By the Navy League Legislative Affairs Department
Some very important developments related to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) have occurred. The House voted and approved the FY22 NDAA, and the language of the Senate Armed Services Committee NDAA markup have been published. In both, it looks like the sea services received the bulk of what they requested thanks to an addition of more than $30 billion above the President’s Budget. Some House members offered amendments to reduce the defense budget but those amendments were unsuccessful … this time. Please see below for a summary of both the Senate bill and House bill in regards to sea service items. Our thanks to Scott Sundt for the Senate summary.
Senate Armed Services Committee
Under the leadership of Chairwoman Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) and Ranking Member Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND), the subcommittee on Seapower markup directs a continuation of previous years’ efforts to improve the Navy and Marine Corps’ ability to implement the national defense strategy. The subcommittee includes a total of $71.8 billion, including $56.7 billion in procurement and $15.1 billion in Research, Development, Test and Evaluation funding authorizations. The subcommittee authorizes an additional $2.3 billion in the Seapower jurisdiction for important programs, including all of the Seapower items on the Chief of Naval Operations’ and Commandant of the Marine Corps’ unfunded requirements lists. The subcommittee also includes several legislative provisions that reinforce best practices in Navy and Marine Corps’ acquisition strategies.
Destroyers
∙ Authorizes $3.716 billion for Arleigh Burke-class destroyers, an increase of $1.7 billion to restore a second guided missile destroyer to the budget.
∙ Authorizes an increase of $125.0 million for long lead material for a third FY23 Arleigh Burke-class destroyer.
∙ Authorizes an increase of $50.0 million for surface combatant industrial base stability initiatives.
∙ Expresses support for an acquisition strategy for the next generation destroyer that would feature greater collaboration between industry and the government, taking lessons from early successes in the Columbia-class program, and directs the Secretary of the Navy to provide a report on the use of such acquisition practices in the next generation destroyer program.
∙ Expresses support for a new multi-year procurement of destroyers beginning in fiscal year 2023 to support the shipbuilding industrial base and expansion of the Navy battle force to congressionally mandated levels.
Amphibious Ships
∙ Extends through fiscal year 2022 an authority granted in last year’s NDAA to enter into a multi-ship procurement for amphibious vessels.
∙ Authorizes $250 million for LPD Flight II advance procurement, an increase of $250 million to support a multi-ship procurement or long-lead time material procurement for amphibious warships.
∙ Expresses continued support for a multi-ship procurement of amphibious warships and directs the Secretary of the Navy to provide a report on several potential acquisition strategies for such platforms.
∙ Directs the Secretary of the Navy to provide a report on various options to improve the lethality and survivability of the San Antonio-class amphibious assault ship.
Navy Strategy
∙ Requires the Navy to develop a 15-year acquisition, modernization, and sustainment plan for the entire carrier air wing, building off the FY21 NDAA requirement to produce a fighter force structure acquisition strategy.
∙ Limits transfer of certain operational test flight events and reduction in operational flight test capacity pending certain certifications.
∙ Directs the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and the Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) to provide reports detailing forces that may be appropriate to allocate to SOUTHCOM if additional forces were available, as well as the potential use of platforms that would otherwise be decommissioned for such missions.
∙ Authorizes $192.2 million for F/A-18 research and development, including an increase of $3 million for the incorporation of artificial intelligence on legacy platforms such as the F/A-18.
∙ Requires updated Navy battle force ship assessment and requirement reporting when DOD updates strategic guidance.
∙ Expresses support for the replacement of aging training vessels used by the United States Naval Academy and directs the Secretary of the Navy to provide a report on the options to improve surface warfare officer ship handling training.
Shipbuilding
∙ Prohibits the early retirement of naval vessels unless the Secretary of the Navy makes certain certifications to Congress.
∙ Requires the Navy to establish a position of Deputy Commander of the Naval Sea Systems Command for the Supervision of Shipbuilding, Conversion, and Repair to improve oversight and administration of shipbuilding contracts.
∙ Authorizes $418.6 million for the LHA replacement, an increase of $350 million to gain efficiencies by accelerating construction of LHA-9.
∙ Authorizes $270.0 million for expeditionary fast transport vessels, an increase of $270.0 million.
∙ Reduces $299.9 million requested to purchase used sealift vessels, since the prior-year funds have not been obligated.
