Senate authorizes $15.5 billion in Defense spending related to Alabama

U.S. Army soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division’s Company C, 3rd Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, exit an Army CH-47 Chinook (Photo: U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Shawn Hussong)

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate on Friday passed the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) authorizing $585 billion for the military next year. Some of the highlights of the bill include $521.3 billion to fund the Pentagon’s base budget and $63.7 billion for military operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. It also authorizes $5 billion to train Iraqi military personnel to combat ISIS.

But inside the larger bill are a wide variety of spending authorizations that will directly impact Alabama military bases or private companies with defense contracts. Roughly $15.5 billion of the bill will go toward military operations taking place in almost every corner of Alabama, from the Army Depot in Anniston and Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville to Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, Ft. Rucker in the Wiregrass, and the Navy ship-building operation at the Port of Mobile.

“The courage and selflessness of Alabama’s men and women in uniform embody the great character of our state,” said Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-Ala.), who is a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. “Alabama is a leader in our nation’s defense and this legislation is recognition of that fact.

“Our state’s workforce and contributions to our nation’s security were defended and supported in the Senate Armed Services Committee conference process. This legislation protects the needs and requirements of our dedicated service members and authorizes funding for numerous defense-related programs—for our state and nation—that are essential to the success of our military missions abroad.”

Here’s a quick rundown of the spending authorizations impacting various areas of Alabama:

ANNISTON

· Army Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) – $92.35 million.
· Sec. 216 limits availability of funds for AMPV until Secretary of the Army submits a report on plans for the replacement of M113 armored personnel carriers in formations outside of its combat brigades.
· M1 Abrams tanks modifications – $237 million.
· Overall Army Land Forces Depot Maintenance – $1 billion.

HUNTSVILLE

· Authorizes missile defense programs at $8.9 billion, the budget request level plus a net increase of $364 million for improvements to our homeland defense, increased Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) interceptors, and for Israeli missile defense programs.
· Requires DoD to develop by 2019 a domestic rocket propulsion system and authorizes $220 million in FY 2015. The NDAA supports the expedient transition from the use of Russian rocket engines to a domestic alternative for space launches.
· Calls for improvement to ground-based midcourse defense system. Requires upgraded and improved EKV.
· Prohibits DoD from procuring materials and services, such as rocket engines, from the Russian Federation that were acquired after February 1, 2014 for the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle program.
· Provides $276.3 million for Tomahawk missiles to maintain missile production at the minimum sustaining rate of 200 missiles, rather than the request of $194.3 million that would have cut production to 100 missiles.
· Requires the use of competitive procedures for launches under the Operationally Responsive Space program. Adds $20 million to the Operationally Responsive Space program, which was proposed to have no funding in fiscal year 2015. The $20 million will enable the program to continue designing a low cost space based situational awareness satellite.

MOBILE

· Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) – $1.427 billion.
· LCS mission modules common equipment – $33.9 million.
· Establishes a pilot program for maintaining (LCS) deployed overseas.
· Extends prohibition on use of funds available in fiscal year 2014 for construction or advanced procurement of materials for the Littoral Combat Ships designated as LCS-25 or LCS-26 until the Secretary of the Navy submits certain reports and information to the congressional defense committees.
· Dry dock provision limits the application of section 55102 of title Code 46 USC and extends exemption to cover any floating dry dock if the movement occurs within 5 nautical miles of the shipyard.

MONTGOMERY

· Prohibits cancellation/modification of C-130 avionics modernization program.
· SASC-passed provision regarding Cyber MFP included.
· Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) funded at $1.26 billion.

WIREGRASS / FT. RUCKER

· UH-72 light utility helicopter procurement funded at $416.6 million for 55 helicopters.
· UH-60 Blackhawk procurement funded at $1.34 billion for 85 helicopters.