The Senate Appropriations Committee approved a $489.6 billion Fiscal 2015 defense funding bill that supports most of the Air Force’s top procurement requests, but rejects the service’s request to retire the A-10 attack jets. The committee also approved $58.3 billion for overseas contingency operations, which covers Afghanistan and other global actions. Despite the panel’s unanimous vote late July 17, committee leaders expressed doubt the bill would get a hearing on the Senate floor before the new fiscal year begins Oct. 1. Congress expects to recess for six weeks on July 31 and will be in session only a couple weeks in September before going home again to campaign for re-election. Congress is expected to approve a continuing resolution, which would fund the federal government at current levels, in September. The Senate bill joins the House version in approving procurement of the requested 26 F-35As, seven KC-46A tankers, 13 C-130Js, and 12 MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft. But the Senate panel refused to allow the Air Force to retire the A-10s, shifting $338 million from “lower priority” accounts to A-10 operations. It also barred retirement of any of the 31 E-3 AWACs. (Mark-up summary)
The Space Force is playing a key role in planning for “Golden Dome,” President Donald Trump’s initiative for comprehensive air and missile defense of the homeland, leaders said this week. But actually building and fielding the ambitious idea will require a major concerted effort across the Pentagon and intelligence community.