Naval aircraft, unmanned systems and munitions, not just shipbuilding, are set to benefit from the $150 billion appropriated for DOD spending in the “One Big Beautiful Bill” reconciliation legislation signed into law.
The U.S. Navy could receive $288 million of the $400 million provided for Lockheed Martin’s Long Range Anti-Ship Missile if lawmakers get what they want, according to Breaking Defense. LRASM is a precision guided munition capable of being deployed from aircraft or surface platforms that can penetrate sophisticated air defense environments and stop surface threats at long range. The One Big Beautiful Bill provided $400 million for LRASM, but didn’t specify how it would be divided among the U.S. armed services.
So what are the other naval technologies set for investment from the One Big Beautiful Bill? Let’s dive into the legislation.
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Navy Long Range Strike Aircraft
The One Big Beautiful Bill provided the U.S. Navy with $500 million for the development, procurement and integration of long range strike aircraft. What makes this interesting is that this funding line is not associated with a publicly-known program of record, Breaking Defense reports.
What are some other naval aircraft investments from the One Big Beautiful Bill?
- The Navy’s new F/A-XX fighter aircraft received $750 million, a big boost for a program at risk of cancellation
- $270 million for the development, procurement and integration of U.S. Marine Corps unmanned combat aircraft
- $160 million to accelerate Bell-Boeing V-22 tiltrotor nacelle reliability and safety improvements
- $100 million to speed up production of the Boeing MQ-25 unmanned aerial refueller
- $20 million for upgrades to U.S. Marine Corps utility helicopters
Naval Nuclear Weapon Investments
Naval nuclear weapons also benefit greatly from the One Big Beautiful Bill.
- $2 billion to speed up the development, procurement and integration of the nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missile, which was first proposed by President Trump in 2018, according to the Congressional Research Service.
- $400 million to accelerate the development of Trident D5LE2, a Trident life extension program. The Lockheed Martin Trident II is a submarine-launched ballistic missile that serves as the sea-based leg of the U.S. nuclear triad
- $148 million for expansion of Trident II D5 missile motor production
What’s Next For DOD One Big Beautiful Bill Money?
So what is next for DOD appropriations from the One Big Beautiful Bill? The department has until Aug. 22 to provide lawmakers with an implementation strategy, according to Breaking Defense. Congressional defense committees, of course, have their own suggestions and hope DOD follows them as many funding lines in the bill were associated with broad categories and not specific programs.
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