Community Corner

Courtney: Defense Budget Kind to the State

Fighter jets and cargo planes are well-funded.

More subs.

A clearer picture of the fighter jet engine situation.

Mid-range cargo planes heading to Bradley International Airport.

U.S. Rep. Joseph Courtney said on Wednesday that it was a good day for Connecticut's defense industry.

Courtney, a 2nd District Democrat from Vernon, hailed the House of Representatives' passage of the fiscal year 2012 National Defense Authorization Act conference report, which authorizes billions of dollars of investments for "key defense priorities" in the state.

The NDAA sets the federal budget for the Department of Defense for the 2012 fiscal year 2012.

Courtney served on the conference committee that worked out differences between the House- and Senate-passed versions of the NDAA.

Provisions of the bill include:

• C-27 Spartan. The agreement authorizes the president's request of $480 million for nine aircraft. The 103rd Airlift Wing of Connecticut’s Air National Guard at Bradley is currently earmarked to receive four C-27 aircraft in 2013. 

• F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The conference report authorizes $8.5 billion for F-35 Joint Strike Fighter development and procurement for the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force, Courtney said. The total includes 31 aircraft, one less than the President’s request.

East Hartford-based Pratt & Whitney builds the F135 engine being used on the program.

• F-136 Alternate Engine. The agreement authorizes no funding for the development of the F136 alternate engine for the JSF. Fairfield-based General Electric recently abandoned its self-funded program, giving Pratt undisputed engine exclusivity.  

Last year, Courtney participated in a bipartisan effort to finally end taxpayer funding for what called a "wasteful and duplicative program."

• Virginia Class Submarines. The agreement fully supports the procurement of the two submarines requested in the President’s budget. Of the $4.8 billion provided for the program, $3.2 billion is for the two 2012 submarines and $1.4 billion is for advanced procurement for 2013 and 2014, Courtney said.

General Dynamics' Electric Boat in Groton builds the Virginia class submarine, along with Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia.

• Development of the replacement Ohio-Class SSBN. The agreement fully supports the president’s budget request of $1.067 billion for the development of the SSBN(x), which will replace the current fleet of Ohio-class replacement submarines. That total includes $781.6 million for advanced development of the submarine and $285.4 million for development of the submarine’s advanced nuclear power systems. General Dynamics is conducting much of its research and development of the SSSBN(x) at its Groton and New London facilities, Courtney said.

• UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. The agreement calls for $1.3 billion for 71 Black Hawks for the Army and Guard, equal to the president's request. Stratford-based Sikorsky Aircraft makes the choppers.

• MH-60S Knighthawk. The agreement provides $401 million for 18 Navy Knighthawk helicopters, roughly equal to the president's request. The multi-mission Sikorsky MH-60S is used by the Navy for combat search-and-rescue, special-warfare support and airborne mine countermeasures.

• MH-60R Seahawk. A procurement of $776 million for 24 Navy Seahawk helicopters, also roughly equal to the president's request is in the agreement. The MH-60R features advanced radar, missiles and low frequency sonar.


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