$4 Billion Requested For New Strategic Bombers

With the dust hardly settled on the federal government's FY2010 budget, a draft of the Obama administration's spending request for next year shows a request nearly for $11 billion in the next budget round for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. It also seeks $4 billion over 4 years for development of a new long-range strategic bomber.

Defense News reports that the budget, due to be sent to Congress by February 1st, will cut several programs as well, such as the C-17 and the F-136 alternate engine for the F-35. But the budget nearly doubles the purchase of the MQ-9 Reaper UAS.

The draft calls the F-35 program "most important", and asks for $10.7 billion for continued development and the purchase of 42 of the Joint Strike Fighters. The summary of the draft document also says that $4 billion will be requested for "a portfolio of initiatives to improve long-range strike capabilities." Those include both efforts to upgrade both the B-2 and B-52 fleets and "Later in this [2011-2015] time frame, funds are available to begin developing a new bomber and cruise missile."

In addition, the summary says the budget will ask Congress for $9.6 billion "for the acquisition of a variety of modern rotary wing aircraft." The list includes:

• $1.4 billion for Army UH-60 Black Hawks.
• $1.2 billion for Army CH-47 Chinooks.
• $2.7 billion for V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.
• $1.7 billion MH-60R/S Seahawks for the Navy.

There will also be a request for funds to stand up two "combat aviation brigades" creating a 12th active duty brigade next fiscal year, and put the initial funding in place for a 13th brigade in 2015.

FMI: www.dod.mil, www.whitehouse.gov