∙ Directs the Secretary of the Navy to provide a report on further risk reduction efforts for the Constellation-class frigate (FFG-62) program.
∙ Requires the inclusion of naval vessel expected service lives in the annual naval vessel construction plan.
∙ Requires continued reporting on Littoral Combat Ship mission package development and fielding.
∙ Requires a comparative assessment of shipbuilding purchasing power in the United States, China, and Russia.
∙ Authorizes $3.1 billion for the Columbia-class submarine program, an increase of $130 million, for industrial base development and expansion in support of the Virginia and Columbia shipbuilding programs.
Aircraft
∙ Authorizes $535 million to purchase an additional five F-35C aircraft.
∙ Authorizes $191 million to purchase an additional E-2D aircraft.
∙ Authorizes $305.8 million to purchase two additional C-130J aircraft.
∙ Authorizes $191.9 million to purchase an additional KC-130J tanker aircraft.
∙ Authorizes $250.0 million to purchase two additional CH-53K helicopters.
∙ Authorizes $323.0 million to purchase two MQ-4C Triton unmanned aerial systems.
∙ Authorizes $246.6 million to purchase additional F-35B spares and ground support equipment
Sensors
∙ Extends a prohibition on availability of funds for certain Navy waterborne security equipment pending improvements to program management.
∙ Requires the Office Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation to conduct a review of three similar radar systems used for air and missile defense by the Navy and Missile Defense Agency.
∙ Authorizes $303.52 million for sonobuoy procurement, an increase of $54.4 million.
∙ Authorizes $264.4 million for Joint Tactical Radio System research and development, including an additional $30 million for an advanced resilient Link-16 like waveform that does not require any changes to the host aircraft operational flight programs, and supports the Navy’s unfunded request for this program.
∙ Authorizes $59.1 million for Naval Integrated Fire Control – Counter Air Systems Engineering, including an increase of $13 million to support testing and evaluation activities for stratospheric balloon research.
∙ Authorizes $15 million to restore a proposed Navy reduction to an Advanced Sensors Application Program.
∙ Authorizes $304 million to purchase eight additional G/ATOR systems for the Marine Corps.
House FY22 NDAA
SEAPOWER AND PROJECTION FORCES:
∙ Restores funding for two additional Arleigh Burke class destroyers.
∙ Funds the procurement of thirteen battle force ships including two Virginia-class submarines; three (DDG 51) Arleigh Burke destroyers; one guided missile Frigate (FFG); two John Lewis class (T-AO) fleet oilers; one (T-AGOS(X)) surveillance ship; two Expeditionary Fast Transport (EPF) ships; and one (T-ATS) towing, salvage, and rescue ships.
∙ Full funds the B-21 Raider program.
∙ Includes a provision that will help ensure ship designs are adequately mature at the start of construction.
∙ Maintains a statutory floor that the Air Force is required to retain for tactical airlift aircraft.
∙ Funds five additional CMV-22 Osprey aircraft for the Navy.
∙ Funds two P-8 aircraft for the Navy.
∙ Funds two C-130Js for the Navy and two KC-130Js for the Marine Corps.
∙ Funds one E-2D Hawkeye for the Navy. § Funds one MQ-4 Triton for the Navy.
∙ Funds two additional ship to shore connectors. § Authorizes a fifteen ship multi-year procurement contract for DDG-51 destroyers beginning in fiscal year 2023.
∙ Mandates a cost and schedule baseline for the B-52 commercial re-engine program.
∙ Requires the Navy to make sustainment a Key Performance Parameter during the solicitation.
∙ Funds supplier development for the submarine industrial base. Adds additional components to the continuous production authority within the National Sea Based Deterrence Fund.
∙ Funds the 5th National Security Multi-Mission Vessel for the State Maritime Academies.
∙ Funds the propulsion and propeller upgrades of Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve C-130H airlift aircraft.
∙ Requires the Navy to implement a land-based test program for the DDG(X) destroyer program.
∙ Restricts funds associated with the VC-25B program until an updated schedule is provided.
∙ Requires the Navy to include an advanced degaussing system in the next multi-year contract for DDG-51 destroyers.
∙ Fully funds the Tanker Security Fleet at the authorized level of $60M.
The Navy League Legislative Affairs team achieved most of our goals this year. Our primary concern now is in relation to a potential Continuing Resolution or even the dreaded government shutdown. We’ll keep you posted.