• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation

Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation

  • Policy Issues
    • Fact Sheets
    • Countries
    • Nuclear Weapons
    • Non-Proliferation
    • Nuclear Security
    • Biological & Chemical Weapons
    • Defense Spending
    • Missile Defense
    • No First Use
  • Nukes of Hazard
    • Podcast
    • Blog
      • Next Up In Arms Control
    • Videos
  • Join Us
  • Press
  • About
    • Staff
    • Boards & Experts
    • Jobs & Internships
    • Financials and Annual Reports
    • Contact Us
  • Donate
  • Search
You are here: Home / Security Spending / Pentagon Budget / Fiscal Year 2020 Defense Spending Briefing Book

March 29, 2019

Fiscal Year 2020 Defense Spending Briefing Book

           

The Fiscal Year 2020 Budget in Context

Introduction

President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2020 budget requests $544.5 billion for the Defense Department’s annual “base” discretionary budget, which is more than $70 billion lower than FY19 enacted levels. However, the Pentagon’s portion of the Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) account – which is often referred to as the “war funding” account – includes $164.6 billion, an amount nearly $96 billion higher than FY19 enacted levels. The Pentagon’s own budget documents state that almost $98 billion of the OCO account is for “base budget requirements,” an implicit admission that the account is being used for more than “war funding” and to skirt budget caps imposed by Congress. In fact, Navy funding for components related to the modified W76-2 “low-yield” warhead is located in the OCO account. Another $9 billion is allocated for “emergency requirements,” which includes President Trump’s proposed border wall spending.  

The Pentagon request does not include certain other security spending, including funding for nuclear weapons-related work in the Department of Energy. Including all of these accounts, the total national defense discretionary spending request is $750 billion (see the table on page 3).

Nuclear Modernization and Non-Proliferation

The request increases funding for nuclear weapons refurbishment plans, which aim to overhaul and maintain nearly the entire nuclear arsenal at a cost of approximately $1.7 trillion over 30 years, adjusted for inflation. This plan includes funding for a new long-range bomber, a new nuclear-capable cruise missile, a new ballistic missile submarine program, an updated land-based intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), and their associated warheads. Actualizing these plans will likely result in decreased funding for conventional military capabilities.

The budget also proposes a $60 million increase to the Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation account compared to the amount enacted in FY 2019. However, core non-proliferation programs will see a cut of $100 million. These cuts include an approximately $65 million reduction of the Global Material Security program, which works to reduce and protect vulnerable nuclear and radiological material located around the globe, and a further $80 million cut for nonproliferation research and development.

The President’s Request

Discretionary Defense Request for Fiscal Year 2020

(in billions of current dollars)

FY 2019 Enacted: FY 2020 Funding Request: Allocated to:
616.1 544.5 Department of Defense Base Budget (051)
68.8 164.6 Overseas Contingency Operations (War Funding)
N/A 9.2 Emergency
22.4 23.2 Defense Related Activities at DOE (053)*
8.6 8.4 Other Defense Related Funding (054)*
716.0** 750.0** Total National Defense Spending Request (050)

*Data provided by the White House Office of Management and Budget

** Estimate due to rounding

 

Fiscal Year 2020 Overseas Contingency Operations + Emergency Budget

(in billions of current dollars)

 

 

National Defense Spending by Selected Years

*Provided by the Office of Management and Budget

Time Period FY Enacted: National Defense Spending:

(in billions of FY 2012 dollars*) 

Vietnam War Peak Spending 1968 557
Peak 1980’s Buildup Spending 1989 570
Proposed Current Spending 2020 653

 

 

Department of Defense Topline Since FY 2001

(in billions of then-year dollars)

 

 Fiscal Year 2020 Base + OCO Discretionary Defense Request by Function

(in billions of current dollars)

FY 2019 Estimate: FY 2020 Funding Request: Allocated to: Delta FY19-FY20
150.7 155.8 Military Personnel +5.1
278.8 292.7 Operations & Maintenance +13.9
147.3 143.0 Procurement -4.2
95.3 104.3 Research and Development (RDT&E) +9.0
11.3 21.1 Construction/Family Housing +9.8
1.7 1.4 Revolving & Management Funds -0.3
685.0 718.3 Total* +33.4

*Estimate due to rounding

 

Fiscal Year 2020 Base + OCO Discretionary Defense Request by Service

(in billions of current dollars)

FY 2019 Estimate: FY 2020 Funding Request: Allocated to: Delta FY19-FY20
178.9 191.4 Army +12.5
195.6 205.6 Navy +9.9
192.9 204.8 Air Force +11.8
117.6 116.6 Defense-Wide -0.9
685.0 718.3 Total* +33.4

*Estimate due to rounding

 

 

Nuclear Weapons and Non-Proliferation

Fiscal Year 2020 Request for National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

