been added for defense.

Washington has been criticized for quite some time about its deficit spending, and the cumulative U.S. debt, which currently stands at over $23 trillion. Debt Clock explains that, despite slashing defense spending, Obama added $8.335 trillion to the public debt – more than any modern president. In 2001, the public debt was 54% of GDP. By 2009, it had increased to 77%. In order to get Democrat approval of the defense budget, many expensive programs favored by the left need to be agreed to by pro-defense elected officials.

The particulars of the new NDAA marks a recognition that great power confrontation has returned in a major way.  The modernized Russian military and its world-leading nuclear arsenal, combined with China’s dramatic rise in armed might are clear, present and immediate threats. The NDAA specifically notes the danger resulting from that reality.

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According to Senate’s Armed Services Committee, “This year’s NDAA charts a consensus national defense policy that continues the restoration of military readiness, implements a National Defense Strategy to confront Russia, China, and other threats around the world, reforms and modernizes Pentagon business systems and bureaucracy, and – most importantly – cares for our troops and their families…The NDAA Conference Report …supports a base budget of $658.4 billion, an additional $71.5 billion for Overseas Contingency Operations, and $5.3 billion for emergency disaster recovery to restore installations damaged by extreme weather or earthquakes.”

It also recognizes the reality that the high frontier of space is a crucial domain in military competition by establishing the Space Force.  As currently envisioned, this sixth branch of the armed forces would have a relationship with the Air Force similar to that which the Marine Corps has with the Navy.

The measure provides a 3.1% increase in pay for armed service members, and provides a comprehensive reform of military health care.

 Photo: The USS Germantown sails in formation with Navy air-cushion landing craft and Indian navy vessels in the Bay of Bengal, Nov. 17, 2019, during Tiger Triumph, an exercise that aims to improve readiness and cooperation. (DoD)

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Senate Outlines Defense Priorities

Over the previous three days, The New York Analysis of Policy and Government has outlined the debate over the funding level for America’s defense.  The Senate Armed Services Committee has outlined the threat facing the U.S., and what must be done to adequately confront it:

The world is more unstable and dangerous than it has been in recent memory. Our margin of military supremacy has eroded and is undermined by new threats from strategic competitors like China and Russia. At the same time, we are confronting persistent threats from North Korea, Iran, and terrorist organizations. Rapid technological advances have fundamentally altered the nature of warfare, and years of sustained armed conflict, underfunding, and budgetary instability have harmed our military readiness and dulled our combat edge. Our Congressional duty to provide for the security of our nation, protect our values, and support those who defend them is all the more important as the tide of war has risen rather than receded. We must pivot to meet the needs of a nation increasingly at risk.

The world is more unstable and dangerous than it has been in recent memory. Our margin of military supremacy has eroded and is undermined by new threats from strategic competitors like China and Russia. At the same time, we are confronting persistent threats from North Korea, Iran, and terrorist organizations. Rapid technological advances have fundamentally altered the nature of warfare, and years of sustained armed conflict, underfunding, and budgetary instability have harmed our military readiness and dulled our combat edge. Our Congressional duty to provide for the security of our nation, protect our values, and support those who defend them is all the more important as the tide of war has risen rather than receded. We must pivot to meet the needs of a nation increasingly at risk.

The committee continues to prioritize the timely passage of this legislation and predictable funding, completing its work on the fiscal year 2020 NDAA just over two months after receiving the administration’s budget request. Our military leaders have repeatedly stated that stable, on-time, and adequate funding is key to implementing the recommendations of the NDS Commission report. The report serves to provide sharp guideposts to outfitting our Armed Forces with the resources and authorities they need to advance U.S. national security interests.

However, timely and sufficient funding alone will not fix all of our security problems. We must establish clear priorities and reinforce them with strategic investments to pursue urgent change at significant scale.

Difficult choices must be made and priorities established, particularly related to roles and missions, force employment, and resource allocation.

With the NDS and NDS Commission Report as the framework, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2020 advances the following priorities:

Investing in a lethal, ready all-volunteer force The committee’s top priority remains supporting the 2.15 million men and women who make up our all-volunteer force, particularly those troops in harm’s way. The NDAA ensures that our warfighters will not only be equipped with the best equipment and munitions, but also that our military infrastructure supports the mission and a stable quality of life for service members and their families. In So, it will be the amerikabulteni.com generic levitra best one for your hair loss needs. Stress amerikabulteni.com viagra on line is the major factor that causes ED. This helps to improve the blood flow to the penis, so that you generic sildenafil india have an easier time even though exercising. The 1990’s also saw the release of his track, “The A Team”, which became amerikabulteni.com order generic viagra 2011’s highest-selling and charting debut song. particular, the bill profoundly changes how on-base privatized housing is managed, increasing accountability to our military families, and guaranteeing future economic viability for the program. As critical initiatives, the legislation also increases employment opportunities for military spouses and improves the availability of child care on installations.

