00 000
2000
106 th Congress 2nd Session
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Report
106 616
FLOYD D. SPENCE
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2001
R E P O R T
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ON
H.R. 4205
together with
ADDITIONAL VIEWS
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
[Graphic Image Not Available]
May 12, 2000.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
FLOYD D. SPENCE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2001
64 304
2000
106 th Congress 2nd Session
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
Report
106 616
FLOYD D. SPENCE
NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2001
R E P O R T
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ON
H.R. 4205
together with
ADDITIONAL VIEWS
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
[Graphic Image Not Available]
May 12, 2000.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
HOUSE COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES
ONE HUNDRED SIXTH CONGRESS
FLOYD D. SPENCE, South Carolina, Chairman
BOB STUMP, Arizona IKE SKELTON, Missouri
DUNCAN HUNTER, California NORMAN SISISKY, Virginia
JOHN R. KASICH, Ohio JOHN M. SPRATT, Jr., South Carolina
HERBERT H. BATEMAN, Virginia SOLOMON P. ORTIZ, Texas
JAMES V. HANSEN, Utah OWEN PICKETT, Virginia
CURT WELDON, Pennsylvania LANE EVANS, Illinois
JOEL HEFLEY, Colorado GENE TAYLOR, Mississippi
JIM SAXTON, New Jersey NEIL ABERCROMBIE, Hawaii
STEVE BUYER, Indiana MARTIN T. MEEHAN, Massachusetts
TILLIE K. FOWLER, Florida ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD, Guam
JOHN M. McHUGH, New York PATRICK J. KENNEDY, Rhode Island
JAMES TALENT, Missouri ROD R. BLAGOJEVICH, Illinois
TERRY EVERETT, Alabama SILVESTRE REYES, Texas
ROSCOE G. BARTLETT, Maryland TOM ALLEN, Maine
HOWARD ``BUCK'' McKEON, California VIC SNYDER, Arkansas
J.C. WATTS, Jr., Oklahoma JIM TURNER, Texas
MAC THORNBERRY, Texas ADAM SMITH, Washington
JOHN N. HOSTETTLER, Indiana LORETTA SANCHEZ, California
SAXBY CHAMBLISS, Georgia JAMES H. MALONEY, Connecticut
VAN HILLEARY, Tennessee MIKE McINTYRE, North Carolina
JOE SCARBOROUGH, Florida CIRO D. RODRIGUEZ, Texas
WALTER B. JONES, Jr., North Carolina CYNTHIA A. McKINNEY, Georgia
LINDSEY GRAHAM, South Carolina ELLEN O. TAUSCHER, California
JIM RYUN, Kansas ROBERT BRADY, Pennsylvania
BOB RILEY, Alabama ROBERT E. ANDREWS, New Jersey
JIM GIBBONS, Nevada BARON P. HILL, Indiana
MARY BONO, California MIKE THOMPSON, California
JOSEPH PITTS, Pennsylvania JOHN B. LARSON, Connecticut
ROBIN HAYES, North Carolina
STEVEN KUYKENDALL, California
DONALD SHERWOOD, Pennsylvania
Robert S. Rangel, Staff Director
C O N T E N T S
Purpose
2
Relationship of Authorization to Appropriations
2
Summary of Authorization in the Bill
2
Summary Table of Authorizations
3
Rationale for the Committee Bill
10
Hearings
17
DIVISION A--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
19
TITLE I--PROCUREMENT
19
OVERVIEW
19
Aircraft Procurement, Army
22
Overview
22
Items of Special Interest
26
AH 64 modifications
26
Airborne reconnaissance low (ARL)
26
Airborne communications
26
Aircraft survivability equipment (ASE)
27
Aircraft survivability equipment (ASE) modifications
27
CH 47 Chinook/UH 60 Blackhawk crashworthy fuel tanks
28
Helicopter crashworthy seats
28
TH 67 Creek
28
UH 60 Blackhawk
29
Missile Procurement, Army
29
Overview
29
Items of Special Interest
32
Army tactical missile system (ATACMS) system summary
32
Multipurpose individual munition (MPIM) advance procurement
32
Patriot advanced capability-2 (PAC 2)
32
Patriot anti-cruise missile (PACM)
32
Weapons and Tracked Combat Vehicles, Army
33
Overview
33
Items of Special Interest
37
Armored vehicle launch bridge (AVLB) service life extension program
(SLEP)
37
Bradley base sustainment
37
Bradley fighting vehicle system (BFVS) series (modifications)
37
Heavy assault bridge (HAB) system
38
Improved recovery vehicle (IRV)
38
Industrial preparedness
38
M1 Abrams tank modifications
39
M113 carrier modifications
39
M249 squad automatic weapon (SAW)
39
MK19 3 grenade launcher
40
Small arms production industrial base
40
Ammunition Procurement, Army
40
Overview
40
Items of Special Interest
44
Army ammunition procurement
44
Other Procurement, Army
44
Overview
44
Items of Special Interest
54
Army data distribution system (ADDS)
54
Automated data processing equipment (ADPE)
54
Army training modernization
54
Combat support medical
55
Combat training centers instrumentation support
55
Communications equipment system upgrades
56
Construction equipment service life extension program (SLEP)
56
Cranes
57
Deployable universal combat earthmovers (DEUCE)
57
Family of heavy tactical vehicles (FHTV)
57
Family of medium tactical vehicles (FMTV)
58
High mobility multipurpose-wheeled vehicle (HMMWV)
58
Hydraulic excavator (HYEX)
58
Information system security program (ISSP)
59
Integrated family of test equipment (IFTE)
59
Laundries, showers, and latrines
59
Lightweight maintenance enclosure (LME)
60
M56 smoke generator system
60
M915/M916 line haul truck tractor
60
Night vision devices
60
Nonsystem training devices
61
Reserve component automation system (RCAS)
61
Ribbon bridge
62
Single channel ground and airborne radio systems (SINCGARS) family
62
Small tug
63
Standard integrated command post system (SICPS)
63
Standard teleoperating kit
63
Vibratory self-propelled roller
64
Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction, Army
64
Overview
64
Items of Special Interest
66
Chemical agents and munitions destruction
66
Aircraft Procurement, Navy
66
Overview
66
Items of Special Interest
71
Advanced helicopter emergency egress lighting system (ADHEELS)
71
AN/AVR 2A laser detecting set
71
AV 8B
71
C 40A
72
CH 60S
72
2 modifications
72
EA 6B modifications
73
73
F/A 18C/D tactical aircraft moving map capability (TAMMAC)
74
F/A 18E/F
75
HH/UH 1N reclamation and conversion program
75
H 46 modifications
76
H 53 modifications
76
KC 130J
76
T 45 training system (TS)
77
Tactical air reconnaissance pod system (TARPS)-completely digital (CD)
77
UC 35
78
Weapons Procurement, Navy
78
Overview
78
Items of Special Interest
82
Hellfire II missile
82
Improved tactical air-launched decoy (ITALD)
82
Joint standoff weapon (JSOW)
82
Standoff land attack missile-expanded response (SLAM ER)
82
Ammunition Procurement, Navy/Marine Corps
83
Overview
83
Items of Special Interest
84
Navy ammunition procurement
84
Marine Corps ammunition procurement
84
Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy
84
Overview
84
Items of Special Interest
89
LHD 8 amphibious assault ship
89
Auxiliary dry cargo ship
89
Submarine force level
89
Submarine refueling overhauls
90
Other Procurement, Navy
91
Overview
91
Items of Special Interest
101
AN/SPS 73 (V) surface search radar
101
Aviation life support
101
Education support equipment
101
High-pressure cleaner
101
Joint tactical terminal
102
Mobile remote emitter simulator (MRES)
102
Nuclear attack submarine (SSN) acoustics
102
Operating forces industrial plant equipment
103
Other training equipment
103
Sonobuoys
103
Undersea warfare support equipment
103
WSN 7B ring laser gyro (RLG)
104
Procurement, Marine Corps
104
Overview
104
Items of Special Interest
109
Command post systems
109
High mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle (HMMWV)
109
Improved recovery vehicle (IRV)
109
Material handling equipment
110
Modification kits (intelligence)
110
Radio systems
111
Small unit riverine craft (SURC)
111
Training devices
111
Aircraft Procurement, Air Force
112
Overview
112
Items of Special Interest
119
A 10 modifications
119
Aircraft navigational and passenger safety equipment
119
C 130 modifications
120
Compass call block 30/35 mission crew simulator (MCS)
120
C 135 modifications
121
C 17
121
C 17 reverse-affiliate units
122
Defense airborne reconnaissance program (DARP), line 56
122
Defense airborne reconnaissance program (DARP), line 80
124
124
125
125
126
127
8C joint surveillance and target attack radar system (STARS)
128
Lightweight environmentally sealed parachute assembly (LESPA)
128
Predator
128
T 3A modifications
129
Ammunition Procurement, Air Force
129
Overview
129
Missile Procurement, Air Force
132
Overview
132
Items of Special Interest
136
AGM 65 modifications
136
Medium launch vehicle (MLV)
136
Titan
136
Other Procurement, Air Force
136
Overview
136
Items of Special Interest
142
Automatic data processing equipment (ADPE)
142
AN/FPS 117 radar beacon replacement
142
Eagle vision
142
Rivet joint mission trainer (RJMT)
142
Senior scout
143
Situation awareness data link (SADL) gateway for the theater air
control system (TACS)
143
Supply asset tracking system (SATS)
143
Procurement, Defense-Wide
144
Overview
144
Items of Special Interest
149
Automated document conversion system (ADCS)
149
Counternarcotics discreet operations radio (CONDOR)
149
Patriot advanced capability 3 (PAC 3)
149
Portable intelligence collection and relay capability (PICRC)
149
Chemical Agents and Munitions Destruction, Defense
150
Overview
150
Items of Special Interest
152
Chemical agents and munitions destruction
152
Chemical stockpile disposal project
152
Chemical stockpile emergency preparedness project (CSEPP)
153
Alternative technologies and approaches project
153
Non-stockpile chemical materiel project
153
Chemical agent identification sets
154
Assembled chemical weapons assessment (ACWA)
154
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
155
Subtitle A--Authorization of Appropriations
155
Sections 101 107--Authorization of Appropriations
155
Subtitle B--Army Programs
155
Section 111--Multiyear Procurement Authority
155
Section 112--Increase in Limitation on Number of Bunker Defeat
Munitions that May be Acquired
155
Section 113--Armament Retooling and Manufacturing Support Initiative
156
Subtitle C--Navy Programs
156
Section 121--Submarine Force Structure
156
Section 122--Virginia Class Submarine Program
156
Section 123--Retention of Configuration of Certain Naval Reserve
Frigates
156
Section 124--Extension of Multiyear Procurement Authority for
Arleigh Burke Class Destroyers
156
Subtitle D--Air Force Programs
157
Section 131--Annual Report on Operational Status of B 2 Bomber
157
Subtitle E--Joint Programs
157
Section 141--Study of Production Alternatives for the Joint Strike
Fighter Program
157
TITLE II--RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST, AND EVALUATION
158
OVERVIEW
158
Army RDT&E
161
Overview
161
Items of Special Interest
170
Advanced artillery systems
170
Advanced battery technology
170
Aircrew coordination training
171
Apache Longbow focused modernization program
171
Army tactical unmanned aerial vehicles
171
Breacher system
171
Chinook helicopter modification and improvement
172
Comanche
172
Combat identification dismounted soldier (CIDDS)
173
Combustion-driven eye-safe self-powered laser
173
Common ground station
173
Communications and networking technologies
174
Defense manufacturing technology
174
Emergency preparedness training
175
Future combat system
175
Future rotorcraft technologies
176
Guardrail common sensor
177
Helmet mounted infrared sensor development
177
High-energy laser test facility
177
Hypersonic wind tunnels
177
Integrated inertial measurement unit-geo-positioning system
178
Land information warfare activity
178
Medical errors reduction research
178
Mobile tactical high energy laser
179
National automotive center-university innovative research
179
Passive millimeter wave camera
179
Real-time heart rate variability
179
Semi-automated imagery processor
180
Starstreak
180
Surveillance control data link (SCDL)
180
Thermal fluid based combat feeding system
181
Trajectory correctable munitions
181
Volumetrically controlled manufacturing technology
181
Navy RDT&E
182
Overview
182
Items of Special Interest
193
Advanced amphibious assault vehicle
193
Advanced anti-radiation guided missile
193
Advanced deployable system
194
Advanced technology demonstrations and fleet battle experiments
194
Advanced waterjet propulsor
195
Aircraft survivability study
195
Aviation depot maintenance technology
196
Aviation modernization plan
196
Battle force tactical trainer (BFTT)
197
Beartrap
197
C 2 eight-blade composite propeller system
198
Common command and decision system
198
Common towed array
199
Composite advanced sail development
199
CVNX aircraft carrier design product modeling
200
Distributed engineering plant
200
Distributed marine environment forecast system
201
DP 2 thrust vectoring system proof-of-concept demonstration
201
Dry chemical fire suppressant
202
E2 C2 rotordome and control surface improvements
202
Extended range guided munition
202
203
Fielded system obsolescence, technology insertion and technology
refreshment
204
Fleet health technology and occupational lung disease
205
Flight worthy transparent armor system
205
High mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS)
206
High performance sigma-delta waveform generator
206
Hybrid fiberoptic/wireless communication technology
206
Hybrid light detection and ranging (LIDAR)/radar technology
207
Hyperspectral research
207
Insensitive munitions
207
Integrated aviation life support systems
208
Integrated semiconductor bridge based fuze
208
Intermediate modulus carbon fiber and ultra-high thermal
conductivity graphite fibers
208
Joint forces command operational testbed
209
Joint helmet mounted cueing system
209
Joint tactical combat training system
210
Lightweight environmentally sealed parachute assembly (LESPA)
210
Littoral support fast patrol craft
210
Location of global positioning systems (GPS) jammers
211
Malaria deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) vaccine
211
Manned reconnaissance systems
211
Marine Corps dragon warrior UAV
211
Marine mammal research
212
Maritime technology (MARITECH) program
212
Mobile electronic warfare support system
213
Mobile integrated diagnostic and data analysis system (MIDDAS)
213
Multi-function radar/volume search radar and the Navy's radar roadmap
213
Multipurpose processor
214
Naval space surveillance
215
Navy mine countermeasures program
215
Advanced sensors for mine countermeasures and oceanography
215
AN/AQS 20/X mine hunting sonar
216
Synthetic aperture sonar development for long-term mine
reconnaissance system
216
Naval modeling and simulation
217
New composite materials for aircraft canopies
217
Optical correlation technology for automatic target recognition
218
Optically multiplexed wideband radar beam-forming array
218
P 3 modernization program
218
P 3 special mission squadron sensor upgrade
219
Parametric airborne dipping sonar
219
Power node control centers
220
Project M
220
Radio frequency integration and testing environment
221
Remote precision gun
221
S 3B surveillance system upgrade program
222
Ship service fuel cell program
222
Silicon carbide and gallium nitride semiconductor substrates
222
Single flux quantum electronics
223
SSGN Conversion
223
Submarine sonar dome window
225
Supply chain management and development best practices
225
Surface ship torpedo defense
226
Tactical unmanned aerial vehicles
226
Vacuum electronics
226
Vectored thrust ducted propeller compound helicopter demonstration
227
Virtual test bed for advanced electrical ship systems
228
Air Force RDT&E
228
Overview
228
Items of Special Interest
239
21st century affordable aircraft thrust demonstration project
239
Aging landing gear life extension
239
Airborne laser
239
Airborne reconnaissance systems
240
Air Force/National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) partnership
241
Air Force science and technology
241
Aerospace propulsion
242
Aircrew laser eye protection
242
Ballistic missile technology
243
Combat identification
243
Composite affordability initiative
243
Low cost launch technology
244
Miniature satellite threat reporting system
244
Specialty aerospace metals
244
Upper atmospheric and astronomical research
245
Advanced message-oriented data security module (AMODSM)
245
B 1B link 16 data link
246
B 2 upgrades
246
B 52 modified miniature receive terminals configuration
247
Defense reconnaissance support program
247
Discoverer II
247
Eagle vision
248
Electronic warfare development
248
Extended range cruise missile (ERCM)
249
Global hawk unmanned aerial vehicle
249
Hyperspectral imagery system
250
Integrated broadcast service
250
Joint ejection seat program
251
Joint strike fighter
252
Military strategic and tactical relay (MILSTAR)
253
Mobile approach control system
254
Multi-link antenna system
254
Satellite control network
255
Small smart munitions
255
Space-based infrared system-high (SBIRS-High)
256
Space-based infrared system-low (SBIRS-Low)
256
Spacelift range system
257
U 2 senior year electro-optic system polarimetry
258
Defense Wide RDT&E
259
Overview
259
Items of Special Interest
268
Advanced sensor applications program
268
Ballistic missile defense (BMD)
268
Advanced technology development
269
Liquid surrogate target
269
National missile defense (NMD)
270
Navy theater wide
271
Russian-American cooperative national missile defense
272
Support technology
272
Wide bandwidth information infrastructure
272
Chemical-biological defense program
273
Chemical and biological defense program initiatives
273
Optical computing device materials for chemical sensors
274
Commercial off-the-shelf-receiver development
274
Competitive sustainment demonstration
275
Complex systems design
275
Computational fluid dynamics and finite element analysis
275
Computer network security
276
CV 22 Osprey radar improvements
276
Defense agency science and technology funding
276
Biological warfare defense
277
Computing systems and communications technology
277
Extensible information systems
278
Nuclear sustainment and counter-proliferation technologies
278
Defense experimental program to stimulate competitive research
278
Facial recognition technology
278
High definition displays for military applications
278
High energy laser research and development
279
Defense-wide high energy laser development
279
Free electron laser
280
Solid state laser
280
Information technology, superiority and assurance
281
Interference with global positioning system
282
MC 130 autonomous landing guidance system
282
Medical free electron laser
283
Microelectromechanical systems sensor development
283
National imagery and mapping agency
283
Requirement for ``designated laboratory''
284
Science and technology affordability initiative
284
Special operations tactical video system
285
Tactical and support aircraft noise reduction
285
Texas regional institute for environmental studies
286
Thermionics for space power systems
286
TRICARE encounter data system
286
Ultra-wideband radar
286
Operational Test and Evaluation, Defense
287
Overview
287
Items of Special Interest
289
Central test and evaluation investment program
289
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
290
Subtitle A--Authorization of Appropriations
290
Section 201--Authorization of Appropriations
290
Section 202--Amount for Basic and Applied Research
290
Subtitle B--Program Requirements, Restrictions, and Limitations
290
Section 211--High Energy Laser Programs
290
Section 212--Management of Space-Based Infrared System-Low
291
Section 213--Joint Strike Fighter
291
Subtitle C--Ballistic Missile Defense
291
Section 231--Funding for Fiscal Year 2001
291
Section 232--Sense of Congress Concerning Commitment to Deploy
National Missile Defense
291
Section 233--Reports on Ballistic Missile Threat Posed By North Korea
292
Section 234--Plan to Modify Ballistic Missile Defense Architecture
to Cover Intermediate-Range Ballistic Missile Threats
292
Section 235--Designation of Airborne Laser Program as a Program
Element of Ballistic Missile Defense Program
293
Subtitle D--Other Matters
293
Section 241--Recognition of Those Individuals Instrumental to Naval
Research Efforts During the Period from Before World War II Through the
End of the Cold War
293
TITLE III--OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
294
OVERVIEW
294
ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
324
Budget Request Increases
324
Critical Readiness Accounts
324
Depot maintenance
324
Real property maintenance
324
Miscellaneous unfunded requirements
324
Mobility enhancement funding
325
Training accounts
325
Army Cold Weather Clothing
325
Budget Request Reductions
326
Civilian Personnel Reductions
326
Excess Foreign Currencies Reductions
326
Headquarters Reductions
326
Joint Chiefs of Staff Training Exercises
327
Other Items of Special Interest
327
Accountability of Operation and Maintenance Funding
327
Environmental Issues
327
Fines and Penalties
327
Navy Environmental Leadership Program
328
Intelligence Issues
328
Cryptologic Skills Training
328
Defense Foreign Language Program
328
Distributed Common Ground System
329
Eagle Vision Commercial Imagery
329
Integrated Broadcast Service
330
RC 135 and U 2 Operations and Maintenance
330
Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Issues
330
Armed Forces Recreation Centers
330
Lodging Programs
331
Nonappropriated Fund Support of Official Activities
331
Other Issues
332
Army Apprenticeship Program
332
Army Workload and Performance System
332
Automatic Identification Technology
333
Civilian Air Traffic Controllers
333
Commercial Technologies for Maintenance Activities
334
Container Freight Station Operations
334
Core Logistics Capabilities
334
Defense Joint Accounting System
335
Defense Personnel Records Imaging System-Electronics Military
Personnel Records System
336
Department of Defense Civilian Personnel
336
Personnel safety
336
Recruiting and retention
337
Financial Policy
337
Local School Renovation and Repair
338
Logistics Support Planning
338
Military Affiliate Radio System
339
National Maintenance Program
340
Naval Audit Service
341
Reserve Component Automation System (RCAS)
341
Spare and Repair Parts
341
Urban Warfare Training
342
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
342
Subtitle A--Authorization Of Appropriations
342
Section 301--Operation and Maintenance Funding
342
Section 302--Working Capital Funds
342
Section 303--Armed Forces Retirement Home
343
Section 304--Transfer From National Defense Stockpile Transaction Fund
343
Subtitle B--Environmental Provisions
343
Section 311--Payment of Fines and Penalties Imposed for
Environmental Violations
343
Section 312--Necessity of Military Low-Level Flight Training to
Protect National Security and Enhance Military Readiness
343
Section 313--Use of Environmental Restoration Accounts to Relocate
Activities from Defense Environmental Restoration Sites
343
Subtitle C--Commissaries and Nonappropriated Fund Instrumentalities
343
Section 321--Use of Appropriated Funds to Cover Operating Expenses
of Commissary Stores
343
Section 322--Adjustment of Sales Prices of Commissary Store Goods
and Services to Cover Certain Expenses
344
Section 323--Use of Surcharges for Construction and Improvement of
Commissary Stores
344
Section 324--Inclusion of Magazines and Other Periodicals as an
Authorized Commissary Merchandise Category
344
Section 325--Use of Most Economical Distribution Method for
Distilled Spirits
345
Section 326--Report on Effects of Availability of Slot Machines on
United States Military Installations Overseas
345
Subtitle D--Performance of Functions by Private-Sector Sources
345
Section 331--Inclusion of Additional Information in Reports to
Congress Required before Conversion of Commercial or Industrial Type
Functions to Contractor Performance
345
Section 332--Limitation Regarding Navy Marine Corps Intranet Contract
345
Subtitle E--Defense Dependents Education
346
Section 341--Assistance to Local Educational Agencies that Benefit
Dependents of Members of the Armed Forces and Department of Defense
Civilian Employees
346
Section 342--Eligibility Requirements for Attendance at Department
of Defense Domestic Dependent Elementary and Secondary Schools
346
Subtitle F--Military Readiness Issues
347
Section 351--Additional Capabilities of, and Reporting Requirements
for, the Readiness Reporting System
347
Section 352--Reporting Requirements Regarding Transfers from
High-Priority Readiness Appropriations
347
Section 353--Department of Defense Strategic Plan to Reduce Backlog
in Maintance and Repair of Defense Facilities
347
Subtitle G--Other Matters
348
Section 361--Authority to Ensure Demilitarization of Significant
Military Equipment Formerly Owned by the Department of Defense
348
Section 362--Annual Report on Public Sale of Certain Military
Equipment Identified on United States Munitions List
348
Section 363--Registration of Certain Information Technology Systems
with Chief Information Officer
349
Section 364--Studies and Reports Required as Precondition to Certain
Manpower Reductions
349
Section 365--National Guard Assistance for Certain Youth and
Chartable Organizations
349
TITLE IV--MILITARY PERSONNEL AUTHORIZATIONS
352
Subtitle A--Active Forces
352
Section 401--End Strengths for Active Forces
352
Section 402--Revision in Permanent End Strength Minimum Levels
352
Section 403--Adjustment to End Strength Flexibility Authority
353
Subtitle B--Reserve Forces
353
Section 411--End Strengths for Selected Reserve
353
Section 412--End Strengths for Reserves on Active Duty in Support of
the Reserves
353
Section 413--End Strength for Military Technicians (Dual Status)
354
Section 414--Increase in Number of Members in Certain Grades
Authorized to Be on Active Duty in Support of the Reserves
354
Subtitle C--Authorization of Appropriations
355
Section 421--Authorization of Appropriations for Military Personnel
355
TITLE V--MILITARY PERSONNEL POLICY
358
ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
358
Defense Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Office
358
Department of Defense International Student Program at the Military
Colleges
358
Funding for Recruiting and Retention
359
Homosexual Conduct Briefings
360
Incentives for Overseas Assignments
360
National Guard Military Technician Overtime Pay
361
Uniformed Services Former Spouse Protection Act
361
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
361
Subtitle A--General Personnel Management Authorities
361
Section 501--Authority for Secretary of Defense to Suspend Certain
Personnel Strength Limitations During War or National Emergency
361
Section 502--Authority to Issue Posthumous Commissions in the Case
of Members Dying Before Official Recommendation for Appointment or
Promotion is Approved by Secretary Concerned
362
Section 503--Technical Correction to Retired Grade Rule for Army and
Air Force Officers
362
Section 504--Extension to End of Calendar Year of Expiration Date
for Certain Force Drawdown Transition Authorities
362
Section 505--Clarification of Requirements for Composition of
Active-Duty List Selection Boards When Reserve Officers are Under
Consideration
363
Section 506--Voluntary Separation Incentive
363
Section 507--Congressional Review Period for Assignment of Women to
Duty on Submarines and for Any Proposed Reconfiguration or Design of
Submarines to Accommodate Female Crew Members
363
Subtitle B--Reserve Component Personnel Policy
363
Section 511--Exemption from Active-Duty List for Reserve Officers on
Active Duty for a Period of Three Years or Less
363
Section 512--Exemption of Reserve Component Medical and Dental
Officers from Counting in Grade Strengths
363
Section 513--Continuation of Officers on the Reserve Active Status
List Without Requirement for Application
364
Section 514--Authority to Retain Reserve Component Chaplains and
Officers in Medical Specialties Until Specified Age
364
Section 515--Authority for Temporary Increase in Number of Reserve
Component Personnel Serving on Active Duty or Full-Time National Guard
Duty in Certain Grades
364
Section 516--Authority for Provision of Legal Services to Reserve
Component Members Following Release from Active Duty
364
Section 517--Entitlement to Separation Pay for Reserve Officers
Released from Active Duty Upon Declining Selective Continuation on
Active Duty After Second Failure of Selection for Promotion
364
Section 518--Extension of Involuntary Civil Service Retirement Date
for Certain Reserve Technicians
365
Subtitle C--Education and Training
365
Section 521--College Tuition Assistance Program for Pursuit of
Degrees by Members of the Marine Corps Platoon Leaders Class Program
365
Section 522--Review of Allocation of Junior Reserve Officers
Training Corps Units Among the Services
365
Section 523--Authority for Naval Postgraduate School to Enroll
Certain Defense Industry Civilians in Specified Programs Relating to
Defense Product Development
366
Subtitle D--Decorations, Awards, and Commendations
366
Section 531--Authority for Award of the Medal of Honor to Andrew J.
Smith for Valor during the Civil War
366
Section 532--Authority for Award of the Medal of Honor to Ed W.
Freeman for Valor during the Vietnam Conflict
366
Section 533--Consideration of Proposals for Posthumous or Honorary
Promotions or Appointments of Members or Former Members of the Armed
Forces and Other Qualified Persons
366
Section 534--Waiver of Time Limitations for Award of Navy
Distinguished Flying Cross to Certain Persons
367
Section 535--Addition of Certain Information to Markers on Graves
Containing Remains of Certain Unknowns from the U.S.S. ARIZONA Who Died
in the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941
367
Section 536--Sense of Congress Regarding Final Crew of U.S.S.
INDIANAPOLIS
367
Section 537--Posthumous Advancement of Rear Admiral (Retired)
Husband E. Kimmel and Major General (Retired) Walter C. Short on Retired
Lists
367
Section 538--Commendation of Citizens of Remy, France, for World War
II Actions
367
Subtitle E--Military Justice Matters
368
Section 541--Recognition by States of Military Testamentary Instruments
368
Section 542--Probable Cause Required for Entry of Names of Subjects
into Official Criminal Investigative Reports
368
Section 543--Collection and Use of DNA Identification Information
from Violent and Sexual Offenders in the Armed Forces
368
Section 544--Limitation on Secretarial Authority to Grant Clemency
for Military Prisoners Serving Sentence of Confinement for Life Without
Eligibility for Parole
368
Section 545--Authority for Civilian Special Agents of Military
Department Criminal Investigative Organizations to Execute Warrants and
Make Arrests
369
Subtitle F--Other Matters
369
Section 551--Funeral Honors Duty Compensation
369
Section 552--Test of Ability of Reserve Component Intelligence Units
and Personnel to Meet Current and Emerging Defense Intelligence Needs
369
Section 553--National Guard Challenge Program
369
Section 554--Study of Use of Civilian Contractor Pilots for
Operational Support Missions
370
Section 555--Pilot Program to Enhance Military Recruiting by
Improving Military Awareness of School Counselors and Educators
370
Section 556--Reimbursement for Expenses Incurred by Members in
Connection with Cancellation of Leave on Short Notice
370
TITLE VI--COMPENSATION AND OTHER PERSONNEL BENEFITS
371
OVERVIEW
371
ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
372
Briefings on Benefits of Military Service
372
Extension of Time Limitation on Use of Reserve Education Benefits
373
Improved Basic Allowance for Housing
373
Military Pay Day Every 14 Days
373
Pay Table Reform for Mid-Grade Enlisted Members
374
Reimbursement for Reservists' Travel Expenses
374
Reimbursement of Permanent Change of Station Expenses
374
Retired Pay Following Reduction in Grade
375
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
375
Subtitle A--Pay and Allowances
375
Section 601--Increase in Basic Pay for Fiscal Year 2001
375
Section 602--Revised Method for Calculation of Basic Allowance for
Subsistence
375
Section 603--Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance for
Low-Income Members of the Armed Forces
375
Section 604--Calculation of Basic Allowance for Housing for Inside
the United States
376
Section 605--Equitable Treatment of Junior Enlisted Members in
Computation of Basic Allowance for Housing
376
Section 606--Basic Allowance for Housing Authorized for Additional
Members Without Dependents Who Are on Sea Duty
376
Section 607--Personal Money Allowance for Senior Enlisted Members of
the Armed Forces
376
Section 608--Allowance for Officers for Purchase of Required
Uniforms and Equipment
377
Section 609--Increase in Monthly Subsistence Allowance for Members
of Precommissioning Programs
377
Section 610--Additional Amount Available for Fiscal Year 2001
Increase in Basic Allowance for Housing Inside the United States
377
Subtitle B--Bonuses and Special and Incentive Pays
377
Section 611--Extension of Certain Bonuses and Special Pay
Authorities for Reserve Forces
377
Section 612--Extension of Certain Bonuses and Special Pay
Authorities for Nurse Officer Candidates, Registered Nurses and Nurse
Anesthetists
378
Section 613--Extension of Authorities Relating to Payment of Other
Bonuses and Special Pays
378
Section 614--Consistency of Authorities for Special Pay for Reserve
Medical and Dental Officers
378
Section 615--Special Pay for Coast Guard Physician Assistants
378
Section 616--Special Duty Assignment Pay for Enlisted Members
378
Section 617--Revision of Career Sea Pay
378
Section 618--Revision of Enlistment Bonus Authority
379
Section 619--Authorization of Retention Bonus for Members of the
Armed Forces Qualified in a Critical Military Skill
379
Section 620--Elimination of Required Congressional Notification
before Implementation of Certain Special Pay Authority
379
Subtitle C--Travel and Transportation Allowances
379
Section 631--Advance Payments for Temporary Lodging of Members and
Dependents
379
Section 632--Additional Transportation Allowance Regarding Baggage
and Household Effects
379
Section 633--Equitable Dislocation Allowances for Junior Enlisted
Members
379
Section 634--Authority to Reimburse Military Recruiters, Senior ROTC
Cadre, and Military Entrance Processing Personnel for Certain Parking
Expenses
379
Section 635--Expansion of Funded Student Travel for Dependents
380
Subtitle D--Retirement and Survivor Benefit Matters
380
Section 641--Increase in Maximum Number of Reserve Retirement Points
That May be Credited in Any Year
380
Section 642--Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan Spousal Consent
Requirement
380
Subtitle E--Other Matters
380
Section 651--Participation in Thrift Savings Plan
380
TITLE VII--HEALTH CARE PROVISIONS
381
OVERVIEW
381
ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
382
Funding for the Defense Health Program
382
Preventive Health Care Services
383
Report on Computer-Based Patient Record and Medical Records Tracking
System
383
Report on Mandatory Enrollment Program for TRICARE Beneficaries
384
Subtitle A--Health Care Services
384
Section 701--Two-Year Extension of Authority for Use of Contract
Physicians at Military Entrance Processing Stations and Elsewhere
Outside Medical Treatment Facilities
384
Section 702--Medical and Dental Care for Medal of Honor Recipients
384
Section 703--Provision of Domiciliary and Custodial Care for CHAMPUS
Beneficiaries and Certain Former CHAMPUS Beneficiaries
385
Section 704--Demonstration Project for Expanded Access to Mental
Health Counselors
385
Section 705--Teleradiology Demonstration Project
385
Subtitle B--TRICARE Program
386
Section 711--Additional Beneficiaries Under TRICARE Prime Remote
Program in the Continental United States
386
Section 712--Elimination of Copayments for Immediate Family
386
Section 713--Modernization of TRICARE Business Practices and
Increased Use of Military Treatment Facilities
386
Section 714--Claims Processing Improvements
387
Section 715--Prohibition Against Requirement for Prior Authorization
for Certain Referrals; Report on Nonavailability-of-Health-Care
Statements
388
Section 716--Authority to Establish Special Locality-Based
Reimbursement Rates; Reports
388
Section 717--Reimbursement for Certain Travel Expenses
388
Section 718--Reduction of Catastrophic Cap
388
Section 719--Report on Protections Against Health Care Providers
Seeking Direct Reimbursement from Members of the Uniformed Services
389
Section 720--Disenrollment Process for TRICARE Retiree Dental Program
389
Subtitle C--Health Care Programs for Medicare-Eligible Department of
Defense Beneficiaries
389
Section 721--Implementation of TRICARE Senior Pharmacy Program
389
Section 722--Study on Health Care Options for Medicare-Eligible
Military Retirees
390
Section 723--Extended Coverage Under Federal Employees Health
Benefits Program
390
Section 724--Extension of TRICARE Senior Supplement Program
391
Section 725--Extension of TRICARE Senior Prime Demonstration Project
391
Subtitle D--Other Matters
391
Section 731--Training in Health Care Management and Administration
391
Section 732--Study of Accrual Financing for Health Care for Military
Retirees
391
Section 733--Tracking Patient Safety in Military Medical Treatment
Facilities
391
Section 734--Pharmaceutical Identification Technology
392
Section 735--Management of Vaccine Immunization Program
392
Section 736--Study on Feasibility of Sharing Biomedical Research
Facility
392
Section 738--VA/DOD Sharing Agreements for Health Services
393
TITLE VIII--ACQUISTION POLICY, ACQUISITION MANAGEMENT, AND RELATED
MATTERS
394
ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
394
Procurement of Military Clothing and Clothing-Related Items by
Military Installations in the United States
394
Compliance with Applicable Labor Laws in Procurement of Military
Clothing
394
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
394
Section 801--Extension of Authority for Department of Defense
Acquisition Pilot Programs; Reports Required
394
Section 802--Technical Data Rights for Items Developed Exclusively
at Private Expense
395
Section 803--Management of Acquisition of Mission-Essential Software
for Major Defense Acquisition Programs
395
Section 804--Extension of Waiver Period for Live-Fire Survivability
Testing for MH 47E and MH 60K Helicopter Modification Programs
395
Section 805--Three-Year Extension of Authority of Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency to Carry Out Certain Prototype Projects
395
Section 806--Certification of Major Automated Information Systems as
to Compliance with Clinger-Cohen Act
396
Section 807--Limitations on Procurement of Certain Items
396
Section 808--Multiyear Services Contracts
396
Section 809--Study on Impact of Foreign Sourcing of Systems on
Long-Term Military Readiness and Related Industrial Infrastructure
396
Section 810--Prohibition Against Use of Department of Defense Funds
to Give or Withhold a Preference to a Marketer or Vendor of Firearms or
Ammunition
397
Section 811--Study and Report on Practice of Contract Bundling in
Military Construction Contracts
397
TITLE IX--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE ORGANIZATION AND MANGEMENT
398
ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
398
Center for the Study of Chinese Military Affairs
398
Management Headquarters
399
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
399
Section 901--Change of Title of Certain Positions in the
Headquarters, Marine Corps
399
Section 902--Further Reductions in Defense Acquisition and Support
Workforce
399
Section 903--Clarification of Scope of Inspector General Authorities
under Military Whistleblower Law
400
Section 904--Report on Number of Personnel Assigned to Legislative
Liaison Functions
400
Section 905--Joint Report on Establishment of National Collaborative
Information Analysis Capability
400
Section 906--Organization and Management of Civil Air Patrol
401
Section 907--Report on Network Centric Warfare
401
Section 908--Defense Institute for Hemispheric Security Cooperation
402
Section 909--Department of Defense Regional Centers for Security Studies
403
Section 910--Change in Name of Armed Forces Staff College to Joint
Forces Staff College
403
TITLE X--GENERAL PROVISIONS
404
ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
404
Counter-Drug Activities
404
Overview
404
Funding
405
Items of Special Interest
405
Air National Guard fighter operations
405
Coastal Patrol equipment procurement
406
Operation Caper Focus
406
Puerto Rico ROTHR security
406
Southwest border fence
406
OTHER MATTERS
406
Quadrennial Defense Review
406
Department of Defense Personnel Security Investigation Requirements
Priorities
407
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
408
Subtitle A--Financial Matters
408
Section 1001--Transfer Authority
408
Section 1002--Incorporation of Classified Annex
408
Section 1003--Authorization of Emergency Supplemental Appropriations
for Fiscal Year 2000
408
Department of Defense
408
Department of Energy
409
Section 1004--Contingent Repeal of Certain Provisions Shifting
Certain Outlays from One Fiscal Year to Another
409
Section 1005--Limitation on Funds for Bosnia and Kosovo Peacekeeping
Operations for Fiscal Year 2001
409
Subtitle B--Naval Vessels and Shipyards
410
Section 1011--National Defense Features Program
410
Subtitle C--Counter-Drug Activities
410
Section 1021--Report on Department of Defense Expenditures to
Support Foreign Counter-Drug Activities
410
Section 1022--Report on Tethered Aerostat Radar System
410
Subtitle D--Other Matters
411
Section 1031--Funds for Administrative Expenses Under Defense Export
Loan Guarantee Program
411
Section 1032--Technical and Clerical Amendments
411
Section 1033--Transfer of Vietnam Era TA 4 Aircraft to Nonprofit
Foundation
411
Section 1034--Transfer of 19th Century Cannon to Museum
411
Section 1035--Expenditures for Declassification Activities
411
Section 1036--Authority to Provide Loan Guarantees to Improve
Domestic Preparedness to Combat Cyberterrorism
412
Section 1037--V 22 Cockpit Aircraft Voice and Flight Data Recorders
413
TITLE XI--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CIVILIAN PERSONNEL
414
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
414
Section 1101--Employment and Compensation Provisions for Employees
of Temporary Organizations Established by Law or Executive Order
414
Section 1102--Restructuring the Restriction on Degree Training
414
Section 1103--Continuation of Tuition Reimbursement and Training for
Certain Acquisition Personnel
414
Section 1104--Extension of Authority for Civilian Employees of the
Department of Defense to Participate Voluntarily in Reductions in Force
414
Section 1105--Expansion of Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel
System Positions
415
Section 1106--Pilot Program for Reengineering the Equal Employment
Opportunity Complaint Process
415
TITLE XII--MATTERS RELATING TO OTHER NATIONS
416
ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
416
Arms Control Implementation
416
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
416
Section 1201--Support of United Nations-Sponsored Efforts to Inspect
and Monitor Iraqi Weapons Activities
416
Section 1202--Annual Report Assessing Effect of Continued Operations
in the Balkans Region on Readiness to Execute the National Military
Strategy
417
Section 1203--Situation in the Balkans
417
Section 1204--Limitation on Number of Military Personnel in Colombia
419
TITLE XIII--COOPERATIVE THREAT REDUCTION WITH STATES OF THE FORMER
SOVIET UNION
420
OVERVIEW
420
ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
421
Arms Elimination Projects in Russia
421
Arms Elimination Projects in Ukraine
422
Biological Weapons Proliferation Prevention in Russia
422
Chemical Weapons Destruction in Russia
424
Defense and Military Contacts
426
Elimination of Plutonium Production in Russia
426
Fissile Material Processing and Packaging
427
Fissile Material Storage Facility
427
Nuclear Weapons Storage Security in Russia
428
Nuclear Weapons Transportation Security
428
Other Assessments and Administrative Support
429
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
429
Section 1301--Specification of Cooperative Threat Reduction Programs
and Funds
429
Section 1302--Funding Allocations
430
Section 1303--Prohibition on Use of Funds for Elimination of
Conventional Weapons
430
Section 1304--Limitations on Use of Funds for Fissile Material
Storage Facility
430
Section 1305--Limitation on Use of Funds Until Submission of
Multiyear Plan
430
Section 1306--Russian Nonstrategic Nuclear Arms
430
Section 1307--Limitation on Use of Funds to Support Warhead
Dismantlement Processing
430
Section 1308--Agreement on Nuclear Weapons Storage Sites
430
Section 1309--Prohibition on Use of Funds for Construction of Fossil
Fuel Energy Plants
430
Section 1310--Audits of Cooperative Threat Reduction Programs
430
Section 1311--Limitation on Use of Funds for Prevention of
Biological Weapons Proliferation in Russia
431
TITLE XIV--COMMISSION TO ASSESS THE THREAT TO THE UNITED STATES FROM
ELECTROMAGNETIC PULSE (EMP) ATTACK
432
OVERVIEW
432
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
433
Section 1401--Establishment of Commission
433
Section 1402--Duties of Commission
433
Section 1403--Report
433
Section 1404--Powers
433
Section 1405--Commission Procedures
433
Section 1406--Personnel Members
433
Section 1407--Miscellaneous Administrative Provisions
433
Section 1408--Funding
433
Section 1409--Termination of the Commission
433
TITLE XV--PROVISIONS REGARDING VIEQUES ISLAND, PUERTO RICO
434
OVERVIEW
434
Section 1501--Conditions on Disposal of Naval Ammunition Support
Detachment, Vieques Island
435
Section 1502--Retention of Eastern Portion of Vieques Island
436
Section 1503--Limitations on Military Use of Vieques Island
436
Section 1504--Economic Assistance for Residents of Vieques Island
436
DIVISION B--MILITARY CONSTRUCTION AUTHORIZATIONS
437
PURPOSE
437
MILITARY CONSTRUCTION OVERVIEW
437
TITLE XXI--ARMY
455
SUMMARY
455
ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
455
Condition of Barracks to Support Basic Training
455
Improvements to Military Family Housing
455
Planning and Design
456
Unspecified Minor Construction
456
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
456
Section 2101--Authorized Army Construction and Land Acquisition Projects
456
Section 2102--Family Housing
456
Section 2103--Improvements to Military Family Housing Units
456
Section 2104--Authorization of Appropriations, Army
456
Section 2105--Modification of Authority to Carry Out Certain Fiscal
Year 1999 Project
456
TITLE XXII--NAVY
457
SUMMARY
457
ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
457
Acquisition of Prepositioned Equipment Maintenance Facilities,
Blount Island, Jacksonville, Florida
457
Improvements to Military Family Housing
457
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
457
Section 2201--Authorized Navy Construction and Land Acquisition Projects
457
Section 2202--Family Housing
458
Section 2203--Improvements to Military Family Housing Units
458
Section 2204--Authorization of Appropriations, Navy
458
Section 2205--Modification of Authority to Carry Out Fiscal Year
1997 Project at Marine Corps Combat Development Command, Quantico,
Virginia
458
TITLE XXIII--AIR FORCE
459
SUMMARY
459
ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
459
Rome Research Site, New York
459
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
459
Section 2301--Authorized Air Force Construction and Land Acquisition
Projects
459
Section 2302--Family Housing
459
Section 2303--Improvements to Military Family Housing Units
460
Section 2304--Authorization of Appropriations, Air Force
460
TITLE XXIV--DEFENSE AGENCIES
461
SUMMARY
461
ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
461
Forward Operating Locations in Support of Counter-Drug and Drug
Interdiction Activities
461
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
461
Section 2401--Authorized Defense Agencies Construction and Land
Acquisition Projects
461
Section 2402--Authorization Of Appropriations, Defense Agencies
461
TITLE XXV--NORTH ATLANTIC TREATY ORGANIZATION INFRASTRUCTURE
462
SUMMARY
462
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
462
Section 2501--Authorized NATO Construction and Land Acquisition Projects
462
Section 2502--Authorization of Appropriations, NATO
462
TITLE XXVI--GUARD AND RESERVE FORCES FACILITIES
463
SUMMARY
463
ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
463
Planning and Design, Army National Guard
463
Planning and Design, Army Reserve
463
Unspecified Minor Construction, Army Reserve
463
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
463
Section 2601--Authorized Guard and Reserve Construction and Land
Acquisition Projects
463
TITLE XXVII--EXPIRATION AND EXTENSION OF AUTHORIZATIONS
464
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
464
Section 2701--Expiration of Authorizations and Amounts Required to
be Specified by Law
464
Section 2702--Extensions of Authorizations of Certain Fiscal Year
1998 Projects
464
Section 2703--Extension of Authorizations of Certain Fiscal Year
1997 Projects
464
Section 2704--Effective Date
464
TITLE XXVIII--GENERAL PROVISIONS
465
ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
465
Military Housing Privatization Initiative
465
Water Quality Issues Affecting Military Installations in the Area of
Kaiserslautern, Germany
465
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
465
Subtitle A--Military Construction Program and Military Family
Housing Changes
465
Section 2801--Revision of Limitations on Space by Pay Grade
465
Section 2802--Leasing of Military Family Housing, United States
Southern Command, Miami, Florida
466
Section 2803--Alternative Authority for Acquisition and Improvement
of Military Housing
466
Section 2804--Expansion of Definition of Armory to Include Readiness
Centers
466
Subtitle B--Real Property and Facilities Administration
466
Section 2811--Increase in Threshold for Notice and Wait Requirements
for Real Property Transactions
466
Section 2812--Enhancement of Authority of Military Departments to
Lease Non-Excess Property
466
Section 2813--Conveyance Authority Regarding Utility Systems of
Military Departments
466
Subtitle C--Land Conveyances Generally
467
Part I--Army Conveyances
467
Section 2831--Transfer of Jurisdiction, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois
467
Section 2832--Land Conveyance, Army Reserve Center, Galesburg, Illinois
467
Section 2833--Land Conveyance, Army Reserve Center, Winona, Minnesota
467
Section 2834--Land Conveyance, Fort Polk, Louisiana
467
Section 2835--Land Conveyance, Fort Pickett, Virginia
467
Section 2836--Land Conveyance, Fort Dix, New Jersey
467
Section 2837--Land Conveyance, Nike Site 43, Elrama, Pennsylvania
468
Section 2838--Land Exchange, Fort Hood, Texas
468
Section 2839--Land Conveyance, Charles Melvin Price Support Center,
Illinois
468
Section 2840--Land Conveyance, Army Reserve Local Training Center,
Chattanooga, Tennessee
468
Part II--Navy Conveyances
468
Section 2851--Modification of Authority for Oxnard Harbor District,
Port Hueneme, California, to Use Certain Navy Property
468
Section 2852--Modification of Land Conveyance, Marine Corps Air
Station, El Toro, California
469
Section 2853--Transfer of Jurisdiction, Marine Corps Air Station,
Miramar, California
469
Section 2854--Lease of Property, Marine Corps Air Station, Miramar,
California
469
Section 2855--Lease of Property, Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida
469
Section 2856--Land Exchange, Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego,
California
470
Section 2857--Land Exchange, Naval Air Reserve Center, Columbus, Ohio
470
Section 2858--Land Conveyance, Naval Reserve Center, Tampa, Florida
470
Part III--Air Force Conveyances
470
Section 2861--Land Conveyance, Wright Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio
470
Section 2862--Land Conveyance, Point Arena Air Force Station, California
471
Section 2863--Land Conveyance, Los Angeles Air Force Base, California
471
Part IV--Other Conveyances
471
Section 2871--Conveyance of Army and Air Force Exchange Service
Property, Farmers Branch, Texas
471
Subtitle D--Other Matters
471
Section 2881--Retention of Easement Authority to Leased Parkland,
Marine Corps Base, Camp Pendleton, California
471
Section 2882--Extension of Demonstration Project for Purchase of
Fire, Security, Police, Public Works, and Utility Services from Local
Government Agencies
472
Section 2883--Establishment of World War II Memorial on Guam
472
Section 2884--Naming of the Army Missile Testing Range at Kwajalein
Atoll as the Ronald Reagan Ballistic Defense Test Site at Kwajalein
Atoll
472
Section 2885--Designation of Building at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, in
Honor of Andrew T. McNamara
472
Section 2886--Redesignation of the Balboa Naval Hospital, San Diego,
California, in Honor of Bob Wilson, a Former Member of the House of
Representatives
472
Section 2887--Sense of Congress Regarding Importance of Expansion of
National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California
472
DIVISION C--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY NATIONAL SECURITY AUTHORIZATION AND
OTHER AUTHORIZATIONS
473
TITLE XXXI--DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY NATIONAL SECURITY PROGRAMS
473
OVERVIEW
473
Environmental and Other Defense Activities
492
Overview
492
Items of Special Interest
492
Acceleration of the 94 1 program and restoration of infrastructure
at the Savannah River Site
492
Energy Employees Compensation Initiative
492
Hanford tank waste remediation system privatization, phase I
494
Mixed oxide fuel fabrication facility
494
Nonproliferation and national security
495
Worker and community transition
495
National Nuclear Security Administration
496
Items of Special Interest
496
Budget Structure of the National Nuclear Security Administration
(NNSA) Campaigns
496
Advanced Design and Production Technology (ADAPT)
497
Advanced radiography
497
Defense computing and modeling
498
Laser development
500
Pit manufacturing readiness
501
Tritium readiness
502
Construction projects
502
Defense programs requirements process
502
Department of Energy Reorganization Issues
503
Directed stockpile work
505
Stockpile evaluation
505
Stockpile maintenance
505
Program direction for defense programs
506
Readiness in Technical Base and Facilities (RTBF)
506
Operations of facilities
507
Special projects
507
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
508
Subtitle A--National Security Programs Authorizations
508
Section 3101--National Nuclear Security Administration
508
Section 3102--Defense Environmental Restoration and Waste Management
508
Section 3103--Other Defense Activities
508
Section 3104--Defense Facilities Closure Projects
508
Section 3105--Defense Environmental Management Privatization
508
Section 3106--Defense Nuclear Waste Disposal
508
Subtitle B--Recurring General Provisions
508
Section 3121--Reprogramming
508
Section 3122--Limits on General Plant Projects
508
Section 3123--Limits on Construction Projects
508
Section 3124--Fund Transfer Authority
509
Section 3125--Authority for Conceptual and Construction Design
509
Section 3126--Authority for Emergency Planning, Design and
Construction Activities
509
Section 3127--Availability of Funds
509
Section 3128--Authority Relating to Transfer of Defense
Environmental Management Funds
509
Section 3131--Funding for Termination Costs for Tank Waste
Remediation System Environmental Project, Richland, Washington
509
Section 3132--Enhanced Cooperation Between National Nuclear Security
Administration and Ballistic Missile Defense Organization
510
Section 3133--Required Contents of Future-Years Nuclear Security
Program to be Submitted with Fiscal Year 2002 Budget and Limitation on
Obligation of Certain Funds Pending Submission of that Program
510
Section 3134--Limitation on Obligation of Certain Funds
510
TITLE XXXII--DEFENSE NUCLEAR FACILITIES SAFETY BOARD
511
ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
511
Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board
511
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
511
Section 3201--Authorization
511
TITLE XXXIII--NATIONAL DEFENSE STOCKPILE
512
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
512
Section 3301--Authorized Uses of Stockpile Funds
512
Section 3302--Use of Excess Titanium Sponge in the National Defense
Stockpile to Manufacture Department of Defense Equipment
512
TITLE XXXIV--MARITIME ADMINISTRATION
513
ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
513
Merchant Marine Academy
513
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
513
Section 3401--Authorization of Appropriations for Fiscal Year 2001
513
Section 3402--Extension of Period For Disposal of Obsolete Vessels
From the National Reserve Fleet
513
Section 3403--Authority to Convey National Defense Reserve Fleet
Vessel, GLACIER
513
Departmental Data
514
Department of Defense Authorization Request
514
Military Construction Authorization Request
515
Committee Position
515
Communications From Other Committees
515
Fiscal Data
521
Congressional Budget Office Estimate
521
Congressional Budget Office Cost Estimate
521
Committee Cost Estimate
542
Oversight Findings
542
Constitutional Authority Statement
542
Statement of Federal Mandates
542
Roll Call Votes
542
Changes in Existing Law Made by the Bill, as Reported
551
Additional Views
690
Additional views of John M. Spratt, Jr
690
Additional views of Steven T. Kuykendall
694
Additional views of Baron P. Hill
695
Additional views of Joseph R. Pitts, John M. Spratt, Jr
697
Additional views of Robert A. Underwood, Neil Abercrombie, Solomon P.
Ortiz, Thomas H. Allen, Silvestre Reyes
698
Additional views of Loretta Sanchez, Lane Evans, Neil Abercrombie,
Patrick J. Kennedy, Thomas H. Allen, Adam Smith, Ellen O. Tauscher,
Robert E. Andrews, Mike Thompson
700
Additional views of Loretta Sanchez, Neil Abercrombie, Ike Skelton,
Robert A. Underwood, Patrick J. Kennedy, Robert A. Brady
701
106 th Congress
Report
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
2d Session
106 616
FLOYD D. SPENCE NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2001
May 12, 2000.--Committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the
State of the Union and ordered to be printed
Mr. Spence , from the Committee on Armed Services, submitted the
following
REPORT
together with
ADDITIONAL VIEWS
[To accompany H.R. 4205]
[Including cost estimate of the Congressional Budget Office]
The Committee on Armed Services, to whom was referred the bill (H.R.
4205) to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2001 for military
activities of the Department of Defense and for military construction,
to prescribe military personnel strengths for fiscal year 2001, and for
other purposes, having considered the same, report favorably thereon
with amendments and recommend that the bill as amended do pass.
The amendments are as follows:
The MDBUamendment strikes out all after the enacting clause of the
bill and inserts a new text which appears in italic type in the reported
bill.
The title of the bill is amended to reflect the amendment to the text
of the bill.
EXPLANATION OF THE COMMITTEE AMENDMENTS
The committee adopted an amendment in the nature of a substitute
during the consideration of H.R. 4205. The title of the bill is amended
to reflect the amendment to the text of the bill. The remainder of the
report discusses the bill, as amended.
PURPOSE
The bill would--(1) Authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2001 for
procurement and for research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E);
(2) Authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2001 for operation and
maintenance (O&M) and for working capital funds; (3) Authorize for
fiscal year 2001: (a) the personnel strength for each active duty
component of the military departments; (b) the personnel strength for
the Selected Reserve for each reserve component of the armed forces; (c)
the military training student loads for each of the active and reserve
components of the military departments; (4) Modify various elements of
compensation for military personnel and impose certain requirements and
limitations on personnel actions in the defense establishment; (5)
Authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2001 for military construction
and family housing; (6) Authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2001
for the Department of Energy national security programs; (7) Modify
provisions related to the National Defense Stockpile; and (8) Authorize
appropriations for fiscal year 2001 for the Maritime Administration.
RELATIONSHIP OF AUTHORIZATION TO APPROPRIATIONS
The bill does not generally provide budget authority. The bill
authorizes appropriations. Subsequent appropriation acts provide budget
authority. The bill addresses the following categories in the Department
of Defense budget: procurement; research, development, test and
evaluation; operation and maintenance; working capital funds, military
personnel; and military construction and family housing. The bill also
addresses Department of Energy National Security Programs and the
Maritime Administration.
Active duty and reserve personnel strengths authorized in this bill
and legislation affecting compensation for military personnel determine
the remaining appropriation requirements of the Department of Defense.
However, this bill does not provide authorization of specific dollar
amounts for personnel.
SUMMARY OF AUTHORIZATION IN THE BILL
The President requested budget authority of $305.3 billion for the
national defense budget function for fiscal year 2001. Of this amount,
the President requested $291.0 billion for the Department of Defense
(including $8.0 billion for military construction and family housing)
and $13.1 billion for Department of Energy national security programs
and the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board.
The committee recommends an overall level of $309.9 billion in budget
authority. This amount is consistent with the discretionary defense
spending limitations imposed by the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 and it
represents an increase of approximately $21.1 billion from the amount
authorized for appropriation by the National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 2000 (Public Law 106 65). Overall, the committee's
recommendation is consistent with the amounts established in the
Concurrent Resolution on the Budget for Fiscal Year 2001 for the
national defense budget function.
SUMMARY TABLE OF AUTHORIZATIONS
The following table provides a summary of the amounts requested and
that would be authorized for appropriation in the bill (in the column
labeled ``Budget Authority Implication of Committee Recommendation'')
and the committee's estimate of how the committee's recommendations
relate to the budget totals for the national defense function. For
purposes of estimating the budget authority implications of committee
action, the table reflects the numbers contained in the President's
budget for proposals not in the committee's legislative jurisdiction.
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RATIONALE FOR THE COMMITTEE BILL
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2001 is the
first defense authorization bill prepared for the new millennium. It
reflects the committee's view of, and commitment to, the policies,
programs, and priorities required to maintain U.S. military preeminence
in the 21st century.
The committee bill authorizes $309.9 billion for defense during
fiscal year 2001--an addition of $4.5 billion to the Administration's
defense budget request. Although this bill continues the trend of adding
to the Administration's defense budget request, the committee remains
troubled by the mismatch between requirements, forces, and resources
that continues to exist and will remain, even with the increases
contained in this bill.
In the committee's view, the public debate over the adequacy of U.S.
defense funding has turned an important corner. In recent years, efforts
to increase defense have encountered skepticism and outright opposition
by an Administration that came into office believing that defense could
be reduced substantially without risk to the national security. The end
of the Cold War was accompanied by annual real decreases in defense
spending, as the ``peace dividend'' was applied to other priorities.
There now appears to be a general consensus that U.S. defense spending
has fallen too far too fast. These real decreases have resulted in
significant problems in readiness, equipment modernization, and quality
of life for U.S. service personnel, and a significant overall decline in
U.S. military capability. This year, the committee has again sought to
address the most critical shortfalls in these areas by increasing
funding above the Administration's budget request.
MDBU U.S. STRATEGY FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM
U.S. military strategy continues to be guided by the tenets outlined
in the 1997 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR). The QDR, building upon its
predecessor, the 1993 Bottom-Up Review, postulated that the sizing and
composition of U.S. military forces should be based on the requirement
to fight two nearly simultaneous major theater wars. While the committee
believes that the two major theater war standard has been a realistic
and useful planning tool, the QDR was a budget-driven exercise, rather
than a strategy-driven one. Even so, the defense resources historically
requested by the Administration have never been adequate to execute the
strategy without accepting a greater than prudent level of risk.
Testifying before the committee on October 21, 1999, the Air Force,
Navy, and Marine Corps service chiefs each stated that they lacked the
capabilities required of a true ``two major theater war'' military
force. Army Chief of Staff General Eric Shinseki declared that the Army
could execute the two major theater war strategy only with ``high
risk.'' In subsequent testimony on February 10, 2000, General Shinseki
stated, ``You measure that risk in national treasure, lives, and
expended dollars.'' Former Secretary of Defense James Schlesinger told
the committee on February 8, 2000, ``The simple reality today is that we
cannot fight two MRCs [major regional contingencies] more or less
simultaneously.'' Even former Secretary of Defense William Perry, who
oversaw the Clinton Administration's early defense efforts, testified
before the committee, ``We do not have a capability of fighting two
[major theater wars] at the same time. For one thing, we do not have
enough airlift and sealift to go to two places at once.''
The next Administration will have an ability, through the QDR
process, to place its imprint on the strategy that will guide the level
and composition of U.S. military forces in the new millennium. The
committee expects that the next QDR, due out in September 2001, will be
strategy-based and not budget constrained. The committee has long
believed that the level of resources necessary for defense must flow
from an assessment of U.S. strategy, existing and emerging threats, and
the force levels required to deal with those threats. Under this
Administration, the reverse has been true. Anticipated budget levels
have driven the sizing and composition of U.S. forces and the strategy
that can be implemented with those force levels. This approach stands
sound national security planning on its head.
The committee's approach again this year has been guided by an effort
to develop a defense budget that is more responsive to the post-Cold War
threats faced by the United States and commensurate with America's
global responsibilities--and, in so doing, to ensure that U.S. forces
can successfully execute their missions at the lowest possible level of
risk.
MDBU MAINTAINING AMERICA'S MILITARY PREEMINENCE
In its Phase I report last fall on the emerging global security
environment, the United States Commission on National Security/21st
Century reported that the United States can expect to confront a variety
of new and asymmetric threats in the next several decades that will pose
significant challenges to U.S. security. These threats include the
spread of ballistic missiles and weapons of mass destruction,
information warfare, terrorism, and the use by other states of space for
military purposes. According to the commission, ``threats to American
security will be more diffuse, harder to anticipate, and more difficult
to neutralize than ever before. Deterrence will not work as it once did;
in many cases it may not work at all.''
In its Phase II report, issued in April 2000, the commission
concluded, ``The maintenance of America's strength is a long-term
commitment and cannot be assured without conscious, dedicated effort.''
This places a premium on ensuring that America's armed forces are
sufficiently resourced, manned, and equipped, to successfully confront
emerging threats. This fundamental principle has guided the committee's
approach to the defense budget for the past six years. The committee
agrees with the commission's conclusion that without a sustained defense
effort, the United States ``will find its power reduced, its interests
challenged even more than they are today, and its influence eroded.''
Secretary Schlesinger echoed this point in testimony before the
committee on February 8, 2000, when he stated, ``The United States
simply cannot continue to play the global leadership role envisioned by
the current national security strategy without a substantial increase in
defense spending.MDBU . . . We are resting on our laurels as the sole
superpower,'' he stated, and warned that without sustained increases in
defense, ``we are likely to see a train wreck.''
Unfortunately, in the past year, additional strains have been imposed
on the U.S. military, as the armed forces continue to be asked to do
more with less. This reality has again called into question the armed
forces' ability to carry out the national military strategy postulated
in the QDR. One year ago, U.S. forces led NATO's Operation Allied Force
campaign against Yugoslavia. For the Air Force, this operation was the
equivalent of a major theater war. The 78MDBU-day military campaign
exposed serious strains within the U.S. military, illuminating problems
that have resulted from underfunding and over-extending the military. It
also led to the second major peacekeeping operation involving U.S.
forces in the Balkans in five years. Like the peacekeeping mission in
Bosnia, the NATO-led Kosovo peacekeeping operation is of indefinite
duration and threatens to involve the United States in an ever-deepening
quagmire. The requirements of peacekeeping pose significant burdens on
U.S. forces that detract from their primary warfighting mission. As a
result, readiness has declined, equipment has been severely strained,
and quality of life has suffered.
The committee recognizes that the United States has global interests
and responsibilities. However, the increasing use of the armed forces
for humanitarian and civil support missions abroad diminishes the
military's capacity to respond to a significant conflict or crisis. The
U.S. armed forces were employed overseas more times in the past decade
than in the previous 45 years. Since 1989, the Army has participated in
35 major deployments, including a significant number of peacekeeping
missions. During the same period, the Army, including its Reserve
Components, reduced its force structure by more than 34 percent.
Continued high operating tempos risk bending the force to the breaking
point. The employment of U.S. military forces should be selective and
based on a pragmatic calculation of the risks and benefits to U.S.
national security. In establishing the funding priorities in this year's
bill, the committee is again guided by this fundamental principle.
MDBU THE ADMINISTRATION'S DEFENSE BUDGET REQUEST
The President's defense budget request for fiscal year 2001 reflects
the first significant real increase in defense funding in a decade and,
unlike in previous years, does not appear to be premised on questionable
economic assumptions, assumed savings, and outlay gimmicks. In
submitting its proposed budget, the Administration appears to recognize
that quality of life, readiness, and modernization shortfalls are real,
that they have real-world implications, and that increased defense
spending is necessary. However, as Secretary of Defense William Cohen
testified before the committee on February 9, 2000, ``One budgetary
year, one submission or two submissions of real growth increase does not
a military make. It's going to take sustained commitment over the
years.''
Unfortunately, despite the increases proposed by the President this
year, serious mismatches between strategy, forces, and resources
continue to exist. Over the past eight years, the Administration's
cumulative defense budget requests have fallen more than $300 billion
short of even covering the costs of inflation relative to the fiscal
year 1993 defense spending levels it inherited--spending levels that
already reflected significant cutbacks resulting from President Bush's
post-Cold War downsizing of the U.S. military.
Although U.S. military strategy remains essentially unchanged from
that articulated in the QDR, the committee believes that the
Administration's current and planned levels of defense funding are
insufficient to carry out that strategy. The committee believes that the
United States will need to invest significantly more resources in order
to maintain even current military capabilities. As Secretary Schlesinger
testified before the committee on February 8, 2000, ``We cannot maintain
the present force structure and reequip the forces on the present budget
levels or the prospective budget levels. . . . The simple reality is
that we cannot sustain those forces. This is not a matter of opinion. It
is a matter of simple arithmetic. . . .'' The committee has sought
repeatedly to provide additional resources for defense that would
address the most serious deficiencies that exist.
Despite significant congressional increases to the defense budget
last year, the service chiefs testified before the committee in October
1999 to having at least $9 billion in critical unfunded requirements in
fiscal year 2000, excluding the unbudgeted costs of Kosovo operations.
Few, if any, of these shortfalls were addressed in the fiscal year 2000
supplemental submitted with the budget request. This led the House to
support a significant increase to the Administration's supplemental
request. In testimony before the committee earlier this year, the
service chiefs identified nearly $16 billion in unfunded military
requirements. Since last year, their five-year estimate of shortfalls
has increased from $38 billion to $84 billion. As General Eric Shinseki,
Army Chief of Staff, testified, ``there is still a mismatch between the
resources we have and the requirements we may face.''
In a recent report, the Center for Strategic and International
Studies (CSIS) concluded, ``A substantial defense strategy-resources
mismatch MDBU. MDBU. MDBU. already exists. It is profound. It has been
ongoing for some time and will take years to overcome. It is reaching
crisis proportions and requires immediate attention.'' With this in
mind, the committee has sought to address in this year's budget the most
serious aspects of this mismatch as they relate to readiness,
modernization, and quality of life.
MDBU RESTORING READINESS
Restoring military readiness is a key priority for the committee, as
U.S. military readiness is essential to securing America's future as the
world's sole superpower. In recent years, readiness has suffered as a
result of high operations tempo resulting from the high pace of
unscheduled contingency deployments around the world.
Historically, the Administration has sought to pay for these
deployments by raiding critical readiness accounts. In addition,
near-term readiness has been purchased at the expense of future
modernization. Admiral Jay Johnson, Chief of Navy Operations, told the
committee in October 1999 that ``fiscal constraints force us too often
to choose between near-term readiness and future modernization and
recapitalization.'' General James Jones, Commandant of the Marine Corps,
stated, ``We have sacrificed our procurement accounts to assist in
meeting the growing costs of keeping our aging equipment and weapons
MDBU`ready.'''
Unfortunately, the Administration's fiscal year 2001 defense budget
request contains few if any increases to readiness accounts and falls
well short of addressing the serious readiness problems that exist.
Moreover, current budget projections indicate that funding for critical
readiness needs will decline next year. Existing readiness problems
include a shortage of spare parts, aging equipment, decaying
infrastructure, growing equipment and facilities' backlogs, insufficient
training, and personnel shortages. According to Air Force Chief of Staff
General Michael Ryan, the overall combat readiness of the Air Force has
declined by 26 percent since 1996.
The committee finds this situation troubling, particularly in light
of the fact that the Administration has at long last acknowledged that
serious readiness shortfalls exist. In testifying on the fiscal year
2001 budget request on February 9, 2000, General Henry Shelton, Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, acknowledged that even recent funding
increases ``will not guarantee the levels of readiness needed to
significantly reduce risk in executing the National Military Strategy.''
Over the past five years, the Congress has added more than $7 billion
to the Administration's budget requests to fund day-to-day operations,
training, equipment and facility maintenance, and spare parts. The
committee bill continues this trend by adding significant additional
resources for critical readiness priorities.
MDBU EQUIPPING THE FORCE
For the United States to remain the world's preeminent military
power, additional investment in the development and procurement of
modern technology and equipment is essential. Our men and women in
uniform cannot be expected to fight and win the nation's wars in the
21st century solely with equipment developed and acquired in the 20th
century.
Although this year's budget request increases funding for research,
development, testing, and evaluation for the first time in five years,
important shortfalls remain in these critical accounts. In particular,
additional efforts are required in the area of national and theater
missile defenses. The committee budget reflects the committee's
historically strong support for the development of technologies that
could be deployed to protect the American homeland from the real and
growing threat posed by the proliferation of ballistic missiles and the
weapons of mass destruction they carry.
The Administration's budget request for fiscal year 2001 meets, for
the first time, the Administration's own target of providing $60 billion
for the procurement of equipment essential to a modern military.
However, this goal was attained through the use of innovative
accounting, such as including submarine overhaul funds in the
procurement accounts for the first time.
Despite meeting this milestone, the committee is troubled by the fact
that the $60.3 billion request is $1.5 billion below what the
Administration projected the request would be one year ago. This is
difficult to comprehend in an overall defense budget characterized by
real spending growth.
The committee notes that the military of 2000 is continuing to live
off the equipment investment decisions made almost two decades earlier.
The defense build-up that occurred under President Reagan has served the
nation well. However, the force that resulted from this build-up is
precisely the one being worn out as a result of extensive operational
deployments and inadequate resourcing. As Secretary Schlesinger told the
committee, the U.S. military continues to live off and wear out the
``capital'' of the late Cold War.
During its examination of the Administration's budget request, the
committee heard testimony from a variety of witnesses, including former
Department of Defense officials, who testified that the Administration's
procurement budget was insufficient to modernize and equip the current
QDR force well into the 21st century. The CSIS report estimated that
``DOD procurement budgets will need to average $164 billion annually''
over the next 10 years ``to provide for steady and continued
modernization and replacement of the QDR force.MDBU . . .'' Other
estimates have suggested that the current procurement budget is
underfunded by $25 billion to $50 billion. Former Deputy Secretary of
Defense John Hamre, in Senate testimony, stated, ``Even though we got to
$60 billion in our modernization budget, we're still not really making
up for the hole that we dug for ourselves during . . . the second half
of the '80s and the MDBU'90s.'' Even Secretary Perry testified before
the committee that procurement is underfunded. ``My own judgment is it
probably needs to be perhaps $70 to $80 billion,'' he declared.
Over the past five years, the committee has added nearly $18 billion
to the Administration's procurement budget requests and this bill adds
another $2.0 billion to the procurement accounts largely to meet the
most critical unfunded modernization requirements identified by the
service chiefs.
MDBU KEEPING FAITH MDBUWITH OUR MILITARY PERSONNEL
Ensuring a decent quality of life for military personnel and their
families remains central to the committee's efforts to revitalize the
all-volunteer U.S. armed forces. America's military is only as good as
the people who serve in it. Recruiting and retaining top-notch personnel
remains a key committee priority in this year's bill.
