U.S. Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps List $1B in Unfunded Needs

While the U.S. Army has funded all of its requirements in its fiscal 2012 budget request, the Air Force, the Navy and the Marine Corps have each submitted a list of unfunded requirements to Congress.

The U.S. Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force have a combined total of more than $1 billion in unfunded needs in their fiscal 2012 budget requests. The Navy lists $367 million for maintenance of ships and submarines, such as the nuclear sub West Virginia (MC1 Kimberly Clifford / Navy)

The Navy's list totals $684 million for ship depot maintenance and aviation spares, while the Air Force lists $124 million in unfunded requirements, including money to replace munitions expended during operations in Libya. The Marine Corps' list totals $227 million for emerging requirements, including a need to upgrade equipment for its Chemical, Biological, Nuclear Incident Response Force.

In an April 15 letter to the leaders of the House Armed Services Committee, Gen. Martin Dempsey, the new chief of staff of the Army, says the service has no requirements that remain unfunded for 2012.
It is the only time the Army has not had unfunded requirements since 1995, when lawmakers first asked service chiefs to prepare lists of things they want but didn't get money for in the Pentagon's annual funding request.
The services' lists for 2012 mark a dramatic change from just a few years ago, and reflect the growing constraints being placed on the defense budget as the U.S. government tries to rein in federal spending.
In February 2008, the Air Force's wish list for the 2009 budget request totaled $18.7 billion, dwarfing the Navy's $4.6 billion list, the Army's $3.9 billion in unfunded needs, and the Marine Corps' $1.3 billion list.
"At a time of constrained resources, my primary request is that the Committee supports the President's Budget," writes Gen. Norton Schwartz, chief of staff of the Air Force, in an April 29 letter to Rep. Adam Smith, D-Wash. Smith serves as the ranking member on the House Armed Services Committee.
However, if additional funds become available, Schwartz outlines how the Air Force would spend the money.
It requests $42.5 million for the A-10 Maintenance Tester, $33.7 million for the EC-130H Avionics upgrade, and $47.5 million to replace munitions used during operations in Libya.
"Both the A-10 Maintenance Tester and the EC-130H Avionics Upgrade improve our readiness posture and operational capabilities by resolving issues that could require grounding aircraft," Schwartz writes.
For the munitions used in Operation Odyssey Dawn, the Air Force is requesting $26 million for Joint Direct Attack Munitions, $11 million for Anti-Missile Countermeasure Decoy Systems, $6 million for Air to Ground Missiles and $5 million for laser-guided weapons. The funding would replenish munitions used through April 8, according to Schwartz's letter.
In addition to these items, the Air Force is working on a cost estimate for the recent storm damage done to its aircraft and installations in the southeastern United States. Schwartz says the current estimate is $60 million and that the Air Force will work with Congress to include these costs in the course of drafting the fiscal 2011 omnibus spending bill.
The Navy lists $367 million for maintenance of ships and submarines in an April 22 letter signed by Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations.
This funding would restore 44 deferred ship non-docking availabilities.
The remaining $317 million is for aircraft spares and repair parts for V-22s tilt-rotor aircraft, EA-18G and F/A-18E/F planes, and MH-60R/S helicopters.
These requirements are not of higher priority than what is already funded in the Navy's 2012 budget request, but these accounts are "stressed by increased operational tempo," Roughead tells Congress.
"Please keep in mind, the half-year Continuing Resolution for 2011 has the potential to impact requirements in [fiscal year] 2012," Roughead says.
The bulk of the Marine Corps' funding - $155 million - is for construction activities related to the Marine Corps University located in Quantico, Va., with academic facilities at other Marine Corps bases worldwide.
Gen. James Amos, commandant of the Marine Corps, identifies a handful of other unfunded requirements "that will provide substantial benefit to the Marine Corps today and in the future," in an April 26 letter to Smith.
His list includes $45 million for the Enterprise Land Mobile Radio and $17 million for fire suppression equipment for the Marine Corps' vehicles used in Afghanistan.
Based on lessons from recent operations in Japan, Amos also lists funding for equipment like protective suits, replacement respirators and unified command suites to improve the Corps' Chemical, Biological, Nuclear Incident Response Force.
"In light of the financial constraints facing our nation, we are especially grateful for the commitment by Congress to ensuring our men and women in harm's way receive the equipment and resources they need," Amos writes.