Restoring our combat advantage through modernization, innovation, and cooperation. Our military superiority can no longer be taken for granted and is not guaranteed. For too many years, we assumed our equipment was better than everyone else’s—but it’s simply not true. Without increased investment, we risk falling behind, losing our ability to successfully deter aggression from strategic competitors, and inflicting lasting damage to our national security. To meet urgent needs across operating domains, the NDAA aligns service resources with the NDS—continuing to rebuild readiness, optimizing the force for innovation and effectiveness, and re-establishing warfighting dominance. Therefore, the NDAA authorizes investments in critical equipment, weapons, and missile defense platforms to improve munitions that enhance lethality. It modernizes key capabilities and increases preparedness for war.

This includes maintaining a safe, secure, sustainable, and credible nuclear deterrent—updating and securing our stockpile and infrastructure to prevent nuclear warfare and ensure nuclear weapons do not end up in the hands of malign actors. No one should doubt the capability or political will of the United States.

The NDAA passed by the committee drives innovation by authorizing funds and implementing policies to advance technology development and next-generation capabilities, including artificial intelligence, hypersonic weapons, and quantum computing. These investments will ensure our military is not fighting tomorrow’s wars with yesterday’s weapons and equipment.

As the global security dynamics shift, warfare has also expanded to new frontiers. To meet growing threats in the space domain, the NDAA establishes a U.S. Space Force as a new component of the Air Force. Our adversaries have Space Forces—we are behind. This new force will focus on cultivating a space warfighting ethos, unify command of space operations and activities, and improve acquisition policies for space programs and systems.

Also a new frontier, the NDAA includes numerous provisions to advance the Department of Defense’s cybersecurity strategy and address our cyber warfighting capabilities.

To reinforce our military might, the NDAA supports programs and policies that will cultivate key alliances and partnerships. These relationships will help maintain a favorable balance of power against near-peer adversaries and counter other growing threats.

Improving effectiveness and efficiency within Pentagon management The Pentagon’s business operations provide the foundation for a responsive and innovative military. Building upon several years of reform, the NDAA continues to streamline operations —continuing acquisition policy reform, recalibrating contract reform, and strengthening program oversight. A more efficient bureaucracy will better utilize the full value of every taxpayer dollar spent on defense.

Photo: Soldiers position vehicles to simulate taking over an enemy town during an exercise at the National Training Center in Fort Irwin, Calif., June 7, 2019. (DoD)

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Quick Analysis

Defense Budget Debate

Both within the House of Representatives and between it and the Senate, a debate about how much is required to defend the United States has arisen. It replays a familiar dispute over spending priorities, with Republicans urging increased support for the Pentagon.

There is broad agreement on a key point: the dramatic rise in the military power of Russia and China, their growing alliance with each other, and the aggressiveness they have both displayed on the world stage has dramatically increased the threat level.

 The danger significantly exceeds that which existed at the height of the Cold War. Several years ago, Douglas Schoen and Melik Kaylan in their study “The Russia-China Axis” explained how the U.S. entered a period of unparalleled danger:

““Russia and China are increasingly expansionist…Both…have increased their military budgets substantially while the United States [under the Obama Administration] dramatically [scaled] back…Russia and China have become increasingly nationalistic and aggressive…while America [became]…inner directed, even isolationist…”

A U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission report on Beijing’s military ties to Moscow (E&SRC) notes that

“Since the normalization of relations between China and the Soviet Union in 1989, Beijing and Moscow have prioritized defense and security ties, which are now among the most important components of the overall relationship. This emphasis is reflected in their 1996 “strategic partnership of coordination,” which remains the foundation for high-level cooperation…China steadily increased arms imports from Russia, eventually becoming Russia’s leading destination for arms exports. …Since 2012… closer defense ties have been a key driver of warming China-Russia relations. Indeed, China and Russia appear to be moving toward a higher level of defense cooperation. The three main areas of the bilateral defense relationship—military exercises, military-technical cooperation, and high-level military-to-military contacts—show increases in the level and quality of engagement, collectively reflecting closer defense ties.

“…recent developments in China-Russia military-to-military relations have important implications for U.S. security interests and the Asia Pacific.