In recent years, each of the military services has encountered
difficulty in recruiting and retaining qualified personnel. With this in
mind, the committee bill makes a series of improvements to the pay,
allowances, benefits, and living conditions of American military
personnel that significantly enhance the quality of life for them and
their families. The committee's actions follow up on last year's
initiatives taken by the Congress with respect to pay raises, pay table
reform, military retirement benefits, basic allowance for housing,
special pay and retention bonuses, and the military Thrift Savings Plan.
In particular, the committee bill removes the barriers to an
effective military healthcare system by restoring access to prescription
drug benefits for Medicare-eligible retirees, reduces out-of-pocket
costs for service personnel participating in the TRICARE Prime and
TRICARE Prime Remote programs, and expands the coverage provided under
this program to family members. Moreover, the bill allows TRICARE
reimbursements to be tailored to local area costs and allows
reimbursement for travel expenses incurred resulting from long-distance
referrals for medical care. The committee bill also makes a number of
management initiatives that are expected to save the Defense Health
Program over $500 million, which can be reinvested in benefits, instead
of being squandered on administration. The committee's actions will
result in improved access, portability of benefit, and increased savings
to U.S. service personnel for medical care.
In short, the committee bill fulfills the promise to make continued
improvements in compensation and health care programs begun in last
year's National Defense Authorization Act. In addition, the committee
bill includes a provision to eliminate the statutory requirement that
service members pay for 15 percent of housing costs from their own
pockets, and to authorize the Secretary of Defense to increase the basic
allowance for housing rates while reducing out-of-pocket housing
expenses for military members to zero by fiscal year 2005.
Military healthcare, morale, welfare, and recreation programs, as
well as the quality of facilities in which military personnel live and
work, also have a tangible effect on service members, their families,
and career decisions. Unfortunately, the Administration's budget request
significantly underfunds military construction and healthcare
improvements. The committee bill goes a long way toward improving the
quality of life for U.S. military personnel and their families.
MDBU THE COMMITTEE BILL: INVESTING FOR THE 21ST CENTURY
Over the past five years, the Congress has added nearly $50 billion
to the Administration's proposed defense budgets. These increases were
necessary, but not sufficient. They have helped stop the hemorrhaging of
America's defenses, but restoring U.S. military capability to that
required by U.S. commitments and national interests requires more. While
the committee recognizes that additional defense investments are
required, there is no question that U.S. national security would be
worse off had the committee and the Congress not acted in a responsible
manner to address the military's most pressing problems.
Modernizing and maintaining today's military forces, following on the
heels of a decade of real decline in defense budgets, will require the
kind of sustained commitment and investment in the years ahead that took
place in the early 1980s. Some may argue that the nation cannot afford
such an investment. In the committee's view, what the nation cannot
afford is another decade, like the last, of declining defense budgets
and shrinking military forces if the United States is to remain a
superpower able to promote and protect its global interests.
It is with this reality in mind that the committee has crafted a
defense budget designed to provide our service personnel with the best
tools our country can produce to enable them to defend our nation's
people, interests, and values. The committee bill represents the minimum
funding necessary to accomplish that goal. Although a greater level of
investment in America's security will be necessary over the coming years
if the nation is to be secure from the range of threats it will likely
confront, this bill is a necessary first step toward ensuring that
America's military can meet the challenges that lie ahead, and ensure
the safety and security of all Americans, well into the new millennium.
HEARINGS
Committee consideration of the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2001 results from extensive hearings that began on February
9, 2000 and that were completed on March 23, 2000. The full committee
conducted 6 sessions. In addition, a total of 27 sessions were conducted
by five different subcommittees and two panels of the committee on
various titles of the bill. MDBU
DIVISION A--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION
MDBU TITLE I--PROCUREMENT
MDBU OVERVIEW
In October 1995, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff first
advised the Secretary of Defense that in order to recapitalize the U.S.
armed forces after a decade of ever-decreasing defense procurement
budgets, $60 billion would be required annually and should be achieved
by fiscal year 1998. Over four years after this pronouncement and three
years after its subsequent endorsement by the 1997 Quadrennial Defense
Review (QDR), the fiscal year 2001 budget request finally reached that
level, although it is $1.5 billion below what was forecast at the time
the fiscal year 2000 budget was submitted to the Congress one year
agoMDBU--the sixth consecutive year in which this situation has
occurred. Consequently, it is not surprising that the service chiefs
continue to lament that many of their modernization needs are going
unmet. What is surprising is the fact that, notwithstanding these unmet
needs, the future years defense program similarly forecasts reductions
to the procurement budgets in fiscal years 2004 and 2005 from those made
a year ago while, at the same time, prominent former Department of
Defense (DOD) leaders in the current Administration advocate large
increases to these budgets.
For example, former Secretary of Defense, William Perry, testified
before the committee earlier this year that, ``Procurement proposed to
you in this budget is $60 billion in round figures. My own judgment is
it probably needs to be perhaps $70 to $80 billion MDBU. MDBU. MDBU.''
Also, in testimony before the Defense Subcommittee of the Senate
Appropriations Committee just prior to his resignation in March, former
Deputy Secretary of Defense, John Hamre, noted, ``Even though we got to
$60 billion in our modernization budget, we're still not really making
up for the hole that we dug for ourselves during the '90s. . . .
actually the second half of the '80s and the '90s. And we're going to
have to do a better job later on. This is where people said, MDBU`Well
what will it cost to do that?' I don't believe it's $100 billion a year
to do that, but I think it's in the $10 billion to $15 billion more a
year for procurement in order to start getting out of that hole.''
Having added nearly $18 billion to the procurement budget requests of
the past five years, the committee obviously shares the views of the two
former senior DOD officials. However, during most of this period the
committee has found itself to be seriously hampered in advocating a
dramatically larger modernization budget by a lack of support from the
DOD civilian leadership--including those individuals who now have
testified that, indeed, increased procurement funding is required.
Consequently, it has been unable to sustain the healthy $5 to $6 billion
adds to the procurement accounts that it made in fiscal years 1996 and
1997. Nevertheless, fiscal year 2001 marks the sixth consecutive year
the committee has increased the President's procurement budget, and the
$2.6 billion added has again been largely devoted to funding equipment
for which, according to the service chiefs, requirements have not been
met.
The committee continues to strongly believe that the resources
provided to the Department to carry out its national security strategy
of preparing to win two nearly simultaneous major theater wars is
inadequate. If this strategy remains intact following the fiscal year
2001 QDR, then it is imperative that the next Administration provide
adequate resources to modernize our armed forces from the outset and
sustain these resources for as long as required. As stated by former
Secretary of Defense James Schlesinger in his testimony to the committee
this year, ``The United States simply cannot continue to play the global
leadership role envisioned by the current national security strategy
without a substantial increase in defense spending.MDBU .MDBU .MDBU
.MDBU We cannot maintain the present force structure and reequip the
forces on the present budget levels or the prospective budget levels.''
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AIRCRAFT PROCUREMENT, ARMY
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $1,323.3 million for Aircraft
Procurement, Army for fiscal year 2001. The committee recommends
authorization of $1,542.8 million for fiscal year 2001.
The committee recommends approval of the request except for those
programs adjusted in the following table. Unless otherwise specified,
adjustments are without prejudice and based on affordability
considerations.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
AH 64 modifications
The budget request contained $18.5 million for AH 64 modifications
but included no funds to continue procurement of the oil debris
detection system (ODDS) or the vibration management enhancement program
(VMEP).
The ODDS is an on-board detection system that alerts aircrews to the
presence of metal chips in engines and propeller gear boxes, which
allows flights to be terminated prior to catastrophic failure of
critical components. The system also permits the clearing of smaller
particles that routinely accumulate in engine oil and cause false
impending engine failure alarms resulting in unnecessary termination of
aircraft missions and costly engine diagnostics.
The VMEP is an Army National Guard (ARNG) effort currently directed
toward resolving vibration management problems on the ARNG's AH 64
Apache fleet, but the committee understands the technology is also
applicable to the UH 60 Blackhawk. The committee continues to support
the VMEP because of its belief that such on-board diagnostic
capabilities contribute significantly to both aircrew safety and
improved aircraft reliability.
Since the ODDS, which has been successfully integrated into other
Department of Defense aircraft, both reduces aircraft maintenance costs
and enhances aircrew safety, the committee recommends an increase of
$5.0 million to incorporate the ODDS on AH 64 Apaches. The committee
also recommends an increase of $7.0 million to continue procurement of
VMEP systems for the ARNG Apache fleet and to transition this technology
to the Blackhawk.
In total, the committee recommends $30.5 million for AH 64
modifications, an increase of $12.0 million.
Airborne reconnaissance low (ARL)
The budget request contained no funds to procure ARL aircraft. The
ARL supports intelligence collection requirements for forward-deployed
force projection, operations other-than-war, and mid-intensity
conflicts.
The committee understands that the final ARL aircraft validated by
the Joint Requirements Oversight Council remains unfunded and is
required to replace the less capable ARL-imagery intelligence (I)
aircraft lost in South America in 1999. The ARL M possesses integrated
imagery intelligence, communications intelligence, a moving target
indicator and synthetic aperture radar; consequently, it offers a
broader intelligence collection capability than the ARL I aircraft.
The committee notes that the Army Chief of Staff has identified a
$31.0 million unfunded requirement in fiscal year 2001 for this
replacement aircraft. In support of this requirement, the committee
recommends $31.0 million for one ARL M replacement aircraft.
Airborne communications
The budget request contained no funds to continue procurement of the
AN/ARC 220 aviation high frequency radios, which provide secure voice
and data communications capability between Army helicopters flying
nap-of-the-earth missions and beyond-line-of-sight aviation tactical
operations centers.
The committee notes that the Task Force Hawk after action report
identified the lack of such capability in AH 64 Apache attack
helicopters as a major deficiency for conducting long-range strike
missions. The committee understands that the budget request will result
in a break in the production line. The committee further notes that the
Army Chief of Staff has identified a $31.8 million unfunded requirement
in fiscal year 2001 for AH 64 Apache and OH 58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter
radios.
Consequently, the committee recommends an increase of $31.8 million
to ensure the fielding of radios for both AH 64 Apache attack
helicopters and OH 58D Kiowa Warriors and to prevent a production line
break.
Aircraft survivability equipment (ASE)
The budget request contained no funds for the procurement of ASE.
The Aircraft Survivability Equipment Trainer (ASET) IV is a
ground-based, mobile aviation threat emitter simulation and training
system which enables both fixed and rotary wing aviators to recognize
surface-to-air-missile (SAM) and anti-aircraft artillery threats in
order to employ the correct aircraft evasive maneuvers. ASET IV systems
are currently fielded at major training centers throughout the United
States and Germany and require that an aircraft have a fully operational
ASE suite of sensors on board for training.
Congress added $7.4 million in fiscal year 1998, $6.4 million in
fiscal year 1999, and $12.5 million in fiscal year 2000 for ASET IV
upgrades and notes that the necessity of this training device was a
subject of discussion in the Task Force Hawk After Action Report.
However, additional validated requirements exist and several systems in
their present configuration still lack the capability to simulate the
most current infrared (IR) and SAM threats, thereby limiting aircrew
training. The committee believes this situation is inconsistent with the
Army's ``train as you fight'' concept.MDBU
Consistent with its past actions, and based on the Army's requirement
for forces to train in realistic threat environments, the committee
recommends an increase of $8.0 million for upgrading ASET IV systems
with current IR SAM threat simulators.
Aircraft survivability equipment (ASE) modifications
The budget request contained $4.5 million to procure ASE
modifications but included no funds for AN/AVR 2A laser detecting sets
(LDS). The LDS is the only device in the Army capable of providing
warning to helicopter crews when they have been illuminated by a
laser-targeted weapon. It detects, identifies, and characterizes threats
360-degrees-around and plus-or-minus 45 degrees above-and-below an
aircraft.
The committee continues to be concerned with the growing laser threat
to helicopter aircrews and notes the limited fielding of this system to
force package one
aircraft only. The committee also notes the identification by
the Army Chief of Staff of an unfunded requirement in fiscal year 2001
to complete LDS ``A'' kit installation on AH 64A Apaches, AH 64D Apache
Longbows, and MH 47D/E and MH 60K/L Special Operations Aircraft as well
as to prevent a production line break.
Based on a growing laser threat to Army attack and special operations
aircraft and its desire to extend fielding of this system beyond force
package one units, the committee recommends an increase of $20.0 million
for procurement of AN/AVR 2A LDS A kits.
CH 47 Chinook/UH 60 Blackhawk crashworthy fuel tanks
The budget request contained $117.1 million for modifications to CH
47 Chinooks and $3.0 million for modifications to UH 60 Blackhawks but
included no funds for the procurement of CH 47 internal crashworthy fuel
tanks or UH 60 external crashworthy fuel tanks for Army National Guard
(ARNG) units.
The committee understands that both the UH 60's external fuel tanks
and the CH 47's internal fuel tanks are subject to rupture in the event
of a crash, posing a safety risk to flight crews and passengers. Since
current battlefield flight scenarios require these helicopters to fly
long-range missions into hostile environments, the committee believes
that extended range, crashworthy fuel tanks are critical to the safety
and survivability of these aircraft.
Therefore, the committee recommends an increase of $5.0 million to
continue upgrading ARNG CH 47s with internal crashworthy fuel tanks and
$9.0 million to begin procurement of external crashworthy fuel tanks for
ARNG UH 60s.
Helicopter crashworthy seats
The committee is concerned about improving the safety performance of
Army helicopter seats. While existing pilot and the co-pilot seats offer
some protection in the event of a hard impact in a crash, passenger and
troop seats offer minimal or no protection from the acceleration forces
created by such a crash, resulting in fatalities and serious injury of
soldiers.
Accordingly, the committee strongly encourages the Department of the
Army to include funds in its fiscal year 2002 budget request for the UH
60 Blackhawk and CH 47 Chinook helicopters to begin procurement of
passenger and troop compartment crashworthy seats, which can provide
protection for a majority of expected survivable crashes.
TH 67 Creek
The budget request contained no funds to procure TH 67 Creek training
helicopters.
The committee notes that a shortfall in visual flight, instrument
flight, and basic combat skills training helicopters will occur with the
anticipated retirement of Vietnam-era UH 1 and OH 58 A/C aircraft as
outlined in the draft fiscal year 2000 Army Aviation Modernization Plan.
The committee understands that the Army does not intend to replace these
retiring aircraft due to affordability concerns. However, the committee
also notes that the Army Chief of Staff has identified a $35.0 million
unfunded requirement in fiscal year 2001 for 27 TH 67s.
Based on the need to replace the aging Huey and OH 58 A/C fleet as
soon as possible and the need to provide quality training for Army
aviators, the committee recommends an increase of $24.0 million for 19
TH 67 helicopters.
UH 60 Blackhawk
The budget request contained $64.7 million for the procurement of six
UH 60L Blackhawk utility helicopters for the Army National Guard (ARNG)
but included no funds for UH 60Q enhanced medical evacuation (MEDEVAC)
helicopters or Firehawk conversion kits for the ARNG. The Blackhawk is
the Army's primary utility helicopter for air assault, general support
and aero medical evacuation missions.
The committee notes that the Army Chief of Staff has identified a
$196.0 million unfunded requirement in fiscal year 2001 for the
procurement of 20 additional Blackhawks for the ARNG in recognition of a
shortfall that has persisted for a number of years in ARNG units. The
committee also notes that the UH 60Q MEDEVAC helicopter is the number
one near-term medical modernization program for the Army and provides
enhanced medical evacuation and treatment of six litter or seven
ambulatory patients in a state-of-the-art medical treatment cabin
interior. Finally, the committee notes that the Firehawk conversion kit,
which enables a UH 60 to carry up to 1000 gallons of water in the under
fuselage tank and fully refill via a snorkel system in approximately one
minute after dropping its payload on a fire, greatly enhances the ARNG's
ability to support forest firefighting requirements.
Consistent with its actions in prior fiscal years, the committee
recommends an increase of $27.9 million to procure three additional UH
60L Blackhawks and $40.2 million to procure three UH 60Q MEDEVAC
variants. The committee also recommends $3.0 million to procure two
Firehawk conversion kits for the ARNG.
In total, the committee recommends $135.8 million for the UH 60
helicopter, an increase of $71.1 million.
MISSILE PROCUREMENT, ARMY
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $1,295.7 million for Missile
Procurement, Army for fiscal year 2001. The committee recommends
authorization of $1,367.7 million for fiscal year 2001.
The committee recommends approval of the request except for those
programs adjusted in the following table. Unless otherwise specified,
adjustments are without prejudice and based on affordability
considerations.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
Army tactical missile system (ATACMS) system summary
The budget request contained $15.0 million for ATAMCS Block IA
missile production support costs, but included no funds to procure
ATACMS Block IV missiles. The ATACMS is a surface-to-surface, global
positioning system-guided missile for deep-strike attacks against
tactical surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missile sites, logistics
elements, and command, control, communications complexes.
The committee is aware of the ATACMS Block IV upgrade that will
incorporate Standoff Land Attack Missile-Expanded Response warheads into
51 ATACMS Block IA missiles. This warhead upgrade is designed to limit
collateral damage when used against targets in urban environments and is
a direct outgrowth of the Army's inability to conduct deep strike
missions against such targets with its existing ATACMS missile inventory
during Operation Allied Force.
The committee believes that the Army should have the capability to
provide joint force commanders with a surface-to-surface deep strike
option, which produces limited collateral damage in urban environments.
Therefore, the committee recommends $10.0 million to upgrade 51 ATACMS
Block IA missiles to Block IV configuration.
Multipurpose individual munition (MPIM) advance procurement
The budget request contained $3.5 million for advance procurement of
the MPIM. Subsequent to the submission of the budget request to
Congress, Army program officials identified additional alternate warhead
research, development, test and evaluation work required to develop
further the lethality of the MPIM and reduce its weight. Accordingly,
the committee recommends a transfer of the $3.5 million requested for
MPIM advance procurement to PE 64802A for this purpose.
Patriot advanced capability-2 (PAC 2)
The budget request contained $22.9 million for Patriot missile
modifications.
The committee is aware that certain variants of the PAC 2 missile
have recently experienced unexpectedly high rates of failure in certain
components. Although reductions in unit readiness have not yet occured,
the committee believes that repair and upgrade of these missiles is
needed to assure that PAC 2 inventories remain sufficiently robust to
meet validated requirements. The committee understands that acceleration
of this process by one year will help meet this objective, provide for
earlier fielding of a guidance-enhanced missile with improved ballistic
and cruise missile defense capabilities, and generate significant cost
savings.
Therefore, the committee recommends $88.4 million for Patriot
modifications, and increase of $65.5 million.
Patriot anti-cruise missile (PACM)
The budget request contained no funds for PACM procurement.
The PACM program has developed a new seeker that would provide older
Patriot missiles with anti-cruise missile capabilities. The statement of
managers accompanying the conference report on H.R. 1401 (H.
Rept.106-162) required the Secretary of Defense to use the Defense
Science Board (DSB) to assess PACM capabilities and the opportunity
costs of PACM acquisition. The committee notes that the final DSB report
indicates that between $100 and $125 million of research and development
funding are needed to complete PACM design, resolve parts obsolescence,
prepare facilities for production, integrate PACM with Patriot ground
elements, and complete ground and flight testing. The DSB also indicated
that the cost to upgrade PAC 2 airframes to the PACM configuration is
about $1.0 million per missile. The committee believes that, even if
ground- and flight-testing needed to make an informed judgment on the
technical merits of the missile were complete, the costs identified by
the DSB would still be prohibitive. For these reasons, the committee
recommends no funds for PACM procurement, as requested.
WEAPONS AND TRACKED COMBAT VEHICLES, ARMY
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $1,874.6 million for procurement of Army
weapons and tracked combat vehicles for fiscal year 2001. The committee
recommends authorization of $2,167.9 million for fiscal year 2001.
The committee recommends approval of the request except for those
programs adjusted in the following table. Unless otherwise specified,
adjustments are without prejudice and based on affordability
considerations.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
Armored vehicle launch bridge (AVLB) service life extension
program (SLEP)
The budget request contained $15.3 million to conduct a SLEP of AVLB
vehicles. As a result of the cancellation of the Wolverine Heavy Assault
Bridge (HAB), a SLEP for the 36-year old, 60-ton military load class
(MLC) AVLB is now a priority for the Army. The SLEP will upgrade the
AVLB to a 70-ton MLC bridge, which will enable both the Abrams tank and
Hercules Improved Recovery Vehicles to safely cross expanses at full
span.
The committee notes the importance of this system and recognizes that
a number of these vehicles will remain in the Army inventory after the
fielding of the Wolverine HAB. The committee further notes its continued
support for the Wolverine HAB, which is discussed elsewhere in this
report. Therefore, the committee recommends a decrease of $10.3 million
for the AVLB SLEP.
Bradley base sustainment
The budget request contained $359.4 million for the procurement of
Bradley A3 fighting vehicle upgrades, of which $6.1 million was included
for fielding Army National Guard (ARNG) A2 Operation Desert Storm (ODS)
variants.
The Bradley A2ODS is derived from upgrading the first-generation
Bradley A0's lethality, survivability, and mobility, as well as the
situational awareness of its crew. Modifications include installation of
a laser range finder, Global Positioning System navigation capability, a
combat identification system, a driver's thermal viewer, and a missile
countermeasure device.
When the Army completes all of its planned upgrades to the Bradley,
the active fleet will include a mix of the most advanced A3 variant,
along with A2 and A2ODS versions. The majority of the ARNG's Bradley
fleet, however, will remain unmodified and comprised mainly of
first-generation A0 vehicles, which were not mobilized during the
Persian Gulf War because of major survivability deficiencies. However,
as part of the new ARNG enhanced brigades, the committee notes that some
of these A0 vehicles will be required to deploy with active Army forces.
Because ARNG enhanced brigades will comprise an increasing percentage
of the Army's warfighting capability as a result of active force
reductions, the committee recommends $440.7 million, an increase of
$81.3 million, for upgrading an additional 65 Bradley A0 vehicles to the
A2ODS variant for the ARNG.
Bradley fighting vehicle system (BFVS) series (modifications)
The budget request contained $37.1 million to procure modification
kits for the BFVS but included no funds to procure AN/VVR 1 laser
warning receivers (LWR). The AN/VVR 1 LWR provides warning to armored
vehicle crews when a threat laser used to direct a laser-guided weapon
to its target has illuminated them.
Because the committee is aware of the proliferation of laser-guided
weapons and the increasing threat they pose to armored vehicles, it
recommends an increase of $20.0 million to procure additional AN/VVR-1
LWRs for the protection of high value warfighting assets.
Heavy assault bridge (HAB) system
The budget request contained no funds to continue procurement of the
HAB.
The HAB is a 70-ton military load-class bridge transported on a
modified M1A2 Abrams system enhancement program (SEP) tank chassis. The
system is capable of spanning gaps up to 79 feet, can be deployed in 5
minutes, and can be retrieved from either end in less than 10 minutes.
The committee is concerned by the Secretary of the Army's termination
of this program, especially after having provided a $14.0 million
increase for HAB advance procurement in fiscal year 2000, as well as
having authorized a combined M1A2 SEP/HAB multiyear procurement
contract. The committee notes that the Army Chief of Staff has
identified the HAB as the Army's top unfunded modernization requirement
in fiscal year 2001.
Accordingly, the committee recommends an increase of $59.2 million
for 12 vehicles and $13.1 million in advance procurement for fiscal year
2002 to maintain HAB production.
Improved recovery vehicle (IRV)
The budget request contained $68.4 million to procure IRVs but
included no funds for the procurement of IRVs for the Army Reserve.
The 56-ton M88A1 is capable of towing only vehicles weighing less
than 60 tons. Consequently, two M88A1s are required to safely tow an
Abrams tank if it is rendered immobile due to combat damage or
mechanical failure. The M88A2 IRV upgrade includes increased engine
horsepower, as well as braking, steering, winch, lift, and suspension
capabilities required to safely recover Abrams tanks and other heavy
combat systems. MDBU
The committee understands that the Army Reserve has a shortfall of
three companies of IRVs in force package one reserve units. Accordingly,
the committee recommends $76.7 million, an increase of $8.3 million, for
additional M88A2 IRV upgrades for the Army Reserve.
Industrial preparedness
The budget request contained $3.6 million for storage and maintenance
of laid away equipment and facilities at Hawthorne Army Depot and Rock
Island and Watervliet Arsenals, but included no funds for expanding the
Armament Retooling and Support (ARMS) Initiative to include the
manufacturing arsenals.
The committee recommends a provision (sec. 113) that would expand the
ARMS Initiative to attract commercial tenants to these arsenals. The
committee believes that collocating such tenants with existing
ammunition plants has helped maintain both facilities and perishable
industrial skills of the ammunition production workforce with minimal
expenditure of public funds and that a similar effort to offset the
underutilization of the manufacturing arsenals would be equally
beneficial.
Therefore, the committee recommends $15.6 million, an increase of
$12.0 million to expand the ARMS initiative to include the manufacturing
arsenals.
M1 Abrams tank modifications
The budget request contained $36.1 million for M1 Abrams tank
modifications but included no funds for the procurement of M1A2 Abrams
System Enhancement Program (SEP) tank under armor auxiliary power units
(UAAPU).
The UAAPU is designed to power tank weapon systems in lieu of an
idling M1A2 Abrams SEP tank's gas turbine engine, which will reduce
engine wear, fuel consumption, fuel storage and transportation
requirements while increasing the operating life of the tank's
batteries. The committee notes that the Army Chief of Staff has
identified an $18.9 million unfunded requirement in fiscal year 2001MDBU
for 80 UAAPUs for M1A2 SEP tanks.
The committee believes that the savings realized by using an UAAPU
will be considerable and, therefore, recommends $55.0 million, an
increase of $18.9 million, for 80 UAAPUs.
M113 carrier modifications
The budget request contained $45.1 million for M113 carrier
modifications, of which $43.2 million was for M113 MDBU``A3MDBU''
upgrades. The M113A3 upgrade program, which is expected to add an
additional 20 years of service life to the vehicle, includes
installation of a new engine, transmission, external armored fuel tanks,
driver controls, and internal Kevlar spall liners.
The committee notes that M113A3 upgrades are among the highest
unfunded requirements identified by the Army Chief of Staff in fiscal
year 2001. The committee further notes that additional funds would
accelerate the fielding of A3 upgrades for force package two from fiscal
year 2004 into fiscal year 2002.
Therefore, consistent with its actions taken in prior fiscal years,
the committee recommends $95.1 million, an increase of $50.0 million for
additional M113A3 upgrade kits.
M249 squad automatic weapon (SAW)
The budget request contained no funds for the procurement of the M249
SAW.
The M249 SAW is a lightweight machine gun capable of delivering a
sustained volume of automatic, accurate, and highly lethal fire up to
ranges of 800 meters. It is fielded throughout the Army in airborne,
light and mechanized infantry, and air cavalry units. The committee is
concerned that the Army has eliminated funds for this weapon in the
future years defense program but notes that the Army Chief of Staff has
identified an $18.3 million unfunded requirement in fiscal year 2001 for
the 4,280 remaining SAWs to complete the Army's procurement objective of
these weapons. Accordingly, the committee recommends an increase of
$18.3 million for this purpose to complete the procurement objective of
M249 SAWs.
MK19-3 grenade launcher
The budget request contained $11.8 million to procure MK19 3 grenade
launchers. The MK19 3 40 millimeter automatic grenade launcher can
engage point targets up to 1,500 meters in range and provide suppressive
fire up to 2,200 meters. The MK19 3 can also be used as a crew-served
weapon mounted on armored vehicles and High Mobility Multipurpose
Wheeled Vehicles.
The committee notes that the Army Chief of Staff hasMDBU identified
an $8.1 million unfunded requirement in fiscal year 2001 for MK19 3s for
Army National Guard (ARNG) units. The committee also notes this weapon's
increased importance in military operations in urban terrain and the
increasing deployment of ARNG units into contingency operations of this
type.
Based on these factors, and consistent with prior year actions to add
funds for MK19s, the committee recommends $14.3 million, an increase of
$2.5 million to procure additional MK19 3 grenade launchers.
Small arms production industrial base
The committee understands that there is reluctance within the
Department of the Army to forward requests for waivers to expand the
competition on particular small arms critical repair parts contracts to
the Secretary of Defense, pursuant to the authority provided in section
2473 of title 10, United States Code. The committee is concerned that
such waivers requested by the Army from the Secretary of Defense have
been denied. To ensure that competition is available, when necessary,
the committee reiterates that waivers on small arms critical repair
parts contracts should be forwarded to, and granted by, the Secretary of
Defense when he believes it is not necessary to preserve the small arms
production industrial base.
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $1,131.3 million for Ammunition
Procurement, Army for fiscal year 2001. The committee recommends
authorization of $1,199.3 million for fiscal year 2001.
The committee recommends approval of the request except for those
programs adjusted in the following table. Unless otherwise specified,
adjustments are without prejudice and based on affordability
considerations.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
Army ammunition procurement
The budget request contained $1,131.3 million for procurement of
ammunition and production base support. The committee recommends
$1,199.3 million, an increase of $68.0 million for the following types
of ammunition programs, which include top unfunded requirements
identified by the Chief of Staff of the Army in fiscal year 2001:
[Dollars in millions]
Small/Medium Cal Ammunition:
CTG .50 cal, SLAPT M 903 (M 962)
$6.0
CTG .50 cal, Mk 211
2.0
Mortar Ammunition:
CTG mortar 60mm Illum M721/M767
8.0
CTG 120mm HE M934 w/MO Fuze
5.4
CTG 120mm Illum XM930 w/MTSQ Fuze
6.6
Artillery Ammunition:
Modular Artillery Charge System
20.0
Rockets:
Bunker Defeating Munition
10.0
Demolition Munitions:
APOBS
2.0
Production Base Support:
ARMS Initiative
8.0
OTHER PROCUREMENT, ARMY
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $3,795.9 million for Other Procurement,
Army for fiscal year 2001. The committee recommends authorization of
$4,095.3 million for fiscal year 2001.
The committee recommends approval of the request except for those
programs adjusted in the following table. Unless otherwise specified,
adjustments are without prejudice and based on affordability
considerations.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
Army data distribution system (ADDS)
The budget request contained $32.7 million to procure Enhanced
Position Location Reporting System (EPLRS) radios but included no funds
to procure EPLRS for the Army National Guard (ARNG).
The EPLRS radio is the Army's primary position location reporting
system, providing combat commanders information on the position of their
forces, in addition to supporting the majority of the data
communications requirements for brigade and below command and control.
The system provides secure, jam-resistant, near-real-time communications
and is essential to battlefield operations.
The committee notes that procurement and fielding of additional EPLRS
is a high priority for the ARNG since many of its units are in
deployment rotations to the Balkans and, as a result, must have the
necessary data communications capabilities to operate alongside active
Army units.
Accordingly, the committee recommends $51.2 million for ADDS, an
increase of $18.5 million to procure EPLRS for an ARNG enhanced brigade.
Automated data processing equipment (ADPE)
The budget request contained $172.1 million for procurement of ADPE,
of which $485,000 was included for automatic identification technology
(AIT).
AIT devices, which consist of various radio frequency, bar code
scanning, and data carrier devices, are components of automated
logistics systems that expedite receiving, storage, distribution, and
inventory management of new and repairable items. These devices are also
used to automate manufacturing process controls for aircraft repair
parts and to track ground support equipment at various military depots.
The committee believes that substantial savings can continue to be
achieved from further implementation of these devices in automated
inventory and repair processes. Therefore, the committee recommends
$178.1 million, an increase of $6.0 million, for maintenance AIT
implementation.
Army training modernization
The budget request contained $36.0 million to procure digital
training facilities and supporting infrastructure for The Army Distance
Learning Program (TADLP), of which $10.9 million was included for Army
National Guard (ARNG) distributed training technology.
TADLP provides automation and supporting infrastructure to improve
the training of service members and civilian workers in both the active
and reserve components to a single standard, particularly in military
occupational skill qualifications. Additionally, it provides a highly
effective means of delivering training and education to deployed troops
while reducing training delivery time and support costs.
The committee is aware of prior year increases in ARNG funding for
online courseware and training to enhance its role in support of ``first
responders'' to weapons of mass destruction (WMD) incidents. The
committee understands that the ARNG has identified over 120 training
courses as essential for online WMD-related training and believes it is
important to support the ARNG's WMD first-response training requirement.
Therefore, the committee recommends $44.0 million for TADLP, an
increase of $8.0 million, for ARNG distributive training technology to
continue online courseware development and procure
commercial-off-the-shelf management system hardware and software for WMD
first-response training requirements.
Combat support medical
The budget request contained $31.6 million to procure deployable
medical systems and field medical equipment but included no funds for
rapid intravenous (IV) infusion pumps or for Life Support for Trauma and
Transport (LSTAT) units. The budget request also contained $6.3 million
in PE 64807A, but included funds for LSTAT.
The Rapid IV infusion pump is a miniature, portable, lightweight pump
specifically designed for life-saving intravenous fluid resuscitation by
a medic in the field to restore blood pressure and prevent shock and
death of victims with severe blood loss or dehydration. This system was
developed in conjunction with the Walter Reed Army Medical Institute of
Research and has received Food and Drug Administration approval. The
committee understands that it is estimated that up to 15 percent of the
soldiers that died in Vietnam who were not immediate battlefield
casualties would have survived their wounds if rapid infusion of fluids
had been a possibility during that conflict.
The LSTAT integrates a set of commercially available, Food and Drug
Administration-approved medical devices in a self-contained
mini-intensive care, medical evacuation platform, which provides
advanced life-support, on-board ventilation, suction, environmental
control, oxygen generation, and patient monitoring to stabilize wounded
soldiers near the battlefront as they are evacuated. LSTAT is configured
on a NATO-standard litter, is broadly interoperable with other medical
systems and compatible with most evacuation platforms including UH 60s,
UH 1s, C 130s, and High Mobility Multi-purpose Wheeled Vehicles.
The committee is impressed with the potential life saving capability
that these devices offer, and, therefore, recommends $45.6 million, an
increase of $8.0 million to procure rapid IV infusion pumps and $6.0
million to begin procurement of LSTAT units. The committee also
recommends $10.3 million in PE64807A, an increase of $4.0 million for
development of expanded LSTAT capabilities.
Combat training centers instrumentation support
The budget request contained $81.8 million for combat training
centers support but included no funds for either the Army National Guard
(ARNG) deployable force-on-force instrumented range system (DFIRST) or
the multi-purpose range complex-heavy (MPRC H).
Encouraged by the fact that the DFIRST system was chosen over all
current force-on-force instrumentation systems by the All Service Combat
Identification Evaluation Team (ASCIET) as the instrumentation system
for the fiscal year 1999 Joint Exercise, in the committee report on H.R.
1401 (H. Rept. 106 162), the committee recommended a pilot program at
two ARNG training sites to explore the capabilities and benefits of
DFIRST systems to increase readiness of ARNG units through more
effective training and at a lower cost with greater safety. To continue
this concept of force-on-force, simulation-based training at regional
training centers, the committee recommends an increase of $10.5 million
for the three additional DFIRSTs.
The committee understands that targeting electronic upgrades are
needed for the MPRC H authorized by the Military Construction
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (division B of Public Law 106
65). The committee believes that such upgrades are absolutely paramount
for effectively training ARNG units for their growing worldwide
deployments.
Therefore, the committee recommends $3.2 million for MPRC H targetry
electronic upgrades. In total, the committee recommends $95.5 million
for combat training centers, an increase of $13.7 million.
Communications equipment system upgrades
The committee believes that currently fielded military radios and
communication systems still require upgrades to improve operational
capability and dependability, as well as reduce operations and support
costs and is aware that Military Standard 188 141A includes an approved
miniaturized, multi-function, digital communications technology, based
on compressor and expander techniques, that dramatically improves
quality of voice and data communications over both wired and wireless
networks. Accordingly, the committee expects the Department of Defense
to continue to use this technology, when cost effective, to upgrade and
improve current communications systems such as, but not limited to, the
Single Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System, the Joint Tactical
Radio System, and the ARC 190 and PRC 104 radios.
Construction equipment service life extension program (SLEP)
The budget request contained $2.0 million for service life extensions
to various types of construction equipment but included no funds to
conduct an Army National Guard (ARNG) D 7 dozer and Army Reserve heavy
grader and scraper SLEP.
The committee understands that the majority of the currently fielded
ARNG D 7 dozers have an average age of 27 years, well beyond their
intended 15 year service lives and that there are no plans to replace
them. Additionally, the committee notes that the average age of Army
Reserve graders and scrapers is 15 years. Both of these types of
equipment continue to have greater demands placed on them by the
increased ``operations-other-than-war'' deployments being fulfilled by
the reserve component have been called upon to fulfill.
Therefore, the committee recommends $12.0 million for construction
equipment SLEPs, an increase of $5.0 million for an ARNG D 7 dozer SLEP
and $5.0 million for an Army Reserve heavy scraper and grader SLEP.
Cranes
The budget request contained $6.1 million to procure cranes, of which
$3.0 million was included for the procurement of three replacement
wheel-mounted, 25-ton all-terrain cranes (ATECs). However, no ATECs were
requested for the Army Reserve (AR).
The ATEC is a multi-use, state-of-the-art, commercial all-terrain
crane used for engineer construction excavation, lifting and loading
general supplies and materiel, and bridging movement. The ATEC replaces
three existing types of cranes, which range in age from 19 to 30 years
old and suffer from low operational readiness rates and high operations
and support costs, with a single, state-of-the-art unit that exceeds all
three of the obsolete cranes' capabilities.
The committee notes the importance of ATECs in fulfilling Army
Reserve combat support and combat service support mission requirements
and recommends $16.1 million, an increase of $10.0 million, to procure
ATECs for the Army Reserve.
Deployable universal combat earthmovers (DEUCE)
The budget request contained $14.1 million to procure DEUCEs. The
DEUCE is a military-unique, high speed, earthmoving tractor capable of
clearing, leveling, and excavating operations for light and airborne
divisions.
The committee understands that the DUECE will be a critical piece of
equipment for the Army's interim medium brigades. The committee notes
that the Army Chief of Staff has identified a $14.0 million unfunded
requirement in fiscal year 2001 to procure 36 DEUCEs for the Army's
initial and interim brigades as part of the service's transformation.
Therefore, the committee recommends $24.3 million, an increase of
$10.2 million, to begin fielding DEUCEs to the interim brigades.
Family of heavy tactical vehicles (FHTV)
The budget request contained $166.1 million for the procurement of
the FHTV. Although the budget request included $121.8 million for Army
National Guard (ARNG) FHTV and $6.2 million for Army Reserve FHTV, no
funds were included for the procurement of Heavy Expanded Mobility
Tactical Trucks (HEMTT) or Heavy Expanded Mobility Trailers (HEMAT) for
ARNG Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) battalion conversions. The
HEMTT is a diesel powered, 10-ton, 8-wheel drive, tactical vehicle that
transports ammunition, and petroleum. The vehicle is also produced in
wrecker, tanker, and tractor variants and is the prime mover in support
of certain missile systems, including the MLRS.
The committee notes the Army Chief of Staff has identified an
unfunded requirement in fiscal year 2001 for additional HEMMTs and
HEMATs for ARNG MLRS battalion conversion. The committee is also aware
of a HEMTT fire truck shortfall in two Army Reserve combat service
support companies that are designated as force package one units. These
vehicles would replace obsolete fire trucks that were commercially
adapted for military purposes.
The committee recommends $171.1 million for the FHTV, an increase of
$3.8 million to procure both HEMTTs and HEMATs for ARNG MLRS battalion
conversion and $1.2 million to procure three HEMTT fire trucks for the
Army Reserve.
Family of medium tactical vehicles (FMTV)
The budget request contained $438.3 million for procurement of, and
identified improvements to the FMTV, of which $84.0 million was included
for two and one-half-ton variants for the Army National Guard (ARNG) and
$33.8 million was included for these variants for the Army Reserve. The
FMTV comprise the Army's two and one-half-ton and five-ton, common
chassis cargo and utility trucks. The committee notes that the Army
Chief of Staff has identified a $118.9 million unfunded requirement in
fiscal year 2001 for reserve component FMTV due to the increasing
reliance upon the reserves for combat support and combat service support
missions.
The committee strongly supports upgrading the reserve component's
aging fleet of trucks and, therefore, recommends $473.3 million, an
increase of $35.0 million for additional Army Reserve two and
one-half-ton and five-ton FMTVs.
High mobility multipurpose-wheeled vehicle (HMMWV)
The budget request contained $110.7 million for 1,002 HMMWVA2s, which
incorporate upgraded electrical, braking, engine and transmission
improvements as well as a 15-year corrosion prevention program, but
included no funds for HMMWVs to fill critical shortages in Army Reserve
combat support and combat service support units.
The HMMWV is a multi-service, four-wheel drive utility and logistics
vehicle. The Army fleet is used for personnel and weapons transport,
medical evacuation, and as an air defense weapon-mount platform. While
recognizing that the HMMWVs requested in the budget will replace older
vehicles in high priority active component units, the committee is
concerned that certain Army Reserve units do not have enough HMMWVs to
meet their growing mission and deployment requirements.
Therefore, the committee recommends $115.7 million, an increase of
$5.0 million, for 100 Army Reserve HMMWVA2s.
Hydraulic excavator (HYEX)
The budget request contained $8.3 million for procurement of HYEXs,
of which $2.6 million was included for 11 Army Reserve HYEXs. The HYEX
is a diesel driven, self-propelled, tracked vehicle with a wide variety
of excavation attachments used for general excavation; digging;
trenching and lifting for lines of communication;
logistics-over-the-shore, and other construction activities primarily in
support of Corps and Echelons Above Corps levels.
The committee understands that a HYEX shortfall exists in high
priority Army Reserve construction units and that these units will
continue to operate existing obsolete equipment for the foreseeable
future until it is replaced.
Based upon increased reliance on the reserve component to provide
engineer equipment for operations-other-than-war, and
disaster/humanitarian relief operations, the committee recommends $10.6
million, an increase of $2.3 million, for 13 additional Type I HYEXs for
the Army Reserve.
Information system security program (ISSP)
The budget request contained $54.4 million, $46.6 million, and $15.7
million to procure secure voice and data equipment for the Army, Navy,
and Air Force respectively.
The committee report on H.R. 1401 (H. Rept. 106 162) recommended an
increase of $9.0 million in fiscal year 2000 to support the services'
efforts to replace older secure voice and data systems with modern
multi-media secure digital communications equipment. The committee
continues to strongly support upgrading critical telecommunications
equipment to safeguard classified or sensitive information in the face
of growing information security threats.
Therefore, in order to accelerate the replacement of obsolete secure
voice and data terminals, the committee recommends an increase of $12.0
million to procure additional secure terminal equipment: $4.0 million
for the Army ISSP, $4.0 million for the Navy and Marine Corps ISSP, and
$4.0 million for the Air Force ISSP.
Integrated family of test equipment (IFTE)
The budget request contained $65.4 million to procure IFTE, of which
$37.1 million was included for Contact Test Sets (CTS) Soldier Portable
On-System Repair Tool (SPORT).
The CTS SPORT is the Army's standard lightweight, ruggedized,
portable tester used at all levels of maintenance to automatically
diagnose faulty electronic components for immediate replacement.
The committee has strongly supported the IFTE program over the years
and continues to believe in the productivity improvements resulting from
automatic test equipment usage. Therefore, the committee recommends
$70.4 million for IFTE, an increase of $5.0 million, to procure
additional CTS SPORTs.
However, the committee is aware that the current CTS SPORT indefinite
delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract will expire in June 2001.
Based on the importance of the CTS SPORT to numerous weapons systems and
to avoid possible fielding interruptions for this equipment, the
committee expects the Secretary of the Army to extend the current ID/IQ
contract for CTS SPORT and understands that this extension would require
no government costs.
Laundries, showers, and latrines
The budget request contained $12.6 million to procure the Laundry
Advanced System (LADS). The LADS is a mobile field laundry designed to
launder clothing at four times the capacity of the current, but obsolete
M 85 field laundry system and recycle 99 percent of the water used by
the M 85 system.
The committee believes the logistical benefit to field combat service
support units from reduced water usage combined with the enhancement to
deployed soldiers' quality of life provided by LADS are impressive.
Consequently, the committee strongly supports the Army's efforts to
replace the obsolete and unserviceable M 85 system and recommends $21.6
million, an increase of 9.0 million, to accelerate procurement of LADS.
Lightweight maintenance enclosure (LME)
The budget request contained $2.0 million to procure LMEs. The LME is
a lightweight, frame-supported tent designed to provide forward deployed
maintenance units a quick setup-and-takedown enclosed shelter in which
to perform field maintenance operations across the battlefield in all
climatic conditions.
The committee notes that mobility will be the hallmark of the Army's
future medium brigades and that they must therefore be capable of
rapidly repairing and maintaining equipment while deployed. The
committee also notes that the Army Chief of Staff has identified a $4.6
million unfunded requirement in fiscal year 2001 for LMEs to maintain
production at minimum sustaining rate.
Therefore, the committee recommends $6.6 million, an increase of $4.6
million, for the procurement of additional LMEs and to maintain a
minimum production rate.
M56 smoke generator system
The budget request contained $11.4 million for the procurement of M56
smoke generator systems.
The M56 smoke generator system, the primary battlefield obscurant for
Army light forces, is a High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled
Vehicle-mounted system capable of disseminating smoke in both a
stationary mode and on the move. The M56 can defeat enemy sensors such
as tank thermal sights as well as smart and guided munitions, which
operate in the visual through far infrared regimes of the
electromagnetic spectrum.
The committee understands that the M56 has been designated as an
essential item of equipment for early entry forces yet is not being
produced at an economic production rate. Therefore, to address this
problem, the committee recommends $22.8 million, an increase of $11.4
million, to reach an economic production rate of this system.
M915/M916 line haul truck tractor
The budget request contained $43.0 million for 915A3 line haul
tractors, of which $3.4 million was included for M915A3s for the Army
Reserve. The M915A3 line haul tractor is a six-by-four wheel drive
vehicle fielded primarily in medium transportation companies and used to
haul containers and petroleum over both primary and secondary roads.
The committee notes that currently fielded M915 tractors are
experiencing reduced mission capable rates and are both difficult and
expensive to operate due to old age. To correct this deficiency and to
fill critical shortages in Army Reserve line haul companies, the
committee recommends $44.6 million for M915/M916 line haul truck
tractors, an increase of $1.6 million to procure 12 additional upgraded
M915A3 tractors.
Night vision devices
The budget request contained $34.1 million to procure night vision
devices, of which $29.5 million was included for AN/PVS 7 night vision
goggles. However, no funds were included for third generation, 25
millimeter (mm) image intensification tube upgrades.
The AN/PVS 7 night vision goggle is a state-of-the-art
image-intensifying system, which can be head- or helmet-mounted to
enhance the dismounted soldier's nighttime operations. The 25mm image
intensification tube upgrade program, which replaces less capable tubes
with the third generation variant in fielded AN/PVS 4 night vision
goggles and AN/TVS 5 night vision sights, provides a minimum 25 percent
resolution increase in these systems.
The committee has consistently supported additional funds for night
vision devices the past five years, and notes that the Army Chief of
Staff has identified $14.8 million unfunded requirements in fiscal year
2001 to procure AN/PVS 7 night vision goggles and $8.4 million for third
generation, 25mm image intensification tube upgrades.
Consistent with prior year actions, the committee recommends an
increase of $12.0 million for AN/PVS 7 night vision goggles and $8.4
million for third generation, 25mm image intensification tube upgrades.
The committee expects $400,000 of the AN/PVS 7 increase to be used to
procure these goggles for Army Reserve combat support units.
Nonsystem training devices
The budget request contained $91.9 million for procurement of various
training devices and range modernization but no funds were included for
continued procurement of engagement skills trainer (EST) 2000 or Abrams
Full-crew Interactive Skills Trainers (A FIST) XXI upgrades for the Army
National Guard (ARNG).
The EST 2000 simulates three-dimensional targets in several realistic
terrain environments, providing marksmanship, squad-tactical, and
close-range shoot-no-shoot training. This system also provides both
shooter and instructor with real-time and post-exercise weapon handling
technique feedback. The committee understands that the ARNG has a
requirement for 100 EST 2000 systems.
The ARNG A FISTs do not meet current Army tank gunnery training
standards and require software upgrades to enhance training on the tank
commander's weapon station and to provide identical gunnery matrices to
the Conduct Of Fire Trainer, the Army's standard for stand-alone
precision gunnery training devices. The committee understands that these
upgrades will offer significant training advantages for tank crews as
well as reduced maintenance costs. The committee also understands that
the ARNG has developed a three-year, A FIST XXI conversion program to
incorporate these upgrades.
The committee believes that these training systems are critical for
ARNG forces' marksmanship and gunnery simulation training in light of
their increased worldwide deployments. Therefore, the committee
recommends an increase of $8.0 million for procurement of 30 EST 2000
systems and an increase of $9.0 million for the first increment of a
three-year A FIST XXI conversion program, both for the ARNG. In total,
the committee recommends $108.9 million for nonsystem training devices,
an increase of $17.0 million.
Reserve component automation system (RCAS)
The budget request contained $91.5 million to procure and field RCAS
equipment and software.
The RCAS is critical to the day-to-day operation and mobilization
capability of the Army National Guard and Army Reserve. If continued
support for, and improvements to, this program are not made, the reserve
components will experience a significant deterioration in their ability
to mobilize in support of national security missions in a timely manner.
The committee understands that there is a limitation of Army funds
allocated for the RCAS beyond fiscal year 2002.
The committee expects the Secretary of the Army to budget sufficient
funds in the future years defense program to ensure that the RCAS will
be able to effectively fulfill the administrative support and
mobilization requirements of the reserve components. The committee also
expects the Secretary to provide a report to the congressional defense
committees on the yearly allocation of funds required annually maintain
and improve the RCAS program by March 1, 2001.
Ribbon bridge
The budget request contained $15.7 million for ribbon bridge
equipment but included no funds to procure this equipment for Army
National Guard (ARNG) multi-role bridge companies (MRBC). Ribbon bridge
equipment consists of 10-ton, 8-wheel drive M1977 Heavy Expanded
Mobility Tactical Truck Common Bridge Transporters, M15 Bridge Adaptor
Pallets, and M14 Improved Boat Cradles.
The committee understands that seven ARNG MRBC will be established in
fiscal year 2001 using existing engineer bridging equipment and older,
lower-capacity, five-ton trucks. The committee also understands that
without additional funds, these new MRBC units will not begin conversion
to the new equipment required for their mission until fiscal year 2004.
Therefore, the committee recommends $42.7 million for ribbon bridging
equipment, an increase of $27.0 million to accelerate the fielding of
two ARNG MRBC.
Single channel ground and airborne radio systems (SINCGARS) family
The budget request contained $18.3 million for the procurement and
the fielding of airborne SINCGARS, but included no funds to procure
SINCGARS advanced system improvement program (ASIP) radios for the Army
National Guard (ARNG).
The SINCGARS ASIP radio upgrades early version voice-only radios and
includes a tactical Internet controller and integrated communications
security enhancements, which provide commanders a highly reliable,
easily maintained, secure voice and data handling command and control
capability.
The committee understands that two ARNG divisions still require
improved SINCGARS; and, without these upgraded radios, these forces will
be unable to transmit and receive data from their active Army components
when participating together in joint and combined operations.
Therefore, the committee recommends $49.0 million for SINCGARS, an
increase of $30.7 million, to procure SINCGARS ASIP radios for one ARNG
division.
Small tug
The budget request contained no funds to procure small tugs.
The small tug is a 60-foot, steel hull, twin propeller vessel
designed to tow general cargo barges in harbors, inland waterways, and
along coastlines. It is also capable of assisting larger tugs in mooring
ships of all sizes at piers and in restricted navigation waterways,
moving of floating cranes and machine shops, and performing
line-handling duties.
The committee is aware of the Army's intent to replace its unreliable
40-year old small tugs that were used in Operations Desert Shield and
Desert Storm and understands that it has increased its requirement to
fifteen tugs to replace these older vessels. The committee included an
increase of $4.7 million in fiscal year 1999 to procure two additional
tugs and $9.0 million in fiscal year 2000 to complete the earlier
requirement of eight tugs. However, the committee notes that the Army
has not budgeted for the additional seven new tugs in its future years
defense program.
Therefore, the committee recommends an increase of $9.0 million to
accelerate procurement of 3 additional vessels towards completion of the
requirement for 15 small tugs.
Standard integrated command post system (SICPS)
The budget request contained $36.0 million to procure SICPS
components, of which $1.3 million was included for modular command post
system (MCPS) tents.
The MCPS tent consists of a lightweight aluminum frame,
interchangeable fabric wall sections, fabric roof, floors and liners,
worktables, map boards, and light sets. Multiple MCPS tents can be
interconnected to create a large complex. The committee notes the Army
Chief of Staff has identified a $40.1 million unfunded requirement in
fiscal year 2001 to accelerate the procurement of SICPS components for
force packages one and two.
The committee is aware of the vital role MCPS tents play in growing
worldwide deployments and, therefore, recommends $41.0 million, an
increase of $2.0 million and $3.0 million respectively, to procure MCPS
for active and Army National Guard units.
Standard teleoperating kit
The budget request contained $700,000 to procure Standardized Robotic
System (SRS) vehicle teleoperating kits.
The SRS kit can be installed on existing tracked or wheeled vehicles
to enable them to be operated by remote control, if circumstances
dictate, to clear mines. The committee understands that SRS contingency
sets have been responsible for detonating hundreds of mines while
deployed in Bosnia. The committee also notes that redesigned combat
engineer force structure requires SRS equipment at all force levels,
including the new interim medium brigades.
Based on the successful employment of this technology and the
critical life saving mission that it performs, the committee recommends
$10.7 million for standard teleoperating equipment, an increase of $10.0
million for additional SRS kits.
Vibratory self-propelled roller
The budget request contained $4.7 million to procure vibratory
self-propelled rollers. The vibratory self-propelled roller is a
commercial compacting vehicle used to support construction of airfields,
logistic areas, and roads required to deploy and sustain Army forces.
The committee notes that the last major procurement of this equipment
occurred in the early 1980s and that its 22-year average age, combined
with the effects of increased deployments, has reduced its readiness
ratings to unsatisfactory levels. The committee also notes that the Army
Chief of Staff has identified a $10.0 million unfunded requirement in
fiscal year 2001 to replace vibratory self-propelled rollers for both
the active and reserve components as a fiscal year 2001 unfunded
requirement.
Accordingly, the committee recommends $11.7 million, an increase of
$7.0 million to procure 96 additional vibratory self-propelled rollers,
including $3.0 million for active Army units and $4.0 million for Army
Reserve units.
CHEMICAL AGENTS AND MUNITIONS DESTRUCTION, ARMY
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $1,003.5 million for Chemical Agents and
Munitions Destruction, Army, for fiscal year 2001. The committee
recommends no funds for fiscal year 2001.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
CHEMICAL AGENTS AND MUNITIONS DESTRUCTION
The budget request contained $1,003.5 million for Chemical Agents and
Munitions Destruction, Army.
The committee notes that section 1412 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1986 (Public Law 99 145), as amended,
requires that funds for the destruction of the U.S. stockpile of lethal
chemical agents and munitions, including funds for military construction
projects necessary to carry out the demilitarization program shall only
be authorized and appropriated in the budget of the Department of
Defense (DOD) as a separate program and shall not be included in the
budget accounts for any military department. The committee notes that
for the second year in a row, the Department's budget request contained
funds for the chemical demilitarization program in a budget account of
the Department of the Army in direct violation of the law.
The committee believes that the original legislation, which mandated
that funds for the chemical demilitarization program be authorized and
appropriated in a defense-wide budget account in order to emphasize that
destruction of the chemical weapons stockpile was a national issue
affecting all of the Department and not just a single military service,
was sound in 1986, when the estimated cost of the chemical stockpile
demilitarization program was approximately $1.5 billion, and is even
more valid today, when the estimated cost of the program has grown
almost ten-fold.
Accordingly, the committee recommends no funding for Chemical Agents
and Munitions Destruction, Army, a decrease of $1,003.5 million. The
committee recommends an increase of $877.1 million for Chemical Agents
and Munitions Destruction, Defense.
AIRCRAFT PROCUREMENT, NAVY
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $7,963.9 million for Aircraft
Procurement, Navy for fiscal year 2001. The committee recommends
authorization of $8,205.8 million for fiscal year 2001.
The committee recommends approval of the request except for those
programs adjusted in the following table. Unless otherwise specified,
adjustments are without prejudice and based on affordability
considerations.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
Advanced helicopter emergency egress lighting system (ADHEELS)
The budget request contained $21.1 million for SH 60 series
modifications but included no funds for the ADHEELS. The ADHEELS
provides crew escape lighting for H 60 series helicopters in the event
of water impact.
The committee understands that the Department of the Navy has
selected ADHEELS as its future helicopter escape lighting system due to
its superior performance, significantly increased operational
reliability, and lower life-cycle costs.
The committee strongly supports this choice and recommends $29.1
million, an increase of $8.0 million for accelerated ADHEELS procurement
and installation in both new production and existing H 60 series
helicopters.
AN/AVR 2A laser detecting set
The budget request contained $41.9 million for common electronic
countermeasures modifications, of which $13.5 million was included for
an AN/AAR 47 sensor upgrade.
The AN/AVR 2A laser detecting set alerts pilots to the presence of
impending laser beamriding missile attack in sufficient time to take
evasive action. The committee notes that the Department of the Navy
plans a laser warning capability upgrade to the AN/AAR 47 missile
approach warning system, which would eliminate the need for a
stand-alone AN/AVR 2A, but is concerned that the AN/AAR 47 upgrade might
not be as capable as the existing AN/AVR 2A.
Therefore, the committee expects that procurement and installation of
the AN/AAR 47 sensor upgrade should not occur until the Commander of
Navy Operational Test and Evaluation Forces ensures that adequate
testing is undertaken, including side-by-side, on-aircraft testing
comparing it with the AN/AVR 2A.
AV 8B
The budget request contained $226.6 million to procure 10
remanufactured AV 8B aircraft. The AV 8B remanufacture program combines
a new fuselage, a power plant, and radar with other mission systems
upgrades to produce a significantly more capable aircraft at 70 percent
of the cost of a new aircraft. The committee notes that the Department
of the Navy plans for fiscal year 2001 to be the last year for
procurement of remanufactured AV 8Bs.
The committee recognizes that the AV 8B performs the close air
support (CAS) mission, which is critical to the successful employment of
Marine forces. Additionally, the committee believes that the short
take-off, vertical land (STOVL), radar-equipped AV 8B will remain an
important component of CAS capability until its replacement by the
Marine Corps' joint strike fighter (JSF) STOVL variant, currently in the
demonstration and validation phase of its development.
Since the committee understands that the Marine Corps' JSF variant is
currently planned for its initial operational capability in fiscal year
2008, it expects the Secretary of the Navy to ensure that the Marine
Corps has procured sufficient STOVL, radar-equipped AV 8Bs prior to
discontinuing the AV 8B remanufacture program.
C 40A
The budget request contained no funds for procurement of C 40A aircraft.
The C 40A, a long-range commercial-derivative airlift aircraft used
to transport high priority passengers and cargo, will replace the Navy's
27-year-old C 9 fleet which is reaching the end of its service life.
The committee understands that the Navy's aging C 9 fleet is not
compliant with either future global navigation requirements or noise
abatement standards, that will restrict future flights into European
airfields. The committee also notes that the Chief of Naval Operations
has identified additional C 40A aircraft for the Naval Reserve among his
top unfunded requirements in fiscal year 2001.
Consequently, the committee recommends an increase of $54.0 million
to procure an additional C 40A aircraft for the Naval Reserve.
CH 60S
The budget request contained $165.1 million for 15 CH 60S helicopters
and $80.4 million for advance procurement of 16 CH 60Ss in fiscal year
2002.
The CH 60S replaces the H 46D for the Navy's helicopter combat
support missions including vertical replenishment, cargo and personnel
transfer, and search and rescue.
The committee understands that the aging H 46D is increasingly
expensive to operate and that its replacement with a fleet of H 60
series helicopters will avoid an estimated $22.0 billion of support
costs over the next 20 years. The committee also notes that the Chief of
Naval Operations has identified additional CH 60S helicopters among his
top unfunded requirements in fiscal year 2001.
The committee believes that the aging H 46D fleet should be retired
as soon as practical and, therefore, recommends $207.0 million, an
increase of $41.9 million for two additional CH 60S helicopters.
2 modifications
The budget request contained $18.5 million for E 2 modifications but
included no funds to upgrade ready-storage Group I-configured E 2C
aircraft to the Hawkeye 2000 configuration.
Group I-configured E 2C aircraft are no longer usable for the Navy's
fleet operations due to their outdated computer and communications
capabilities but could be modified to the Hawkeye 2000 configuration
which would upgrade this aircraft with satellite communications; a
commercial-off-the-shelf, high-capacity mission computer and associated
workstations; and the cooperative engagement capability. The committee
understands that this modification will provide the E 2C fleet with a
quantum leap in situational awareness and fleet-wide connectivity.
Accordingly, the committee recommends $57.5 million, an increase of
$39.0 million, to upgrade one ready-storage Group I E 2Cs to the Hawkeye
2000 configuration.
EA 6B modifications
The budget request contained $203.1 million for EA 6B modifications
but included no funds for the AN/ASW 41 automatic flight control system
(AFCS), which provides the EA 6B pilot with automatic speed, attitude
and altitude control capabilities. The budget request also contained no
funds for HAVE QUICK ARC 164 radios which employ a rapid
frequency-hopping technique to provide an anti-jam radio capability.
The committee understands that replacement of the current flight
control system with the AN/ASW 41 AFCS will significantly increase this
aircraft's mission capable rates through improved reliability and
reduced maintenance man-hours. The committee notes that the Chief of
Naval Operations has identified the AN/ASW 41 AFCS among his unfunded
requirements in fiscal year 2001 and, therefore, recommends an increase
of $21.0 million for this purpose.
The committee understands that only 41 of the Department of the
Navy's 123 EA 6Bs are equipped with either an ARC 164, ARC 182, or ARC
210 HAVE QUICK anti-jam radio and that during the recent Operation
Allied Force engagement many EA 6Bs were not capable of jam-free
ultra-high frequency (UHF) communications with other Allied aircraft in
composite-force strike packages. As a result of the EA 6B's HAVE QUICK
radio deficiency, the committee also understands that entire Operation
Allied Force strike packages were forced to use single UHF frequencies
which were vulnerable to communications jamming and could be easily
monitored by our adversaries with a potential to compromise operational
mission execution plans.
While the committee is aware of the Department's plans to equip the
EA 6B fleet with ARC-210 radios as part of the block 89A upgrade, it
believes that an interim anti-jam radio capability is critical for any
future EA 6B combat operations until the block 89A upgrade is complete
in fiscal year 2005. Accordingly, the committee recommends an increase
of $2.0 million to equip 40 additional EA 6B aircraft with ARC 164
anti-jam radios.
In total, the committee recommends $226.1 million for EA 6B
modifications, an increase of $23.0 million.
18 series modifications
The budget request contained $212.6 million for F 18 series
modifications, of which $22.7 million was included for engineering
change proposal (ECP) 583 kits to modify six Marine Corps F/A 18A
aircraft, $3.0 million was included for installation of ECP 560
modification kits for seven Naval Reserve F/A 18A aircraft, $5.3 million
was included for two advanced targeting forward-looking infrared
(ATFLIR) pods for both Navy and Marine Corps F/A 18C/D aircraft, and
$23.8 million was included for the advanced tactical airborne
reconnaissance system (ATARS).
The ECP 583 modification kit upgrades the radar, avionics and weapons
delivery capability of the Marine Corps' F/A 18A model aircraft to the
same capability as later-model F/A 18Cs. Without this capability, the
F/A 18A cannot autonomously deliver precision-guided munitions (PGMs) or
employ the Air Intercept Missile (AIM) 120 Advanced Medium Range
Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). The committee notes that the Navy's
long-range attack aircraft plans include the employment of the F/A 18A
until at least 2015. Despite the fact that the Marine Corps has a
requirement to upgrade 76 of its F/A 18As with this modification, the
Department of the Navy has thus far only planned to upgrade 34 aircraft.
However, the committee notes that both the Chief of Naval Operations
(CNO) and the Commandant of the Marine Corps (CMC) have identified ECP
583 among their top unfunded aviation requirements in fiscal year 2001
and recommends an increase of $86.9 million to procure twenty additional
ECP 583 upgrade kits for the Marine Corps' F/A 18A aircraft fleet--10
for the active component and 10 for the Marine Corps Reserve.
The ECP 560 modification kit upgrades only the avionics and weapons
delivery capability of the Naval Reserve's F/A 18A aircraft to employ
PGMs and the AIM 120 AMRAAM, improving both the Naval Reserve's F/A 18A
capability and its commonality with the Navy's F/A 18C aircraft fleet.
The committee notes that only 13 of the Naval Reserve's 52 F/A 18As have
undergone ECP 560 modification upgrades, but understands that the Navy
plans to retain its Naval Reserve F/A 18As in the inventory until at
least 2012. The committee further notes that the CNO has identified the
ECP 560 among his unfunded requirements for the Naval Reserve in fiscal
year 2001 and recommends an increase of $31.0 million for this purpose.
The ATFLIR pod detects, classifies and tracks ground targets for
engagement with precision-guided munitions. The ATFLIR pod replaces the
existing tactical forward-looking infrared pod that, the committee
understands, has inadequate resolution, loses target track during high-G
maneuvering, and does not maintain automatic track at required ranges.
The committee notes that both the CNO and CMC have also included the
ATFLIR among their unfunded requirements for fiscal year 2001 and
recommends an increase of $9.6 million for an additional three ATFLIR
pods for the Marine Corps Reserve F/A 18 aircraft.
The ATARS is an image acquisition, data storage, and data link sensor
suite planned for use on the Marine Corps' F/A 18D aircraft. The
committee notes that the recently completed ATARS operational evaluation
concluded that the system was not operationally suitable due to
reliability and availability problems with its ground station component.
As a result, the committee believes that the Department of the Navy's
$23.8 million ATARS procurement request exceeds requirements and,
consequently, recommends a decrease of that amount.
In total, the committee recommends $316.3 million, an increase of
$103.7 million, for F 18 series modifications.
F/A 18C/D tactical aircraft moving map capability (TAMMAC)
The budget request contained $71.6 million for common avionics
changes but included no funds for procurement of TAMMAC units for F/A
18C/D aircraft.
The TAMMAC, which replaces obsolete data storage and digital video
units, is a modular hardware and software system with significant
memory, information processing, and video output capabilities. It
provides aircrews with a graphic presentation of the aircraft's present
position as well as relative positions of targets, threats, terrain
features, no-fly zones, and safe bases. The committee understands that
the TAMMAC also includes a ground proximity warning system to improve
flight safety and will be less expensive to operate and support than the
existing units.
The committee notes that the Chief of Naval Operations has included
procurement of the TAMMAC for the F/A 18C/D aircraft among his unfunded
requirements in fiscal year 2001. Accordingly, the committee recommends
$80.9 million, an increase of $9.3 million to procure 80 TAMMAC units
for F/A 18C/D aircraft.
F/A 18E/F
The budget request contained $2,818.6 million for 42 F/A 18E/F
aircraft, and $101.1 million for advance procurement of 45 aircraft in
fiscal year 2002.
In its report on H.R. 1401 (H. Rept. 106 162), the committee
supported the Navy's requirement to replace its aging fighter/attack
aircraft fleet by authorizing a multiyear procurement of 222 aircraft.
However, the committee notes that the Department of the Navy now plans
to procure three less aircraft in fiscal year 2002 than projected in
fiscal year 2000, which results in 219 F/A 18E/F aircraft planned for
the multiyear procurement period between fiscal years 2000 through 2004.
Consistent with the planned program of the Department of the Navy for
fiscal year 2002, the committee recommends $2,612.8 million, a decrease
of $205.8 million and three aircraft. The committee understands that
this reduction will maintain the F/A 18E/F fiscal year 2001 procurement
quantity within a range that will not affect the multiyear procurement
contract.
HH/UH 1N reclamation and conversion program
The budget request contained no funds for the HH/UH 1N reclamation
and conversion program.
The HH/UH 1N reclamation and conversion program would restore old
HH/UH 1N helicopters, currently in long-term storage facilities, for
entry into a remanufacture production line that rebuilds the aircraft's
avionics, propulsion, and other systems.
The committee understands that current H 1 remanufacture plans would
remove UH 1N helicopters from the Marine Corps' operating fleet for
entry into the H 1 remanufacture production line, decreasing the number
of UH 1Ns in some of the Marine Corps' UH 1N helicopter squadrons below
their authorized strength. In order to avoid this situation, the
committee notes that both the Chief of Naval Operations and the
Commandant of the Marine Corps have identified the HH/UH 1N reclamation
and conversion program among their unfunded requirements in fiscal year
2001.
The committee believes that UH 1N fleet readiness will suffer if
operational aircraft are removed from the fleet to be upgraded.
Consequently, the committee recommends an increase of $17.5 million for
the HH UH 1N reclamation and conversion program and believes that this
increase will provide for induction of fourteen helicopters into the
remanufacture production line.
H 46 modifications
The budget request contained $16.6 million for H 46 modifications but
included no funds for the CH 46E engine reliability improvement program
(ERIP) to rebuild the CH 46E's key engine components, providing improved
performance, safety, and reliability.
Subsequent to the submission of the budget request, the committee
learned that the mean time between engine removals (MTBR) of the CH
46E's engine has rapidly declined to 363 hours, and that the CH 46E's
engine performance has degraded 10 percent from original specifications.
To address this problem, the committee understands that an ERIP would
restore the engine's MTBR to the planned interval of 900 hours, greatly
reducing operation and support costs in the process.
The committee notes that both the Chief of Naval Operations and the
Commandant of the Marine Corps have identified the ERIP as an unfunded
requirement in fiscal year 2001. Since the CH 46E is scheduled to remain
in service until 2012, the committee recommends $21.6 million, an
increase of $5.0 million to begin an ERIP for the CH 46E engine and
encourages the Department of the Navy to budget to complete the ERIP
within the fiscal year 2002 future years defense program.
H 53 modifications
The budget request contained $19.9 million for H 53 helicopter
modifications but included no funds for AN/AAQ 29 forward looking
infrared (FLIR) system kits that would provide an improved capability
for the Marine Corps' CH 53E helicopters to operate at night and in poor
weather conditions.
The AN/AAQ 29 FLIR, which replaces the out-of-production AN/AAQ 16
FLIR, provides aircrews and embarked ground force commanders with
infrared video displays, flight information, and navigational data. The
committee understands that only 42 of the Marine Corps' 165 CH 53E
helicopters are equipped with a FLIR system and notes that both the
Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Marine Corps have
included 23 AN/AAQ 29 FLIR system kits among their unfunded requirements
in fiscal year 2001.
Accordingly, the committee recommends $34.9 million, an increase of
$15.0 million, for 23 AN/AAQ 29 FLIR system kits: $12.4 million for 19
system kits for active component CH 53Es, and $2.6 million for 4 system
kits for the Marine Corps Reserve CH 53Es.
KC 130J
The budget request contained $154.8 million for two KC 130J aircraft.
The KC 130J is a tactical airlift aircraft that also serves as a
tanker for both helicopters and tactical fighters. The KC 130J replaces
existing KC 130F, R, and T
models, providing increased speed and range, a higher cruise
ceiling, and a shorter take-off distance compared to the older models.
The Marine Corps currently has an inventory of 35 KC 130Fs, 14 KC
130Rs, and 28 KC 130Ts. The KC 130F, which was procured between 1960 and
1962, is the oldest aircraft in the inventory and is approaching the end
of its service life. The committee understands that a recent service
life assessment of the KC 130F fleet revealed that unless procurement of
KC 130Js is accelerated or a comprehensive and costly service life
extension program is undertaken, an inventory shortfall of 15 aircraft
may occur as early as 2001.
