Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert said that the Navy was given a draft copy of the president’s upcoming national security strategy to ensure its fiscal year 2016 request was in line with the new guidance, but stopped short of saying the service was asked for input on the new direction.
“We got a view of the draft, to say, take a look at it so that we weren’t immediately out of line. So our budget is a reflection of that,” Greenert said.
For the last three years, U.S. security strategy has directed a focus on a pivot to the Asian Pacific, but has found its resources under high demand in the U.S. Central Command and U.S. Africa Command area of responsibilities.
The Navy’s $44 billion request for an array of new submarines, ships and technologies in fiscal year 2016 “is a reflection” of the new strategy, Greenert said.
A DOD spokesman said that the department “provided appropriate input” into the new administration-driven strategy.
“The National Security Strategy is a document crafted by the National Security Council but provides direction for the whole of U.S. government for America’s security and interests. The Department of Defense participated in the interagency process in the document’s development and provided appropriate input,” said Army Lt. Col. Joe Sowers.
