President Obama on Monday asked the Congress to provide $671 billion for the Defense Department in Fiscal 2012. This request includes $553 billion in discretionary budget authority to fund base defense programs and $118 billion to support overseas contingency operations, primarily in Afghanistan and Iraq. “This budget represents a reasonable, responsible and sustainable level of funding, the minimum level of defense spending that is necessary, given the security challenges we are facing around the globe,” said Defense Secretary Robert Gates. The OCO portion is $41.5 billion below the Fiscal 2011 request of $159.3 billion because it reflects the planned withdrawal of US troops from Iraq by the end of December and a modest decline in funding for Afghanistan operations. Stay tuned for more coverage of the Pentagon’s Fiscal 2012 budget proposal. (DOD release) (DOD webpage for Fiscal 2012 budget documents)
Collaborative Combat Aircraft designs from Anduril and General Atomics passed their critical design reviews early in November, clearing the way for detailed production efforts to get underway, the Air Force said. How future versions will be upgraded is still under discussion.