In its report on H.R. 1401 (H. Rept. 106 162), the committee
recommended an increase of four KC 130Js and notes that the Commandant
of the Marine Corps has identified additional KC 130J aircraft among his
highest unfunded aviation procurement requirements in fiscal year 2001.
Therefore, consistent with its prior actions, the committee
recommends $231.1 million, an increase of $76.3 million for one
additional KC 130J aircraft.
T 45 training system (TS)
The budget request contained $268.6 million to procure 12 T 45C
aircraft and associated ground-based training equipment and $5.1 million
for advance procurement of 4 T 45C aircraft in fiscal year 2002. The T
45TS is an integrated training system that combines the T 45 aircraft,
simulators, and computer-based training for the Navy's
intermediate-level undergraduate pilot training.
The committee notes that the T 45 aircraft procurement objective has
decreased from 234 in the Department of the Navy's budget request for
fiscal year 2000 to 169 in its request for fiscal year 2001. The
committee further notes that the Navy plans to close its T 45 production
line in fiscal year 2002 although the requirement for the T 45 remains
at 234. Since the Navy has experienced a recent shortage of pilots and
the Chief of Naval Operations has identified additional T 45 aircraft
among his unfunded requirements in fiscal year 2001, the committee is
puzzled by both the decrease in its T 45 procurement objective and its
proposed shutdown of the T 45 production line in fiscal year 2002.
Consequently, the committee recommends $301.4 million, an increase of
$32.8 million for two additional aircraft. Further, the committee
encourages the Department of the Navy to restore funding in its future
years defense program to continue T 45 production.
Tactical air reconnaissance pod system (TARPS)-completely digital (CD)
The budget request contained $37.1 million for other production
charges but included no funds for the TARPS CD system, an electro-optic
sensor upgrade designed to validate clear-weather digital imaging
technologies and to mitigate development risks for the shared
reconnaissance pod (SHARP) system.
The committee notes the recent, successful at-sea deployment of the
TARPS CD system and believes that the progress of the Navy's digital
imaging technology risk-mitigation efforts thus far provides sufficient
confidence to build on these efforts through the integration of a
non-developmental, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) synthetic aperture
radar (SAR) sensor which will provide day/night imagery in all-weather
conditions. Since the committee understands that an all-weather
reconnaissance capability is a requirement for the SHARP system, it
fully supports further risk-mitigation activities integrating a SAR
sensor on the TARPS CD system.
Accordingly, the committee recommends $44.1 million, an increase of
$7.0 million, to integrate a COTS SAR sensor into the TARPS CD.
UC 35
The budget request contained no funds for procurement of UC 35
aircraft for the Army, Navy or the Marine Corps.
The UC 35 is a medium-range, medium-lift operational support
aircraft. The committee understands that the Army, Navy, and the Marine
Corps conduct the operational support airlift mission with the
short-range C 12 aircraft, which is increasingly expensive to operate,
and does not meet payload, range, or avionics requirements. The
committee notes that the Army Chief of Staff, the Chief of Naval
Operations, and the Commandant of the Marine Corps have each identified
the procurement of UC 35s among their unfunded requirements in fiscal
year 2001.
Consequently, the committee recommends an increase of $22.8 million
for three UC 35 aircraft: $7.6 million for one Army aircraft and $15.2
million for one aircraft each for the Navy and Marine Corps.
WEAPONS PROCUREMENT, NAVY
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $1,434.3 million for Weapons
Procurement, Navy for fiscal year 2001. The committee recommends
authorization of $1,562.3 million for fiscal year 2001.
The committee recommends approval of the request except for those
programs adjusted in the following table. Unless otherwise specified,
adjustments are without prejudice and based on affordability
considerations.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
Hellfire II missile
The budget request contained no funds for Hellfire II missiles.
The Hellfire II missile is a laser-guided, anti-armor and anti-ship
weapon used by the Marine Corps on the AH 1W helicopter and by the Navy
on the SH 60B helicopter. The committee notes that, despite increased
funding provided by Congress in fiscal years 1998 and 2000, the
Department of the Navy has not met its inventory requirement for these
missiles. The committee further notes that, as a result of this
situation, the Chief of Naval Operations has identified procurement of
Hellfire II missiles among his top unfunded readiness requirements in
fiscal year 2001.
Therefore, consistent with its prior actions, the committee
recommends an increase of $55.0 million to procure additional Hellfire
II missiles.
Improved tactical air-launched decoy (ITALD)
The budget request contained $58.9 million for aerial targets but
included no funds for the ITALD.
The ITALD, launched from Navy strike aircraft, is used to deceive and
saturate hostile air defense systems, thereby enhancing strike aircraft
survivability. The committee understands that only 260 ITALDs have been
funded to date against a Navy requirement for 1500 to 1750 systems.
Because the committee believes that the use of tactical decoys
significantly improves both aircrew survival and mission success, the
committee recommends $68.9 million, an increase of $10.0 million, to
procure additional ITALDs.
Joint standoff weapon (JSOW)
The budget request contained $171.6 million for the JSOW, a standoff
air-to-ground glide weapon that uses global positioning system
satellites and an inertial navigation system for precision guidance.
The committee understands that the JSOW has performed flawlessly in
over 60 combat deliveries and notes that the Chief of Naval Operations
has identified the procurement of additional JSOWs among his top two
unfunded weapons requirements in fiscal year 2001.
Consequently, the committee recommends $206.6 million, an increase of
$35.0 million, to accelerate procurement of additional JSOWs.
Standoff land attack missile-expanded response (SLAM ER)
The budget request contained $27.9 million to convert 30 standoff
land attack missiles (SLAMs) to the SLAM ER configuration. The SLAM ER
is a long-range, air-to-ground, precision-guided missile that improves
the SLAM's range, accuracy and lethality.
The committee notes that the SLAM ER has recently completed its
operational test and evaluation with both operationally effective and
suitable ratings. The committee also notes that the Chief of Naval
Operations has included the conversion of 60 SLAMs to the SLAM ER
configuration among his unfunded requirements in fiscal year 2001 in
order to reduce the risk of future missile shortages for a major theater
war or contingency operation.
Therefore, the committee recommends $57.9 million, an increase of
$30.0 million, for the conversion of an additional 60 SLAMs to the SLAM
ER configuration.
AMMUNITION PROCUREMENT, NAVY/MARINE CORPS
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $429.6 million for Ammunition
Procurement, Navy/Marine Corps for fiscal year 2001. The committee
recommends authorization of $481.3 million for fiscal year 2001.
The committee recommends approval of the request except for those
programs adjusted in the following table. Unless otherwise specified,
adjustments are without prejudice and based on affordability
considerations.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
Navy ammunition procurement
The budget request contained $295.9 million for procurement of
ammunition. The committee recommends $317.4 million, an increase of
$21.5 million for the following types of ammunition, which are among the
top unfunded requirements identified by the Chief of Naval Operations in
fiscal year 2001:
[Dollars in millions]
GBU 10/12/16 laser guided bombs/kits
$15.0
MJU 52/B IR expendables
6.5
Marine corps ammunition procurement
The budget request contained $133.7 million for procurement of
ammunition. The committee recommends $163.9 million, an increase of
$30.2 million for the following types of ammunition, which are among the
top unfunded requirements identified by the Commandant of the Marine
Corps in fiscal year 2001:
[Dollars in millions]
5.56mm, all types
$3.0
7.62mm, all types
1.0
APOBS
2.0
.50 caliber
1.0
Rocket, 83mm HEDP
10.7
Rocket, 83mm HE Common Practice
4.6
155mm Projectile Extended Range M795
7.9
SHIPBUILDING AND CONVERSION, NAVY
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $12,296.9 million for Shipbuilding and
Conversion, Navy for fiscal year 2001. The committee recommends
authorization of $11,982.0 million for fiscal year 2001.
The committee recommends approval of the request except for those
programs adjusted in the following table. Unless otherwise specified,
adjustments are without prejudice and based on affordability
considerations.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
LHD 8 amphibious assault ship
The budget request contained no funds for procurement of a WASP-class
(LHD) amphibious assault ship.
The committee understands that the Navy intends to procure the LHD 8
amphibious assault ship in fiscal year 2005 due to funding constraints,
but notes that both the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of
the Marine Corps have identified the LHD 8 as an unfunded requirement in
fiscal year 2001. The committee further notes that procurement of the
LHD 8 before fiscal year 2005 could result in significant savings and
result in more stable funding for the Navy's shipbuilding plan.
Therefore, the committee recommends an additional $10.0 million for
advance procurement and long lead materials for the construction of LHD
8.
Auxiliary dry cargo ship
The budget request contained $339.0 million for the procurement of an
auxiliary dry cargo ship (ADC(X)).
The committee is satisfied that the Navy has programmed sufficient
resources to provide for engineering and other one-time costs of the
lead shipyard in the ADC(X) program. However, since the program calls
for the ADC(X) class ships to be built by two shipyards, the committee
is concerned that the Navy has not also provided sufficient resources to
fund engineering and other non-recurring activities unique to the second
shipyard. The committee understands that if these activities are not
adequately funded, the award of the prime contract for the ADC(X) may be
delayed.
The committee is concerned that procurement of ADC(X) ships in the
Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy (SCN) account does not adequately
reflect the unique logistics and sealift mission of these vessels. The
committee understands that the ADC(X) will be used to move cargo and
other supplies to forward-deployed fleet units and believes that a
vessel performing this mission would be more appropriately funded in the
National Defense Sealift Fund (NDSF). The committee has therefore
transferred the funds requested for the ADC(X) in the SCN account to the
NDSF and directs the Secretary of the Navy to fund ADC(X) procurement in
the NDSF in future budget requests.
Accordingly, the committee recommends a reduction of $339.0 million
to the Shipbuilding and Conversion, Navy request and an increase of
$349.0 million to the National Defense Sealift Fund, including $339.0
million to procure an ADC(X) and $10.0 million to fund engineering and
other non-recurring activities necessary to support construction of this
ship class at two shipyards.
Submarine force level
The 1997 Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) established a force of 50
nuclear powered attack submarines (SSNs) as adequate to support the
national military strategy and subsequent budget requests have supported
this force level. However, the 1999 Attack Submarine Study conducted by
the Joint Chiefs of Staff found that the QDR force level is insufficient
to meet near- and long-term operational requirements. Due to the low
rate of attack submarine procurement during the 1990s any force
structure increase above the QFR level over the long-term would require
a sustained increase in VIRGINIA class SSN procurement.
Although sustained procurement of sufficient numbers of new
submarines is the only long-term solution to the SSN force structure
shortfall, the committee is aware of near-term cost-effective
opportunities to increase the number of submarines in the fleet. The
committee understands that the budget request contains sufficient funds
through fiscal year 2005 to refuel four LOS ANGELES class SSNs that
would otherwise be retired well before the end of their useful service
lives and strongly supports this effort as well as a longer-term
opportunity to refuel, in lieu of retirement, an additional three LOS
ANGELES class SSNs.
The committee is also aware of the opportunity to refuel and convert
four OHIO class nuclear powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) to
nuclear powered cruise missile submarines (SSGNs) in lieu of retirement.
Although its final configuration would be dictated by arms control
considerations, the SSGN would provide a stealthy conventional strike
platform to support theater Commanders-in-Chief (CINC) requirements for
precision cruise missiles.
The committee supports the use of all reasonable means to increase
the submarine force level through increased procurement of new
submarines as well as refueling and conversion, in lieu of early
retirement, of existing submarines. The committee believes that this
combination of efforts would provide the most cost-effective way of
maintaining an adequate submarine force that is capable of meeting
current and future challenges to U.S. national security interests.
Submarine refueling overhauls
The budget request contained $72.3 million for advance procurement
for submarine refueling overhauls but included no funds for advance
procurement for refueling overhauls associated with the conversion of
ballistic missile submarines to cruise missile submarines.
The committee is aware of the Navy's proposal to convert four OHIO
class nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines (SSBNs) to nuclear
powered cruise missile submarines (SSGNs) as a means of providing
theater Commanders-in-Chief (CINCs) with increased numbers of cruise
missiles for conventional precision strike missions. The committee notes
that a requirement of any conversion program would be the refueling of
the nuclear reactors of the candidate SSBNs. The committee understands
that the Navy has no experience with refueling OHIO class SSBNs and that
the submarines converted to SSGNs would also be the first of the class
to require refueling.
Therefore, in order to reduce risk in any potential SSGN conversion
program, the committee recommends $86.3 million for submarine refueling
overhauls, an increase of $14.0 million, for advance planning and
procurement for OHIO class submarine refueling overhauls.
OTHER PROCUREMENT, NAVY
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $3,334.6 million for Other Procurement,
Navy for fiscal year 2001. The committee recommends authorization of
$3,432.0 million for fiscal year 2001.
The committee recommends approval of the request except for those
programs adjusted in the following table. Unless otherwise specified,
adjustments are without prejudice and based on affordability
considerations.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
AN/SPS 73 (V) surface search radar
The budget request contained $4.9 million for items less than $5.0
million but contained no funds for the AN/SPS 73 (V) surface search
radar.
The Navy currently operates several different surface search radars
on its ships but has begun the replacement of these various systems with
the AN/SPS 73 (V) radar. The AN/SPS 73 (V) is a commercial-off-the-shelf
system that has improved performance over current radars and reduced
support costs through standardized logistics and maintenance
requirements. The committee continues to support the accelerated
standardization of surface search radars and recommends an increase of
$14.0 million for the procurement of additional AN/SPS 73 (V) radars for
this purpose.
Aviation life support
The budget request contained $20.4 million for aviation life support
equipment for Navy and Marine Corps aircrews.
The Marine Corps currently uses a mix of aircrew night vision systems
procured during the 1980s and 1990s, some of which are incompatible with
the latest glass cockpit displays in new fleet aircraft. The Marine
Corps is moving toward a standardized configuration for aircrew night
vision equipment, but currently has an inadequate supply of modern
systems. The committee notes that this shortfall was identified by both
the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commandant of the Marine Corps as
an unfunded requirement in fiscal year 2001.
The committee notes that Congress has previously added funds to this
program to facilitate the upgrading of fixed and rotary wing aircrews
with state-of-the-art night vision systems. The committee supports the
continuation of this effort and recommends an increase of $9.9 million
to procure additional AN/AVS 9 night vision goggles for Marine Corps
aircrews.
Education support equipment
The budget request contained $2.1 million for the virtual recruiting
program, which utilizes computer-based recruiting kiosks.
The committee understands that the Navy is facing serious challenges
in meeting recruiting goals and has established a pilot program to use
computer-based kiosks to provide potential recruits with access to
information about the Navy in an interactive format. The committee
further understands that the preliminary results of the pilot project
have been very successful but that the budget request fails to fully
fund this promising program.
Accordingly, the committee recommends $4.1 million for education
support equipment, an increase of $2.0 million, to procure an additional
150 armed forces recruiting kiosks in order to fully fund the virtual
recruiting program.
High-pressure cleaner
The budget request contained $58.9 million for ship support equipment
items less than $5.0 million but included no funds for high-pressure
non-hazardous dry steam solvent-based cleaners.
The committee is aware that the Navy and the Marine Corps are each
using high-pressure dry steam solvent-based cleaners facilities to clean
turbine engine parts, avionics, printed circuit boards, and a wide
variety of other military equipment in an environmentally responsible
manner. The committee also understands that the Navy has estimated
substantial maintenance cost savings associated with the use of these
cleaners and recognizes the value of their widespread use.
The committee agrees with the Navy's findings and, therefore,
recommends $60.9 million for ship support equipment items less than $5.0
million, an increase of $2.0 million, for the procurement of
high-pressure dry steam solvent-based cleaners.
Joint tactical terminal
The budget request contained $32,000 for the Joint Tactical Terminal
(JTT).
The committee is fully supportive of the Navy's efforts to field the
JTT but is aware that the Navy has a shortfall in purchasing the
required number of terminals.
Accordingly, the committee recommends $6.0 million, and increase of
$6.0 million, to correct this deficiency.
Mobile remote emitter simulator (MRES)
The budget request contained $15.1 million for weapons range support
but included no funds to procure MRES systems.
The MRES is a high power electronic warfare threat simulator that is
capable of illuminating aircraft, ships and other signal collection
platforms.
The committee notes that Congress provided additional funding to
procure an MRES system each year since fiscal year 1998 in order to
upgrade the Navy's electronic warfare testing and training facilities.
The committee supports the continuation of this modernization effort and
recommends an increase of $7.5 million for the procurement and
installation of one MRES system.
Nuclear attack submarine (SSN) acoustics
The budget request contained $106.6 million for SSN acoustics but
included no funds for the refurbishment and upgrade of TB 23 submarine
towed arrays.
The committee understands that the Navy intends to upgrade all
submarine towed acoustic arrays with the TB 29A array beginning in 2002
but at a rate that will require the TB 23 array to remain in service for
at least the next decade. The committee further understands that the TB
23 array must be refurbished and upgraded periodically to maintain the
reliability and effectiveness of this critical acoustic sensor.
Therefore, in order to ensure that the submarine force retains modern
and reliable acoustic sensors until completely outfitted with the TB 29A
array, the committee recommends $114.6 million for SSN acoustics, an
increase of $8.0 million, to sustain the TB 23 array refurbishment and
upgrade program.
Operating forces industrial plant equipment
The budget request contained $2.7 million for operating forces
industrial plant equipment but included no funds for expeditionary
maintenance facilities (EMF).
The committee is aware that the Navy is decommissioning its repair
tenders, thereby limiting its ability to rapidly deploy a ship and
equipment repair capability to support forward deployed forces. However,
the committee is also aware that EMF, surface and air transportable,
self-contained repair and maintenance facilities that can be operational
within 72 hours of deployment, can meet the Navy's needs for a rapidly
deployable repair and maintenance capability.
The committee fully supports the EMF concept and, therefore,
recommends $7.7 million for industrial plant equipment, an increase of
$5.0 million, to procure seven of the facilities.
Other training equipment
The budget request included $21.4 million for other training
equipment, of which $16.4 million for the procurement of equipment to
support the Battle Force Tactical Training (BFTT) program.
The BFTT system allows surface combatants and aircraft carriers to
conduct realistic coordinated training scenarios using ownship equipment
instead of shore-based training simulators. In fiscal year 2000,
Congress provided funds for upgrades to the BFTT system in order to
provide an Air Traffic Control (ATC) training capability for aircraft
carrier crews. In order to complete this upgrade, the committee
recommends an increase of $4.0 million.
Sonobuoys
The budget request contained $49.5 million for the procurement of
sonobuoys, including AN/SSQ 36, AN/SSQ 53E, AN/SSQ 57, AN/SSQ 62E,
AN/SSQ 77, AN/SSQ 101, and Signal Underwater Sound (SUS) buoys.
The committee notes that the Navy's peacetime annual requirement for
sonobuoys is approximately 100,000 units of all types, but the budget
request would fund about 63,000. The Navy's low sonobuoy procurement
rate continues to fall far short of annual peacetime anti-submarine
warfare (ASW) training requirements.
The committee is concerned that the supply of sonobuoys could be
quickly exhausted in the event of a major theater contingency involving
airborne ASW operations. Accordingly, the committee recommends an
increase of $18.0 million to address the sonobuoy shortfall, distributed
as follows: $3.0 million for AN/SSQ 53E, $5.0 million for AN/SSQ 62E,
and $10.0 million for AN/SSQ 77.
Undersea warfare support equipment
The budget request contained $847,000 for undersea warfare support
equipment but included no funds for surface sonar windows and domes.
The committee understands that the Navy has developed a new material
and production process for surface ship sonar dome windows because
reliable sources for the material previously used are no longer
available. The committee also understands that it is critical that the
Navy validate the new sonar dome material fabrication process to support
orders for spare sonar dome windows.
Therefore the committee recommends $5.8 million for undersea warfare
support equipment, an increase of $5.0 million, to complete development
of production tooling and fabrication of the first production sonar dome
with the new material system.
WSN 7B ring laser gyro (RLG)
The budget request contained $33.4 million for other navigation
equipment, including $7.4 million for the procurement of 11 WSN 7 RLGs.
The WSN 7 RLG is the common RLG ship navigation system for surface
ships and submarines.
The committee has recommended a total increase of $52.0 million for
the procurement and installation of WSN 7 RLGs over the four preceding
fiscal years. Consistent with its actions in prior fiscal years, the
committee recommends an increase of $12.0 million for the procurement
and installation of additional WSN 7B RLGs, associated system field
change kits, and simulators. This increase will allow the Navy to
accelerate significantly the replacement of maintenance-intensive WSN 2
conventional gyro navigation systems in surface ships with the WSN 7B
RLG.
PROCUREMENT, MARINE CORPS
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $1,171.9 million for Procurement, Marine
Corps for fiscal year 2001. The committee recommends authorization of
$1,254.7 million for fiscal year 2001.
The committee recommends approval of the request except for those
programs adjusted in the following table. Unless otherwise specified,
adjustments are without prejudice and based on affordability
considerations.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
Command post systems
The budget request contained $9.5 million to procure equipment for
command post systems but included no funds for additional common end
user computer equipment for the Marine Forces Reserve (MARFORRES).
The MARFORRES is currently implementing state-of-the-art information
system networks to enable greater management of and communications with
remote units. These information systems have enabled the migration from
paper and manual-based business processes to the network-based flow of
information in support of growing personnel management requirements for
pay, medical entitlements, retention and separation. The committee
understands that additional computer hardware and software, high speed
printers, scanners, and multi-functional phones are required to expand
the employment of these networks and notes that the Commandant of the
Marine Corps has identified a $2.0 million unfunded requirement for this
equipment in fiscal year 2001.
Therefore, the committee recommends $11.5 million, and increase of
$2.0 million, for additional common end user computer equipment for the
MARFORRES.
High mobility multipurpose wheeled vehicle (HMMWV)
The budget request contained $124.4 million for HMMWVA2s, which
incorporate upgraded electrical, braking, engine, and transmission
improvements as well as a 15-year corrosion prevention program.
The HMMWV is a multi-service, four-wheel drive utility and logistics
vehicle. The Marine Corps fleet is used for personnel and weapons
transport, medical evacuation, and as an air defense weapon-mount
platform.
The committee understands that a 1997 corrosion study concluded that
of the more than 17,800 HMMWVs procured by the Marine Corps from 1985 to
1995, 27 percent of the fleet was unserviceable due to severely corroded
frames that no longer complied with manufacturer specifications. The
committee notes that the Commandant of the Marine Corps has identified
the accelerated procurement of additional HMMWVA2s to replace these
unserviceable vehicles as his number one ground unfunded requirement in
fiscal year 2001.
The committee strongly supports this effort and, therefore,
recommends $147.4 million, an increase of $23.0 million, for additional
HMMWVA2s.
Improved recovery vehicle (IRV)
The budget request contained $42.6 million to procure IRVs.
The 56-ton M88A1 is capable of towing only vehicles weighing less
than 60 tons. Consequently, two M88A1s are required to safely tow an
Abrams tank if it is rendered immobile due to combat damage or
mechanical failure. The M88A2 IRV upgrade includes increased engine
horsepower, as well as braking, steering, winch, lift, and suspension
capabilities required to safely recover Abrams tanks and other heavy
combat systems.
The committee notes that the Commandant of the Marine Corps has
identified a $14.5 million unfunded requirement in fiscal year 2001 for
5 additional IRVs, which would accelerate the buyout of the program by
one year. Accordingly, the committee recommends $57.1 million, an
increase of $14.5 million, for 5 additional M88A2 IRV upgrades to
support future expeditionary operations.
Material handling equipment
The budget request contained $36.3 million for the procurement of
various types of material handling equipment but included no funds for
the remanufacture or product improvement of D 7G bulldozers and
scrapers.
The D 7G bulldozer/scraper fleet is used throughout Marine Corps
combat engineer and support units for airfield construction, as well as
for combat clearing and debris excavation.
The committee notes that the service's bulldozer and scraper fleet is
over 15 years old and rapidly deteriorating. The committee also notes
that the D 7G remanufacturing/product improve program will extend the
life of these bulldozers and scrapers for an additional 10 years.
Consistent with its actions in prior years, the committee recommends
$48.4 million, an increase of $7.0 million, to remanufacture/product
improve 62 D 7G bulldozers and $5.1 million to remanufacture/product
improve 45 scrapers.
Modification kits (intelligence)
The budget request contained $5.0 million for modifications to
various tactical intelligence systems, but no funds were included to
procure Joint Surveillance Target and Attack Radar System (Joint STARS)
Common Ground Stations (CGS) or Joint Service Workstations (JSWS).
The Joint STARS CGS will provide the Marine Air-Ground Task Force
(MAGTF) commander with near-real-time battle space surveillance and
command and control capability by integrating into a single station the
processing of signals, imagery, and other intelligence received through
a data link from the Air Force's E 8 Joint STARS aircraft radar. The
system detects, locates, tracks, and classifies both moving and
stationary targets beyond the forward line of troops. The JSWS, a
principal component of the Joint STARS CGS, was developed for fixed-site
locations that do not require all of the communications assets and
deployability provided by a CGS. The committee notes the Commandant of
the Marine Corps has identified an $8.5 million unfunded requirement in
fiscal year 2001 to procure 1 CGS and 3 JSWS, which would accelerate the
approved acquisition objective by one year to fiscal year 2001.
The committee is aware of the proven success of the CGS and
understands the additional CGS and three JSWSs will provide the
necessary assets for MAGTFs throughout the Fleet Marine Force, while
greatly enhancing the MAGTF commanders' situational awareness.
Therefore, the committee recommends $13.5 million, an increase of $8.5
million, for 1 Joint STARS CGS and 3 JSWSs.
Radio systems
The budget request contained $3.1 million for procurement of radio
systems but no funds were included to procure Tactical Hand Held Radios
(THHR).
The THHR is a military-ready, multi-band, secure voice and data radio
that will provide Marine reconnaissance teams, and squad-/ platoon-size
units with a lightweight, standardized, maintainable communications
capability that is interoperable with numerous Department of Defense
legacy communications radios.
The committee notes that the Commandant of the Marine Corps has
identified THHRs as an unfunded requirement in fiscal year 2001, which
would meet the entire acquisition objective for replacing existing
obsolete radios. Because the committee believes that the services must
have interoperable communications in support of the growing number of
joint operation deployments and supports the need for greater
communications capability within small units, the committee recommends
$15.1 million for radio systems, an increase $12.0 million to procure
THHRs.
Small unit riverine craft (SURC)
The budget request contained no funds to procure a SURC.
The committee understands that there is a requirement for a SURC to
support Marine Corps operations for a fast, shallow draft, high capacity
craft that is C 130 deployable and that such a craft would provide
Marine units with the capability to insert combat troops into a
riverside environment.
The committee is supportive of this requirement and, therefore,
recommends an increase of $2.0 million to procure a SURC for the Marine
Corps.
Training devices
The budget request contained $30.8 million to procure of numerous
training and simulation systems, but no funds were included for upgrades
to fielded indoor simulated marksmanship trainers (ISMT).
The ISMT-enhanced (E) will be a deployable, interactive,
three-dimensional simulation-based indoor training system for individual
and small tactical unit marksmanship training. System enhancements will
allow Marines to receive marksmanship training on all infantry weapons
and replicate known-distance range qualification courses, offensive and
defensive combat situations, and shoot-no-shoot decision-making
exercises, all of which would normally be performed on an outdoor range
using live ammunition. The committee notes that 97 of the Marine Corps'
603 ISMTs will receive the enhanced upgrade in fiscal year 2000 and that
the Commandant of the Marine Corps has identified an $8.7 million
unfunded requirement in fiscal year 2001 to upgrade the remaining 506
ISMTs.
The committee believes that it is critical for Marines to maintain
high marksmanship standards and that the ISMT E will provide the
training designed to compliment live-fire requirements. Therefore, the
committee recommends $39.5 million, an increase of $8.7 million, to
complete ISMT E upgrades.
AIRCRAFT PROCUREMENT, AIR FORCE
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $9,539.6 million for Aircraft
Procurement, Air Force for fiscal year 2001. The committee recommends
authorization of $10,267.2 million for fiscal year 2001.
The committee recommends approval of the request except for those
programs adjusted in the following table. Unless otherwise specified,
adjustments are without prejudice and based on affordability
considerations.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
A 10 modifications
The budget request contained $33.9 million for A 10 aircraft
modifications but included no funds for the integrated flight and fire
control computer (IFFCC) or for the situation awareness data link (SADL)
for the Air National Guard's (ANG) A 10 fleet.
The IFFCC is a replacement for the A 10's existing weapons delivery
computer, which has no additional processing power for future growth.
The committee understands that the Air Force plans to conduct a
multi-stage improvement program for the A 10 that will significantly
enhance its communications, threat warning and precision-guided
munitions capabilities but will be unable to proceed with this program
without the IFFCC. The committee notes that the Air Force Chief of Staff
has identified the IFFCC among his top 20 unfunded requirements in
fiscal year 2001 in recognition of its importance to future A 10
modernization and recommends an increase of $6.8 million for this
purpose.
The SADL provides the ANG A 10 fleet with an all-weather, secure,
jam-resistant, low-cost data link using commercial-off-the-shelf
enhanced position location reporting system radios. The committee
understands that the A 10 SADL would prevent battlefield fratricide,
integrate with the Army and Marine Corps digitized battlefield, and has
growth capability for future data link upgrades. The committee notes
that the Chief of the Air National Guard has identified the A 10 SADL
among his unfunded requirements for fiscal year 2001 and recommends an
increase of $8.6 million for this cost effective modification.
In total, the committee recommends $49.3 million, an increase of
$15.4 million, for A 10 aircraft modifications.
Aircraft navigational and passenger safety equipment
The budget request contained various amounts in several aircraft
modification budget lines for the procurement and installation of
aircraft navigational and passenger safety equipment.
The committee has recommended increases for passenger and
navigational safety for several years, supporting the Secretary of
Defense's directive to improve aircraft flight and passenger safety
subsequent to the crash of a cabinet secretary's CT 43 aircraft in 1996.
These increases have funded both terrain avoidance warning systems
(TAWS), which project an aircraft's position relative to the ground and
improves pilot situational awareness by warning of potential ground
impact, and traffic collision and avoidance systems (TCAS), which
provide predictive collision avoidance information regarding an
aircraft's position relative to another aircraft. The committee notes
that other safety upgrades are also planned in the future years defense
program (FYDP) such as cockpit voice recorders, flight data recorders,
and predictive windshear radars.
While the Department of Defense continues to fund these upgrades in
both the fiscal year 2001 budget and the FYDP, the committee believes
that such navigational and passenger safety improvements should be
expedited. Accordingly, the committee recommends an increase of $20.0
million to accelerate upgrades of the TAWS, TCAS, cockpit voice
recorders, flight data recorders, and predictive windshear radars on
passenger-carrying aircraft. Additionally, the committee expects the
secretaries of the military departments to report to the congressional
defense committees by February 1, 2001, on the passenger and navigation
safety upgrade status and plans for each of its passenger-carrying
aircraft. This report should identify which aircraft need to be equipped
with TAWS, TCAS, cockpit voice recorders, flight data recorders, and
predictive wind shear radars.
C 130 modifications
The budget request contained $91.5 million for C 130 modifications
but included no funds for the carry-on situation awareness data link
(SADL) or the AN/APN 242 for the Air National Guard's (ANG) C 130 fleet.
The carry-on SADL provides the ANG's C 130 aircraft fleet with an
all-weather, secure, jam-resistant, and low-cost data link using
commercial-off-the-shelf enhanced position location reporting system
radios. The committee understands that, without the carry-on SADL, the
ANG's C 130 transport and rescue aircraft will be incompatible with the
Air Force's Air Expeditionary Force packages, and notes that the Chief
of the ANG has identified the C 130 carry-on SADL among his unfunded
requirements in fiscal year 2001. Consequently, the committee recommends
an increase of $6.0 million to procure carry-on SADLs for the ANG's C ,
EC , HC , and MC 130 aircraft fleets.
The AN/APN 242 is a weather and navigation radar that replaces the
1950's-era AN/APN 59 radar currently installed on the ANG's C 130
aircraft fleet. The committee understands that the AN/APN 59, in
addition to being obsolete, has a mean-time-between-failure (MTBF) rate
of 40 to 100 hours and is costly to maintain. The committee also
understands that the AN/APN 242 radar has significantly improved
performance capabilities, a projected MTBF rate of 1800 hours, and that
maintenance cost savings associated with the AN/APN 59's replacement
will pay for the AN/APN 242's acquisition within five years. To improve
C 130 mission capability and reduce maintenance costs, the committee
recommends an increase of $10.0 million for AN/APN 242 radars for the
ANG's C 130 fleet.
In total, the committee recommends $107.5 million, an increase of
$16.0 million, for C 130 modifications.
Compass call block 30/35 mission crew simulator (MCS)
The budget request contained $1.4 million for C 130 post-production
support, but included no funds for a Compass Call block 30/35 MCS. The
EC 130H Compass Call is used to disrupt enemy command and control
communications, and the block 30/35 MCS would provide aircrew training
for the current block 30 and planned block 35 aircraft configurations.
The committee understands that the current EC 130H mission simulator
is an obsolete, block 20 configuration which limits training
effectiveness for block 30- and 35-configured Compass Call aircraft due
to its inability to generate sensitive mission scenarios typical of
actual flying missions. The committee notes that training in actual
block 30-configured EC 130H aircraft is expensive and for this reason
the Air Force Chief of Staff has identified the Compass Call block 30/35
MCS among his top unfunded readiness requirements in fiscal year 2001.
Because the committee believes that a state-of-the-art simulator is
required for this high-demand, low-density aircraft, it recommends $25.1
million, an increase of $23.7 million, to procure a Compass Call block
30/35 MCS.
C 135 modifications
The budget request contained $328.2 million for C 135 modifications
but included no funds for reengining KC 135E aerial refueling aircraft
or for the KC 135 carry-on situation awareness data link (SADL) for the
Air National Guard (ANG).
The committee remains a strong supporter of the KC 135 reengining
program and understands that reengined KC 135s are capable of shorter
take-offs, operating with higher gross weights, meeting or exceeding all
noise and pollution standards, and offloading more fuel. The committee
notes that the Chief of the Air National Guard has identified reengining
of the KC 135E among his unfunded requirements in fiscal year 2001. The
committee recommends an increase of $52.0 million for two KC 135E
reengining kits.
The KC 135 carry-on SADL provides the ANG's KC 135 tanker aircraft
fleet with an all-weather, secure, jam-resistant, and low-cost data link
using commercial-off-the-shelf enhanced position location reporting
system radios. The committee understands that without the KC 135
carry-on SADL, ANG tanker aircraft will be incompatible with the Air
Force's Air Expeditionary Force packages. The committee notes that the
Chief of the Air National Guard has identified the KC 135 carry-on SADL
among his unfunded requirements in fiscal year 2001. The committee
recommends an increase of $6.0 million to procure additional SADLs for
the ANG's tanker fleet.
In total, the committee recommends $386.2 million, an increase of
$58.0 million, for C 135 modifications.
C 17
The budget request contained $2,211.9 million to procure 12 C 17
aircraft and $266.8 million for advance procurement of 15 aircraft in
fiscal year 2002 but included no funds for an additional weapon system
trainer (WST) at the C 17 training base or for a maintenance training
system (MTS) for the Air National Guard (ANG).
The committee understands that the C 17 training base currently has
three WSTs, but it needs a fourth system to accommodate the increased
pilot production anticipated in fiscal year 2004 when additional
aircraft and pilots are projected to arrive. The committee notes that
the Air Force Chief of Staff has identified an additional C 17 WST among
his top unfunded readiness requirements in fiscal year 2001. In order to
ensure that the C 17 training base will have sufficient capacity to meet
required pilot production levels, the committee recommends an increase
of $14.9 million for procurement of an additional WST.
The C 17 MTS is designed to qualify personnel to maintain the C 17
aircraft. In its report on H.R. 1401 (H. Rept. 106 162), the committee
recommended an increase of
$3.5 million for advance procurement of long-lead items for
the MTS. The committee understands that the ANG unit that will receive C
17 aircraft in fiscal year 2003 requires an MTS for initial
qualification of its maintenance personnel prior to the arrival of the
aircraft but notes that the Department of the Air Force has still not
budgeted for this system. Therefore, consistent with its prior actions
and to deliver a maintenance training capability on schedule, the
committee recommends an increase of $11.0 million for the MTS.
In total, the committee recommends $2,237.8 million for the C 17, an
increase of $25.9 million.
C 17 reverse-affiliate units
The committee notes that the Air Force is retiring its aging C 141
aircraft fleet and replacing it with the C 17, which was recently combat
proven in Operation Allied Force, to meet the Department of Defense's
airlift mobility requirements. The committee also notes the Air Force's
increasing reliance on, and importance of, Air Force Reserve Command
(AFRC) units to accomplish the airlift mission and that several reserve
units are scheduled to begin retiring their C 141 aircraft in fiscal
year 2003 without a designated follow-on mission identified. In light of
the current AFRC pilot and technician recruiting and retention
shortfalls, the committee is concerned that the Secretary of the Air
Force has yet to make a time-sensitive determination of a follow-on
mission for those AFRC units with retiring C 141 aircraft.
Accordingly, the committee urges the Secretary of the Air Force to
designate a mission for the AFRC units affected by the retirement of the
C 141, especially those units with a joint-service requirement, and
requests the Secretary to strongly consider the designation of a
reverse-affiliate C 17 unit at bases where one of these units is
located. A C 17 reverse-affiliate unit would permit the AFRC to continue
to utilize existing aircrew and maintenance personnel expertise in its
operations and maintenance responsibilities for AFRC-assigned C 17
aircraft, while also providing mission-ready aircraft that could be
flown by active duty Air Force aircrews.
Defense airborne reconnaissance program (DARP), line 56
The budget request contained $165.5 million for various RC 135 and U
2 aircraft modifications but included no funds for RC 135 training
aircraft, an updated C 135 operational flight trainer (OFT II), RC 135
global air traffic management (GATM) upgrades, or the theater airborne
warning system (TAWS) for the RC 135 Rivet Joint (RJ).
The committee notes that the theater and functional
commanders-in-chief (CINCs) have repeatedly testified that their
intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) requirements,
particularly those supported by ISR aircraft such as the RC 135 and U 2,
are not currently satisfied due to the limited number of these
platforms. The committee understands that the Air Force does not have a
dedicated RC 135 aircrew training aircraft and that this deficiency
contributes to the limited number of aircraft available to meet CINC
requirements. To increase the availability of RC 135 mission aircraft to
the CINCs, the committee recommends an increase of $44.0 million to
modify two C 135 aircraft into an RC 135 training aircraft
configuration.
The C 135 operational flight trainer (OFT I) is the aircraft
simulation training device for the RC , OC , WC , and TC 135 pilots. The
committee understands that OFT I is obsolete due to its outdated engine
and aircraft avionics configurations and that OFT II would train
aircrews to operate the re-engined and updated-avionics-configured C 135
model aircraft. The committee notes that the Air Force Chief of Staff
has included the procurement of OFT II among his top five unfunded
requirements in fiscal year 2001 and recommends an increase of $9.0
million, of which $6.5 million is for an OFT II and $2.5 million is to
equip this OFT II with motion simulation.
RC 135 GATM upgrades include: interference resistant navigational
receivers, global positioning system upgrades, a traffic collision and
avoidance system, radios to permit reduced vertical separation between
aircraft during Atlantic Ocean transit, cockpit voice recorders, and
flight management system upgrades. The committee understands that,
without these upgrades, RC 135 aircraft will be restricted from flying
the most direct and fuel-efficient ocean routes and altitudes, will be
subject to critical landing-phase navigational radio interference, and
will not be equipped with the Secretary of Defense-directed safety
modifications until after fiscal year 2005. To meet these vital needs,
the committee notes that the Air Force Chief of Staff has included RC
135 GATM upgrades among his unfunded requirements for fiscal year 2001,
and consequently, recommends an increase of $28.4 million for this
purpose.
The TAWS significantly improves the accuracy of ballistic missile
warning on RC 135 RJ, a tactical reconnaissance aircraft. In its report
on H.R. 1401 (H. Rept. 106 162), the committee recommended an increase
of $17.3 million for the RC 135 RJ TAWS and believes that continued
integration of these suites is critical to tactical missile defense
warning. Therefore, the committee recommends an increase of $10.0
million for continued procurement and installation of TAWS suites on the
RC 135 RJ aircraft.
To consolidate RC 135 modifications in DARP, line 56, and U 2
modifications in DARP, line 80, the committee recommends a transfer of
the $5.1 million budgeted for RC 135 aircraft modifications in DARP,
line 80 into this budget line; and a transfer of the $18.3 million
budgeted for U 2 aircraft modifications in this line into DARP, line 80.
This transfer results in a $13.2 million decrease to this line and an
increase of $13.2 million in DARP, line 80.
In total, the committee recommends $243.7 million for DARP, line 56,
an increase of $78.2 million for RC 135 modifications.
Finally, the committee is concerned about the Department of the Air
Force's budget plan for the RC 135's joint signals intelligence avionics
family (JSAF) upgrades and notes that the request would budget for a
single JSAF suite for the RC 135 but additional suites are not planned
until fiscal year 2005. Without full and continuous funding for this
upgrade, the committee understands the first system, if installed onto
the RC 135, would result in a unique RC 135 aircraft configuration which
would increase unit support costs for that aircraft. Accordingly, the
committee believes the new JSAF system should continue development and
testing in the RC 135 systems integration laboratory and on the U 2
aircraft until the Department of the Air Force budgets to upgrade all 16
RC 135 aircraft.
Defense airborne reconnaissance program (DARP), line 80
The budget request contained $98.4 million in DARP, line 80, for
various U 2 and RC 135 aircraft modifications, of which $1.8 million was
included for senior year electro-optic reconnaissance system (SYERS)
sensor spares and $17.0 million was included for a joint signals
intelligence avionics family (JSAF) suite for the U 2. However, the
budget request did not include any funds for additional U 2ST aircraft,
a two-seat trainer version of the single-seat U 2S reconnaissance
aircraft.
SYERS is an electro-optic camera system that provides real-time
imagery to national decision makers and tactical forces. The committee
understands that the budget request underfunds initial deployment spares
for the SYERS upgrade by $3.0 million and, accordingly, recommends an
increase of this amount.
The JSAF provides an upgraded information collection capability for
the U 2S. The committee understands that the budget request is
insufficient to procure an entire JSAF suite and required spares and
cabling. Accordingly, the committee recommends an increase of $4.0
million for this purpose.
The committee understands that there are only four U 2STs and that
without an additional U 2ST, the U 2S pilot production rate does not
meet requirements to resolve an existing pilot shortage. The committee
notes that the Air Force Chief of Staff has included an additional U 2ST
among his top five unfunded requirements in fiscal year 2001 and,
accordingly, recommends an increase of $10.0 million to convert a U 2S
into a U 2ST aircraft.
Including transfers between DARP lines 56 and 80 discussed elsewhere
in this report, the committee recommends $128.6 million, an increase of
$30.2 million, for U 2 modifications.
15 modifications
The budget request contained $258.2 million for F 15 modifications,
of which $37.3 million was included for modification kits that convert
the F100 engine to the F100 220E configuration. However, the budget
request included no funds for F 15 Bofers launchers (BOL) countermeasure
dispenser systems for the Air National Guard's (ANG) F 15A and B
aircraft, which would significantly improve its survivability.
Conversion kits for the F 15's F100 engine, also known as ``E-kits,''
provide increased thrust, greater reliability, better fuel efficiency,
and reduced operations and maintenance costs. The committee understands
that, without the E-kit modification, ANG's F 15A/B fleet will be
increasingly costly to operate and maintain, less safe, and have
diminished availability to respond to the Air Force's Air Expeditionary
Force contingency operations. Accordingly, the committee recommends an
increase of $70.0 million for E-kits to accelerate the conversion of the
ANG's F 15A/B aircraft engines to the F100 220E configuration.
The committee understands that the Air Force's test of a BOL
countermeasures dispenser system on the F 15 aircraft revealed that this
system provided a dramatic increase in the aircraft's chaff and flare
capacity and a new preemptive expendable capability. The committee also
understands that the Air Combat Command has identified
an urgent requirement for a preemptive chaff and flare
capability on the F 15, and notes that the Chief of the Air National
Guard has included integration of such capability on F 15A and B
aircraft among his unfunded requirements in fiscal year 2001.
Consequently, the committee recommends an increase of $30.0 million
to integrate the BOL countermeasure dispenser system on the ANG's F 15A
and B aircraft. The committee also recommends $68.9 million, an increase
of $7.6 million, in PE 27134F for F 15 operational systems development
to complete foreign comparative test activities for integration of this
system on all F 15 aircraft, as reflected in Title II of this report.
In total, the committee recommends $358.2 million, an increase of
$100.0 million for F 15 modifications.
Additionally, the committee notes that the Air Force modifies its F
15 fleet with a series of individual modifications rather than through a
comprehensive block upgrade approach, such as the B 2 block modification
upgrade program, in which several modifications are accomplished at one
time. Since the committee believes that an F 15 block upgrade program
would be more efficient, reduce cost, increase aircraft availability,
and increase readiness through a reduction in the number of different F
15 configurations, it strongly encourages the Secretary of the Air Force
to implement an F 15 block upgrade program beginning with the Air
Force's fiscal year 2002 budget request, and expects the Secretary to
report to the congressional defense committees his plan to implement
such a block upgrade program.
15E
The budget request contained no funds for procurement of F 15E
aircraft. The F 15E is a two-seat, missionized-cockpit, dual-role
fighter that retains an air-to-air capability and adds the systems
necessary to meet the requirement for an all-weather, deep penetration,
day/night air-to-surface attack aircraft.
The committee notes that the Air Force plans to operate its inventory
of 218 F 15Es until 2030, and further notes that the F 15E fleet has
recently experienced very high operational tempos. The committee
believes, therefore, that additional attrition reserve aircraft should
be procured.
Consequently, the committee recommends an increase of $149.8 million
for two F 15E aircraft.
16 modifications
The budget request contained $248.8 million for various F 16
modifications, of which $6.0 million was included to procure 29 ALE 50
towed decoy launcher pylons. However, the request included no funds for
the LITENING II precision attack targeting system (PATS) or for airborne
video solid-state recorder systems (AVSRs).
The committee understands that Air National Guard (ANG) F 16 units
equipped with the F 16C block 25 and 30 aircraft have an immediate
shortfall in precision strike capability. The committee notes that the
Chief of the Air National Guard has identified procurement of additional
LITENING II PATS as his number one unfunded requirement in fiscal year
2001. This system, which consists of a third-generation forward-looking
infrared and a laser spot tracker, will allow ANG block 25 and 30 F 16s
to participate in future Air Expeditionary Force contingency operations.
The committee notes that the ANG has a requirement for 160 LITENING II
PATSs, but only 56 have been funded.
The committee believes the integration of ANG F 16s into precision
strike operations is essential to the Total Force concept and,
therefore, recommends an increase of $25.0 million to procure 17
additional systems.
The ALE 50 towed decoy pylon enables F 16C aircraft to carry the ALE
50, a radio-frequency repeater which is used to decoy an incoming threat
missile away from the aircraft. The committee understands that the ALE
50 was one of the most effective countermeasure devices used during
Operation Allied Force and that it is credited with saving several
aircraft. Also, the committee notes that the Air Force Chief of Staff
has identified procurement of the ALE 50 towed decoy pylon among his
unfunded modernization requirements in fiscal year 2001.
Consequently, the committee recommends $18.3 million, an increase of
$12.3 million, to accelerate the production of 111 additional ALE 50
towed decoy pylons.
The AVSR is a commercial off-the-shelf replacement for the F 16's
existing mechanical airborne video tape recorders which, the committee
understands, are difficult to maintain and have low reliability. The
committee also understands that the AVSR will provide a dramatic
improvement in mean time between failure, has no moving parts which can
break or wear out, requires no scheduled maintenance and will save an
estimated $80 million in life-cycle costs compared to the F 16's current
system.
Therefore, to improve reliability and reduce F 16 airborne video tape
recorder ownership costs, the committee recommends an increase of $12.0
million for the AVSR.
In total, the committee recommends $298.1 million for F 16
modifications, an increase of $49.3 million.
16 improved avionics intermediate shop (IAIS)
The budget request contained $25.5 million for F 16 post production
support, of which $5.0 million was included for one IAIS system.
The F 16 IAIS system is a mobile test station used to diagnose and
repair F 16 avionics problems at deployed locations. Because the F 16
IAIS uses fewer people and requires less cargo space for transit than
the existing avionics intermediate shop, deployments of F 16 units which
have the IAIS require less airlift support.
The committee understands that 63 F 16 IAISs are required but notes
that only 48 have been--or are planned to be--procured in the future
years defense program. The committee notes that the Air Force Chief of
Staff has identified additional IAISs among his unfunded requirements in
fiscal year 2001.
Therefore, the committee recommends $49.5 million, an increase of
$24.0 million for five additional F 16 IAIS systems, including two for
active, two for Air National Guard, and one for Air Force Reserve units.
16C
The budget request contained no funds for the procurement of F 16C
aircraft, the primary multi-mission fighter aircraft of the Air Force.
The committee notes its continuing strong support for the F 16C
program and that Congress provided an increase of $24.0 million in
fiscal year 2000 for advance procurement of additional aircraft in
fiscal year 2001. Finally, the committee notes that the Department of
the Air Force planned to procure 20 additional aircraft (10 each in
fiscal years 2002 and 2003) but has subsequently revised its plan and
now intends to procure six aircraft in fiscal year 2003 and seven in
each of fiscal years 2004 and 2005.
Therefore, consistent with its previous actions, and noting that both
the Air Force Chief of Staff and the Chief of the Air National Guard
have identified additional F 16C aircraft among their top unfunded
requirements in fiscal year 2001, the committee recommends an increase
of $51.7 million and expects that the Department will combine these
funds with the $24.0 million appropriated for advance procurement in
fiscal year 2000 for to procure three F 16C block 50/52 aircraft.
The committee observes that the Senate Committee on Appropriations
report on H.R. 2521 (S. Rept. 102 154) stated, ``the Committee directs
that F 16 aircraft scheduled to be delivered to the Air Force during
fiscal year 1992 be turned over to those Air National Guard F 16's units
which served in Operation Desert Storm.'' The committee further observes
that the statement of the managers accompanying the conference report on
H.R. 2521 (H. Rept. 102 328) stated, ``The Committee of Conference
directs the Air Force to initiate, immediately in the first quarter of
fiscal year 1992, the modernization process for those Air National Guard
F 16 units that deployed to Operation Desert Storm, in priority over any
nondeploying unit, leading to equipping these deploying units with
updated F 16 aircraft. Units with the Close Air Support (CAS) mission
will be equipped with Block 30 aircraft.'' The committee notes that the
Air Force complied with the aforementioned directives but subsequently
reversed that action when it removed the block 30 aircraft of the 174th
Fighter Wing and replaced them with less capable block 25 aircraft.
Therefore, the committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force to
assign F 16 block 40, or later model F 16 aircraft, to Air National
Guard units whose capabilities have been downgraded as a result of the
substitution of older block aircraft when F 16C block 50/52 aircraft
procured in fiscal year 2001 are delivered to the Air Force.
8C joint surveillance and target attack radar system (STARS)
The budget request contained no funds for advance procurement to
continue E 8C Joint STARS aircraft production.
The E 8C Joint STARS aircraft provides near real-time surveillance
and targeting information on moving and stationary ground targets,
enabling battlefield commanders to quickly make and execute engagement
decisions. Although its situational awareness value to commanders has
prompted the Joint Requirements Oversight Council (JROC) to validate a
requirement for 19 aircraft, the Department of the Air Force has
budgeted only for 15.
While the committee is encouraged that the Department has funded the
15th Joint STARS aircraft in its budget request, it remains concerned
that, despite the JROC-validated requirement for 19 aircraft, the
Department plans to shut down the E 8C production line after this
aircraft is produced. These ``low-density, high demand'' aircraft are
among the most sought-after assets by the regional commanders-in-chief
for a range
of reconnaissance and surveillance operations and have been
combat proven in the recent Operation Allied Force.
Therefore, the committee recommends an increase of $40.0 million for
advance procurement of a 16th E 8C Joint STARS aircraft.
Lightweight environmentally sealed parachute assembly (LESPA)
The budget request contained $28.2 million for other aircraft
modifications but included no funds for the LESPA.
Due to its longer repack cycle and extended service life, the
committee continues to believe that the Department of the Air Force will
realize substantial life cycle cost savings with LESPA, compared to
existing parachutes, and has previously recommended procurement of
LESPAs for the Navy's P 3 and E 2 aircraft.
Consistent with its previous actions to reduce ownership costs, the
committee recommends $35.2 million for other aircraft modifications, an
increase of $7.0 million for LESPAs to replace existing parachutes in C
130, C 141, C 5 and KC 135 aircraft.
Predator
The budget request contained $22.1 million for procurement of the
Predator unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system.
The committee understands that the Air Force is experiencing
vanishing vendor problems with some of the current hardware in the
Predator ground station and that there is a requirement to control
multiple Predator aircraft simultaneously from a single ground station.
The committee is also aware that there are required air vehicle
reliability and maintainability upgrades that have not been funded.
Consequently, the committee recommends $34.1 million for the
Predator, an increase of $12.0 million for upgrading the current ground
stations with commercial hardware, for integrating the capability to
control multiple UAVs simultaneously and for improving air vehicle
reliability and maintainability.
Finally, the committee is aware that a jointly funded effort between
the contractor and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration has
developed a turbo-prop variant of the Predator to be followed by a
jet-powered variant. Both of these Predator-B variants use the current
Predator ground station, avionics, datalink, and control software but
provide major performance improvements over the current aircraft,
including a maximum speed in excess of 200 knots and a service ceiling
to 45,000 feet. While the current Predator has clearly proven its
military worth, given these performance improvements, a Predator-B would
appear to satisfy many niche missions for which the current vehicle is
not well-suited. The committee believes that a Predator-B would be a
valuable addition to the Predator fleet and that a mix of Predator-A and
-B aircraft would cost effectively satisfy all Predator mission
requirements.
Therefore, the committee requests the Secretary of the Air Force to
conduct an assessment of the utility of a Predator-B aircraft, including
the benefits or problems operating a mixed Predator fleet. The committee
further requests the Secretary report his findings to the congressional
defense and intelligence committees concurrent with the submission of
the fiscal year 2002 budget request.
T 3A modifications
The budget request contained $1.9 million for T 3A aircraft
modifications.
The committee notes that the Department of the Air Force has removed
the T 3A from service for screening prospective pilot candidates prior
to entry into undergraduate pilot training. Consequently, the committee
recommends no funding for T 3A modifications, a decrease of $1.9
million.
AMMUNITION PROCUREMENT, AIR FORCE
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $638.8 million for Ammunition
Procurement, Air Force for fiscal year 2001. The committee recommends
authorization of $638.8 million for fiscal year 2001.
The committee recommends approval of the request except for those
programs adjusted in the following table. Unless otherwise specified,
adjustments are without prejudice and based on affordability
considerations.
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MISSILE PROCUREMENT, AIR FORCE
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $3,061.7 million for Missile
Procurement, Air Force for fiscal year 2001. The committee recommends
authorization of $3,046.7 million for fiscal year 2001.
The committee recommends approval of the request except for those
programs adjusted in the following table. Unless otherwise specified,
adjustments are without prejudice and based on affordability
considerations.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
AGM 65 modifications
The budget request contained $2.0 million to convert 200 AGM 65G
missiles to the AGM 65K configuration.
The AGM 65 is a precision guided tactical missile employed on the F
16 and A 10 aircraft. The ``G'' configuration has an infrared target
seeker that can be upgraded to the ``K'' configuration, which uses an
updated electro-optical (EO) seeker. The ``B'' configuration has an
obsolete EO target seeker that can be upgraded to the ``H''
configuration, which also uses an updated EO seeker. Since the committee
understands that over 5300 AGM 65s were fired in Operation Desert Storm
and over 800 in Operation Allied Force, it believes that the current
upgrade rate can neither meet future operational requirements nor
provide sufficient missiles for training.
Consistent with its prior year actions in adding funds for these
upgrades, the committee recommends $7.0 million, an increase of $5.0
million, for conversion to both the AGM 65H and K configurations, of
which some missiles should be procured for Air National Guard pilot
training.
Medium launch vehicle (MLV)
The budget request contained $55.9 million for MLV launch operations.
The committee notes that the MLV is used for Global Positioning
System (GPS) satellite launch operations and that, due to the
restructuring of the GPS program, GPS launches have been delayed.
Consequently, the committee believes that the budget request contains
funds in excess of MLV program requirements. Therefore, the committee
recommends $45.9 million for MLV, a reduction of $10.0 million.
Titan
The budget request contained $469.7 million for the Titan launch
vehicle and launch operations.
The committee notes that the management contingency funding request
for the Titan program is substantially larger than that of other
programs of comparable maturity and believes that the budget request
contains funds in excess of requirements. Therefore, the committee
recommends $459.7 million, a reduction of $10.0 million.
OTHER PROCUREMENT, AIR FORCE
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $7,699.1 million for Other Procurement,
Air Force for fiscal year 2001. The committee recommends authorization
of $7,869.9 million for fiscal year 2001.
The committee recommends approval of the request except for those
programs adjusted in the following table. Unless otherwise specified,
adjustments are without prejudice and based on affordability
considerations.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
Automatic data processing equipment (ADPE)
The budget request contained $74.8 million for ADPE but included no
funds for the spare parts production and re-procurement system (SPARES),
a web-based, industry-standard electronic storage and management system.
The committee understands that SPARES has enabled parts procurement
times to be reduced from 90 to 15 days and field maintenance response
times to be reduced from 14 days to only a few hours. The committee
continues to consider these figures impressive as it did when
recommending increased funding for SPARES in its report on H.R. 1401 (H.
Rept. 106 162) for fiscal year 2000.
Therefore, consistent with its prior actions, the committee
recommends $84.8 million, an increase of $10.0 million, to continue
procurement of the SPARES.
AN/FPS 117 radar beacon replacement
The budget request contained $54.4 million for communications
electronics modifications but included no funds for replacement of
beacons on AN/FPS 117 radars. The AN/FPS 117 is a minimally attended,
long-range radar system used to provide air defense and air traffic
control in the Arctic regions of Canada and Alaska.
The committee understands that the AN/FPS 117's beacons, which
provide identification friend or foe information to military air defense
controllers as well as altitude and aircraft identification to civilian
air traffic controllers, are increasingly unsupportable due to
out-of-production parts and do not meet Federal Aviation Administration
regulations for air traffic control.
The committee believes these radars should not be allowed to
deteriorate and, therefore recommends $69.4 million, an increase of
$15.0 million, to begin a program for integration, testing and
replacement of AN/FPS 117 radar beacons.
Eagle vision
The budget request included no funds for procuring the processing
hardware necessary to complete the Eagle Vision 4 imagery system.
Eagle Vision is a ground station that receives and processes imagery
from commercial remote sensing satellites. The committee fully supports
the Eagle Vision commercial imagery initiative, which has provided
unique, unclassified imagery support to meet theater and service
requirements that, due to higher priorities, cannot be met by other
technical means. The committee believes that this initiative needs to be
fully funded to continue such support.
Therefore, the committee recommends an increase of $5.0 million for
completing the Eagle Vision 4 processor installation.
Rivet joint mission trainer (RJMT)
The budget request contained $12.8 million for RC 135 Defense Aerial
Reconnaissance Program procurement but included no funds to provide a
forward-deployed training capability for the RJMT, the primary RC 135
Rivet Joint (RJ) ground training simulator.
The RC 135 RJ is a tactical reconnaissance aircraft that provides
real-time intelligence to combat forces. The committee understands that
the procurement of an enhanced field exportable training system (EFETS)
would improve training and readiness by allowing deployed RC 135 RJ
crewmembers to use existing post-mission ground data processing
equipment to function as an RJMT. Since procurement of an additional
RJMT for deployed locations would not be required, the committee further
understands that the EFETS would save the Air Force $27.4 million and
notes that the Air Force Chief of Staff has included $15.5 million for
the EFETS among his top five unfunded requirements for fiscal year 2001.
Consequently, the committee recommends $28.3 million, an increase of
$15.5 million for this purpose.
Senior scout
The budget request contained $5.5 million for procurement of
intelligence communications equipment, including $2.0 million for
procurement of spares and replacement equipment for the Senior Scout
tactical reconnaissance aircraft.
The committee is pleased that the Air Force has decided to retain the
Senior Scout reconnaissance capability to augment the high demand/low
density airborne intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR)
fleets in the reserve component. However, the committee is disturbed
that the Air Force has not added funding to upgrade the Senior Scout to
more effectively interoperate with other ISR aircraft and, more
importantly, the combat aircraft it supports.
Therefore, the committee recommends $13.7 million for intelligence
communications equipment, an increase of $8.2 million for Senior Scout
collection and dissemination upgrades and for the addition of a
deployable ground data reduction system.
Situation awareness data link (SADL) gateway for the theater
air control system (TACS)
The budget request contained $15.4 million for TACS improvement but
included no funds to initiate a program for the SADL gateway for the Air
National Guard's (ANG) TACS.
The SADL gateway for the ANG's TACS would use
commercial-off-the-shelf enhanced position location reporting system
radios, a laptop-sized computer, and an integrated software package to
provide datalink-equipped ground assets with friend or foe track
identification when an aircraft's transponder is not operating. This
capability would enable ANG TACS participants on the ground to view the
entire air battle picture. The committee understands that this system
would help prevent battlefield fratricide and notes that the Chief of
the Air National Guard has identified the SADL gateway for the ANG's
TACS among his unfunded requirements in fiscal year 2001.
Consequently, the committee recommends $19.8 million, an increase of
$4.4 million, to initiate a SADL gateway program for the ANG's TACS.
Supply asset tracking system (SATS)
The budget request contained $15.1 million for mechanized material
handling equipment but included no funds for SATS.
SATS provides the capability to quickly and accurately identify and
locate personnel, equipment and supplies through the use of commercial
automated information technology. The committee understands that this
system enhances productivity, shortens inventory cycles, and allows
real-time inventory updates.
The committee notes that Congress has provided additional funds for
SATS installation over the past two years and accordingly, recommends
$27.1 million, an increase of $12.0 million, to continue the
installation of this system at Air Force bases worldwide.
PROCUREMENT, DEFENSE-WIDE
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $2,275.3 million for Procurement,
Defense-Wide for fiscal year 2001. The committee recommends
authorization of $2,309.1 million for fiscal year 2001.
The committee recommends approval of the request except for those
programs adjusted in the following table. Unless otherwise specified,
adjustments are without prejudice and based on affordability
considerations.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
Automated document conversion system (ADCS)
The budget request contained no funds for ADCS.
The committee recognizes that the ADCS program continues to perform a
critical role in the attainment of the Department's goal for achieving a
digitally integrated, paperless environment by 2002. Although the ADCS
is the Department's single most productive program in converting the
vast remaining inventories of legacy engineering drawings into more
useful computerized formats, the committee understands that, a
significant conversion backlog remains in each service.
Therefore, in order to reduce this backlog, the committee recommends
an increase of $40.0 million to continue the ADCS program.
Counternarcotics discreet operations radio (CONDOR)
The budget request contained no funds for the CONDOR, a mobile
communications system that allows encrypted as well as non-encrypted
transmissions in a single device and includes a net broadcast capability
for one-to-many communications similar to handheld radios. CONDOR
addresses the Department of Defense's requirement to have secure and
net-mode mobile communications in a device that resembles a normal
cellular telephone while reducing the Department's need to maintain
unique expensive wireless networks.
The committee understands that NSA has procured a small number of
these devices; however, additional devices are required. Therefore, the
committee recommends an increase of $6.0 million for additional CONDOR
procurement.
Patriot advanced capability 3 (PAC 3)
The budget request contained $365.5 million for acquisition of the
PAC 3 system and 40 PAC 3 missiles. The PAC 3 system is the only theater
missile defense (TMD) system nearing operational deployment that is
capable of defeating current sophisticated ballistic missile threats.
The committee notes that the Director of the Ballistic Missile
Defense Organization has identified facilitization of the PAC 3
production line and additional procurement of PAC 3 missiles as unfunded
requirements in fiscal year 2001. The committee believes that additional
funds would provide both manufacturing efficiencies prior to full rate
production of the PAC 3 as well as inventory growth to meet emerging
threats.
Because of the near-term importance of the PAC 3 for TMD, the
committee recommends $430.7 million, an increase of $35.2 million for
procurement of eight additional PAC 3 missiles and $30.0 million for
additional facilitization of the PAC 3 production line.
Portable intelligence collection and relay capability (PICRC)
The budget request contained $32.3 million for special operations
forces (SOF) intelligence systems but included no funds for the PICRC.
The PICRC integrates commercial-off-the-shelf mapping and display
software, desktop computers, hand-held computing devices, and wireless
communications to enable SOF operators to employ high-resolution imagery
for precision navigation, annotate real-time visual observations, and
relay information to command elements.
The committee understands that this system would significantly
enhance SOF capabilities to accurately collect, quickly report, and
promptly act upon real-time intelligence data. Consequently, the
committee recommends $38.3 million, an increase of $6.0 million, for
procurement of PICRC systems.
CHEMICAL AGENTS AND MUNITIONS DESTRUCTION, DEFENSE
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained no funds for Chemical Agents and
Munitions Destruction, Defense for fiscal year 2001. The committee
recommends authorization of $877.1 million for fiscal year 2001.
The committee recommends approval of the request except for those
programs adjusted in the following table. Unless otherwise specified,
adjustments are without prejudice and based on affordability
considerations.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
Chemical agents and munitions destruction
As described elsewhere in this report, the committee recommends
transferring the budget request of $1,003.5 million for Chemical Agents
and Munitions Destruction, Army (CAMD, A) to Chemical Agents and
Munitions Destruction, Defense (CAMD, D), and recommends a total of
$877.1 million for the program.
The committee notes the progress during the last fiscal year in the
continuing effort to dispose of the U.S. stockpile of lethal chemical
agents and munitions and of chemical warfare related materiel, while
ensuring maximum protection of the public, personnel involved in the
destruction and the environment. Nearly 20 percent of the original
stockpile of 31,495 tons of chemical agents has been destroyed and 90
percent of the stockpile is under contract for destruction.
The committee continues to be concerned about total cost of the
chemical agents and munitions destruction program (currently estimated
at $14.9 billion). Section 141 of the National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 2000 (Public Law 106 65) included several measures to
increase the flexibility of the program with respect to the disposition
of chemical stockpile destruction facilities and the destruction of
non-stockpile chemical agents, munitions or related materials in these
facilities. The provision required the Secretary of Defense to assess
the program and report to the Congress by March 1, 2000, the measures
taken, or planned to be taken, under existing law and recommendations
for additional legislation to reduce significantly program costs and to
meet U.S. obligations under the CWC. The section further provided for a
review and assessment by the Comptroller General of the United States of
program execution and financial management for each element of the
program. The committee intends to use these reports as the basis for
further review of the program later this year.
The committee continues to believe that, in order to ensure the
maximum protection of the public, personnel involved in the destruction
of the stockpile, and the environment, the Department should proceed
with destruction of the stockpile as rapidly as is technically and
programmatically feasible. Therefore, the committee recommends that the
Secretary of Defense carry out the chemical agents and munitions
destruction program in accordance with the following priorities:
Execution of the baseline chemical stockpile disposal project and the
alternative technologies project at those sites selected and approved
for use of those technologies; and
Preparation for pilot testing of those ACWA technologies which have
the greatest likelihood of implementation and, if implemented, of
meeting the destruction goals established by the CWC.
Chemical stockpile disposal project
The budget request for the chemical agents and munitions destruction
program included $105.1 million in procurement and $483.6 million in
operations and maintenance funding for the chemical stockpile disposal
project. The committee recommends the budget request for the chemical
stockpile disposal project.
Chemical stockpile emergency preparedness project (CSEPP)
The budget request for the chemical agents and munitions destruction
program included $600,000 in procurement funds for minor replacement
equipment and $66.7 million for CSEPP operations and maintenance.
The committee notes that funds provided for CSEPP in fiscal years
1999 and 2000 were subject to reductions of approximately 9 percent and
8 percent, respectively, as a pro-rata share of reductions to the CAMD,
A account. Because of the potential impact of such reductions on the
safety of those living and working near or on the chemical stockpile
storage and destruction sites, the committee directs that funding for
CSEPP shall be at the requested level unless otherwise specifically
noted.
Accordingly, the committee recommends a total of $600,000 in CAMD, D
Procurement, and $66.7 million in CAMD, D Operations and Maintenance,
for CSEPP, as a Congressional special interest item.
Alternative technologies and approaches project
The budget request for the chemical agents and munitions destruction
program included $135.2 million for development of alternative
technologies and approaches for the disposal of bulk chemical agents
stored at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, and Newport, Indiana. The
committee recommends the budget request for the alternative technologies
and approaches project.
Non-stockpile chemical materiel project
The budget request for the chemical agents and munitions destruction
program included $60.2 million in research and development, $16.2
million in procurement, and $47.5 million in operations and maintenance
funds for the non-stockpile chemical materiel project.
The committee notes that the Army has destroyed a large portion of
its existing non-stockpile chemical warfare materiel and that
approximately 1,400 non-stockpile chemical munitions are currently in
storage awaiting destruction. However, because of technical issues, cost
increases, and delays in obtaining state permits, program officials are
considering alternate disposal methods, including the use of chemical
stockpile disposal facilities.
The committee is aware that an independent assessment of the
non-stockpile project recommends seeking appropriate environmental
permit language to allow destruction of non-stockpile materiel at the
chemical stockpile disposal facilities. The assessment also recommends
examination of the schedule and cost risks of the non-stockpile project
to quantify the potential program risks, ultimate costs, and time to
complete the project. The committee believes that these issues must be
addressed and serious consideration given to destruction of
non-stockpile chemical materiel in stockpile
disposal facilities before proceeding further with development
and acquisition of integrated transportable treatment systems for
non-stockpile chemical materiel.
Accordingly, the committee recommends a total of $47.5 million for
the non-stockpile chemical materiel project, a decrease of $60.2 million
for non-stockpile chemical materiel project research and development and
a decrease of $16.2 million for non-stockpile chemical materiel project
procurement.
Chemical agent identification sets
The committee notes that approximately 10,000 chemical agent
identification sets (CAIS) and components, which were used to train
soldiers in defensive responses to a chemical attack, are in storage
awaiting destruction, and that the Army's baseline approach for treating
and disposing of CAIS has been to develop a mobile treatment system in
the non-stockpile chemical materiel project. The committee has reviewed
the National Research Council (NRC)'s report ``Disposal of Chemical
Agent Identification Sets,'' which evaluates the Army's 1998 report to
Congress on alternative approaches for the treatment and disposal of
CAIS. The NRC recommends that the Army reconsider its interpretation of
CAIS as chemical warfare materiel under section 1512 of Title 50, United
States Code, evaluate the technical feasibility of non-incineration
technologies for CAIS disposal, insure the active involvement of public
and other stakeholder groups CAIS project decision, and consider the
potential use of chemical stockpile destruction facilities for CAIS
disposal.
The committee expects the Secretary of the Army to address the
Council's recommendations in the next annual status report on the
disposal of chemical weapons and materiel.
Assembled chemical weapons assessment (ACWA)
The budget request for chemical agents and munitions destruction
contains $79.0 million for ACWA research and development, including
$50.0 million for engineering design studies for three additional
alternative technologies to be demonstrated in accordance with the
statement of managers that accompanied the conference report on H.R.
2561 (H. Rept. 106 371).
The committee has reviewed the progress in the ACWA program to
identify and demonstrate not less than two alternatives to the baseline
incineration process in accordance with Title VIII, section 8065 of the
Omnibus Consolidated Appropriations Act, 1997 (Public Law 104 208) and
to conduct evaluations of three additional alternative technologies.
