Pentagon requests $715 billion in 2022 Defense budget plan

WASHINGTON — The Defense Department is asking Congress for $715 billion in its financial 2022 budget plan, a boost of about $10 billion from what was assigned to the Pentagon in financial 2021.

The White House launched the broad information of President Joe Biden’s budget plan proposition on Friday for the beginning Oct. 1, which looks for an enormous $753 billion for nationwide defense.

The Pentagon’s part of the budget plan, $715 billion, will money weapons programs and essential nationwide security concerns, while an extra $38 billion will be utilized for defense-related programs at the Department of Energy and other federal companies, bringing the overall for defense costs to $753 billion.

The almost 2% uptick in defense costs comes as the Biden administration pulls the country out of the U.S. armed force’s longest war and shifts focus far from the Middle East to resolve emerging hazards from China.

“The department in this budget takes a clear-eyed approach to Beijing and provides the investments to prioritize China as our pacing challenge,” Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks informed press reporters on Friday. “The PRC has become increasingly competitive in the Indo-Pacific region and around the world. It has the economic, military and technological capability to challenge the international system and American interests within it,” she included.

The Pentagon is requesting $5.1 billion to put towards its Pacific deterrence effort to resolve hazards postured by China.

“Simultaneously, we need to address advanced and persistent threats emanating from Russia, Iran, North Korea and other factors non-state and transnational included,” Hicks stated.

The Pentagon’s budget plan proposition consists of more than $500 million for Covid-19 and pandemic readiness; the biggest ever financial investment for research study, advancement and engineering at $112 billion; and $617 million to resolve, prepare and adjust to environment modification.

The budget plan likewise consists of a 2.7% pay raise for soldiers and civilian Defense Department staff members.

Here’s a breakdown of a few of the significant weapons programs the Pentagon wishes to contribute to its toolbox.

The Pentagon is requesting $52.4 billion to buy the armed force’s air domain. Of that amount to, the Defense Department desires $12 billion to purchase 85 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters. The F-35 is Lockheed Martin’s biggest program and the world’s most pricey weapons system.

Other significant financial investments:

• 14 Boeing KC-46 tanker airplane: $2.5 billion
• 9 Lockheed Martin CH-53K King Stallion helicopters: $1.7 billion
• 12 Boeing F-15EX fighter jets: $1.5 billion
• 30 Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopters: $825 million

The Pentagon desires $34.6 billion to grow and update the Navy’s fight force fleet. The Defense Department is likewise requesting an unmanned surface area car to diversify the Navy’s abilities.

Other significant financial investments:

• 1 General Dynamics Columbia-class ballistic rocket submarine: $5 billion
• 2 General Dynamics Virginia-class quick attack submarines: $6.9 billion
• 1 General Dynamics Arleigh Burke-class destroyer: $2.4 billion
• 1 Frigate FFG(X) frigate: $1.3 billion
• 1 Huntington Ingalls Ford-class attack aircraft carrier: $2.9 billion
• Unmanned Surface Vessels: $203 million

The Pentagon is asking for $12.3 billion for ground fight systems. The demand consists of upgrades and adjustments for 70 stalwart M1 Abrams tanks at $1 billion.

Other significant financial investments:

• 3,799 joint light tactical lorries for a range of objectives: $1.1 billion
• 92 amphibious fight lorries for usage throughout the U.S. Marine Corps: $613 million

The Pentagon is requesting $10.4 billion for its cyber efforts, that include securing the Defense Department’s networks.

Last year, software application from the IT business SolarWinds was breached, permitting hackers to get to interactions and information in a number of federal government companies.

In April, Washington officially held Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service accountable for performing the SolarWinds cyberattack. Microsoft President Brad Smith explained the event as “the largest and most sophisticated attack the world has ever seen.” Microsoft’s systems were likewise contaminated with harmful software application.

The Russian federal government rejects all accusations that it lagged the SolarWinds hack.

Earlier this month, Colonial Pipeline came down with a sweeping cyberattack that required the business to close down roughly 5,500 miles of pipeline, causing a disturbance of almost half of the East Coast fuel supply and triggering gas scarcities in the Southeast.

On Thursday, Microsoft alerted in an article that the Russian hackers believed to lag the disastrous SolarWinds attack had actually introduced another attack.

The hacking group, referred to as Nobelium, targeted more than 150 companies worldwide in the recently, consisting of federal government companies, believe tanks and nongovernmental companies. The cyberattack is the current example of criminal groups or state stars making use of U.S. cyber vulnerabilities. 

“Given Solarwinds and other episodes of hacking into U.S.-based data networks it makes sense to invest more in cybersecurity, but the Pentagon will not necessarily be the most important player in dealing with broader cyber-challenges to infrastructure, the electrical grid, communications networks, and banking systems,” discussed William Hartung, director of the Arms and Security Program at the Center for International Policy.

“A partnership with the private sector, and rules of the road for cybersecurity set at the federal level, could be as or more important in thwarting cyber-related risks,” he included.

The Pentagon desires $20.4 billion to more establish its layered rocket defense system.

“At long last, the enterprise seems to be moving out towards a new vision of missile defense, manifest by new efforts on space sensors, hypersonic and cruise missile defense, and other next-generation technologies,” stated Thomas Karako, director of the Missile Defense Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, when inquired about the budget plan devoted to rocket defense.

“Hypersonic defense will be a challenging, complex form of air defense, but it is possible and that’s where the threat has been going,” Karako included.

Other significant financial investments:

• Sea-based interceptors (SM-3 IIA and SM-3 IB): $647 million
• Sea-based ballistic rocket defense system, or AEGIS BMD: $1 billion
• Ground-based Midcourse and Improved Homeland Defense/Next Generation Interceptors (NGI): $1.7 billion
• Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD system: $562 million
• Patriot Advanced Capability Missile Segment Enhancement: $777 million

The Pentagon is asking for $20.6 billion to buy the emerging security environment in deep space. Of that amount to, the Defense Department wishes to invest $1.7 billion on 5 area launch lorries and on the Rocket System Launch Program, or RSLP.

Other significant financial investments:

• Global Positioning System (GPS) business: $1.8 billion
• Space-based Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) systems: $2.6 billion