Trump Administration Requests $74 Billion Increase For Defense Department (National Defense)

Dan Gouré, senior vice president at the Lexington Institute, said he is more concerned about what happens in the out years. If there are two years of increases then afterwards budget caps are reinstated and budget numbers fall again, “then we may do as much harm as good.”

“I don’t see in the out years having hikes as big as this, but this [budget] puts us on a path — that if sustained by reasonable increases in the out years — should get the military in a good place,” Gouré said.

The Missile Defense Agency went from $8.5 billion in 2017 to $9.9 billion requested for 2019. The Ground-Based Midcourse Defense program will add 20 additional missiles for a total of 64 by 2023.

MDA programs “are moving way too slowly,” Gouré said. More money doesn’t lead to more deployable interceptors and more tests at MDA, he noted. “Money comes and money goes and the pace stays the same.”

The full article is available here.