2011 DOD budget proposes increases in procurement, cuts in research, in overall stable request

Posted by John Keller

WASHINGTON, 16 Feb. 2010. Leaders of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) are asking Congress for $708 billion in federal fiscal year 2011 -- $549 billion in discretionary spending, and $159 billion to support the continuing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- which the Obama Administration calls overseas contingency operations.

The 2011 DOD procurement budget asks Congress for $137.48 billion, which is up 1.05 percent from current-year procurement spending of $136.06 billion. The 2011 DOD research budget proposes spending $76.77 billion, which is down 5.13 percent from current-year spending of $80.92 billion.

In fiscal 2011, which begins Oct. 1, the Pentagon also proposes spending $17.45 billion for procurement and research in military communications, electronics, telecommunications, and intelligence (CET&I) technologies. The 2011 DOD CET&I budget would represent an increase of 3.2 percent increase from current-year enacted levels of $16.9 billion. These procurement and research and development amounts include numbers from the DOD's base budget request, as well as its request for continuing operations in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The 2011 DOD budget proposes $549 billion in discretionary spending that includes proposals for military personnel, military construction, and family housing. This $549 billion base DOD budget is about 3.3 percent larger, or an increase of $18 billion, than the 2010 base DOD budget, and up 6.95 percent from the DOD's 2009 base budget of $513.3 billion, according to Pentagon documents.

Air Force spending

The U.S. Air Force would spend the most of any U.S. military service on procurement and research in 2011. The Air Force budget contains $71.66 billion for procurement and research–down 2.77 percent from current-year levels of $73.69 billion. The Air Force budget has $44.14 billion for procurement, up 3.02 percent from the current year, and $27.51 billion for research and development -- down 2.33 percent from 2010.

Highlights of the Air Force's technology procurement request include $3.93 billion for 23 F-35 joint strike fighter aircraft; $649.63 million for four RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs); $576.06 million for modifications to the C-17 cargo jet; $517.6 million to buy one Wideband Gapfiller satellite; $700.7 million to buy one Space Based Infrared Satellite (SBIRS) High; and $216.38 million for communications security equipment. The Air Force budget also would end the C-17 airlifter program at 223 aircraft, and scrap plans to build an alternative engine for the F-35 joint strike fighter.

Highlights of the Air Force's technology research-and-development request includes $198.96 million for developing a next-generation bomber aircraft; $351.82 million for advanced EHF military satellite communications, $426.53 million for space situational awareness systems; $883.78 million for F-35 joint strike fighter research; $863.76 million for next-generation aerial refueling aircraft research; and $828.17 million for Global Positioning System III satellite navigation.

Navy spending

The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps budget contains $67.3 billion for procurement and research -- up 1.45 percent from current-year levels of $66.34 billion. The Navy budget has $49.54 billion for procurement, up 6.86 percent from the current year, and $17.75 billion for research and development, down 11.11 percent from 2009.

Highlights of the Navy and Marine Corps procurement request include $1.03 billion to buy 12 E/A-18G electronic warfare jets and $1.78 billion for 22 F/A-18 E/F fighter-bomber aircraft; $2.12 billion for 30 V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft; $3.96 billion for 20 F-35 joint strike fighter aircraft -- seven for aircraft carrier operations and 13 short-takeoff and vertical-landing versions; $3.44 billion two Virginia-class fast attack submarines$2.922 billion for two Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers; and $278.08 million for explosive ordnance disposal systems.

Highlights of the Navy and Marine Corps research-and-development request include $226.29 million for Littoral Combat Ship research; $159.15 million for joint precision-approach and landing systems; $687.72 million for the Joint Tactical Radio System-Navy; $274.37 million for advanced above-water sensors; $549.24 million for DDG-1000 advanced destroyer development; $266.37 million for unmanned combat air vehicle advanced component and prototype development; $245.299 million for Marine Corps communications systems; and $422.27 million for satellite communications. The 2011 Navy budget also would cancel the CG(X) next-generation cruiser and EP(X) Navy intelligence aircraft.

