[Budget of the United States Government]
[V. Preparing For the 21st Century]
[10. Supporting the World’s Strongest Military Force]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]
10. SUPPORTING THE WORLD'S STRONGEST MILITARY FORCE
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There will always be threats to our well-being, to the peaceful community
of nations to which we belong. Indeed, in the years ahead, we will see more
and more threats that cross national borders--terrorism, weapons of mass
destruction proliferating around the world, the growth of organized crime
and drug trafficking. We will have to find new ways to meet these security
threats.
President Clinton
November 1997
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As the world's most powerful fighting force, our Nation's military
serves as the backbone of U.S. national security strategy, safeguarding
America's interests, deterring conflict, and securing the peace.
Maintaining a strong and capable military remains essential to
protecting our freedoms and ensuring America's global leadership role as
we approach the 21st Century.
As the security partner of choice for many countries in all regions of
the world, America remains the ``indispensable nation'' of the post-Cold
War era. Consistent with our global responsibilities, the U.S. military
must deter our adversaries and reassure our friends and allies that
America is prepared to put force behind the defense of its interests.
American forces must prevail when committed to combat: they must be
ready to meet the threat of major theater war; they must be prepared for
newly emerging threats, such as the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction; they must be able to undertake demanding contingency or
humanitarian operations; and they must be supported by a modern defense
infrastructure that utilizes efficient management and business
practices.
This Nation has built, and the Administration continues to support, a
military second to none. But while the United States remains the only
nation with the combat, logistical, mobility, intelligence, and
communications capabilities to conduct effective military operations
worldwide, we must continue to prepare for tomorrow's challenges. The
Department of Defense (DOD) recently completed the Quadrennial Defense
Review (QDR), a strategic plan to ensure that our forces remain capable
of executing the full range of global military operations into the next
century. Consistent with the QDR, the defense program embraces three key
elements:
Shaping the international environment: Along with diplomacy
and economic initiatives, the U.S. military plays an essential
role in shaping the international security environment. U.S.
forces are involved in a wide variety of activities that
bolster our own national security and the security of others.
Such activities include overseas deployments and programs that
reduce or eliminate the nuclear, biological, and chemical
capabilities of other countries. These important efforts,
which the budget supports, make it less likely that our
military will be committed to combat.
Responding to the full spectrum of crises: Despite U.S.
efforts to prevent conflict, our forces at times must respond
to crises in order to protect our national interests,
demonstrate U.S. resolve, and reaffirm the Nation's role as
global leader. As Chart 10-1 shows, U.S. forces must be able
to address the full spectrum of possible military crises,
including smaller-scale contingency missions, counterterrorism
operations, and major theater wars.
Preparing now for an uncertain future: While maintaining the
capability to confront today's dangers, we must continue to
transform our military to meet
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The budget fully supports the recommendations of both the QDR and of
DOD's recently released Defense Reform Initiative (DRI), a plan to
achieve a leaner, more efficient, and more cost-effective organization
through improved management and business practices. To implement these
business improvements, DOD will submit legislation to Congress in
conjunction with the budget--including legislation for two more rounds
of base closures and realignments, in 2001 and 2005. In a constrained
fiscal environment, retooling DOD to achieve greater efficiencies will
save funds that can go to modernize U.S. military forces (see Table 10-
1).
Providing the Necessary Funding
For DOD, the budget proposes discretionary funding of $258.4 billion
in budget authority and $253.9 billion in outlays for 1999. The budget
continues the Administration's plan, as reaffirmed by the QDR, of
completing the careful resizing of U.S. military forces, fully
supporting military readiness, enhancing quality of life programs, and
increasing funding to modernize our forces as new technologies become
available after the turn of the century. Over this period, the budget
reflects savings from lower estimates of inflation, which will go to
finance increases in counterproliferation, counterterrorism and counter-
drug programs, and new weapons procurement.
