Pentagon seeks slight trims in military spending for electronics and CET&I procurement and research
The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is asking Congress for $12.5 billion for CET&I procurement and research in the fiscal 2018 proposed DOD budget, which is down by $535.1 million, or 4.1 percent, over 2017 levels. DOD's 2018 spending request was released late last month. These accounts contained $15.1 billion as recently as fiscal 2012.
The DOD request for CET&I procurement and research does not include military activities with substantial electronics content, such as aircraft avionics, vetronics, and missile guidance.
When all of these additional DOD electronics-heavy accounts are added, Pentagon spending levels for military electronics and defense electro-optics next year could approach $90 billion, industry analysts believe.
The DOD's CET&I budget request for fiscal 2018, which begins next October, includes $9.28 billion for procurement, which is down 2.3 percent from the Pentagon's 2017 request of $9.49 billion.
The proposed budget also requests $3.21 billion for CET&I research, development, test, and evaluation (RDT&E), which is down from the 2017 requested level of $3.54 billion.
Highlights of the Army's CET&I 2018 procurement budget request includes $490.49 million for the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) Ground Forces Tactical Network; $161.38 million for the Defense Enterprise Wideband Satellite Communications Systems; $355.35 million for the Handheld Manpack Small Form Fit (HMS) digital radio; $107.8 million for communications security; $242.51 million for the Distributed Common Ground System - Army (DCGS-A); and $53.4 million for defensive cyber security operations.
Highlights of the Navy's CET&I request include $331.05 million for fast attack submarine acoustic equipment; $240.43 million for AN/SLQ-32 shipboard electronic warfare (EW) equipment; $300.1 million for the Fixed Surveillance System deep-sea sonar system; $322.75 million for the Consolidated Afloat Networks and Enterprise Services (CANES) tactical shipboard network; $104 million for ship communications automation; and $102.2 million for the AN/SQQ-89 surface anti-submarine warfare combat system.
Highlights of the Marine Corps CET&I request include $139.17 million for the Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR); $192.69 million for command post systems; $86.24 million for the RQ-21 Blackjack small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV); and $98.51 million for the Next-Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN).
The Air Force CET&I request includes $204.87 million for the Air Force Physical Security System; $160.82 million for the Air Force Network (AFNET); $115.2 million for combat training ranges; $185.54 million for base communications infrastructure; and $123.2 million for tactical communications and electronics equipment.
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