Congress authorises NDAA focus on expanding US airpower capabilities

While the counting and legal battles continue to determine the leader of the free world, Congress introduced a budget proposal for the US government, totalling US$1.4 trillion ($1.9 trillion) in new spending, with an updated budget request of US$732 billion ($985 billion) allocated to defence spending. 

This proposed bill differs considerably from a similar proposal from the House of Representatives with a series of shifts in acquisition, funding allocations and research and development programs designed to modernise the platforms and weapons, which have formed the backbone of the US Armed Forces since the end of the Cold War.

Two key components of this funding request are the increasingly limited pool of financial resources available to the COVID-ravaged economy and as the nation as a whole struggles to shift its priorities from the Middle East to countering peer and near-peer great power competitors in the Indo-Pacific and Europe. 

As part of this, US Congressional legislators in a summary, Conference Report Summary for the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act, detail the driving force behind the 2021 NDAA, stating, "To address the country’s greatest military threats, the FY21 NDAA conference report balances vital national security requirements in a resource-constrained environment while ensuring the Department of the Defense is postured to address the shifting global security landscape and its effects on the national defence apparatus.

"The FY21 NDAA authorises a defense enterprise that is diverse, inclusive, accountable, and responsible in the management of its resources, and ensures America’s military maintains its competitive edge while increasing accountability so that Congress and the American people know how defence resources are allocated and spent.

"The FY21 NDAA Conference Report continues to improve the quality of life for our service men and women in uniform – including the authorisation for a 3.0 per cent pay increase – makes key investments to military infrastructure, and provides crucial support to training and sustainment activities that enhance military operations.

"Our service members confront unique, complex challenges and deserve our support. The devastating impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have affected every aspect of our daily lives, and the military is no exception. The FY21 NDAA conference report authorises funding that will strengthen DOD and the country’s ability to respond to potential COVID-19 resurgence and other infectious diseases in the future.

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"The FY21 NDAA conference report authorises approximately $732 billion in discretionary spending for national defense, including approximately $69 billion of Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO). This authorisation level will allow our military to maintain readiness, expand capabilities, and invest in the new software and technologies required to secure our country."

A major winner of this new round of defence spending is the US Air Force which has been undergoing a major period of recapitalisation and modernisation, as the force phases out a range of platforms, technologies and weapons systems, many dating back to the Reagan-era defence build up during the 1980s. 

Boost to F-35 numbers, B-21 fully funded, NGAD gets some cash also 

The US Air Force, much like the Royal Australian Air Force is undergoing a transition to a fifth-generation force, incorporating key platforms like the new Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter as the backbone of the force's future air combat capability to operate in conjunction with updated variants of the fourth-generation F-15EX and F-16 as well as the F-22 Raptor and, as was recently revealed, a Next-Generation Air Dominance platform designed to replace the venerable Raptor. 

To this end, US airpower is expected to receive 93 F-35 aircraft across the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, with the US Air Force to assume six of the F-35A's originally planned for Turkey, but never delivered following the Central-Asian nation's acquisition of the Russian S-400 integrated air defence system and associated security concerns. 

The US Air Force and broader US Armed Forces, namely Navy and Marines, will also see funding allocated to conduct "critical oversight of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and initiates new reporting requirements from the Department on software testing methodologies, Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) redesign and fielding, mitigation of physiological episode occurrences, and critical issues approaching the full-rate production decision occurring in 2021".

This will see the US Air Force receiving a slight increase of US$2.5 billion ($3.36 billion) in procurement funding, for a total expenditure of US$51.1 billion ($68.7 billion), but with flow on reductions of US$753 million ($1.01 billion) for the US Air Force research, development, test and evaluation for a total of US$36.3 billion ($49.25 billion).

The funding for the Joint Strike Fighter is supported by the approval for full funding for the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider, with US$2.8 billion ($3.76 billion) allocated to ongoing R&D for the Raider, and early-procurement funding of US$193 million ($259.7 million) to commence acquisition of the 100 aircraft identified to replace the US bomber fleet beginning in 2022. 

These funding allocations also see an increased funding directive to continue support both the Air Force and Navy next-generation air dominance capabilities, with Congress mandating that the "Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation to conduct an in-depth cost, risk, and affordably review on Air Force plans to develop and field the Next Generation Air Dominance aircraft under an aggressive and uncertain plan known as the Digital Century Series Aircraft Acquisition Strategy".

This will aim to avoid the costly research and development delays and acquisition cost overruns which saw a limited production run of the F-22 Raptor program, having flow on impacts for the US Air Force's capability to engage in peer competitor deterrence and great power competition, both in the Indo-Pacific and Europe concurrently. 

