Ballistic missile defense systems seek to defend a given area from attack by locating and tracking an incoming ballistic missile and then launching an interceptor to destroy the missile before it can reach its target. All U.S. interceptors are made up of a booster rocket and a kill vehicle. While most interceptors are “hit-to-kill,” meaning […]
Missile Defense
Missile Defense Costs Soar Out of This World
By John Isaacs and Samuel M. Hickey Pentagon missile defense costs could soar to a massive $176 billion between 2020 and 2029, a 40% increase, according to a new Congressional Budget Office (CBO) report. Since programs were first launched in the 1950s to build systems capable of intercepting incoming long-distance nuclear or conventional weapons, the United States has spent more than $250 billion on various missile […]
Congress is (finally) paying attention to missile defense costs and failures
By John D. Isaacs and Samuel M. Hickey In the recently completed Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Congress takes some significant steps toward reining in the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and its wayward acquisition strategy. In the bill, Congress levels criticisms at the Pentagon’s handling of missile defense programs, reduces the missile […]
Conference Outcomes of the FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act
Note: The final bill, which Congress plans to vote on in the coming days, faces President Trump’s twin veto threats over renaming U.S. military bases that honor Confederate Generals and the failure to repeal social media legal protections. Topline Funding Nuclear Weapons and Related Programs Columbia Class Strategic Submarine House: $4.33 billion, the requested amount Senate: $4.51 billion, an increase of $175 million Conference Outcome: $4.46 billion, an increase of $130 […]
Select Comparisons Between House and Senate FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Bills
Topline Funding Senate approved House approved Total funding $750.0 billion $733.0 billion Overseas Contingency Operations funding $75.9 billion $69.0 billion (Note: $738 billion is the new total in the Pelosi-Mnuchin budget agreement) Nuclear and Related Weapons Programs and Treaties LOW-YIELD NUCLEAR WARHEAD FOR SUBMARINES House: Prohibits funds for the deployment of W76-2 low-yield warhead […]
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