The committee notes the NRC's ``Review and Evaluation of Alternative
Technologies for Demilitarization of Assembled Chemical Weapons'' dated
August 1999, which concluded that the primary alternative technologies
can decompose the chemical agents of concern with the required
destruction efficiencies; however, testing, verification, and
integration beyond the 1999 demonstration phase would be necessary. The
NRC also concluded that an extraordinary commitment of resources would
be required to complete destruction of the assembled chemical weapons
stockpile (using any of the ACWA technology packages) in time to meet
the current deadline established by the CWC.
The committee notes that the NRC's ``Supplemental Review,'' dated
March 2000, of the three technologies from the 1999 demonstration
concluded that, while the two hydrolysis-based technologies showed
promise, none of the technology packages was ready for integrated pilot
programming, and the tests were not conducted for a sufficient period of
time to demonstrate reliability and long-term operations. The committee
notes that the two hydrolysis-based technologies are currently in the
engineering design studies phase and that a site-specific Environmental
Impact Statement (EIS), which includes both the baseline incineration
and hydrolysis options, is being submitted for the Pueblo, Colorado,
chemical stockpile destruction facility in accordance with the National
Environmental Policy Act (NEPA). A NEPA record of decision is expected
in May 2001, approximately 15 months from the date the EIS was filed.
The committee notes that contract awards for demonstration of the
three additional alternative technologies were made in February 2000 and
a report to Congress of the results of the demonstration is planned for
March 2001. Based on this schedule and noting the concerns raised by the
NRC regarding the need for testing, verification, and integration beyond
the demonstration phase, the committee believes there is no requirement
to begin preliminary engineering design studies for the three additional
alternatives during fiscal year 2001.
Accordingly, the committee recommends $29.0 million for ACWA program
research and development, a decrease of $50.0 million.
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
SUBTITLE A--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS
SECTIONS 101 107--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS
These sections would authorize the recommended fiscal year 2001
funding levels for all procurement accounts.
SUBTITLE B--ARMY PROGRAMS
SECTION 111--MULTIYEAR PROCUREMENT AUTHORITY
This section would authorize the Secretary of the Army to enter into
multiyear procurement (MYP) contracts for the M2A3 Bradley Fighting
Vehicle in fiscal year 2001 and the UH 60 Blackhawk and Navy CH 60
Knighthawk utility helicopters, as the Department of the Navy's
executive agent, in fiscal year 2002. This section would also prohibit
the Secretary of the Army from executing a M2A3 Bradley MYP contract
until a successful completion of the vehicle's initial operational test
and evaluation and certification by the Secretary to the congressional
defense committees that the vehicle met all of its required test
parameters.
SECTION 112--INCREASE IN LIMITATION ON NUMBER OF BUNKER DEFEAT
MUNITIONS THAT MAY BE ACQUIRED
This section would amend section 116 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1995 (Public Law 103 337) to increase
the number of bunker defeat munitions that may be acquired by the Army
from 6,000 contingency rounds to 8,500 contingency rounds.
SECTION 113--ARMAMENT RETOOLING AND MANUFACTURING SUPPORT INITIATIVE
This section would modify section 193 of the Armament Retooling and
Manufacturing Support (ARMS) Act of 1992 (Public Law 102 484) by
extending the initiative through fiscal year 2002. The provision would
also expand the purposes of the ARMS Act beyond the current facilities
identified in Section 193 to include the Army manufacturing arsenals.
Finally, the provision would modify Section 194 of the ARMS Act to allow
the Secretary of the Army to enter into long term facilities use
contracts and accept non-monetary consideration in lieu of rental
payments for use of facilities. The provision would require that the
Secretary of the Army provide a report to the Congressional defense
committees by July 1, 2001, on the implementation of the arsenal
contracts provided by the ARMS Act authority.
SUBTITLE C--NAVY PROGRAMS
SECTION 121--SUBMARINE FORCE STRUCTURE
This section would prohibit the retirement of any Los Angeles class
nuclear powered attack submarine with less than 30 years of active
commissioned service. This section would also require the President to
report to Congress on the submarine force structure required to support
the national military strategy and the acquisition and overhaul
requirements necessary to achieve and maintain such a force.
Section 122--Virginia Class Submarine Program
This section would authorize the Secretary of the Navy to enter into
a contract for the procurement of five Virginia class submarines during
fiscal years 2003 through 2006.
SECTION 123--RETENTION OF CONFIGURATION OF CERTAIN NAVAL RESERVE
FRIGATES
This provision would require the Secretary of the Navy to configure
and equip the Naval Reserve FFG 7 Flight I and II frigates remaining in
active service with the complete organic weapon system for these vessels
as specified in the Navy's Operational Requirements Document and retain
these frigates in their current locations.
SECTION 124--EXTENSION OF MULTIYEAR PROCUREMENT AUTHORITY FOR ARLEIGH
BURKE CLASS DESTROYERS
This section would authorize an extension of the existing multiyear
procurement contract for the DDG 51 destroyer program through fiscal
year 2005. The section would authorize the procurement of three ships
per year through fiscal year 2001 and the procurement of up to three
ships per year from fiscal year 2002 through 2005.
SUBTITLE D--AIR FORCE PROGRAMS
SECTION 131--ANNUAL REPORT ON OPERATIONAL STATUS OF B 2 BOMBER
This section would repeal section 112 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Years 1990 and 1991 (Public Law 101 89).
This section would further require the Secretary of Defense to submit an
annual report on the B 2 bomber that would include assessments related
to B 2 capabilities; technologies needed to enhance B 2 capabilities and
the adequacy of technology investments to enhance these capabilities;
and the consistency of such technology investments with the Air Force
bomber roadmap and the report of the 1998 Long Range Airpower panel
submitted pursuant to the requirements of the Department of Defense
Appropriations Act, 1998 (Public Law 105 56).
SUBTITLE E--JOINT PROGRAMS
SECTION 141--STUDY OF PRODUCTION ALTERNATIVES FOR THE JOINT STRIKE
FIGHTER PROGRAM
This section would direct the Secretary of Defense to submit a report
to Congress providing the results of a study of production alternatives
for the Joint Strike Fighter aircraft program and the effects on the
tactical fighter aircraft industrial base of each alternative
considered.
TITLE II--RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST, AND EVALUATION
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $37,862.4 million for research,
development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E), representing a decrease of
$426.7 million to the amount provided for fiscal year 2000. The
committee recommends $39,309.2 million, an increase of $1,446.8 million
from the budget request.
The committee notes that the fiscal year 2001 request for RDT&E
funding represents the first increase in the budget request for RDT&E
funding by the Administration in five years. Although this request
approaches the level of funding provided by Congress in recent years, a
number of important priorities are identified by the services as
unfunded or underfunded. The committee has placed its emphasis on
recommending increases to the request, where appropriate, to address the
highest unfunded priorities identified by each of the military service
chiefs, the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization, the Special
Operations Command, and other defense agencies prevented by funding
constraints from investing in needed advanced technology.
The committee remains concerned that the Department of Defense
continues to place higher priority on the allocation of budgetary
resources to research and development activities of some defense
agencies than on those of the military services. The committee believes
that the Department has not provided sufficient justification to support
imbalances in funding levels between the defense agencies and the
military services, and, therefore, recommends correcting these
imbalances by maintaining funding of several defense agencies at the
levels originally projected by the Department for fiscal year 2001 in
the budget estimates provided to Congress one year ago.
The budget request contained $7,543.2 million for defense science and
technology, including all defense-wide and military service funding for
basic research, applied research, and advanced development. The
committee notes that this amount represents a decrease of $853.3 million
from the amount provided in fiscal year 2000. As outlined elsewhere in
this report, the committee continues to be disturbed by the growing
number of military service research and development programs that have
been reduced or eliminated as a result of insufficient research and
development funding, and is particularly concerned with the low level of
science and technology funding. The committee views defense science and
technology investment as critical to maintaining U.S. military
technological superiority in the face of growing and changing threats to
national security interests around the world.
While the budget request for RDT&E activities represents a
significant reversal in the five-year trend of decline experienced by
the services, the committee believes that many important programs have
already experienced unnecessary cost and schedule growth as a direct
result of unjustified funding constraints. The committee strongly
recommends that the Secretary of Defense thoroughly review the
Department's modernization investment strategy to ensure proper balance
between the services and defense-wide agencies, and between legacy
systems and the technological advances critical to the future
superiority of the nation's military forces.
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ARMY RDT&E
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $5,260.3 million for Army RDT&E. The
committee recommends authorization of $5,500.2 million, an increase of
$239.9 million.
The committee recommendations for the fiscal year 2000 Army RDT&E
program are identified in the table below. Major changes to the Army
request are discussed following the table.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
Advanced artillery systems
The budget request contained $355.3 million in PE 63854A for
artillery systems, and $23.2 million in PE 63635M for ground combat
support systems, including $12.1 million for the lightweight 155mm towed
howitzer.
The committee notes that the Army and Marine Corps have identified a
need for lighter, more lethal, more mobile, and strategically more
deployable artillery systems to support their complementary forces. The
committee further notes the joint Army-Marine Corps program with the
United Kingdom to develop a new lightweight 155mm towed howitzer as a
replacement for the aging and operationally deficient M198 towed
howitzer for both the Marine Corps and the Army. The committee is aware
that the lightweight 155mm towed howitzer has already been successfully
transported by the MV 22 Osprey to demonstrate its ability to be rapidly
transported on the battlefield. The committee notes that the lightweight
155mm howitzer will incorporate a modern fire-control system, not
available in the M198, which will allow the howitzer to be emplaced
within two minutes, and immediately fired with greatly increased
accuracy.
The committee also notes the Army's highest priority effort, the
procurement of a medium weight brigade force and supports this effort to
develop a capability to rapidly and appropriately respond to global
threats. The Army has confirmed a requirement for a highly capable fire
support for this new force but must rely initially on the towed M198
howitzer until the lightweight 155mm development is complete.
The committee supports the rapid fielding of the lightweight 155mm
towed howitzer for both the new Army medium weight brigades and for the
Marine Corps, and is aware that the Marine Corps has stated a need to
conduct additional testing with the United Kingdom and the Army to
address at-sea environment concerns. The committee recommends an
increase of $3.2 million in PE 63635M for the lightweight 155mm
howitzer.
The committee recommends that the Secretary of the Army expedite
development of the fire control system for the lightweight 155mm towed
howitzer, within available funds, so that it will be incorporated from
the beginning of lightweight 155mm production.
Advanced battery technology
The budget request contained $23.9 million in PE 62705A for
electronics and electronic devices.
The committee notes that the Army and other services have identified
a steady growth in requirements for affordable higher performance energy
storage devices. The committee also notes that industrial development
efforts are maturing a wide array of new battery technologies, including
bi-polar wafer cell nickel-metal hydride technology. This emerging power
supply technology offers significant improvements in storage/weight and
discharge characteristics that are needed to meet emerging defense
needs.
The committee notes that the Army is the designated executive agent
for development of power supply technologies and recommends $23.9
million in PE 62705A for electronics and electronic devices, of which
$1.0 million shall be available for development of bi-polar wafer cell
nickel-metal hydride technology.
Aircrew coordination training
The budget request contained $3.1 million in PE 63007A for manpower,
personnel, and training, but included no funding for aircrew
coordination training (ACT).
The committee notes with concern the adverse trend in the Army
aviation safety record and strongly supports efforts such as the ACT
program to enhance flight safety. The committee recommends $6.1 million
in PE 63007A, an increase of $3.0 million for aircrew coordination
training.
Apache Longbow focused modernization program
The budget request contained $95.8 million in PE 23744A for aircraft
modification and product improvement, but included no funds for a
focused Apache Longbow modernization program.
The committee is aware that despite the significant capability of the
Apache Longbow, some component systems within the Apache fleet have not
been modernized as part of the Longbow program. Several of these
systems, based on older technology, are responsible for escalating
operation and maintenance costs, and reduced overall aircraft
performance.
The committee recommends an increase of $18.4 million in PE 23744A
for a focused Apache Longbow modernization effort as part of the Army's
aviation modernization program.
Army tactical unmanned aerial vehicles
The budget request contained $29.4 million in PE 35204A for tactical
unmanned aerial vehicles (TUAV).
The committee notes that the Army just completed a successful
competitive selection for an off-the-shelf TUAV. The committee notes
that the Army will place increasing reliance on its TUAV and needs to
field the best possible system including sensors.
The committee recommends $33.4 million in PE 35204A, an increase of
$4.0 million for preplanned product improvements and sensor development.
Breacher system
The budget request contained no funds in PE 64649A or for the
procurement of the Breacher system.
The Breacher, an M 1 Abrams tank chassis-based vehicle, will be used
by combat engineers to clear minefields and complex obstacles on the
forward edge of the battlefield. This vehicle is designed to replace
several other existing breaching systems and provides increased
capability to maneuver with the armor forces it supports.
Although the committee understands that the Breacher was terminated
to fund Army transformation priorities, the committee notes that this
system is the second highest unfunded modernization requirement
identified by the Army Chief of Staff in fiscal year 2001.
The committee believes that termination of the Breacher was
shortsighted, and therefore recommends an increase of $59.6 million in
PE 64649A to complete engineering and manufacturing development and
$20.0 million in procurement to begin production line facilitization.
Chinook helicopter modification and improvement
The budget request contained $95.8 million in PE 23744A for aircraft
modification and product improvement programs, including $37.2 million
for other CH 47F Chinook improved cargo helicopter (ICH), but included
no funds for the CH 47D Chinook helicopter product improvements.
The committee notes that the CH 47F Chinook improved cargo helicopter
program will upgrade engines, airframe and avionics of approximately 300
CH 47D Chinook helicopters. The committee is aware that the Army plans
to protect helicopters, including the ICH, from the serious threat posed
by infrared guided missiles by acquiring the Advanced Threat Infrared
Countermeasures/Common Missile Warning System (ATIRCM/CMWS) that
includes portions of the existing joint service ALE 47 programmable
countermeasure dispenser. However, the committee is aware that the
ATIRCM/CMWS development is delayed and the system may not be available
for several years. The committee believes it is unsatisfactory for the
Army to delay procurement of the proven ALE 47 countermeasure system
while awaiting ATIRCM/CMWS.
Therefore, the committee directs the Army to include the ALE 47
programmable countermeasure dispensers as part of the ICH program. The
committee supports the ICH program; however, the committee also notes
that many CH 47D models require additional product improvement to
address aging and part obsolescence issues that threaten near-term
flight worthiness. The committee directs the Secretary of the Army to
assess the need to establish a funded Chinook product improvement
program and report the results of the assessment including levels of
funding required to the congressional defense committees with the
submission of the fiscal year 2002 budget request.
Comanche
The budget request contained $614.0 million in PE 64223A for Comanche.
The committee notes that the Comanche remains the Army's highest
aviation modernization priority, and that the Secretary of the Army has
requested an additional $48.2 million over last year's forecast in order
to accelerate Comanche development. The committee notes that the
Department of Defense has recently reviewed the Comanche program and
determined that the program has successfully achieved all program exit
criteria required before entry into engineering and manufacturing
development (EMD). The committee is aware, however, that final
approval for EMD is pending while the Army assesses out-year acquisition
funding for Comanche.
The committee supports Comanche and strongly endorses the commitment
made by the Army to accelerate this program. While total out-year
procurement for major programs is an important issue, the committee
believes the Army has made every effort to accelerate this program
within the inadequate modernization funding allowed by the Department of
Defense, and strongly recommends that the Secretary of Defense grant
immediate approval for Comanche's entry into EMD. This program
represents the only viable solution to meet the requirement for a
stealthy, rapidly deployable, and highly capable armed reconnaissance
aircraft to support the Army's recently approved aviation modernization
plan. The committee believes the requirement and the urgency for the
Comanche has been more than adequately justified and entry into the EMD
phase of the program should not be delayed pending discussions of the
total planned procurement or annual rate.
The committee recommends the budget request, and supports earliest
possible entry into EMD.
Combat identification dismounted soldier (CIDDS)
The budget request contained $5.4 million in PE 64817A for CIDDS.
The committee is aware that CIDDS will allow an individual soldier to
identify quickly friendly forces and thus reduce the incidence of
fratricide.
The committee continues to support strongly all efforts to reduce
fratricide and, therefore, to enhance the capability of the dismounted
soldier to positively identify a target as friend or foe, recommends
$10.4 million in PE 64817A, an increase of $5.0 million.
Combustion-driven eye-safe self-powered laser
The budget request contained $20.5 million in PE 62709A for night
vision technology, but included no funds for the combustion-driven
eye-safe self-powered laser.
The committee notes that the combustion-driven eye-safe self-powered
laser offers the potential to field a three-dimensional identification
friend or foe system capable of identifying aircraft and vehicle threat
systems in real-time.
The committee recommends $25.5 million in PE 62709A, an increase of
$5.0 million for the combustion-driven eye-safe self-powered laser.
Common ground station
The budget request contained $17.9 million in PE 64770A for continued
development of the Army's Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar
System (Joint STARS) Common Ground Station, including $2.0 million to
develop the Army's Distributed Common Ground Station (DCGS-A). The
budget request also contained $5.9 million for development of a
wide-band data link to provide connectivity to the Joint STARS next
generation capability.
The committee notes that the DCGS A effort duplicates that being
conducted within the Army's Tactical Exploitation of National
Capabilities program. Further, the committee notes that the Air Force
has not determined the next generation Joint STARS data link and will
not do so until at least fiscal year 2002. Therefore, the committee
believes it premature for the Army to begin design or development work
for such communications connectivity.
For these reasons, the committee recommends a decrease of $7.9
million in this PE 64770A to the DCGS A program.
Communications and networking technologies
The budget request contained $49.3 million in PE 64805A for
communications, command and control engineering and manufacturing
development.
The committee notes that communications and networking technologies
are critical to command and control, precision strike, intelligence
dissemination, logistics and day-to-day business operations throughout
the joint commands, military services and supporting defense agencies.
The committee recognizes that the most advanced technological
developments in these areas are emerging from commercial industry and
are driven by the rapid evolution of the commercial markets. The
committee believes that the Department must capitalize on the rapid
progress being made in the commercial sector and identify, assess, adapt
and integrate state-of-the-art commercial communications and networking
technologies to achieve the goal of Information Superiority established
by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Joint Vision 2010. The
committee also believes that there are significant gains to be made by
leveraging information technology developments from the commercial
sector for the benefit of government users, through cooperative research
and development of technologies that promise significant gains in both
civil and military capabilities, and through training government
personnel in these rapidly evolving technologies.
Therefore, the committee recommends $62.3 million in PE 64805A, an
increase of $13.0 million to accelerate on-going programs for the
development and application of commercial information technologies for
defense purposes and to foster cooperative and complementary information
technology research and development programs. The committee recommends
that the Secretary of the Army work with the Assistant Secretary of
Defense (Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence)
to insure the applicability of the increased program to the overall
Defense communications architecture.
Defense manufacturing technology
The budget request contained a total of $149.1 million for the
manufacturing technology (ManTech) program, including $29.3 million in
PE 78045A, $59.6 million in PE 78011N, $53.1 million in PE 78011F, and
$7.1 million in PE 78011S.
The committee notes the progress by the Joint Defense Manufacturing
Technology Panel (JDMTP) in developing an overarching strategy for the
ManTech program that focuses on defense-essential requirements, involves
prospective users of the technology, ensures prioritization of projects,
and plans for transition of ManTech projects to the ultimate user of the
technology. The committee also notes the progress toward achieving
congressional guidelines on program funding levels, particularly in the
Army. The total budget request for Department of Defense ManTech
represents an increase of $16.0 million above the previous year, and the
five-year ManTech plan projects an 11 percent increase through fiscal
year 2005, with the Army program increasing $71.2 million and stable
budget projections for the Navy, Air Force, and Defense Logistics
Agency. The positive funding trend will permit the establishment of new
ManTech initiatives in critical defense technologies.
The committee notes the increasing use of thick composite structures
in rotary wing aircraft and other applications by all the military
departments and encourages increased emphasis on the development of
advanced manufacturing technologies for such composite structures.
The committee supports a continuing program in munitions
manufacturing technology and expects that munitions manufacturing
technology projects will compete for funding on an equal basis with
other manufacturing technologies.
The committee also notes that the Army, Navy, and Air Force are
developing methods to accelerate insertion of emerging
microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) technology into tactical systems
to meet precision navigation and guidance requirements. The objective of
the initiative is to develop and demonstrate low cost manufacturing
processes for emerging MEMS technologies that will enable the production
of affordable MEMS-based inertial sensors, accelerometers and gyroscopes
for tactical weapons. The committee directs the Secretary of the Defense
to establish a Tri-Service initiative for the development of affordable
MEMS manufacturing technology, and recommends that the funding for the
program be provided in the Army's ManTech program.
The committee recommends $39.3 million in PE 78045A for the Army's
manufacturing technology program, an increase of $ 10.0 million. The
committee recommends $69.6 million in PE 78011N, an increase of $10.0
million for the Navy's ManTech program. As noted elsewhere in this
report, the committee has recommended an increase of $4.5 million in PE
78011F for the development of manufacturing technology for specialty
aerospace metals.
Emergency preparedness training
The budget request contained no funds for emergency preparedness
training research and development.
The committee notes the progress in development of advanced
distributed learning programs for chemical and biological preparedness
and consequence management response training for the Army's designated
Civil Support Teams and other elements of the Reserve Components.
The committee recommends a $3.0 million in PE 23610A to continue the
development for selected Reserve Component forces of training programs
for response to and management of the consequences of potential
terrorism involving weapons of mass destruction.
Future combat system
The budget request contained $148.1 million in PE 63005A for combat
vehicle and automotive advanced technology, including funding for
efforts supporting the future combat system (FCS).
The committee is aware that the Army has begun the process, through
the FCS initiative, to transform the Army into a more strategically
responsive force that is dominant at every point across the full
spectrum of operations. The committee notes that the cornerstone of this
aggressive transformation effort would begin in fiscal year 2001 with
the partnership between the Army and the Defense Advanced Research
Projects Agency (DARPA) to incorporate the most promising, new, reaching
technologies into a family of future combat systems.
The committee notes that, while DARPA has ongoing work in many
technology areas, these efforts have not been focused on solving Army
identified problems or advancing technologies applicable to the future
combat system. The committee believes that DARPA should dedicate more
funding to the Army FCS program and other high priority requirements
identified by the services.
The committee strongly supports the future combat system development
and notes that there is an urgent requirement to provide additional
funding at the program onset to allow a more inclusive and robust
concept definition phase that will enable as many participants as
possible to explore innovative solutions for the future combat system.
The committee is also aware that additional efforts focused on
technology development in the areas such as robotics, precision weapons,
active protection and signature control are needed.
Therefore the committee recommends an increase of $46.0 million in PE
63005A for the future combat system.
The committee notes that the joint United States-United Kingdom
Future Scout and Cavalry System (FSCS) program is developing leap-ahead
technology for future ground systems. Both nations are contributing
funding and technology to a program regarded as an excellent example of
cooperation between allies and the Army has indicated that it needs the
technology from FSCS to support development of the Future Combat System.
The committee is disturbed by the Army's elimination of funding for
the FSCS engineering manufacturing development phase. The committee
believes that the FSCS is an essential collaborative program that should
continue in order to develop and demonstrate key technologies on which
to build the family of future combat vehicles. The committee believes
that industry should be encouraged to continue its significant private
venture funding and that will only occur if the FSCS consortia can
identify a firm connection between FSCS and FCS. The committee therefore
directs the Secretary of the Army to report to the congressional defense
committees on how the Army will sustain the joint FSCS program to
develop and demonstrate key technologies applicable to the future family
of combat systems, no later than December 31, 2000.
Future rotorcraft technologies
The budget request contained $31.1 million in PE 62211A for aviation
advanced technology, but included no funds to support the initiative to
focus technology for the future generation of rotorcraft.
The committee notes that despite a clear need for modern, efficient,
capable rotorcraft, no focused program exists to develop the enabling
technologies for more efficient, affordable rotorcraft in the future.
The committee recommends $33.1 million in PE 62211A, an increase of
$2.0 million for future rotorcraft technologies and directs the
Secretary of the Army to establish a focused program to develop
technologies critical for the future rotorcraft.
Guardrail common sensor
The budget request contained $95.8 million in PE 23744A for aircraft
modifications and product improvement programs, including $11.3 million
for continued development and modification of the Army's Guardrail
Common Sensor aircraft and ground stations.
The committee notes that the Guardrail System 2 was recently
delivered to the Army after nearly ten years of modification.
Unfortunately, this system was returned without upgrades to permit the
dissemination of tactical intelligence information via the Tactical
Information Broadcast Service (TIBS). TIBS is the baseline for the
Integrated Broadcast Service that is the DOD-mandated worldwide tactical
intelligence dissemination service.
The committee recommends an increase of $2.0 million in PE 23744A to
install the TIBS capability in the final Guardrail system.
Helmet mounted infrared sensor development
The budget request contained $33.3 million in PE 63710A for night
vision technology.
The committee is aware that the Army has initiated development of a
prototype helmet mounted infrared sensor system to support the
warfighter that has been demonstrated to significantly improve
situational awareness in all weather/environmental conditions. This
technology has direct applicability to Department of Defense and
civilian firefighting personnel and increases safety and effectiveness
for firefighting in smoke filled environments as well as for search and
rescue.
The committee recommends $37.1 million in PE 63710A, an increase of
$3.8 million for helmet mounted infrared sensor development.
High-energy laser test facility
The budget request contained $14.5 million in PE 65605A for the
Department of Defense (DOD) high-energy laser system test facility
(HELSTF).
The committee notes the recent release of the congressionally
directed DOD high-energy laser master plan and identification of a need
for increased investment in solid-state laser technology. The committee
is aware that HELSTF has contributed significantly to the development of
high-power lasers, and will continue to provide unique capabilities for
research, development, test and evaluation of high-power laser systems.
The committee supports the DOD high-energy laser master plan and the
selection of the Army as lead in solid-state laser development and
recommends $19.5 million in PE 65605A, an increase of $5.0 million for
HELSTF.
Hypersonic wind tunnels
The budget request contained $47.2 million in PE 62303A for missile
technology, but included no funds for modernization of the hypersonic
wind tunnels at the Aero-optics Evaluation Center (AOEC)
The committee notes that upgrading the hypersonic wind tunnel
diagnostics and instrumentation will provide enhanced testing
capabilities for key ballistic missile defense programs, including Navy
Area Defense, the Atmospheric Interceptor Technology project, and the
Army's scramjet technology program.
The committee recommends an increase of $1.0 million in PE 62303A to
upgrade hypersonic wind tunnels.
Integrated inertial measurement unit-geo-positioning system
The budget request contained $47.2 million in PE 62303A for missile
technology, including funds for integrated guidance systems.
The committee notes that the development of a highly integrated,
jam-proof, micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) based inertial
measuring unit-geo positioning system (IMU GPS) is critical to achieving
the goal of affordable precision fire and forget weapons. The most
demanding application for this capability is the 155mm projectile for
Army and Navy applications. The committee is aware that: (1) recent Army
flight tests have demonstrated significant progress and shown that the
goal is achievable and (2) a development plan has been established to
produce a suitable system in approximately three years. The committee
further notes that this program also offers potentially significant cost
growth and technical problem solutions to Navy fire support programs,
and the use of IMU GPS systems by both the Army and Navy could result in
billions of dollars of savings for the Department of Defense.
Therefore, the committee recommends an increase of $4.0 million in PE
62303A for continued development of an integrated IMU-GPS.
Land information warfare activity
The budget request contained $8.1 million in PE 33140A for the
information systems security program.
The committee notes that the Army's land information warfare activity
(LIWA) continues to develop a state-of-the-art capability for
information security and analysis, and that the Department of Defense
(DOD) has recently acknowledged the importance of this new capability to
DOD information assurance efforts.
The committee supports the Department of Defense efforts to establish
such capability, and supports completion of the LIWA, including tests of
that capability for Army and other entities to ensure that this
potential capability is thoroughly evaluated.
Therefore, the committee recommends $11.9 million, an increase of
$3.8 million in PE 33140A for continued development and enhancement of
the Army's land information warfare activity.
Medical errors reduction research
The budget request contained $15.8 million in PE 62716A for human
factors engineering technology, but included no funds for the medical
errors reduction research program (MERRP).
The committee notes that MEERP is an extension of the previous
emergency teams coordination (MEDTEAMS) program to reduce medical errors
in operating rooms, intensive care units and other hospital activities
and will expand that effort from the emergency department to advanced
life support protocols.
The committee recommends $19.5 million in PE 62716A, an increase of
$3.7 million for MERRP.
Mobile tactical high energy laser
The budget request contained $12.6 million in PE 63308A for Army
missile defense systems, but included no funds for mobile tactical high
energy laser development.
The committee is aware that the Army has determined a need for a
mobile directed energy air defense system. The committee understands
that one alternate being explored is the evolution of the stationary
tactical high energy laser (THEL) being developed for Israel. A mobile
THEL for the U.S. Army would require further development of key elements
such as solid-state laser development, compact power sources, and a
lightweight acquisition, tracking and beam direction system.
The committee recommends $17.6 million in PE 63308A, an increase of
$5.0 million for mobile tactical high energy laser development.
National automotive center-university innovative research
The budget request contained $148.1 million in PE 63005A for combat
vehicle and automotive advanced technology.
The committee is aware that the national automotive center (NAC) has
supported efforts by various universities to perform research in a
number of innovative technologies to solve current ground vehicle
problems and pioneer a new generation of lighter, more efficient ground
vehicles. Areas of innovation include propulsion and power sources,
ultra lightweight structures and advanced materials, supported by
innovative modeling and simulation.
The committee supports efforts of the NAC to take advantage of
university expertise and recommends an increase of $3.0 million in PE
63005A for NAC-university innovative research.
Passive millimeter wave camera
The budget request contained $20.7 million in PE 62120A for sensors
and electronic survivability, but included no funds for the passive
millimeter wave camera.
The committee is aware that passive millimeter wave camera technology
offers a weather-penetrating alternative to shorter wavelength infrared
thermal imaging cameras.
The committee recommends $24.7 million in PE 62120A, an increase of
$4.0 million for passive millimeter wave camera development.
Real-time heart rate variability
The budget request contained $75.7 million in PE 62787A for medical
technology, but included no funds for real-time heart rate variability.
The committee notes that heart rate variability technology offers the
potential for enhancing assessment of disease and trauma. This
technology provides the capability for emergency response personnel in
trauma environments to detect injury severity, physiological stress and
potential for survival.
The committee supports development of real-time heart rate
variability technology to enhance trauma victim survivability, and
recommends an increase of $5.0 million in PE 62787A for real-time heart
rate variability technology.
Semi-automated imagery processor
The budget request contained $57.4 million in PE 64766A for Tactical
Exploitation of National Capabilities, including development of the
semi-automated imagery processor (SAIP).
The SAIP will provide the Department's limited number of imagery
analysts with an automated target recognition assistance capability,
which will greatly improve their productivity. Accordingly, the
committee recommends $60.4 million in PE 64766A, an increase of $3.0
million, for continued development and fielding of the SAIP.
Starstreak
The budget request contained $28.8 million in PE 63003A for aviation
advanced technology, but included no funds to complete flight test of
the Starstreak missile.
The committee continues to support the requirement for Starstreak
testing mandated by in the Defense Appropriations Act, 1999 (Public Law
105 262) that required an Apache Longbow side-by-side test between the
Starstreak missile and the Stinger missile. The committee notes the Army
has announced its intention to begin the tests and that the Ministry of
Defense of the United Kingdom is providing the Starstreak missiles for
testing.
The committee recommends $28.8 million in PE 63003A, the budget
request, and recommends initiation of the planned side-by-side testing.
Surveillance control data link (SCDL)
The budget request contained $17.9 million in PE 64770A for
improvements to the Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System
(Joint STARS) ground stations, but no funds were included for the Joint
STARS SCDL System Improvement Program (SIP).
The committee notes the proven success of the Joint STARS system in
both Operations Desert Storm and Joint Endeavor. A key feature of Joint
STARS is the secure, encrypted, anti-jam SCDL. The SCDL links the Air
Force's E 8 Joint STARS aircraft to the Army's Joint STARS common ground
stations (CGS), enabling real-time data transfer of radar imagery
intelligence data and command and control information between the
aircraft and ground stations.
The committee has provided increases for phases one and two of the
three-phrase SIP in prior years. These phases eliminated CGS common data
terminal (CDT) obsolete parts and updated older circuit boards with
state-of-the-art, software-based array boards, resulting in an increased
data transfer rate while reducing component cost, size, weight, and
power requirements. The committee understands that the Army requires
funds to complete phase three of the SCDL SIP, which would further
improve interoperability through performance testing of the CDT.
Based on the increased reliability and improved performance of
earlier SIP upgrades, the committee recommends an increase of $4.0
million in PE 64770A to complete the SCDL SIP phase three engineering
effort.
Thermal fluid based combat feeding system
The budget request contained $13.6 million in PE 63747A for soldier
support and survivability, and included $3.4 million for food and food
systems.
The committee notes that a modern central heat unit co-generation
kitchen has been developed to replace the existing field kitchen. The
committee is aware that this kitchen uses diesel type fuel rather than
the more flammable gasoline that has been the primary source of the
longstanding fire hazards in existing field kitchens.
The committee supports rapid introduction of this modern, safer
kitchen, and recommends $15.1 million in PE 63747A, an increase of $1.5
million for fabrication and field testing of the thermal fluid based
combat feeding system.
Trajectory correctable munitions
The budget request contained $29.7 million in PE 63004A for weapons
and munitions advanced technology.
The committee notes that the United States and Sweden have entered
into a Memorandum of Understanding to demonstrate a 155mm trajectory
correctable munition (TCM), which employs a new technology to achieve
precision indirect fire support. The committee also notes that
development of this munition is on schedule and recent firing tests have
successfully demonstrated achievement of key milestones.
The committee recommends $37.2 million in PE 63004A, an increase of
$7.5 million, and urges the Department of Defense to complete testing of
the TCM round.
Volumetrically controlled manufacturing technology
The budget request contained $75.7 million in PE 62787A for medical
technology applied research.
The committee recalls that the Defense Appropriations Act, 1997
(Public Law 105 56) provided $2.5 million in PE 62787A for the
development of a prototype artificial hip using multidimensional,
volumetrically controlled manufacturing of synthetic materials. The
appropriation supported the first phase of a two-year, two-phase project
to develop an optimized hip stem for orthopedic implants that would
address the structural failure of implants in current use.
In the statement of managers which accompanied the conference report
on S. 1059 (H. Rept. 106 301), the conferees stated that they were
encouraged by the progress made in the program at the U.S. Army Medical
Research and Materiel Command and the establishment of a mathematical
foundation for advancing synthetic material development from
two-dimensional processes to real-time, three-dimensional manufacturing.
The process has the potential to eliminate the current mode of failure
of conventional composite materials, namely delamination and
polymer-fiber interface breakdown, and has potential applications in
aerospace and other manufacturing.
The committee recommends an increase of $5.0 million in PE 62787A to
continue the program for development of multi-dimensional volumetrically
controlled manufacturing technology at the U.S. Army Medical Research
and Material Command.
NAVY RDT&E
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $8,476.7 million for Navy RDT&E. The
committee recommends authorization of $8,834.5 million, an increase of
$357.8 million.
The committee recommendations for the fiscal year 2000 Navy RDT&E
program are identified in the table below. Major changes to the Navy
request are discussed following the table.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
Advanced amphibious assault vehicle
The budget request contained $138.0 million in PE 63611M for the
Marine Corps Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicles (AAAV).
The AAAV is one of the highest priority Marine Corps modernization
programs and is essential to the Marine Corps' ability to implement its
operational maneuver from the sea doctrine.
The committee believes that an additional engineering manufacturing
development AAAV test vehicle would significantly enhance reliability
testing, software maturation and other efforts designed to reduce
life-cycle costs. Therefore, the committee recommends $165.5 million, an
increase of $27.5 million in PE 63611M for this purpose.
Advanced anti-radiation guided missile
The budget request contained $21.4 million in PE25601N for
operational systems development of improvements to the High-Speed
Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) system, including $9.0 million to continue
the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile (AARGM) project.
The AARGM project is a Phase III Small Business Innovative Research
(SBIR) program to develop and demonstrate a dual-mode guidance section
on a HARM airframe. Program objectives are to demonstrate an effective,
affordable, and lethal suppression of enemy air defense (SEAD)
capability against mobile, relocatable, or fixed air defense threats in
the presence of potential air defense radar emitter shutdown or other
anti-radiation missile countermeasures.
The AARGM technology demonstration program is an outgrowth of a Phase
I and Phase II competitive SBIR program, which successfully demonstrated
the feasibility of a dual-mode seeker to address anti-radiation missile
countermeasures. The dual-mode technology under development in the AARGM
program has demonstrated high potential to solve the problem of target
radar ``shut-down'' not only for HARM, the primary SEAD weapon, but also
for application in other missile airframes. The committee notes the
progress made in the program and the delivery of advanced ARRGM seeker
hardware for development test and evaluation at the Naval Air Weapons
Center, China Lake, California. The committee also notes the application
of AARGM technology being considered in the Quick Bolt advanced concept
technology demonstration.
The committee recommends a $26.4 million in PE 25601N, an increase of
$5.0 million to continue risk reduction, test, and other field
activities to prepare for a potential Milestone II decision to enter
engineering and manufacturing development. The committee directs the
Secretary of the Navy to report to the congressional defense committees
on the results of the developmental testing of the ARRGM seeker and the
Navy's plans for further development of the AARGM with the submission of
the fiscal year 2002 budget request.
Advanced deployable system
The budget request contained $20.7 million in PE 64784N for the
advanced deployable system (ADS). The ADS is a surveillance system for
use in littoral waters and restricted waterways that can be rapidly
deployed in time of crisis to provide a submarine detection and tracking
capability to U.S. Naval forces.
The committee notes the ADS program is transitioning to the
engineering and manufacturing development phase and has consistently met
or exceeded schedule and cost milestones. The committee supports
leveraging the early success of the ADS program by accelerating the
development of enhanced capabilities for the system.
Accordingly, the committee recommends $30.7 million in PE 64784N, an
increase of $10.0 million, for the ADS to accelerate the development of
advanced, long-life sensors for trip-wire arrays, increased mine
detection capabilities, and enhanced automation.
Advanced technology demonstrations and fleet battle experiments
The budget request contained $76.3 million in PE 63792N for the
Navy's advanced technology transition program to demonstrate
technologies that could significantly improve the warfighting
capabilities of the fleet and joint forces and provide the opportunity
to identify and move emerging technologies quickly and efficiently from
the laboratory to the fleet.
The committee notes the role of the Navy Warfare Development Command
in developing Navy operational concepts and doctrine, identifying
required operational capabilities, focusing research and development
issues, maturing innovative concepts in naval, joint, and coalition
warfare for evaluation in fleet battle experiments, and designing,
planning, and evaluating the experiments. The committee is aware that
fleet battle experiments have provided a test bed for validation of Navy
doctrine and operational concepts, assessment of innovative technologies
and concepts, and identification of some of the operational, tactical,
and technical challenges that will be faced by the fleet in the future.
The committee also notes the role that the Navy's science and
technology program performs by focusing on the long-term objective of
enabling future naval capabilities, science and technology developments
that are critical to ensuring naval superiority, and the demonstration
of affordable technology for transition to the fleet. The committee
encourages the Office of Naval Research, the Navy Secretariat, and the
Office of the Chief of Naval Operations to facilitate this strategy by
ensuring a close working relationship between the Office of Naval
Research, the Navy Warfare Development Command, and the numbered fleets.
Elsewhere in this report the committee notes the Navy's progress in
concept evaluation of a littoral warfare fast patrol craft and the
significant advances in logistics support, surveillance, communications
and fire support that such a craft could provide for naval forces in
littoral environments, and recommends increased funding for prototype
craft that would permit demonstration of the operational concept in
fleet battle experiments and other exercises.
The committee notes recommendations from the Defense Science Board
for improvements in tactical mobility and intratheater lift and
recommendations for demonstration of high speed, fast shuttle sealift
and advanced amphibious capabilities for movement of forces and
logistical support within the theater and of other capabilities in
future fleet battle experiments. The committee encourages the Navy to
support such activities from available funds.
Advanced waterjet propulsor
The budget request contained $244.4 million for in PE 63513N for
shipboard systems component development, but included no funds for
advanced water jet technology.
The committee report on H. R. 1401 (H. Rept. 106 162) noted proposals
for a quarter-scale at-sea demonstration and cavitation tunnel testing
of an advanced waterjet propulsor (AWJ 21) to validate critical
performance criteria and potential application of the propulsor to the
DD 21 land attack destroyer or other naval ships. The report urged the
Secretary of the Navy to assess the requirement for further development,
demonstration, and evaluation of advanced waterjet propulsor technology
and to provide recommendations regarding the demonstration, a program
execution plan, and Navy funding for the program.
On December 1, 1999, the Secretary reported that the Navy's AWJ 21
technology demonstration plan had developed hydrodynamic performance
prediction and critical performance measurement capabilities for
advanced waterjet concepts, and that the knowledge and capability
generated will be provided to both DD 21 industry teams determining the
suitability of the AWJ 21 for use on DD 21. The report stated that a
separate Navy-funded advanced waterjet development and large-scale
demonstration program would be inappropriate because it could be viewed
as Government endorsement of a specific propulsor solution and
subverting the DD 21 acquisition strategy (in which the industry team is
given full responsibility for recommending a total ship design for the
DD 21). The report stated further that development of the AWJ 21 system
by the DD 21 program is dependent upon a decision by the winning DD 21
industry team to include the AWJ 21 propulsion concept in their design.
The report concluded that there is currently no Navy operational
requirement that requires the use of an advanced waterjet propulsor and
recommended no further development of advanced waterjet technology at
this time.
Accordingly, the committee encourages the Navy to ensure that
advanced water jet technology is given all appropriate consideration.
Aircraft survivability study
The budget request contained $7.5 million in PE 63216N for aircraft
survivability demonstration and validation.
The committee is aware that the population of aircrew and passengers
permitted on board military aircraft includes both female and male
personnel, and is concerned about the ability of crash protective
seating systems to provide adequate protection to occupants of lighter
weight and smaller stature.
The committee recommends an increase of $500,000 in PE 63216N to
determine and assess the potential for increased injury risk to female
operators and passengers in the Navy's helicopter fleet.
Aviation depot maintenance technology
The budget request contained $62.2 million in PE 63721N for
environmental protection.
The committee notes that new environmentally friendly repair
processes are being developed that offer significant productivity
improvements and potential cost savings. To this end, Congress provided
increased funding in fiscal years 1999 and 2000 for the development and
demonstration of aviation depot maintenance technologies that will
significantly reduce maintenance and repair costs and reduce or
eliminate hazardous waste and pollution products.
The committees recommends $63.9 million in PE 63721N, an increase of
$1.75 million to continue the program for demonstration of advanced
maintenance technologies for application of tungsten carbide coatings to
aircraft landing gear and hydraulic components.
Aviation modernization plan
The committee notes recent reports that the Office of the Chief of
Naval Operations is considering a major revision of naval aviation plans
which would remove aircraft from inventory, cancel future aircraft
systems concepts, and reconfigure the carrier air wing in order to
develop an affordable modernization plan for naval aviation. The reports
indicate that the recommendations contained in the ``Common Vision for
Naval Aviation'' would be implemented beginning with the Navy's budget
request for fiscal year 2002. The committee understands that the
following alternatives are being considered:
(1) Replacement of the EA 6B Prowler electronic warfare aircraft by
2010 with an electronic warfare aircraft follow-on;
(2) Retirement of the F 14 Tomcat strike-fighter aircraft by 2008;
(3) Service life extension of the C 2 Grayhound Tracker carrier
onboard delivery aircraft;
(4) Retirement of the S 3B Viking antisubmarine warfare aircraft by
2008 and its mission replacement by a combination of P 3C Orion maritime
patrol aircraft and SH 60R Seahawk multi-mission helicopter;
(5) Replacement of the S 3B Viking in its tanker role by F/A 18E/F
fighter aircraft with a aircraft refueling capability;
(6) Service life extension of the P 3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft;
(7) Service life extension of the EP 3E Aries electronic
surveillance aircraft;
(8) Cancellation of the concept of a common support aircraft that
would combine the mission of the E 2C Hawkeye airborne early warning
aircraft with the missions of the S 3 Viking and C 2 Greyhound aircraft;
(9) Delay introduction of a multi-mission maritime aircraft to
replace the P 3C Orion and EP 3E Aries to no later than 2015; and
(10) Reduction of the number of strike aircraft in a carrier air
wing from 56 to 50.
The committee commends the Navy for its initiative in developing a
long-term plan for naval aviation that attempts to meet the challenges
of affordability and effectiveness in a budget constrained environment.
The committee recognizes the issues of current and future operational
requirements, current force capabilities, personnel, training, research
and development, procurement, logistics, and estimated funding available
that must be considered in developing such a plan. The committee notes
that the Navy's plan is not complete and was not available during the
committee's review of the budget request.
The committee urges the Secretary of the Navy to provide information
on the Navy's revised aviation modernization plan to the congressional
defense committees at the earliest opportunity to ensure adequate
opportunity for oversight review of this important initiative prior to
receipt of the budget request for fiscal year 2002.
Battle force tactical trainer (BFTT)
The budget request contained $27.1 million in PE 24571N for
consolidated training systems development, including $4.1 million for
development of the surface tactical team trainer (Battle Force Tactical
Training program).
The committee notes that the BFTT system provides the Navy with an
effective embedded training capability on many of the Navy's surface
ships, permitting realistic unit level team training and coordinated
training among ships in port, and providing commanders the ability to
conduct coordinated realistic, high stress, combat system training when
afloat. The Navy is converting BFTT to a Windows NT TM personal computer
(PC)-based environment that will extend the BFTT simulation to
shore-based facilities at the training commands to provide more
realistic combat system team and individual training at these
facilities, as well as providing the opportunity for expansion and
upgrade of the capabilities of the BFTT system.
The committee recommends an increase of $5.0 million in PE 24571N to
accelerate the conversion and upgrade of the BFTT system to a Windows NT
TM/PC-based environment.
Beartrap
The budget request contained $19.7 million in PE 63254N for
anti-submarine warfare (ASW) systems development, including $5.3 million
for Project Beartrap.
The budget request for Beartrap supports hardware and software
development for the rapid prototyping of advanced capability acoustic
and non-acoustic ASW sensors, as well as data collection and analysis
for threat assessment and environmental characterization. The committee
notes the progress being made in the evaluation and development of the
phenomena of nonlinear dynamics and stochastic resonance (NDSR) for
acoustic, magnetic, and other ASW sensor and signal processing
applications. The committee also notes the Navy's progress in developing
a comprehensive and focused strategy for acoustic, and non-acoustic
environmental data collection, analysis and dissemination, and plans for
continued implementation of the strategy to meet the Navy's
needs in environmental data bases, modeling for new systems
research and development, and environmental inputs to tactical decision
aids.
The committee recommends $24.7 million in PE 63254N, an increase of
$5.0 million for Project Beartrap to continue the development,
demonstration, and evaluation of NDSR technology for ASW applications
and to continue the Beartrap environmental characterization program.
C 2 eight-blade composite propeller system
The budget request contained $51.0 million in PE 25633N for
improvements in operational Navy aviation and aviation support systems.
The committee notes that the Navy is seeking solutions to operational
limitations encountered with the propeller system used on E 2C and C 2A
aircraft. The current propeller system incorporates technology developed
in the 1950s and the 1960s, is difficult and expensive to maintain, and
is no longer in production. The committee report on H.R. 1119 (H. Rept.
105 132) directed the initiation of development and demonstration of an
eight-blade composite propeller for E 2C and C 2A aircraft. The Navy
subsequently began a program for design, development, test, and
production of the propeller system. The committee notes that the program
includes flight and ground test of the new propeller system for the E 2
aircraft, but includes only ground tests for the new propeller on the C
2 aircraft.
The committee recommends $57.0 million in PE 25633N, an increase of
$6.0 million to flight test the new propeller system on the C 2 aircraft
sequentially with the E 2 flight test program.
Common command and decision system
The budget request contained $119.3 million in PE 63658N for
continued development of the Navy's cooperative engagement capability
(CEC), and $33.0 million in PE 63582N for combat systems integration
demonstration and validation, including $8.7 million for common command
and decision systems development.
The committee notes the Navy's progress in resolving interoperability
issues between CEC and Navy ship self-defense (SSD) combat systems and
preparations for the CEC operational evaluation in May 2001. The
committee anticipates that successful completion of the evaluation will
provide the basis for widespread deployment of CEC to the fleet and for
joint purposes as well.
The committee also notes that the Navy initiated engineering studies
in fiscal year 1999 for a common command and decision (CC&D) system that
would be a preplanned product improvement (P3I) to the Aegis weapons
systems and the Mark 2 ship self defense system and would replace the
command and decision capability presently in these systems with a common
computer architecture. Such an architecture would reduce future combat
systems life-cycle costs, enable the fielding of new or modified combat
systems capabilities more quickly and at a lower cost, enhance system
interoperability, and eliminate the redundant, conflicting processing
that is inherent in these systems. The Navy has stated that the CC&D is
a critical step toward resolving long-term interoperability problems.
Congress provided an increase of $30.0 million for the program in fiscal
year 2000. The Navy's program plan includes $91.2 million in addition to
this year's request through fiscal year 2005. The Navy has projected a
notional program schedule that would begin engineering and manufacturing
development in March 2002 and achieve initial operational capability for
the CC&D system in September 2008. The committee notes that the Chief of
Naval Operations has identified a $43 million unfunded requirement to
accelerate the ability to begin engineering and manufacturing
development by one year.
The committee supports the CC&D system program objectives that have
been identified by the Navy. The committee notes that the CC&D
development program is at an early stage, the program schedule is
notional, and operational requirements are being refined. The committee
also notes Navy plans to evaluate a proposed new approach to cooperative
engagement capability data processing and transmission (the Tactical
Component Network (TCN)), which could conserve CEC communications
bandwidth and provide for a wider, more efficient CEC network.
The committee encourages the Navy to seek technology insertion
opportunities that will improve the interoperability of Navy combat
systems and CEC's capabilities for naval and joint forces and to provide
the required funding as a part of the Navy's core budget program. The
committee directs the Secretary of the Navy to report to the
congressional defense committees on the Navy's program plan and funding
for the CC&D P3I program and for insertion of advanced technology in the
CEC/SSD integrated combat system with the submission of the fiscal year
2002 budget request.
The committee recommends $119.3 million in PE 63658N for continued
development of the Navy's CEC and $33.0 million in PE 63582N to continue
combat systems integration demonstration and validation.
Common towed array
The budget request contained $113.3 million in PE 63561N for advanced
submarine systems development, including $4.5 million for the
development of advanced towed array technology for submarines and
surface ships.
The committee notes the Navy's operational requirement for
improvements in critical undersea warfare combat systems technologies
needed in the littoral regions of the world. The committee also notes
that the Navy's advanced towed array technology program is making
considerable progress in developing multiple-line and fiber optic
affordable towed array technology that could result in high gain,
volumetric towed arrays with significantly improved performance for
submarine and surface ship sonar systems
The committee recommends $123.5 million in PE 63561N, an increase of
$10.2 million to accelerate the development and demonstration of
advanced towed array systems for surface ship and submarine
anti-submarine warfare tactical and strategic surveillance.
Composite advanced sail development
The budget request contained $113.3 million in PE 63561N for advanced
submarine systems development, including $5.7 million for
hydrodynamics/hydroacoustics and completion of the advanced submarine
sail development project.
The committee notes that the Navy's technology insertion plan for the
Virginia class submarine includes installation of an advanced sail made
of steel on the seventh Virginia class ship. The committee also notes
the development of a quarter-scale advanced submarine sail made of
composite materials for the Navy's large scale vehicle and the conduct
of submersion tests at the Navy's Idaho test range in which the
composite sail exceeded the Navy's performance expectations.
The committee supports the advanced submarine technology insertion
program for the Virginia class submarine and directs the Secretary of
the Navy to report to the congressional defense committees on the Navy's
plan for further development of a composite advanced sail for the
submarine with the submission of the fiscal year 2002 budget request.
CVNX aircraft carrier design product modeling
The budget request contained $149.0 million in PE 63512N for carrier
systems development.
The committee notes that all new classes of Navy ships, such as the
Virginia-class submarine, the DD 22 land attack destroyer, and the LPD
17 amphibious transport dock, are being designed using electronic three
dimensional product models to take advantage of the inherent design,
production and life cycle maintenance cost savings offered by these
modern design tools.
The committee also notes that design data for the Nimitz-class
nuclear aircraft carriers, upon which design work began in the 1950's,
remains largely in non-electronic form. Conversion of aircraft carrier
design data into an electronic format was difficult to justify when Navy
plans previously called for a complete change in designs following
completion of CVN 77.
The committee notes, however, that the Navy has adopted an
evolutionary design approach for future carriers, beginning with the CVN
77 as a transition ship and retains the Nimitz-class hull form largely
unchanged through at least CVNX 2. Therefore, the committee believes
that it now may be cost-effective to convert Nimitz-class design data
and to develop future nuclear aircraft design data utilizing electronic,
three-dimensional product models to reap the design, production, and
life cycle maintenance cost savings offered by this approach. The
committee is aware that development of a nuclear aircraft carrier design
product model may take several years and could be undertaken as part of
the planned design efforts for CVN 77, CVNX 1, and CVNX 2.
The committee directs the Secretary of the Navy to conduct an
assessment of the cost-effectiveness of developing an aircraft carrier
design product model for the CVNX and report the results of the
assessment, together with plans and funding requirements for development
of such a model to the congressional defense committees with the
submission of the fiscal year 2002 budget request.
The committee recommends $149.0 million in PE 63512N, including $5.0
million to begin development of an aircraft carrier design product model
for the CVNX.
Distributed engineering plant
The committee supports continued integration of high performance
computers for Navy Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA)'s multi-functional test
control center and distributed engineering plant (DEP) operations with
the Joint Forces Command's Joint Interoperability Training Center and
other military organizations and activities, academia, and industry in
the Hampton Roads region. The committee notes that cooperation and
sharing of computer resources among joint forces and the military
services, academia, and industry in the region could result in lower
costs and improved capabilities for analysis, design, modeling and
simulation, which would be reflected in major combat systems
developments, such as the cooperative engagement capability and the CVN
77 and CVN X aircraft carriers.
The committee is aware of the multi-functional test control center at
NAVSEA Dam Neck and its interface with major Atlantic test and training
ranges used for joint operations and training. The committee also notes
that the Hampton Roads network access point at NAVSEA Dam Neck provides
transcontinental connectivity to other development, test and evaluation,
acquisition, and training activities and an improved analytical and
information exchange capability.
The committee encourages the Navy to continue to capitalize on
government-sponsored high performance computing and high speed network
programs, such as the National Science Foundation's Partnership for
Advanced Computing Infrastructure, the East Coast Communication's
Network, and the Department of Defense high performance computing
modernization program, in developing improved capabilities for analysis,
design, modeling and simulation, combat systems integration, training,
test and evaluation.
Distributed marine environment forecast system
The budget request contained $60.3 million in PE 62435N for applied
research in oceanographic and atmospheric technology, including $12.0
million for ocean and atmospheric prediction.
The committee notes the long established need for a distributed
forecast system in the marine environment, which combines ocean and
atmospheric models with common database access and common tools to
provide the capability for prediction of local and future weather and
sea conditions and their potential effects on fleet and other
operations. The committee also notes the potential for building upon
oceanographic and atmospheric models and data from the Department of
Defense, National Air and Space Administration, National Oceanographic
and Atmospheric Administration, and Environmental Protection Agency to
integrate these resources into a distributed marine environment forecast
system.
The committee recommends an increase of $2.0 million in PE 62435N to
establish an applied research program for development and demonstration
of a distributed marine environment forecast system.
DP 2 thrust vectoring system proof-of-concept demonstration
The budget request contained $39.7 million in PE 63217N for air
systems and weapons advanced technology development, but included no
funds for continuation of the DP 2 thrust vectoring system proof of
concept demonstration.
DP 2 is a proof-of-concept program to demonstrate the use of thrust
vector control to achieve vertical takeoff and conventional takeoff
capabilities in a one-half scale flight test vehicle. The technology
offers the potential for a low cost, medium range aircraft of advanced
composite construction.
The committee notes the progress being made in the DP 2 program in
the design and fabrication of large, precise composite structures and in
the potential for the use of small models to demonstrate and confirm
complex aeronautical guidance and control laws for the DP 2 system prior
to entering the flight test phase. The committee also notes that
technical issues regarding strength of materials, engineering design,
the development and test of an automated control system, and other
safety of flight issues must be resolved before the program can proceed
to the flight test phase.
The committee recommends $49.2 million in PE 63217N, an increase of
$9.5 million to continue the DP 2 development program leading to a
proof-of-concept demonstration of a one-half scale flight test vehicle.
The committee directs the Secretary of the Navy to provide an assessment
of the program progress and plans and funding requirements for
completion of the flight-test demonstration to the congressional defense
committees with the submission of the fiscal year 2002 budget request.
Dry chemical fire suppressant
The committee notes that the Navy's initial tests of a gelled, dry
chemical fire suppressant agent in a self-contained fire extinguishing
system, which is reportedly non-toxic and has a long shelf life, have
successfully demonstrated the effectiveness of the material for fire
fighting. The Naval Research Laboratory report of its test of
alternative fire suppressant technologies, dated July 1999, indicated
the agent's high level of effectiveness and its potential for performing
better than clean agent fire suppressant systems in current use aboard
Navy ships, and encouraged further research on the agent. The committee
encourages the Navy to conduct comprehensive field tests of the
suppressant and, if the tests are successful, to consider deployment of
the fire suppressant system to the fleet.
E2 C2 rotordome and control surface improvements
The budget request contained $18.7 million in PE 24152N for E 2
squadron operational systems development.
The committee notes that the rotordome and control surfaces on the
Navy's E2 C2 Hawkeye aircraft have been experiencing problems due to
structural damage from water absorption and excessive wear and that the
Navy's plans to extend the service life of these aircraft require a new
retrofit design to eliminate costly maintenance and downtime.
The committee recommends $20.7 million in PE 24152N, an increase of
$2.0 million to develop composite retrofit options to improve the
serviceability and performance of the E2 C2 Hawkeye.
Extended range guided munition
The budget request contained $143.0 million in PE 63795N for land
attack technology, including $39.1 million for development of the
extended range guided munition (ERGM).
The committee notes that the Navy's core program for near-term
improvements in naval surface fire support (NSFS) includes upgrading the
existing 5-inch 54-caliber Mk 45 gun on its cruisers and destroyers to
fire a new extended-range guided munition (ERGM) with nearly five times
the range of current 5-inch projectile. Both the 5-inch 62-caliber Mk 45
Mod 4 gun and the ERGM projectile were to have achieved initial
operational capability in fiscal year 2001. The first Mk 45 Mod 4 gun
was installed in the USS Winston Church (DDG 81) on schedule in 1999.
However, technical challenges and the contractor's relocation of the
ERGM development activity have delayed the ERGM development program an
estimated three years to 2004 and doubled the program cost.
The committee notes ERGM's key role in the NSFS program and the need
for a long-range (63 nautical mile) guided, gun-fired projectile to
achieve the approved operational requirements for support of ground
forces ashore. The committee also notes that the global positioning
system/inertial measuring unit (GPS/IMU) guidance and control technology
being developed for ERGM will establish a baseline for future advanced
guided projectiles for the DD 21 land attack destroyer and for other
weapons systems.
The committee has closely monitored the ERGM program since its
inception and has supported the baseline development program and
accelerated development and integration of microelectromechanical system
(MEMS)-based GPS/INS into ERGM. The committee has encouraged close
cooperation between the Navy and Army guided munitions research and
development communities in order to achieve risk reduction in their
respective guided projectile development programs and maximum
commonality and economies of scale in production.
The committee notes the detailed reviews of the ERGM program by the
Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development, and Acquisition)
and the contractor; program management changes and risk reduction
measures taken; and program rebaseline and other measures under
consideration that might encourage program competition. The committee
believes that the technical goals of the program are challenging, but
achievable.
The committee recommends $39.1 million in PE 63795N, the budget
request, to continue the ERGM development program. The committee directs
the Secretary of the Navy to report to the congressional defense
committees on the revised program baseline, risk reduction measures, and
measures to foster competition in the ERGM program no later than
November 1, 2000.
18
The budget request contained $248.1 million in PE 24136N for
continued development of capabilities for the F/A 18 aircraft.
The committee has supported the Shared Airborne Reconnaissance Pod
(SHARP) efforts to provide the F/A 18 aircraft with an enhanced tactical
reconnaissance capability that will also be applicable to other combat
aircraft. The committee notes the recent successful demonstration of the
SHARP risk-mitigation project for the F 14 Tactical Airborne
Reconnaissance Podded System that was employed by the battle group
U.S.S. John F. Kennedy. This demonstration clearly indicated the force
multiplying capability provided by a real-time imagery system supports
continuation of this effort.
The committee is concerned, however, that the funding requested for
SHARP is insufficient to support completion of sensors for an initial
operational capability (IOC) in fiscal year 2003. The committee notes
that this shortfall in funding results in an increase in cost of
tactical reconnaissance support by extending use of the less capable F
14 Tactical Air Reconnaissance Pod (TARPS). The committee is also aware
that emerging technology is being developed to replace existing
mechanical focal plane shutters with a solid-state shutter to further
increase SHARP camera performance and reliability. However, the
committee is concerned that the current program is insufficiently funded
to ensure a fiscal year 2003 SHARP fleet deployment.
Therefore, the committee recommends an increase of $18.0 million in
PE 24136N for the development of the SHARP F 18 tactical reconnaissance
capability to maintain the SHARP IOC.
Fielded system obsolescence, technology insertion and
technology refreshment
The committee notes the increasing reliance upon
commercial-off-the-shelf in Department of Defense systems and the rapid
obsolescence of technology and exponential increases in capability in
subsequent generations that are common characteristics of the
commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) industry. The committee believes that
management of COTS in Defense systems is a major effort that must be
recognized, quantified and separately addressed as an integral part of
the procurement process. To this end, the committee recommends that all
programs within DOD with high COTS content should include a management
plan that addresses the costs associated with sustaining the military
capability of the systems in a COTS environment. The plan should clearly
distinguish the costs associated with sustaining current performance
requirements through technology refreshment and meeting increased
performance requirements through the technology insertion process.
The committee believes that institution of such a planning process in
the Department would provide Congress with the information necessary to
evaluate the merits of COTS products in DOD applications based on a true
and accurate representation of operational requirements and total
ownership costs. Based on ongoing work in technology refreshment and
technology insertion by the Department of the Navy as represented by the
Acoustic Rapid COTS Insertion (A RCI) program, the committee believes
that a pilot program to address these issues should be established
within the Navy.
The committee recommends that the Secretary of the Navy provide a
report on the Navy's plan for such a program that would address the
issues of technology refresh and technology insertion in legacy and
developmental programs with the submission of the fiscal year 2002
budget request.
Fleet health technology and occupational lung disease
The budget request contained $10.1 million in PE 63706N for medical
development, including $4.8 million for the fleet health technology
program.
The Navy's medical development program supports advanced medical care
and health protection from hazardous occupational and operational
exposure to Navy and Marine Corps personnel in operational theaters. The
committee notes that the budget request would reduce funding for the
fleet health technology program approximately $5.7 million less than the
fiscal year 2001 estimate that was provided in the fiscal year 2000
request. The committee is disturbed with this reduction in the priority
given to the medical care and occupational health and safety of Navy and
Marine Corps personnel.
The committee also notes that concerns have been raised that naval
personnel diagnosed with sarcoidosis, may have suffered from other lung
diseases related to exposure to occupational hazards during their
military service. A study by the National Institute of Occupational
Safety and Health (NIOSH) has provided an assessment of the incidence of
sarcoidosis among Navy enlisted personnel and suggests a relationship of
sarcoidosis with assignment aboard aircraft carriers. The Navy Surgeon
General has indicated that correlation of the results of the NIOSH study
with a pathologic review of tissue samples at the Armed Forces Institute
of Pathology taken from naval personnel during the 1960s and 1970s,
would be relevant to resolving the concerns regarding sarcoidosis and
other lung diseases. The Navy Surgeon General also indicated that
collaboration with the multi-center study of sarcoidosis etiology,
natural history, and treatment currently being considered by the
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, should be considered.
The committee directs the Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with
the Secretary of Veterans Affairs and the Director of the Armed Forces
Institute of Pathology, to establish an occupational lung disease
assessment program to determine if naval personnel with lung disease due
to other causes may have been misdiagnosed with sarcoidosis and if the
incidence of sarcoidosis or other lung disease could be attributable to
service aboard Navy ships. The program should also consider
collaboration with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's
sarcoidosis etiology study. The Secretary of the Navy shall report the
plan for the study and any initial study results to the congressional
defense committees no later than March 21, 2001.
The committee recommends $13.1 million in PE 63706N, an increase of
$3.0 million, including $500,000 for the conduct of the occupational
lung disease assessment discussed above. To offset the recommended
increase, the committee recommends a reduction of $3.0 million in PE
63513N.
Flight worthy transparent armor system
The budget request contained $7.5 million in PE 63216N for aircraft
survivability demonstration and validation.
The committee recommends an increase of $2.0 million in PE 63216N for
the development of a flight worthy transparent armor system for the AH
1Z light attack helicopter and V 22 tilt-rotor aircraft that could be
migrated to other platforms as well.
High mobility artillery rocket system (HIMARS)
The budget request contained no funds for the High Mobility Artillery
Rocket System (HIMARS). The HIMARS is an Army-developed, Family of
Medium Tactical Vehicle (FMTV)-mounted multiple launch rocket system.
The committee understands that the Marine Corps currently lacks an
all-weather, continuously available, long-range fire support system
capable of prosecuting a Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) and Marine
Ground Combat Element's (CGE) deep strike mission and counter fire
battle. The committee also understands that the existing prototype
HIMARS has the potential to fulfill the MEF and CGE mission
requirements. The committee notes that the Commandant of the Marine
Corps has identified a $17.3 million unfunded requirement for the
procurement of two HIMARS systems for evaluation and a system design
study to address integrating the HIMARS launcher onto the Marine Corps'
Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement truck in fiscal year 2001.
The committee believes that evaluation of this weapon system as a
deep strike alternative capability for Marine expeditionary forces is
important, and, therefore, recommends $17.3 million in PE 63635M to
procure two HIMARS systems for this purpose.
High performance sigma-delta waveform generator
The budget request contained $26.0 million in PE 62270N for applied
research in electronic warfare technology.
The committee notes that the Office of Naval Research has been
developing semi-conductor and super-conducting technology for the
implementation of a Sigma-Delta Waveform Generator. This activity has
included development of high speed gallium arsenide and/or Josephson
Junction circuits to implement a highly linear, flexible, digital
waveform generator for next generation Navy systems. The advanced
semi-conductor and super-conducting circuits being developed will enable
higher levels of performance required to detect small targets in clutter
and to perform multiple radio frequency functions.
The committee recommends an $29.0 million in PE 62270N, an increase
of $3.0 million to continue the program for development of
super-conducting wave form generator technology.
Hybrid fiberoptic/wireless communication technology
The budget request contained $79.9 million in PE 62232N for applied
research in communications, command and control, intelligence, and
surveillance.
The committee notes the progress made in development and
demonstration of the technology for hybrid fiber optic wireless
communications systems, and believes that the application of this
technology to shipboard communications will provide increased mobility
and security while reducing the effects of frequency interference.
The committee recommends an increase of $2.5 million in PE 62232N to
continue the development of hybrid fiberoptic/wireless communication
system technology. The
committee directs the Secretary of the Navy to assess the
progress in the program and the potential for incorporation of the
technology in the Navy's core science and technology program and to
report the results of that assessment to the congressional defense
committees with the submission of the fiscal year 2002 budget request.
Hybrid light detection and ranging (LIDAR)/radar technology
The budget request contained $76.3 million in PE 63792N for advanced
technology demonstration and transition.
The committee recommends an increase of $3.0 million in PE 63792N to
continue the development and further demonstration of hybrid LIDAR/radar
technology in the Claymore Marine advanced technology demonstration.
Hyperspectral research
The budget request contained $79.9 million in PE 62232N for applied
research in communications, command and control, intelligence, and
surveillance technology.
The committee notes that hyperspectral sensor systems provide the
capability to detect and identify targets that are not discernible with
conventional sensors by exploiting the spectral signature of both the
target and the environment. The Naval Research Laboratory has conducted
extensive research into the use of hyperspectral technology to provide a
surveillance sensor that is capable of finding difficult military
targets in clutter-rich environments. The laboratory has made excellent
progress in developing hyperspectral technology and has conducted
successful testing on board Navy intelligence collection aircraft.
The committee recommends an increase of $5.0 million in PE 62232N to
continue the Navy's development, integration, and testing of
hyperspectral sensors with other sensors.
Insensitive munitions
The budget request contained $28.6 million in PE 63609N for
conventional munitions demonstration and validation, including $3.2
million for insensitive munitions advanced development; and $7.5 million
in PE 63216N for aviation survivability, including $1.8 million for
aircraft and ordnance safety.
The committee notes that insensitive munitions reduce the severity of
cook-off and bullet/fragment impact reactions, and minimize the
probability for sympathetic detonation (both in normal storage and in
use) without compromising combat performance, and are recognized as a
critical technology requirement in the design of new weapons systems.
The committee also notes that, despite the Navy's requirements for
insensitive munitions, nearly all Navy munitions require a wavier to be
carried aboard ships. The committee notes that the Navy is the lead
service for the development of insensitive munition technology and that
the budget request would reduce insensitive munition technology
development funding almost $6.0 million below the amount provided in
fiscal year 2000 as well as the average program level of the past
several years. In view of joint requirements and the Navy's requirements
for insensitive munitions, the committee believes that the Navy needs to
assign a high priority to the insensitive munitions program and directs
the Secretary of the Navy to address this issue in the fiscal year 2002
budget request.
Integrated aviation life support systems
The budget request contained $17.5 million in PE 64264N for aircrew
systems engineering and manufacturing development, including $8.9
million for development of aviation life support systems.
The committee notes progress in development of the two-part,
tri-service modular helmet, the advanced visionics helmet system for
day/night, all-weather sight display, and the helicopter aircrew
integrated life support system. The committee also notes that the
current program, which develops the helicopter life support system and
helmet systems separately, could result in an overall aviation life
support system that is geared to the lowest performing component. The
committee believes that integrated development of these systems will
result in an aviation life support system that provides optimal
performance, greater tactical advantage, and improved aircrew safety.
Accordingly, the committee recommends $25.5 million in PE 64264N, an
increase of $8.0 million for continued development and flight evaluation
of an integrated aviation life-support system that includes the
tri-service modular flight helmet, the advanced visionics helmet system,
and the helicopter aircrew integrated life support system.
Integrated semiconductor bridge based fuze
The budget request contained $38.0 million in PE 62111N for applied
research in air and surface launched weapons technology.
The committee notes the progress that has been made in the
development of semi-conductor bridges as electrical initiators for
explosives and their potential for replacing conventional hot bridgewire
devices with significant reductions in size, weight, power and cost. The
coupling of semiconductor bridge devices with microelectromechanical
systems technology in initiation and safe/arm components offers the
opportunity for the development of electromechanical fuzes with superior
accuracy and reliability, reduced power consumption and weight, and
lower cost.
The committee recommends an increase of $1.5 million in PE 62111N to
initiate a proof-of-concept development and demonstration of an
integrated semiconductor bridge based fuze for potential use in air and
surface launched weapons systems.
Intermediate modulus carbon fiber and ultra-high thermal
conductivity graphite fibers
The budget request contained $68.1 million in PE 62234N for applied
research in materials and radio frequency/electro-optics/infrared
electronics technology and $72.8 million in PE 62102F for materials
applied research, including $44.1 million for materials for structures,
propulsion, and subsystems.
