(Based on subcommittee mark-ups regarding Pentagon nuclear weapons and missile defense issues; full committee mark-up scheduled for May 9.)
Section 223—Missile Defense Site on the East Coast
Requires the Secretary of Defense to conduct an environmental impact statement by December 31, 2013, on possible locations on the East Coast for the deployment of a missile defense site. The section further requires a plan for an East Coast site to be operational not later than the end of 2015. The bill authorizes $100 million to be authorized only after this plan is submitted to Congress. Total cost: tens of billions of dollars.
Section 224—Ground-based Midcourse Defense System (system based in Alaska and California)
Authorizes $1.26 billion, an increase of $356 million despite the many problems with the existing program.
Section 225—Ground-Based Midcourse Defense Interceptor Test
Requires an intercept test, using an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) class target, of the ground-based midcourse defense system (GMD) by the end of calendar year 2013. The system has never been tested against an ICBM.
Section 230—Limitation on Availability of Funds for Phased, Adaptive Approach to Missile Defense in Europe
Requires a cost-sharing arrangement with NATO on the cost of deploying the missile defense system in Europe. Fences 25% of the funding until NATO responds to the U.S. pre-financing request. Presently all costs are borne by the United States.
Section 233—Plan to Increase Rate of Flight Tests of Ground-Based Midcourse Defense System
Requires three tests every two years, unless it is not feasible or cost-effective. The last two intercept flight tests in January 2010 and December 2010 failed. There has not been a successful GMD flight intercept test since December 2008.
Medium Extended Altitude Defense System
Eliminates entire $400.6 million request for this American, German and Italian system.
Directed Energy Missile Defense Program
Recommends $74.6 million, an increase of $30.0 million, to preserve the skilled workforce that was involved in the Airborne Laser Test Bed program.
Section 121—Retirement of Nuclear-Powered Ballistic Submarines
Requires the Secretary of the Navy to maintain a minimum of 12 ballistic missile submarines in the fleet. Current plans would reduce the size of the fleet to 10 submarines at least for a period of time.
Section 211—Next-Generation Long-Range Strike Bomber Aircraft Nuclear
Certification Requirement
Requires the Secretary of the Air Force to make certain that the new long-range strike bomber will be certified to use strategic weapons by the date it receives a declaration of initial operational capability. The Pentagon indicated that it plans to delay certification of the nuclear mission for the new bomber to control costs.