  • Russia’s sale of Su-35 fighter jets to China (deliveries of which began in December 2016) will help the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) contest U.S. air superiority, provide China with technology that could help accelerate the development of its own advanced fighters, and serve as a valuable training and learning platform before China fields its next-generation aircraft.
  • The Russian sale of the S-400 surface-to-air missile (SAM) defense system to China (with deliveries starting in 2018) should help China improve capital air defense and could assist the PLA in achieving increased air superiority over Taiwan if deployed to the Eastern Theater Command (bordering the Taiwan Strait). This SAM system would pose a challenge for Taiwan’s air assets in a potential cross-Strait conflict, the air assets of U.S. allies or partners in a South China Sea or East China Sea contingency, and U.S. aircraft, should the United States decide to become involved in such potential conflicts. The S-400 also could be used to help enforce China’s East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).
  • The increased complexity and focus on joint operations of military exercises between the PLA and Russian Armed Forces help provide both sides with valuable experience in pursuing their defense objectives. The exercises are particularly useful for the PLA—which lacks recent combat experience—because they provide much-needed insights and knowledge that help China pursue its military modernization goals.
  • The recently expanded geographic scope of Sino-Russian military exercises, along with a new focus on missile defense, reflects increasingly aligned security interests and suggests the two countries are both signaling their respective support for the other’s security priorities. Greater alignment between the two countries in the security realm could pose challenges to the United States, its allies, and partners.
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Despite the acknowledgement of the threat, Democrats in both the House and the Senate favor spending less than what the Trump Administration has requested.

The Report Continues Tomorrow

Photo: F-35A Lightning II (DoD)

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Quick Analysis

Military Spending Bill Signed

President Trump has signed H.R. 6157 the Department of Defense’s $674 billion appropriations bill for the fiscal year 2019 period.  It was the first time in over a decade that the military received its funding on schedule. After the budget slashes of the Obama Administration, the new bill, a $19.8-billion increase over the prior year, provides desperately needed resources, including a 2.6 percent pay raise for active duty service members.

Upon signing the measure, the President emphasized that “The bill … includes the largest pay raise for our warriors in nearly a decade.  My Administration has secured funding to order 93 new F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighters, 142 Apache and Black Hawk helicopters, and 13 Navy battle force ships—made right here in the USA.  This is the first time in more than a decade that our Defense Department has been given a full year of funding on time without relying on continuing resolutions…”

Senator Richard Shelby (R-Ala.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee and its subcommittee on defense stated:  “This package continues a historic increase in funding for our nation’s defense, helping the President deliver on his commitment to rebuild the military and keep our Armed Forces the strongest and best trained, equipped, and prepared in the world.”

House Armed Forces Chair Chairman Mac Thornberry (R-TX), noted: “When I became Chairman of the Armed Services Committee, too many of our senior commanders and DOD officials had become resigned to the notion that inadequate budgets and inefficient continuing resolutions were going to be facts of life far into the future. These same officials had begun to view degraded readiness and lost agility as risk factors they would have to accept when facing increasingly sophisticated adversaries. Today, President Trump’s signature begins to turn that situation around. It is a monumental achievement. By funding our military in full and on time, we can begin to restore its strength, agility, and effectiveness. The President was right to make rebuilding our military a high priority. I am grateful to my colleagues on both sides of the aisle and in both chambers- especially Chairmen Frelinghuysen and Granger- for the years of effort dedicated to getting to this point. As I have said before, the task before us now is to make full, on time funding of our military the rule in Washington, and not the exception.”

Rep. Thornberry outlined the need for the increased funding:

America’s Military Today:

– Over the past 8 years we have reduced the size of the Army, Guard, and Reserve by as much as 120,000 Soldiers and eliminated 15 brigade combat teams.
-Only  9 of 58 Brigade Combat Teams are “ready to fight tonight.” This number has nearly doubled since Congress began reinvesting in military readiness.
– Funding to upgrade outdated Army equipment has been cut in half during the last several years.

What the Appropriations Bill will do: Invest $22.9 billion to get our troops ready to deploy, including:

– $3.0 billion to repair Army equipment
– $5.1 billion to recruit additional Soldiers
– $14.8 billion to replace or upgrade current equipment

America’s Military Today:

– Our Air Force is smaller than it has ever been, far smaller than it needs to be to meet challenges from Russia and China.
– The average age of Air Force aircraft is over 27 years old. The Air Force is 2,000 pilots short. The pilots we do have are flying fewer hours than their predecessors in the 1970s when the service was considered “hollow.”
– Less than half of the Navy’s aircraft are mission capable.
– Half of Marine Corps aviation units lack the minimum number of ready basic aircraft.

What the Appropriations Bill will do: Invest $45.3 billion to get our planes back in the air, including:
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– $11.1 billion to repair or upgrade old aircraft
– $31.9 billion to replace aircraft too old or broken to repair
– $2.3 billion to recruit and train more airmen and aircraft mechanics

America’s Military Today:

– Serious readiness shortfalls, including insufficient time or resources to train Sailors or maintain ships, contributed a number of accidents- including the fatal collisions of the USS Fitzgerald and USS McCain.
– In some cases, Sailors have been working over 100 hours a week to keep up with training requirements and current operations.
– Navy ships and submarines remain in port unable to sail and perform their mission due to critical maintenance that cannot be conducted due to budget cuts.

