President Donald Trump has said he may pursue a national emergency to fund the construction of a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border should negotiations over spending fail, Federal Times reported Wednesday. “I think we might work a deal and if we don’t, I may go that route. I have the absolute right to do national emergency if I want,” he told reporters Wednesday at the White House.
Read More »Gen. Stephen Wilson: Air Force Launches Efforts to Speed Up Procurement Process
Gen. Stephen ‘Seve’ Wilson, Air Force vice chief of staff, told National Defense in an interview published Monday that the service has initiated efforts to accelerate the acquisition process in order to expedite the delivery of capabilities to warfighters. He noted that Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics, came up with an idea to have the service sign 50 contracts in 50 hours in a move to speed up the procurement process.
Read More »Eric Edelman, Gary Roughead Talk Defense Budget, Concept of Operations at Senate Panel Hearing
The co-chairmen of a commission that reviews the National Defense Strategy have said the lack of stable funding and concept of operations would make it difficult for the strategy to address the threats posed by China and Russia, USNI News reported Wednesday. Gary Roughead, a retired Navy admiral, and diplomat Eric Edelman of the Commission on the National Defense Strategy appeared Tuesday before the Senate Armed Services Committee to discuss the commission’s recommendations.
Read More »Trade Group Warns Against Potential Defense Budget Cuts
The Aerospace Industries Association has urged Congress and President Donald Trump to ensure a “steady and stable growth” in defense budget for fiscal 2019 and beyond in order to counter threats posed by transnational terrorism, China, Russia, North Korea and Iran, Defense News reported Thursday. AIA said in its Thursday statement lawmakers and the administration have started to provide the Defense Department with additional budget for fiscal years 2018 and 2019 to build up military readiness against multiple threats.
Read More »Congressional Negotiators Reach Fiscal 2019 Defense Authorization Deal
House and Senate conference members have reached a compromise on a bill that would authorize $716 billion in defense budget for fiscal 2019, Stars and Stripes reported Monday. The negotiated deal on the fiscal 2019 National Defense Authorization Act would support the proposed pay increase of 2.6 percent for service personnel, …
Read More »DoD’s National Defense Strategy Aims to Expand Competitive Space Via 3 Lines of Effort
The Defense Department has released a national defense strategy that seeks to address the “re-emergence of long-term strategic competition” the U.S. faces with countries such as Russia and China, Defense News reported Friday. The document details the U.S. military’s three lines of effort as it works to broaden the competitive …
Read More »CBO: Defense Base Budget to Hit $688B by 2027 Under Trump’s Military Spending Plan
The Congressional Budget Office has said the Trump administration’s goals to increase the U.S. military size, readiness and capabilities would result in a base budget of approximately $688 billion in 2018 dollars by 2027. CBO said in its December 2017 report the number of individuals who will serve in the …
Read More »James Mattis Voices Concerns Over Cyber Language in Fiscal 2018 Defense Policy Bill
Defense Secretary James Mattis has asked Congress to remove a language in the proposed fiscal 2018 National Defense Authorization Act that would pressure the U.S. to notify foreign governments of cyber attacks in the event that the Defense Department has decided to counter such breaches, Reuters reported Thursday. “The nature …
Read More »James Mattis: DoD’s ‘Three Lines of Effort’ Seek to Maintain US Military Edge
Defense Secretary James Mattis has issued a memorandum that details the Defense Department’s “three lines of effort” that aim to maintain U.S. military superiority amid security threats posed by North Korea, Russia, China, Iran and the Islamic State militant organization, DoD News reported Wednesday. Mattis wrote in the Oct. 5 memo …
Read More »James Mattis: 3-Month CR to Delay Induction of 11 Navy Ships, Impact 18 Army New-Start Projects
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 …
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