Defense Secretary Ashton Carter has said the Defense Department’s proposed budget of $582.7 billion for fiscal 2017 is based on the assessment of the five strategic challenges the U.S. currently faces.
Carter said in his testimony Thursday before the House Appropriations Committee’s defense subpanel that terrorism, Russia, North Korea, China and Iran are the evolving challenges that direct DoD’s budgeting and planning efforts.
“DoD must and will address all five of those challenges as part of its mission to defend our country,” he noted.
“That’s why we’re making increased investments in science and technology, and building new bridges to the amazing American innovative system – to stay ahead of future threats.”
He said the budget request seeks to allocate $34 billion for the development of new platforms that would help ensure the country’s dominance in electronic warfare, cyber and space domains.
Carter told the House panel that the proposed budget also includes a $3.4 billion investment in the European Reassurance Initiative in an effort to bolster the country’s deterrence posture in the continent and $3 billion in funds to increase the production of the SM-6 missile in the next five years.