What the Appropriations Bill will do: Invest $38.2 billion to get our ships back to sea, including:

– $12.1 billion to repair the ships we have
– $24.1 billion to add new ships to the fleet
– $2.0 billion to recruit and train our Sailors

America’s Military Today:

– To fund other priorities with constrained budgets, the services have been diverting funds from facilities maintenance, a risky gamble that has accelerated the failure rate of our infrastructure.
– Estimates of the number of facilities that now meet the Pentagon’s definition of “failing” have doubled in recent years.
– Our Armed Forces are struggling with crumbling and mold-ridden barracks, hangars that have been condemned, air traffic control facilities and runways in disrepair, collapsed ceilings and contaminated water.
– The backlog of deferred maintenance on facilities has increased from $2 billion in 1978 to $100 billion today.

What the Appropriations Bill will do: Invest $11.8 billion to repair and sustain infrastructure including barracks, hangars, roads, runways, and hospitals.

– $11.8 billion to sustain, repair, and upgrade military infrastructure

Photo:  Marines aim a 25mm chain gun during training aboard the USS Wasp in the South China Sea (Lance Cpl Alexis B. Betances)

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Quick Analysis

Defense Bill Addresses Key Threats

In response to the extraordinary rise in threats from China, Russia, Iran, North Korea and terrorists, the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA)  provides needed resources, many believe long overdue, for the U.S. military, which had been underfunded throughout the Obama Administration.

The $717 billion it provides was approved by Congress at the fastest pace in two decades, reflecting the urgency of deterring the dramatically expanded challenge from Moscow and Beijing. The broad support for the bill was reflected in the vote totals, including 87-10 approval in the Senate and 359-54 in the House.

Key general provisions include: an increase in the military’s authorized active-duty end strength by 15,600; a 2.6% pay raise, the largest in nine years; modernization and strengthening the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to more effectively guard against the risk to national security posed by certain types of foreign investment; and strengthening cyber defenses.

A Breaking Defense analysis by Mark Cancian notes the NDAA’s key policy elements:

“It enshrines in law the exclusion of China from RIMPAC (the annual Pacific exercise that includes large numbers of allies and partners …and makes more explicit US support for Taiwan. The law also requires that the annual report to Congress on China include details about Chinese espionage, the state of relations between China and Russia and efforts by China to influence US citizens. On Russia, it continues limitations on military cooperation, prohibits any recognition of the annexation of Crimea, highlights concerns over treaty violations, and expresses the sense of Congress about the need to enhance deterrence…a bipartisan consensus has solidified that Russia and China are long-term competitors and that the US must act accordingly.”

According to the Washington Examiner’s Daily on Defense  column, key weapons programs funded include:

F-35: The military is allowed to buy 77 of the Lockheed Martin joint strike fighters, the same amount requested by the Trump administration.

LCS: Congress ultimately decided to give the Navy three littoral combat ships, though it requested one. Overall, the bill authorizes 13 battle-force ships.

Fourth carrier: The Navy is authorized to move ahead with its third and fourth Ford-class carriers, the future USS Enterprise and the unnamed CVN 81. But the Pentagon must certify that it will save money.

JSTARS: The Air Force is barred from retiring its Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System aircraft, or JSTARS, until it gets its new Advanced Battle Management System operational as a potential replacement.

A White House statement noted that  “…the FY 2019 NDAA enhances the President’s ability to defend the Nation.  It also supports key components of the Administration’s Nuclear Posture Review, South Asia Strategy, vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific region, and ongoing operations against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)…The FY 2019 NDAA keeps faith with Israel, fully authorizing the Administration request for co-development and co-production of missile defense systems.  It supports the European Deterrence Initiative, strengthening the posture of the United States in Europe and bolstering our European allies against the threat of Russian aggression.”

The defense publication Stars and Stripes stressed that the measure “dictates the next steps in creating a Space Force, but falls short of President Donald Trump’s calls for a new military branch.

While China’s military buildup has arguably been larger, Russia’s deployment of major weapons system directly enhancing its nuclear power, its invasions of Ukraine and Georgia, and Putin’s threatening actions against the Baltics, is seen as the more immediate danger.

Secretary Mattis notes that “Russia… continues to modernize and invest across the full range of military capability, including new aircraft, submarines, armor, counter-space, and air defense systems, while also modernizing conventional and nuclear strike capabilities. These investments and activities are specifically designed to limit our power projection capability and undermine the credibility of U.S. alliances, especially NATO.”