The committee notes that the joint strike fighter (JSF), the F/A
18E/F strike fighter, the V 22 tilt-rotor aircraft, the joint
air-to-surface standoff missile, and many other advanced aviation and
weapons systems use composite structures which have carbon fiber as a
major component. The committee is aware of proposals for the use of
intermediate modulus carbon fiber materials as an alternative to the
carbon fiber that could result in as much as a 50 percent reduction in
the cost of raw materials used in these weapons systems.
The committee also notes initial progress in the evaluation and
qualification of ultra-high thermal conductivity graphite fiber
materials for critical spacecraft requirements related to
countermeasures and spacecraft protection, high energy/thermal loading,
very large antennas, high-efficiency solar collectors, and other
applications.
The committee believes that the Department of Defense should place
priority on the development of procedures for qualifying new materials
for potential use in military systems that could result in lower costs
while maintaining system performance requirements. The committee
supports continued validation of design methods, material performance in
various service environments, and the capability of the materials to
manage thermal loads generated by electronics.
The committee recommends an increase of $2.0 million in PE 62234N for
evaluation of new, lower cost, commercially available carbon fibers for
JSF and other Navy aircraft and missile applications and $2.0 million in
PE 62102F to continue the program for evaluation and qualification of
ultra-high thermal conductivity graphite materials for critical
spacecraft requirements.
Joint forces command operational testbed
The budget request contained $113.1 million in PE 35204N for tactical
unmanned aerial vehicles, but included no funds for the Joint Forces
Command unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) joint operational testbed.
Congress previously provided funds for two Predator unmanned aerial
vehicles and a tactical control system (TCS) ground station to support
development of TCS and UAV operational employment procedures. The
committee notes that the joint tactical UAV program office (JPO) was
disestablished. The committee further notes that the Joint Forces
Command has responsibility for oversight of joint operational testing
and evaluation of weapons systems, a function previously conducted by
the UAVJPO for specific UAV systems.
The committee supports the efforts of the Joint Forces Command and
recommends an increase of $1.0 million in PE 35204N for the Joint Forces
Command UAV testbed. The committee directs the Secretary of the Navy to
transfer the two Predator UAVs and TCS ground station to the Joint
Forces Command for use by the joint operational UAV testbed.
Joint helmet mounted cueing system
The budget request contained $248.1 million in PE 24136N for
operational systems development for F/A18 naval strike fighter aircraft,
including $3.3 million to continue development of the joint helmet
mounted cueing system, digital communications systems, and positive
identification system.
The committee notes that the joint helmet mounted cueing system, when
combined with state of the art missile systems currently in development,
provides a significant improvement in air to air combat survivability.
The committee is also aware that this improved capability is essential
to the success of the Navy's F/A 18 E/F strike fighter aircraft
currently being deployed.
The committee recommends an increase of $8.0 million in PE 24136N for
continued development of the joint helmet mounted cueing system for the
F/A 18C/D fighter.
Joint tactical combat training system
The budget request contained $27.1 million in PE 24571N for
consolidated training systems development, including $7.8 million for
development of the Joint Tactical Combat Training Systems (JTCTS).
The JTCTS is a joint Air Force/Navy program for the development of
fixed, transportable, and mobile range instrumentation for shore-based
tactical aircrew training and for deployable, at-sea naval expeditionary
force training. The statement of managers that accompanied the
conference report on H.R. 4103 (H. Rept. 105 746) directed the
Department of Defense to conduct a technical evaluation to compare the
capabilities, performance, and costs of competing system approaches to
JTCTS, and to identify the best technical solution with the best value
for meeting the Department's operational training requirement. In
November 1999, the Undersecretary of Defense (Acquisition and
Technology) reported that after completion of the technical evaluation
and a thorough analysis, the JTCTS was determined to be the system of
choice to meet the joint training requirement.
The committee recommends an increase of $8.0 million in PE 24571N to
accelerate the development and fielding of JTCTS for fleet and fixed
range support of Navy and Air Force tactical air combat training.
Lightweight environmentally sealed parachute assembly (LESPA)
The budget request contained $7.5 million in PE 63216N for aircraft
survivability demonstration and validation.
The committee recommends an increase of $2.0 million in PE 63216N to
continue the application of lightweight environmentally sealed parachute
assembly (LESPA) sealing technology for use on existing and planned
parachutes for Navy ejection seats.
Littoral support fast patrol craft
The budget request contained $76.3 million in PE 63792N for advanced
technology transition.
The committee notes that the Office of Naval Research (ONR) has
evaluated initial results of the concept evaluation of a littoral
warfare fast patrol craft and is favorably impressed with the potential
for such a system. The committee continues to believe that such a craft
could provide significant advances in logistics support, surveillance,
communications and fire support capabilities for naval forces in
littoral environments.
Therefore, the committee recommends an increase of $22.0 million in
PE 63792N to develop a prototype for demonstrating the operational
concepts of a littoral support fast patrol craft.
Location of global positioning systems (GPS) jammers
The budget request contained $97.3 million in PE 64270N for
electronic warfare development but included no funds to continue
development and demonstration of a state-of-the-art precision
surveillance and targeting system for location of global positioning
systems jammers (LOCO GPSI).
The committee notes that the Navy has developed a prototype LOCO GPSI
airborne detection system, capable of rapid, precision location sources
for GPS interference. In the committee report on H.R. 1401 (H. Rept. 106
162), the committee recommended an increase of $6.0 million to continue
development and evaluation of the LOCO GPSI system and directed the Navy
to assess its operational requirement.
Consistent with its past action, the committee recommends $103.3
million in PE 64270N, an increase of $6.0 million, to complete advanced
development for the LOCO GPSI system, provide two additional sensor
systems, and to complete system testing.
Malaria deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) vaccine
The budget request contained $10.1 million in PE 63706N for advanced
medical technology development.
The committee notes the outstanding achievement by the military
medical research community in collaboration with the pharmaceutical
industry in developing DNA vaccines for complex multistage pathogens and
for multiple pathogens of military importance. This collaboration has
resulted in the promising development of an effective recombinant
protein malaria vaccine of unprecedented efficacy. Successful completion
of the development will result in a cost-effective means of controlling
malaria, the most important infectious threat to ground troops and to
third-world populations.
Of the funds authorized for PE 63706N, the committee recommends $1.5
million to continue development of the recombinant protein malaria
vaccine, and recommends that the Secretary of the Navy accelerate the
development of this technology in the fiscal year 2002 budget request.
Manned reconnaissance systems
The budget request contained $27.5 million in PE 35207N for manned
reconnaissance systems, including $25.3 million for development of the
shared airborne reconnaissance pod (SHARP).
The committee continues its support for the SHARP program to increase
dramatically real-time tactical reconnaissance capabilities. The
committee is aware of developmental EO framing processing techniques
that will provide for real-time precision strike targeting and
solid-state shutter technology that will greatly reduce operational
costs and improve camera performance.
The committee recommends an increase of $5.0 million in PE 35207N for
long-range optical sensor technology and $3.0 million for development of
a solid-state shutter mechanism that can be retrofitted on currently
fielded framing array cameras.
Marine corps dragon warrior UAV
The budget request contained no funds in PE 35204M for Marine Corps
close range tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).
The committee notes that the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory
(MCWL) is developing the Dragon Warrior, a low cost, small UAV that
combines the speed of a fixed wing UAV with some operational
characteristics of a rotary wing UAV. The committee notes that Dragon
Warrior would carry a variety of payloads that are currently being
examined by the MCWL to provide the Marine Corps with a highly, flexible
close range reconnaissance capability that will enlarge the area of
influence of a small expeditionary force.
The committee recommends $5.0 million in PE 35204M, an increase of
$5.0 million for Dragon Warrior.
Marine mammal research
The budget request contained $381.1 million in PE 61153N for the
Navy's defense research sciences program, but included no funds for
marine mammal research.
The committee notes recent activities involving potential interaction
of Navy tactical sonar operations with cetaceans in littoral waters of
the Atlantic Ocean near the Bahamas. The committee believes that the
Navy should place a priority on gaining an increased understanding of
the reaction of marine mammals to tactical sonar and other underwater
sounds that are characteristic of naval operations.
The committee recommends $381.9 million in PE 61153N, an increase of
$750,000 for the Navy's cooperative marine mammal research program.
Maritime technology (MARITECH) program
The budget request contains $9.4 million in PE 78730N for the
Maritime Technology (MARITECH) program. The request also contained
$244.4 million in PE 63513N for shipboard system component development
and $46.9 million in PE 63564N for ship preliminary design and
feasibility studies.
The committee notes that the Defense Advanced Research Projects
Agency (DARPA) initiated the MARITECH program in 1994 to enhance the
commercial viability of U.S. shipbuilding and preserve the defense
industrial shipbuilding base. An independent study of the economic
impact of the program concluded that the Navy shipbuilding industrial
base experienced considerable productivity improvements and cost savings
from the application of technologies developed in the MARITECH program.
In fiscal year 1999 the program was moved to the Department of the Navy
and a five-
year, $20 million per year, Navy MARITECH Advanced
Shipbuilding Enterprise (ASE) was established to build upon the progress
made by the original DARPA program.
The committee believes that the success of the original MARITECH
program was the result of the application of innovative management and
technologies, and stable funding throughout the five-years of the
program. The committee believes that the reduction in the budget request
for the ASE breaks the paradigm established in the original program and
will adversely affect the program objective of assisting the Nation's
shipbuilding industry in achieving significant reductions in the cost
and time required for commercial and Navy ship construction, conversion,
and repair. The committee believes that all Navy shipbuilding programs
will benefit from the MARITECH ASE and should share in funding the
program.
Accordingly, the committee recommends $15.4 million in PE 78730N, an
increase of $6.0 million to fully fund the MARITECH program. The
committee further recommends a decrease of $3.0 million each in PE
63513N and PE 63564N.
Mobile electronic warfare support system
The budget request contained $96.2 million in PE 26313M, and included
$449,000 for improvements to the Marine Corps' mobile electronic warfare
support system (MEWSS).
The committee notes that the Marine Corps' MEWSS tactical
reconnaissance system is a cooperative effort with the Army's ground
based common sensor (GBCS) program. The GBCS program was terminated and
all residual equipment was transferred to the Marine Corps for use in
the MEWSS. However, no funds were included in the budget request to
transfer and integrate GBCS components into the MEWSS vehicles or to
maintain the limited rate initial production items.
The committee recommends $104.7 million in PE 26313M, an increase of
$8.5 million for the specific purposes of transferring, integrating and
maintaining the equipment gained from GBCS.
Mobile integrated diagnostic and data analysis system (MIDDAS)
The budget request contained $5.3 million in PE 64771N for medical
development.
The committee understands that the Navy has no trauma management
tools to aid medical personnel in monitoring and analyzing wounded
patient medical data on a real-time basis in the field. The committee
further understands that the Navy has made significant progress in the
development of the MIDDAS to provide such a capability but that
additional resources are required to complete this effort.
Accordingly, the committee recommends $7.3 million in PE 64771N for
medical development, an increase of $2.0 million to accelerate
development of the MIDDAS and demonstrate its ability to interface with
communications and medical data systems.
Multi-function radar/volume search radar and the Navy's radar roadmap
The budget request contained a total of $305.3 million in PE 64300N
for total ship systems engineering and manufacturing development for the
DD 21 land attack destroyer, including $69.6 million for the
multi-function radar (MFR) for ship defense and $57.5 million for the
volume search radar (VSR) for air search and track.
The committee report on H.R. 1401 (H. Rept. 106 162) expressed
concern that significant radar upgrades are required to meet the
objective capabilities of the Navy theater wide (NTW) system. The report
also noted that radar upgrades for TMD need to be thoroughly integrated
with continued radar improvements required for fleet defense,
development of the cooperative engagement capability (CEC), and
development of next generation Navy destroyers and cruisers. The report
called for a clearly defined roadmap of radar requirements and
technology to identify the best approaches for meeting the overlapping
requirements of fleet defense and TMD.
The committee notes the Navy's submission of the Surface Navy Radar
Roadmap Study as an interim report on the Navy's radar roadmap. The
study states that a series of time-phased radar development decisions
must be made to support varying surface ship acquisitions:
(1) Immediate decisions to be made regarding the radar suite
configuration for new ships including DD 21 and the CVN 77 aircraft
carrier.
(2) Near term decision on the radar configuration for the initial
phase (Block I) of the NTW program.
(3) Near- to mid-term decisions (2 3 years) for Block II of the NTW
program and for improvement in self-defense capabilities of ships now in
service.
(4) Radar technologies to be developed for the next-generation air
dominance/theater ballistic missile defense (TBMD) cruiser that would
reach the fleet in 2015.
The plan provides a strategy to reduce the large number of redundant,
obsolescing radars currently in the fleet to a small number of radars
common across multiple ship classes. The plan confirms the need for:
(1) A radar suite composed of MFR and VSR for ships whose radar
requirements are limited to self-defense and air control.
(2) A next generation radar suite, either derived from MFR/VSR, or
perhaps involving one additional radar, for ships with TBMD and area
anti-air warfare requirements.
The committee expresses concern that a clearly defined and funded
radar roadmap is necessary to ensure the necessary upgrades to legacy
radar systems and the development of new radar systems. The committee
awaits Secretary of the Navy approval of the radar roadmap, delivery to
the congressional defense committees, and incorporation of the approved
program in the fiscal year 2002 budget request.
Multipurpose processor
The budget request contained $34.8 million in PE 64503N for submarine
systems equipment development, including $28.2 million for submarine
sonar improvements.
The committee notes that that the Acoustic Rapid
Commercial-Off-the-Shelf Insertion (A RCI) program has provided a
tremendous improvement in sonar processing capabilities through the
application of a cost-effective multipurpose acoustic signal processing
technology and the advanced process build software development
initiative. The committee continues to support incorporation of this
advanced multipurpose signal processing technology into the Navy's
acoustic surveillance and intelligence systems.
Accordingly, the committee recommends $49.8 million in PE 64503N, an
increase of $15.0 million, to support the accelerated development and
extension of common acoustic processing capabilities for undersea
warfare applications through the use of the multipurpose processor.
Naval space surveillance
The budget request contained $2.0 million in PE 35927N for the Navy
Space Surveillance network life extension activities.
The committee notes that the budget request for the fiscal year 2001
included a request for design concept activities that were provided in
fiscal year 2000. Therefore, the committee recommends $1.4 million in PE
35927N, a decrease of $600,000.
Navy mine countermeasures program
The budget request contained a total of $647.3 million for the
Department of the Navy mine countermeasures program, including $334.9
million for research, development, test and evaluation, $118.4 million
for procurement, and $177.4 million for operations and maintenance.
The committee has reviewed the U.S. Naval Mine Warfare Plan and the
Department of the Navy's mine countermeasures (MCM) program for fiscal
year 2001. The plan highlights mine warfare as a core competency of the
naval services and near-, mid-, and long-term measures to ensure the
continued readiness of the Navy's dedicated force of 26 MCM ships and
the development and fielding of organic MCM systems in the fleet.
The committee notes that the increased funding levels provided for
the MCM program through fiscal year 2005 will allow deployment of the
programmed organic MCM capability to a carrier battle group in 2005, as
well as continued modernization of dedicated MCM forces. The committee
also notes that the Navy is establishing a capstone requirements
document for a MCM system of systems that will baseline current
requirements and identify shortfalls in existing MCM systems. Because
the deployment of advanced MCM systems to the fleet will require new
tactics, techniques, and procedures for their employment, the committee
recommends that the Secretary of the Navy consider the establishment of
a Mine Warfare Battle Laboratory to accelerate the introduction of new
technologies and concepts of operations for both MCM forces.
The committee is aware that the Navy has begun an analysis of
alternatives for replacement of the USS INCHON (MCS 12) MCM support ship
and a second analysis of alternatives for a future MCM(X) ship for the
dedicated MCM fleet. The committee notes that technical problems
encountered with the development of the shallow water assault breaching
system (SABRE) and the Army's cancellation of the MDBU``GrizzlyMDBU''
combat breaching vehicle program severely impacts the development of the
Navy and Marines in-stride assault mine-clearing capability. The
committee directs the Secretary of the Navy to provide to the
congressional defense committees the revisions to the MCM plan
and programs that address these issues with the submission of
the fiscal year 2002 budget request.
Advanced sensors for mine countermeasures and oceanography
The budget request contained $60.3 million in PE 62435N for
oceanographic and atmospheric technology, including $22.6 million for
applied research in natural and environmental influences on MCM systems
and littoral oceanography.
The committee notes significant progress in the development of
advanced underwater chemical, optical, and physical sensors and sensor
systems for mine countermeasures and other underwater sensor
applications, including the successful test of an underwater mass
spectrometer for detection and mapping of trace quantities of volatile
organic compounds that might be associated with underwater mines,
chemical or biological agents, or hazardous wastes. The committee also
notes the development of a small spectrophotometric and fluormetric
analysis system for detection of trace elements underwater and of a
high-speed, high resolution laser line scanner for three-dimensional
mapping sea floor topography, both of which have potential application
for mine countermeasures and other purposes.
The committee recommends an increase of $6.0 million in PE 62435N to
continue the development and demonstration of advanced underwater
chemical, optical, and physical sensors and sensor systems for mine
countermeasures and other applications.
AN/AQS 20/X mine hunting sonar
The budget request contained $47.3 million in PE 64373N for airborne
mine countermeasures engineering and manufacturing development,
including $14.9 million to continue development of the AN/AQS 20/X
helicopter-towed, mine hunting sonar system.
The AN/AQS 20/X will be the common mine hunting sonar system for the
submersible AN/WLD 1 Remote Minehunting System (RMS) and the CH 60S
airborne mine countermeasures (AMCM) helicopter that will provide the
primary organic mine counter-measures capabilities for the fleet. The
committee notes the progress that has been made in the development of
the AN/AQS 20/X mine hunting sonar and the Navy's decision in fiscal
year 1999 to add an electro-optical sensor to the system's mine
detection, localization and classification capabilities. The committee
also notes that incorporating current state-of-the-art,
commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) processor technology in the AN/AQS 20/X
would significantly improve system performance, eliminate obsolescent
components dating from the early 1990s, permit any system to operate
from either the AMCM helicopter or the RMS, and significantly upgrade
computer-aided detection and classification of mines and mine-like
objects.
Accordingly, the committee recommends $64.3 million in PE 64373N, an
increase of $17.0 million for incorporation of COTS processor technology
in the AN/AQS 20/X mine hunting sonar.
Synthetic aperture sonar development for long-term mine
reconnaissance system
The budget request contained $97.9 million in PE 63502N for
demonstration and validation of surface and shallow water mine
countermeasures, including $26.1 million for development of unmanned
underwater vehicles (UUV).
The committee notes that the Navy developed the near-term mine
reconnaissance system (NMRS) as a single operational prototype mine
hunting UUV system, which is capable of mine detection, classification,
and localization, and is launched and recovered from an SSN 688 class
submarine. Employing forward- and side-scanning sonar systems, the
AN/BLQ 11 long-term mine reconnaissance system (LMRS) will replace the
limited capability provided by the NMRS with a submarine launched and
recoverable, autonomous capability that will have increased endurance,
reliability, and search rate, and will provide the fleet a greatly
improved capability to conduct clandestine mine reconnaissance. The
committee also notes that the Chief of Naval Operations has identified
the development of a synthetic aperture sonar capability for the LMRS as
an unfunded requirement in fiscal year 2001.
The committee recommends $103.4 million in PE 63502N, including $5.5
million for development of a synthetic aperture sonar capability for the
LMRS.
Naval modeling and simulation
The budget request contained $9.1 million in PE 38601N for naval
modeling and simulation.
The committee notes recent advances in modeling and simulation for
command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance
and reconnaissance (C4ISR) systems. These advances demonstrate the use
of efficient systems engineering and business practices and leverage and
promote simulation based acquisition applied to the assessment,
planning, testing, and technology insertion for C4ISR systems. The
committee also notes progress in modeling and simulation systems
engineering initiatives that aid operations analysis, engineering
assessment, and additional efforts directed at understanding model
development, fidelity, accuracy, and simulation efficiencies and their
effects on tradeoff analyses involving C4ISR systems. The committee
supports the development and understanding of new modeling and
simulation tools that will assist in more effective decision-making and
in the design of C4ISR systems and information architectures.
Accordingly, the committee recommends $12.1 million in PE 38601N, an
increase of $3.0 million to continue initiatives for the development of
improvements in C4ISR modeling and simulation.
New composite materials for aircraft canopies
The budget request contained $21.1 million in PE 62122N for applied
research in aircraft technology.
The committee notes that aircraft windscreens and canopies are made
of relatively soft materials, which can degrade over time, resulting in
significant replacement costs. The committee is aware of proposals for
the use of nano-composite materials that combine the ultraviolet
stability, hardness and abrasion resistance of glass and the durability
and adhesion of a plastic coating, offering significant improvements
over conventional coating materials. The committee believes that the
successful development and demonstration of the use of such materials on
canopies and windscreens could significantly reduce operations and
maintenance cost for the armed services.
The committee recommend $23.1 million in PE 62122N, an increase of
$2.0 million for applied research and development of nano-composite hard
coat materials for aircraft windscreens and canopies.
Optical correlation technology for automatic target recognition
The budget request contained $28.6 million in PE 63609N for
conventional munitions demonstration and validation.
The committee notes the progress in the development and demonstration
of optical correlation technology to enhance target discrimination and
aim point selection for next-generation weapon system seekers.
The committee recommends $33.6 million in PE 63609N, an increase of
$5.0 million to continue the program for development and demonstration
of miniature, rugged optical correlators for automatic target
recognition and improved aim point selection for the Navy's Standard
Missile.
Optically multiplexed wideband radar beam-forming array
The budget request contained $79.9 million in PE 62232N for applied
research in communications, command, control, intelligence,
surveillance, and reconnaissance technology, including $17.6 million for
radar technology.
The committee notes that Congress provided a total of $4.0 million in
fiscal year 2000 to initiate a cooperative program for research,
development, and demonstration of a prototype optically multiplexed,
wideband, radar beam-forming array that uses optical wavelength-division
multiplexing (WDM). The committee also notes that the use of optical WDM
is expected to reduce hardware complexity and system cost in a wideband
electronically-steered active radar antenna that has high instantaneous
bandwidth and the resolution necessary for theater ballistic missile
defense and ship self defense in a littoral environment.
The committee recommends an increase of $3.0 million in PE 62232N to
continue the program for development and demonstration of an optically
multiplexed wideband radar beam-forming array.
P 3 modernization program
The budget request contained $2.9 million in PE 64221N for the P 3
maritime patrol aircraft modernization program, which provides upgrades
to the aircraft's systems in order to enhance its surface and subsurface
tracking and classification capabilities.
The committee continues to note the increasing demands placed by the
major theater commanders on the P 3 for intelligence and surveillance
missions in maritime, regional, and littoral operations. The committee
also notes the Navy's cancellation of the sustained readiness program
for the P 3 and the postponement of previous plans to initiate an
analysis of alternatives for a replacement maritime patrol aircraft.
Yet, the
Navy's Integrated Submarine Warfare Roadmap cites the need for
improvements in P 3 capabilities that are critical to near-term
anti-submarine warfare operational capabilities. The committee report on
H.R. 1401 (H. Rept. 106 162) expressed the belief that increased
priority must be given to the maintenance of a robust, continuing
research and development to sustain current P 3 capabilities and support
introduction of new capabilities and recommended that the Secretary of
the Navy review the fiscal year 2001 budget request for the P 3 to
ensure that it follows the program priorities established in the
roadmap.
The committee is concerned that the Navy is not taking the steps
necessary to maintain the P 3 fleet and support the introduction of new
operational capabilities that may be required in the future. The
committee is aware of the need for the Navy to balance its competing
program priorities among available funds, but believes that there is a
systemic problem in the Navy in which insufficient attention is given to
funding for the sustainment, technology refreshment, and improvement of
legacy systems that are expected to remain in service and have no
programmed replacement. The average age of the P 3 fleet is over 20
years, and the aircraft and its weapons systems are expected to remain
in service until after 2020. The aircraft electrical system was designed
for analog equipment and has become less compatible with modern digital
equipment as technology has advanced. As expressed in previous reports,
the committee believes that additional funding is required for combat
systems development and integration of commercial-off-the-shelf signal
processing technology to ensure that the P 3 provides the advanced
anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, and surveillance
capabilities that are required by the fleet.
Therefore, the committee recommends $7.8 million in PE 64221N, an
increase of $1.9 million for the design, demonstration, and testing of a
new electrical system and an increase of $3.0 million for advanced
concept systems development. The committee directs the Secretary of the
Navy to report on the Navy's plans for sustaining the operational
capabilities of the P 3 and for development of a replacement aircraft to
the congressional defense committees with the fiscal year 2002 budget
request.
P 3 special mission squadron sensor upgrade
The budget request contained $ 27.5 million in PE 35207N for manned
reconnaissance systems research and development, including $2.2 million
for special mission P 3 reconnaissance squadrons.
The committee notes the increased operational requirements placed on
the P 3 special mission reconnaissance squadrons by the major combatant
commanders and the need for improvements in aircraft sensors
capabilities identified by the Chief of Naval Operations as an unfunded
requirements in fiscal year 2001.
The committee recommends an increase of $2.6 million in PE 35207N to
accelerate the development of three sensor upgrades for special mission
P 3 aircraft squadrons.
Parametric airborne dipping sonar
The budget request contained $58.3 million in PE 63747N for undersea
warfare advanced technology development and $69.9 million in PE 64216N
for the multi-mission helicopter upgrade program, but included no funds
for the parametric airborne dipping sonar (PADS).
The committee notes that the Navy's advanced technology demonstration
of a prototype PADS has indicated the significant potential of
parametric sonar technology against both mine-like and submarine targets
in littoral waters. The results of the Navy's at-sea test of PADS
indicated that the essential goals of the PADS demonstration had been
met and suggest PADS potential for mine detection. The Secretary of the
Navy's evaluation report, dated January 1999, stated that the PADS
technology merits further pursuit and that the Navy intended to continue
demonstration of parametric sonar technology. The committee is aware
that the Navy plans at-sea tests of the PADS prototype against submarine
targets later this summer. Pending the successful completion of those
tests, the committee directs the Secretary of the Navy to report to the
congressional defense committees on the Navy's plan for further
development of the PADS system with the submission of the fiscal 2002
budget request.
The committee recommends no additional funds for PADS in PE 63747N
and PE 64216N and awaits recommendations from the Secretary of the Navy
regarding the program.
Power node control centers
The budget request contained $37.4 million in PE 63508N for advanced
development of surface ship and submarine hull, mechanical, and
engineering advanced technology.
The committee notes the progress made in the development and
demonstration of power node control centers for integrated switching,
conversion, distribution, and control of electrical power aboard naval
vessels. The committee is aware of other new electric power distribution
and propulsion system architectures that can be automatically
reconfigured to maintain the combat readiness of the shipboard
navigation, communication, and weapons systems following accidental or
hostile damage. The committee also notes the Navy's plans for the
application of power node control centers in integrated power systems
for the DD 21 land attack destroyer and other ships.
The committee recommends an increase of $3.0 million in PE 63508N to
continue the development and demonstration of power node control centers
and other flexible power distribution architectures and their
application in integrated power systems.
Project M
The budget request contained $37.4 million in PE 63508N for advanced
development of surface ship and submarine hull, mechanical, and
engineering advanced technology, but contained no funds to continue
Project M development of advanced machinery quieting technology.
The committee notes the initial reports of successful testing of
Project M quieting technology installed in the one-quarter scale
submarine at the Navy's acoustic test range, and believes that the
technology is ready for transition from the Navy's science and
technology base to potential applications in Navy propulsion and other
machinery systems. The committee is aware that an issue of the potential
magnetic signature of the technology must be resolved as a part of any
transition to ship board applications.
The committee recommends an increase of $3.0 million in PE 63508N to
transition Project M technology for Navy systems applications. The
committee directs the Secretary of the Navy to report to the
congressional defense committees on the Navy's plan for transition of
the technology with the submission of the fiscal year 2002 budget
request.
Radio frequency integration and testing environment
The budget request contained $270.3 million in PE 65864N for test and
evaluation support.
The committee notes that the proliferation of antennas and radio
frequency emitters on board Navy ships results in potentially severe
electromagnetic interference among communications and sensor systems,
which compete for bandwidth in the electromagnetic spectrum, unless
careful attention is given to electromagnetic compatibility. While
research and development continues to pursue the use of common aperture
antenna arrays to reduce shipboard ``antenna farms'', the requirement to
resolve potential electromagnetic compatibility issues can only grow as
demands for communications channels and bandwidth increase and new
sensors which use the electromagnetic spectrum are deployed to counter
new threats.
The committee believes that the requirement may exist for a testing
environment for radio frequency integration and ship electronic
interoperability that would address the electromagnetic compatibility of
ships in the demanding radio frequency environment of modern, joint
littoral warfare. Such a testing environment would provide the
capability for instrumented electronic testing for ship-based equipment
to identify and resolve electromagnetic interference problems, before
the deployment of the equipment to the fleet. The committee believes
that a fully instrumented, electromagnetic simulation environment,
similar to that currently used in aircraft and telecommunications system
testing, would be re-configurable for different ship classes and capable
of participating in distributed interactive simulations. This capability
could enable fleet analysis, technology evaluation, and development of
new tactics, techniques, and procedures.
The committee directs the Secretary of the Navy, in coordination with
the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, to conduct an
assessment and provide recommendations on requirements for
electromagnetic compatibility testing of ship-based equipment and the
potential need to establish a radio frequency integration and ship
interoperability testing environment. The committee further directs the
Secretary to submit the results of the assessment and any
recommendations to the congressional defense committees with the
submission of the fiscal year 2002 budget request.
The committee recommends $270.3 million, the budget request, in PE
65864N for Navy test and evaluation support.
Remote precision gun
The budget request contained $ 54.7 million in PE 63640M for Marine
Corps advanced technology demonstrations, but included no funds for the
remote precision gun.
The committee is aware that a remotely operated precision gun
platform is being developed to reduce risk to personnel under a variety
of conditions. The committee notes that this remote fire system allows
the operator to remain out of the line of fire and eliminates human
error in aiming and firing a weapon.
The committee recommends $55.7 million in PE63640M, an increase of
$1.0 million for completion of development of the remote precision gun
aiming platform for military applications.
S 3B surveillance system upgrade program
The budget request contained $455,000 in PE 64217N for engineering
and manufacturing development for the S 3 weapons system improvement
program.
The committee notes that the objective of the S 3B surveillance
system upgrade program is the integration of off-the-shelf radar,
electro-optic, and infrared sensors; electronic support measures; and
tactical data links to demonstrate an enhanced stand-off capability for
this systems that could be achieved with low risk and at relatively low
cost.
The committee strongly supports efforts to improve Navy battle group
operations and, therefore, recommends $12.5 million in PE 64217N, an
increase of $12.0 million to continue the S 3B surveillance system
upgrade prototype demonstration program.
Ship service fuel cell program
The budget request contained $37.4 million in PE 63508N for surface
ship and submarine hull, mechanical, and electrical advanced technology
development, including $17.6 million for advanced electrical systems.
The committee notes the progress in the Navy's marine fuel cell
program in the development of advanced ship service fuel cell power
systems as affordable, alternative electrical sources for ship service
power and the potential use of such systems in the DD 21 land attack
destroyer program and for other ship service power applications. The
committee notes program emphasis on leveraging commercial fuel cell
technology and solving Navy issues such as operation in salt-laden air,
shipboard shock and vibration, and reforming diesel and other common
naval fuels for use in fuel cells systems.
The committee recommends an increase of $2.8 million in PE 63508N to
accelerate the on-going Phase II program for development and
demonstration of a molten carbonate ship service fuel cell power system.
Silicon carbide and gallium nitride semiconductor substrates
The budget request contained $68.1 million in PE 62234N for applied
research in materials, electronics and computer technology.
The committee is aware that silicon carbide and gallium nitride are
wide band-gap semiconductor materials with unique physical and
electrical properties, which make possible the fabrication of a
next-generation of microelectronic devices that will be capable of
operating in radiation environments and at high temperatures, high
voltages, high power levels, and microwave frequencies. These
capabilities will enable a wide range of applications in military and
commercial systems such as advanced radars, power systems, sensors and
satellite communications. The committee continues to support the
development of silicon carbide and gallium nitride materials and
encourages the establishment of partnerships with industry to exploit
the technology for commercial uses.
The committee recommends an increase of $5.0 million in PE 62234N for
the continued development of silicon carbide and gallium nitride
semiconductor materials and microelectronic applications.
Single flux quantum electronics
The budget request contained $68.1 million in PE 62234N for applied
research in materials and radio frequency/electro-optics/infrared
electronics technology.
The committee notes the steady progress in laboratory demonstration
of single flux quantum electronics and the potential of this technology
for applications in high-speed military electronic systems and the
processing of high-speed electronic signals. The committee notes that
the development of the technology can be accelerated to take single flux
quantum electronics from the present stage of component demonstration in
the laboratory to the development of integrated modules that demonstrate
key functions needed for specific military electronics applications,
including analog to digital conversion of very high-speed electronic
signals.
Accordingly, the committee recommends $3.0 million in PE 62234N for
the initial two-year phase of a program for the development and
demonstration of single flux quantum electronic technology for military
applications.
SSGN Conversion
The budget request contained $34.8 M in PE 63559N to initiate the
option for converting Ohio class Trident ballistic missile submarines
(SSBN), currently scheduled for retirement, to a conventional cruise
missile submarine (SSGN) configuration.
The committee understands that the Department of Defense is assessing
alternatives to maintain the nuclear attack submarine (SSN) force at the
minimum force level of 55 SSNs, as recommended in the recent submarine
force requirements study approved by the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The
committee notes that the Secretary of Defense directed the addition of
$1.1 billion spread across the future years defense plan (FYDP) to
sustain the 55 SSN structure by refueling four additional SSN 688s. The
committee notes that the Secretary directed that conversion of up to
four Trident SSBNs to an SSGN configuration be considered as an
alternative to SSN refueling to maintain the 55 SSN force.
In the statement of managers which accompanied the conference report
on S.1059 (H. Rept. 106 301), the conferees directed the Secretary to
initiate arms control studies and cost and operational effectiveness
analysis required to provide the basis for a defense acquisition
milestone decision to proceed with the SSBN-to-SSGN conversion program.
The committee notes that significant arms control issues relating to the
Trident SSBN to SSGN conversion remain unresolved and that the cost and
operational effectiveness assessment of the SSGN conversion is
incomplete.
The committee notes that the Navy's notional plan for an SSGN
conversion program would begin refueling and conversion of the first
SSBN in fiscal year 2003. The notional schedule includes a Milestone 0
review by the Defense Acquisition Board late in fiscal year 2000,
preliminary design and risk reduction studies in fiscal year 2001, a
Milestone I/II decision to begin engineering and manufacturing
development in fiscal year 2002, and initial operational capability for
the first SSGN in fiscal year 2007. The committee notes, however, that
the Navy budget projection for fiscal years 2002 through 2005 contains
no additional funds for the program.
Senior Navy officials have confirmed that the budget request of $34.8
million is sufficient only to sustain the option for a version of the
SSGN accountable under Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START), and that
$260 million is required in fiscal year 2001 to retain the option for a
treaty-compliant SSGN conversion. The Navy estimates the cost of
converting four SSBNs to START-accountable SSGNs at $1.3 billion and the
cost of conversion to START-compliant SSGNs at $3.4 billion. Either of
these two versions of SSGNs would require an additional $1.1 billion for
refueling if SSGN conversion is conducted in addition to SSN refueling.
Navy officials acknowledged that the budget request is predicated on
indications from the Administration that future START negotiations might
include discussion of a change to the START protocol which would exempt
non-treaty compliant SSGNs from START accountability. The committee is
concerned that the proposed START-accountable SSGN acquisition strategy,
dependent on successful resolution of START negotiations including a new
protocol allowing special consideration of SSGNs, does not support the
Navy's stated requirements to initiate design immediately in fiscal year
2001 to support a fiscal year 2002 milestone decision to begin the
program.
Navy officials indicated that the converted SSBNs, although
possessing unique operational capabilities, would not satisfy the
mission capabilities required of nuclear attack submarines, and further
indicated that an SSGN conversion program would affect the submarine
industrial base and the schedule for the Virginia class SSN
construction.
The committee expresses deep concern for the initiation of additional
major program acquisition programs not currently in the Navy's outyear
planning budgets. These new efforts threaten the funding available for
Navy aircraft modernization and ship construction programs through the
end of the FYDP and beyond, and are, (as noted elsewhere in this
report), resulting in consideration of significant changes in
modernization and procurement programs required to maintain essential
Navy capabilities and core competencies. The funding required for Navy
core programs and the cost of the SSGN conversion program, even if the
arms control and cost and operational effectiveness issues can be
resolved, will severely impact the Navy's future budget projections. The
committee also notes that a development strategy for preserving the SSGN
conversion option that is based on the assumption of a willingness to
negotiate an exception to START could, if the negotiations were not
successful, have a significant impact on the U.S. strategic nuclear
force levels under START II and an unacceptable impact under proposed
START III limits.
The committee recommends $34.8 M in PE 63559N, the budget request for
the SSGN conversion program. The committee directs the Secretary of
Defense to provide
the congressional defense committees with an approved
acquisition strategy and program plan for the SSBN SSGN conversion that
identifies program funding and schedule, which addresses a milestone
schedule for resolution of the arms control issues and a decision as to
whether the SSGN shall be START-accountable or START compliant, with the
submission of the fiscal year 2002 budget request.
Submarine sonar dome window
The budget request contained $207.1 million in PE 64558N for the
Virginia class SSN program.
The committee notes the Navy's progress in the application for
submarine sonar domes and windows of an advanced glass-reinforced
plastic and rubber structural acoustic sandwich material system, which
was originally developed for surface ship sonar domes and windows. The
committee understands that at-sea testing of a quarter-scale submarine
sonar dome indicates potentially significant improvements in sonar
performance and sonar dome durability for the VIRGINIA class SSN and
that system manufacturing costs for this dome should be reduced compared
to the current sonar dome.
The committee recommends $209.1 million in PE 64558N for Virginia
class SSN engineering and manufacturing development, an increase of $2.0
million to continue the program for fabrication of a full-scale sonar
dome using the advanced acoustic sandwich material system for further
evaluation and testing.
Supply chain management and development best practices
The budget request contained $949,000 in PE 65804N for technical
information services that support cooperative advanced technology
initiatives between the Navy and U.S. industry with the goals of
improving affordability and reducing life cycle costs of new and
modernized Navy systems.
The committee notes that technology advances by the Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency, other military services, and other government
agencies provide the Navy with an opportunity to leverage research and
development investments that could lead to radical improvements in the
affordability and effectiveness of Navy systems. Similarly, technology
and production and business practices developed by industry can also
contribute to the development of more effective and affordable defense
systems. With a growing reliance on industry as the integrator of ships
and other weapon systems, the understanding and promotion of new
technologies and the adoption of best business practices between
government and industry can result in significant improvements in
operational effectiveness and affordability over the life cycle of
systems. The committee notes, however, that logistical support and
supply activities are often brought into the development cycle at late
stages and are, as a result, not able to influence the development of
the system at a time when the adoption of improvements in management and
business practices could have the greatest effect on the system life
cycle.
The committee strongly supports coordination and involvement by the
materiel developer, the user, the logistical support chain, government,
and industry in the development of new systems and the modernization of
existing systems. The committee believes that there is much to be gained
from the development and adoption of best business practices in the
materiel and systems development life cycle from its initial stages
through research and development, acquisition and fielding, and support
of the systems in the field, and in facilitating the exchange of
information and technology between industry and government for this
purpose.
Accordingly, the committee recommends $ 4.9 million in PE 65804N, an
increase of $4.0 million to establish a program that will facilitate the
development and adoption of logistical best business and management
practices among government and industry that are involved in the
development, acquisition, and support of defense systems.
Surface ship torpedo defense
The budget request included no funds for continuation of the Navy's
joint surface ship torpedo defense program with the United Kingdom.
The committee recommends $8.4 million in PE 63506N to continue the
joint collaborative surface ship torpedo defense program with the United
Kingdom for upgrades to the SLQ 25A torpedo countermeasures capability
and development and integration of promising soft kill and hard kill
countermeasures.
Tactical unmanned aerial vehicles
The budget request contained $113.1 million in PE 35204N for tactical
unmanned aerial vehicles, but included no funding to continue
development of the multi-function self-aligned gate (MSAG).
The committee is aware that the MSAG technology successfully
demonstrated ability to transmit and receive full-motion video and
communication. This new form of antenna, with no moving parts, offers
reduced life-cycle costs and enables production of light, conformal,
multi-beam antennas for tactical unmanned aerial vehicles (TUAV) and
associated systems.
The committee recommends an increase of $7.0 million in PE 35204N to
construct and test a line-of-sight array for the tactical control system
for the UAV.
Vacuum electronics
The budget request contained $68.1 million in PE 62234N for applied
research in materials and radio frequency, electro-optics, and infrared
electronics technology, including $10.0 million for applied research in
vacuum electronics.
The committee is aware of the potential need for increased funding
levels for vacuum technology research and development in order to
support the development of advanced high power vacuum tubes for Navy
radar and other applications that cannot be met with current solid state
devices. In the committee report on H.R. 1402 (H. Rept. 106 162), the
committee noted its support for continuation of a robust vacuum
electronics research and development program within the Department of
Defense (DOD) and other federal agencies. The committee directed the
Secretary of the Navy to assess DOD's requirements for advanced vacuum
electronics technology and to report the results of that assessment and
the long-term funding plan for the vacuum electronics program.
The committee notes that the Secretary's interim report to the
congressional defense committees, dated March 7, 2000, states that an
ongoing assessment of vacuum electronics and solid state technologies
and applications will lead to the development of a long-term investment
strategy and roadmap for future vacuum electronics and solid state
technology activities. The results of the assessment will be reported to
the congressional defense committees with the fiscal year 2002
President's budget request. In the interim, the Department of the Navy
intends to continue its current investment level in vacuum electronics.
The committee recommends $10.0 million in PE 62234N for applied
research in vacuum electronics technology and awaits the Secretary's
final report and recommendations for the long-term vacuum technology
program with the fiscal year 2002 budget request.
Vectored thrust ducted propeller compound helicopter demonstration
The budget request contained $76.3 million in PE 63792N for advanced
technology transition, including the vectored thrust ducted propeller
(VTDP) compound helicopter advanced technology demonstration project,
and $13.2 million in PE 64212N for development of the CH 60S airborne
mine counter measures helicopter.
The committee notes that the Navy has placed a high priority on the
development of an organic airborne mine countermeasures capability and
the demonstration of a variant of the CH 60 helicopter for the towed
airborne mine counter measures (AMCM) missions. As a back-up technology,
the Navy plans an advanced technology demonstration (ATD) of the VTDP
compound helicopter to demonstrate and assess the helicopter's towed
AMCM capability, other multi-mission capabilities, and life cycle cost
effectiveness.
The committee notes reports by Navy officials that early results from
CH-60 land- and sea-based tow tests indicate that the helicopter should
be able to perform the towed AMCM mission and that the final phase of
the tow test will begin in late fiscal year 2000. Following integration
of AMCM systems and sensors on the CH 60S helicopter, the Navy plans
initial operational capability of the helicopter in its organic AMCM
role in fiscal year 2005.
The committee report on H.R. 1401 (H. Rept. 106 162) directed the
Secretary of the Navy to assess the requirements, schedule, and cost of
conducting the ATD for the VTDP compound helicopter. The Secretary's
report, dated March 2000, states that the requirement to demonstrate the
potential value of this back-up technology for the AMCM mission and
other multi-mission applications remains unchanged, and that the Navy
has programmed the funds required through fiscal year 2002 to complete
the demonstration, including $11.3 million in fiscal year 2001. The
Department plans to begin a two-phased ATD in the third quarter of
fiscal year 2000, contingent upon successful completion of VTDP ground
test, and to complete flight testing in fiscal year 2004. The report
also indicated delays in completion of the ground test are being
assessed for their effect on project cost, schedule, and risk. The
Secretary's report concludes that the Department
will proceed with the ATD as planned and will advise the
Congressional defense committees regarding any significant information
that would affect the project's progress.
The committee intends to monitor closely the Navy's progress in
development of the CH 60S helicopter for the AMCM mission and progress
in the VTDP compound helicopter ATD. The committee recommends $11.3
million, the requested amount, in PE 63792N for continuation of the VTDP
compound helicopter demonstration project.
Virtual test bed for advanced electrical ship systems
The budget request contained $37.4 million in PE 63508N for advanced
development of surface ship and submarine hull, mechanical, and
engineering advanced technology.
The committee continues to support the development and application of
technologies that will lead to lower cost designs for future naval
ships. The committee notes the progress that has been made in the
development of a virtual, distributed test bed that supports the
integration of power electronics into ship systems. As a part of the
Navy's program leading to the development of an all-electric ship, the
virtual test bed provides a virtual test laboratory of new software and
hardware modeling tools for shipboard machinery design, and allows
government and industry ship designers to evaluate machinery
alternatives in a virtual prototype before committing to full-scale
development.
The committee recommends an increase of $3.0 million in PE 63508N to
continue the development and application of the virtual test bed for the
design and evaluation of advanced shipboard electrical power system
concepts and designs.
AIR FORCE RDT&E
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $13,685.6 million for Air Force RDT&E.
The committee recommends authorization of $13,677.1 million, a decrease
of $8.5 million.
The committee recommendations for the fiscal year 2000 Air Force
RDT&E program are identified in the table below. Major changes to the
Air Force request are discussed following the table and in the
classified annex to this report.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
21st century affordable aircraft thrust demonstration project
The budget request contained $13.2 million in PE 63245F for flight
vehicle performance and supportability technologies but included no
funds for the 21st century affordable aircraft thrust demonstration
project, a unique, science and technology approach to legacy aircraft
modernization which provides an integrated, life-cycle focus for key
technologies that support acquisition affordability processes.
The committee is increasingly concerned with the rising operations
and support costs for the services' aging inventory of fighter and
attack aircraft and believes that such rising costs have the potential
to adversely impact the budgets required to both modernize and maintain
future operational readiness. To address this concern, the committee
understands that the Air Force Research Laboratory completed a fiscal
year 1999 study which determined that near-term advanced technology,
when coupled with innovative acquisition, design, production and support
processes, could produce a new and more capable F 15C aircraft. The
committee also understands that the aircraft's 20-year life cycle cost,
including acquisition, would be dramatically less that the projected
cost of both upgrading and sustaining the existing F 15C fleet.
In an effort to reduce rising operations and support costs, the
committee recommends $69.2 million in PE 63245F, an increase of $56.0
million to begin construction of two demonstration aircraft consistent
with the Air Force Research Laboratory's fiscal year 1999 study and
believes that lessons learned and data collected from this project will
be applicable to aircraft of all services.
Aging landing gear life extension
The budget request contained $14.2 million in PE 65011F for RDT&E For
Aging Aircraft.
The committee notes the increasing incidence of Class A aviation
mishaps attributable to landing gear failure, as well as rising Mission
Incapable rates for high priority aircraft such as the KC 135 and C 130
due to limited availability of replacement landing gear components. The
committee is aware that the Air Force is working to develop improved
components and advanced inspection and overhaul equipment to address a
number of aging problems for the current inventories of U.S. aircraft.
However, the limited funds available in the RDT&E For Aging Aircraft
program are insufficient to support the promising goals of the Aging
Landing Gear Life Extension (ALGLE) program.
The committee recommends $26.2 million in PE65011F, an increase of
$12.0 million for acceleration of the ALGLE program.
Airborne laser
The budget request contained $148.6 million in PE 63319F for the
Airborne Laser (ABL) program.
The committee is disturbed that the budget request represents a
reduction of $92.4 million compared to the funding level projected in
the fiscal year 2000 budget request. The committee understands that this
reduction will delay the first lethal test against a missile by two
years, from fiscal year 2003 to fiscal year 2005. The committee further
understands that the Air Force reduced ABL funding throughout the future
years defense plan by approximately fifty percent, a decrease that would
delay initial operational capability by five years or more. The
committee notes that, prior to these funding decreases, the program was
on schedule, meeting costs and technical milestones.
The committee also notes that the Air Force justified the proposed
reductions on the basis that the service has higher priorities. The
committee is aware that the ABL is an important part of the ballistic
missile defense architecture developed by the Ballistic Missile Defense
Organization (BMDO), yet the changes to the ABL budget profile and the
program delays that would result were not coordinated in any way with
the Director of the BMDO.
The committee continues to believe that ballistic missile defense
remains a very high priority and that the challenge of meeting rapidly
evolving missile threats requires an integrated approach. Therefore, the
committee recommends a provision (section 235) to establish a new
program element within defense-wide research and development for the ABL
program. The committee strongly recommends that the Secretary of Defense
realign resources throughout the future years defense program to assure
that the BMDO can manage the ABL program to achieve timely development
and testing.
The committee directs the Secretary of Defense to establish the
Director of BMDO as the ABL program acquisition executive through
development and operational testing, at which time the committee would
support a recommendation by the Secretary of Defense to transfer
procurement responsibilities to the Air Force. The committee understands
that the Department of the Air Force has executed this program since its
inception and directs the Director of BMDO assure that the Department of
the Air Force continue to execute program management during ABL
development and operational testing. The committee further understands
that the Air Force will provide ABL training and that Air Force
personnel will operate the ABL system when deployed.
The committee recommends no funds in PE 63319F, a decrease of $148.6
million, and $231.0 million in a new PE 63XXXC, an increase of $82.4
million and transfer of all funding for ABL.
Airborne reconnaissance systems
The budget request contained $136.9 million in PE 35206F for airborne
reconnaissance systems.
The committee notes that the joint signals intelligence (SIGINT)
avionics family (JSAF) under development, consisting of a low-band
subsystem (LBSS) and high band subsystem (HBSS), has applications in
several intelligence collection platforms. The committee notes that the
joint airborne SIGINT architecture (JASA) provides future SIGINT
payloads, such as JSAF, with a standard architecture, thereby providing
the potential for reducing costs through use of commercial off-the-shelf
technologies. The committee fully supports the research and development
of this program in order to determine if the JASA potential can be
realized. However, the committee is concerned that procurement of JSAF
is not properly funded and sequenced to preclude adverse effects on
intelligence collection operations. Furthermore, the committee is aware
that the emerging commercial silicon germanium (SiGe) technology may
offer significant size, weight, performance, and cost advantages over
existing technology, and believes it may well be beneficially applied to
the JSAF requirements. The committee strongly recommends rapid
development of SiGe technology for appropriate applications.
Therefore, the committee recommends $136.9 million in PE 35206F.
Further, the committee makes specific procurement funding modifications
elsewhere in this report to better support both the continued
development of the JSAF and operational SIGINT capabilities already
fielded.
Air Force/National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) partnership
The budget request contained $3.4 million in PE 63856F for the Air
Force/National Reconnaissance Office Partnership.
The committee understands that $2.0 million of the funding requested
would be used for studies and analysis of synergies between the Air
Force and the NRO. The committee notes that the Assistant Secretary of
the Air Force, Space, also serves as the director of the NRO. The
committee believes that coordination between the two organizations is
inherently institutionalized, and should be a matter of routine.
The committee recommends $1.4 million in PE 63856F, a reduction of
$2.0 million.
Air Force science and technology
The budget request contained $1,291.3 million for Air Force science
and technology (S&T) funding, including $206.1 million for basic
research, $590.3 for applied research, and $494.9 for advanced
technology development.
The committee notes that the total request for Air Force S&T
represents a decrease from the amount provided for fiscal year 2000, and
a third consecutive year of decline for this critical area of
modernization investment. The Air Force has shown modest improvement in
this area by increasing the fiscal year 2001 S&T request above the
forecasted level. However, the committee remains concerned that Air
Force modernization investments still reflect a much higher priority on
near-term modernization and sustainment of legacy systems than on
sustaining adequate levels of investment in S&T to enable future
modernization.
The committee is aware that the Air Force is designated as the lead
service for a number of technology areas including aerospace propulsion,
flight vehicle technology, and space systems development, and that many
Army, Navy, and Marine Corps acquisition programs depend on adequate
levels of S&T funding being sustained in these areas. The committee is
also aware that the Department of Defense has recently taken action to
correct the unacceptable decline in the Air Force funding for aerospace
propulsion and fully supports the revitalized emphasis in this important
technology area.
To correct the investment imbalances caused by the Air Force
prioritization of legacy system sustainment and near term modernization,
the committee recommends an increase of $77.2 million for Air Force
science and technology as described in the following adjustments to the
specific programs. Elsewhere in this report, the committee provides
support for special materials development including an increase of $2.0
million in PE 62102F for intermediate modulus carbon fiber and
ultra-high thermal conductivity graphite materials.
Aerospace propulsion
The budget request contained $116.3 million in PE 62203F for
aerospace propulsion applied research, $38.0 million in PE 62111N for
air and surface launched weapons technology, and $24.3 million in PE
63302F for space and missile rocket propulsion technology.
The committee notes the numerous advances in Integrated High
Performance Turbine Engine Technology (IHPTET) and Integrated High
Performance Rocket Propulsion Technology (IHPRPT) achieved over the past
several years. The IHPRPT initiative has enabled the services to pursue
needed advances in liquid and solid propulsion research for small
missile projects such as the lightweight, low cost SPIKE infantry guided
missile project and the solid fuel ramjet deep strike missile. Programs
that benefit from IHPTET include F 22 Raptor and Joint Strike Fighter
advanced turbine engines, all current turbine engine aircraft programs,
and numerous strategic and tactical missile systems.
The committee also notes important technology advances in the area of
magnetic bearing cooling turbine designs that offer significant
improvements in operational readiness and safety of the KC 135 and C 130
aircraft fleets. The magnetic bearing provides near frictionless bearing
capability resulting in dramatically reduced lifecycle costs and
improved mission capable rates.
The committee notes that many space launch vehicles, both planned and
currently under development, will transition from traditional propulsion
systems to high-pressure systems that use liquid oxygen and kerosene.
The committee notes that this rocket fuel is both more energetic than
hydrogen fuels and is environmentally friendly. The committee is
concerned, however, that the research and development test
infrastructure is inadequate to validate the performance of new
high-energy propulsion technologies in a timely manner and believes that
additional funding is needed to reinforce this effort. The committee
believes that such upgrades would also support a wide range of IPHRPT
programs.
The committee recommends an increase of $6.0 million in PE 62203F,
and an increase of $4.0 million in PE 62111N for acceleration of
advanced aerospace propulsion initiatives associated with the IHPTET and
IPHRPT programs. The committee further recommends an increase of $23.7
million in PE 63302F for new technology insertion into existing large
propulsion test facilities to test new high-energy propulsion systems.
Aircrew laser eye protection
The budget request contained $12.5 million in PE 63231F for crew
systems and personnel protection technology, including $1.3 million for
aircrew laser eye protection.
The committee has consistently supported the Department of Defense's
efforts to enhance aircraft crewmember protection systems. The committee
is aware of the
ongoing efforts to develop both laser eye protection in both
the near-infrared and visible light portions of the spectrum. The
committee notes the exceptional future battlefield benefit of providing
maximum protection in the visible spectrum urges the continued
development of these initiatives and encourages them to be viewed as a
high priority.
The committee recommends $14.5 million in PE 63231F, an increase of
$2.0 million to address visible spectrum technologies and development.
Ballistic missile technology
The budget request contained no funds in PE 63311F for the ballistic
missile technology (BMT) program.
The committee notes that both the Navy Trident D 5 submarine launched
ballistic missile and the Air Force Minuteman III land-based
intercontinental ballistic missile are aging, will require continuing
efforts to assure their operational viability, and will eventually need
to be replaced. The committee also notes that current defense planning
guidance directs the Air Force and Navy to apply common technologies and
components to meet requirements for ballistic missile sustainment and
upgrades. The committee is aware that the Navy and Air Force are
actively seeking to avoid duplication of missile technology development
efforts. If adequately funded, BMT is the Air Force program in which
these efforts will be pursued. The committee also believes that the BMT
program could support a number of other on-going technology developments
with potential to meet important military needs, including the
demonstration of a portable Global Positioning System range safety
system and technologies relevant to the destruction of hardened and
deeply buried targets.
The committee believes these efforts offer significant contributions
to Air Force missile programs and is concerned with the lack of support
for the BMT program. The committee, therefore, recommends $12.0 million
in PE 63311F, an increase of $12.0 million.
Combat identification
The budget request contained $13.7 million in PE 63203F for target
attack and recognition technology.
The committee notes the importance placed by the military services on
pursuing technological advances to improve rapid combat identification
of friendly and opposing forces, and is disturbed by recent Air Force
funding reductions in this area. All-weather positive target
identification at long stand-off ranges was specifically cited as a
limiting factor during operations in Kosovo.
The committee recommends an increase of $2.0 million in PE 63203F for
acceleration of combat identification development.
Composite affordability initiative
The budget request contained $48.8 million in PE 62201F for aerospace
flight dynamics, including $1.8 million for concepts and initiatives to
reduce manufacturing cost.
The committee is aware of a number of technologies being developed
under the Composite Affordability Initiative (CAI) program, including 3D
weaving technology. This technology offers the potential for improved
performance and cost reduction in applications such as future military
aircraft unitized structures and lightweight civil aircraft.
The committee supports the CAI program and recommends an increase of
$1.0 million in PE 62201F for 3D weaving technology.
Low cost launch technology
The budget request contained $24.3 million in PE 63302F for
development of space and missile rocket propulsion, but included no
funds for low cost launch technology.
The committee is aware of a number of technologies and concepts that
offer the potential to reduce launch costs dramatically, including
Scorpius, which utilizes simplified processes and technologies to
achieve streamlined, low cost launch and has successfully demonstrated
launch capabilities. The committee believes that continued research in
this area is important to the long-term viability of the U.S. launch
industry and that those technologies that have demonstrated success
deserve priority. The committee believes that the Air Force, as the
service primarily responsible for meeting national security launch
needs, should manage this effort rather than the Ballistic Missile
Defense Organization.
The committee recommends an increase of $10.0 million in PE 63302F,
for low cost launch technologies including Scorpius.
Miniature satellite threat reporting system
The budget request contained $97.3 million in PE 63401F for advanced
spacecraft technology, of which $1.1 million is for space systems
protection.
The miniature satellite threat reporting system (MSTRS) program is
developing technologies for a variety of space platforms to provide
warning against ground-based, broadband radio frequency threats to
satellites and to help protect against interference, intrusion, jamming,
and unauthorized use of U.S. satellites. Prior year funding has
supported miniaturization of the technology, preparations for a test
flight of MSTRS technology in fiscal year 2001, and a year-long
demonstration of these technologies starting in fiscal year 2004. The
committee continues to believe that MSTRS is an important effort given
the increasing reliance of U.S. military forces on space assets and the
potential vulnerability of these assets to evolving threats.
The committee understands that additional funding is needed to
accommodate the 2001 flight test and to complete miniaturization.
Therefore the committee recommends $102.3 million in PE 63401F, an
increase of $5.0 million for further development of MSTRS technology.
Specialty aerospace metals
The budget request contained $72.8 million for PE 62102F for applied
research and $21.7 million in PE 63112F for advanced development of
materials technologies for aerospace systems and $53.1 million in PE
78011F for the Air Force's manufacturing technology program.
The committee notes the continuing need for advances in special
aerospace metals and metal alloys for aircraft and space vehicle
structures, propulsion, components, and weapon systems. Both the Navy
and the Air Force are seeking access to materials that are lightweight,
high strength, high performance, and capable of withstanding the
stressing environments that are experienced by aerospace systems, and
for the development and optimization of manufacturing processes for
these materials.
The committee recommends increases of $5.25 million in PE 62102F,
$5.25 million in PE 63112F, and $4.5 million in PE 78011F to establish
an integrated program for the development and demonstration of special
aerospace materials and materials manufacturing processes, and
encourages the Secretary of the Air Force to establish a continuing
program for special aerospace metals and alloys as an integral part of
the Air Force's science and technology and manufacturing technology
programs. The committee requests the Secretary to assess Air Force
requirements for advanced special aerospace metals and alloys and to
report to the congressional defense committees on the Air Force's plan
for meeting those requirements with the submission of the fiscal year
2002 budget request.
Upper atmospheric and astronomical research
The budget request contained $206.1 million in PE 61102F for Air
Force basic research, but included no funding for proposed enhancements
to upper atmospheric and astronomical research activities.
The committee understands that completion and testing of a proposed
thirty-six reflector telescope would support Air Force relevant space
research and efforts to increase fundamental understanding of the upper
atmosphere. The committee supports this effort and recommends $209.1
million in PE 61102F, an increase of $3.0 million for upper atmospheric
and astronomical research.
Advanced message-oriented data security module (AMODSM)
The budget request contained $12.6 million in PE 64735F for combat
training range development but included no funds to integrate AMODSM
units in the Nellis Air Combat Training System (NACTS) or the Tyndall
Range Expansion (TRE). Additionally, the budget request contained $398.5
million for in the procurement miscellaneous production charges and
$26.0 million for combat training ranges but included no funds for
procurement of AMODSM units.
Both the NACTS and the TRE are used to train aircrews for combat and
are configured with instrumentation to determine aerial combat outcomes.
AMODSM units provide encrypted fly-out information for the advanced
medium-range air-to-air missile (AMRAAM), the primary
beyond-visual-range air-to-air weapon for Air Force, Navy and Marine
Corps fighter and attack aircraft, and enable aircrews to determine
AMRAAM training mission results at the NACTS and TRE. The committee
believes that AMOSM
units are required for training at the NACTS and TRE and
recommended an increase for this purpose in its report on H.R. 1401 (H.
Rept. 106 162) for fiscal year 2000.
To complete the AMODSM unit integration effort on the NACTS and TRE,
the committee recommends $16.6 million in PE 64735F, an increase of $4.0
million. Additionally, the committee recommends $399.5 million in
miscellaneous production charges, an increase of $1.0 million, to begin
procurement of AMODSM units for aircraft installation; and $27.0 million
for combat training ranges, an increase of $1.0 million, for procurement
of ground-based AMODSM equipment at the NACTS and TRE. The committee
expects these additional funds to be expeditiously obligated in order to
achieve AMODSM operational capability at the earliest possible date.
B 1B link 16 data link
The budget request contained $168.1 million in PE 64226F for B 1B
bomber modernization but included no funds for B 1B Link 16
connectivity.
The committee believes that upgraded data links are needed for the B
1B that can provide real-time information to B 1B flight crews to
improve their situational and threat awareness and their ability to plan
and execute missions. The committee notes that the Air Force Chief of
Staff has identified the B 1B Link 16 data link as one of his unfunded
priorities for fiscal year 2001.
Therefore, the committee recommends $178.1 million in PE 64226F, an
increase of $10.0 million for the B 1B Link 16 data link.
B 2 upgrades
The budget request contained $48.3 million in PE 64240F for continued
development of technologies to enhance the capabilities of the B 2
bomber.
The committee continues to accept the conclusion of the 1998 Long
Range Air Power panel that additional investments are required for the B
2 to reach its full operational potential. The committee notes that the
Air Force has identified a number of technologies that would enhance B 2
capabilities, including development of a bomb rack assembly with
communications interfaces, development of a 500-pound variant of the
Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), improvements in B 2 connectivity,
and upgrades of B 2 data displays. Development of the smart bomb rack
and the smaller JDAM will improve the B 2's operational flexibility by
allowing it to carry larger payloads of all-weather near-precision
munitions. The committee notes that the Air Force Chief of Staff has
identified development of the smart bomb rack assembly as an unfunded
requirement in fiscal year 2001 and recommends an increase of $56.0
million for development of the smart bomb rack assembly for the B 2
bomber.
The committee notes the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2000 (Public Law 106 65) added funds for Link 16 integration with
the B 2. The committee notes that this datalink in conjunction with a
center instrument display (CID) capable of augmenting the current
display system will enhance the situational awareness of B 2 aircrews
and B 2 mission effectiveness. Therefore, the committee also recommends
an increase of $38.0 million for Link 16 integration and development of
the CID.
In total, the committee recommends $142.3 million in PE 64240F, an
increase of $94.0 million for B 2 upgrades.
B 52 modified miniature receive terminals configuration
The budget request contained $15.3 million in PE 33131F for research
and development on the minimum essential emergency communications
network (MEECN), of which $2.7 million was for improvements for aircraft
very low frequency/low frequency (VLF/LF) communications.
The committee notes that B 52 bombers have not been equipped with
modified VLF/LF miniature receive terminals (MMRT) that provide high
data rate capability and that modification of existing miniature receive
terminals has been directed by the Joint Staff. This capability is
critical for timely reception of emergency action messages by
nuclear-capable bombers.
The committee recommends $20.3 million in PE 33131F, an increase of
$5.0 million to modify the B 52 miniature receive terminals to the MMRT
configuration with high data rate capabilities.
Defense reconnaissance support program
The budget requested contained $45.1 million in PE 35159F for various
projects within the defense reconnaissance support program (DSRP).
The committee recommends $38.0 million in PE35159F, a decrease of
$7.1 million. This reduction is taken without prejudice.
Discoverer II
The budget request contained $97.3 million in PE63401F, including
$54.2 million for Discoverer II, and $182.2 million in PE 63762E for
sensor and guidance technology, including $40.1 million for Discoverer
II. The request also contained additional funding in a classified
program element for the design and development of the Discoverer II
space-based moving target indicator (MTI) demonstration project.
The committee remains supportive of the Discoverer II demonstration
and believes that space-based radar has the potential to meet identified
military requirements. However, the committee believes that the
capabilities promised by space-based radar are valuable only if the
capability is developed and deployed at affordable cost, and that cost
discipline will be key to success for Discover II. The committee also
notes that the Department of Defense has yet to provide a concept of
operations that achieves synergies between space and airborne MTI assets
and other national and tactical sensor assets, and believes that the
ultimate value of the program cannot be determined without this
definition.
Therefore, the committee directs the Secretary of Defense to provide
a report to the congressional defense and intelligence committees, by
February 15, 2001 describing the Discoverer II concept of operations as
defined, as of that date and a firm cost estimate for the two-satellite
demonstration program that will provide a benchmark by which the
committees can judge the cost of the technologies.
Eagle vision
The budget request included no funds to improve the Eagle Vision
imagery ground station's capability to receive and process new
commercial imagery sources.
The committee notes the recent successful launch and initial
operations of the Ikonos II commercial imagery satellite. The committee
also notes that two other U.S. commercial companies are about to launch
their own high-resolution imagery satellites. Currently, the Eagle
Vision ground station is designed to receive and process relatively
low-resolution imagery from Canadian and French commercial satellites.
It is, however, not able to process imagery from the higher resolution
U.S. systems that are either in or soon to be in orbit.
Therefore, the committee recommends $4.5 million in PE 27277F, an
increase of $4.5 million, for the purpose of integrating into the Eagle
Vision ground stations a receive and processing functionality necessary
to exploit current and future U.S. commercial satellite imaging systems.
Electronic warfare development
The budget request contained $58.2 million in PE 64270F for
electronic warfare (EW) development, but included no funds for the PLAID
technology program. The budget request also included $4.0 million for
the miniature air-launched decoy (MALD) program, which, the committee
notes, only partially funds its transition from the advanced concept
technology demonstration (ACTD) to the engineering and manufacturing
development (EMD) phase.
The PLAID technology program will enhance aircrew situational
awareness by providing accurate ground emitter location and
identification. The improved situational awareness resulting from this
technology will help combat pilots to effectively avoid radar-guided
surface-to-air missiles. In its report on H.R. 1401 (H.Rept. 106 162)
for fiscal year 2000, the committee recommended an increase of $13.7
million for PLAID, and understands that recent test reports indicate
that PLAID technology has been remarkably successful. Further, the
committee notes that PLAID technology has been identified as critical
for the joint strike fighter, unmanned aerial vehicles, and suppression
of enemy air defense platforms. Consequently, the committee recommends
an increase of $17.7 million, to continue the PLAID technology
development.
The MALD is a low-cost decoy intended to stimulate enemy integrated
air defense systems to enable pilots to either avoid or target these
systems. The committee understands that the Air Force Operational Test
and Evaluation Center recently evaluated the MALD and found it to be
potentially both operationally effective and suitable with tactically
significant capabilities for the Air Force. Encouraged by these results,
the committee believes that the MALD should complete its ACTD effort and
transition to EMD in fiscal year 2001. Accordingly, the committee
recommends an increase of $7.0 million to increase the MALD's
suitability for operational use.
In total, the committee recommends $82.9 million, an increase of
$24.7 million, for EW development.
Extended range cruise missile (ERCM)
The budget request contained no funds for either the conventional
air-launched cruise missile (CALCM) or for the ERCM, a proposed
replacement for this weapon.
The committee recalls that as a result of CALCM combat expenditures
between 1991 and 1999 that substantially reduced inventory, Congress
required the Secretary of the Air Force to report on CALCM replacement
options in Section 132 of the National Defense Authorization for Fiscal
Year 2000 (P.L. 106 65). The committee notes that this report detailed
the Air Force's need for an ERCM that would meet the requirement to
quickly increase the inventory of cruise missiles and provide an
extended-range missile capability to protect the Air Force's aging
bomber force. The committee also notes that the Air Force Chief of Staff
has included the start of an ERCM program among his top 20 unfunded
requirements for fiscal year 2001.
Consequently, the committee recommends $86.1 million in PE 64XXXF to
begin an ERCM program and expects the Department of the Air Force to
both employ fair and open competitive practices and to fund fully a
618-unit program in its fiscal year 2002 and future years defense
program. If the Department of the Air Force proposes to pursue an
acquisition strategy using other than full and open competition, the
Secretary of the Air Force shall inform the congressional defense
committees the rationale and justification therefore at least 30 days
prior to obligating any funds.
Additionally, the committee understands that the currently planned
ERCM program does not include missiles configured with a penetration
warhead. If the Department of the Air Force subsequently opts to include
a penetration warhead as part of the ERCM program, the Director of
Defense Research and Engineering shall report to the congressional
defense committees, 30 days prior to the obligation of funds for such a
warhead, his independent assessment of penetration warhead improvements
necessary for the ERCM to defeat the full spectrum of those targets
identified by a Joint Requirements Oversight Council-approved
requirement.
Global hawk unmanned aerial vehicle
The budget request included $109.2 million in PE 35205F for endurance
unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), including $103.2 million for continued
development of the Global Hawk UAV.
The committee supports the Global Hawk and believes that it has the
potential for providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance
support to military customers, complementing the current U 2 operations.
The committee notes that due to a crash of the one air vehicle, and a
runway accident of another, there are no electro-optic/infra-red (EO/IR)
sensors to continue test and evaluation of the UAV. The committee
believes it is important to procure sensor sets to replace those lost to
the accidents. Further, the committee is aware of unobligated and
unexpended funding from prior year funds provided for endurance UAV that
could be used to purchase these sensors and continue the Global Hawk
engineering and development in fiscal year 2001.
Therefore, the committee recommends $109.2 million in PE 35205F for
endurance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), of which $12.0 million is for
the purchase of two EO/IR sensors for the Global Hawk aircraft.
Hyperspectral imagery system
The budget request contained $9.8 million in PE 27247F for Air Force
tactical exploitation of national capabilities (TENCAP) projects.
The committee recalls Congress provided additional funding in fiscal
year 2000 for continuing development of a hyper-spectral sensor for
application on Navy P 3 and Air Force unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).
The committee is aware that this initiative has resulted in a joint
effort to integrate and demonstrate a real-time hyper-spectral sensor on
a Predator UAV. The committee notes that no funding was provided in the
budget request to continue this effort through demonstration. The
committee believes that a hyper-spectral sensor will significantly
mitigate the problems of detecting and targeting camouflaged targets
that has hampered aerial targeting in past operations.
Therefore, the committee recommends $13.8 million in PE 27247F, an
increase of $4.0 million to continue this demonstration with the goal of
producing an operational real-time hyper-spectral sensing system on UAVs
and other intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft.
