The US Department of Defense rolled out its fiscal year 2014 budget request on 10 April. But the $527 billion spending plan does not include overseas contingency operations (OCO) funding, nor does it reflect the effects of the automatic budgets cuts imposed by the US Congress. OCO funding plans will likely be submitted during May, according to Pentagon comptroller Robert Hale.
The budget rollout comes even as the Pentagon scrambles to implement $41 billion worth of cuts to its 2013 funding. This has forced the US Air Force to stand down nearly one-third of its combat aircraft and the US Navy to reduce the readiness of one of its carrier air wings to minimal levels. A second carrier air wing will also be moved to a reduced readiness level in the near future.
Additionally, DoD leaders say that as the effects of the automatic "sequestration" spending cuts become apparent, there may be further reductions to procurement accounts. For example, the USAF may have its Lockheed Martin F-35A purchase truncated from 19 aircraft to a few as 14, according Maj Gen Ed Bolton, the service's deputy assistant secretary for budget.
For the Department of the Navy, which includes the US Marine Corps, procurement plans for the F-35B and C variants remain unchanged, according to Rear Adm Joseph Mulloy, deputy assistant secretary of the navy for budget. The service will buy six F-35Bs and four F-35Cs for $2.78 billion. However, Mulloy says it will be receiving 21 additional EA-18G Growlers to fill the expeditionary electronic attack role for $2 billion.
The budget rollout comes even as the Pentagon scrambles to implement $41 billion worth of cuts to its 2013 funding. This has forced the US Air Force to stand down nearly one-third of its combat aircraft and the US Navy to reduce the readiness of one of its carrier air wings to minimal levels. A second carrier air wing will also be moved to a reduced readiness level in the near future.
Additionally, DoD leaders say that as the effects of the automatic "sequestration" spending cuts become apparent, there may be further reductions to procurement accounts. For example, the USAF may have its Lockheed Martin F-35A purchase truncated from 19 aircraft to a few as 14, according Maj Gen Ed Bolton, the service's deputy assistant secretary for budget.
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