The House Armed Services Committee emphasized that the NDAA “invests in the following capabilities to reassure allies and counter and deter Russian military aggression:

  • A new aircraft carrier, increasing the number of carriers to 12, allowing the Navy to project power and counter Russia more often around the world.
  • 13 battle force ships for the Navy, continuing to grow the surface fleet and project power around the world.
  • 2 Virginia Class submarines, growing the Navy’s subsurface fleet, which counters Russia around the world.
  • Modernization of the nuclear triad by authorizing $250 million for expansion of the submarine industrial base, which supports the development and building of the Columbia class, a key to deterring Russian nuclear aggression.
  • 77 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, 5th generation fighter-attack aircraft to counter Russian air and ground forces.
  • Efforts to modernize Army Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCT), including 135 M1 Abrams tanks, 60 Bradley fighting vehicles, 197 Armored multi-purpose vehicles, and 3,390 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles.
  • 45 of the most modernized Paladin self-propelled howitzer artillery systems.
  • 69 Stryker Combat Vehicles.
  • Maintaining the maximum production rate for critical munitions to support deterring Russia.
  • Increased funding to accelerate two key Air Force nuclear modernization programs, the ground based strategic deterrent and the long range stand off cruise missile.
  • Significant funding to research and development for the next generation of missile defense technology.
  • Funding to develop and field low yield nuclear weapons to counter Russian nuclear weapons.

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Strengthen U.S. policy against Russian military aggression:

  • Requires the President to designate an NSC employee to coordinate the interagency fight against malign foreign influence operations, including election interference.
  • Requires the NSC to submit to Congress a strategy for countering malign foreign influence operations.
  • Requests a report on an updated strategy for the Arctic and its defense.
  • Authorizes a total of six polar icebreakers to assure U.S. commercial access to expanding Northern shipping lanes.
  • Directs the Department of Defense to assess its Russian language needs and abilities and develop a plan to address any deficiencies.
  • Strengthens the Global Engagement Center in the State Department by affirming it’s funding for the next two years, increasing its hiring authority, and increasing its responsibilities.
  • Provides for active defense and surveillance against Russian Federation attacks in cyberspace.
  • Requires U.S. based foreign media outlets like RT to register their sources of funding with the FCC.
  • Establishes a DOD initiative to work with academic institutions who perform defense research and engineering activities to protect intellectual property, controlled information, key personnel, and information about critical technologies from malign foreign influence.
  • To get ahead of Russia’s malign influence activities, the NDAA requests reports on Russia’s military relationships with Iran, and Cuba, Nicaragua, and Venezuela.
  • Requires a report with quarterly updates describing those persons that the President has determined under 2017’s CAATSA sanctions have knowingly engaged in significant transactions with the defense and intelligence sectors of Russia.

 Helps Our Allies Defend Themselves Against Russian Aggression.

  • Authorizes $250M for security assistance and intelligence support to the Government of Ukraine, including lethal defensive weapons.
  • Provides flexibility for strategic partners and allies to move away from the use of Russian military equipment to American equipment through a modified waiver under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act.
  • Includes $6.3 billion for European Deterrence Initiative to reassure U.S. partners and allies, increase U.S. military presence in Europe, and continue training and exercise throughout Europe to deter Russian aggression.
    • Contributes to the build out of a permanently positioned set of equipment for an ABCT in Europe.
  • Expresses Congress’ strong support for enhanced U.S. presence in and support for our Central, Eastern, and Southern European allies and the NATO alliance.
  • Requires a report on efforts to strengthen U.S. collaboration with NATO’s project to build a comprehensive, cross-domain cyber-defense and deterrence capacity.
  • Commissions a report that examines the consequences of increased Russian interest and destabilizing in Afghanistan.

Limits Contact and Assistance to Russia

  • Extends the limit on military-to-military cooperation with Russia.
  • Prohibits the Department of Defense from spending any funds (authorized in this bill) on activities that would recognize Russian sovereignty over Crimea.
  • Prohibits funds for atomic energy defense activities from being used to enter into a contract with, or otherwise provide assistance to, Russia.

Forces Russia To Comply with Treaties It Is Breaching

  • Restricts the Administration from voting to approve new sensor requests under the Open Skies Treaty and withholds funding for upgrades or recapitalization of U.S. Open Skies Treaty aircraft and sensors
  • Funds research and development to counter non-INF Treaty compliant systems being deployed by Russia.

Picture: F-35 (Lockheed-Martin)

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Quick Analysis

Defense Spending Bill Acknowledges Major Threats, Part 2

On Saturday, The New York Analysis of Policy and Government provided a general outline of the National Defense Authorization Act recently passed by the House of Representatives.  In today’s article, we provide specifics. 

