Download Locations

• Open CRS (User submitted)

Summary

The Navy has been procuring F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighters since FY1997. The Navy in FY2006 also began procuring the EA-18G Growler, an electronic attack (i.e., electronic warfare) version of the Super Hornet. Super Hornets and Growlers were procured in FY2005-FY2009 under a multiyear procurement (MYP) arrangement. The Navys proposed FY2010 budget requests about $1.0 billion for the procurement of nine F/A-18E/Fs. The Navys FY2009 budget had projected that 18 F/A-18E/Fs would be requested in FY2010. The Navys proposed FY2010 budget also requests about $1.6 billion for the procurement of 22 EA-18Gs. The Navys proposed FY2010 budget does not request a third MYP arrangement for procuring F/A-18E/Fs and EA-18Gs in FY2010-FY2014. The Navys FY2010 request for nine F/A-18E/Fs comes in the context of a projected shortfall in Navy and Marine Corps strike fighters. Some Members of Congress are interested in the option of procuring 18 F/A-18E/Fs in FY2010 (the number projected for FY2010 under the FY2009 budget), rather than nine (the number requested in the FY2010 budget), so as to make a start toward mitigating the projected strike fighter shortfall. Some Members of Congress are also interested in approving a new MYP arrangement for procuring Super Hornets and Growlers in FY2010-FY2014, so as to further mitigate the shortfall and reduce the collective procurement cost of the aircraft. The House Armed Services Committee, in its report (H.Rept. 111-166 of June 18, 2009) on the FY2010 defense authorization bill (H.R. 2647), recommends approving the Administrations FY2010 procurement funding request for procuring nine F/A-18E/Fs in FY2010, and increasing by $108 million the administrations FY2010 advance procurement funding request for procuring F/A-18E/Fs in future fiscal years, with the additional $108 million to be used for economic order quantity (EOQ) purchases of items for F/A-18E/Fs to be procured under a third multiyear procurement (MYP) arrangement (page 57). Section 124 of H.R. 2647 would authorize a multiyear procurement (MYP) arrangement for F/A-18E/Fs and EA-18Gs beginning in FY2010. Section 133 would require the Department of Defense (DOD) to submit a report to the congressional defense committees on the procurement of 4.5-generation aircraft, which the provision defines as F-15, F-16, and F/A-18 aircraft equipped with certain radar and electronic upgrades. Section 1051 expresses the sense of Congress that the Navy should include not less than 10 carrier air wings (even if the number of aircraft carriers is temporarily reduced), and that these air wings shall include, in addition to any other aircraft, not less than 44 strike fighters. The defense authorization bill (S. 1390) as reported by the Senate Armed Services Committee recommends increasing by $560 million the administrations FY2010 procurement funding request for the F/A-18E/F program, so as to support the procurement in FY2010 of 18 F/A-18E/Fsnine more than the administration requestedand recommends approving the administrations FY2010 advance procurement funding request for the F/A-18E/F program. A July 16, 2009, news release from Representative John Murtha, the chairman of the Defense subcommittee of the House Appropriations Committee, states that the subcommittees markup of the FY2010 defense appropriations bill includes $1.7 billion for the procurement of 18 F/A- 18E/F Super Hornet tactical aircraft, $495 million and 9 aircraft above the [Administrations] request. This amount also includes $108 million above the request for a future multi-year procurement of the F-18 aircraft.

Related Legislation:
• H.R.2647
• S.1390

XML