Small Wars Journal

Highlights from Budget Day at the Pentagon

Mon, 02/14/2011 - 5:08pm
Click here to see the summary of today's FY 2012 budget request rollout at the Pentagon.

Some highlights (all dollar figures in billions):

1) DoD top line declines from projected $708 in FY11 (depending on how the battle over the CR turns out) to $671 in FY12. All the reduction is in Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) ($159 to $118). Base budget goes from $548 to $553.

2) 1.6% raise in uniformed base pay (civilians are under a two-year freeze), same as Employment Cost Index. Other allowances to go up more.

3) DoD will try again to raise Tricare premiums for working-age retirees.

4) Notable increases in purchases of UAVs and Army helicopters.

5) $1.3 for Cyber Command.

6) Section 1206 (Global Train and Equip) will get $0.5. This does not include $12.8 for Afghan security forces (included in OCO), $0.5 for transition in Iraq from DoD to State.

7) Delays in F-35 mean that DoD plans to buy 41 F-18s between 2012-2016.

8) Navy will buy 11 ships in FY12, including 1 DDG, 2 SSN, 4 LCS, 2 JHSV, 1 MLP, and 1 LPD. R&D begins on new SSBN.

9) Funding for new USAF bomber and "long-range strike family of systems."

10) Within the FY12 base budget request, personnel and O&M again get the biggest increases. FY12 procurement request also grows but by $7 less than forecast last year. Research, milcon, and other accounts all shrink.

11) DoD sees base budget at $611 in FY16, 0.5% per annum real growth since FY10. OCO stable at $50 FY13-FY16, which would seem to assume a sharp drawdown in Afghanistan after FY 12.