Army spending

After taking the biggest hit in procurement and research in last year's Pentagon budget proposal, the U.S. Army budget request for procurement and research is $44.22 billion, down 0.25 percent from current-year levels. The Army budget contains $33.73 billion for procurement, up 2.87 percent from the current year, and $10.48 billion for research and development, down 9.1 percent from the current-year level of $11.54 billion.

Highlights of the Army's procurement request include $506.31 million to buy 26 MQ-1 Predator UAVs and $37.58 million to buy 312 RQ-11 Raven miniature hand-launched UAVs; $480.25 million to buy 78 Patriot missiles; $299.55 million to buy 83 Stryker armored vehicles; $183 million to upgrade 21 M1 Abrams main battle tanks; $1.43 billion to buy 4,652 family if medium tactical vehicles (FMTV); $429.96 million for the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T); $209.57 million for the Joint Tactical Radio system; $88.24 million for improved HF COTS radio; and $248.9 million for night vision thermal weapon sights.

Highlights of the Army research-and-development request include $190.9 million for WIN-T; $177.67 million for electronic warfare; $249.95 million for Future Combat Systems unmanned ground vehicles; $251.12 million for Army integrated air and missile defense; $211.5 million for the aerial common sensor; and $123.16 million for the MAQ-1 Sky warrior A UAV.

Defense agencies spending

U.S. defense agencies in 2011 plan to spend $30.88 billion on procurement and research -- a 14.54 percent cut from current-year spending levels of $36.14 billion. In 2011, DOD agencies are requesting $10.07 billion on procurement, and $20.82 billion on research and development. Defense agencies include such organizations as the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the Special Operations Command (SOCOM), the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD), and the Missile Defense Agency (MDA).

Among the DOD agencies procurement budgets in 2011, the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is requesting $952.95 million, up 47.83 percent from $644.63 million the MDA received this year. The Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) is requesting $376.73 million for procurement in 2011, a cut of nearly 7 percent from the $405.02 million that DISA received for procurement this year.

The big money for DOD agencies involves the research-and-development budgets. One of the perennial heavy hitters of defense-wide research programs -- the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) -- proposes spending $7.45 billion in 2011, up 5.58 percent from $7.06 billion this year. MDA research projects next year include $1.35 billion for ballistic missile defense midcourse defense segment; 1.47 billion for ballistic missile defense technology aboard Aegis navy cruiser and destroyer warships; and $1.11 billion for ballistic missile defense test and targets.

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) proposes a research budget next year of $3.1 billion -- an increase of 3.75 percent over the $2.99 billion that DARPA received this year. Highlights of DARPA research projects next year include $312.59 million for materials and biological technology; $202.08 million for aerospace systems; $281.26 million for information and communications technology; $219.81 million for command, control, and communications systems; and $205.03 million for sensor technology.

CET&I spending

The DOD's communications, electronics, telecommunications, and intelligence (CET&I) budget request for next year consists of $11.65 billion in CET&T procurement -- -- up 3.86 percent from current-year levels of $11.22 billion -- and $5.8 billion in CET&I research and development -- up 2 percent from current-year levels of $5.68 billion.

The U.S. Army in 2011 is asking for $7.96 billion in CET&I procurement and research -- 0.46 percent from current-year levels of $7.93 billion. The Army's CET&I request consists of $6.73 billion in communications and electronics procurement, and $772.49 million in communications and intelligence research and development.

The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps in 2011 are asking for $3.29 billion CET&I procurement and research -- up 2.23 percent from current-year levels of $3.22 billion. This request consists of $1.96 billion for Navy and Marine Corps communications and electronics procurement, and $1.33 billion in combined Navy/Marine Corps communications and intelligence research.

The U.S. Air Force in 2011 is asking for $5.37 billion for CET&I procurement and research -- up 9 percent from current-year levels of $4.92 billion. The Air Force CET&I request consists of $2.39 billion for communications and telecommunications procurement, and $2.98 billion for intelligence and communications research and development.

Service-independent Pentagon agencies are asking for $823.85 million in CET&I procurement and research in 2011 -- down 3.91 percent from current-year levels of $857.41 million. This request consists of $67.81 million in communications and electronics procurement, and $756 million in intelligence and communications research and development.

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