(in billions of current dollars)

FY 2019 Enacted: FY 2020 Funding Request: Allocated to:
1.9 2.0 Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation
11.1 12.4 Weapons Activities
0.4 0.4 Federal Salaries and Expenses
1.8 1.6 Naval Reactors
15.2* 16.5* Total NNSA Request*

*Estimate due to rounding

 

Fiscal Year 2020 Request for Defense Nuclear Nonproliferation (DNN)

(in millions of current dollars)

FY 2019 Enacted: FY 2020 Funding Request: Allocated to:
407.1 342.4 Global Material Security
293.8 333.5 Material Management and Minimization
220.0 299.0 Nonproliferation Construction
129.7 137.3 Nonproliferation and Arms Control
575.6 495.4 Nonproliferation Research and Development
319.2 372.1 Nuclear Counterterrorism and Incident Response Program
28.6 13.7 Legacy Contractor Pensions
-44.0 0 Adjustments
1,930.0* 1,993.4* Total Defense Nuclear Non-Total

DNN Total*

*Estimate due to rounding

 

Review of DNN Funding Over Last Five Years

  FY16 Enacted FY17 Enacted FY18 Enacted FY19

Enacted

FY20

Requested

FY20 vs. FY19
Defense Nuclear Non-Proliferation $1.94 billion $1.88 billion $2.0 billion $1.93 billion $1.99

billion

+ 60 million
Core Non-Proliferation Programs* $1.36 billion $1.25 billion $1.39 billion $1.41 billion $1.31

billion

– 100 million

*Includes Global Material Security, Material Management and Minimization, Nonproliferation and Arms Control, Nonproliferation R&D.

 

Review of DNN Funding over last Five Years

                  

Request for Fiscal Year 2020 Selected Nuclear Weapons

(in millions of current dollars)

FY 2019 Enacted: FY 2020 Request: Allocated to:
2,279.2 3,003.9 Long Range Strike Bomber*
3,906.3 2,232.0 Ohio Submarine Replacement Program (Columbia Class)
233.8 108.4 B61 Tail Kit Assembly
1,119.0 1,200.6 Trident II Ballistic Missile Modifications
414.4 570.4 Ground Based Strategic Deterrent
664.9 712.5 Long Range Standoff Weapon
654.8 898.6 W80-4 Life Extension Program
48.9 0 W76-1 Nuclear Life Extension Program
65.0 10.0 W76-2 Modification Program
304.3 304.2 W88 Nuclear Alteration Program
53.0 112.0 W87-1 Modification Program (formerly IW1)
35.1 51.5 B83 Stockpile Systems

 

*Long range strike bomber will serve both conventional and nuclear missions

 

State Department and Foreign Operations

State Department and U.S. Agency for International

Development Funding In Billions ($)

  FY 18 Actual FY 19 Request FY20 Request    
State Department/USAID 52.4 39.3 40.0                    

 

State Department – Key Department Funding

In Millions ($)

  FY 18 Actual FY19 Request FY20 Request
Peacekeeping Operations 538 291 291
Nonproliferation, Anti-Terrorism, Demining and Related Programs (NADR) 876 690 707
Contributions for International Peacekeeping Activities 414,524 1,196 1,136

 

State Department – Nonproliferation, Antiterrorism, Demining and Related Programs

In Millions ($)

  FY18 Actual FY 19 Request FY20 Request
Global Threat Reduction 70.0 67.0 72.0
IAEA Voluntary Contribution 94.8 90.9 88.0
Nonproliferation and Disarmament Fund 30.0 5.0 5.0
Terrorist Interdiction Program 36.0 50.0 50.0
CTBT International Monitoring System 29.0 29.0 29.0

 

Funding for Selected Weapons Systems

 

AIRCRAFT

 

System FY19 Estimate FY20 Request
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

 

$ 11,579.7 million (93 aircraft) $ 11,211.4 million (78 aircraft)
F-22 Raptor Fighter

 

$909.9 million $819.9 million
F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Fighter $2,088.6 million (24 aircraft)

 

$2,024.0 million (24 aircraft)
V-22 Osprey Tiltrotor Aircraft $1,430.4 million (13 aircraft) $1,307.5 million (10 aircraft)
C-130J Hercules Military Transport Aircraft $2,594.2 million

(18 aircraft)

$1,623.9 million (11 aircraft)
AH-64E Apache Helicopter $1,463.1 million

(48 upgrades and 18 new aircraft)

$1,003.2 million

(48 upgrades)

CH-47 Chinook Helicopter $284.8 million

(7 aircraft)

$357.9 million

(9 aircraft)

UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter $1,448.3 million

(76 aircraft)

$1,673.4 million

(98 aircraft)

P-8A Poseidon Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Aircraft $2,244.6 million

(10 aircraft)

