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Summary

The Navy's proposed FY2010 budget requests about $1.0 billion for the procurement of nine F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighters. The Navy's FY2009 budget had projected that 18 F/A- 18E/Fs would be requested in FY2010. The Navy's proposed FY2010 budget also requests about $1.6 billion for the procurement of 22 EA-18G Growler electric attack aircraft. The Navy's proposed FY2010 budget does not request a new multiyear procurement (MYP) arrangement for procuring F/A-18E/Fs and EA-18Gs in FY2010-FY2014. 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), so as to make a start toward mitigating a projected Navy-Marine Corps strike fighter shortfall. Some Members 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. FY2010 defense authorization bill: 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 Administration's FY2010 procurement funding request for procuring nine F/A-18E/Fs in FY2010, and increasing by $108 million the administration's 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. 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 administration's FY2010 procurement funding request for the F/A-18E/F program, so as to support the procurement in FY2010 of 18 F/A- 18E/Fs--nine more than the administration requested. FY2010 DOD appropriations bill: The House Appropriations Committee, in its report (H.Rept. 111-230 of July 24, 2009) on the FY2010 DOD appropriations bill (H.R. 3326), recommends increasing by $495 million the administration's FY2010 procurement funding request for the F/A- 18E/F program, so as to support the procurement in FY2010 of 18 F/A-18E/Fs--nine more than the administration requested--and recommends and increasing by $108 million the administration's 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 and a cost-reduction initiative for a multiyear procurement (MYP) arrangement. Section 8010 of the bill would authorize an MYP arrangement for "F-18 aircraft variants." The Senate Appropriations Committee, in its report (S.Rept. 111-74 of September 10, 2009) on H.R. 3326, recommends funding for the procurement of 18 F/A-18E/Fs in FY2010. The report recommends increasing by $512.3 million the administration's FY2010 procurement funding request for the F/A-18E/F program, so as to support the procurement in FY2010 of 18 F/A- 18E/Fs--nine more than the administration requested. The additional $512.3 million is recommended in the Overseas Contingency Operations (OCO) portion of the budget.

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