The continuing resolution Congress is expected to pass this week provides some relief for key defense acquisition programs such as submarines, helicopters and tankers.
The CR extends funding at fiscal 2016 levels through April 28 in most areas, but lawmakers made a few exceptions to boost funding in critical areas. One is the Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine program, for which work is scheduled to begin in January. The bill gives about $773 million, the amount the Navy requested in fiscal 2017, to begin advanced procurement and detail design work of the General Dynamics Electric Boat program and avoid any delay in the program.
“Delaying the planned start date of this work could impact the production line, delivery schedules and potentially the cost of the program,” according to the summary of the bill, which was filed on Tuesday.
Sen. Thad Cochran, R-Miss., the chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said the “anomalies” in the bill that provide more funding than the previous fiscal year are because of “unique situations arising during the duration of the continuing resolution.
“Among them are provisions to maintain operational tempo and staffing necessary to address border security, immigration enforcement, aviation security, and protection of the President-elect,” he said.
The bill also gives the Pentagon the authority to issue multi-year procurement contracts for Boeing’s AH-64E Apache attack helicopter and the UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter from Sikorsky. Multi-year contracts often allow the department to save money in the long-term.
The Air Force will also be able to procure the Boeing KC-46A Pegasus tanker at the production rate in the president’s fiscal 2017 budget request thanks to the CR. The president’s request was for $3.1 billion to buy 15 of the tankers in fiscal 2017.