Integrated broadcast service
The budget request included $24.5 million in PE 63850F for
development of the Integrated Broadcast Service (IBS). The request also
included $15.1 million in operation and maintenance, Navy, for operating
the legacy systems, including the Tactical Information Broadcast Service
(TIBS), the TRAP Data Dissemination System (TDDS), the Tactical
Reconnaissance Information Exchange System (TRIXS), the Tactical Digital
Information Exchange System (TADIXS B) and the Near-real-time
Dissemination (NRTD) System.
The committee has been very supportive of the IBS program since its
inception in fiscal year 1995. IBS was to result in a coordinated
broadcast capability and the termination of the legacy systems,
providing better support to real-time users of intelligence. This goal
clearly has not been achieved, and the committee is extremely
disappointed with the Department's progress toward IBS. The original
program schedule provided for the legacy systems to be integrated into
an initial IBS functionality in the 2000 time frame. The current
schedule now shows such a capability in 2007. Further, there has been no
progress in terminating any or all of the legacy systems. In fact, some
of the legacy systems have actually been modified to increase their
capabilities. It is clear that the program managers have had no
intention of terminating these systems. In preparation of the fiscal
year 2001 budget markup, the committee drafted legislation to direct the
Department to terminate all legacy broadcast systems on a date certain.
However, the committee decided to rescind the provision, allowing the
Assistant Secretary of Defense (Command, Control, Communications and
Intelligence) (ASD(C3I)) to be responsible for commitments to the
Congress to move forward with IBS.
The committee notes that the IBS executive agent has been moved from
the Navy to the Air Force. However, the budget request for IBS had been
submitted before this change. Therefore, all operation and maintenance
funding should be transferred to the Air Force in accordance with the
transfer of management responsibility.
The committee is aware that the Department of Defense has tentatively
decided to proceed with IBS in a phased spiral-development approach
beginning with an ``increment one'' that uses the current, or slightly
modified, TIBS message set as the baseline. This will allow the
Department to baseline the IBS program using an existing program, and
improve on it, rather than begin wholly anew. The committee supports
this approach and expects the ASD(C3I) personally will oversee its
progress and the most expedient retirement of all other legacy systems.
Finally, the IBS contract was terminated for non-performance prior to
the beginning of fiscal year 2000. The committee understands that,
accordingly, there are funds available from previous congressional
appropriations. Further, the committee believes the current request for
program office personnel and funding is far in excess of need.
Therefore, the committee recommends $15.8 million, a decrease of $8.7
million in PE 63850F for IBS. Further, the committee recommends a
transfer of $15 million from operation and maintenance, Navy, to
operation and maintenance, Air Force.
Joint ejection seat program
The budget request contained $14.8 million in PE 64706F for life
support systems, including $10.9 million for ejection seat development,
but included no funds for standardized cockpit and crew seats.
The committee notes the serious shortage of ejection seat
manufacturers available to meet U.S. aircraft ejection seat requirements
and fully supports the Joint Ejection Seat Program (JESP). The goal of
this joint program is to distribute equally, JESP funds among viable
ejection seat producers to enable them to compete for Air Force and Navy
requirements, including the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program. However,
the committee is aware that ejection seat development efforts are
currently being conducted, that assists only one of the potential
competitors in preparing to meet these requirements. Although well
intentioned, these ongoing projects result in unfairly disadvantaging
other potential competitors during this highly sensitive period
immediately prior to selection of the ejection seat producer for the
JSF. The committee notes that the Department of Defense is making every
effort to ensure that the JSF program is closely monitored and that the
enormous implications to the fighter aircraft industrial base are
completely understood and taken into account prior to the planned
``winner take all'' selection for development and production of JSF.
However, the committee is concerned that similar precautions are not in
place to prevent a potential imbalance to the competitive playing field
for selection of the JSF ejection seat. In order to protect the JSF
program from potentially damaging program delays due to unfair
competition claims, the committee recommends that no funds other than
that included in the JESP be allowed for ejection seat development
efforts involving producers identified as potential JSF ejection seat
competitors .
Thus, the committee recommends a decrease of $10.9 million in PE
64706F for all Air Force ejection seat development efforts. The
committee directs the Secretary of
Defense to conduct a thorough assessment of all development
work for fighter aircraft ejection seats within the Department to ensure
that no funding is provided which unfairly benefits any potential
competitor prior to a full and open competitive selection for the
ejection seat for JSF. The Secretary shall provide the results of this
assessment to the congressional defense committees with the submission
of the fiscal year 2002 budget request.
The committee is also aware of Air Force efforts previously supported
in PE 64706F to develop standardized cockpit and crew seats to protect
aircrew members and passengers against crash loads up to 1.6 times the
force of gravity. The committee notes that these efforts are separate
from ejection seat development and recommends an increase of $4.0
million in PE 64706F for continued development and testing of
standardized cockpit and crew seats.
Joint strike fighter
The budget request contained $856.6 million for the Joint Strike
Fighter (JSF) program, including $129.5 million in PE 63800F, $299.5
million in PE 64800F, $131.6 million in PE 63800N, and $296.0 million in
PE 64800N.
The committee notes that $261.1 million of the total funds requested
for JSF are intended to support completion of the demonstration and
validation phase of the program and a ``winner take all'' selection of
one of two competing approaches for entry into engineering and
manufacturing development (EMD). The remaining $595.5 million will
support award of an EMD contract to the winning competitor.
The committee understands that the JSF program is attempting to
integrate a significant number of challenging new technologies into one
joint service multi-purpose aircraft for the Air Force, Marine Corps,
Navy, and United Kingdom to replace a number of aging fighter and attack
aircraft fleets. The committee believes that, in light of the program's
scope and technological advances, the Secretary of Defense should take
all necessary measures to ensure that the JSF program's critical
technologies are sufficiently mature before entry into the EMD phase.
Consequently, the committee recommends a provision (Section 213) that
would limit the JSF program's approval to proceed beyond the
demonstration and validation phase until the Secretary of Defense
certifies to the congressional defense committees that the technological
maturity of the JSF program's key technologies is sufficient to warrant
its entry into EMD stage.
The Committee continues to express concern for the stability of the
fighter aircraft industrial base and notes that the JSF program
represents the only new fighter aircraft acquisition program proposed by
the Department of Defense during the next three decades. Accordingly,
the committee recommends a provision (Section 141) that would direct the
Secretary of Defense to submit a report to Congress providing the
results of a study of production alternatives for the JSF and the
effects on the tactical fighter aircraft industrial base of each
alternative considered.
Additionally, while the Department is currently reviewing the planned
JSF ``winner take all'' strategy to ensure that aircraft industrial base
concerns are addressed, the committee notes that no specific concern has
been stated with respect to the future stability of the fighter aircraft
engine industrial base. The committee supports continuation of the JSF
alternate engine program (AEP) as directed in section 211 of the
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998 (P.L. 105 85)
and recommends that the Department specifically address measures to
ensure the health of the fighter aircraft engine industrial base in any
proposed restructure of the acquisition program for JSF.
The committee also notes that the JSF AEP, as currently funded, will
not be capable of completing development and flight qualification of the
alternate engine until after award of lot five of the JSF production
program. In order to reduce risk to JSF production and aircraft
fielding, the Committee supports acceleration of AEP development to
ensure that the alternative engine completes configuration compatibility
for the JSF airframe.
The committee recommends $299.5 million in PE 64800F, $131.6 million
in PE 63800N, and $296.0 million in PE 64800N, the requested amounts.
The committee also recommends $144.5 million in PE 63800F, an increase
of $15.0 million, to accelerate the JSF AEP.
Military strategic and tactical relay (MILSTAR)
The budget request contained $236.8 million in PE 64479F for
development of the Military Strategic and Tactical Relay (MILSTAR)
communications satellite, including $14.2 million for the automated
communications management.
The committee understands that demand for military satellite
communications continues to rise and that the efficient use of military
satellite communications resources remains a priority. The committee
believes that web-based satellite communications management technologies
that utilize the Secret Internet Protocol Router Network, such as the
Satellite Planning Information Network (SPIN), have the potential to
greatly expand flexibility in the use of satellite communications,
improve insight into system status, balance communications loads, and
provide superior connectivity during wartime or humanitarian operations.
The committee believes that the use of common standards will allow such
efforts to improve utilization of legacy systems, such as MILSTAR, as
well the effectiveness of next generation communications satellites,
including the Advanced Extremely High Frequency system. Therefore, the
committee recommends an increase of $5.0 million in PE 64479F for
development of new technologies, such as SPIN, to improve the automated
management and command and control of communications satellites.
The committee notes that the MILSTAR budget request represents an
$11.0 million increase over the level forecast in the fiscal year 2000
budget submission. Although this increase is intended to fund
engineering change orders, the committee does not believe that adequate
justification has been provided for the full increase requested.
Therefore, the committee recommends a decrease of $4.0 million in PE
64479F.
Overall, the committee recommends $237.8 million in PE 64479F, an
increase of $1.0 million.
Mobile approach control system
The budget request contained $15.9M in PE 35114F for development of
the Mobile Approach Control System (MACS).
MACS is the Air Force replacement for the Air National Guard MPN 14K
and Active Force TPN 19 mobile and tactical approach control facilities.
These facilities enable expeditionary operations by providing safe
launch and recovery for combat air operations in all weather conditions
at deployed airfields. These facilities are also the primary means by
which the Air National Guard trains its force of air traffic controllers
and maintenance personnel to meet their wartime commitments.
The committee is aware of the deplorable condition of the current
systems and that the schedule for the program to replace these systems
is unacceptably late. Several, if not all, Air National Guard and Active
units with the current antiquated equipment will be forced to
discontinue operations over the next several years until replacement
equipment is in place. The committee is also aware that the current MACS
acquisition strategy, a combination of Air Force and Navy acquisition
efforts, will place the first operational units into service in 2004.
The committee is concerned with the operationally unacceptable position
this imposes on the Air National Guard forces and the limitations placed
on their ability to train and operate.
Therefore, the committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force, as
lead service for the MACS program, to restructure its MACS acquisition
strategy to initiate low-rate initial production (LRIP) at the earliest
opportunity, but not later than fiscal year 2002, and to include
necessary funds to support LRIP and appropriate modifications in the
fiscal year 2002 and beyond budget requests.
Multi-link antenna system
The budget request contained no funding in PE 35207F for manned
reconnaissance systems including exploitation technologies for RC 135
aircraft.
The Congress provided funds for development and evaluation of the
Multi-function, self-aligned gate (MSAG) active array antenna technology
on the RC 135 aircraft in fiscal year 2000. The conferees were convinced
that the MSAG technology, now called Multi-link Active System (MLAS) has
the potential for satisfying several RC 135 antenna deficiencies, and
also has the potential for reducing the size and number of antennas for
many other applications. In fact, the committee is aware that the
Department of Defense has determined that the potential for this
technology merited funding through an advanced concept technology
demonstration.
The committee is aware that the budget request was insufficient to
complete the fabrication, installation and evaluation of an MLAS antenna
on an RC 135. Therefore, the committee recommends $2.0 million in
PE35207F for this purpose.
Satellite control network
The budget request contained $58.6 million in PE 35110F for satellite
control network research and development, and $39.1 million for
satellite control network procurement.
The satellite control network is a global system of control centers,
remote tracking stations, and communications required to control
satellites in orbit. The committee understands that telemetry and
command data rates need to be improved and supports the modernization of
the current system, which is inefficient and increasingly difficult to
support. The committee believes that current technology can
meet these improvement needs, but is concerned, however, that the
current Air Force program fails to adequately leverage opportunities
offered by commercial technology to reduce the cost of modernizing and
operating the network.
The committee recommends the requested amount for PE 35110F and
directs that $1.5 million shall be available to the Space Battlelab to
evaluate the utility of commercial antennae networks for satellite
control. The committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force to provide
to the congressional defense committee, by February 15, 2001, a report
on satellite control network modernization, including possible
architectures, the command and control interface between the satellite
control network and satellite operations centers, the roles that
commercial technology and services might play, a description of
commercial technology demonstrations that would be useful, and
operational, manpower, cost and schedule implications associated with
the architectures.
Small smart munitions
The budget request contained $1.2 million in PE 64618F for continued
development of the joint direct attack munition (JDAM) but included no
funds for the 500-pound variant of the JDAM. The budget request also
contained $8.9 million in PE 64602F for Air Force armament development,
but included no funds for miniaturized munitions capability (MMC).
The committee is supportive of Department of Defense efforts to
increase future weapons load-outs and combat effectiveness for bomber
and other ground attack aircraft. The committee believes that
development of a 500-pound JDAM variant and a 250-pound MMC are
important in this regard.
The committee notes that the B 2 bomber, when deployed with a smart
bomb rack assembly, will be able to carry up to 80 500-pound JDAMs for
near-precision delivery against individual targets or target sets and
that the Air Force Chief of Staff has identified development of the
500-pound JDAM as an unfunded requirement in fiscal year 2001. The
committee believes that this development should proceed rapidly and will
serve as a strong foundation for follow-on MMC technologies. Therefore,
the committee recommends $26.2 million in PE 64618F, an increase of
$25.0 million for development of the 500-pound JDAM.
The committee notes that the February 2000 interim report of the
Secretary of the Air Force and Secretary of the Navy on MMC, prepared in
response to a requirement in the committee report on H.R. 1401 (H. Rept.
106 62), did not include consideration of development of a 250-pound
MMC. However, the committee has been informed that there are relatively
mature MMC technologies which offer considerable potential capability
against both fixed and mobile targets and can support an initial
operational capability (IOC) sooner than fiscal year 2007, the currently
planned date. Accordingly, the committee recommends $23.9 million in PE
64602F, an increase of $15.0 million to accelerate development of a
250-pound MMC variant.
The committee directs the Secretary of the Air Force and the
Secretary of the Navy to submit a final report on the MMC analysis of
alternatives to the congressional defense committees with the fiscal
year 2002 budget request. The report shall include a review of all 26
government and industry MMC concepts noted in the interim report,
specific analysis of the technical feasibility of a future-250 pound MMC
variant, and funding requirements associated with a fiscal year 2007 IOC
as well as accelerated IOCs for 250-pound MMC variants.
Space-based infrared system-high (SBIRS-High)
The budget request contained $569.2 million in PE 64441F for
engineering and manufacturing development of the space-based infrared
system-high (SBIRS-High) program, including $162.1 million for
geosynchronous SBIRS-High satellites.
The committee notes that the ground control segment to support the
SBIRS-High satellites has been delayed due to difficulty in developing
and integrating the computer codes needed to manage the data flow from
both SBIRS-High and the Defense Satellite Program early warning
satellites. While concerned with these delays, the committee has been
informed that the ground control segment will be operational in time to
support the scheduled launch of the first SBIRS-High satellite into a
highly elliptical orbit in fiscal year 2001. The committee further
understands that the delays, while delaying the development of follow-on
upgrades of the ground control segment, will not impact the scheduled
fiscal year 2004 launch of the first geosynchronous SBIRS-High
satellite.
The committee notes that SBIRS-High capabilities will be essential to
achieving the required levels of confidence in the performance of the
national missile defense system and continues to support the deployment
of SBIRS-High satellites without delay. Consequently, the committee
directs the Secretary of Defense to provide written notification to the
congressional defense committees of any proposed change to the currently
established milestones for the SBIRS-High program prior to approval of
those changes.
The committee recommends $569.2 million for SBIRS-High.
Space-based infrared system-low (SBIRS-Low)
The budget request contained $241.0 million in PE 64442F for research
and development on the space-based infrared system-low (SBIRS-Low)
system.
The committee notes that Section 231 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (Public Law 106 65) establishes
ballistic missile defense as the primary mission of SBIRS-Low and that
SBIRS-Low will be critical to achieving advanced national missile
defense (NMD) and theater missile defense (TMD) capabilities.
The committee further notes that Section 231 also directs that the
Director of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) will have
authority to approve or disapprove any changes to the baseline SBIRS-Low
schedule, budget and system level technical requirements. The committee
has been informed that BMDO and the NMD lead system integrator have not
been sufficiently consulted with by the Air Force and the SBIRS
contractor to assure that missile defense requirements are effectively
reflected in the SBIRS Low development process. The committee
understands that the Secretary of the Air Force acknowledges these
concerns and has testified that he recommends moving SBIRS-Low program
management from the Air Force to BMDO. Senior BMDO officials have
confirmed to the committee that BMDO management would ensure appropriate
interaction between the NMD and SBIRS-Low programs. Therefore, the
committee recommends a provision (section 212) that would transfer
management authority for the SBIRS-Low program from the Air Force to the
Ballistic Missile Defense Organization.
The committee concurs with views expressed by senior DOD officials
that the primary SBIRS Low mission is ballistic missile defense. The
committee, however, believes that the director of BMDO, in coordination
with other defense agencies, should afford appropriate priority to
ancillary SBIRS Low requirements in battlespace characterization and
technical intelligence, to the extent that they do not increase
technical or schedule risk to the primary SBIRS Low mission. The
committee believes that the intelligence community and other
organizations that seek to add technical capabilities to the SBIRS Low
system to meet those ancillary requirements must provide the resources
needed to do so.
Consistent with the transfer of ABL management authority, the
committee recommends no funds in PE 64442F, a decrease of $241.0 million
and an increase of $241.0 million in PE 63871C, the national missile
defense program. The committee understands that the Air Force would
remain the executive agent for the SBIRS-Low development program and
would retain operational control of the system when deployed.
Spacelift range system
The budget request contained $53.7 million in PE 35182F for research
and development for the spacelift range system.
The Air Force spacelift range system program funds modernization for
the Eastern Range at Cape Canaveral, Florida, and the Western Range at
Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. This is accomplished through the
Range Standardization and Automation (RSA) project, which funds
long-term upgrades, and the Space Lift Range System contract, which
supports short-term system integration and engineering and
recapitalization priorities.
The Air Force continues to subsidize heavily the commercial launch
industry at the Eastern and Western Ranges, even though commercial
launches and other government launches now far outnumber Air Force
launches. The subsidy results from Air Force funding of the
modernization, management, and operation of the launch ranges, while
recovering only about five percent of direct incremental costs and none
of the indirect support costs of a commercial launch.
The committee believes that the funding burden of modernizing,
managing and operating the spacelift ranges should be shared more
equitably by the range users. Such an arrangement would more accurately
reflect the costs and benefits to each of the users and allow the Air
Force to meet its legitimate priorities more fully. At the same time,
the committee recognizes that the Air Force must be responsible for
sustaining the ranges until satisfactory alternative funding and
management arrangements that meet civil, national security and
commercial requirements can be established.
The committee notes that the February 2000 report of the interagency
working group on ``The Future Management and Use of the U.S. Space
Launch Bases and Ranges'' supports maximizing the use of ``non-federal''
funding sources ``for the continued maintenance and modernization'' of
the launch bases and ranges. The report also points to restrictions
imposed by in the Commercial Space Launch Act (Public Law 98 575) that
limit reimbursement to the Air Force for costs incurred in supporting
commercial launch activities and the Air Force ability to accept
privately financed range improvements. Therefore, the committee directs
the Secretary of Defense, with appropriate consultation with other
federal and state officials and private industry, to identify the legal
impediments to such non-federal funding of range improvements and
maintenance, and the changes required to eliminate these impediments.
The Secretary shall submit a report on his findings to the House
Committee on Armed Services and the Senate Committee on Armed Services
by January 15, 2001.
The committee understands that the flight termination system in use
at both the Vandenberg Air Force Base and Cape Canaveral test ranges is
obsolescent, expensive to maintain, unreliable, subject to unintentional
signal interference during flight missions, and unable to preclude
inadvertent flight termination. The committee recommends an increase of
$700,000 in PE 35182F to initiate a study for a new flight termination
system.
The committee also endorses an effort to develop a space launch
operations complex at the Vandenberg test range to improve space launch
operations through improved communications and better integration of
launch system technologies. The committee recommends an increase of $5.5
million in PE 35182F for this purpose. The committee expects that this
effort will become a public-private partnership in the future.
Overall, the committee recommends $59.9 million in PE 35182F, an
increase of $6.2 million for the spacelift range system.
U 2 senior year electro-optic system polarimetry
The budget request included $27.5 million in PE 35202F for Dragon U 2
reconnaissance aircraft.
The committee notes that the use of a polarization technique on the U
2 Senior Year Electro-optic System (SYERS) will provide the ability to
discern military targets hidden under camouflage or concealed in dense
vegetation. The committee believes the SYERS polarization processor will
provide a force multiplying effect.
Therefore, the committee recommends $31.5 million in PE 35202F, an
increase of $4.0 million for this purpose.
DEFENSE WIDE RDT&E
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $10,238.2 million for Defense Agencies
RDT&E. The committee recommends authorization of $11,077.8 million, an
increase of $839.5 million.
The committee recommendations for the fiscal year 2000 Defense
Agencies RDT&E program are identified in the table below. Major changes
to the Defense Agencies request are discussed following the table.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
Advanced sensor applications program
The budget request contained $15.5 million in PE 63714D8Z for the
advanced sensor applications program.
The committee recommends $25.0 million in PE 63714D8Z, an increase of
$9.5 million for the program. Details of the recommendations are
contained in the classified annex.
Ballistic missile defense (BMD)
The budget request contained $4,490.6 million for the programs of the
Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO), of which $3,737.6 was for
research and development, $444.0 was for procurement, and $103.5 million
was for military construction.
The committee notes a succession of BMD test successes that provides
considerable confidence that hit-to-kill technology is fundamentally
sound. The Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC 3), Theater High Altitude
Area Defense (THAAD), and National Missile Defense programs all
conducted highly successful tests that demonstrated substantial degrees
of system maturity and the potential for more rapid progress.
The committee also notes that the BMDO budget request represents a
substantial increase compared over the fiscal year 2000 request and the
funding level anticipated for fiscal year 2001 in last year's budget
request. The committee is gratified that this request would more fully
fund ballistic missile requirements than in the past. The committee
believes that the urgent need to meet substantial and growing ballistic
missile threats and demonstrated technical progress fully justifies
these increases.
However, the committee remains deeply concerned about the pace and
direction of BMD programs on a number of grounds:
(1) The committee notes that the Director of BMDO identified $1.0
billion in additional funding for BMD programs for fiscal year 2001 that
would reduce risk, speed deployment schedules, and provide greater
capability. The committee continues to believe that BMD programs remain
seriously underfunded.
(2) Major BMD programs such as Navy Theater Wide and THAAD are not
adequately funded throughout the future years defense program to achieve
timely operational capability.
(3) Funding for advanced BMD technologies has declined dramatically
to a level that cannot support next generation BMD systems. The
committee believes that such funding is critical to prevent the
obsolescence of systems now being developed and to meet more demanding
threats in the future.
(4) The commitment to BMD by the services to service-funded BMD
programs remains highly suspect. The committee notes that the Air Force
budget request would reduce funding for the Airborne Laser by 50 percent
over the future years defense program.
(5) Deployed missile defenses are not adequate to meet identified
threats. The missile threat from North Korea is particularly stressing
for deployed U.S. systems.
(6) Deployment timelines for key systems may fail to meet expected
threats, particularly new ballistic missile developments in North Korea
and Iran.
(7) The President has not committed to deployment of NMD, in spite of
the fact that the Secretary of Defense has stated that the threat
justifies such a deployment.
The committee believes that ballistic missile defense remains a very
high priority and urges the Department of Defense to commit the funds
needed to achieving timely deployment of systems that will defeat
current and future ballistic missile threats.
Overall, the committee recommends $5,245.8 million for BMDO including
an increase of $283.2 million and transfers of $472.0 million.
Advanced technology development
The budget request contained $93.2 million in PE 63173C for advanced
ballistic missile defense technologies. The committee remains concerned
that the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) technology
efforts are insufficiently funded to keep pace with expected threats,
and strongly recommends that the Director of BMDO identify funds
throughout the future year defense program to support a technology
development effort capable of doing so.
The budget request included $19.4 million in project 1281 for
atmospheric interceptor technology (AIT). The AIT program develops
advanced interceptor technologies to support the theater high-altitude
area defense (THAAD), Navy theater wide (NTW), and Patriot advanced
capability-3 configuration 3 (PAC 3) missile defense systems. This
effort is needed to keep pace with rapidly evolving ballistic missile
threats. The committee recommends an increase of $20.0 million in
project 1281 for this effort. The budget request also included $18.9
million in project 1282 for exoatmospheric interceptor technology (EIT).
This effort is key to keeping pace with evolving long-range missile
threats. The committee recommends an increase of $5.0 million in project
1282 for development of advanced sensors that will enhance NMD, NTW, and
THAAD capabilities.
The committee notes that the Director of BMDO identified funding to
develop robust adaptive algorithms needed to counter evolving and
off-nominal ballistic missile threats as an unfunded priority. The
committee recommends an increase of $4.0 million to initiate this
effort.
The committee recommends the $122.2 million in PE 63173C, an increase
of $29.0 million for advanced technology development.
Liquid surrogate target
The budget request contained $270.7 million in PE 63874C ballistic
missile defense (BMD) technical operations, including $49.1 million was
for BMD targets, but contained no funds for liquid surrogate targets.
The committee notes that many of the operational targets for the
airborne laser (ABL) will be liquid-fueled theater ballistic missiles
and the ABL program has a validated requirement for a liquid surrogate
target. The committee also understands that the Ballistic Missile
Defense Organization (BMDO) has concluded that development of a liquid
surrogate target will be required to support other BMD programs by
emulating threat missiles in their boost and ascent phases.
Therefore, the committee recommends an increase of $9.0 million in PE
63874C for the development of a liquid surrogate target.
National missile defense (NMD)
The budget request contained $1,740.2 million in PE 63871C for
national missile defense research and development, $74.5 million for NMD
procurement, and $101.6 million for NMD military construction.
The committee notes that the Director of the Ballistic Missile
Defense Organization (BMDO) provided an accounting of unfunded BMDO
priorities that included additional NMD risk reduction activities. The
committee continues to believe that NMD remains one of the highest
defense priorities.
Therefore, the committee recommends an increase of $ 85.0 million in
PE 63871C for additional kill vehicle emulators to reduce risk during
integration and assembly of kill vehicles, in-flight interceptor
communications system modem development to reduce schedule risk, site
activation teams to provide required support at potential deployment
sites, an additional target booster to reduce schedule risk in the event
of target problems, and additional development of the test and training
evaluation center to enhance system test and evaluation capabilities. To
further reduce risk, the committee also encourages the Director of BMDO
to maximize the use of test launches of ballistic missiles to analyze
and advance the NMD battle management, command, control, and
communications system.
The committee notes that BMDO has planned an evolutionary deployment
of NMD capabilities to address long-range missile threats. The committee
believes that a new radar technology proposal may offer improved
capabilities to discriminate warheads from sophisticated offensive
countermeasures that may be deployed in the future. The committee
recommends that the director of BMDO fully assess future NMD radar
requirements; all radar technologies and architectures relevant to the
NMD program beyond fiscal year 2005; and technical risk, schedule and
cost implications associated with those technologies and architectures.
The committee also recommends that the director of BMDO assure the use
of all appropriate competitive procedures in the development and
acquisition of NMD radars. The committee directs the director of BMDO,
if he determines that the development and acquisition of NMD radars
should not be competed, to provide a report to the congressional defense
committees detailing the justification for that determination not later
than 30 days prior to the proposed initiation of any noncompetitive
effort.
As noted elsewhere in this report, the committee also recommends that
the budget request for the space-based infrared system--low (SBIRS Low),
$241.0 million, be transferred from PE 64442F to PE 63871C. The
committee believes that this transfer will provide needed focus and
management efficiencies that will allow more rapid maturation of both
SBIRS Low and NMD capabilities. Overall, the Committee recommends
$2,066.3 million in PE 63871C for NMD research and development. The
committee also recommends $74.5 million for NMD procurement and $101.6
million for NMD military construction.
Navy theater wide
The budget request contained $382.7 million in PE 63868C for the Navy
theater wide (NTW) missile defense system.
The committee is concerned that the NTW deployment schedule is both
inadequate to meet expected threats and inadequately funded. The current
NTW schedule provides for a four missile contingency Block I capability
by fiscal year 2006, a limited capability on two dedicated missile
defense ships by fiscal year 2008, and a full Block I capability by
2010. However, the committee understands that NTW Block I will only
defend against very limited numbers of unsophisticated missile threats.
Further, the committee notes that funding for even this limited
capability is not programmed through the future years defense plan, and
that no timeline has been laid out for development and deployment of NTW
Block II, which will be capable of defense against larger numbers of
more sophisticated threats.
The committee understands that NTW will be tested a number of times
in fiscal year 2001, and that the budget request fully supports these
tests. The committee expects that if these tests meet with substantial
success that funds will be identified and programmed to provide for
rapid development and timely NTW deployment.
The committee believes that an effort is needed to provide greater
NTW capability earlier than planned and notes the support of the
Director of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization for that research
and development on an advanced technology kill vehicle. Therefore, the
committee recommends an increase of $15.0 million in PE 63868C to
support this effort.
The committee also understands that the Navy has considered an X band
high power discriminator and modifications to the current SPY 1 radar to
meet ballistic missile defense radar needs for NTW. However, the
committee believes that a new radar technology approach may offer
improved capabilities in the 2010 timeframe. The committee understands
that this new approach would take advantage of new algorithms and beam
steering technology to achieve improved capabilities to discriminate
warheads from sophisticated offensive countermeasures that may be
deployed in the future.
Therefore, the committee directs the director of BMDO to assess NTW
radar requirements and technologies and architectures relevant to the
NTW program, and provide a report on his assessment to the congressional
defense committees by February 15, 2001. The report should include
consideration of expected threats, and technical risk, schedule and cost
implications associated with those technologies and architectures.
The committee also recommends an increase of $10.0 million in PE
63868C to initiate a demonstration of the alternative radar approach.
Overall, the committee recommends $407.7 in PE 63868C for research
and development of the Navy theater wide system.
Russian-American cooperative national missile defense
The committee notes that representatives of the government of Russia
have expressed concern that deployment of a U.S. national missile
defense (NMD) would undermine the effectiveness of the Russian deterrent
forces and existing arms control agreements. The committee is also aware
of ongoing discussions between the U.S. and Russian governments related
to U.S. plans for deployment of an NMD system.
The committee believes that these discussions are important and that
additional confidence building measures are warranted to assure the
Russian government that NMD deployment does not threaten Russian
interests. One such measure could include discussions and eventual
development of a joint U.S.-Russian national missile defense system that
could defend both nations from a range of missile threats.
The committee encourages the Administration to continue the
discussions with Russia to explore this possibility. The committee
directs the Director of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization
(BMDO) to examine this concept and provide a report to the congressional
defense committees by January 15, 2001. The report should include
consideration of possible architectures, technical merits and
challenges, and potential cost, effectiveness, technology transfer
risks, and areas of technical cooperation related to a joint
U.S.-Russian national missile defense effort.
Support technology
The budget request contained $37.7 million in PE 62173C for ballistic
missile defense support technologies.
The committee remains concerned that funding for innovative ballistic
missile technology projects is insufficient to support Ballistic Missile
Defense Organization's (BMDO) future needs. The committee strongly
recommends that the Director of the Ballistic Missile Defense
Organization (BMDO) to identify funds throughout the future year defense
program sufficient to support a technology program that hedges against
rapidly evolving missile threats.
The committee also understands that BMDO has identified wideband gap
electronic materials for high speed and high temperature device
operation as a high priority that is insufficiently funded. The
committee notes that significant progress has been made in the
development of these materials and believes that additional research
offers the opportunity for further progress.
The committee recommends $47.7 million in PE 62173C, an increase
$10.0 million for the continuation of wide-band gap materials research.
Wide bandwidth information infrastructure
The budget request contained $270.7 million in PE 63874C for
ballistic missile defense technical operations.
The committee understands that the Ballistic Missile Defense
Organization (BMDO) is using recent advances in wide band information
technology to enhance operational efficiency and improve the test
infrastructure. BMDO's efforts have linked geographically dispersed
radar and missile hardware-in-the-loop test facilities to improve the
ground testing of theater missile defense systems and increase the
probability of successful flight tests. The committee believes that the
use of this technology can be
expanded into other critical areas, including battle
management, command, control, communications, and intelligence.
Therefore, the committee recommends an increase of $15.0 million in
PE 63874C to continue the development of a wide bandwidth information
infrastructure for BMDO.
Chemical-biological defense program
The budget request contained $835.8 million for the chemical
biological defense (CBD) program, including $361.9 million in research,
development, test and evaluation, and $473.9 million in procurement. The
budget request also contained $162.1 million in PE 62383E for the
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency biological warfare applied
research program.
In order to insure an integrated CBD program within the Department of
Defense (DOD), section 1703 of the National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 1994 (Public Law 103-160) mandated the coordination and
integration of all DOD CBD programs and the funding of these programs in
a defense-wide account, separate from the accounts of the military
departments. The committee notes that funding for the DOD program has
grown significantly from $387.8 million in fiscal year 1996, and is
projected to continue at an average of $876 million per year through
fiscal year 2005.
The committee has reviewed the Department's Chemical and Biological
Defense Program Annual Report to Congress, dated March 2000, and notes
that the oversight and management of the program continue to mature. The
report details the considerable progress made in improving cooperation
among the military departments and the jointness of CBD research,
development, and procurement since the establishment of the consolidated
program, but indicates a number of issues with regard to
chemical-biological medical defense, logistics, readiness, and training.
As addressed elsewhere in this report, the committee intends to examine
these issues in greater detail during upcoming oversight hearings.
The committee also notes a growing tendency to fund individual CBD
projects directly within the budget accounts of the military services.
The committee emphasizes that this practice violates the intent and
purpose of Congress in establishing the consolidated program.
Chemical and biological defense program initiatives
The committee believes that the Department of Defense has established
a robust chemical and biological defense research and development
program that focuses on meeting joint and service unique operational
requirements for medical and non-medical chemical and biological defense
in the areas of contamination avoidance, battle management, collective
protection, decontamination, and individual protection. The committee
recognizes the challenges faced by the medical chemical and biological
defense program in the development of medical prophylaxes,
pretreatments, and therapies necessary to protect personnel from the
toxic or lethal effects of exposure to chemical or biological agents.
The committee notes the development and fielding of a number of medical
countermeasures that improve individual medical protection, treatment,
and diagnoses. The committee also notes technical and procedural
shortcomings in the development, licensing, and production of vaccines
and drugs that require both short-term and long-term solutions. The
committee continues to monitor closely the Department's policy for the
development and production of vaccines against anthrax and for
vaccination of members of the armed forces who might be exposed to
anthrax.
The committee continues to support initiatives for research,
development, and demonstration of advanced chemical and biological
defense technologies and systems. The committee directs that these
initiatives compete for funding within the appropriate program elements
of the joint chemical and biological defense program and the DARPA
biological defense program on the basis of technical merit and the
anticipated ability of the technology or system to meet joint and
service unique needs.
The committee recommends increases of $3.0 million in PE 61384BP and
$5.0 million in PE 62384BP for research, development, and demonstration
of advanced chemical and biological defense technology, systems, and
capabilities for contamination avoidance, battle management, collective
protection, decontamination, and individual protection.
Optical computing device materials for chemical sensors
The committee recommends an increase of $1.5 million in PE 61384BP to
continue the basic research program in organic and inorganic optical
computing device materials for use in standoff sensors for detection and
identification of chemical agents.
Commercial off-the-shelf-receiver development
The budget request included $95.7 million in PE 35885G for
development of tactical cryptologic systems.
The committee is concerned about the lack of a true commercial
off-the-shelf (COTS) signals intelligence (SIGINT) receiver that is
based on open-architecture standards established by the American
National Standards Institute (ANSI) and the Versa Module Europa (VME)
backplane. The Department of Defense has stated that all future signals
intelligence systems will be COTS based. However, most SIGINT
developments the Department is currently pursuing are based wholly, or
in part, on custom approaches that are not ``interchangeable'' at the
circuit board level. The committee is further concerned that these
customized approaches do not encourage competitors for U.S. signal
intelligence systems to utilize the COTS marketplace, thereby forcing
more expensive solutions.
The committee is aware of a small business development that has
produced a true COTS receiver solution for several Defense Cryptologic
Program needs. The committee notes that this solution is cost-effective
and based completely on ANSI and VME standards, thereby allowing true
``plug and play'' use between systems. The committee also notes that the
Joint SIGINT Avionics Program Office has sought to use this technology
as a commercial replacement for one of its custom applications. However,
there is no funding in the budget request to pursue or procure this
commercial solution.
The committee is aware of other innovative small business development
using emerging commercial silicon germanium technology and supports
rapid application of this leading-edge commercial technology for defense
applications.
Therefore, the committee recommends $97.7 million in PE 35885G, an
increase of $1.0 million for development of COTS VME receiver technology
for SIGINT applications, and an increase of $1.0 million for development
of commercial silicon germanium integrated circuits for defense and
intelligence applications.
Competitive sustainment demonstration
The budget request contained $23.1 million in PE 63712S for generic
logistic research and development technology demonstrations.
The committee notes that an increasing portion of the defense budget
is being used to support and manage large inventories of older weapons
systems. The committee believes that costs associated with logistics and
maintenance must be reduced in order to free resources to develop and
procure modern systems. Leveraging the best practices of commercial
industry in logistics and maintenance planning and management could
permit the Department of Defense to reduce these costs in weapons and
supporting systems. The committee notes the establishment by the Defense
Logistics Agency of a sustainment demonstration program that pursues
dramatic reductions in sustainment costs and improvements in logistics
efficiency.
The committee recommends $26.1 million in PE 63712S, an increase of
$3.0 million to continue the competitive sustainment demonstration
program.
Complex systems design
The budget request contained $10.8 million in PE 63704D8Z for special
technical support, but included no funds for complex systems design.
The committee notes that the effort to develop an integrated digital
environment for complex systems design has made significant progress,
and is ahead of schedule. This development is critical to improving the
acquisition process and minimizing life-cycle costs of future weapons
systems.
The committee recommends $15.8 million in PE 63704D8Z, an increase of
$5.0 million for complex systems design.
Computational fluid dynamics and finite element analysis
The Department of Defense university research initiative supports
basic research in a wide range of scientific and engineering disciplines
that are relevant to maintaining the superiority of U.S. military
technology such research contributes to the education of scientists and
engineers in disciplines critical to defense needs, and helps build and
maintain the infrastructure needed to improve the quality of defense
research performed at universities.
The committee notes the increased reliance in defense research,
development, and acquisition on the use of computer modeling and
simulation and the testing of system and component scale models to
evaluate system concepts, technology, and design. The ability to extend
the results of such modeling, simulation, and testing to the development
and fabrication of full-scale operational systems which can then be
expected to operate in accordance with the test results of the system
scale model places a premium on advances
in the development and application of finite element analysis
and computational fluid dynamics. The committee believes that the
application of such capabilities to real-world problems associated with
analysis of advanced structures and materials will provide an effective
vehicle for research, education of scientists and engineers, and
establishment of the infrastructure required to insure future U.S.
capabilities in these disciplines.
The committee encourages the Secretary of Defense to place increased
emphasis in the university research initiative on the development of
advanced capabilities in finite element analysis and computational fluid
dynamics.
Computer network security
The budget request contained $164.0 million in PE 63755D8Z for the
High Performance Computing Modernization Program (HPCMP).
The committee understands that the Department of Defense's HPCMP is
the primary source of Department of Defense computer system upgrades and
enhancements and that the HPCMP specifically supports needed computer
system modernization for defense laboratories as well.
The committee strongly supports the HPCMP, but expresses concern that
the programs charter does not highlight efforts to address the
increasing security threat to computer systems.
The committee recommends authorization of $164.0 million, the budget
request, in PE 63755D8Z for HPCMP and strongly urges the DOD to work
with industry and basic research organizations to ensure that computer
modernization efforts include the latest state-of-the-art computer
network security and access assurance capabilities.
CV 22 Osprey radar improvements
The budget request contained $133.5 million in PE 116404BB for
special operations tactical systems development.
The committee is aware that the covert, all-weather, nap-of-the-earth
operations that are characteristic of the special operations command
make stealth and terrain avoidance imperative. The committee notes that
low probability of intercept/ low probability of detection (LPI/LPD)
radar and terrain following/terrain avoidance (TF/TA) capability are
essential to safe and successful CV 22 Osprey operation.
The committee recommends an increase of $9.2 million in PE 116404BB
for LPI/LPD radar and terrain avoidance improvements.
Defense agency science and technology funding
The budget request contained $7,543.2 million for defense science and
technology, including all defense-wide and military service funding for
basic research, applied research, and advanced development.
The committee notes that this amount represents a decrease of $853.3
million from the amount provided in fiscal year 2000. As outlined
elsewhere in this report, the committee continues to be disturbed by the
growing number of military service research and development programs
that have been reduced or eliminated as a result of insufficient
research and development funding, and is particularly concerned with the
low level of science and technology funding. The committee views defense
science and technology investments as critical to maintaining U.S.
military technological superiority in the face of growing and changing
threats to national security interests around the world.
As expressed in previous reports, the committee is also concerned by
the Department's continuing trend of placing higher priority on defense
agency research and development programs at the expense of the already
inadequate service research and development budgets. The committee
believes that the Department has not provided sufficient justification
to support these imbalances in funding levels between defense agencies
and the services, and, therefore, recommends correcting these imbalances
by maintaining funding of several defense agencies at the levels
projected by the Department for fiscal year 2001.
Accordingly, the committee recommends the following adjustments and,
except as noted, decreases are made without prejudice:
Biological warfare defense
The budget request contained $162.1 million in PE 62382E for applied
research in biological warfare defense, including $10.0 million for
applied research in consequence management information systems.
The committee supports the progress being made in the Defense
Advanced Research Projects Agency's biological warfare defense program
in research in medical countermeasures, advanced diagnostics, sensors
for the detection of biological and chemical warfare agents, and
decontamination. The committee also notes on-going efforts within the
chemical-biological defense program as noted elsewhere in this report to
transition technologies developed in the DARPA program to the military
services and other agencies for exploitation and further development.
The committee report on H.R. 1401 (H. Rept. 106 162) expressed the
belief that DARPA's consequence management project did not meet the high
risk, high payoff, breakthrough concepts and technology criteria
normally associated with DARPA programs and directed transfer of the
program to the DOD chemical and biological defense program following
completion of the prototype phase. In reviewing the project after
another year has passed, the committee maintains its original view.
Accordingly, the committee recommends $142.1 million in PE 62383E for
the DARPA biological warfare defense program, a decrease of $20.0
million for the DARPA consequence management project.
Computing systems and communications technology
The budget request contained $376.6 million in PE 62301E for applied
research in computing systems and communications technology.
The committee recommends $331.6 million, a decrease of $45.0 million
in PE 62301E.
Extensible information systems
The budget request contained $69.3 million in PE 62302E for applied
research in extensible information systems.
The committee recommends $49.3 million in PE 62302E, a decrease of
$20.0 million.
Nuclear sustainment and counter-proliferation technologies
The budget request contained $230.9 million in PE 62715BR for applied
research in nuclear sustainment and counterproliferation technologies.
The committee recommends a decrease of $20.0 million in PE 62715 BR
for nuclear sustainment and counter-proliferation technologies.
Defense experimental program to stimulate competitive research
The budget request contained $9.9 million in PE 61114D8Z for the
defense experimental program to stimulate competitive research
(DEPSCoR).
The committee is aware that the DEPSCoR program provides funding that
enables broader university participation in national defense research.
The committee supports DEPSCoR and notes that the Department of
Defense has acknowledged the importance of the program by requesting
funding under a separate program element line in the budget request, and
recommends $19.9 million in PE 61114D8Z, an increase of $10.0 million
for DEPSCoR.
Facial recognition technology
The budget request contained $41.3 million for DOD combating
terrorism technology support (CTTS) in PE 63122D8Z.
The CTTS is an interagency program for development and demonstration
of surveillance, physical security, and infrastructure protection
technology. The committee supports use of advanced technology to control
access to critical facilities and is aware of the Department's
examination of biometric access control technology, including the use of
authentication software and the principal component method of facial
recognition.
The committee recommends $45.3 million in PE 63122D8Z, an increase of
$4.0 million for continued development of facial recognition technology.
High definition displays for military applications
The budget request contained $31.8 million in PE 62708E for applied
research in high definition displays.
The committee notes that many Department of Defense systems utilize
the display of visual and graphical information and are therefore
dependent on high definition display production capability. Major
components of the program are the development of technologies for
advanced flexible emissive displays, development of equipment and
components required to manufacture advanced display technologies, and
prototyping display systems for system evaluation. The program is
designed to establish a domestic
capability for the manufacture of components necessary for
high-resolution military displays.
The committee notes the efforts by the Department of Defense and the
Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop advanced
high definition display technologies for military applications and to
establish a domestic production base for these displays. However,
despite the Department's investment and the strength of the commercial
display industry, the number of suppliers of military-qualified displays
has declined. The committee notes the efforts by the Department to form
a Joint Display Acquisition Working Group and proposals to form a
permanent Display Overarching Integrated Process Team to address these
issues. The committee is concerned, however, that the budget request
indicates no funding for the DARPA high definition display program
beyond fiscal year 2001.
The committee believes that the Department must renew efforts to
define a comprehensive strategy for development and acquisition of high
definition display technology and for maintaining a domestic high
definition display infrastructure capable of supporting the requirements
of the military services and defense agencies. The committee believes
that the strategy should include appropriate funding levels for the
development of advanced high definition display and display
manufacturing technology, and should build on prior Department efforts
to ensure that this technology becomes reliably and widely available to
all Services.
The committee directs the Secretary of Defense to develop a strategy
for meeting the Department's requirements for advanced high definition
displays that addresses the issues raised above, and to report the
proposed strategy and budget requirements to the congressional defense
committees with the submission of the fiscal year 2002 budget request.
High energy laser research and development
The committee notes that the March 2000 DOD laser master plan
mandated by section 251 of the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 2000 (Public Law 106-65) will facilitate better coordination
between service high energy laser (HEL) programs and will enable the
Department of Defense to direct a more coherent and more effective
investment strategy for all future high energy laser development. The
committee believes that the management structure recommended in the plan
represents a substantial improvement over the current situation, where
such coordination is virtually absent. The committee believes that high
energy lasers hold considerable promise for weapons applications sooner
than widely anticipated, and believes that these efforts deserve greater
attention and priority than they have received in the past.
Defense-wide high energy laser development
The budget request contained no funds in PE 61108D8Z, PE 62890D8Z, or
PE 63921D8Z for HEL research development.
The committee notes that the Department of Defense has established
program elements 61108D8Z, 62890D8Z, and 63921D8Z through which it will
manage HEL development investments. The committee understands that $5.7
million in fiscal year 2000 funds were made available for these program
elements to initiate these efforts.
The committee believes that the establishment of these program
elements will provide the Department of Defense with an effective
management tool that can reinforce HEL developments managed and funded
by the services and the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization. The
committee recommends a provision (section 211), described elsewhere in
this report, to reinforce and provide additional structure to this
effort. The committee notes that this provision would require the
Secretary of Defense and the Administrator of the National Nuclear
Security Administration (NNSA) to conclude a memorandum of agreement to
conduct joint high energy laser research.
The committee recommends $10.0 million in 61108D8Z to support basic
research in high energy lasers, and $25.0 million in PE 62890D8Z, to
support heat capacity laser development being conducted by the Army and
other HEL applied research. The committee further recommends that of
these funds, $10.0 million may be made available for high energy laser
research and development pursued jointly with the NNSA.
Free electron laser
The budget request contained $38.0 million in PE 62111N for applied
research in electronic warfare technology, but included funds for free
electron laser development.
The committee notes the Navy's support for a proposal to upgrade the
Department of Energy's free electron laser demonstration facility for
applied research in the potential use of tunable free electron lasers as
countermeasures against anti-ship missiles and anti-aircraft missile
infrared seekers.
The committee recommends an increase of $5.0 million in PE 62111N to
continue the demonstration facility upgrade program.
Solid state laser
The budget request contained $1.0 million in PE 62307A for research
and development of high power lasers for tactical weapons systems. The
committee is aware that the Army, in cooperation with Lawrence Livermore
National Laboratory, has developed a prototype ten kilowatt solid state
heat capacity glass laser that has been tested successfully. The
committee understands that the Army plans to develop a 100 kilowatt
demonstration laser that could be mounted on Army vehicles for weapons
applications depending on the availability of funds.
The committee believes that this technology has reached a state of
maturity that supports such a demonstration, and if successful, has
significant potential in air defense, missile defense, and other weapons
applications. Therefore, the committee recommends $11.0 million in PE
62307A, an increase of $10.0 million, for the Army's solid state laser
demonstrator.
The committee strongly encourages the Secretary of the Army to
provide funds for this initiative in the fiscal year 2002 budget request
and throughout the future years defense plan.
Information technology, superiority and assurance
The budget request contained a total of $19,913.7 million for the
Defense information technology program: including $2,456.3 million for
information technology research, development, test, and evaluation, and
$1,233.6 million for information assurance.
The budget request for information technology research and
development represents an increase of $472.2 million, while the budget
request for information assurance contains an increase of $95.2 million.
The committee notes that the goal of the ``National Plan for
Information Protection, Version 1.0,'' dated January 2000, is to
establish a full operational capability by 2003 to defend the United
States against deliberate attacks aimed at disrupting national critical
infrastructures, such as communications, banking, electric power. Key
elements of the plan include establishing the Federal government as a
model for infrastructure protection; the development of public-private
partnerships to defend our national infrastructures; meeting the
nation's needs for skilled information technology personnel; and
ensuring a robust and comprehensive critical infrastructure protection
research and development program.
The committee notes that the Department of Defense has a major role
in information protection, accounting for approximately $450 million of
the $606 million in research and development that is specifically
contained in the President's request for the National Plan. The
committee is aware of other ongoing information systems security and
critical infrastructure protection activities that are part of the
Department's information assurance program.
The committee notes that Joint Vision 2010, the capstone document for
joint forces, emphasizes information superiority and information
technology as key enablers for joint operations by U.S. forces. The
committee also notes that the globalization of information systems and
networks has created a new dimension for warfare in which the dependence
of U.S. Forces upon advanced information technology and information
systems is both an advantage and vulnerability.
The committee notes that considerable progress has been made in the
program to achieve information superiority, provide information
assurance, and protect critical defense infrastructure. The committee
recognizes, however, that additional work is required, particularly in
the areas of operations-other-than-war or asymmetrical conflict. The
committee believes that the Secretary of Defense must continue to assign
a high priority to resolving critical shortcomings in the Department's
information technology program.
The committee report on H.R. 1401 (H. Rept. 106-162) directed the
Assistant Secretary of Defense to provide a comprehensive report to the
congressional defense and intelligence committees on the Department of
Defense's information superiority program. The report by the Assistant
Secretary of Defense (Command, Control, Communications, and
Intelligence) (ASD C3I) cites the need to focus more attention and to
accelerate efforts on the following:
(1) Information assurance to better protect information and
information processes;
(2) Establishing the connectivity and interoperability needed in the
global information grid;
(3) Collection and analysis capabilities and end-to-end integration
of communications and intelligence systems;
(4) Education, training, and retention of information technology
professionals;
(5) Removal of legal impediments to protecting information and
information processes; and,
(6) Implementation of electronic commerce and electronic business
practices within the Department.
To address these issues the committee recommends the budget request
for information technology research, development, test, and evaluation.
The committee directs the Secretary of Defense to assess shortfalls in
the information technology program and to report his findings and
recommendations to the congressional defense committees by November 1,
2000.
Interference with global positioning system
The committee notes that section 1062 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (Public Law 106 65) provided for
an interagency review and assessment and report to Congress and the
President on the progress made in implementation of national spectrum
planning, the reallocation of Federal Government spectrum to non-Federal
use, and the implications of such reallocations to the affected federal
agencies. The report would also include which would include the effect
of the reallocation on critical military and intelligence capabilities,
civil space programs, and other Federal government systems used to
protect public safety.
The committee notes the potential interference to the communications
frequency bands used by the global positioning system (GPS) due to the
emergence of new telecommunications and information technologies that
could aversely affect GPS use in both military and civilian sectors. As
a part of the Department of Defense contribution to the interagency
review and assessment, the committee directs the Secretary of Defense to
identify potential interference with the GPS frequency bands as one of
the issues that should be addressed in the assessment. The Secretary
shall coordinate with the Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Chairman
of the Federal Communications Commission in developing the technical
information, support, and assistance necessary to address this issue and
to begin the development of appropriate regulations and enforcement
procedures to protect the delivery of GPS signals during peacetime.
MC 130 autonomous landing guidance system
The budget request contained $133.5 million in PE 116404BB for
special operations tactical systems development but included no funds
for the autonomous landing guidance (ALG) system for the MC 130
aircraft.
The MC 130 aircraft provides night and all-weather infiltration and
extraction of special operations forces (SOF) personnel and equipment,
as well as military re-supply operations, in hostile areas. To
accomplish this mission, the committee understands that the ALG system
will provide SOF MC 130 pilots with a precision approach system that
enhances their ability to land under adverse weather conditions. Since
the committee also understands that the ALG system may have application
to other aircraft such as the C 130X and the C 17, it believes that both
the ALG system's MC 130 flight tests and its engineering and
manufacturing development (EMD) should be accelerated.
Consequently, the committee recommends an increase of $5.0 million in
PE 116404BB to accelerate the ALG system's flight tests, EMD and
installation on the MC 130.
Medical free electron laser
The budget request contained $15.0 million in PE 62227D8Z for medical
free electron laser (MFEL) technology.
The committee is aware of the progress made by the medical free
electron laser program. The committee notes that recent accomplishments
include a new method of treating chemical burns, controlling sepsis, the
development of artificial cartilage for injured joints, non-thermal
cutting of bone, tissue welding and delivery of drugs through the skin.
These new health care technologies are not only cost effective but also
address key health care issues important both to military personnel and
the general population.
The committee commends the Department of Defense for requesting
sufficient funding for the MFEL to maintain the merit-based program's
continued research momentum and recommends $15.0 million. The committee
supports the MFEL program and encourages the Department of Defense to
sustain this level of funding.
Microelectromechanical systems sensor development
The budget request contained $253.6 million in PE 61103D8Z for the
Department of Defense university research initiative.
The committee continues its support for and recommends funding for
research and development in microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and
applications of MEMS technology in precision weapons guidance and
control, reconfigurable antenna elements, and a variety of other
applications.
The committee recommends $263.1 million in PE 61103D8Z, including an
increase of $9.5 million for basic research in MEMS sensors for
radionuclide detection and ordnance monitoring.
National imagery and mapping agency
The budget request contained $75.0 million in PE 35102BQ for the
National Imagery and Mapping Agency's (NIMA) to conduct research and
development of imagery and geospatial exploitation tools and for the
National Technology Alliance (NTA).
The committee is concerned that the variety of current synthetic
aperture radar (SAR) imaging systems, including the Joint Surveillance,
Target and Attack Radar System (JSTARS), the U 2 Advanced SAR System
(ASARS) and unmanned aerial vehicles have limited to no capability to
image moving targets. The committee notes that the Air Force Research
Laboratory in Rome, New York, has been developing the Multi-Platform
Target Exploitation Processing capability that will allow SAR imaging of
moving targets. However, no funds were included in the budget request to
field such a capability, which, the committee is convinced, will result
in significant new capabilities for SAR-equipped platforms.
Further, the committee notes that the NTA has proven its ability to
rapidly apply commercial technology to defense applications, reducing
cost and increasing systems performance. The committee also notes that
the NTA has been a very effective means of leveraging commercial
technology to solve intelligence community technical problems.
The committee is aware that the airborne geographic synthetic
aperture radar GeoSAR) is being developed to provide a dual band
interferometric radar that is able to provide the military high
resolution, three-dimensional maps of the earth, above, through and
below the vegetation canopy.
Therefore, the committee recommends $97.0 million in PE 35102BQ, an
increase of $22.0 million, $4.0 million for continuing the Rome
Laboratory moving target exploitation effort, and $3.0 million for the
NTA to continue national imagery and mapping agency viewer development
and $15.0 million for GeoSAR.
Requirement for ``designated laboratory''
The committee notes that section 2, paragraph (18) of Senate
Executive Resolution 75 providing the advice and consent of the Senate
to the ratification of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC),
established the condition that the President certify to the Senate that
no sample collected in the United States pursuant to the Convention will
be transferred for analysis to any laboratory outside the United States.
In its verification annex, the CWC requires that samples for off-site
analysis be analyzed in at least two ``designated laboratories,'' i.e.
laboratories that have been ``designated'' for such testing by the
Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW). The Army's
Edgewood Forensic Science Laboratory is currently the only U.S.
designated laboratory. The committee notes that establishment of a
second designated laboratory within the United States is necessary in
order to fulfill U.S. ratification commitments, as well as the
requirements imposed by the Senate.
The committee requests that the Secretary of Defense report to the
congressional defense committees with the submission of the fiscal year
2002 budget request, the Department of Defense position, actions, and
funding requirements relative to establishment of a second designated
laboratory.
Science and technology affordability initiative
The committee is aware of the Department's ``Defense Science and
Technology Strategy 2000'' and notes the potential for significant
savings in defense systems ownership cost savings associated with
science and technology investments. The committee agrees that science
and technology advancements can contribute to the affordability of both
current and future systems, and supports the Department's emphasis in
this area as one of its top five priorities.
Further, the committee is aware that each service has a current
program of emphasis in this area. Anticipated Army science and
technology investments focus a great deal of attention to reduced
logistical requirements for improved deployability and maneuverability.
Air Force plans anticipate targeted investments to facilitate the
fielding
of a more lean and efficient expeditionary force. The Navy has
embraced a concept called Total Cost of Ownership as one of its twelve
Future Naval Capabilities. Two initiatives, Shipboard Integration
Logistics System (SILS) and a proposed knowledge-based diagnostic and
maintenance system, offer significant potential cost savings during the
operation and maintenance of naval assets.
The committee urges further development of these proposals and
supports the budget request. The committee directs the Secretary of
Defense to provide the congressional defense committees by March 1,
2001, a report on the manner in which the science and technology program
addresses total life cycle costs of weapons systems. The report shall
include a description and assessment of the programs, associated funding
requirements, and related policy initiatives.
Special operations tactical video system
The budget request contained $3.0 million in PE 116405BB for Special
Operations Forces (SOF) intelligence system developments, including
$100,000 for continued development of the Special Operations Tactical
Video System (SOTVS).
The committee notes that no commercial solution to the SOF underwater
camera requirements exists, and that a dedicated research and
development program is necessary to satisfy this critical mission
requirement. Therefore, the committee is dismayed that the budget
request is insufficient to develop and procure a replacement for the
aging cameras currently in the inventory.
The committee recommends $5.0 million in PE116405BB, an increase of
$2.0 million to expedite the development of the SOTVS camera.
Tactical and support aircraft noise reduction
The committee notes problems with increasing levels of noise
pollution associated with aircraft operations ashore and afloat and the
potential physical and environmental hazards posed by high frequency and
intensity noise and vibration to aircrew, ground support personnel, and
those residing and working in the vicinity of active aviation
operations. The committee also notes the impact of high noise and
vibration levels experienced in tactical aircraft on aircraft structural
fatigue.
The committee is concerned that the Department of Defense has not
given adequate attention to noise reduction as an essential element of
the tactical aircraft modernization program. The committee directs the
Secretary of Defense, in coordination with the Director of the National
Aeronautical and Space Administration, to assess requirements for
establishment of an aviation noise and vibration reduction research and
development program that will lead to reduction in noise associated with
tactical and support aircraft operations. The committee further directs
the Secretary to report to the congressional defense committees by March
1, 2001, the status of funding and plans for noise reduction in tactical
and support aircraft and for the reduction of sound pressure levels that
can cause vibration problems and structural fatigue.
Texas regional institute for environmental studies
The budget request contained $51.4 million in PE 63716D8Z for the
strategic environmental research program, but included no funds for the
ongoing Texas regional institute for environmental studies (TRIES)
program
The committee recommends $51.4 million in PE 63716D8Z for the
strategic environmental research program, including $3.0 million for the
TRIES computer-based land management model and to collaborate with
Brooks Air Force Base San Antonio, Texas for potential application of
environmental technologies.
Thermionics for space power systems
The budget request contained $230.9 million in PE 62715BR for applied
research in nuclear sustainment and counterproliferation technologies,
but included no funds to continue the program for development of
thermionic power conversion technology.
The committee notes that the Air Force and the National Aeronautics
and Space Administration have identified potential applications for
large capacity (40 100 kilowatt) nuclear space power systems having long
lifetimes. The committee also notes the progress being made in the
advanced thermionics program to develop technologies for making
thermionics a more viable power conversion option for space power
systems, demonstrate highly reliable thermionic power converters capable
of providing high output power per unit mass, and design of thermionic
system concepts. The committee further notes that the program supports
the Defense technology area plan for space platforms.
The committee directs the Secretary of Defense to assess the progress
being made in the advanced thermionics program, the potential for
incorporation of the program in the Department of Defense core science
and technology program, and anticipated requirements for thermionic
power conversion systems. The Secretary shall report the results of the
assessment and plans for continuation of the program to the
congressional defense committees with the submission of the fiscal year
2002 budget request.
The committee recommends an increase of $3.0 million in PE 62715BR to
continue the development of advanced thermionics power conversion
technology.
TRICARE encounter data system
The budget request included $12.0 million in PE 65013D8Z for
information technology development.
The committee is concerned that no funds were included to accelerate
the development and deployment of the TRICARE encounter data system
(TEDS), a key system for improving the efficiency of the TRICARE claims
processing system.
The committee recommends $15.6 million in PE 65013D8Z, an increase of
$3.6 million to complete development of TEDS.
Ultra-wideband radar
The budget request contained $116.4 million in PE 63750D8Z for
advanced concept technology demonstrations, but included no funds to
demonstrate ultra-wideband, single-cycle radar and communications.
The committee is aware that recent unanticipated technology
breakthroughs in radio frequency electronics have resulted in
applications for radar and communications. The committee notes that
ultra-wideband, single cycle technology is now ready for demonstration
of wall penetrating radar capability.
The committee recommends $117.4 million in PE 63750D8Z, an increase
of $1.0 million for radar vision demonstration.
OPERATIONAL TEST AND EVALUATION, DEFENSE
OVERVIEW
The budget request contained $201.6 million for Operational Test and
Evaluation, Defense. The committee recommends authorization of $219.6
million, an increase of $18.0 million.
The committee recommendations for the fiscal year 2000 Operational
Test and Evaluation, Defense programs are identified in the table below.
Major changes to the Operational Test and Evaluation request are
discussed following the table.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
Central test and evaluation investment program
The budget request contained $121.4 million in PE 64940D8Z for
Central Test and Evaluation Investment Program (CTEIP).
The committee notes that the objective of the CTEIP is to fund
critically needed, high priority, test and evaluation capabilities for
joint and multi-service system test requirements. The Department of
Defense recently disbanded the office of the Director, Test, Systems
Engineering and Evaluation, formerly responsible for CTEIP as an element
of the Department's developmental test and evaluation (DT&E) program,
and transferred responsibility for the CTEIP to the Director,
Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E). The committee notes that the
first CTEIP budget request under the DOT&E management represents a
decrease in funding for this important program.
The committee expresses concern that while the Department's decreased
request for CTEIP indicates that less funding is required, the military
services are, at the same time, identifying an alarming increase in
critically needed test facility upgrades and instrumentation
modernization. The committee believes that the combination of declining
research, development, test and evaluation (RDT&E) budgets and an
increasing number of test facility sustainment issues is largely
responsible for the decline in utilization of service operated test
facilities. The committee is also aware of test and evaluation (T&E)
community concerns that the continued decline in utilization of these
T&E facilities is a primary cause of the underfunded status of these
facilities within the service budget requests and, therefore, a direct
cause of the higher testing costs assessed to test program customers.
The committee is aware that the Department is reviewing this critical
test facility sustainment issue, but believes that decreases in the
CTEIP are premature and do not address the importance of the growing
list of proposed test facility and range modernization efforts. The
committee notes that the Army Chief of Staff has identified a high
priority unfunded requirement in fiscal year 2001 for $26.0 million of
test and evaluation upgrades. The committee also notes that the Air
Force is conducting a propulsion wind tunnel (PWT) upgrade program to
modernize the primary wind tunnel facilities used for transonic and
supersonic testing of major propulsion development programs including F
22 and the Joint Strike Fighter. Additional funds for the PWT program
would enhance structural test monitoring and data analysis and enable
Air Force test facilities to increase and enhance turbine engine test
capability. The committee is also aware of an innovative new technology,
Laser Induced Surface Improvement (LISI), which would have far reaching
joint service benefits. A multi-service cooperative program
incorporating the LISI technology would cut test time and costs, as well
as reduce long term maintenance and material construction costs through
the use of new laser surfacing technologies synergistically applied to
several Air Force, Navy, and Army assets vulnerable to corrosion and
abrasion. The committee believes LISI is a project with a limitless
potential for the military and eventually for private sector use, and is
a worthy candidate for funding under CTEIP.
The committee believes that many of the service test facility
modernization proposals such as digital video data collection and
similar instrumentation upgrade efforts would support establishment of
uniform test data collection for all service-run T&E facilities.
The committee is disturbed by the Department's inability to ensure
sufficient funds necessary to sustain T&E facilities, as well as the
many worthy test facility upgrades identified by the services. The
committee is aware that the Department is conducting an assessment of
various funding methods, to include consideration of working capital
funding and other T&E customer cost-sharing alternatives in order to
ensure adequate sustainment funding for T&E facilities. The committee
expresses strong congressional interest in this issue and directs the
Secretary of Defense to report any recommended change to current funding
procedures for these facilities prior to including them in future budget
requests.
The committee recommends $139.4 million, an increase of $18.0 million
to address additional T&E facility upgrade proposals within the CTEIP
and supports this program as an appropriate method of ensuring
coordinated investments to support joint requirements for T&E facility
upgrades and capability sustainment efforts.
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
SUBTITLE A--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS
SECTION 201--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS
This section would authorize Research, Development, Testing and
Evaluation (RDT&E) funding for fiscal year 2000.
SECTION 202--AMOUNT FOR BASIC AND APPLIED RESEARCH
This section would specify the amount authorized for fiscal year 2000
for technology base programs.
SUBTITLE B--PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS, RESTRICTIONS, AND LIMITATIONS
SECTION 211--HIGH ENERGY LASER PROGRAMS
This section would authorize funds for high energy laser (HEL)
research and development; require a designated senior civilian official
in the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) to carry out
responsibilities for coordinating, prioritizing, planning, programming,
and oversight of HEL programs, establish appropriate policy to guide
funding of OSD, services and Ballistic Missile Defense Organization
(BMDO) HEL programs; state a sense of Congress concerning funding levels
for HEL research and development; require the establishment of a
memorandum of agreement between the Secretary of Defense and the
Administrator of the National Nuclear Security Administration to conduct
joint laser research programs; and establish certain reporting
requirements.
The committee notes that the High Energy Laser Executive Review Panel
(HELERP) prepared the laser master plan mandated by section 251 of the
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (Public Law
106-65). This report identifies many of the technical challenges in
maturing laser technologies for weapons applications and establishes a
High Energy Laser Board of Directors, chaired by the Under Secretary of
Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, to oversee and
approve HEL science and technology investments. The committee believes
that this organization represents a significant advance over the past,
in which laser development activities proceeded within the services with
little or no coordination.
However, the committee remains concerned that the management
structure established by the HELERP may not vest sufficient authority in
the Office of the Secretary of Defense to assure that service and BMDO
HEL programs are fully coordinated. The committee is also concerned that
this structure and the funding mechanisms established in the laser
master plan will not be adequate to encourage the services to invest
scarce resources in a potentially revolutionary capability. Section 211
would define the authorities of a designated OSD official to assure that
HEL programs within the Department of Defense are adequately funded and
coordinated. The committee also believes that requiring OSD funding to
support service--and BMDO--funded HEL programs at a level no greater
than that provided by the service or BMDO will maximize the relevance of
OSD efforts to service and BMD requirements and incentivize appropriate
investment in these technologies.
SECTION 212--MANAGEMENT OF SPACE-BASED INFRARED SYSTEM-LOW
This section would require the Secretary of Defense to assign program
management authority for the Space-Based Infrared System-Low to the
Director of the Ballistic Missile Defense Organization.
SECTION 213--JOINT STRIKE FIGHTER
This section would limit the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program's
approval to proceed beyond the demonstration and validation phase until
the Secretary of Defense certifies to the congressional defense
committees that the technological maturity of the JSF program's key
technologies is sufficient to warrant its entry into the engineering and
manufacturing development (EMD) stage.
SUBTITLE C--BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE
SECTION 231--FUNDING FOR FISCAL YEAR 2001
The section would authorize appropriations for research and
development for National Missile Defense for fiscal year 2001.
SECTION 232--SENSE OF CONGRESS CONCERNING COMMITMENT TO DEPLOY NATIONAL
MISSILE DEFENSE
This section would make certain findings and express the sense of
Congress that the enactment of the National Missile Defense Act of 1999
(Public Law 106 38) entails a commitment to deploy a national missile
defense.
The committee believes that integrated flight tests to date
demonstrate the feasibility of the National Missile Defense (NMD)
technology under development. Integrated Flight Test-3 (IFT 3) confirmed
the ability of the exoatmospheric kill vehicle (EKV) to discriminate a
warhead from other objects. IFT 4, notwithstanding the fact that the EKV
missed the target because of failure of EKV sensors, confirmed the
ability of the NMD battle management, command and control system, early
warning sensors, and radar to provide engagement information to the kill
vehicle as a functioning system of systems. The committee recognizes
that much test and evaluation remains to be done, but believes that the
tests to date provide confidence that NMD system technologies are
feasible.
The committee believes that the North Korean development of
long-range missiles capable of reaching the continental United States is
sufficiently mature that a commitment to a firm deployment schedule is
warranted. The committee notes that the September 1999 threat assessment
by the National Intelligence Council states that Iran could test an ICBM
by the latter half of this decade. The committee further notes that the
Secretary of Defense shares the view that ``the threat threshold has
been crossed.''
The committee notes that the National Missile Defense Act of 1999
(Public Law 106 38) established that it is the policy of the United
States to deploy an NMD system as soon as technically possible. The
committee remains baffled by Administration statements to the effect
that, while the policy of the United States is to deploy a national
missile defense, no decision has been made to deploy such a defense. The
committee believes that the establishment of any policy incurs an
inherent commitment to execute it.
SECTION 233--REPORTS ON BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT POSED BY NORTH KOREA
This section would require the President to issue, within two weeks
of the next test of a long-range ballistic missile by North Korea or 60
days after the date of enactment, a report to assess the North Korean
missile threat, the U.S. capability to defend against that threat,
proliferation threats, steps the U.S. will take to reduce the threat
while the nation is vulnerable, and the viability of testing other BMD
systems against targets with flight characteristics similar to those of
long range North Korean missiles.
The committee believes that if North Korea should test a long-range
missile, the Department of Defense should quickly revise threat
assessments and rapidly put into place actions to reduce the increased
vulnerability that are assessed as result of the test.
SECTION 234--PLAN TO MODIFY BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE ARCHITECTURE TO
COVER INTERMEDIATE-RANGE BALLISTIC MISSILE THREATS
This section would require the Director of Ballistic Missile Defense
Organization to develop a plan to address threats posed by ballistic
missiles of 2500 to 4000 kilometers in range.
The committee notes that the National Missile Defense system under
development will defend the United States from intercontinental range
ballistic missiles, and theater missile defense systems under
development will provide effective defense for U.S. forces and allies
from ballistic missiles with ranges out to approximately 2000
kilometers. The committee notes that, according to public reports, Iran
is developing an intermediate range ballistic missile with a range well
in excess of 2000 kilometers, capable of striking virtually all of
Europe. The committee believes that the evolution of this threat must be
addressed in BMD architecture and technology development.
SECTION 235--DESIGNATION OF AIRBORNE LASER PROGRAM AS A PROGRAM ELEMENT
OF BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE PROGRAM
This section would establish a new program element in the Ballistic
Missile Defense Organization (BMDO) for the airborne laser.