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Table 10-1. MILITARY FORCE TRENDS
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Cold War
(1990) 1999 2003 Target
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Army:
Divisions (active/National
Guard)..................... 18/10 10 \1\/ 8
\2\ 10 \1\/ 8
\2\
Air Force:
Fighter wings (active/
reserve)................... 24/12 12+/7+ 12+/8
Navy:
Aircraft carriers (active/
training).................. 15/1 11/1 11/1
Air wings (active/reserve). 13/2 10/1 10/1
Total battle force ships
\3\........................ 546 314 306
Marine Corps:
Divisions (active/reserve). 3/1 3/1 3/1
Wings (active/reserve)..... 3/1 3/1 3/1
Strategic nuclear forces:
Intercontinental ballistic
missiles/warheads.......... 1,000/2,450 550/2,000 500/500 \4\
Ballistic missile
submarines................. 31 18 14 \4\
Sea-launched ballistic
missiles/warheads.......... 568/4,864 432/3,456 336/not over
1,750 \4\
Heavy bombers.............. 324 89 \5\ 92 \5\
Military personnel:
Active..................... 2,069,000 1,395,800 1,365,500
Selected reserve........... 1,128,000 877,100 837,100
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\1\ Plus two armored cavalry regiments.
\2\ Plus 18 separate brigades (15 of which are at enhanced readiness
levels).
\3\ Includes active and reserve ships of the following types: aircraft
carriers, surface combatants, submarines, amphibious warfare, ships,
mine warfare ships, and combat logistics force and other support
ships.
\4\ Upon entry-into-force of START II.
\5\ Does not include 95 B-1 bombers dedicated to conventional missions.
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Preparing Military Forces in the Post-Cold War Era
Providing Humanitarian and Disaster Assistance: Given its global
presence and unique capabilities, America's military is often asked to
respond to international disasters and human tragedies. Such responses
may come at the direction of U.S. commanders, who can respond quickly to
regional problems, or at the President's direction when he determines
that DOD is the appropriate agency to provide U.S. support. The proposed
$63 million for the Overseas Humanitarian, Disaster, and Civic Aid
account, an increase of $16 million over the 1998 level, will allow DOD
to provide critical humanitarian and disaster assistance to support U.S.
interests without cutting into the resources available for readiness. Of
the $63 million, $34 million will support the President's initiative to
expand the U.S. Humanitarian Demining Program.
Executing Counter-drug Programs: DOD participates fully in the
President's National Drug Control Strategy, designed to stem the flow of
illegal drugs into the country and reduce demand. DOD fulfills its
primary missions--to eliminate foreign and domestic drug supply sources
and prevent drugs from entering the country--by detecting and monitoring
ships and aircraft moving drugs to the United States, supporting
domestic and foreign law enforcement, collecting and analyzing foreign
intelligence, and supporting the activities of the National Guard under
State counter-drug programs. DOD continues to fight illegal drug use in
the military through prevention, education, and testing. The budget
proposes $883 million for DOD's counter-drug efforts.
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Shaping the Environment Through Arms Control and Cooperative Threat
Reduction: The Cooperative Threat Reduction Program (also called the
Nunn-Lugar Program) helps build a safer world by dismantling nuclear
forces, securing nuclear weapons and materials, and destroying chemical
weapons in the former Soviet Union. The budget proposes $442 million to
continue this vital program. The President also remains strongly
committed to reducing the threat from weapons of mass destruction
through existing or anticipated arms control agreements. Over the past
five years, the Administration has worked hard to implement the START I
treaty; bring the START II treaty into force; oversee the ratification
of, and begin to implement, the Chemical Weapons Convention;
indefinitely and unconditionally extend the Nuclear Nonproliferation
Treaty; and obtain the signing of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
(CTBT). The START II treaty awaits Russia's approval, after which the
President plans to seek a subsequent agreement to further reduce warhead
levels.
Ensuring Successful Contingency Operations: U.S. forces have provided
leadership in contingency operations that support our interests. As in
previous years, the budget proposes funding for ongoing contingency
operations in Southwest Asia in the Overseas Contingency Operations
Transfer Fund; for 1999, the budget proposes $747 million to fund the
Southwest Asia operations. Congressional approval would allow DOD to
avoid redirecting funds from operations and maintenance programs to
contingency operations, thereby helping to maintain the readiness of our
force.
While the President has announced his intention that United States
forces participate in a NATO follow-on force in Bosnia, starting in July
1998, NATO has not yet finalized the exact structure required for the
force. Consequently, DOD has not been able to determine the specific
American contribution to that force. Once NATO makes these force
structure decisions, the Administration will send Congress a
supplemental funding request to cover the additional costs, as
prescribed by the 1998 National Defense Authorization and DOD
Appropriations Acts.
