Res Communis

by P.J. Blount with the blog faculty

The Senate Armed Services Committee has completed markup of the Defense Authorization Act for FY 2010. The space related matter can be found in the Press Release in the portion on the Subcommittee for Strategic Forces:

SUBCOMMITTEE ON STRATEGIC FORCES
Under the leadership of the Chairman Bill Nelson (D-FL), and Ranking Member David Vitter (R-LA), the Strategic Forces Subcommittee reviewed DOD programs for national security space, strategic forces, ballistic missile defenses, intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance, and cyber security, as well as DOE nuclear and environmental management programs.

Specifically, the subcommittee included the following funding and legislative provisions:

Ballistic Missile Defense
• The markup authorizes funding for the Missile Defense Agency at the level requested in the President’s budget request – $7.8 billion.
• The bill supports all the missile defense decisions announced by the Secretary of Defense on April 6th, including:
* Adds $700 million to field additional THAAD and Standard Missile-3 theater missile defense systems;
* Adds $200 million for conversion of six additional Aegis ships for missile defense capabilities;
* Caps deployment of Ground-Based Interceptors (GBIs) at 30, and produces all GBIs on contract;
* Terminates the Multiple Kill Vehicle (MKV) program;
* Terminates the Kinetic Energy Interceptor (KEI) program;
* Cancels the second Airborne Laser (ABL), and refocuses the ABL program as a technology research effort.
• Authorizes an increase of $25 million for the joint U.S.-Israeli development program of a short-range ballistic missile defense system.
• Includes a provision that would express the Sense of Congress on development, fielding, and testing of ballistic missile defenses.
• Includes a provision that would require a comprehensive test and evaluation plan for U.S. ballistic missile defense programs.
• Includes a provision that would require the Secretary of Defense to submit a report on potential ballistic missile cooperation with Russia.
• Includes a provision that would require a detailed assessment of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD) system, and a detailed plan for how the Department will achieve and sustain its planned GMD capability.

Space Programs
• Requires DOD, the Department of Commerce, and the National Aeronautic and Space Administration to complete a program management and funding plan and prohibits the Air Force from spending more than 50 percent of the funds available for the National Polarorbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) until the plan is submitted. Also, adds $80 million for NPOESS.
• Provides $50 million for new military satellite communications technology development for future applications.
• Adds $40 million for ORS-1 satellite.
• Spaced-based Infrared Satellite (SBIRS) – Adds $15 million for operations to support utilization of the SBIRS HEO sensor and for the ground control stations.
• Adds $115 million for Operationally Responsive Space (ORS) to develop new small satellite imaging capability competitively.
• Directs DOD to develop competitively a commercial 1.5-meter imaging satellite