The committee notes that Airborne Laser (ABL) is a key element of
BMDO architectures. The committee notes that the Air Force drastically
reduced funding and delayed ABL testing and deployment schedules by as
much as seven years. The committee further notes that the Air Force did
so without consulting BMDO and without consideration of the impact on
the BMD architecture developed by BMDO or requirements for upper and
lower tier BMD systems. To properly coordinate the elements of the BMD
architecture and BMD technology development, the committee believes that
ABL is more effectively managed and funded by BMDO.
SUBTITLE D--OTHER MATTERS
SECTION 241--RECOGNITION OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS INSTRUMENTAL TO NAVAL
RESEARCH EFFORTS DURING THE PERIOD FROM BEFORE WORLD WAR II THROUGH THE END OF THE
COLD WAR
This provision would recognize those individuals instrumental in the
establishment and conduct of oceanographic and scientific research
partnerships between the Federal Government and academic institutions
during the period beginning before World War II and continuing through
the end of the Cold War, support efforts by the Secretary of the Navy
and the Chief of Naval Research to honor those individuals, and express
appreciation for the ongoing efforts of the Office of Naval Research to
support oceanographic and scientific research and the development of
researchers in scientific fields related to the missions of the Navy and
the Marine Corps.
TITLE III--OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
OVERVIEW
The budget request for fiscal year 2001 for operation and maintenance
represents an increase in spending of just $3.0 billion over spending
levels authorized and appropriated for fiscal year 2000. Increasing fuel
prices account for $1.2 billion of that increase, and the remaining
represents inflation assumptions of about one percent. Despite the
Administration's reported funding increase, the reality of the budget
request is that there are little if any real increases. The committee is
concerned that current budget estimates project a decrease in operation
and maintenance funding for critical readiness needs for fiscal year
2002.
Despite increased funding by Congress for readiness, the budget
request for fiscal year 2001 falls well short of addressing many of the
military services' current and future readiness requirements.
Compounding the problem, the budget request does not adequately take
into account the current and future financial impacts on equipment,
training, and facilities being created by the high pace of unscheduled
contingency operations around the world. The committee remains deeply
concerned that the continued underfunding of key readiness and quality
of life accounts, coupled with a continued high pace of operations, will
exacerbate readiness and personnel retention concerns. For example, in
spite of the addition by Congress of $858.4 million to the real property
maintenance and repair accounts of the four military services in fiscal
year 2000, the chiefs' fiscal year 2000 unfunded priorities list still
identifies a real property and repair shortfall of over $1.03 billion.
Despite a Congressional increase last year of $135.0 million for spare
parts, the services unfunded priorities list nonetheless identifies a
shortfall in spare parts funding of $250.0 million in fiscal year 2001.
As a further example, Congress increased the budget request for ship
depot maintenance by $25.0 million last year, yet this year's unfunded
priorities list reflects a shortfall in fiscal year 2001 of $182.3
million.
In an effort to obtain a more accurate and detailed assessment of
current and near-term readiness, the committee conducted a series of
hearings. The evidence received during the hearings was of an
overextended force struggling to maintain acceptable readiness levels in
an environment of declining human and budgetary resources. The committee
continues to hear significant complaints about lack of spare parts,
aging equipment, decaying infrastructure and growing equipment and
facilities' backlogs and the difficulties of conducting quality training
and operational deployments with significant personnel shortages.
The committee continues to believe that DOD must continue to take
steps to reduce costs in non-readiness related accounts. At the same
time, DOD must provide more aggressive oversight of the military
department's proposals to reduce costs through contracting out and
privatization. As an example, the Department of the Navy has proposed
the contracting out of a major portion of its communications
requirements without including any documentation for this proposed
five-year, $10.0 billion program. Proposals of this magnitude may have
serious budgetary consequences for other DOD programs. The committee
fully supports well developed and justified programs that will reduce
costs; but, at a time when readiness shortfalls are growing almost
exponentially, the committee does not believe that poorly developed and
uncoordinated new programs, or that funding for administrative and
support activities, such as headquarters management, should be
increasing. Consistent with past practice, the committee has identified
spending that does not directly support military readiness and has
reprioritized it into areas that will. In making decisions on how best
to apply resources to address readiness problems, the committee relied
heavily on lessons learned during extensive oversight hearings and on
the unfunded priorities lists provided by the service chiefs.
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ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
BUDGET REQUEST INCREASES
CRITICAL READINESS ACCOUNTS
The committee continues to place a high priority on addressing
funding shortfalls for critical readiness accounts. Accordingly, the
committee recommends an increase of approximately $1.4 billion to
support a number of underfunded readiness accounts. Although the
committee has significantly increased funding above the budget request
in key readiness accounts by just under $10.0 billion during the past
six years, this has not been sufficient to significantly improve
readiness across the military services. The committee recommendations
emphasize problems highlighted throughout extensive hearings and have
been guided by the shortfalls identified by the service chiefs.
Depot maintenance
The committee notes that operational tempo is at an all-time high and
that aging military equipment is approaching a point beyond its useful
service life. As a consequence of the aging of significant elements of
the services' combat equipment, the maintenance of such equipment is
increasingly difficult, time consuming, and expensive. The committee
recommends an increase of $461.1 million for depot maintenance to
address the added requirements of aging combat equipment as follows:
[Dollars in millions]
Army
$125.0
Navy (Air)
30.0
Navy (Sea)
204.3
Marine Corps
22.0
Marine Corps Reserve
2.0
Air Force
77.8
Real property maintenance
The committee continues to note that shortfalls in real property
maintenance accounts remain among the principal unfunded requirement
identified by the service chiefs. To address the backlog of facility
maintenance, the committee recommends an increase of $660.0 million as
follows:
[Dollars in millions]
Army $280.36
Navy 162.17
Marine Corps 38.320
Marine Corps Reserve 3.11
Air Force 176.04
Miscellaneous unfunded requirements
The committee recommends an increase of $403.992 million in funding
for miscellaneous unfunded readiness-related requirements identified by
the service chiefs and the committee:
[Dollars in millions]
Army $136.152
Army Reserve 12.0
Army National Guard 24.0
Navy 44.74
Marine Corps 75.8
Marine Corps Reserve 8.2
Air Force 67.1
Air National Guard 6.0
Mobility enhancement funding
The committee recommends an increase of $25.0 million to improve the
deployment and mobility of military forces and supplies through
investment in en route infrastructure. These funds are provided to the
United States Transportation Command Mobility Enhancement Fund (MEF),
which was established to address strategic mobility shortcomings that
were apparent during the conduct of Operation Desert Shield and
Operation Desert Storm. The committee believes that these funds will
improve the ability of the military services to respond to future
contingencies.
Training accounts
The committee continues to focus its attention on the training
accounts of the military services. In hearings this year, the committee
continued to hear reports that insufficient funding has been a
contributing factor in the decline in the quality of training provided
our combat forces. Shortages of equipment, parts, decaying
infrastructure, and personnel shortages were identified as serious
problems. The committee believes that training equipment and base
facilities at many of the established training ranges is in urgent need
of both repair and upgrade.
Therefore, based on shortfalls identified by the military services,
the committee recommends an increase of $153.3 million as follows:
[Dollars in millions]
Army:
Training Range Modernization
$76.0
Training Area Environmental Management
32.0
Institutional Training
15.0
Specialized Skill Training
15.0
Marine Corps:
Institutional Training
4.0
Marine Corps Reserve:
Training Center Improvements
1.2
Air Force:
LD/HD Flight Crew Training
5.1
Institutional Training
5.0
ARMY COLD WEATHER CLOTHING
The committee is aware of unbudgeted requirements for the reserve
components for the Extended Cold Weather Clothing System (ECWCS), which
is designed to provide protection during cold and wet weather. The
committee notes, for example, that the Army National Guard has equipped
only 25 percent of its forces with this clothing. The committee believes
ECWCS is a significant contributor to the combat readiness of the
individual soldier. Therefore, the committee recommends an increase of
funding for ECWCS as follows:
[Dollars in millions]
Army National Guard
$24.0
Army Reserve
12.0
Air National Guard
6.0
BUDGET REQUEST REDUCTIONS
CIVILIAN PERSONNEL REDUCTIONS
The committee understands that in order to determine civilian
personnel requirements for the budget request, the Department of Defense
relied on actual fiscal year 1999 personnel levels and the estimated
personnel levels the Department would have on hand at the end of fiscal
year 2000 to forecast civilian personnel levels for fiscal year 2001.
The committee notes that the Department was unable to estimate
accurately the fiscal year 2000 end strength prior to the submission of
the budget request. The committee further notes the General Accounting
Office (GAO) has determined that the Department will employ fewer
civilian personnel at the beginning of fiscal year 2001 than are assumed
in the budget request. Therefore, the committee recommends decreases in
funding as follows:
[Dollars in millions]
Navy
$49.6
Defense Agencies
0.9
EXCESS FOREIGN CURRENCIES REDUCTIONS
Since the submission of the budget request, the U.S. dollar has
increased in value compared to various foreign currencies. As a result,
the committee believes that the
budget request is overstated. In addition, the committee
understands that the Defense Foreign Currency Fluctuation Account
already contains a balance of over $600.0 million to be used in the
event that unfavorable currency fluctuations develop. The committee
believes the requested amount is, therefore, in excess of the needs of
the Department and recommends the following reductions:
[Dollars in millions]
Army
$150.0
Navy
30.0
Marine Corps
2.2
Air Force
37.7
Defense Agencies
10.1
HEADQUARTERS REDUCTIONS
As discussed elsewhere in this report, the Department has failed to
comply with the reductions in headquarters personnel mandated by section
921 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000
(Public Law 106 65). Therefore, the committee recommends decreases in
funding for headquarters activities as follows:
[Dollars in millions]
Army $27.086
Navy 13.340
Air Force 12.200
Special Operations Command 1.682
Office, Secretary of Defense 4.446
The Joint Staff 0.552
Defense Agencies 12.586
JOINT CHIEFS OF STAFF TRAINING EXERCISES
The committee continues to be concerned with the increasing pace of
operations throughout the military services and believes that
requirements for Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) training exercises are
levied against units already overextended with operational deployments,
home station training exercises, and training exercises at the services'
major combat training centers. The committee questions whether the
benefits of the current scope of JCS exercises exceeds the costs to
military units otherwise experiencing the effects of high operational
tempo. Therefore, the committee recommends a reduction for participation
in JCS exercises as follows:
[Dollars in millions]
Army $11.000
Navy 1.014
Air Force 12.200
Joint Chiefs of Staff 32.914
OTHER ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
ACCOUNTABILITY OF OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE FUNDING
The committee is alarmed by recent reports regarding the movement
within the military services of large amounts of funds authorized and
appropriated for operation and maintenance (O&M) accounts. The committee
notes recent reports by the General Accounting Office (GAO) indicate the
Department of Defense (DOD) redirected funds within O&M readiness
accounts by almost $43.0 billion between fiscal years 1994 and 1998.
These changes to the original intent specified by Congress included
transfers into, as well as out, of several accounts considered critical
to readiness. Although these transferred funds were subsequently used
for shortfalls in other O&M accounts, the committee is especially
concerned about the underexecution of funding provided by Congress in
the readiness critical accounts. The committee notes that over the
five-year period assessed by GAO, the Department of the Navy
underexecuted by $1.2 billion the ship depot maintenance portion, and
that the Department of the Air Force underexecuted by $988.4 million
support of primary combat forces. The Department of the Army, over just
the past two years, underexecuted by $579.9 million its support of
combat divisions. Although the committee understands that the unexecuted
funds were applied to other requirements, the committee believes that
movements of funds intended for critical readiness accounts will have a
severe impact on the ability of the services to maintain readiness at
acceptable levels.
ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES
FINES AND PENALTIES
The committee supports the goal of the Department of Defense (DOD)
environmental quality program to transition from a reactive,
compliance-driven focus to a more proactive goal-oriented approach. The
committee is concerned, however, with the Department of the Army's
effort to achieve this goal. The committee notes that the Army
continually receives a disproportional number of environmental
non-compliance assessments, and that the Army pays the majority of fines
and penalties levied against DOD. The committee further notes, of the
total DOD fines and penalties paid in fiscal years 1997, 1998, and 1999,
the Army's portion was 97, 53, and 87 percent, respectively. The
committee believes that the Secretary of the Army must place greater
emphasis on efforts to achieve environmental compliance and to achieve
DOD's goals within the environmental quality program.
NAVY ENVIRONMENTAL LEADERSHIP PROGRAM
The committee continues to support the Chief of Naval Operation's
Navy Environmental Leadership Program (NELP) and believes that while
there have been numerous programmatic successes in NELP, many of which
are being implemented throughout the Navy, budget constraints have
prevented NELP from reaching its full potential in providing solutions
to priority Navy environmental problems. Current requirements include
pollution prevention technologies, implementation of Green Energy
Management initiatives, and development of a regional prototype for
hazardous waste management. To support improved environmental
stewardship efforts, the committee recommends an increase of $5.0
million for the NELP. The committee strongly believes that this increase
in funds would permit a cost-effective leveraging of ongoing efforts to
meet urgent Navy environmental requirements.
INTELLIGENCE ISSUES
CRYPTOLOGIC SKILLS TRAINING
The budget request contained $1.3 million in operation and
maintenance, Army, for conducting cryptologic and language skills
training at the U.S. Army Intelligence Center (USAIC).
The committee is aware of a unique Korean language training program
developed in-house at the USAIC. The committee believes this
computer-based tool has the potential of providing critical language
maintenance training for many language specialists, and it believes this
effort should be expanded to other languages.
Consequently, the committee recommends $5.3 million in operation and
maintenance, Army, an increase of $4.0 million, for continued
development of this language training program into the service's seven
core language requirements. The committee also recommends that this
program be provided to the other services for language training
maintenance.
DEFENSE FOREIGN LANGUAGE PROGRAM
The budget request contained $61.9 million in operation and
maintenance, Army, for the Defense Language Institute (DLI)
The committee is supportive of DLI training efforts to provide high
quality linguists for the growing requirement of many agencies and
services but believes that its language laboratories are in need of
technical upgrades, to include new equipment and access to the internet.
The committee is aware of local area Marine Corps self-help efforts that
have done similar upgrades very cost effectively. The committee believes
the Army should utilize the Marine Corps self-help assistance to upgrade
the DLI language laboratories
Further, the committee is aware of an unfunded DLI initiative to
provide better language training by issuing laptop computers to
students. These computers would be used to provide language laboratory
access to on-line language training materials, allow ``after hours''
access from the institute's dormitories, and access to ``live''
world-wide foreign training materials. The committee believes this is a
worthwhile effort that should be properly funded
Therefore, the committee recommends $64.9 million in operation and
maintenance, Army, an increase of $3.0 million, for the Defense Foreign
Language
Program. Of this amount, $1.0 million is for self-help upgrade
of the language laboratories and $2.0 million is for the laptop computer
initiative.
DISTRIBUTED COMMON GROUND SYSTEM
The committee understands that the Air Force is currently operating
with a waiver to utilize communications for the Air Force's Distributed
Common Ground Systems (DCGS) reachback operations that are provided in
whole or part by national agencies within the National Foreign
Intelligence Program. The committee further understands that this
arrangement has allowed the DCGS to have access to wideband
communications at very inexpensive rates, and accordingly, that the Air
Force is seeking a permanent waiver to continue this arrangement.
However, the committee has learned that the Assistant Secretary of
Defense (Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence) has directed
that all continental United States DCGS long-haul communications are to
be procured through the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA). The
committee understands that this will increase the Air Force's
communications costs by a factor of 16 and that this cost increase is
unfunded in the fiscal year 2001 request. The committee finds this
increase incomprehensible and notes that such direction is not in accord
with congressional efforts to create an interoperable, networked
Intelligence Community communications environment.
Therefore, the committee directs the Assistant Secretary of Defense
(Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence) to provide the
defense and intelligence committees a report that clearly identifies the
costs, the rationale for the cost differences and the benefits versus
drawbacks of providing DCGS communications through the national partner
or the DISA. Further, this report is to provide the rationale for
approval of the current temporary waiver and the Assistant Secretary's
decision for a permanent waiver. The committee directs that no DCGS
funding authorized for appropriation in this act be obligated or
expended by DISA, or transferred through DISA, for procurement or lease
of DCGS communications until this report is provided.
EAGLE VISION COMMERCIAL IMAGERY
The budget request contained $10.0 million for the National Imagery
and Mapping Agency (NIMA) to purchase commercial data.
The committee notes the successful Air Force operation of the Eagle
Vision commercial imagery ground station, which has resulted in timely,
unclassified imagery support to the theater commanders-in-chief (CINCs).
Much of this imagery has been unique and could not be provided by other
technical means due to higher priorities. The committee believes that
there are insufficient funds to meet the CINCs' commercial image and
mapping needs and, therefore, recommends $16.0 million, an increase of
$6.0 million, for purchasing Eagle Vision commercial imagery.
INTEGRATED BROADCAST SERVICE
The budget request contained $15.1 million in operations and
maintenance, Navy, for the Integrated Broadcast Service (IBS).
The committee notes that, subsequent to the submission of the budget
request to Congress, the IBS executive agent was changed from the Navy
to the Air Force. Therefore, the committee recommends a transfer of
$15.1 million from operation and maintenance, Navy, to operation and
maintenance, Air Force.
RC 135 AND U 2 OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE
The budget request contained a total of $373.1 million for operations
and maintenance of the RC 135 and U 2 aircraft fleets.
The committee is concerned that funding for many Intelligence
Community programs, including intelligence surveillance and
reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft are regularly transferred from the
programs for which funds were authorized and appropriated to fund
shortfalls in other programs, often not related to ISR requirements. The
committee understands the theater and functional Commanders in Chief
have stated that their number one shortfall is in ISR aircraft and
systems. The committee is concerned that transferring funding,
particularly operation and maintenance funding, from ISR aircraft to
fund non-intelligence programs exacerbates the CINCs' ISR shortfalls.
Therefore the committee directs that the RC 135 and U 2 programs be
designated as congressional interest items.
MORALE, WELFARE, AND RECREATION ISSUES
ARMED FORCES RECREATION CENTERS
The committee notes that the Army operates, on behalf of all military
personnel, several popular recreational facilities known collectively as
Armed Forces Recreation Centers (AFRC). These facilities provide much
needed recreation opportunities to service members and their families at
a reasonable cost, and the committee has consistently supported these
important programs. The committee is aware that access to AFRC
facilities is not limited to active duty, reserve, and retired service
members, but is also available to a broad array of other personnel,
including many with no military service. The committee believes that
such a relatively unrestricted access policy suggests that honorably
discharged veterans could be accommodated by these facilities. The
committee directs the Secretary of Defense to review the categories of
personnel with AFRC privileges to determine whether those categories
should be broadened to include honorably discharged veterans, and to
report his findings and any recommendations to the Senate Committee on
Armed Services and the House Committee on Armed Services by January 31,
2001.
LODGING PROGRAMS
The committee is aware of a recent change in lodging policy by the
Department of Defense (DOD) that all permanent change of station travel
be considered as official travel for the purposes of on-base lodging.
The committee notes this change in policy will cost Army Morale,
Welfare, and Recreation (MWR) programs alone over $14.0 million
annually. The committee is also concerned that this action essentially
donates approximately $75.0 million soldier dollars invested in bricks
and mortar lodging facilities to appropriated fund accounts. In the
course of attempting to determine the policy reason underpinning the
regulatory change, the committee learned that the files documenting the
reason for this decision could not be found. DOD officials were thus
forced to speculate as to the actual policy rationale used, but most
often have cited consistency among the military services as the reason.
The committee believes that a shift of this magnitude should be the
subject of open debate, rather than a seemingly arbitrary decision
apparently made in the name of consistency. The committee, therefore,
directs the Secretary of Defense to review this change in policy,
detailing the reasons for the change, and to submit a plan to hold
harmless Army and Marine Corps MWR by this action to the Senate
Committee on Armed Services and the House Committee on Armed Services by
January 31, 2001.
NONAPPROPRIATED FUND SUPPORT OF OFFICIAL ACTIVITIES
The committee is pleased to note that the service secretaries have at
last begun to provide nonappropriated fund activities with the minimum
established standard of appropriated fund support. The committee expects
this trend to continue. In that regard, the committee heard testimony
that some nonappropriated fund category C activities, which are
generally expected to be self-sustaining, have become essential elements
of command programs on some installations. An example of this phenomenon
is the club system, which is generally prohibited from receiving
appropriated fund support, but which is frequently used for official
functions and training sessions. The committee notes that previous
criticism of club management practices resulted in stringent
restrictions on the amount of appropriated fund support for these
activities. The committee is concerned that the restrictions are too
rigorous, and that category C activities of all types are unduly
penalized as a result. The committee directs the Secretary of Defense to
review the support that category C activities provide to official
activities without reimbursement and report his findings and any
recommendations to the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the House
Committee on Armed Services by March 31, 2001.
OTHER ISSUES
ARMY APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAM
The committee is concerned that the Department of the Army has paid
little attention to sustaining critical readiness workforce skills at
Army depots. The committee heard testimony that the majority of skilled
workers at these depots will be eligible to retire by fiscal year 2005,
and that there is no plan to fill these jobs. Many of these workers are
highly proficient craftsmen, possessing skills that take years to
develop under careful supervision. The committee believes that the Army
should establish a program to hire and train new workers equally capable
of repairing complex Army vehicles and
weapons systems. The committee understands that the Secretary
of the Navy operates a successful apprenticeship program in its
shipyards to address a similar shortfall in the Navy.
The committee therefore directs the Secretary of the Army to
establish an apprenticeship program for Army maintenance depots to
address these critical needs and report to the Senate Committee on Armed
Services and the House Committee on Armed Services by January 31, 2001,
on his plans to implement this program. In addition, the committee
recommends an increase of $4.4 million as a separate line item in the
Department of the Army's Budget Activity 03 to establish this
depot-level apprenticeship program.
ARMY WORKLOAD AND PERFORMANCE SYSTEM
The committee has long supported the Department of Defense in the
development of analytical systems based on workload requirements to
support its civilian personnel budget requirements. The committee
commends the Department of the Army for leading the effort to correct
this material weakness in the staffing requirements determination
process by the development of the Army Workload and Performance System
(AWPS). Although slow in its formulation, the committee continues to
believe that AWPS should be the standard functional management system
for all industrial operations and should be adequately funded. In the
committee report on H.R. 3616, the National Defense Authorization Act
for Fiscal Year 1999 (H. Rept. 105 532), the Secretary of the Army was
required to provide the committee with a long-range master plan for the
implementation of AWPS. In its review of the AWPS master plan, the
General Accounting Office (GAO) reported to the committee that untimely
and inadequate funding was causing major delays in the full
implementation of AWPS. In addition, the GAO reported that the Army
needs to develop a more detailed master plan that includes better system
cost estimates for future modules, and an improved management and
oversight structure. The committee directs the Secretary of the Army to
update the AWPS master plan to incorporate GAO's recommendations and
submit a revised master plan to the Senate Committee on Armed Services
and the House Committee on Armed Services not later than February 1,
2001.
In order to sustain this important program at an adequate funding
level, the committee recommends the addition of $2.0 million
specifically for AWPS during fiscal year 2001. The committee believes
that this minimum level of funding is necessary for AWPS to develop in a
timely and effective manner.
AUTOMATIC IDENTIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
The committee continues to be concerned with reports of shortages of
repair parts that have necessitated the grounding of critical aviation
assets and other combat equipment, and by the decrease in mission
capable rates due to a combination of increased maintenance requirements
and a lack of spare parts. Although the committee has increased funding
for spare parts and additional maintenance by nearly $3.5 billion
between fiscal years 1994 and 2000, the committee notes that improvement
trends in these areas show minimal improvements.
The committee understands that Automatic Identification Technology
(AIT), currently being developed by the Department of the Army, has the
potential to provide the needed solutions to these problems and could
significantly improve readiness. As also discussed elsewhere in this
report, AIT would make key maintenance information available to all
participants in the repair process and would improve productivity and
effectiveness to enhance overall logistics operations. In addition, AIT
will provide connectivity and information to related business processes
such as financial, supply and transportation. Although Congress included
funding for AIT in the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2000, there is no funding in the budget request for AIT.
Because of the potential to significantly improve readiness in the
military services, the committee recommends the addition of $4.0 million
for the Department of the Army to continue AIT integration.
CIVILIAN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLERS
The committee notes that civilian air traffic controllers who are
employed by the Federal Aviation Administration are compensated
significantly better than air traffic controllers who are employed by
the Department of Defense (DOD). The committee understands that the
Department of Transportation and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of
1996 (Public Law 104 50) established a separate personnel system for the
Federal Aviation Administration, even though DOD air traffic controllers
perform the same work to the same standards. The committee has learned
that this disparity of pay has created a difficult recruiting and
retention challenge for DOD as the Department strives to maintain safety
at military airfields around the world. The committee is disturbed that
the Department has known about this problem for some time, but has yet
to formulate a solution. The committee directs the Secretary of Defense
to determine the best method to solve the Department's recruiting and
retention problem for air traffic controllers and report his
recommendations accompanied by any necessary legislative changes to the
Senate Committee on Armed Services and the House Committee on Armed
Services by January 31, 2001.
COMMERCIAL TECHNOLOGIES FOR MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES
The committee continues to believe that the Commercial Technologies
for Maintenance Activities (CTMA) program, created by the Department of
Defense (DOD) in 1998 to bring the most modern and advanced
manufacturing capabilities from commercial industry to depot and related
maintenance activities, is valuable as a technology resource which will
have a positive effect on the efficiency and effectiveness of the
Department's industrial activities. The CTMA program is a by-product of
section 361 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year
1998 (Public Law 105 85) that required DOD to re-engineer industrial
processes and adopt best-business practices at their depot-level
activities. The committee is concerned that DOD has not provided funding
for this vital and cost-effective program. Therefore, the committee
recommends the addition of $12.0 million for the Defense Logistics
Agency to pursue strategies for re-engineering at depot-level activities
that will lower operations and sustainment costs. The committee believes
the addition of these funds will allow depot-level activities to
participate in manufacturing technology demonstration projects in
collaboration with more than 220 of the leading U.S. manufacturers. The
committee urges the Secretary of Defense to ensure that funds for the
CTMA program will be forthcoming in future budget requests.
CONTAINER FREIGHT STATION OPERATIONS
The committee is aware that the Military Traffic Management Command
(MTMC) is presently considering the transfer of workload from the
Container Freight Station (CFS), Norfolk, Virginia, to the Defense
Distribution Center (DDC), New Cumberland, Pennsylvania. While
supportive of the efforts of MTMC for its efforts to reduce costs, the
committee is concerned that MTMC has not adequately evaluated the
potential adverse impact on fleet operational requirements, contingency
operation flexibility, mission readiness of forward deployed units,
operations at the Military Ocean Terminal, Norfolk, Virginia, and
operations at the Norfolk Naval Air Station. The committee is also aware
that MTMC is conducting a business case analysis to evaluate the
potential impacts of the CFS transfer on current and future military
readiness.
Therefore, the committee directs the Secretary of Defense to report
to the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the House Committee on
Armed Services on the results of the MTMC business case analysis and to
assess the effects of the proposed transfer on military readiness.
Further, the committee directs the Secretary of Defense to take no
action on the transfer of any existing CFS functions until 180 days
after the submission of this report.
CORE LOGISTICS CAPABILITIES
The committee is aware that the Department of Defense (DOD) is
undertaking a study to examine the military logistics system, including
a review of the implementation by the military departments of core
logistics capabilities methodology as required by section 2464 of title
10, United States Code. Because the military departments have not had
the benefit of clear policy guidance concerning core logistics, the
implementation of DOD's current core logistics determination policy has
not been consistent. As a result, significant confusion has developed,
which the committee believes has worked against the most effective
capitalization of resources made available for core logistics
activities.
The committee believes that the DOD core logistics study represents a
necessary first step and opportunity to develop and implement the
required policy and methodology on a consistent basis, and urges the
Department to complete the study as soon as possible. Every effort
should be made to develop a consensus of all those involved on those
items that would be included in any final policy guidance.
DEFENSE JOINT ACCOUNTING SYSTEM
As well documented by General Accounting Office, the Inspector
General of the Department of Defense, and other Department of Defense
(DOD) studies, the DOD has had a longstanding history of poor and
inadequate automated financial accounting systems. DOD has repeatedly
indicated a commitment to financial management reform,
part of which is to integrate and thus reduce the number of
financial and accounting systems. In 1996, DOD initiated the Defense
Joint Accounting System (DJAS), a financial information management
system that supports the general ledger for general and working capital
funds at the installation level. The committee understands that DJAS
will ultimately cost $322 million to develop and fully deploy. The
committee is concerned that the Department of the Navy and the
Department of the Air Force do not intend to participate in this
program.
The committee has consistently urged DOD and the military departments
to move away from service unique automated information systems. The
DJAS, as its title indicates, appears to be a financial accounting
system that has been designed to be truly joint. The committee fails to
understand why the Navy and the Air Force have failed to incorporate
this joint accounting system and have decided to retain their own
service specific legacy systems. Therefore, the committee directs the
Secretary of Defense to provide a report to the Senate Committee on
Armed Services and the House Committee on Armed Services, no later than
September 1, 2000, that addresses the following:
(1) The decision to withdraw the Air Force from DJAS to include the
date of the decision and justification used;
(2) The impact of the decision to withdraw the Air Force from DJAS
on the projected cost of DJAS; and
(3) The rationale why the Department of the Navy was not required to
participate in this joint program.
In addition, the committee directs the Secretary of the Navy and the
Secretary of the Air Force to provide a report to the Senate Committee
on Armed Services and the House Committee on Armed Services, no later
than September 1, 2000, that address the following:
(1) The specific rationale as to why DJAS will not meet service needs;
(2) The identification of any business process reengineering
initiatives that were attempted in order to participate in the DJAS
program; and
(3) The accounting systems are currently in use to support the
general ledger, funds control, budget execution, disbursing, travel,
cost accumulation and asset accounting for general and transportation
working capital funds at the installation level, the level of funding in
fiscal year 2001 to support these systems, and whether any of the
identified systems will migrate to any other system in the next five
years, and if so identify the new system.
The committee expects that a milestone III decision on DJAS shall not
be made until these reports are submitted.
DEFENSE PERSONNEL RECORDS IMAGING SYSTEM-ELECTRONICS MILITARY PERSONNEL
RECORDS SYSTEM
The committee is concerned with the Defense Personnel Records Imaging
System-Electronics Military Personnel Records System (DPRIS-EMPRS).
DPRIS-EMPRS is an automated imaging system whereby a digital image
replaces the current military personnel records systems which are stored
on obsolete and worn out microfiche. The committee is concerned that the
Department of the Navy is not adequately committed to DPRIS-EMPRS
because the Navy has not adequately funded this program since fiscal
year 1996. The committee notes that the Navy recently reported that this
automated system is not being properly developed and implemented, and
that an inadequate number of program management support personnel is the
principal cause of problems in the program. The Navy also reported that
the infrastructure to support the system development, testing, and
configuration management is currently non-existent. The committee,
however, notes the obligation of the Department of Navy to maintain an
adequate personnel-reporting system. The committee directs the Secretary
of the Navy to submit a report to the Senate Committee on Armed Services
and the House Committee on Armed Services not later than September 1,
2000, identifying the strategy for the sustainment of this system.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CIVILIAN PERSONNEL
Personnel safety
The committee is concerned with civilian personnel safety and notes
that the Department of Defense (DOD) has a safety and worker incident
rate over twice the rate of comparable companies in the private sector.
The committee further notes that accidents to federal civilian employees
cost the taxpayer approximately $2.4 billion per year. In the statement
of managers accompanying the conference report on H.R. 2561 (H. Rept.
106 371), the conferees directed the Secretary of Defense to initiate
programs funded from within existing Operation and Maintenance accounts
at designated DOD facilities that employ alternative, private sector
proven, models of safety to determine the best ways to improve DOD's
record with respect to injury incidence rates and associated costs. The
committee fully supports this effort and strongly encourages the
Secretary of Defense to initiate expeditiously the required worker
safety enhancement programs to bring the Department of Defense accident
rate more in line with private sector achievements.
Recruiting and retention
The committee is concerned that the Department of Defense (DOD) has
not begun the planning necessary to recruit and retain civilian
employees with the technical skills required to fill the critical jobs
of the future. The committee received testimony from workforce shaping
experts that such planning is essential for large, complex organizations
such as DOD. Yet, the committee continues to receive numerous unofficial
requests for special hiring authorities from various components of DOD
that would solve a particular need for hiring scientific and engineering
personnel.
While the committee desires the Department to attract high quality
scientists and engineers, the committee is disturbed by the lack of a
comprehensive plan to meet this critical need. The committee directs the
Secretary of Defense to develop a comprehensive plan to meet these
requirements, and to report his findings and recommendations to the
Senate Committee on Armed Services and the House Committee on Armed
Services by January 31, 2001.
DISTANCE LEARNING COURSEWARE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
The committee is aware that distance learning technologies have the
potential to benefit the armed forces in many ways. These technologies
enable those stationed or who perform required duty away from major
military installations to complete required educational courses, receive
updates on important information, and to participate remotely in
operationally-oriented learning activities. In short, the
``anytime-anywhere'' characteristics of distance learning enable service
members, particularly those in the National Guard and Reserve, to better
meet military education, training and readiness requirements. Such
technologies could also have benefit in new, evolving areas of military
endeavor, such as weapons of mass destruction-related response
activities. The committee anticipates that funds authorized for distance
learning will be used to create web-based courseware to meet National
Guard requirements associated with the development of weapons of mass
destruction response capabilities.
FINANCIAL POLICY
The committee is aware of circumstances where the military services
have not recorded financial obligations at the time that their legal
obligation is incurred. The committee notes the established financial
management policy of the Department of Defense (DOD) requires all
obligations to be recorded not later than 10 calendar days following the
date the obligation is incurred. The committee believes that prompt
recording of all obligations is absolutely essential to prudent
financial management. The committee directs the Secretary of Defense to
provide further guidance to the military departments and to take the
necessary steps to ensure that all defense agencies follow DOD
guidelines for the accurate and timely recording of financial
obligations.
LOCAL SCHOOL RENOVATION AND REPAIR
The committee is concerned that children of military personnel are
forced to attend many local schools around the country that are falling
into disrepair. The committee understands that school districts that
serve a great number of military families often have difficulty raising
bond issues because the local tax base is constrained by the presence of
large federal reservations. Nevertheless, the committee believes that
failing school infrastructure is a national problem that is not
restricted to local schools serving children of military personnel, and
is therefore not appropriately solved using Department of Defense funds.
The committee is heartened to learn that the House Committee on
Education and the Workforce has passed the impact aid reauthorization
bill of 2000 (H.R. 3616), which when enacted, will provide authority for
funding these needs. The committee commends the House Committee on
Education and the Workforce for its farsighted efforts on behalf of all
children of the United States, including the children of military
personnel. The committee agrees that these pressing needs should be
addressed by appropriations authorized by the committees with
jurisdiction over Department of Education funding.
LOGISTICS SUPPORT PLANNING
The committee notes that the Department of Defense (DOD) is
implementing a logistics support strategy that is resulting in actions
that move more authority and responsibility for the performance of
logistics support operations from the public to the private sector. Some
of these actions are being taken using best practices from the private
sector and directly applying them to improve the efficiency and
effectiveness of logistics support operations. In the past, DOD has
based many of these initiatives on a series of studies that promote the
outsourcing of various logistics support activities such as supply and
base level maintenance. The committee understands that these initiatives
are intended to provide resources that can be applied to the
modernization of military systems and equipment. The committee is
concerned, however, that these activities may or may not be performed
more cost-effectively in the private sector, and to what extent that at
least some of these activities should be retained by the military
departments to support military requirements. In addition, the General
Accounting Office (GAO) has issued a series of reports that question the
adequacy of DOD's long-range logistics strategic planning process. The
committee believes that a comprehensive long-range logistics strategic
plan that is in concert with current statutes and past GAO
recommendations will ensure the best utilization of DOD's current
logistical infrastructure.
The committee directs the Comptroller General of the United States to
provide a report to the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the House
Committee on Armed Services, not later than February 15, 2001 that
addresses the following issues:
(1) An analysis of the various studies that form the basis for DOD's
privatization initiatives to determine the extent to which these studies
provide evidence to support the cost effectiveness of on-going and
proposed privatization initiatives;
(2) Cost and management data for military systems managed using
contractor logistics support to determine the extent to which these
systems provide information on cost-effectiveness of this strategy of
weapons system support;
(3) An examination of depot maintenance contracts and military costs
for the same workloads to compare the cost and responsiveness of both
categories of maintenance support;
(4) An examination of DOD core depot maintenance policy and its
implementation in each of the military services to determine:
a. How core maintenance policy is being implemented;
b. The extent to which the military depots are being allocated
workloads to support new technologies and systems; and
c. The extent to which the DOD depot maintenance strategy and the
implementation of that strategy is supporting the long-term viability of
the military depots.
(5) An assessment whether source-of-repair decisions are being made
in coordination with all sectors of the logistics community and whether
acquisition officials are considering total life-cycle costs in weapons
systems purchasing decisions;
(6) The type and extent of usage of waivers to bypass supportability
analyses, including source-of-repair decisions for developments,
modifications, new acquisitions, and upgrades, and the impact on the
field of these waiver decisions;
(7) An assessment of the current status of the Department of the
Army's merger of logistics into the acquisition community, including
benefits/problems encountered to date and the validity of the rationale
for the merger; and,
(8) An assessment of the methodology used by DOD in the formulation
of their long-range logistics strategic plan, and whether the plan
conforms with current statutes.
MILITARY AFFILIATE RADIO SYSTEM
The committee reiterates its long-standing support for the Military
Affiliate Radio System (MARS), a Department of Defense-sponsored program
that relies on volunteer civilian amateur radio operators to provide an
auxiliary means of communication in the event of local, national, or
international emergencies. Although the MARS program operates at low
cost to the Department, the committee believes that the Department
continues to underutilize the system and is failing to derive maximum
benefit from it.
With this in mind, the committee urges the Secretary of Defense take
a number of actions to improve the utility of MARS. Such actions should
include:
(1) Increasing the visibility of MARS to senior military and civil
authority leadership;
(2) Incorporating MARS into appropriate contingency and emergency
operations plans;
(3) Increasing the use of MARS as a cost-effective and viable
alternative to commercial telecommunications for the purposes of troop
morale and welfare;
(4) Ensuring that all forward deployed units possess communications
equipment capable of operation on MARS frequencies; and
(5) Considering the applicability of using MARS as a low-cost test
bed for the evaluation of new communications technology and equipment.
The committee notes that contemplated changes to communications modes
and frequency allocations between military and commercial use may
negatively impact the ability of MARS to fulfill its auxiliary
communications role in the event of emergency. The committee also notes
that section 1062 of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2000 (Public Law 106 65) prevented the commercial use of certain
frequencies previously assigned to the federal government and used
primarily by the Department of Defense, and further required an
interagency review prior to the commercial reallocation of frequencies
currently used by the Department. The committee encourages the
Department to ensure that issues related to MARS frequency allocations
are addressed in connection with any review of emergency response
mission requirements.
NATIONAL MAINTENANCE PROGRAM
The committee commends the Secretary of the Army for addressing the
critical maintenance needs of the Army with the establishment of the
National Maintenance Program (NMP) and the inclusion in the budget
request of $16.8 million as an incremental step to execute this program
worldwide. While the Army is making significant progress in developing
the NMP, as well as developing other needed organizational changes such
as the Depot Maintenance Corporate Board, further improvements are
needed. The committee continues to believe that the Army needs an
effective total depot maintenance and repair program to sustain
readiness. For example, the Army still cannot identify the total amount
of depot-level maintenance work conducted at field locations.
Depot-level maintenance work is currently being performed by civilians
and active duty personnel in military units, by contractors in various
field locations, as well as in the public depots. Until the Army is able
to distinguish and account for depot-level maintenance workloads from
other work performed by organizations outside of the established
maintenance depots, it is unclear how the Army can realistically comply
with existing statutes, including section 2466 of Title 10, United
States Code.
The committee directs the Secretary of the Army to provide a report
to the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the House Committee on
Armed Service by February 1, 2001 that identifies the proliferation of
depot-level maintenance that is performed outside of the public depots.
The committee further requests that the Comptroller General of the
United States review this report and provide an analysis, including an
assessment of the Army's ability to comply with section 2466 of title 10
United States Code, to the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the
House Committee on Armed Services by March 31, 2001.
NAVAL AUDIT SERVICE
The committee supports the Department of Defense and the military
services to implement initiatives to become more efficient and more cost
effective. As an example, the Department of the Navy plans to reorganize
and consolidate the Naval Audit Service. The committee supports this
reorganization to the extent that there is efficiency to be gained and
all applicable rules, regulations, and statutes are followed. The
committee questions, however, whether it would be efficient and
economical for the Department of Navy to close audit sites in major
fleet concentration areas. The committee, therefore, directs the
Secretary of the Navy to inform the Senate Committee on Armed Services
and the House Committee on Armed Services of any decision to close audit
sites in major fleet concentration areas, and to submit documentation to
support this decision, within 10 days of such a decision being made.
Further, the committee directs the Secretary of the Navy to take no
action to implement such a decision until 180 days after the
Congressional notification.
RESERVE COMPONENT AUTOMATION SYSTEM (RCAS)
The committee notes that the Reserve Component Automation System
(RCAS) is a system critical to the day-to-day operational capabilities
and mobilization of the Army National Guard and the Army Reserve. The
committee is concerned that without continued support and modernization,
the Army Reserve could experience a serious deterioration in readiness.
The committee is further concerned that the Army has allocated only
limited funding for the RCAS program in the future years defense
program. In order to ensure this program continues to enable the
effective administrative support and mobilization capability required by
the reserve components, the committee expects the Department of the Army
to program sufficient funds for RCAS. The
committee directs the Secretary of Defense to provide a
report not later that March 1, 2001 to the Senate Committee on Armed
Services and the House Committee on Armed Services detailing programmed
funds for RCAS for fiscal years 2002 through 2007.
SPARE AND REPAIR PARTS
The committee continues to be concerned by reports of persistent
shortages of spare and repair parts throughout the military services.
The committee believes that one of the primary causes of unacceptable
reliability rates, especially for operational unit aircraft, is the
shortage of spare repair parts. The status of critical Air Force C 5
aircraft repair and spare parts is illustrative of the committee's
concern. The C 5 remains a key asset in air mobility and the airlifting
of heavy equipment and personnel to both military contingencies and
humanitarian relief efforts around the world. While the Air Force has
identified several problem areas, and has begun to implement actions
that are intended to mitigate this problem, the committee continues to
receive reports of spare and repair parts backlogs and repeated parts
cannibalization of air-worthy C 5 aircraft.
The committee is concerned whether the Air Force will be able to meet
all of its commitments in the future without addressing its parts
shortfall problems. As such, the committee directs the Secretary of the
Air Force to report to the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the
House Committee on Armed Services no later than January 31, 2001 and
again on September 30, 2001 on the overall status of the Air Force spare
and repair parts program, with a specific emphasis on the C 5 aircraft,
to include whether the necessary resources are programmed to address
future spare and repair parts requirements.
URBAN WARFARE TRAINING
The committee notes favorably the recent assessment conducted by
General Accounting Office of the Department of Defense's (DOD) urban
warfare training. The committee is concerned about significant
shortfalls in the areas of joint experimentation, joint training and
training facilities, and intelligence. The committee is aware that joint
experimentation, which is designed to systematically evaluate what new
doctrine, organizations, and equipment are needed for urban operations,
is not taking place. Although urban operations will likely involve
larger units such as battalions and brigades, the military services
continue to concentrate their urban training on individual soldiers and
small units, such as squads, platoons, and companies.
The committee supports the recommendation of the GAO that the
Secretary of Defense should designate a single entity to lead and
coordinate Joint Staff and service efforts to improve capabilities to
conduct urban operations. The committee believes that the current Joint
Urban Working Group does not have the resources or authority necessary
to ensure the necessary coordination in this area.
Therefore, the committee directs the Secretary of Defense to
designate an appropriate executive agent with the authority to develop
and coordinate a master plan for a DOD-wide strategy, with milestones,
for improving service and joint capabilities to conduct military
operations in urban environments. The committee further directs the
Secretary of Defense to report on such a master plan to the Senate
Committee on Armed Services and the House Committee on Armed Services by
February 1, 2001.
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
SUBTITLE A--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS
SECTION 301--OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE FUNDING
This section would authorize $ XXX million in operations and
maintenance funding for the Armed Forces and other activities and
agencies of the Department of Defense.
SECTION 302--WORKING CAPITAL FUNDS
This section would authorize $ XXX million for Working Capital Funds
of the Department of Defense.
SECTION 303--ARMED FORCES RETIREMENT HOME
This section would authorize $69.832 million from the Armed Forces
Retirement Trust Fund for the operation of the Armed Forces Retirement
Home, including the U.S. Soldiers' and Airmen's Home and the Naval Home.
SECTION 304--TRANSFER FROM NATIONAL DEFENSE STOCKPILE TRANSACTION FUND
This section would authorize the Secretary of Defense to transfer not
more than $150.0 million from the amounts received from sales in the
National Defense Stockpile Transaction Fund to the operation and
maintenance accounts of the military services.
SUBTITLE B--ENVIRONMENTAL PROVISIONS
SECTION 311--PAYMENT OF FINES AND PENALTIES IMPOSED FOR ENVIRONMENTAL
VIOLATIONS
This section would authorize the secretary of the army and the
Secretary of the Navy to pay for specific environmental violations at
several locations within the united states.
SECTION 312--NECESSITY OF MILITARY LOW-LEVEL FLIGHT TRAINING TO PROTECT
NATIONAL SECURITY AND ENHANCE MILITARY READINESS
This section would mandate that the environmental impact statements
previously completed for special use airspace designated by a military
department, for the performance of low-level training flights, satisfy
the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (title
42, United States Code).
SECTION 313--USE OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION ACCOUNTS TO RELOCATE
ACTIVITIES FROM DEFENSE ENVIRONMENTAL RESTORATION SITES
This section would amend section 2703 of title 10, United States
Code, to authorize environmental restoration funds to be obligated or
expended in order to permanently relocate facilities on land under the
control of the Department of Defense, or formerly under control of the
Department, if there is a release of a hazardous material on the land,
and the Department is obligated to cleanup and restore the land. This
new authority would be in effect for the next three fiscal years.
SUBTITLE C--COMMISSARIES AND NONAPPROPRIATED FUND INSTRUMENTALITIES
SECTION 321--USE OF APPROPRIATED FUNDS TO COVER OPERATING EXPENSES OF
COMMISSARY STORES
This section would provide that funds appropriated for the operation
of the Defense Commissary Agency (DECA) may be used for salaries,
utilities, communications, operating supplies and services, second
destination transportation costs, and above store level costs.
The committee notes that the surcharge fund currently supports
several of these items. The committee is concerned that since the
surcharge must pay operational expenses first, little or no funds remain
to provide for store maintenance and replacement. The committee believes
that appropriated funds are the correct funding source for commissary
store operating costs, leaving to the commissary patron the
responsibility of providing for capital replacement through payment of
the surcharge. The committee expects, however, that DECA will
aggressively pursue efficiencies that will result in no increase in the
requirement for appropriated fund support.
SECTION 322--ADJUSTMENT OF SALES PRICES OF COMMISSARY STORE GOODS AND
SERVICES TO COVER CERTAIN EXPENSES
This section would clarify that commissary store prices shall include
the cost of first destination transportation of the goods to the stores
and the actual or estimated cost of shrinkage, spoilage, and pilferage
of merchandise under the control of commissary stores. The committee
notes that the Defense Commissary Agency has an exceptional record in
controlling shrinkage and expects that high standard to continue.
SECTION 323--USE OF SURCHARGES FOR CONSTRUCTION AND IMPROVEMENT OF
COMMISSARY STORES
This section would limit the responsibility of the patrons to finance
the commissary system with their surcharge dollars to store replacement
and maintenance only, putting the surcharge fund on sound financial
footing. This section would provide that funds received from the
surcharge on the price of goods sold in commissary stores
shall be used exclusively for construction and maintenance of
commissary stores and central product processing facilities.
The committee notes that the surcharge currently is responsible to
fund these items, as well as other expenses such as utilities, operating
supplies, and Defense Commissary Agency wide information technology. The
committee notes further that the surcharge is unable to meet these
expenses and still provide for the maintenance and replacement of older
stores. The committee believes that commissaries are an essential
non-pay benefit for the nation's service members, retirees, and their
families; and that a system of commissary stores bereft of capital
funding is not a true benefit.
SECTION 324--INCLUSION OF MAGAZINES AND OTHER PERIODICALS AS AN
AUTHORIZED COMMISSARY MERCHANDISE CATEGORY
This section would remove magazines and periodicals as items that may
be sold in commissary stores as noncommissary store inventory and add
magazines and periodicals to the list of authorized commissary store
merchandise.
The committee believes that military patrons rightfully expect to
find magazines and periodicals at the checkout counter, as is the
practice in commercial grocery stores. The committee understands that
this change will provide extra funding to the commissary surcharge fund
through increased sales with little impact on military exchange sales.
SECTION 325--USE OF MOST ECONOMICAL DISTRIBUTION METHOD FOR DISTILLED
SPIRITS
This section would amend section 2488 of title 10, United States
Code, to repeal the restriction on the procurement of distilled spirits
from a private distributor by nonappropriated fund instrumentalities if
the use of a private distributor results in direct or indirect state
taxation.
The committee notes that in some instances nonappropriated fund
instrumentalities are currently compelled to make less than optimal
purchases in order to avoid state taxes. The committee urges
nonappropriated fund instrumentalities to explore the most economical
means of procurement of all products intended for resale.
SECTION 326--REPORT ON EFFECTS OF AVAILABILITY OF SLOT MACHINES ON
UNITED STATES MILITARY INSTALLATIONS OVERSEAS
This section would require the Secretary of Defense to report to
Congress the effect that the military services' slot machine operations
overseas have on military community life and service members' personal
financial stability.
SUBTITLE D--PERFORMANCE OF FUNCTIONS BY PRIVATE-SECTOR SOURCES
SECTION 331--INCLUSION OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION IN REPORTS TO CONGRESS
REQUIRED BEFORE CONVERSION OF COMMERCIAL OR INDUSTRIAL TYPE FUNCTIONS TO
CONTRACTOR PERFORMANCE
This section would amend section 2461 of title 10, United States
Code, to require the Secretary of Defense to provide Congress additional
information on studies concerning the change of performance of
Department of Defense functions by civilian personnel to performance by
the private sector. The provision would require the Secretary of Defense
to identify when outsourcing studies were initiated, how the results of
the study will affect the government workforce, and a certification that
necessary funds have been specifically included in a budget request to
perform the study.
SECTION 332--LIMITATION REGARDING NAVY MARINE CORPS INTRANET CONTRACT
This section would prohibit the Secretary of the Navy from using
FY2001 funds for payment of a long-term contract for comprehensive
end-to-end information services until supporting documentation is
provided to Congress.
The committee understands that the Department of the Navy's
initiative, known as the Navy Marine Corps Intranet (NMCI), is an effort
to acquire information technology that would require a private sector
contractor to own and maintain all Navy and Marine Corps desktop
computers, network hardware, and software, and to provide all other
required information technology services. The proposed transfer of
responsibility from the Navy to the private sector is to be achieved
through a ``seat management'' contract. The committee notes that the
Navy's expected contract for at least 360,000 seats would exceed all
prior government contracting experience.
The committee recognizes the Navy's requirement for seamless and
interoperable data, voice, and video communications. The committee,
however, is quite concerned with the Navy's overall approach to this
multi-billion dollar initiative. First, of utmost concern, is the Navy's
failure to present Congress with any documentation in the budget request
for this initiative. In pursuit of this initiative the Navy has
circumvented internal financial management regulations and Office of
Management and Budget requirements. Despite repeated requests, the Navy
has not identified what funds will be used in the procurement of the
Navy Marine Corps Intranet. The committee is concerned by the Navy's
failure to provide basic funding information when the Navy plans to
award a multi-billion contract in fiscal year 2000. This section would
prohibit the use of FY2001 funds for NMCI until the Navy provides
Congress the specific funding requirements for the NMCI contract.
The committee expects that if the Navy enters into the NMCI contract,
that in future year budget submissions the Navy will comply with all
planning and budgeting documents.
SUBTITLE E--DEFENSE DEPENDENTS EDUCATION
SECTION 341--ASSISTANCE TO LOCAL EDUCATIONAL AGENCIES THAT BENEFIT
DEPENDENTS OF MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE CIVILIAN
EMPLOYEES
This section would authorize $35.0 million for educational assistance
to local education agencies where the standard for the minimum level of
education within the state could not be maintained because of the large
number of military connected students. The committee's long-standing
commitment to the children of military personnel has provided
significant assistance to their education.
The committee acknowledges that the Department of Education impact
aid program provides supplementary funds to eligible school districts
nationwide, and the committee believes that the Department of Education
should continue to asserts its leading role to provide federal support
for the educational needs of the children of military personnel.
SECTION 342--ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR ATTENDANCE AT DEPARTMENT OF
DEFENSE DOMESTIC DEPENDENT ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY SCHOOLS
This section would authorize the Secretary of Defense to permit a
student who is a dependent of an employee of the American Red Cross
performing armed forces emergency services on a full-time basis to
enroll in Department of Defense domestic schools located in Puerto Rico
on a reimbursable basis. The committee notes that children of Red Cross
employees stationed in overseas areas are currently authorized to enroll
in Department of Defense overseas schools on a reimbursable basis. The
committee believes that similarly-situated dependents of American Red
Cross employees in Puerto Rico should have similar privileges.
SUBTITLE F--MILITARY READINESS ISSUES
SECTION 351--ADDITIONAL CAPABILITIES OF, AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
FOR, THE READINESS REPORTING SYSTEM
This section would amend section 117 of title 10, United States Code
to include an annual report detailing the funding programmed for
deficiencies identified in the Joint Monthly Readiness Review process.
Currently, section 117 requires the Secretary of Defense to provide
Congress with a quarterly report detailing the readiness of military
units. Although generally satisfied with the information provided by
this report, the committee believes there should be additional
information included to provide an indication that adequate funding is
being programmed for identified military readiness and capability
deficiencies. This section would provide Congress with more visibility
of the existence of these readiness deficiencies and the programmed
funding to rectify these known deficiencies.
This section would also require the reporting of the amount of
cannibalization performed on vehicles and aircraft during the quarter
and the efforts being made to decrease the amount of cannibalization
required. The committee is concerned with the increasing amount of
cannibalization that takes place in each of the service's maintenance
programs due to the chronic shortage of spare and replacement parts. The
committee continues to hear of numerous occasions where aircraft sit in
hangars and are used for spare parts, which are unavailable through
normal parts requisition channels. The cannibalization of parts creates
extra work for an already overworked maintenance crew and often leads to
the damage of other parts in the process.
SECTION 352--REPORTING REQUIREMENTS REGARDING TRANSFERS FROM
HIGH-PRIORITY READINESS APPROPRIATIONS
This section would amend section 483 of title 10, United States Code,
which currently requires an annual report to Congress on any transfers
from several specified high-priority readiness accounts. This section
would extend the requirement for this report and expands the report to
include additional high priority sub-activity groups.
In recent years, the Department of Defense has improved the
information it gives to Congress on the movement of Operations and
Maintenance (O&M) funds. The report, submitted pursuant to section 483,
has been useful to the committee in trying to understand the transfers
of funds from several critical readiness accounts. The committee
believes that extending and expanding the requirement for this report
would continue to be helpful in reviewing the transfer of funds within
operation and maintenance accounts.
SECTION 353--DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE STRATEGIC PLAN TO REDUCE BACKLOG IN
MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR OF DEFENSE FACILITIES
This section would require the Secretary of Defense to develop an
overall strategic plan for the maintenance, repair, and sustainment of
facilities and infrastructure of the Department of Defense (DOD) to
include a comprehensive strategy for facilities revitalization,
replacement, demolition of unusable facilities, and sustainment
maintenance tied to measurable goals, specified time frames, and
expected funding in the five year defense plan. The provision would
require the plan to be submitted to the Congressional defense committees
by March 15, 2001, and be updated annually.
The committee is concerned that the Department of Defense and the
military services do not have complete, reliable information on the cost
associated with either maintaining their current facilities
infrastructure or the cost associated with various infrastructure
reduction options. Such information is critical to the development of a
department-wide strategic plan that considers difficult options for the
care and maintenance of essential facilities and infrastructure. The
committee is also concerned that the complete disclosure of costs
associated with facilities' deferred maintenance and repair and
demolition cannot be adequately calculated without such a plan.
SUBTITLE G--OTHER MATTERS
SECTION 361--AUTHORITY TO ENSURE DEMILITARIZATION OF SIGNIFICANT
MILITARY EQUIPMENT FORMERLY OWNED BY THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
This section would amend chapter 153 of title 10, United States Code
to allow the Secretary of Defense to recover significant military
equipment that has been released by the Department of Defense without
proper demilitarization. Section 1051 of the Strom Thurmond National
Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1999 (Public Law 105 261)
identified the need for the Department of Defense to improve
demilitarization of excess and surplus defense property. This section
would clarify the authority of the United States to recover critical and
sensitive defense property that has been inadequately demilitarized.
SECTION 362--ANNUAL REPORT ON PUBLIC SALE OF CERTAIN MILITARY EQUIPMENT
IDENTIFIED ON UNITED STATES MUNITIONS LIST
This section would require the Secretary of Defense to report
annually to the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the House
Committee on Armed Services on excess military items sold to the public.
The report would list all items sold to the public that were included on
the United States Munitions List and labeled with a Department of
Defense (DOD) demilitarization code of ``B''. Demilitarization code
``B'' is placed on any item of inventory that is included on the United
States Munitions List and for which the Department of Defense does not
require demilitarization before the item is sold to the public.
The committee is concerned that once again sales of excess military
items may have been diverted to uses and individuals that could be
harmful to national security. The committee is aware of a recent case in
which individuals were indicted for illegally exporting items on the
munitions list to China without the required export license. The
committee understands that the items included export-controlled
electronic parts for missiles and military aircraft.
SECTION 363--REGISTRATION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS
WITH CHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER
This section would require that for the next three fiscal years all
mission essential and mission critical information technology system be
registered with the Chief Information Officer of the Department of
Defense.
SECTION 364--STUDIES AND REPORTS REQUIRED AS PRECONDITION TO CERTAIN
MANPOWER REDUCTIONS
This section would require the Secretary of Defense to provide a
report to the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the House Committee
on Armed Services prior to the initiation of any civilian manpower
reductions at any organizations within the Department of Defense. A
separate report would also be required once a decision has been made to
consolidate, restructure, or reengineer an organization or function
within the Department.
SECTION 365--NATIONAL GUARD ASSISTANCE FOR CERTAIN YOUTH AND CHARITABLE
ORGANIZATIONS
This section would amend section 508 of title 32, United States Code
to include an additional youth organization, known as Reach for
Tomorrow, to the list of youth and charitable organizations that are
eligible for assistance by the National Guard.
MILITARY PERSONNEL OVERVIEW
The committee's military personnel recommendations have four major
complementary goals that, taken together, will advance and help to
sustain the manpower readiness of the all-volunteer force. Those four
goals are to:
(1) Reform the Defense Health Program (DHP) to improve the TRICARE
managed care program; to achieve savings in the DHP through management
and process changes; to provide access for all Medicare-eligible
military retirees to a pharmacy benefit; and to set the stage for the
near-term implementation of a permanent health care program for
Medicare-eligible military retirees.
(2) Continue improvements in the economic well-being of military
personnel and their families--a long term effort begun last year by the
committee--through both targeted and broad-based pay and benefits
initiatives that put real dollars in the pockets of soldiers, sailors,
airmen, and marines.
(3) Assist the armed services in the demanding task of attracting
and retaining sufficient numbers of quality personnel.
(4) Provide targeted increases in active and reserve military
manpower where such increases improve readiness or otherwise directly
facilitate the recruiting effort.
A fundamental challenge facing the committee in achieving these goals
was that the President's budget request was clearly inadequate in
several key aspects and required substantial enhancement.
With regard to health care, for example, the budget request failed to
support the commitment of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to
provide health care reform for military retirees. To fulfill that
commitment and to make substantial progress toward defining permanently
future military retiree health care, the committee recommends a retail
and mail order pharmacy benefit for all Medicare-eligible military
retirees and their families. The committee also is committed to renewing
TRICARE Senior Prime (the Medicare subvention demonstration program)
that the Department of Defense would have allowed to expire this year,
and extending the two other demonstration programs--TRICARE Senior
Supplement and the Federal Employees Health Benefit Program. In
addition, believing that final decisions must soon be made to define the
military health care benefit for Medicare-eligibles, the committee
recommends a process to implement a permanent benefit in 2004. To fund
the pharmacy benefit and other health care initiatives, including DHP
reforms designed to reduce spending by as much as $500.0 million over
the next five years, the committee recommends an increase of over $286.0
million to the DHP.
With regard to its longstanding effort to improve the economic
viability of service members and their families, the committee again
went beyond the welcome, but limited, initiatives contained in the
budget request. For example, the committee authorizes a targeted
subsistence payment, and $5.0 million, that is designed to assist the
most economically challenged service personnel--those living off post
and receiving food stamps. To more comprehensively address the economic
difficulties confronting junior enlisted people, the committee also
authorizes $30.0 million and requires an upward revision of minimum
housing standards. Also, the committee provides $30.0 million, an
increase of nearly 19 percent over the budget request to accelerate the
reduction in service members' out-of-pocket housing costs, and $6.0
million to establish a minimum
dislocation allowance. This latter measure, targeting junior
enlisted military personnel, would begin to reduce the substantial
out-of-pocket costs military people experience while moving. Moreover,
despite numerous other proposals in the President's budget request that
both increased and reduced entitlement spending, the budget request gave
no priority to the entitlement spending needed to allow service members
to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). To rectify this
significant shortfall, the committee, building on the funding provided
in the conference agreement on the Concurrent Resolution on the Budget
for Fiscal Year 2001, authorizes service members to begin enrolling in
TSP.
Being aware of the severe and continuing challenges facing each of
the military services in their mutual goal of sustaining the
all-volunteer force with sufficient numbers of quality personnel, the
committee is disturbed to learn that most service budget requests for
fiscal year 2001 reflect either steady state or decreased funding from
fiscal year 2000 when measured in the investment per recruit, or in
select critical recruiting accounts, and that the recruiting and
retention budget shortfalls identified by the services amount to more
than $700.0 million. Furthermore, the current Deputy Secretary of
Defense testified to the committee that the services deliberately
underfunded recruiting and retention, with the expectation that Congress
would step up to fill the shortfalls.
This information directly affected the committee's decision regarding
funding allocations for the services' recruiting and retention. First,
where in the past the committee has willingly provided added resources
to meet much of the services' unfunded requirements, this year the
committee recommends additional funding for less than one third of the
shortfall, an increase of $217.6 million. Second, the recommended
additional funding gives priority to enlistment and reenlistment
bonuses, rather than recruiting advertising because bonuses not only are
highly effective at drawing and retaining people, but they also put
money into service members' pockets. The committee strongly urges the
military services to resolve the remaining fiscal year 2001 recruiting
and retention requirements in the fiscal year 2002 budget request.
Finally, in an effort to overcome the manpower shortfalls contained
in the budget request for both the active and reserve components, the
committee authorizes nearly 650 additional active duty Navy personnel,
and a total of nearly 2,900 full time support personnel in the Army
National Guard, the Army Reserve, Navy Reserve and Marine Corps Reserve.
TITLE IV--MILITARY PERSONNEL AUTHORIZATIONS
SUBTITLE A--ACTIVE FORCES
SECTION 401--END STRENGTHS FOR ACTIVE FORCES
This section would authorize the following end strengths for active
duty personnel of the armed forces as of September 30, 2001.
Service FY 2000 authorized & floor FY 2001 request FY 2001 committee recommendation Change from FY 2001 request
Army 480,000 480,000 480,000 0
Navy 372,037 372,000 372,642 642
USMC 172,518 172,600 172,600 0
USAF 360,877 357,000 357,000 0
DOD 1,385,432 1,381,600 1,382,242 642
The committee, responding to the critical manpower shortfall
identified by the Chief of Naval Operations, recommends an increase in
Navy end strength by 642 above the requested level. The increase will
provide 500 recruiters, as well as 142 personnel for the crew of the
U.S.S. Houston that the Navy intends to retain in the force structure.
To support the additional end strength, the committee authorizes an
increase of $18.5 million in Navy military personnel accounts.
SECTION 402--REVISION IN PERMANENT END STRENGTH MINIMUM LEVELS
This section would amend section 691 of title 10, United States Code,
by establishing end strength floors for the active forces at the end
strengths contained in the budget request.
The committee is surprised that each of the active and reserve
components of the Air Force are projected to end fiscal year 2000 below
the strengths authorized by law. The committee notes that the
Congressional Budget Office projects that the active Air Force could
have a shortfall of up to 4,700, the Air National Guard a shortfall of
up to 3,200, and the Air Force Reserve a shortfall of as much as 2,300.
If these predictions should become fact, the active Air Force will
violate the statutory end strength floor for a second consecutive year.
The existence of these projected shortfalls in the Air Force is
surprising because Congress provided, in the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (Public Law 105 65) and the
Defense Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (Public Law 106 79) the
full funding requested by the Department of Defense to sustain end
strengths at the requested levels, as well as additional funding beyond
the budget request for recruiting and retention initiatives. While the
committee applauds the recent Air Force decision to launch major
short-term initiatives to stave off active component recruiting and
retention shortfalls in fiscal year 2000, the committee believes that
the fundamental cause of the projected fiscal year 2000 end strength
shortfalls is a lack of early full commitment by the Department of the
Air Force to sustain required manpower levels with adequate resources.
The committee urges the Secretary of Defense to ensure that future
budget requests comply with the requirements of section 691 of title 10,
United States Code, and to provide the full funding required to sustain
active and reserve end strengths at the levels required by law.
SECTION 403--ADJUSTMENT TO END STRENGTH FLEXIBILITY AUTHORITY
This section would authorize the Secretary to reduce the end strength
below the floor in cases where the authorized end strength was higher
than the floor. Section 691(e) of title 10, United States Code, provides
authority to the Secretary of Defense to reduce by one-half of one per
cent the authorized end strength of a service when the statutorily
authorized end strength is equal to the end strength floor established
in law.
SUBTITLE B--RESERVE FORCES
SECTION 411--END STRENGTHS FOR SELECTED RESERVE
This section would authorize the following end strengths for the
selected reserve personnel, including the end strength for reserves on
active duty in support of the reserves, as of September 30, 2001:
Service FY 2000 authorized FY 2001 request FY 2001 committee recommendation Change from FY 2001 request
Army National Guard 350,000 350,000 350,706 706
Army Reserve 205,000 205,000 205,300 300
Naval Reserve 90,288 88,900 88,900 0
Marine Corps Reserve 39,624 39,500 39,558 58
Air National Guard 106,678 108,000 108,000 0
Air Force Reserve 73,708 74,300 74,358 58
Coast Guard Reserve 8,000 8,000 8,000 0
-------------------- ----------------- ---------------------------------- -----------------------------
Total 873,298 873,700 874,822 1,122
SECTION 412--END STRENGTHS FOR RESERVES ON ACTIVE DUTY IN SUPPORT OF
THE RESERVES
This section would authorize the following end strengths for reserves
on active duty in support of the reserves as of September 30, 2001:
Service FY 2000 authorized FY 2001 request Committee recommendation Change from FY 2001 request
Army National Guard 22,430 22,448 23,154 706
Army Reserve 12,804 12,806 13,106 300
Naval Reserve 15,010 14,649 14,649 0
Marine Corps Reserve 2,272 2,203 2,261 58
Air National Guard 11,157 11,148 11,148 0
Air Force Reserve 1,134 1,278 1,336 58
--------------------- ----------------- --------------------------- -----------------------------
Total 64,807 64,532 65,654 1,122
The committee believes that full time manning is a crucial component
of readiness in the reserve components and therefore recommends an
increase of 1,122 above the requested end strength for reserves on
active duty to support the reserve components. To support the increase,
the committee authorizes an additional $37.5 million.
SECTION 413--END STRENGTH FOR MILITARY TECHNICIANS (DUAL STATUS)
This section would authorize the following end strengths for military
technicians (dual status) as of September 30, 2001:
Service FY 2000 authorized (floor) FY 2001 request Committee recommendation (floor) Change from FY 2001 request
Army National Guard 23,125 22,357 23,392 1,035
Army Reserve 6,474 5,271 5,921 650
Air National Guard 22,247 22,221 22,247 26
Air Force Reserve 9,785 9,733 9,785 52
---------------------------- ----------------- ---------------------------------- -----------------------------
Total 61,631 59,582 61,345 1,763
The committee recommends an increase of 1,763 in the requested end
strength for military technicians (dual status). The bulk of the
increase is to meet high priority manning shortfalls in the Army
National Guard and the Army Reserve. To support the increases, the
committee authorizes a total increase of $51.0 million to the civilian
personnel pay accounts of those two components.
The committee is aware that some of the military services have
attempted to reduce civilian personnel funding for technicians in the
belief that because the annual defense authorization act does not
specifically authorize end strength for non-dual status technicians, the
committee is suggesting that non-dual status technicians should not be
funded. To the contrary, the committee believes that the civilian
personnel accounts of
the military services must fund not only the military
technician (dual status) end strength authorized above, but also the
end-strength for the non-dual status technician end strength indicated
below:
Service
FY 2001 request
Army National Guard
1,600
Army Reserve
997
Air National Guard
326
Air Force Reserve
0
Total
2,923
SECTION 414--INCREASE IN NUMBER OF MEMBERS IN CERTAIN GRADES AUTHORIZED
TO BE ON ACTIVE DUTY IN SUPPORT OF THE RESERVES
This section would authorize increases in the grades of reserve
members authorized to serve on active duty or on full-time national
guard duty for the administration of the reserves or the national guard.
The section would authorize 20 additional colonels, 82 additional
lieutenant colonels, 138 additional majors, 97 additional E 9s, and 90
additional E 8s in the Air Force. This section would also authorize 76
additional colonels, 219 additional lieutenant colonels, 178 additional
majors, 221 additional E 9s, and 373 additional E 8s in the Army. The
committee believes these increases are necessary to support the
additional missions now being performed by the reserve components.
The committee notes that the increases listed above would be the
third consecutive year in which the grade tables were adjusted for
reserve officers on active duty in support of the reserves. The
committee recognizes that section 555 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (Public Law 106 65) expanded the
roles that could be performed by reserve officers on active duty in
support of the reserves and that there would be new requirements for
career progression for these officers. The committee believes a
comprehensive solution for the controlled grades is now necessary.
Accordingly, the committee directs the Secretary of Defense to study
the grades assigned to reserve officers on active duty in support of the
reserves and to recommend a permanent solution for managing the grade
structure for those officers. In developing his recommendations, the
Secretary should consider the following areas during the study:
(1) The grade structure authorized for the active duty forces and
the reasons why the grade structure for reserve officers on active duty
in support of the reserves is different;
(2) The need for independent grade limits for each reserve component;
(3) The potential for repealing the current grade tables in favor of
a system that would manage grades based on the grade authorized for the
position occupied by the service member; and
(4) The current mix within each reserve component of traditional
reservists, military/civilian technicians, regular component officers,
and reserve officers on active duty in support of the reserves in each
controlled grade and how that mix for each component would shift over
time under the Secretary's recommended solution.
The committee further directs the Secretary to report on his findings
and recommendations to the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the
House Committee on Armed Services by March 31, 2001.
SUBTITLE C--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS
SECTION 421--AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS FOR MILITARY PERSONNEL
This section would authorize $75,801.7 million to be appropriated for
military personnel.
This authorization of appropriations reflects both reductions and
increases to the budget request that are itemized below.