Expanding the ISR, air lift and integrated battle management

Key tactical and strategic force multipliers, namely intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities, airlift, aerial refuelling and critically, the next generation integrated advanced battle management systems have also emerged as key investment priorities for the US Air Force moving forward.

In particular the Congress is mandating greater forward planning on the part of the US Air Force, with a funding allocated to providing road maps for the long-term modernisation of the airborne ISR fleet, as well as, "Strengthens accountability of the Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) by adding reporting requirements on ABMS demonstrations, product line capabilities, and decision-making authorities. Also requires the Air Force, in consultation with the Director of Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation, to provide a cost estimate for ABMS.

"Requires the Secretary of Defense to develop a plan to transfer responsibility for Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations to an appropriate entity within the Department of Defense. Also requires the European, Indo-Pacific, and Central Commands and the military services to evaluate their ability to conduct electromagnetic spectrum operations."    

Adding to this, the congressional summary supports funding requests for:

• US$104.610 million to retain 13 KC-135 and 10 KC-10 aerial refueling aircraft originally scheduled for divestment;
• US$148.42 million to retain A-10 aircraft originally scheduled for divestment, and sustain a fleet of 281 aircraft;
• Provides additional funding for MQ-1 Gray Eagle unmanned aircraft;
• Provides additional funding for up to 16 MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aircraft; 
• Supports the Air Force’s F-15EX tactical fighter program and the budget request for the T-7A training aircraft program; 
• Provides additional funding to enhance the Air Force’s development schedule of Low-Cost Attributable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT) program capabilities;
• Provides additional funding for Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Trucks (HEMTT);
• Provides additional funding for procurement of additional Civil Air Patrol aircraft; 
• Provides additional funding for E-8 JSTARS modernisation;
• Provides funding sufficient for the Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System;
• Prohibits the retirement of any aircraft carrier before its first refueling; 
• Establishes a statutory floor that the Air Force is required to retain for air refueling aircraft; 
• Requires the Air Force to retain a minimum of 287 tactical airlift aircraft;
• Provides funding for one additional MQ-4 Triton;
• Provides funding for seven additional C-130J aircraft; 
• Provides funding to support the propulsion and propeller upgrades of Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve C-130H airlift aircraft; and
• Provides full funding for the VC-25B Presidential Aircraft Recapitalization (PAR) program.

While there is still a while to go before the full and final allocation is presented, it appears as though the US defence budget is facing the limitations of spending as a response to the impact of COVID on the US economy and maintaining the full spectrum of global responsibilities the US must shoulder, with interesting implications for key allies like Australia. 

Funding granted for the Pacific Deterrence Initiative

The congressional summary also identifies and commits funding for the introduction of the Pacific Deterrence Initiative (PDI), which will see US$2.2 billion ($2.96 billion) worth of funding allocated to the Indo-Pacific with significant impacts for the region, namely: 

• Prohibits the use of funds to reduce active duty US forces in South Korea below 28,500 until 90 days after the Secretary of Defense certifies certain conditions;
• Prohibits the commercial export of defence articles and services and munitions items to the Hong Kong Police Force;
• Authorises the Secretary of Defense to transfer $15 million to the State Department to be used for dioxin (Agent Orange) cleanup at Bien Hoa, Vietnam; and
• Expands and codifies an annual report on the infrastructure requirements and investments at enduring and contingency bases maintained overseas. In addition, requires a one-time report on the infrastructure masterplan for all infrastructure requirements, and a breakdown of US and Australia funded projects, needed to support the Marine Rotational Force and others that may operate from Darwin.

Your thoughts 

Australia’s position and responsibilities in the Indo-Pacific region will depend on the nation’s ability to sustain itself economically, strategically and politically.

Despite the nation’s virtually unrivalled wealth of natural resources, agricultural and industrial potential, there is a lack of a cohesive national security strategy integrating the development of individual yet complementary public policy strategies to support a more robust Australian role in the region.

Enhancing Australia’s capacity to act as an independent power, incorporating great power-style strategic economic, diplomatic and military capability serves as a powerful symbol of Australia’s sovereignty and evolving responsibilities in supporting and enhancing the security and prosperity of Indo-Pacific Asia.

However, as events continue to unfold throughout the region and China continues to throw its economic, political and strategic weight around, can Australia afford to remain a secondary power or does it need to embrace a larger, more independent role in an era of increasing great power competition?

Rear Admiral (Ret'd) Kevin Scarce also issued a challenge for Australia's political and strategic policy leaders, saying:

"If we observe that the level of debate among our leaders is characterised by mud-slinging, obfuscation and the deliberate misrepresentation of the views of others, why would the community behave differently ... Our failure to do so will leave a very damaging legacy for future generations."

Let us know your thoughts and ideas about the development of a holistic national strategy to co-ordinate the nation’s response to mounting pressure from nation-state and asymmetric challenges in the comments section below, or get in touch with This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..