New LCS Executive Office To Be Created

The offices that manage the U.S. Navy's littoral combat ship (LCS) program are to be combined under one executive, according to a Navy official, bringing together the ship and mission module development efforts for one of the service's largest ship construction programs.
Since its inception in 2003, the LCS effort has been split in two - one office to develop the ship, or sea frame, and another office to oversee development of the complex mission modules that are unique to the LCS concept.

Now, with two ships in service, two more under construction and more under contract, increased focus is being placed on how the ships are used and supported in the fleet. Those aspects will also be included under a new program executive officer LCS (PEO LCS).
Sean Stackley, the Navy's top acquisition official, discussed the changes Wednesday morning during an all-hands call at the Pentagon, the Navy official, speaking on background, confirmed. Stackley reportedly stressed that the changes do not reflect any program performance issues, but rather are a result of increased momentum coming from recent LCS construction contract awards and integration of the ships into the fleet.
There are no plans to eliminate any jobs as a result of the reorganization, Stackley reportedly said.
The program offices are all established under the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). While a detailed announcement is expected soon, the reorganization would reportedly include the following offices: Remote Minehunting System (PMS 403); LCS Mission Modules (PMS 420); and Mine Warfare (PMS 495) - all now organized under the PEO for Littoral and Mine Warfare.
From the PEO Ships side, the offices of Unmanned Maritime Systems (PMS 406) and Littoral Combat Ship program (PMS 501) would be included.

Indian Defense Leaders To Visit Saudi Arabia, Qatar

NEW DELHI - A.K. Antony will make the first visit by an Indian prime minister to Saudi Arabia and Qatar when he leads a senior defense delegation to the two gulf countries May 7-9.
Antony will be accompanied by Defence Secretary Pradeep Kumar, Lt. Gen. A.S. Lamba, the vice chief of the Army Staff, and other senior Defence Ministry and armed forces officials.

In the first leg of his visit to Riyadh, Antony will discuss with top Saudi leadership issues of bilateral and regional importance. The visit also aims to increase defense interactions between the armed forces of the two countries, especially in the areas of training and technical exchanges, says an Indian Defence Ministry release.
India and Saudi Arabia have regularly exchanged defense-related visits, and Indian and Saudi ships have visited each other's ports.
In the second leg of his visit, Antony will go to Doha.
"Expansion in bilateral exchanges and regional security issues will come up prominently during the discussions that Antony will hold the Qatari leadership," the release stated.
India and Qatar signed a bilateral agreement on defense cooperation during the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to Doha in November 2008. The Indian and Qatari armed forces have exchanged visits and participated as observers in each other's exercises.
India and Qatar are working toward the joint manufacture of weapons and equipment, including ammunition and light weapons for the troops, and also electronic warfare systems, said Indian Defence Ministry sources.
In 2006, India attempted to buy 12 used Mirage aircraft from Qatar but agreement could not be reached because of price differences.

Romania Air Base to Host U.S. Missile Shield

DEVESELU, Romania - Bucharest said May 3 that U.S. missile interceptors would be deployed in southern Romania, a key link in Europe for a defense shield, prompting Moscow to ask for "safeguards" from Washington.

Romania's Deveselu air base is seen May 3. Washington and Bucharest said May 3 that U.S. missile interceptors will be deployed at a former Soviet-built airbase in southern Romania, the first such move in Europe for a future defense shield. (Daniel Mihailescu / AFP via Getty Images)

Romania and the United States have been negotiating for more than a year about the deployment of ballistic missile interceptors, which should be operational by 2015.

