For the Army, the omnibus bill increases personnel, spends more on equipment maintenance, and replaces or upgrades weapons and systems.
The 2018 budget includes $23.9 billion for Army procurement, a $6.5 billion increase over the original budget request.
This provides:
- $5.5 billion for aircraft, a 33 percent increase;
- $3.2 billion for missiles, a 27 percent increase;
- $4.4 billion for weapons and tracked combat vehicles, an 81 percent increase;
- $2.6 billion for ammunition, a 36 percent increase; and
- $8.3 billion for other procurement, a 28 percent increase.
The omnibus appropriations package fully funds previously authorized increases in Army troop strength, growing the Regular Army by 7,500 soldiers in 2018 to a total of 483,500. That required a $168 million adjustment in the Army personnel budget. Army leaders said at least part of that increase will be used to backfill early-deploying units that have shortages.
The Army Reserve grows by 500 soldiers to a new troop level of 199,500. The Army National Guard also grows by 500 to a new level of 343,500. Their budgets received modest adjustments to pay for the additional soldiers.
There is $48 billion in the bill for operations and maintenance, with $38.8 billion for the Regular Army, $6.9 billion for the Army National Guard and $2.9 billion for the Army Reserve.