Spending for Specific Weapons Systems in the NDAA

  • Authorizes $360.0 million, an increase of $338.1 million, for Stryker A1 combat vehicles, the most survivable and advanced version of the Stryker combat vehicle. ● Supports the President’s budget request to modernize Army Armored Brigade Combat Team vehicles, including 135 M1 Abrams tanks, 60 Bradley fighting vehicles, 197 Armored multi—purpose vehicles, 38 Improved Recovery Vehicles, and 3,390 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles. ● Authorizes multiyear procurement authorities for F/A—18E/F Super Hornet aircraft, C— 130 Super Hercules aircraft, E—2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft, advanced missiles and amphibious ships to generate better cost savings for the taxpayer and provide needed capability to the Navy; ● Supports the President’s budget request for the F—35 Joint Strike Fighter and authorizes 77 aircraft. The bill also authorizes the Department to procure additional F-35 aircraft, if additional funds become available, utilizing cost savings and program efficiencies. ● Authorizes an additional $85.0 million for additional UH—60M Black Hawk utility helicopters for the Army National Guard. The most modern Black Hawk version. ● Supports additional funding to maintain the maximum production rate of critical munitions, such as small diameter bombs, joint direct attack munitions, hellfire missiles, advanced precision kill weapon systems, long range anti—ship missiles, tomahawk missiles, advanced medium—range air—to—air missiles and torpedoes. ● Mandates recapitalization of the Navy’s 43—year old auxiliary fleet which would help to transport Army and Marine Corps forces in times of conflict. ● Encourages the rapid development and fielding of interim maneuver short range air defense capabilities and indirect fire protection solutions to address current deficiencies in air and missile defense. ● Fully supports funding for the Columbia—class ballistic missile submarine and the B—21 Raider bomber programs. ● Adds $150 million to accelerate U.S. efforts to field a conventional prompt strike capability before FY22, in response to the critical advances Russia and China have made in developing their prompt global strike hypersonic weapons.

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STRATEGIC READINESS

The NDAA supports the Nuclear Posture Review’s recommendation to pursue a lower—yield ballistic missile warhead to strengthen deterrence. ● Supports the President’s budget request to restore the nuclear arsenal and adds $325 million for the National Nuclear Security Administration’s nuclear weapons activities and defense nuclear nonproliferation program, including efforts to modernize the nuclear weapons stockpile and address NNSA’s aging facilities and other infrastructure. ● Provides increased funding to accelerate two key Air Force nuclear modernization programs: The Ground—Based Strategic Deterrent and the Long—Range Standoff cruise missile

Missile Defense

The HASC believes the threats from North Korea and Iran demonstrate that the time to debate the utility or practicality of missile defenses has passed. Again, building on the work of the Subcommittee on Strategic Forces, the NDAA: ● Supports the President’s request for missile defense and adds $140 million to the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) for development of critical directed energy, and Space sensing projects, and the acceleration of hypersonic defense capabilities. ● Adds $175 million to accelerate integration of Patriot (for lower altitudes) andTerminal High Altitude Area Defense (higher altitudes) missiles to meet the requirements of the Commander of U.S. Forces in Korea. ● Requires the director of MDA establish a boost phase intercept program using kinetic interceptors, initiate development of a missile defense tracking and discrimination Space sensor layer and continue efforts to develop high power directed energy for missile defense applications. ● Requires the Director of MDA to continue development for the homeland defense radar in Hawaii, and that it be operationally capable by FY23. ● Provides increased funding to address cyber threats to our missile defense systems. ● Supports the President’s request of $500 million for co—development of missile defense systems with Israel, and co—production of Iron Dome, David’s Sling, and Arrow weapons systems.

Space Warfighting

Russia and China are developing capabilities to deny the United States the advantages it derives from operating in space. Equally concerning is the inability of the organizations responsible for the nation’s national security—related space activities to prepare for Space to become a warfighting domain and to adequately develop and/or acquire essential national security Space systems. Efforts to reform the Department’s approach to Space issues can be summarized in four equally important elements: acquisition reform, resources, cadre development, and joint warfighting. The NDAA comprehensively addresses each one of these lines of effort to ensure that our Servicemembers are ready to defend our vital national interests in space. The bill also ensures that the Department’s Space investments are being executed in a way to ensure increased agility, lethality, and accountability by the Department of Defense. The NDAA: ● Directs the Department of Defense to develop a plan to establish a separate alternative acquisition process for Space acquisitions. ● Directs the Secretary of the Air Force to develop and implement a plan to increase the size and quality of the Space cadre within the Air Force. ● Establishes a new numbered Air Force responsible for carrying out Space warfighting. ● Establishes a sub—unified command for Space under the Strategic Command for carrying out joint Space warfighting. ● Directs the Secretary of Defense to develop a plan that identifies joint mission—essential tasks for Space as a warfighting domain. ● Supports the President’s request for Next Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared, Protected Satellite Communications, and the Air Force’s Space launch efforts.

