WASHINGTON - Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01), chairman of the Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces, today applauded committee passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18).
"Since I became the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee Chairman two things have become painfully obvious: First, over the last several years, we have woefully under resourced the demands of our United States Navy and United States Air Force to support the current requirements. Second, we have hot production lines in the shipbuilding and aviation sectors that are prepared to respond,” Wittman said. “The Seapower provisions in this NDAA take the first steps towards restoring our military readiness and giving our Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force the tools and resources they need to deter our adversaries, support our allies, and respond to threats around the globe."
The authorization calls for base budget requirements of $631.5 billion, increases the size of Army, Navy, Air Force, Guard, and Reserve commensurate with the threats we face, and fully funds a 2.4% pay raise for our troops.
Specific Seapower provisions included in the NDAA for FY18:
- Establishes the policy of the United States to have available not fewer than 355 battle force ships;
- Builds on the eight ships requested by the administration and adds an additional five ships;
- Authorizes multiyear procurement authority for 15 Arleigh Burke-class Destroyers for the next five years at a rate of three destroyers a year;
- Authorizes multiyear procurement authority for 13 Virginia-class Attack Submarines for the next five years at a minimum rate of two submarines per year and provides the Navy advanced procurement authority to support a third submarine in 2020, 2022 and 2023;
- Prohibits the retirement of additional Ticonderoga-class cruisers;
- Directs the Department of Defense to obtain 12 aircraft carriers by the end of fiscal year 2023;
- Provides expanded authority to more efficiently procure new Ford-class aircraft carriers and overhaul existing Nimitz-class aircraft carriers;
- Expands the authority of the National Sea-Based Deterrence Fund that would authorize a more efficient procurement of common components associated with the nuclear enterprise;
- Restricts major overhauls and repairs of U.S. naval vessels in foreign shipyards;
- Prohibits the retirement of mine countermeasure ships until Navy is able to deploy the Littoral Combat Ship mine warfare capability;
- Fully authorizes the Maritime Security Program.
Congressman Rob Wittman represents the 1st District of Virginia. He serves on the House Natural Resources Committee and the House Armed Services Committee, where he is the Chairman of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee.
