Pentagon Missile Defense Chiefs Call for Swift Adoption of Delayed Defense Bill

Pentagon missile defense chiefs say the proposed $886.3 billion defense budget that hits the Senate floor this week provides urgently needed funding to address pressing shortfalls in missile systems, missiles, and missileers. The massive appropriations package, or National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), earmarks more than $70 billion for “theater range” anti-missile systems to counter proliferating ballistic, cruise, hypersonic, and kinetic threats “across all realms.” The draft defense budget calls for significant increases in MIM-104 Patriot, Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), and Aegis systems and munitions. It provides funding for five new 90-man Patriot units, to field 20 batteries within five years; six THAAD units to nearly double now-active batteries; and add seven Aegis-equipped U.S. Navy warships to the fleet, bringing the number to 60 in the coming year....