FACING NEW THREATS

Russia and China are reasserting their power and leveraging new technologies, The U.S. competitive edge has eroded in every domain of warfare, air, land, sea, Space, and cyberspace, and it is continuing to erode. The NDAA includes threat—specific initiatives designed to maximize defense resources and keep America safe.

Emerging Technologies

America’s security is challenged by our strategic competitors’ advances in Artificial Intelligence, Space and counter—Space capabilities, Cyber, Influence Operations, and Hypersonics, among others. To address these threats, the NDAA: ● Places emphasis on policy and programs to advance Artificial Intelligence, machine learning, quantum computing, and other critical national security technologies; ● Fully supports innovation efforts of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, and Defense Innovation Unit Experimental to ensure our technological superiority and dominance over current and future threats; ● Advances hypersonic and directed energy weapons research, development, and transition efforts within DoD; ● Provides additional funds to accelerate Artificial Intelligence, machine learning programs, as well as directed energy, and hypersonics programs.

Photo: U.S. DoD

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Defense Spending Bill Acknowledges Major Threats

The United States has never faced a collection of opponents more dangerous than that of the Russian-Chinese Axis, with Iran and North Korea thrown in for added problems.

Despite that, as Moscow and Beijing have dramatically upgraded their armed forces and engaged in aggressive acts, Washington, during the Obama Administration, depleted the nation’s defenses, reducing even further a military that was decimated following the end of the cold war in the mistaken belief that the end of the USSR meant that peace was at hand.

There is, finally, a growing sense of urgency within the government about the decline of American strength even as the threat expands. According to the House Armed Services Committee,(HASC)  “America’s military is facing challenges on multiple fronts, including the troubling increase in serious training accidents in all the military services; the re—emergence of competitors like Russia and China; the nuclear ambitions of Iran and North Korea; and the imperative to keep up the pressure on ISIS, al Qaeda, and other terrorist groups.”

The HASC notes that “Competitors like Russia and China are investing in new strategic weapons designed to challenge America’s credible nuclear deterrent, undermine missile defense capabilities, and erode the advantages the U.S. derives from Space.” According to the Congressional Committee, “…The NDAA takes a comprehensive approach to ensuring U.S. security by answering each one of those these challenges. Russia and China are building new modern nuclear weapons. At the same time, America’s nuclear deterrent has been neglected.”

In response, The House of Representatives has passed the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act, which reflects that growing concern.

If passed by the Senate and approved by the President in its current form, the spending bill would authorize $717 billion in spending for defense needs, including significant increases for readiness recovery, and fully fund a 2.6 percent pay raise for servicemembers, the highest increase in 9 years. It also extends special pay and bonuses for servicemembers in high-demand fields to combat the high turnover of these jobs.

The HASC notes that “While the world has grown more dangerous, our military has grown smaller. Rebuilding the U.S. military must begin with growing the number of uniformed personnel. To help alleviate the stress on the force, the NDAA authorizes increases in the size of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Naval and Air Reserve, and Air Guard commensurate with the threats we face. …Continuing to recruit and retain America’s best…The NDAA also takes steps to address the ongoing pilot shortage, which is hampering readiness in every Service. In an effort to address the persistent pilot shortage in the Air Force, the NDAA requires the Service to evaluate all pilot staff requirements to maximize pilots’ time in the cockpit. Similarly, the bill extends the National Guard recruiting pilot program, which is designed to use retired senior enlisted members to fill recruiter positions so that current National Guard members can focus on their primary mission.”

General Outline

  • Authorizes $18.5 billion to begin to rehabilitate and replace worn out Army equipment, $39.4 billion to begin address the military aviation crisis, $36 billion to restore sea strength, and $23.3 billion to rebuild military buildings and infrastructure;
  • Funds the growth of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Naval and Air Reserve, and Air Guard;
  • Increases funding for training in each service;
  • Creates a Chief Management Officer (CMO) who will be charged with finding efficiencies and reducing 25 percent of the cost of certain Department-wide activities, enhancing accountability;
  • Provides $21.8 billion for equipment maintenance and $3.7 billion for spare parts;
  • Adds funding to improve America’s missile defense;
  • Makes key investments in other critical military capabilities to confront aggression and address threats around the world, including threats from Russia, China, North Korea and Iran; and
  • Places emphasis on policy and programs to advance America’s security against emerging threats – Artificial intelligence, space and counter-space capabilities, cyber, influence operations, hypersonics, among others.

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The Report concludes Monday.

