Defense Secretary James Mattis has said a three-month continuing resolution would impact several construction and procurement programs that would affect U.S. military readiness if enacted for fiscal year 2018, Defense News reported Tuesday.
Mattis wrote in a Friday letter to Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Arizona) a short-term CR would affect readiness and maintenance operations at several service branches.
Operating at current spending levels would force the U.S. Navy to delay the induction of 11 ships, a move that would aggravate ship maintenance efforts in FY 2018 and push back ship availabilities into FY 2019.
Some of the ships that are likely to be delayed include the USS Kidd (DDG-100) Arleigh Burke-class destroyer, USS Coronado (LCS-4) Independence-class littoral combat ship and the USS Port Royal (CG-73) Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser.
Mattis, an inductee into Executive Mosaic‘s Wash100 for 2017, noted that a three-month CR would also impact DoD’s contracting efforts in FY 2018, including 18 new starts and eight production rate increases at the U.S. Army.
The Army’s new starts include the Armored Multi-purpose Vehicle, Paladin Integration Management Improvement program and the lightweight 30mm cannon.
A six-month CR would delay the Navy’s seven procurement contracts and affect the U.S. Air Force’s six new starts that include the Joint Space Operations Center Mission System and updates to F-15C and F-16 fighter jets, he added.
Mattis also cited the resolution’s potential impacts on personnel and training efforts across military branches and defense agencies.