$1,513.0 million

(6 aircraft)

E-2D Advanced Hawkeye Early Warning Aircraft $1,619.1
(6 aircraft)
$1,291.4 million

(4 aircraft)

KC-46A Tanker $2,379.6 million

(15 aircraft)

$2,304.3million

(12 aircraft)

F-15 Eagle Fighter

 

$1,004.3 million $2,066.1 million (8 new aircraft)

 

SHIPBUILDING

 

System FY19 Estimate FY20 Request
CVN 78 “Ford” Class Nuclear Aircraft Carrier $1,748.3 million $2,606.7 million (1 new)
DDG 51 “Arleigh Burke”  Destroyer $6,224.6 million

(3 ships)

$5,753.8 million

(3 ships)

SSN 774 “Virginia” Class Submarine

 

$7,428.1 million

(2 subs)

$10,218.3 million

(3 subs)

 

 MISSILES/ ORDNANCE

 

System FY19 Estimate FY20 Request
Advanced Medium Range Air-Air Missile (AMRAAM) $581.5 million

(328 missiles)

$651.2million

(389 missiles)

Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) $1,119.3million

(43,594 units)

$1,148.9 million

(40,388 units)

Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) $645.3 million

(360 missiles)

$581.9million

(430 missiles)

Small Diameter Bomb $209.3 million

(5,744 units)

$275.4 million

(7,078 units)

Hellfire Missiles $484.0 million

(6,066 missiles)

$730.8 million

(9,000 missiles)

 

SELECTED BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE

 

System FY19 Estimate FY20 Request
Ground-Based Midcourse Defense $1,836.9 million $1,676.5 million
AEGIS BMD $1,630.9 million $1,720.1 million
THAAD $1,463.4 million $753.8 million
Patriot/PAC-3 $487.8 million $803.7 million
PAC-3/MSE Missile $1,131.3 million

(280 MSE interceptors)

$736.5 million

(147 MSE interceptors)

 

SPACE-BASED SYSTEMS

 

­ FY19 Estimate FY20 Request
Satellite Communications (SATCOM) Projects $830.7 million $1,112.7 million
National Security Space Launch $2,057.6 million

(5 systems)

$1,669.6 million

(4 systems)

Global Positioning System III and Projects $1,424.9 million $1,757.2 million
Space Based Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) Systems $812.1 million $1,629.2 million

 

GROUND SYSTEMS

 

System FY19 Estimate FY20 Request
Abrams Tank

 

$2,652.0 million

(168 upgrades)

$2,234.3 million

(165 upgrades)

Joint Light Tactical Vehicle $1,928.3million

(5,093 units)

$1,641.6 million

(4,090 units)

Amphibious Combat Vehicle $233.6 million (30 units) $395.3 million (56 units)

 

UNSTAFFED SYSTEMS

 

System FY19 Estimate FY20 Request
MQ-1B/MQ-lC Predator/Grey Eagle

 

$316.8 million

(10 units)

$124.4 million

(6 units)

MQ-9 Reaper Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV)

 

$741.0 million

(24 units)

$1,024.8 million

(15 units)

Posted in: Factsheets & Analysis on Nuclear Weapons, Factsheets & Analysis on Nuclear Weapons Spending, Factsheets & Analysis on Pentagon Budget, Nuclear Weapons Spending, Pentagon Budget, Security Spending, United States

Primary Sidebar

Recent Posts

  • Deterrence can create space for diplomacy, not replace it.  May 12, 2025
  • Op-ed: How the India-Pakistan Crisis Puts U.S. Strategy to the Test May 7, 2025
  • Shawn Rostker: ‘Quiet diplomacy is likely happening, even if the public posture is more restrained’ May 7, 2025
  • India’s Nuclear Weapons: How Far Can Missiles Travel? April 30, 2025
  • Requiescat in Pace  April 22, 2025

Footer

Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation

820 1st Street NE, Suite LL-180
Washington, D.C. 20002
Phone: 202.546.0795

Issues

  • Fact Sheets
  • Countries
  • Nuclear Weapons
  • Non-Proliferation
  • Nuclear Security
  • Defense Spending
  • Biological and Chemical Weapons
  • Missile Defense
  • No First Use

Countries

  • China
  • France
  • India and Pakistan
  • Iran
  • Israel
  • North Korea
  • Russia
  • United Kingdom

Explore

  • Nukes of Hazard blog
  • Nukes of Hazard podcast
  • Nukes of Hazard videos
  • Front and Center
  • Fact Sheets

About

  • About
  • Meet the Staff
  • Boards & Experts
  • Press
  • Jobs & Internships
  • Financials and Annual Reports
  • Contact Us
  • Council for a Livable World
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Instagram
  • Facebook

© 2025 Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation
Privacy Policy

Charity Navigator GuideStar Seal of Transparency