U.S. lawmakers have included language in the $1.1 trillion “omnibus” spending bill that sets aside $1.46 billion to purchase 15 additional Boeing-built electronic attack planes, Reuters reported Tuesday.Andrea Shalal writes the additional funds will extend operations at Boeing’s St. Louis-based production facility for EA-18G Growlers through 2017.
The omnibus bill also sets aside $224 million to buy two more Lockheed Martin-built F-35 fighter jets for the U.S. Air Force and $255 million to get another two more F-35s for the U.S. Navy, according to the report.
Reuters reports the measure also includes funding to bolster military readiness, modernize the USS George Washington aircraft carrier, build three littoral combat ships, support Israel’s weapons programs and upgrade the Apache and Black Hawk helicopters.
The $1.1 trillion omnibus bill appropriates $490.2 billion for the base military budget and $64 billion for additional war funding, with $112 million in response to the Ebola crisis, Shalal reports.