"We have decided that the anti-missile shield will be deployed at the former airbase at Deveselu," Romanian President Traian Basescu said in a televised address.
Moscow, which fears the shield could be turned against Russia, swiftly demanded assurances from Washington.
"In this situation, U.S. legal guarantees on their intention not to deploy a missile defense system aimed at the strategic nuclear forces of Russia is becoming even more relevant," Russian Foreign ministry said quoted by news agencies.
The Romanian airbase, located in an agricultural region 100 kilometers (62 miles) north of the Bulgarian border, was built nearly 60 years ago with assistance from the Soviet Union.
In 1952, the first Soviet-made MiG-15 aircraft landed on the 700-hectare (1,700-acres) base.
Nearly a third of it will be used by American troops, whose number could go from 200 to a maximum of 500.
Closed down in 2002, the airbase will need investment worth 400 million dollars to become operational again, officials said.
An "American district" will be built in the 3,300-inhabitant village, the mayor Gheorghe Bece told Mediafax news agency.
"We are confident that Deveselu will be an excellent site and will prove to be the optimal location" for the interceptors, Lt. Gen. John Gardner, deputy commander of the U.S. Europe Command, told journalists.
The choice was made after a detailed analysis of security requirements, Basescu stressed.
"This place used to be a lot better when the military base was operational. Now all we have is agriculture," Nicolae Nutescu, a 53-year-old farmer, told AFP.
"I hope that the village will be bustling with activity again" when the U.S. troops arrive, he added.
Washington originally planned to install its anti-missile shield in Poland and the neighboring Czech Republic, aimed at countering feared attacks from Iran. But that plan, which angered Russia after it saw itself as the target for the shield system, was scrapped by U.S. President Barack Obama in September 2009.
Washington has since reworked the scheme and signed a new treaty with Moscow on reducing strategic nuclear weapons.
Russia has said it reserves the right to withdraw from the treaty if Washington presses ahead with missile defense systems in Eastern Europe in a way that Moscow opposes.
But Basescu stressed May 3 that the shield was "purely defensive and not directed against Russia."
"The U.S. missile shield has been discussed for a long time at both a political and a military level. So I don't think Russia still has doubts about its defensive nature," former foreign minister Cristian Diaconescu told AFP.
The deployment of the U.S. European-based Phased, Adaptive Approach for Missile Defense (EPAA) system started with the presence since March in the Mediterranean of a guided missile cruiser equipped with Aegis radar, the USS Monterey.
The second phase is to include the deployment of 24 SM3-type interceptors in Romania, followed in 2018 by a similar deployment in Poland.
"This is the highest level of security Romania can attain," Basescu said.
Analysts said the agreement marked a step further in the strategic partnership between the U.S. and Romania, a former communist country seen today as one of Washington's closest European allies.
Basescu's announcement coincided with the start of a visit by Ellen Tauscher, U.S. Undersecretary of State for arms control and international security affairs, who went to Deveselu on May 3.
Basescu also said U.S. troops and military equipment bound for Iraq and Afghanistan would be allowed to transit through its main port of Constanta on the Black Sea as well as the local airport.
"We have approved the use of the Mihail Kogalniceanu airport and of the harbor of Constanta for the transit of U.S. troops and equipment going to Iraq and Afghanistan and back to Europe," Basescu said in his televised address.
"Kogalniceanu and Constanta will thus become two strategic sites for the U.S. as well as for Romania."

U.K.'s Marshall to Supply Fuel Tanks for USAF KC-46A

LONDON - British company Marshall Aerospace has secured an order to supply body fuel tanks to boost the performance of the Boeing 767, selected by the U.S. Air Force to become its new KC-46A in-flight refueling tanker.
European industry may have missed out on the big prize when EADS failed to win the huge KC-46A contract, but U.K. companies aligned with the 767 bid have started to see their position on the Boeing team turn into firm contracts.

Marshall Aerospace announced it has been awarded a deal to design and supply body fuel tanks for the 767-derived tanker to increase flight range and refueling capability.
Each aircraft will carry four of the tanks. Initially, the Marshall deal covers a batch of tanks destined to be fitted to development aircraft, but the Cambridge-based company said in a statement that it expects production orders will follow from the USAF for more than 650 tanks over a 15-year period.
The value of the program is expected to exceed 100 million pounds ($165 million) over the duration of the program, and Marshall said it expects that number to rise on the back of export prospects for the tanker.
Boeing has previously awarded Marshall body fuel tank work on aircraft such as the P-8 Poseidon, the 777 and the 747.
Earlier this year, Boeing's 767 beat out a bid by its European rival, which offered a variant of the Airbus A330 airliner, to supply 179 KC-46A tankers to the USAF.
In February, British company Cobham announced it was to supply the hose and drogue refueling systems for the KC-46A. Most of that work will be conducted at a new facility in Davenport, Iowa.
Cobham was in a win-win situation; its market-leading refueling systems were also specified for the Airbus plane.
A Cobham spokesman in the U.K. said he expected the total amount of work generated for the company by the tanker order would be about $1 billion over the life of the program. That work would be dominated by supply and support of the refueling systems, he said.