[Dollars in millions]
Military personnel accounts O&M accounts
RECOMMENDED INCREASES
Active End Strength:
Navy:
Add Recruiters (500) $15.0
USS Houston (142) 3.5
RC End Strength:
Army National Guard:
Add AGR's (706) 23.5
Add Military Technicians (Dual Status) (1035) $30.5
Army Reserve:
Add AGR's (300) 10.0
Add Military Technicians (Dual Status) (650) 20.5
Air Force Reserve:
Add AGR Recruiters (50) 1.7
Add Red Horse AGR's (8) 0.4
Compensation 30.0
Recruiting & Retention:
Army:
Enlistment Bonus 50.0
Senior ROTC Recruiting 7.0
Army Reserve:
Recruiting Advertising 9.0
Additional Recruiters 1.0
Enlistment Bonus 12.0
Navy Reserve:
Recruiting Advertising 3.7
Recruiter Support 3.0
Non-prior Svc Enlistment Bonus 2.4
USMC:
Enlistment Bonus 4.0
Selective Reenlistment Bonus 4.0
College Fund 4.4
Recruiting Advertising 7.5
Recruiter Support 0.6
Air Force:
Enlistment Bonus 7.5
Selective Reenlistment Bonus 29.0
College-to-USAF Enl. Program 6.0
Air Guard:
Recruiter Support 3.5
Recruiting Advertising 6.0
AF Reserve:
Tuition Assistance 5.2
Air Reserve Technician Pilot Retention Bonus 5.0
AGR Pilot Retention Bonus 3.8
Senior ROTC: 0.4
Other Issues: 3.0
Naval Reserve:
Reserve Annual Training 2.4
Reserve ADT (CINC Support) 13.4
Reserve ADT (Schools) 4.4
ADSW (Voluntary Support) 1.2
Inactive Duty for Training Travel 3.5
Defense Health Program: 2.0
----------------------------- ---------------
Total Recommended Additions 326.2 396.2
[Dollars in millions]
Military personnel accunts O&M accounts
RECOMMENDED REDUCTIONS
Active Component Strength and Grade Underexecution: $5.3
Reserve Component Strength, Grade and Drill Underexecution: 4.2
DOD Reserve Mobilization Income Insurance Fund 17.0
Defense Health Program Foreign Military Training $10.0
Unemployment Compensation: 2.1
Foreign Currency Fluctuation: 73.3
---------------------------- ---------------
Total Recommended Reductions 326.2 25.4
TITLE V--MILITARY PERSONNEL POLICY
ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
DEFENSE PRISONER OF WAR/MISSING IN ACTION OFFICE
The committee notes that section 1501 of title 10, United States
Code, charges the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Office
(DPMO) with broad responsibilities throughout the Department of Defense
concerning policy, control, and oversight of the process for the
investigation and recovery of missing persons. The committee has learned
that DPMO is developing a strategic plan intended to serve as a roadmap
for all elements of the Department in carrying out those important
responsibilities. However, the committee is concerned that the strategic
plan envisions a lessening of ongoing efforts to account for the
thousands of service members still unaccounted for in previous wars. The
committee directs the Secretary of Defense to consult the Senate
Committee on Armed Services and the House Committee on Armed Services
before implementing any plan that would reduce the current level of
effort to account for missing personnel.
The committee further notes that the Secretary of Defense has
published directives implementing the Missing Persons Act (section 569
of Public Law 104 106), as amended. However, the committee is
disappointed that the directives do not provide a means to inform family
members of the existence of classified information that could pertain to
one or more missing persons as required by section 1506(d) of title 10,
United States Code. The committee directs the Secretary of Defense to
incorporate the procedures required by law into a revised directive by
December 1, 2000.
DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INTERNATIONAL STUDENT PROGRAM AT THE MILITARY
COLLEGES
The committee, despite working cooperatively last year with
Department of Defense (DOD) officials to incorporate the Senior Military
Colleges (SMC) into the DOD international student program in a manner to
allow the Secretary of Defense to expand the impact and scope of that
program, was severely disappointed that the fiscal year 2001 budget
request did not include funds for the SMC international student program.
The committee, therefore, authorizes $2.0 million for the Secretary of
Defense to carry out the SMC international student program and directs
the Secretary of Defense to provide funding to the program from funds,
other than those for the Senior ROTC program, made available to the
Secretary for fiscal year 2001. The committee also strongly encourages
the Secretary of Defense to fund this program in the fiscal year 2002
budget request.
FUNDING FOR RECRUITING AND RETENTION
The committee continues to be concerned about the ability of the
services to recruit and retain a quality force, as well as the apparent
unwillingness or inability of the armed services to adequately resource
their recruiting and retention programs. Furthermore, based on testimony
presented to the committee, it appears that the armed services are
taking advantage of Congressional support for recruiting and retention
by underfunding their budget requests with the expectation that
additional resources for recruiting and retention will be provided in
the authorization and appropriations process.
Congressional support for recruiting and retention has been
substantial, with over $400.0 million in additional funding to
recruiting accounts alone provided by Congress over the last three
years. In addition, Congress crafted the extensive pay and retirement
reforms enacted by the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal
Year 2000 (Public Law 106 65).
Despite this support, the committee notes that the active Army, the
Army Reserve, the active Navy, the Naval Reserve, the active Air Force,
and the Air Force Reserve all failed to achieve recruiting objectives in
fiscal year 1999. In fiscal year 2000, the armed services continue to
experience difficulty in recruiting due to increased college attendance,
reduced youth population, and record low unemployment rates, with all
components of the Air Force (active, national guard and reserve), the
Army Reserve and the Naval Reserve unlikely to meet recruiting goals.
Additionally, the active Army, the active Marine Corps and active Navy
will be severely challenged to do so.
Similarly, the armed services continue to experience difficulty in
retaining personnel with certain technical skills and within units
burdened with high operations tempo. Additionally, both the active
component Air Force and the active component Navy failed to meet
retention objectives across all segments of the enlisted force during
fiscal year 1999, and are unlikely to achieve those retention objectives
in fiscal year 2000.
The committee believes that DOD's inadequate funding for recruiting
and retention programs only exacerbates the recruiting and retention
difficulties. For example, following the submission of the budget
request for fiscal year 2001, the armed services reported $704.0 million
in unfunded requirements in recruiting and retention programs.
Additionally, the budget request included examples for each of the armed
services, including both active and reserve components, of recruiting
and retention accounts that were funded at considerably lower levels for
fiscal year 2001 than what the armed services expected to execute during
fiscal year 2000. The committee concludes from these facts that
inadequate defense budgets have forced the service secretaries into
tough choices, with recruiting and retention getting a lower priority
than other programs. The committee believes that the low priority placed
on recruiting and retention programs by budget managers can be
attributed in part to the presumption that Congress will add the needed
resources that the secretaries concerned are unwilling or unable to
provide.
In recognition of the general inadequacy of the defense budget to
meet all the armed services requirements, the committee recommends an
increase of $217.6 million over the amounts requested for the recruiting
and retention by the active and reserve components. In deciding what
shortfalls to address, the committee gave priority to those recruiting
and retention initiatives that provide money directly to service
members. The details of the recommended increases are provided in the
table accompanying section 421 above.
The committee notes, however, that the recommended increase is less
than one third of the funding shortfall reported by the armed services.
The committee expects DOD and the armed services to move aggressively to
eliminate the remaining shortfall in fiscal year 2001. Furthermore, the
committee strongly recommends the secretaries concerned include full
funding for recruiting and retention programs in the fiscal year 2002
budget request and not rely on Congress to provide the necessary
resources to sustain the all volunteer force.
Additionally, the committee is disappointed that progress in
developing recruiting kiosks using computer technology has been slowed
due to inadequate funding. The committee believes that recruiting kiosks
are an important initiative that should be developed expeditiously. The
committee urges the Secretary of Defense to initiate a fully funded
joint program to expand the testing of computer kiosks within all the
military departments.
HOMOSEXUAL CONDUCT BRIEFINGS
The committee desires to clarify the objectives of the briefings and
training sessions on the policy, regulations, and laws governing
homosexual conduct that are required by section 654 of title 10, United
States Code, or directed by the Secretary of Defense. The committee
believes that all briefings and training sessions on homosexual conduct
should focus on the standards of behavior as required by law, and should
be limited to the behavior expected of service members regarding the
professional treatment of other members. The briefings and training
sessions should respect and acknowledge the personal or religious values
of service members, and they shall be informed of their right to retain
them.
The committee encourages the Secretary of Defense to review all
homosexual conduct briefings and training being conducted by the armed
services and bring them in compliance with the committee's directions.
INCENTIVES FOR OVERSEAS ASSIGNMENTS
The committee is concerned that the military services are having
difficulty filling overseas duty positions with volunteers. The
committee notes that volunteers for overseas duty in the Navy are
considered to have met their sea duty requirement, and further notes
that volunteers in overseas shore-based positions hinder the Navy's
ability to meet its ship staffing requirements. While overseas duty is
often desirable for younger unaccompanied service members, senior
service members are frequently reluctant to go overseas because of
family concerns. Therefore, the committee directs the Secretary of
Defense to study incentives for overseas assignments and report to the
Senate Committee on Armed Services and the House Committee on Armed
Services by December 31, 2000, on attainable and affordable
recommendations to resolve this problem.
NATIONAL GUARD MILITARY TECHNICIAN OVERTIME PAY
The committee notes that section 709(h) of title 32, United States
Code, prohibits Army and Air Force National Guard military technicians
from receiving overtime pay. Instead, that section requires that
technicians be granted compensatory time for overtime work. The
committee recognizes that the law concerning national guard military
technician overtime has remained essentially unchanged since the
enactment of the National Guard Technicians Act of 1968 (Public Law 90
486). The committee believes
that a review of this policy is needed, however, because the
role and utilization of the full time support force has changed
fundamentally since 1968. This increased reliance on the full time force
causes many military technicians to routinely work irregular and
overtime hours. While the law directs that these national guard military
technicians be given time off in lieu of overtime, the reality is that
they are receiving neither. The committee directs the Secretary of
Defense to review the policy and cost considerations by which national
guard military technicians are treated for overtime work and to report
his findings and any recommendations to the Senate Committee on Armed
Services and the House Committee on Armed Services by March 31, 2001.
UNIFORMED SERVICES FORMER SPOUSE PROTECTION ACT
The committee notes that section 643 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 1998 (Public Law 105 85) required the
Secretary of Defense to conduct a comprehensive review of the Uniformed
Services Former Spouse Protection Act (USFSPA) and to report his
findings to Congress by September 30, 1999. The committee considers this
an important review with significant implications for many service
members and their families. The committee is disappointed the review
remains incomplete and encourages the Secretary to submit the report as
soon as possible.
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
SUBTITLE A--GENERAL PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT AUTHORITIES
SECTION 501--AUTHORITY FOR SECRETARY OF DEFENSE TO SUSPEND CERTAIN
PERSONNEL STRENGTH LIMITATIONS DURING WAR OR NATIONAL EMERGENCY
This section would authorize the Secretary of Defense to suspend in
time of war or national emergency the limits on the number of personnel
serving on active duty in the grades of E 8 and E 9, and the number of
personnel serving on active duty in support of the reserves in grades 0
6, 0 5, 0 4, E 9, and E 8. This section would also make the procedures
for calculating the number of service members authorized to serve in
controlled grades in time of war or national emergency for the
categories of personnel listed above consistent with the procedures used
for active duty officers.
SECTION 502--AUTHORITY TO ISSUE POSTHUMOUS COMMISSIONS IN THE CASE OF
MEMBERS DYING BEFORE OFFICIAL RECOMMENDATION FOR APPOINTMENT OR PROMOTION IS
APPROVED BY SECRETARY CONCERNED
This section would clarify that the secretary concerned may confer
posthumous commissions in cases where military members die prior to the
approval of an official recommendation for appointment or promotion.
SECTION 503--TECHNICAL CORRECTION TO RETIRED GRADE RULE FOR ARMY AND
AIR FORCE OFFICERS
This section would repeal conflicting provisions of law regarding the
determination of retirement grade for reserve officers. This section
would also clarify that retirement grade for reserve officers will be
determined in accordance with section 1370 of title 10, United States
Code.
SECTION 504--EXTENSION TO END OF CALENDAR YEAR OF EXPIRATION DATE FOR
CERTAIN FORCE DRAWDOWN TRANSITION AUTHORITIES
This section would extend through December 31, 2001, certain force
drawdown transition authorities. These authorities include:
(1) Active duty early retirement authority;
(2) Special separation benefit authority;
(3) Voluntary separation incentive authority;
(4) Increased flexibility in the management of selective early
retirement boards;
(5) Reduction of time-in-grade requirement for retention of grade
upon voluntary retirement;
(6) Reduction of length of commissioned service for voluntary
retirement as an officer;
(7) Enhanced travel and transportation allowances and storage of
baggage and household effects for certain involuntary separated members;
(8) Increased flexibility for granting educational leave relating to
continuing public and community service;
(9) Enhanced health, commissary and family housing benefits;
(10) Increased flexibility in the management of enrollments of
dependents in the Defense Dependents' Education System;
(11) Definition of the force reduction transition period for reserve
forces;
(12) Force reduction period reserve retirement authority;
(13) Reduction of length of non-regular service requirements for
reserve retirements;
(14) Reserve early retirement authority;
(15) Reduction of time-in-grade requirement for retention of grade
upon voluntary reserve retirement;
(16) Increased flexibility in the management of the affiliation of
active duty personnel with reserve units;
(17) Increased flexibility in the management of eligibility for
reserve educational assistance.
SECTION 505--CLARIFICATION OF REQUIREMENTS FOR COMPOSITION OF
ACTIVE-DUTY LIST SELECTION BOARDS WHEN RESERVE OFFICERS ARE UNDER CONSIDERATION
This section would clarify section 612 of title 10, United States
Code, by specifying that reserve officers serving on active duty may be
appointed to serve on promotion boards even though they are not on the
active-duty list.
SECTION 506--VOLUNTARY SEPARATION INCENTIVE
This section would authorize service members who simultaneously
receive retired or retainer pay and voluntary separation incentive (VSI)
to terminate their eligibility for VSI. The section would also allow the
service member who is eligible for retired pay and who has received VSI
to reimburse the government for the amount of VSI received without
concurrently increasing the amount of VSI that is owed.
SECTION 507--CONGRESSIONAL REVIEW PERIOD FOR ASSIGNMENT OF WOMEN TO
DUTY ON SUBMARINES AND FOR ANY PROPOSED RECONFIGURATION OR DESIGN OF SUBMARINES TO
ACCOMMODATE FEMALE CREW MEMBERS
This section would require the Secretary of Defense to provide to
Congress written notification prior to any policy change affecting the
current male-only assignment policy for submarines take effect, and
prior to the expenditure of funds to reconfigure or design a submarine
to accommodate the assignment of female crewmembers. Such changes could
take place only after 120 days of continuous congressional session have
expired following receipt by Congress of the notice of the proposed
changes.
SUBTITLE B--RESERVE COMPONENT PERSONNEL POLICY
SECTION 511--EXEMPTION FROM ACTIVE-DUTY LIST FOR RESERVE OFFICERS ON
ACTIVE DUTY FOR A PERIOD OF THREE YEARS OR LESS
This section would prevent a reserve officer voluntarily serving on
active duty for a period of three years or less from being placed on the
active-duty list and required to compete for promotion with active duty
officers. This section would also authorize such officers to remain on
the Reserve Active Status List and compete for promotion with other
reserve officers. The committee considers this section to apply to
reserve component officers serving in positions authorized by section
526(b)(2)(A) of title 10, United States Code.
SECTION 512--EXEMPTION OF RESERVE COMPONENT MEDICAL AND DENTAL OFFICERS
FROM COUNTING IN GRADE STRENGTHS
This section would exempt medical and dental officers from the
calculation of the number of officers in each grade authorized to serve
in an active status in a reserve component. This section would also make
the procedures for calculating the number of officers serving in
controlled grades for the reserve components consistent with the
procedures used for active duty officers.
SECTION 513--CONTINUATION OF OFFICERS ON THE RESERVE ACTIVE STATUS LIST
WITHOUT REQUIREMENT FOR APPLICATION
This section would authorize the secretary of a military department
to offer continuation on the Reserve Active Status List to reserve
officers without requiring the officer to request continuation.
SECTION 514--AUTHORITY TO RETAIN RESERVE COMPONENT CHAPLAINS AND
OFFICERS IN MEDICAL SPECIALTIES UNTIL SPECIFIED AGE
This section would authorize the Secretary of the Air Force to extend
the service of Medical Service Corps and biomedical sciences officers to
age 67.
SECTION 515--AUTHORITY FOR TEMPORARY INCREASE IN NUMBER OF RESERVE
COMPONENT PERSONNEL SERVING ON ACTIVE DUTY OR FULL-TIME NATIONAL GUARD DUTY IN
CERTAIN GRADES
This section would authorize the Secretary of Defense to increase the
number of reserve members serving on active duty in support of the
reserves in the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps in the grades of
0 6, 0 5, 0 4, E 9, and E 8 by the same percentage the Secretary is
authorized to increase the end strength of that force by section 115 of
title 10, United States Code.
SECTION 516--AUTHORITY FOR PROVISION OF LEGAL SERVICES TO RESERVE
COMPONENT MEMBERS FOLLOWING RELEASE FROM ACTIVE DUTY
This section would authorize legal services assistance to reservists
who served on active duty for more than 29 days and their dependents for
a period not to exceed twice the length of time served on active duty.
SECTION 517--ENTITLEMENT TO SEPARATION PAY FOR RESERVE OFFICERS
RELEASED FROM ACTIVE DUTY UPON DECLINING SELECTIVE CONTINUATION ON ACTIVE DUTY
AFTER SECOND FAILURE OF SELECTION FOR PROMOTION
This section would clarify that the separation of a reserve officer
on active duty who was non-selected for promotion twice to the same
grade, and who subsequently declines selective continuation shall be
considered an involuntary separation, and would authorize such an
officer to be eligible for separation pay.
The committee is disappointed that the Secretary of the Army was
unable to prevent a number of reserve captains from being separated from
active duty involuntarily without separation pay because the officers
declined continuation on active duty after being non-selected for
promotion. The committee notes that regular captains non-selected for
promotion by the same promotion board did receive separation pay after
declining continuation on active duty. This section would insure that
similarly situated reserve officers receive separation pay in the
future, but would not allow separation pay to be provided to those
reserve captains separated during fiscal year 2000.
The Secretary of the Army indicates that he will rely on the Army
Board for Correction of Military Records (ABCMR) to restore fairness and
equity to the reserve captains denied separation pay during fiscal year
2000. The committee requests that the Secretary expedite consideration
of these cases by the ABCMR to minimize hardships for these members and
their families.
SECTION 518--EXTENSION OF INVOLUNTARY CIVIL SERVICE RETIREMENT DATE FOR
CERTAIN RESERVE TECHNICIANS
This section would authorize the secretaries of the military
departments to retain certain non-dual status reserve technicians until
age 60, an age beyond which these technicians would otherwise be
required to separate from federal civil service as required by section
10218 of title 10, United States Code.
The committee notes that current law was intended to reduce the
numbers of non-dual status technicians while providing for a process
that minimized the impact on the technicians being separated. The
committee has learned that the process has not worked as intended, and
the committee is concerned that some technicians would be forced to
retire without adequate notice as a result of that process.
SUBTITLE C--EDUCATION AND TRAINING
SECTION 521--COLLEGE TUITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR PURSUIT OF DEGREES
BY MEMBERS OF THE MARINE CORPS PLATOON LEADERS CLASS PROGRAM
This section would authorize the use of the Marine Corps Platoon
Leaders Class Tuition Assistance Program for the purpose of providing
educational assistance to include legal training to commissioned
officers participating in the Platoon Leaders Class program.
SECTION 522--REVIEW OF ALLOCATION OF JUNIOR RESERVE OFFICERS TRAINING
CORPS UNITS AMONG THE SERVICES
This section would require the Secretary of Defense to review and
redistribute the current service Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps
(JROTC) allocations for fiscal years 2001 to 2006 to enable those
services that want to more quickly eliminate their current JROTC waiting
lists and are willing to commit the necessary resources to do so, have
the opportunity to grow. Further, if the reallocation results in the
Secretary of Defense determining that the current statutory cap of 3,500
JROTC units should be increased, then his recommendations for the
increase should be included in the fiscal year 2002 budget request. The
Secretary of Defense has begun expanding the number of JROTC units from
the present 2,700 to the statutory maximum of 3,500. The committee
commends this effort and encourages the Secretary of Defense to achieve
expansion before 2006, the target completion date. To that end, the
committee believes that if a military service is willing to commit the
resources to expand its JROTC program to eliminate its waiting list of
high schools that have requested a JROTC program more quickly than
envisioned by the six-year Department of Defense (DOD) plan, then the
service should not be constrained by the internal unit allocation limits
of the DOD plan.
SECTION 523--AUTHORITY FOR NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL TO ENROLL CERTAIN
DEFENSE INDUSTRY CIVILIANS IN SPECIFIED PROGRAMS RELATING TO DEFENSE PRODUCT
DEVELOPMENT
This section would authorize the Secretary of the Navy to enroll up
to ten defense-industry civilians at any one time at the Naval
Postgraduate School in a defense product development curriculum leading
to the award of a master's degree. The defense-industry civilians would
be joined in the curriculum by Department of Defense civilian and
military personnel who themselves are engaged in defense product
development. The committee believes that the new authority granted by
this section will create a shared learning environment that will
facilitate the growth and development of government-industry
partnerships that are critical to faster and more efficient defense
acquisition.
SUBTITLE D--DECORATIONS, AWARDS, AND COMMENDATIONS
SECTION 531--AUTHORITY FOR AWARD OF THE MEDAL OF HONOR TO ANDREW J.
SMITH FOR VALOR DURING THE CIVIL WAR
This section would waive the statutory time limitations for the award
of the Medal of Honor to Andrew J. Smith for valor during the Battle of
Honey Hill in South Carolina.
SECTION 532--AUTHORITY FOR AWARD OF THE MEDAL OF HONOR TO ED W. FREEMAN
FOR VALOR DURING THE VIETNAM CONFLICT
This section would waive the statutory time limitations for the award
of the Medal of Honor to Ed W. Freeman for valor during the battle of
the IaDrang Valley in the Republic of Vietnam.
SECTION 533--CONSIDERATION OF PROPOSALS FOR POSTHUMOUS OR HONORARY
PROMOTIONS OR APPOINTMENTS OF MEMBERS OR FORMER MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND
OTHER QUALIFIED PERSONS
This section would authorize Members of Congress to request the
secretary concerned review a proposal for posthumous or honorary
promotion or appointment of a member or former member of the armed
services or other person. The section would require the secretary
concerned to review the case and provide the Senate Committee on Armed
Services, the House Committee on Armed Services, and the requesting
Member of Congress written notice of one of the following
determinations, to include a statement of the reasons supporting the
determination:
(1) The appointment or promotion does not warrant approval on the
merits.
(2) The appointment of promotion warrants approval on the merits and
has been recommended to the President as an exception to policy.
(3) The appointment or promotion warrants approval on the merits and
authorization by law is required, but not recommended.
The committee is concerned that requests for posthumous or honorary
promotions and appointments are being considered by Congress without the
benefit of the views of the service secretaries.
SECTION 534--WAIVER OF TIME LIMITATIONS FOR AWARD OF NAVY DISTINGUISHED
FLYING CROSS TO CERTAIN PERSONS
This section would waive the statutory time limitations for the award
of Distinguished Flying Cross to individuals recommended for award of
the Distinguished Flying Cross by the secretaries of the military
departments.
SECTION 535--ADDITION OF CERTAIN INFORMATION TO MARKERS ON GRAVES
CONTAINING REMAINS OF CERTAIN UNKNOWNS FROM THE U.S.S. ARIZONA WHO DIED IN THE
JAPANESE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR ON DECEMBER 7, 1941
This section would require that the Secretary of the Army, based on a
review of existing information related to the interment of unknown
casualties from the U.S.S. Arizona, provide the Secretary of Veterans
Affairs with information to be added to the inscriptions on the grave
markers of those unknowns who are interred at the National Memorial
Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii.
SECTION 536--SENSE OF CONGRESS REGARDING FINAL CREW OF U.S.S.
INDIANAPOLIS
This section would express the Sense of Congress that the commander
of the U.S.S. INDIANAPOLIS, Admiral (then Captain) Charles Butler McVay
III was not culpable for the sinking of the ship. The section would also
express the Sense of Congress that the President should award the
Presidential Unit Citation to the final crew of the U.S.S. INDIANAPOLIS
for courage and fortitude after the torpedo attack.
SECTION 537--POSTHUMOUS ADVANCEMENT OF REAR ADMIRAL (RETIRED) HUSBAND
E. KIMMEL AND MAJOR GENERAL (RETIRED) WALTER C. SHORT ON RETIRED LISTS
This section would request the President to advance Rear Admiral
Husband E. Kimmel to admiral and Major General Walter Short to
lieutenant general on the retired list with no increase in compensation
or benefits. The provision also expresses the Sense of Congress that
both officers were professional and competent, and the losses incurred
during the attack on Pearl Harbor were not the result of dereliction in
the performance of duties in the case of either officer.
SECTION 538--COMMENDATION OF CITIZENS OF REMY, FRANCE, FOR WORLD WAR II
ACTIONS
This section would commend the bravery and honor of the citizens of
Remy, France for their action to bury Lieutenant Houston Braly, 364th
Fighter Group, during World War II. The section would also recognize the
efforts of the surviving members of the United States 364th Fighter
Group to raise funds to restore the stained glass windows of Remy's 13th
century church that were destroyed.
SUBTITLE E--MILITARY JUSTICE MATTERS
SECTION 541--RECOGNITION BY STATES OF MILITARY TESTAMENTARY INSTRUMENTS
This section would amend chapter 53 of title 10, United States Code,
to require the fifty states of the United States, the District of
Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the
Northern Mariana Islands and each territory and possession of the United
States, to include Guam, American Samoa, the Trust Territory of the
Pacific Islands, and the Virgin Islands to recognize a will prepared for
a person eligible to receive legal assistance under section 1044 of
title 10, United Sates Code. This section would also ensure that wills
prepared by members of the armed forces, their spouses, and other
persons eligible for legal assistance are admitted for state probate
proceedings. This section would also simplify will preparation for
eligible personnel and afford them greater certainty and security in
accomplishing their testamentary intent.
SECTION 542--PROBABLE CAUSE REQUIRED FOR ENTRY OF NAMES OF SUBJECTS
INTO OFFICIAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE REPORTS
This section would require the Department of Defense to apply the
``probable cause'' standard before titling a crime suspect. This section
would also require the Secretary of Defense to amend the standards and
procedures for the removal of titling information from the Defense
Clearance and Investigations Index to permit the removal of a titled
person's name by the head of the submitting Defense Criminal
Investigative Organization when there is reason to believe that the
titling is in error, a person is falsely accused, no crime occurred, or
the entry does not serve the interests of justice.
The committee is concerned that the standard of the Department of
Defense for titling a crime suspect as established by Department of
Defense Instruction 5505.7 requires ``credible information.'' This
standard appears to be significantly different from the ``probable
cause'' standard common in state and federal criminal procedure.
SECTION 543--COLLECTION AND USE OF DNA IDENTIFICATION INFORMATION FROM
VIOLENT AND SEXUAL OFFENDERS IN THE ARMED FORCES
This section would require the secretaries of the military
departments to collect a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sample from each
member of the armed forces who is, or has been, convicted of a violent
or sexual offense. This section would also require the Secretary of
Defense to analyze each sample and furnish the results of each DNA
analysis to the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)
for use in the Combined DNA Index System of the FBI.
SECTION 544--LIMITATION ON SECRETARIAL AUTHORITY TO GRANT CLEMENCY FOR
MILITARY PRISONERS SERVING SENTENCE OF CONFINEMENT FOR LIFE WITHOUT ELIGIBILITY
FOR PAROLE
This section would direct the Secretary of Defense to make two
changes to the procedures for considering clemency for prisoners serving
sentences of life without parole. First, the authority for the granting
of clemency to prisoners serving sentences of life without parole would
be vested solely in the secretary of the military department concerned
and would not be delegable to any other person. The section would also
establish as a minimum that a prisoner will have served twenty years of
a sentence of life without parole before being eligible for
consideration for clemency. The committee is
aware that a majority of the members of the Department of
Defense Corrections Council has recommended these or similar actions.
The committee supports these recommendations to ensure that prisoners
serving sentences of life without parole will remain incarcerated for a
significantly longer period of time than would otherwise be expected for
prisoners serving lesser sentences.
SECTION 545--AUTHORITY FOR CIVILIAN SPECIAL AGENTS OF MILITARY
DEPARTMENT CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE ORGANIZATIONS TO EXECUTE WARRANTS AND MAKE
ARRESTS
This section would authorize the secretaries of the military
departments to grant the authority to execute and serve warrants and
make arrests to the civilian special agents of their respective military
criminal investigative organization subject to certain guidelines.
SUBTITLE F--OTHER MATTERS
SECTION 551--FUNERAL HONORS DUTY COMPENSATION
This section would authorize a reserve component member assigned to a
funeral honors detail for the funeral of a veteran to be compensated at
the same rate as the member would be compensated for participating in
inactive-duty training.
SECTION 552--TEST OF ABILITY OF RESERVE COMPONENT INTELLIGENCE UNITS
AND PERSONNEL TO MEET CURRENT AND EMERGING DEFENSE INTELLIGENCE NEEDS
This section would require the Secretary of Defense to conduct a
three-year test to determine the most effective peacetime structure and
operational employment of reserve component intelligence assets for
meeting future Department of Defense peacetime operational intelligence
requirements, and to establish a means of coordinating the transition of
the peacetime operational support network into wartime requirements.
SECTION 553--NATIONAL GUARD CHALLENGE PROGRAM
This section would authorize the head of a federal agency or
department to provide funds to the Secretary of Defense to support the
National Guard Challenge Program, and would allow the Secretary to
expend those funds notwithstanding the $62.5 million limit in defense
funding established by section 509(b) of title 32, United States Code,
for the Challenge program. The section would also require the Secretary
of Defense to establish regulations for the Challenge program.
SECTION 554--STUDY OF USE OF CIVILIAN CONTRACTOR PILOTS FOR OPERATIONAL
SUPPORT MISSIONS
This section would require the Secretary of Defense to study the
feasibility and cost of using civilian contractor personnel as pilots
and other aircrew members to fly government aircraft performing
non-combat personnel transportation missions worldwide. Military pilots
and aircrew now perform these missions. The committee recommends this
study to determine whether such contracting out would help to resolve
pilot shortages being experienced by several of the armed services, and
help to improve pilot retention.
SECTION 555--PILOT PROGRAM TO ENHANCE MILITARY RECRUITING BY IMPROVING
MILITARY AWARENESS OF SCHOOL COUNSELORS AND EDUCATORS
The committee has noted that at some locations the strained
relationship between military recruiters and student counselors and
educators limits the access of recruiters to students. The committee
believes that historical barriers between the two groups can be overcome
and access to students enhanced by improving the understanding of
student counselors and educators about military recruiting and career
opportunities.
Accordingly, this section would direct the Secretary of Defense to
conduct a pilot program to improve communication with student counselors
and educators by providing funding, assistance, and information to an
existing interactive Internet site designed to provide information and
services to employees of local education agencies and institutions of
higher education. The pilot program would be conducted during a
three-year period beginning not later than 180 days after the date of
enactment of this act.
SECTION 556--REIMBURSEMENT FOR EXPENSES INCURRED BY MEMBERS IN
CONNECTION WITH CANCELLATION OF LEAVE ON SHORT NOTICE
This section would authorize the service secretaries to reimburse
members for travel expenses when leave is cancelled within 48 hours of
commencing due to mission requirements of a contingency operation.
TITLE VI--COMPENSATION AND OTHER PERSONNEL BENEFITS
OVERVIEW
The committee remains convinced that compensation provided to service
members and their families is the key to reversing unfavorable retention
trends. Surveys of military members conducted during the past year have
confirmed that compensation remains the most important factor in the
decision of service members to leave the military.
The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (Public
Law 106 65) enhanced and reformed the following compensation programs:
(1) Pay raises guaranteed to exceed private sector pay raises were
authorized.
(2) Pay table reform was implemented to recognize individual effort.
(3) Military retirement benefits were restored to pre-1986 levels.
(4) Basic allowance for housing (BAH) was increased to promise
improved reimbursement levels.
(5) Special pays and retention bonuses were initiated and increased
to improve compensation to military members.
(6) A military Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) was authorized to provide
military members a retirement savings vehicle.
The committee is committed to fulfill the promise for continued
improvement to compensation programs begun in the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (Public Law 106 65).
The committee is pleased that the budget request for fiscal year 2001
included a pay raise of 3.7 percent, one-half of one percent above the
Employment Cost Index (ECI) level, and a program to increase BAH and
reduce out-of-pocket housing costs for members to zero by fiscal year
2005. Given the Administration's reluctance to fund adequate pay raises
and a decision to abandon after one year a prior six-year plan to reduce
out-of-pocket housing costs, the committee applauds the Administration's
improvement of military compensation programs.
The committee is disappointed that the Administration was unable to
identify the pay-go offsets needed to implement the military Thrift
Savings Plan (TSP). The committee is pleased that the Concurrent
Resolution on the Budget, Fiscal Year 2001, does include the necessary
offsets. Accordingly, the committee would authorize the military TSP to
be implemented during fiscal year 2001.
The committee is concerned that even a small percentage of military
families qualify for the food stamp program. Accordingly, the committee
would authorize a family assistance supplemental subsistence allowance
specifically targeted to increase compensation for low-income members
who qualify for food stamps. The allowance would pay members the monthly
amount of supplemental allowance required to remove them from the food
stamp program, not to exceed a maximum of $500 per month. Additionally,
the committee would authorize a series of broad-based initiatives to
enhance the fiscal welfare of young families by increasing the minimum
standards for adequate housing, increasing reimbursement for moving
costs, and reducing out-of-pocket housing costs.
The committee also recognizes that military personnel are likely to
respond positively to indications that Congress is prepared to make
substantial investments in their long-term welfare. Accordingly, the
committee would increase the maximum levels on several special pays and
would also establish a new retention bonus program that affords the
Secretary of Defense a more flexible and responsive tool to retain
service members with critical skills.
ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
BRIEFINGS ON BENEFITS OF MILITARY SERVICE
The committee is concerned that the armed services have not included
among the many new retention initiatives a robust program for briefing
service members on the benefits of military service. The committee
believes that retention would be improved by a program designed to
provide service members periodic briefings on benefits.
Accordingly, the committee directs the Secretary of Defense to review
the current programs employed by the armed services to provide service
members information on the full array of benefits available to them. The
review shall include an assessment of program effectiveness in
communicating information on the following benefit programs, at a
minimum, as well as other programs operated by the Department of Defense
and the Department of Veterans Affairs, at the discretion of the
Secretary.
(1) Military compensation and retired pay;
(2) Health care benefits, including the TRICARE program;
(3) Survivor benefits;
(4) Montgomery G.I. Bill and other education and training
opportunities;
(5) Morale, welfare, and recreational benefits, including child care
benefits;
(6) Commissary and exchange benefits;
(7) Retirement homes operated for the benefit of former military
members; and
(8) Veteran benefits offered by the Department of Veterans Affairs,
including health care; disability benefits, education and training, home
loan guarantees, life insurance, burial benefits, and survivor benefits.
The Secretary shall also determine if the current programs providing
information on benefits to service members require modification and
expansion.
The committee directs the Secretary to report his findings and
recommendations to the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the House
Committee on Armed Services by March 31, 2001.
EXTENSION OF TIME LIMITATION ON USE OF RESERVE EDUCATION BENEFITS
The committee is concerned that the time limitation on the use of
education benefits by members of the selected reserve detracts from the
potential of the program to promote career-long retention. Section 16331
of title 10, United States Code, provides that members of the selected
reserve who remain in an active status lose eligibility 10 years from
the date the service member becomes eligible for benefits.
The committee directs the Secretary of Defense to study the time
limitations on the use of education benefits by the selected reserve and
determine if an extension of the
time limitations is useful and cost effective. The committee
directs the Secretary to report his findings and any recommendations to
the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the House Committee on Armed
Services by March 31, 2001.
IMPROVED BASIC ALLOWANCE FOR HOUSING
The committee believes that the additional funding for the basic
allowance for housing (BAH) included in the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (Public Law 106 65) and the
proposal to reduce out-of-pocket housing costs in the fiscal year 2001
budget request will improve the quality of life for many military
members and their families. The BAH rates in high cost areas have
already been significantly increased as of January 1, 2000, pursuant to
Public Law 106 65.
The committee is concerned that some landlords will view the increase
in the BAH as an incentive to increase housing costs not only for
military members, but also for civilians in the local community. The
committee supports additional funding for the BAH to ensure that
military families receive sufficient compensation for adequate housing
as dictated by the local housing market. The committee intends to
monitor any growth in housing costs within areas that appear to be
fueled by BAH increases and not the economic forces of the local housing
market. The committee is prepared to reexamine BAH rates in areas where
there is evidence that BAH increases have unduly influenced local
housing markets.
The committee directs the Secretary of Defense to study the growth of
housing costs in areas where the local costs of housing are believed to
be directly influenced by increases in BAH rates. The Secretary shall
report his findings and recommendations for correcting the problem to
the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the House Committee on Armed
Services by March 31 of each year of the period beginning in 2001 and
ending in 2006.
MILITARY PAY DAY EVERY 14 DAYS
The committee recognizes that the current practice of paying military
personnel twice a month causes some pay periods to be longer, thus
increasing the financial stress for military families. The committee
notes that paying military personnel every 14 days would provide
military members with more consistent pay periods.
Accordingly, the committee directs the Secretary of Defense to study
whether the change to a 14-day pay period for military personnel is both
necessary and desirable. The committee directs the Secretary to report
his findings and any recommendations to the Senate Committee on Armed
Services and the House Committee on Armed Services by March 31, 2001.
PAY TABLE REFORM FOR MID-GRADE ENLISTED MEMBERS
The committee is increasingly interested in pay increases targeted
for noncommissioned officers in pay grades E 5 through E 7. The
committee recognizes that the pay table reform provision included in the
National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (Public Law 106
65) did little to restore the historic pay advantages enjoyed by
mid-grade and senior enlisted members when compared to junior enlisted
members.
The committee is concerned that more needs to be done to improve
mid-grade enlisted pay levels. Accordingly, the committee encourages the
Secretary of Defense to study the issue and present with the fiscal year
2002 budget request either a legislative proposal to remedy the concerns
of the enlisted force, or an explanation as to why the concerns of the
enlisted force are not valid.
REIMBURSEMENT FOR RESERVISTS' TRAVEL EXPENSES
The committee is concerned that some reservists incur significant
expenses traveling to inactive-duty training locations. This problem
becomes particularly acute when reserve members are forced to use
commercial air when surface transportation is not available or large
distances are involved. For example, reservists must use commercial air
between Pacific islands and some locations in Alaska.
Accordingly, the committee directs the Secretary of Defense to review
the current travel practices used by reservists to meet training
obligations and determine the financial impact on members. The Secretary
will assess the potential advantages for reservists and the reserve
components of providing reimbursement for travel expenses, to include
the potential for increasing retention, improving recruiting, and
attracting higher quality members to leadership roles.
The committee directs the Secretary to report his findings and
recommendations to the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the House
Committee on Armed Services by March 31, 2001.
REIMBURSEMENT OF PERMANENT CHANGE OF STATION EXPENSES
The committee is aware of the results of a study conducted by the
Department of Defense that demonstrates that military members bear
approximately 40 percent of the cost of moving to a new duty station.
The committee is deeply concerned that personnel in the grades E 4 and
below bear approximately 70 percent of the financial burden to change
permanent duty stations (PCS).
The committee intends to focus on improving PCS reimbursements.
Accordingly, the committee strongly encourages the Secretary of Defense
to develop a legislative proposal designed to enhance PCS reimbursement
levels and to submit such a proposal with the fiscal year 2002 budget
request.
RETIRED PAY FOLLOWING REDUCTION IN GRADE
The committee notes that during calendar year 2000 longevity retired
pay for members of the uniformed services who entered service after
September 8, 1980, will be calculated based on the average of the
highest 36 months of base pay. The committee is concerned that members
covered by the high-36 rule will enjoy a windfall when reduced in grade
due to misconduct prior to retirement. Under high-36 procedures, the
retired pay of such personnel is largely based on the grade held by the
member prior to the reduction in grade.
Accordingly, the committee directs the Secretary of Defense to study
the need for legislation to provide an alternative method for
calculating retired pay when a member has been reduced in grade due to
misconduct. The Secretary shall report his finding and recommendations
to the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the House Committee on
Armed Services by March 31, 2001.
LEGISLATIVE PROVISIONS
SUBTITLE A--PAY AND ALLOWANCES
SECTION 601--INCREASE IN BASIC PAY FOR FISCAL YEAR 2001
This section would authorize a 3.7 percent military pay raise
effective January 1, 2001. This pay raise would be one-half of one
percent more than the pay raise that would result if the Employment Cost
Index (ECI) standard were used.
The committee strongly supports this pay raise and believes it is
critical that military members receive military pay increases over the
next five years that improve their level of pay compared to the private
sector, as authorized in section 602 of the National Defense
Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2000 (Public Law 106 65).
SECTION 602--REVISED METHOD FOR CALCULATION OF BASIC ALLOWANCE FOR
SUBSISTENCE
The committee believes that the program to transition the basic
allowance for subsistence (BAS) for enlisted members to a lower rate
established in section 602 of the National Defense Authorization Act for
Fiscal Year 1998 (Public Law 105 85) is no longer serving the best
interests of service members.
Accordingly, this section would repeal the transition program
effective October 1, 2001, and establish a process for increasing the
BAS rate in effect for the prior year by the increase in food costs as
determined by the Department of Agriculture.
The committee expects the Secretary of Defense to pay eligible
service members a partial BAS effective January 1, 2002 equal to rate of
BAS reduced by the rate of Basic Daily Food Allowance as determined by
the Secretary.
SECTION 603--FAMILY SUBSISTENCE SUPPLEMENTAL ALLOWANCE FOR LOW-INCOME
MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES
The committee is concerned that a number of service members are
eligible to receive food stamps. Although the number of members
receiving food stamps has been reduced from the 12,000 estimated in
1996, there are still 6,300 service members believed to be relying on
food stamps to meet the nutritional needs of family members.
This section would authorize the Secretary of Defense to establish a
program to pay members who qualify for food stamps a monthly amount to
supplement the basic allowance for subsistence (BAS). The program would
pay members who qualify for food stamps the amount of supplemental
allowance necessary to make them ineligible for food stamps, up to a
maximum of $500 dollars per month. The member's eligibility for food
stamps would be determined by DOD officials using the same gross income
standards used by state officials to determine food stamp eligibility
for the general public, except that the income for all military members
would be calculated to include the payment of basic allowance for
housing (BAH) even when the member resides in government quarters.
SECTION 604--CALCULATION OF BASIC ALLOWANCE FOR HOUSING FOR INSIDE THE
UNITED STATES
This section would repeal the requirement that service members pay 15
percent of housing costs out-of-pocket. The section would also authorize
the Secretary of Defense to increase basic allowance for housing rates
and to reduce out-of-pocket housing expenses for military members to
zero by fiscal year 2005.
SECTION 605--EQUITABLE TREATMENT OF JUNIOR ENLISTED MEMBERS IN
COMPUTATION OF BASIC ALLOWANCE FOR HOUSING
This section would require the Secretary of Defense to establish a
single housing rate for members in grades E 1 through E 4 with
dependents and to increase the basic allowance for housing rate paid to
such members above the rate previously paid to members in grade E 4.
SECTION 606--BASIC ALLOWANCE FOR HOUSING AUTHORIZED FOR ADDITIONAL
MEMBERS WITHOUT DEPENDENTS WHO ARE ON SEA DUTY
This section would include personnel in the grade of E 4 among those
authorized to receive basic allowance for housing (BAH) while assigned
to sea duty.
The committee notes that some personnel authorized to receive BAH
while assigned to sea duty do not maintain residences on shore when
their ships are deployed. The committee directs the Secretary of the
Navy to study this issue. The committee directs the Secretary to submit
a report on his findings and any recommendations to the Senate Committee
on Armed Services and the House Committee on Armed Services by March 31,
2001.
SECTION 607--PERSONAL MONEY ALLOWANCE FOR SENIOR ENLISTED MEMBERS OF
THE ARMED FORCES
This section would authorize a $2,000 personal money allowance to the
senior enlisted members in each of the armed services.
SECTION 608--ALLOWANCE FOR OFFICERS FOR PURCHASE OF REQUIRED UNIFORMS
AND EQUIPMENT
This section would increase the one-time initial uniform allowance
paid to officers from $200 to $400, and the one-time additional uniform
allowance paid to officers from $100 to $200.
SECTION 609--INCREASE IN MONTHLY SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE FOR MEMBERS OF
PRECOMMISSIONING PROGRAMS
This section would increase the minimum stipend to $250 per month,
and establish a maximum stipend of $600 per month, and it also would
provide the Secretary of Defense the authority to establish a
tiered-stipend system. Under such a system, the committee intends that
the value of the monthly stipend should grow as a student's involvement
in ROTC grows. The changes contained in this section would be effective
on October 1, 2001. The committee is aware that the senior Reserve
Officers Training Corps (ROTC) programs of the Army and the Air Force
continue to have difficulty meeting officer commissioning objectives.
The committee notes that the Army may miss its objectives by 20 percent,
and the Air Force by five percent for fiscal year 2000. The committee
further notes that the Department of Defense has reported a 20 percent
reduction in the number of ROTC scholarship applications, and that the
current monthly fixed subsistence stipend of $200 paid to all contracted
cadets is ineffective as a recruiting and retention measure. The
committee is concerned by these trends in the ROTC program and believes
that a fundamental change is required.
SECTION 610--ADDITIONAL AMOUNT AVAILABLE FOR FISCAL YEAR 2001 INCREASE
IN BASIC ALLOWANCE FOR HOUSING INSIDE THE UNITED STATES
The committee remains concerned that military families are not
receiving sufficient reimbursement for housing. The committee is pleased
that the budget request included an initiative to decrease out-of-pocket
housing cost for service members, but the committee is disappointed that
the initiative would only reduce out-of-pocket housing costs to 15
percent.
Accordingly, this section would increase the funding available for
basic allowance for housing by $30.0 million. This initiative would
reduce out-of-pocket housing costs by an additional one-half of one
percent.
SUBTITLE B--BONUSES AND SPECIAL AND INCENTIVE PAYS
SECTION 611--EXTENSION OF CERTAIN BONUSES AND SPECIAL PAY AUTHORITIES
FOR RESERVE FORCES
This section would extend the authority for the special pay for
health care professionals who serve in the selected reserve in
critically short wartime specialties, the selected reserve reenlistment
bonus, the selected reserve enlistment bonus, special pay for enlisted
members of the selected reserve assigned to certain high priority units,
the selected reserve affiliation bonus, the ready reserve enlistment and
reenlistment bonus, and the prior service enlistment bonus until
December 31, 2001. This section would also extend the authority for
repayment of educational loans for certain health care professionals who
serve in the selected reserve until January 1, 2002.
SECTION 612--EXTENSION OF CERTAIN BONUSES AND SPECIAL PAY AUTHORITIES
FOR NURSE OFFICER CANDIDATES, REGISTERED NURSES AND NURSE ANESTHETISTS
This section would extend the authority for the nurse officer
candidate accession program, the accession bonus for registered nurses,
and the incentive special pay for nurse anesthetists until December 31,
2001.
SECTION 613--EXTENSION OF AUTHORITIES RELATING TO PAYMENT OF OTHER
BONUSES AND SPECIAL PAYS
This section would extend the authority for the aviation officer
retention bonus, reenlistment bonus for active members, enlistment bonus
for persons with critical skills, Army enlistment bonus, special pay for
nuclear qualified officers extending the period of active service,
nuclear career accession bonus, and the nuclear career annual incentive
bonus to December 31, 2001.
SECTION 614--CONSISTENCY OF AUTHORITIES FOR SPECIAL PAY FOR RESERVE
MEDICAL AND DENTAL OFFICERS
This section would clarify that reserve medical and dental officers
are paid special pay in a consistent manner.
SECTION 615--SPECIAL PAY FOR COAST GUARD PHYSICIAN ASSISTANTS
This section would extend the authority to pay special pay currently
provided to physician assistants in the military departments to
physician assistants in the Coast Guard.
SECTION 616--SPECIAL DUTY ASSIGNMENT PAY FOR ENLISTED MEMBERS
This section would increase the maximum amount that may be paid in
special duty assignment pay from $275 to $600 per month.
The committee notes that recruiters would be eligible for this
increase. Given the stress associated with recruiting duty and the
importance of attracting quality service members to recruiting duty, the
committee recommends that the secretaries of the military departments
begin to pay increased rates of special duty assignment pay to
production recruiters at the earliest date possible.
SECTION 617--REVISION OF CAREER SEA PAY
This section would authorize the secretary concerned to restructure
career sea pay and increase the rates of career sea pay to a maximum of
$750 per month and the rates for premium sea pay to $350 per month after
36 months of sea duty.
The committee continues to be concerned that the eroding value of sea
pay has contributed to the shortage of personnel in some sea-going
positions. The committee looks forward to the implementation of enhanced
sea pay rates by the uniformed services at the earliest opportunity.
SECTION 618--REVISION OF ENLISTMENT BONUS AUTHORITY
This section would consolidate existing enlistment bonus authorities
and establish a maximum amount of $20,000 that may be paid to any
enlistee.
SECTION 619--AUTHORIZATION OF RETENTION BONUS FOR MEMBERS OF THE ARMED
FORCES QUALIFIED IN A CRITICAL MILITARY SKILL
The section would authorize the Secretary of Defense to implement a
critical skill retention bonus program providing payments up to $200,000
over the course of the career of a military member effective 90 days
after providing notice of the details of the program to Congress.
The committee is concerned that the Secretary of Defense does not
have a retention tool sufficiently flexible to allow skill-specific
retention problems to be addressed in a timely manner.
SECTION 620--ELIMINATION OF REQUIRED CONGRESSIONAL NOTIFICATION BEFORE
IMPLEMENTATION OF CERTAIN SPECIAL PAY AUTHORITY
This section would eliminate the requirement for the secretary
concerned to notify Congress of the intent to pay special pay to
optometrists and nurse anesthetists.
SUBTITLE C--TRAVEL AND TRANSPORTATION ALLOWANCES
SECTION 631--ADVANCE PAYMENTS FOR TEMPORARY LODGING OF MEMBERS AND
DEPENDENTS
This section would authorize advance payment of temporary lodging and
living expenses incident to permanent changes in station.
SECTION 632--ADDITIONAL TRANSPORTATION ALLOWANCE REGARDING BAGGAGE AND
HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS
This section would authorize the secretaries concerned to reimburse a
member for mandatory pet quarantine fees for household pets up to a
maximum of $275 when the member incurs the fees incident to a permanent
change of station.
SECTION 633--EQUITABLE DISLOCATION ALLOWANCES FOR JUNIOR ENLISTED
MEMBERS
This section would require the Secretary of Defense to increase the
amount of dislocation allowance paid to service members with dependents
in pay grades E 1 through E 4 to the amount paid to service members in
pay grade E 5.
SECTION 634--AUTHORITY TO REIMBURSE MILITARY RECRUITERS, SENIOR ROTC
CADRE, AND MILITARY ENTRANCE PROCESSING PERSONNEL FOR CERTAIN PARKING EXPENSES
This section would authorize the Secretary of Defense to reimburse
service members and civilian employees for expenses incurred in parking
their privately owned vehicles at their duty locations if they are
assigned to duty as a recruiter, with a military entrance processing
facility, or with a Senior Reserve Officers' Training Corps detachment.
SECTION 635--EXPANSION OF FUNDED STUDENT TRAVEL FOR DEPENDENTS
This section would authorize funded student travel payments to be
made for students pursuing graduate and vocational education programs in
addition to secondary and undergraduate education programs.
SUBTITLE D--RETIREMENT AND SURVIVOR BENEFIT MATTERS
SECTION 641--INCREASE IN MAXIMUM NUMBER OF RESERVE RETIREMENT POINTS
THAT MAY BE CREDITED IN ANY YEAR
This section would increase from 75 to 90 the maximum number of days
in any one year that a reservist may accrue as credit towards retirement
benefits by permitting a reservist to earn more points each year for
attending drills, performing annual training and completing
correspondence courses.
SECTION 642--RESERVE COMPONENT SURVIVOR BENEFIT PLAN SPOUSAL CONSENT
REQUIREMENT
This section would require retirement-eligible reservists to obtain
the concurrence of their spouses before making a decision to decline or
defer participation in the Reserve Component Survivor Benefit Plan, to
select a level of participation that is less than the maximum available,
or to select the coverage of a child but not the spouse. This section
would conform the procedures for the Reserve Component Survivor Benefit
Plan to the procedures for the active component Survivor Benefit Plan.
SUBTITLE E--OTHER MATTERS
SECTION 651--PARTICIPATION IN THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN
This section would authorize active duty and reserve members of the
uniformed services to deposit up to five percent of their basic pay,
before tax, each month in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) now available
for federal civil service employees. The section would not require the
employing department to match the member's contributions. This section
would also authorize members to deposit special pays, incentive pays,
and bonuses into a TSP account up to the extent allowable under the
Internal Revenue Code. The section would also authorize the secretary
concerned to make contributions to the TSP account belonging to members
serving in a critical specialty as a retention incentive.
TITLE VII--HEALTH CARE PROVISIONS
OVERVIEW
The committee was encouraged by the early, strong commitment late
last year by the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to make major
reforms in the Department of Defense health program a part of the budget
request for fiscal year 2001.
Notwithstanding that commitment, the budget request unfortunately
provided only a shadow of the program support and improvements
recommended by the Joint Chiefs. The request was notably bereft of any
initiatives to improve military health care benefits available to
Medicare-eligible military retirees.
In the face of an incomplete reform effort by the Department of
Defense, and in order to better understand the full range of reforms
required, the committee undertook a deliberate oversight and fact
finding effort that included field hearings. These hearings, as well as
informal staff investigations and meetings, provided all stake
holders--beneficiaries, advocacy groups, health care providers and
contractors, as well as the Department of Defense--the ability to
present options and information upon which the committee could base
reform decisions. The oversight developed several significant findings,
to include:
(1) The provision of a prescription drug benefit to Medicare-eligible
military retirees and their dependents was given the highest priority by
all stakeholders.
(2) Neither the Department of Defense, nor Congress, had sufficient
information to move the currently running health care demonstration
programs for the military Medicare-eligible beneficiaries from the
demonstration to the permanent program stage.
(3) The cost to the Defense Health Program (DHP) to process claims
was found to be three to four times that of Medicare's cost per claim.
As a result, the committee determined that hundreds of millions of
dollars annually could be saved through investment in reform of the DHP
claims system.
(4) Access to care was severely hampered by the lack of effective use
of information technology and funding limits that reduced use of
military treatment facilities. The difficulty in getting access to care
generated enormous frustration among beneficiaries with the TRICARE
system.
(5) Despite a continuing promise that the medical benefits would be
portable from one region of the country to the next, military personnel
and their families repeatedly found that not to be the case.
To address these and other issues, the committee recommends a range
of initiatives to improve and reform the DHP for all beneficiaries
including active, retired and the Medicare-eligible. These reforms are
explained in more detail below in their respective sections, but can be
summarized as follows by saying that the committee recommends:
(1) Implementation of a TRICARE Senior Pharmacy Program to provide
the same level of benefits for Medicare-eligible military retirees as is
now available to other TRICARE beneficiaries through the mail order
pharmacy program and retail pharmacies.
(2) Extension until 2003 of the current Medicare related
demonstration programs to ensure each program receives a fair and
comprehensive test, with an independent oversight effort required to
make recommendations to Congress on what a permanent program of health
care for the Medicare-eligibles should provide.
(3) Claims processing reform, with additional investment funding
recommended to the DHP to kick-start the reform effort.
(4) Required use of Internet based systems to help improve claims
processing, access to health care and portability of benefits.
(5) Additional funding to increase use of the military treatment
facilities through the hiring of additional support staff, refurbishment
of facilities, and procurement of technology and equipment.
While the committee believes that the reforms recommended here will
move DHP reform forward significantly, other challenges will remain to
ensure that the DHP is adequately funded and managed. To that end, the
committee recommendations also include requirements for the Secretary of
Defense to determine if accrual funding of the DHP is necessary, and to
assess whether mandatory enrollment of beneficiaries should be required
as a possible future step.
ITEMS OF SPECIAL INTEREST
FUNDING FOR THE DEFENSE HEALTH PROGRAM
The committee is deeply concerned about the persistent inattention
demonstrated by the Department of Defense to adequately fund the Defense
Health Program. The committee received testimony that the underfunding
will reach $6.0 billion over the future years defense plan. Two
foreseeable and unfortunate responses by military health care managers
to this chronic underfunding have resulted: reduced funding for
maintenance and repair of facilities, and the delay or elimination of
infrastructure and technology investments in order to avoid reductions
in the provision of health care services. These two critical budget
areas are key components of an effective Defense Health Program.
Continuing to underfund these areas will result in less efficient
facilities and, ultimately, in a reduction in the amount and quality of
services available.
The committee is pleased by the active participation of the senior
uniformed leadership of the Department of Defense in the important
decisions affecting the management of the military health care system.
The committee encourages the Secretary of Defense to foster this level
of participation and to ensure the health system is funded to a level
that not only provides for continuous patient care, but also invests in
the health system infrastructure to ensure the long-term effectiveness
of the system.
PREVENTIVE HEALTH CARE SERVICES
The committee notes the recent report of the Secretary of Defense,
prepared pursuant to the committee report on H.R. 1401 (H. Rept. 106
162) describing the scope of preventive health care benefits provided to
all eligible TRICARE beneficiaries. The report favorably compared the
TRICARE preventive benefits to those recommended by the American Academy
of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians and the Agency
for Health Research and Quality. At the committee's direction, the
Secretary
also evaluated implementation of the ``Put Prevention into
Practice'' (PPIP) initiative prepared by each service and concluded that
PPIP needs to be more effectively and uniformly implemented. The
committee concurs with that assessment and directs the Secretary to
submit a report by March 1, 2001, to the Senate Committee on Armed
Services and the House Committee on Armed Services on the steps taken to
improve the implementation of the PPIP initiative.
REPORT ON COMPUTER-BASED PATIENT RECORD AND MEDICAL RECORDS TRACKING
SYSTEM
The committee notes the on-going cooperation between the Department
of Defense (DOD), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the
Indian Health Service to develop a Government Computer-Based Patient
Record (GCPR) system. The GCPR system would serve as the core of a
medical digital network by linking the agencies' currently incompatible
health information systems to provide a life-long medical record for all
service members. The committee directs the Secretary of Defense to
provide an annual report, beginning March 1, 2001, to the Senate
Committee on Armed Services and the House Committee on Armed Services on
the progress to date and the remaining timelines and tasks associated
with integrating these medical information systems. The committee
further directs the Comptroller General of the United States to evaluate
the program with a focus on the agencies' plans for meeting critical
GCPR milestones, including budget and cost estimates, and issues related
to data quality, privacy, and security. The Comptroller General shall
report on his findings to the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the
House Committee on Armed Services not later than March 1, 2001.
While GCPR will provide for the timely transfer of patient records in
the future, the committee has recently learned that the Military
Personnel Records section of the National Personnel Records Center
(NPRC) has been unable to provide timely retrieval of complete medical
records needed for adjudication of claims filed with the VA. Many
medical records needed by veterans cannot be retrieved because the
records are filed according to the treating hospital or other facilities
and copies or reference to hospitalization are normally not included in
the service member's records. The committee understands that DOD has
been working since 1995 on a Medical Records Tracking System (MRTS) to
facilitate the supply of this information to the Medical Records
Registry System being developed by the VA and the NPRC. The committee
directs the Secretary of Defense to report to the Senate Committee on
Armed Services and the House Committee on Armed Services by March 31,
2001, on the progress of the MRTS and any interim measures to assure
that all hospital and medical records of service members can be easily
identified.
REPORT ON MANDATORY ENROLLMENT PROGRAM FOR TRICARE BENEFICARIES
The committee is aware that military beneficiaries are required to
enroll in the Department of Defense TRICARE Prime option if they wish to
participate in the managed care program. Enrollment provides the
Department of Defense a valuable management tool on which manpower,
budget, contracting, and other management decisions are based. The
committee is concerned that the same degree of analytic rigor cannot be
brought to bear on decisions related to beneficiaries using the point of
service options under TRICARE because there is no mandatory enrollment
requirement. The committee directs the Secretary of Defense to conduct a
study of the benefits to be gained by requiring TRICARE beneficiaries to
enroll in any of the Department's TRICARE programs. The study should
include, but not be limited to, an analysis of the benefits of requiring
eligible beneficiaries to enroll in TRICARE Prime or risk being
prohibited from using the Department of Defense military treatment
facilities. The report should include an analysis of the value of
requiring all non-active duty beneficiaries to pay a small enrollment
fee to enroll in any TRICARE program. The report shall be submitted to
the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the House Committee on Armed
Services not later than March 31, 2001.
SUBTITLE A--HEALTH CARE SERVICES
SECTION 701--TWO-YEAR EXTENSION OF AUTHORITY FOR USE OF CONTRACT
PHYSICIANS AT MILITARY ENTRANCE PROCESSING STATIONS AND ELSEWHERE OUTSIDE MEDICAL
TREATMENT FACILITIES
This section would extend for two years, from December 31, 2000, the
authority of the Secretary of Defense to contract with physicians to
provide health care and new-recruit examination services at military
entrance processing stations and other locations. The extension would
permit the Secretary of Defense to complete tests of alternative methods
for streamlining the new-recruit medical screening and make
recommendations for changes to Congress.
SECTION 702--MEDICAL AND DENTAL CARE FOR MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENTS
This section would authorize Medal of Honor recipients who are not
otherwise entitled to military medical and dental care and the
dependents of those recipients to be given medical and dental care in
the same manner that such care is provided to former members who are
entitled to military retired pay and the dependents of those former
members.
SECTION 703--PROVISION OF DOMICILIARY AND CUSTODIAL CARE FOR CHAMPUS
BENEFICIARIES AND CERTAIN FORMER CHAMPUS BENEFICIARIES
This section would authorize the Secretary of Defense to reimburse
certain former Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Uniformed
Services (CHAMPUS) beneficiaries for costs incurred for custodial or
domiciliary care services during a period of temporary ineligibility for
such services under CHAMPUS. The section would also authorize a maximum
expenditure for the continuing custodial care program at $100.0 million.
SECTION 704--DEMONSTRATION PROJECT FOR EXPANDED ACCESS TO MENTAL HEALTH
COUNSELORS
This section would direct the Secretary of Defense to conduct a
demonstration project to determine the effect of increasing access to
certified professional mental health counselors by removing the
requirement for physician referral prior to engaging a counselor under
the TRICARE program. The committee is aware that certified professional
mental health counselors are only authorized to be reimbursed by TRICARE
for treating military beneficiaries if a physician refers those
beneficiaries to the counselors. The committee views this referral
requirement as possibly unnecessary and would test the effect of lifting
the requirement in a demonstration project to be conducted in one
TRICARE region over a two year period.
SECTION 705--TELERADIOLOGY DEMONSTRATION PROJECT
This section would direct the Secretary of Defense to implement a
teleradiology demonstration project for the purpose of increasing
efficiency of operations and coordination between outlying clinics and a
major military medical facility (MTF). The teleradiology initiative
would be demonstrated at a multi-specialty tertiary care MTF with a
university medical school affiliation and would link at least 5
geographically-dispersed Army, Navy and Air Force clinics as well as
remote Department of Veterans Affairs and Coast Guard health care
clinics. Once implemented, the initiative would be unique in having all
but one of the medical facilities in a single TRICARE region using a
common Composite Health Care System (CHCS) data platform. The committee
expects this teleradiology initiative to increase the efficiency of
patient and provider contacts, particularly in the need for follow-up
diagnostic and therapeutic appointments. The project will demonstrate
the usefulness of teleradiology by eliminating many follow-up
appointments and accelerating the processing, reading and interpretation
of radiographic exam imagery prior to providing clinical reports and
consultation to the primary care providers in the outlying clinics. To
fund this demonstration project in fiscal year 2001, the committee
authorizes an increase of $1.5 million in the amount requested for the
Defense Health Program.
SUBTITLE B--TRICARE PROGRAM
SECTION 711--ADDITIONAL BENEFICIARIES UNDER TRICARE PRIME REMOTE
PROGRAM IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES
This section would repeal the requirement for co-payments by family
members of active duty military members under TRICARE Prime Remote and
would require the same access and claims processing standards as would
be available under TRICARE Prime. This section would also extend this
program to all uniformed service personnel and their immediate family
members as described in section 101 of title 10, United States Code.
The committee is concerned that family members accompanying an active
duty member who is stationed in a location that is remote from military
treatment facilities must pay TRICARE co-payments not normally required
of active duty families that have access to military treatment
facilities.
SECTION 712--ELIMINATION OF COPAYMENTS FOR IMMEDIATE FAMILY
This section would repeal the requirement for co-payments by family
members of active duty military members enrolled in TRICARE Prime.
The committee is aware that some active duty families enrolled in
TRICARE Prime do not pay co-payments when they receive care in military
treatment facilities, while others are required to pay co-payments for
care received as a result of a referral from a military treatment
facility to a civilian network provider when the required care is not
available at the military treatment facility. This section would
eliminate that inequity.
SECTION 713--MODERNIZATION OF TRICARE BUSINESS PRACTICES AND INCREASE
OF USE OF MILITARY TREATMENT FACILITIES
This section would require managers for the Department of Defense
TRICARE program to implement improvements in business practices by the
end of fiscal year 2001, and would require the Secretary of Defense to
submit a plan for improving TRICARE business practices by March 15,
2001, to the Senate Committee on Armed Services and the House Committee
on Armed Services and require implementation of the plan by October 1,
2001. This section would also establish improvement benchmarks for the
TRICARE program in the area of portability of the benefit. This section
would also require the Secretary of Defense to simplify and
Internet-enable critical administrative processes within the military
health system and TRICARE and authorize the Department of Defense to
work with a managed care support contractor to build an open
architecture model administration system in one TRICARE managed care
region.
The committee also recommends an increase of $134.5 million in the
amount requested for the Defense Health Program in fiscal year 2001 to
be used solely for the purpose of maximizing the use of military
treatment facilities. The committee recommends $85.5 million to provide
additional support staff to primary care providers in the military
direct care system, $20.0 million to support procurement of a local
appointing and scheduling system, and $29.0 million to support local
customer service and support initiatives. While the committee expects
these funds to be used to improve access at the military treatment
facilities, the committee also directs that the planning and
installation of the local appointing and scheduling and customer service
operations be coordinated with the regional managed care support
contractors in order to integrate and synchronize the local systems with
regional applications the managed care support contractors might be
operating to the maximum extent possible.
The committee remains concerned that the Department of Defense is not
taking full advantage of business practices and technologies that could
result in increased provider satisfaction or budgetary savings, which
could be redirected to providing increased benefits. The committee
believes opportunities exist for immediate improvements in the areas of
claims processing, appointment access, and benefit portability. The
committee also continues to be concerned that the scheduling of
appointments for beneficiaries is difficult. Many of the administrative
procedures currently employed by TRICARE program managers and claims
administrators are relics of the Civilian Health and Medical Program of
the Uniformed Services (CHAMPUS) program. The model system would fully
exploit all available technologies to enhance beneficiary and provider
satisfaction and improve TRICARE efficiency.
SECTION 714--CLAIMS PROCESSING IMPROVEMENTS
This section would require the Secretary of Defense to implement
several changes to the TRICARE claims processing system. These actions
include: replacing the Health Care Service Record (HCSR) with the
TRICARE Encounter Data system, separating the HCSR and claims payment
components of the claims adjudication and payment system, requiring high
volume TRICARE providers to submit claims by electronic means, and
increasing the use of automated voice response unit systems for
determining claims status. The committee has also coordinated with the
research and development subcommittee to recommend an increase of $3.6
million in the amount requested for the Defense Health Program in fiscal
year 2001 to be used only for the purpose of implementing the TRICARE
Encounter Data system as a replacement for the HCSR during fiscal year
2001. During field hearings and in discussions with TRICARE providers,
the committee learned that providers were dissatisfied with TRICARE
payment levels seemingly unnecessary, administrative requirements and
continuing slow claims payment practices. The committee notes the
concern of health care providers that the timeliness of claims
processing continues to be a problem, hampering the program's ability to
attract and retain qualified health care providers. Several witnesses
also testified that processing TRICARE claims could cost three to four
times the cost of similar Medicare claims. The committee is concerned
that the Department of Defense continues to spend money on
administration that could be used to provide valuable benefits to
military beneficiaries.
SECTION 715--PROHIBITION AGAINST REQUIREMENT FOR PRIOR AUTHORIZATION
FOR CERTAIN REFERRALS; REPORT ON NONAVAILABILITY-OF-HEALTH-CARE STATEMENTS
This section would prohibit the Secretary of Defense from requiring
any TRICARE managed care support contractors to establish prior approval
requirements among network providers.
The committee is concerned that some TRICARE patients are being
needlessly required to seek approval prior to being referred to another
specialist or institution within the TRICARE network of providers and
institutions.
SECTION 716--AUTHORITY TO ESTABLISH SPECIAL LOCALITY-BASED
REIMBURSEMENT RATES; REPORTS
This section would authorize the Secretary of Defense to establish
higher rates for reimbursement for services in some localities under
certain conditions.
The committee is aware that there are a few areas in the United
States where recruitment of health care providers into the TRICARE
provider networks is hampered by TRICARE provider reimbursement rates
which are unusually low, compared to the prevailing local or other
governmental reimbursement rates.
SECTION 717--REIMBURSEMENT FOR CERTAIN TRAVEL EXPENSES
This section would authorize the Secretary of Defense to reimburse
TRICARE beneficiaries for their reasonable expenses incurred while
traveling to a referral more than 100 miles from the location at which
they normally receive their primary care services. Provisions under
TRICARE managed care support contracts require network providers to
limit their referrals to specialists available within a one hour drive.
However, exceptions are allowed under certain circumstances. These so
called ``drive time waivers'' can require TRICARE beneficiaries to
travel great distances at their own expense only because a particular
specialist is not available within the local network of TRICARE
providers. To fund this policy change in fiscal year 2001, the committee
authorizes an increase of $15.0 million in the amount requested for the
Defense Health Program.
SECTION 718--REDUCTION OF CATASTROPHIC CAP
This section would reduce the maximum amount retired TRICARE
beneficiaries could pay under TRICARE to $3000 per family. To fund this
policy change in fiscal year 2001, the committee authorizes an increase
of $32.0 million in the amount requested for the Defense Health Program.
TRICARE beneficiaries not enrolled in TRICARE Prime face potential
medical expenses of up to $7500 per family. The committee is concerned
that as a result of the decreasing amount of space available care to
which the retired beneficiary population has access, more families of
retired military personnel who are not enrolled in TRICARE Prime will
face these burdensome medical expenses.
SECTION 719--REPORT ON PROTECTIONS AGAINST HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS
SEEKING DIRECT REIMBURSEMENT FROM MEMBERS OF THE UNIFORMED SERVICES
The section would require the Secretary of Defense to provide a
report by January 31, 2001, to the Senate Committee on Armed Services
and the House Committee on Armed Services on ways to discourage or
prohibit TRICARE health care providers from seeking inappropriate direct
reimbursement from military service members or their families for
eligible health care services.
The committee is concerned that the financial credit status of
military service members or their family members is being adversely
affected by the inability of health care providers to receive
reimbursements from TRICARE in a timely manner.
SECTION 720--DISENROLLMENT PROCESS FOR TRICARE RETIREE DENTAL PROGRAM
This section would authorize the Secretary of Defense to permit
retirees who enrolled in the Department of Defense Retiree Dental
Program to disenroll from the program under certain circumstances.
SUBTITLE C HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS FOR MEDICARE-ELIGIBLE DEPARTMENT OF