Countering the Proliferation of, and Defending Against, Weapons of
Mass Destruction: The President remains committed to developing
capabilities to locate and neutralize nuclear, biological, and chemical
weapons before they can be used, and to protect U.S. troops against
their effects. The budget proposes over $800 million for the effort.
High-priority activities include gaining the means to identify and
destroy underground production and storage sites, refining methods to
detect and track weapons shipments, and improving the means to detect
and identify biological warfare agents. In response to the emerging
terrorist threat of chemical or biological attacks on American cities,
the budget also funds improvements to domestic preparedness and response
capabilities.
Protecting our Forces and Combating Terrorism: The protection of U.S.
service members, deployed or at home, against the threat of terrorism is
a fundamental task. The budget proposes $3.9 billion to fully fund DOD's
programs to combat terrorism, including routine force protection. The
resources will improve our preparedness to respond to a terrorist attack
that employs weapons of mass destruction, and enable DOD to continue a
comprehensive vulnerability assessment program to identify additional
force protection needs.
Developing Technologies to Defend Against Strategic Ballistic
Missiles: The budget proposes $963 million to continue developing a
national missile defense to protect the United States from a limited
ballistic missile attack. This contingency capability will allow DOD to
deploy an effective system rapidly if a threat should emerge sooner than
U.S. intelligence now estimates.
Developing and Deploying Defenses Against Theater Ballistic Missiles:
The budget proposes over $2.4 billion to develop and deploy systems to
defend against missiles that directly threaten U.S. and allied forces
deployed to specific theaters. While the funding is primarily for
research and development of advanced systems to meet future threats, it
includes $343 million to procure an advanced version of the Patriot
missile and $43 million for the Navy's Area Theater Missile
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Defense System that can be deployed immediately.
Maintaining the Nation's Nuclear Deterrent: Although funding for
nuclear forces is at its lowest level in over 30 years, these forces
remain an essential component of our military capability. Within treaty-
imposed limits, their primary mission is to deter nuclear attack against
the United States and its allies, and to convince potential adversaries
that they will never gain a nuclear advantage against our Nation.
The budget proposes $4.5 billion for the Department of Energy (DOE) to
maintain confidence in the safety, reliability, and performance of the
nuclear weapons stockpile. DOE will perform this mission without
underground nuclear testing to comply with the proposed CTBT. To make up
for the loss of testing, DOE plans to build new non-nuclear test
facilities while upgrading the computer models it uses to predict the
performance of nuclear weapons. The budget includes: $284 million to
continue construction of the National Ignition Facility at the Lawrence
Livermore National Laboratory; $518 million, $140 million more than in
1998, for the Advanced Strategic Computing Initiative; and $157 million
for a new source of tritium for nuclear weapons.
Modernizing Our Military Forces
Addressing the Modernization Imperative: Modernizing weapons systems
is critical to the future readiness of U.S. military forces. In the
1970s and 1980s, the Nation invested heavily in a wide range of
equipment--including fighter aircraft, attack submarines, surface ships,
attack helicopters, and armored vehicles--enabling us to reduce weapons
purchases, and total defense spending, in the early 1990s as we cut the
size of U.S. forces after the Cold War. But the equipment bought in the
prior two decades, the backbone of today's forces, is aging and must be
replaced. When complex military equipment ages, it becomes costlier and
more difficult to maintain and operate. More importantly, the decisive
military advantage that new, superior equipment provides will help
reduce casualties and may permit a quick, successful resolution of
conflict. For these reasons, weapons system modernization continues to
be a high Administration priority.
The QDR determined that the Nation needs roughly $60 billion a year in
weapons procurement funding, beginning in 2001, to modernize U.S.
forces. The budget provides $48.7 billion for the 1999 procurement
program, $3.9 billion more than the 1998 level, and achieves the $60
billion goal by 2001. In addition, the budget funds basic and applied
research and development of advanced technologies that will lay the
groundwork for procuring next-generation systems and that are vital to
the Nation's engineering, mathematics, and computer science efforts.
Modernizing Ground Forces: In the near term, Army modernization
emphasizes digitization of battlefield systems (discussed later in this
chapter) and upgrades to existing combat equipment so that our ground
forces will have a clear advantage over potential opponents. The Army
will extend the useful life and improve battlefield performance of
primary combat systems, such as the Abrams tank, the Bradley Fighting
Vehicle and the Apache Longbow helicopter, by integrating new navigation
and data transfer technology, improving weapons and targeting systems,
and increasing vehicle protection systems.
