Military urges more spending
Current budgetary constraints said to be crippling ability to respond to threats
WASHINGTON — Pleading for a repeal of a law that strictly limits defense spending, a panel of four-star military officers warned lawmakers Tuesday that the fiscal constraints are crippling the military’s ability to respond to threats around the world.
Appearing before the House Armed Services Committee, the officers delivered a message that appears to grow grimmer each time it’s delivered. It echoed President Donald Trump who promised to reinvest in a “depleted” military although annual defense spending is more than $600 billion.
“You’ve been lacking a little equipment, we’re going to load it up. You’re going to get a lot of equipment,” Trump said at Central Command on Monday.
Each of the military services have delivered to Congress plans for increasing the 2017 defense budget by more than $30 billion to acquire new jet fighters, armored vehicles, improved training and more. The informal proposals, obtained by The Associated Press, represent the first attempt by Trump’s Defense Department to halt the erosion of the military’s combat readiness. The shortfalls outlined in the documents may provide Trump and the national security hawks in Congress with a powerful incentive to strike the caps on military spending.
Adm. William Moran, the vice chief of naval operations, says more than half of all Navy aircraft are grounded because they’re awaiting maintenance or lack needed spare parts. The figure is even higher for the service’s front line F/A-18 fighter jets, according to Moran.
Gen. Daniel Allyn, the Army’s vice chief of staff, told the panel that only three of the Army’s more than 50 brigade combat teams have all the troops, training and equipment needed to fight at a moment’s notice.
Portions of the plans will likely be included in the formal supplemental budget for 2017 that the Trump administration is sending to Capitol Hill soon.
The Marine Corps, arguing for a $4.2 billion boost to its 2017 budget, warned that the “nation’s force in readiness” will have to continue shifting money intended for new weapons to pay current bills.
“As near-peer competitors probe the limits of American retrenchment and the operational environment grows more complex, the Marine Corps of today is largely optimized for the past and sacrificing modernization to sustain current readiness,” the service’s budget amendment reads.
The Navy’s request totals $12 billion in additional spending and asks for 24 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighters, one San Antonio-class amphibious landing dock ship, and dozens more Sidewinder missiles.
Without more money, the 2017 fiscal year — which ends Sept. 30 — “is projected to have a significant shortfall in afloat readiness,” according to the Navy document.
The Budget Control Act of 2011 set limits on how much could be spent on defense through 2021 while exempting money provided for overseas warfighting operations.