Romania, U.S. Agree on Shield Site: Official

BUCHAREST - The United States and Romania announced plans Tuesday to install missile interceptors at a former air base in the south of the Balkans country for a future defense shield, the first such deployment in Europe.
The two governments have been negotiating for more than a year about the deployment of ballistic missile interceptors, which should be operational by 2015, and the announcement came in a televised address.

"We have decided that the anti-missile shield will be deployed at the former airbase at Deveselu, in Olt County," Romanian President Traian Basescu said.
The airbase, which will remain under Romanian command, will host an average of 200 U.S. troops and up to a maximum of 500.
The choice was made after a detailed analysis of some 120 parameters that should meet the highest security requirements, Basescu stressed.
Washington originally planned to install an anti-missile shield in Poland and the neighboring Czech Republic, aimed at countering feared attacks from Iran.
In September 2009, U.S. President Barack Obama scrapped that project, which had been pushed by his predecessor George W. Bush and enraged Russia.
Washington has since reworked the scheme and signed a new treaty with Moscow on reducing strategic nuclear weapons. Russia has said it reserves the right to withdraw from the treaty if Washington presses ahead with missile defense systems in Eastern Europe in a way that Moscow opposes.
But Basescu once again stressed that the shield was "purely defensive and not directed against Russia."
He added that the interceptors would be part of a missile shield that NATO plans to develop in the coming years.
"This is the highest level of security Romania can attain," Basescu said.
Romanian officials had previously said that the Balkan country was to host 24 SM3-type interceptors.
Basescu's announcement coincided with the start of a visit by Ellen Tauscher, U.S. undersecretary of state for arms control and international security affairs. Tauscher and Romanian officials were to visit the airbase later in the day.
The U.S. official said after meeting with Basescu that Washington was grateful for help from allies such as Romania in the fight against terrorism.
Basescu also announced that U.S. troops and military equipment bound for Iraq and Afghanistan would transit a Romanian airbase and a harbor on the Black Sea.
"We have approved the use of the Mihail Kogalniceanu airport and of the harbor of Constanta for the transit of U.S. troops and equipment going to Iraq and Afghanistan and back to Europe," Basescu said in his televised address. "Kogalniceanu and Constanta will thus become two strategic sites for the U.S. as well as for Romania."
Constanta is the main Romanian sea harbor.
Basescu said the Kogalniceanu airbase, used by U.S. troops during the war in Iraq, will also temporarily shelter four U.S. tankers and four Hercules C-17 aircraft.
A close ally of the U.S., Romania was among the first countries to join the international forces deployed in Iraq and currently has 1,770 troops in Afghanistan.

Levin: Bin Laden Death Underlines Need for Afghan Pullout

The death of Osama bin Laden reinforces the idea that there needs to be a robust withdrawal of NATO forces from Afghanistan beginning in July, Senate Armed Services Chairman Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., said May 2.
"I think there's going to be a lot of strong feeling on the part of most Democrats - I think many independents and even some Republicans - that the decision of the president to reduce the number of troops in Afghanistan starting in July should be a robust reduction," Levin told reporters during a conference call.

The news that the al-Qaida leader had been killed would not necessarily make that withdrawal larger than already planned, he said.
"I believe it was going to be robust in any event," Levin said, acknowledging that there is disagreement within the Obama administration about how large the troop withdrawal should be.
Levin would not give a number for how many troops he thought should return home from Afghanistan, but he did say it should be "significant," not symbolic.
Removing bin Laden from the picture puts the Afghan government closer to assuming responsibility for its own security, he said.
"The potential of the Afghan Army and the police to take responsibility is greater now," Levin said.
While bin Laden provided little or no day-to-day operational guidance to al-Qaida, his survival gave the group a sense of mystique, the senator said. But bin Laden as the "guiding hand" is now gone, he said.
However, Levin also said he expects retaliatory attacks from al-Qaida.
"That should surprise no one," he said.
As for how the news out of Pakistan will play into the larger debate in the U.S. over the debt and defense spending, Levin said the country needed to find savings in the defense budget before bin Laden's death and it still needs to find them now.
"I think the urgency to find those savings will remain there," Levin said.