The centerpiece of the Marine Corps modernization program is the V-22
tilt-rotor aircraft that will replace the CH-46 and CH-53A/D helicopters
now used to transport troops and equipment. The V-22's increased range,
payload, and speed will significantly enhance Marine Corps tactical
operations.
A sometimes overlooked, but no less important, part of ground force
modernization is the replacement of aging combat support systems such as
trucks. The Army is replacing its fleet of medium trucks by procuring
new models, while the Marines have undertaken a truck remanufacturing
program.
In the long term, ground force research and development programs aim
to take advantage of leaps in technology to enhance mission-essential
equipment. Critical programs, which will lead to procurement in the
middle of the next decade, include the Army's Comanche helicopter for
armed reconnaissance, the Crusader self-propelled artillery howitzer,
and
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the Marines' Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle.
Modernizing Naval Forces: The budget continues procurement of several
ship classes, including three DDG-51 Aegis destroyers, a New Attack
Submarine, and an LPD-17 Amphibious Transport Dock Ship. The Navy budget
continues advance funding for the major refueling overhaul of the second
Nimitz-class nuclear aircraft carrier to enable the ship to stay in
service another 25 years. The Navy also will procure long-lead material
to construct the last Nimitz-class nuclear aircraft carrier. In
addition, the Navy is undertaking long-term development efforts to
design next generation destroyers and carriers, to be procured in the
middle of the next decade. Both of these new ship classes will operate
at lower costs and will be more capable than their predecessors by
taking advantage of innovative technologies.
Along with new ships, the Navy will continue to develop and procure
highly-capable weapons for a number of missions. For defense against
missiles and aircraft, the budget continues procurement of Standard
Missiles. It also continues procurement of Tomahawk cruise missiles for
use against land targets. The budget supports investments in the Ship
Self-Defense System to provide close anti-air defense for surface ships,
and in gun and missile technologies to improve the Navy's delivery of
fire support for marines and soldiers ashore.
Modernizing Air Forces: For the United States to maintain its ability
to dominate battles in the next century, substantial investment in new
tactical combat aircraft is necessary. The budget supports three new
aircraft programs. First, it continues low rate production of the F/A-
18E/F Super Hornet, which will become the Navy's principal fighter/
attack aircraft in the next decade. Second, the procurement of the first
two F-22 Raptors, the Air Force's new air superiority fighter, will
begin in 1999. Full-rate production of the F-22 should come early in the
next century. Third, research and development into new materials and
manufacturing processes for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) will
continue. The JSF is DOD's largest, most ambitious tactical aircraft
program and is designed to produce a family of aircraft for the Air
Force, Navy, and Marine Corps. It is scheduled to start replacing about
3,000 aging aircraft (F-16s, F/A-18C/Ds and AV-8Bs) in 2005.
The budget also funds a major effort to improve the weapons carried by
combat aircraft. Joint missile procurement programs include the Advanced
Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile and the Joint Standoff Weapon.
Procurement continues for the Joint Direct Attack Munition--an
inexpensive guidance kit, which transforms unguided bombs into precision
guided munitions. In addition, the Navy's program to upgrade existing
Harpoon missiles into Standoff Land Attack Missiles Expanded Response
continues in 1999. The budget also funds research and development into
various munitions programs of the future, such as the AIM-9X Sidewinder
missile for short range air-to-air combat, and the Joint Air-to-Surface
Standoff Missile.
To help ensure continued access to space, DOD plans to develop the
Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program with industry, enhancing U.S.
competitiveness in the space launch market and providing DOD with more
efficient, economical access to space.
Establishing Information Dominance: America's preeminence in using
information on the battlefield has helped us establish the world's
strongest military. The commander who can better observe and analyze the
battle while disseminating highly accurate information to his forces has
a powerful advantage over the adversary. Joint Vision 2010, DOD's vision
for the future, focuses on the continued development of command,
control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance, and
reconnaissance capabilities. This effort will enhance the accuracy of
weapons and allow for the more effective use of forces. The Army plans
to ``digitize'' a division by the year 2000--that is, equip it so that
accurate, timely information about the battle can be transferred rapidly
between U.S. forces. The budget includes funding for Navy and Air Force
automated command and control systems and land and space-based
communications networks. It also includes funds for battlefield
surveillance assets, such as unmanned aerial vehicles, and navigation
systems, like the Global Positioning System for all military
departments. The
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budget provides funds to purchase national sensors (e.g., satellites) to
help our leaders better anticipate, monitor, and respond to crises.
