President Donald Trump’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2019 would allocate $686 billion in funds for the Defense Department in support of the implementation of the National Defense Strategy and the White House’s National Security Strategy.
DoD said Monday the budget request includes investments in combat aircraft, shipbuilding, ground systems, space platforms, missile defense, munitions and nuclear triad modernization efforts to support the country’s nuclear deterrence program.
The proposed budget would allot $10.7 billion to procure 77 F-35 fighter jets; $3 billion to replace 15 KC-46 tanker aircraft; $7.4 billion to buy two Virginia-class submarines; $6 billion to purchase three Arleigh Burke-class destroyers (DDG-51); and $2 billion to acquire more than 5,000 joint light tactical vehicles.
The Pentagon requested $2.3 billion in funds for the B-21 Long-Range Strike Bomber program; $3.7 billion for Columbia-class submarines; $600 million for Long-Range Standoff Missile; and $300 million for Ground-Based Strategic Deterrent program to modernize the nuclear triad.
The budget proposal would earmark approximately $4.3 billion for space programs that include the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicles, GPS and Space-Based Infrared System.
Some of the missile defense programs that would be funded in the proposal include the Aegis ballistic missile defense system; ground-based midcourse defense; THAAD ballistic missile defense; and Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missile segment enhancements.
The FY 2019 budget would spend $1.2 billion each on joint direct attack munitions and guided multiple launch rocket systems; $600 million each on Hellfire missiles and Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range; and $300 million each on Small Diameter Bomb I and joint air-to-ground missiles.
The president’s budget proposes a 2.6 percent rise in military pay, seeks to allocate $13.7 billion on science and technology initiatives to advance innovation and aims to increase the number of service personnel by 25,900.