Photo: U.S. DoD

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Quick Analysis

National Security Should Not Be A Bargaining Chip

U.S. Marines with 4th Tank Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve, conduct training on Camp Pendleton, Calif., March 9, 2018. This training was the first live fire range for the M1A1 Abrams main battle tank on Camp Pendleton in several years. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Noah Rudash)

President Trump and other Republicans have conceded that the $1.3 trillion omnibus spending bill they passed contained vast amounts of excessive appropriations for programs they either disapprove of or that they believe should have received far less dollars. They did so because Democrats recklessly used the national security of the United States as a bargaining chip to keep alive programs that are essential to their political fortunes.

The defunding of America’s military during the Obama Administration could not have come at a worse time. Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea were dramatically building up their conventional and strategic forces while the U.S. slashed its own.  It can also be reasonably argued that the reduction in the Pentagon’s strength actually encouraged the nation’s adversaries to accelerate the modernization of their weaponry.

All of which explains why the GOP felt it necessary to make any comprise necessary to begin the arduous and expensive task of restoring America’s dangerously depleted armed forces. Ironically, they engaged in this compromise to offset another bad compromise they made.  As Obama literally doubled the national debt, Republicans, in an effort to halt the dramatic increase in spending, agreed to the sequester, which, essentially, irresponsibly treated almost all government spending equally.  Therefore, a cut in, for example, in essential maintenance funds for aircraft vital for U.S. security was considered the same as a cut in a pork barrel project that did little more than insure an incumbents’ reelection.

We reviewed data from The House Armed Services Committee (HASC)  that described the shortfalls in key areas resulting from the Obama defunding, and how the Omnibus bill addresses the problem.

The U.S. Air Force has been decimated. It’s smaller and older, than it has ever been, and it faces adversaries in Russia and China who are technologically equal to America. The average age of America’s military aircraft is over 27 years. Less than half of the Navy’s aircraft are capable of getting in the air at all, due to maintenance issues. The USAF is 2,000 pilots short, and those that remain get fewer flying hours than their predecessors did back in the ‘70’s when the military was considered a mere shell of itself. Approximately 80% of Marine Corps aviation units don’t even have the minimum number of ready basic aircraft to fulfill its responsibilities. The Omnibus bill provides $11.5 billion to repair or upgrade old aircraft, $33.7 billion to replace aircraft too old or broken to repair, and $2.2 billion to recruit and train more airmen and aircraft mechanics.
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The U.S. Navy, most analysts estimate, needs at least 350 ships to fulfill its mission.  Even that number is a far cry from the 600 ship number as recently as 1990. But as China moves rapidly towards becoming a major naval power and Russia builds increasingly sophisticated, cutting-edge technology submarines, the U.S. Navy muddles through with 275 or less vessels. It’s not only the numbers that are challenging.  HASC notes that there are “Serious readiness shortfalls, including insufficient time or resources to train Sailors or maintain ships.” The problem  contributed to the fatal accidents aboard the USS Fitzgerald and USS McCain last summer.” In some cases, sailors have been working over 100 hours a week to keep up with training requirements and current operations. Navy ships and submarines remain in port unable to sail and perform their mission due to critical maintenance that cannot be conducted due to budget cuts.  The Omnibus bill provides $12 billion to repair current ships, $23.3 billion for new vessels, and $2 billion to recruit and train sailors.

During the Obama Administration, the U.S. Army, including the National Guard and the reserves, was reduced by 120,000 soldiers. 15 brigade combat teams were eliminated. Of the remaining brigades, only 5 are considered “ready to fight.” The urgently needed funding to upgrade outdated equipment was cut in half during the Obama Administration. The omnibus bill provides $2.7 billion to repair Army equipment, $5.1 billion to recruit additional Soldiers, and $14.3 billion to replace or upgrade current equipment

The actual infrastructure of the armed forces has been crumbling. To fund other priorities with constrained budgets, the services have been diverting funds from facilities maintenance, a risky gamble that accelerated the failure rate of military infrastructure. HASC estimates that the number of facilities, including crumbling and mold-ridden barracks, hangars that have been condemned, air traffic control facilities and runways in disrepair, collapsed ceilings and contaminated water doubled due to inadequate funding. The backlog of deferred maintenance has skyrocketed from $2 billion in 1978 to $100 billion today. The Omnibus bill just passed provides $22.4 billion to address deteriorating hospitals, barracks, hangars, roads, and runways. That includes $13 billion for repairs, upgrades and maintenance, and $9.4 billion for new construction.

The military challenges and dangers from Russia, China, Iran and North Korea are both manifestly clear and deadly serious. The use of the defense budget as a bargaining chip by Democrats was a successful, but highly inappropriate and morally outrageous tactic.