These assets will play a key role in both military operations and
national security decision-making, and will enable commanders to more
effectively direct the battle and respond to threats.
Supporting the President's Initiatives on Landmines: To implement the
policy that the President outlined last September, DOD is accelerating
its research and development on demining technology and on alternatives
to anti-personnel landmines. The budget proposes $40 million for these
efforts.
Maintaining Military Readiness
Ensuring Adequate Resources for Readiness: Maintaining high levels of
readiness is our top defense priority. To allow U.S. forces to
accomplish a wide range of missions, the budget provides full funding
for key operations and support programs, including unit training
activities, recruiting and retention programs, joint exercises, and
equipment maintenance. In addition, DOD continues to monitor its current
and future military readiness through the Senior Readiness Oversight
Council and the Joint Monthly Readiness Review process. These efforts
enhance the Department's ability to ensure that critical readiness
programs receive sufficient resources and that our forces remain
prepared to accomplish their missions and achieve our Nation's military
strategy.
Enhancing the Quality of Life of Military Personnel: The
Administration is strongly committed to strengthening the quality of
life of military personnel, which is important for retaining and
recruiting high-quality personnel. The budget proposes a 3.1 percent pay
raise, effective January 1999, to help ensure that military compensation
remains competitive with private sector wages. The budget includes
substantial funding to improve the quality of health care, military
housing, and child care programs. Enhancements to family support
programs can help reduce the stresses associated with military life,
such as frequent family separations. The budget also increases funding
for improving educational activities for military and eligible civilian
dependents, including the construction and maintenance of schools and
support for the President's School Technology Initiative, which has the
long-range goal of putting one computer in every classroom for every
four students and one for every teacher.
Managing Our Defense Resources More Efficiently
Implementing Management and Business Practice Reform: Under the DRI
and other efforts, DOD continues to implement improvements to its
management and business practices, including increased privatization and
outsourcing of support functions, personnel reductions associated with
infrastructure and support activities, greater use of electronic
commerce, and expanded use of government purchase cards. A new inter-
agency working group will help to identify and eliminate impediments to
business practice reform.
Outsourcing and Privatizing: DOD has begun to implement an aggressive
outsourcing and privatization program for its infrastructure and support
activities, including base utility services, general base operations,
family housing, logistics support, training, property maintenance, and
distribution depots. These efforts will save an estimated $6.4 billion
over the next five years and improve support for U.S. troops.
Eliminating Excess Infrastructure: DOD has facilities that it no
longer needs because infrastructure reductions have lagged behind force
reductions. Excess facilities drain resources that could otherwise go to
modernization, readiness, and quality of life. To address the problem,
DOD will send legislation to Congress to seek two more rounds of base
closures and realignments, in 2001 and 2005.
Improving Financial Management: The Administration remains committed
to reforming DOD's financial management activities and systems, and has
developed a comprehensive strategy to do so. The Administration has
identified shortcomings in such areas as contractor overpayments, fraud
detection and controls, and standardized finance and accounting systems.
The Department is taking significant steps to improve the integrity of
its financial practices. For example, DOD has cut the category known as
problem disbursements from a total of $34.3 billion in June 1993 to $9.2
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billion in June 1997. Such steps will provide managers with more
accurate and timely financial information.
Streamlining the Civilian Work Force: Since 1993, DOD has cut its work
force by nearly 22 percent, or about 201,000 positions, and it will
continue to streamline its civilian work force while maintaining
quality. As the QDR and DRI recommended, DOD plans to implement further
reductions of 97,000 full-time-equivalent civilian positions. During
this drawdown, DOD will provide transition assistance for affected
employees.
Implementing the Information Technology Management Reform Act (ITMRA):
Also known as the Clinger-Cohen Act, the ITMRA is designed to help
agencies improve mission performance by effectively using information
technology. One example is the Global Command and Control System, which
supports U.S. forces by improving their ability to process and transfer
critical military information quickly and accurately. The Secretary of
Defense has established a DOD Chief Information Officer Council to
manage DOD's annual $11 billion information technology budget and
provide advice on ITMRA-related issues. In addition, DOD is continuing
to restructure its work processes while applying modern technologies to
maximize the performance of information systems, achieve a significant
return on investments, cut costs, and produce measurable results.