The May 1997 Report of the Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) defined the defense strategy that U.S. conventional forces must support. Conventional forces, which form the bulk of the nation’s armed forces, consist of combat and support elements from all four Services, excluding units dedicated to special operations and nuclear deterrence. It is primarily these forces that provide the United States with the capabilities to shape the international environment and respond to the full range of crises. Specifically, conventional forces conduct forward presence missions, engage in a range of smaller-scale contingencies, and conduct combat operations up to and including major theater wars.

The major categories of conventional forces are land, naval, aviation, and mobility forces. The QDR not only detailed the size of the forces needed to support the defense strategy, but also underscored the Department’s commitment to the modernization of U.S. forces. Accordingly, the FY 1999 President’s Budget and associated Future Years Defense Program (FYDP) provide the resources needed to sustain and modernize the nation’s forces in both the near and far terms. This chapter describes the capabilities needed to execute conventional force missions and the investments vital to maintaining and enhancing those capabilities.

The QDR reaffirmed the continuing need to deploy forces routinely abroad in order to shape the international environment in ways favorable to U.S. interests. The Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) Corporate-Level Goal 2, discussed in Appendix J, reflects the importance of this need. Historically, forward deployments have been concentrated in Europe, the Pacific, and Southwest Asia. These deployments currently include:

In addition to these routine deployments, all four Services periodically deploy forces to forward locations, as needs arise. Such deployments, involving both active and reserve component units, contribute substantially to overseas presence, as does the prepositioning of U.S. equipment and materiel abroad. The following chart shows the current location of major U.S. conventional force elements.

Potential regional aggressors possess a range of technological capabilities that could pose significant dangers to U.S. military operations. These threats, which are likely to expand in the future as a result of the proliferation of modern military technology, include increasingly capable air-, sea-, and land-based weapons. To ensure quick and decisive victory with minimum casualties, U.S. forces must maintain a substantial advantage over potential adversaries capable of employing advanced weapon systems. U.S. forces simultaneously must be prepared to face the potential challenges of asymmetric threats, such as the use of nuclear, biological, and chemical (NBC) weapons, terrorism, and information warfare.

Near-term threats remain below levels that would put U.S. air superiority at significant risk in a regional conflict. On the other hand, both in the near and longer term, adversaries are expected to pose significant surface-to-air threats that could restrict the rapid application of U.S. air power against key ground targets at the outset of a war.

While the chief potential regional adversaries—Iraq, Iran, and North Korea—have done little in recent years to augment their capabilities against U.S. air forces, they—or other possible future adversaries—may be able to exploit a wide range of advanced air-to-air and surface-to-air technologies and systems that are already available in the international marketplace. Such systems have fallen into the hands of aggressors in years past and may do so again in the future. Aviation systems and weaponry currently being offered for sale include fighter aircraft, air-to-air missiles, and air defense systems. Properly employed, these systems could pose a difficult challenge to many existing U.S. weapon systems in combat. The further proliferation of advanced weapon systems could drive up U.S. losses in a future conflict, making continued improvement in U.S. capabilities imperative.

Given the current U.S. preeminence in air-to-air capability, potential adversaries are likely to emphasize ground-based air defenses and the hardening and camouflage of ground targets. Several rogue states are making serious efforts to move important military and industrial facilities underground. The secrecy surrounding these projects compounds the difficulty of planning the neutralization of such targets in wartime. Enemy use of decoy targets also can work effectively to dilute or confuse air attacks, if not countered by the adoption of sophisticated, multisensor information-gathering and targeting systems. Finally, the use of unconventional approaches, such as the dispersal of troops or weapons in densely populated urban areas, can limit the application of strike systems like missiles and air-delivered bombs.

More than 90 different types of antiship cruise missiles (ASCMs) are currently available worldwide. Their continuing rapid proliferation—more than 75 countries possess ASCMs—especially in the Middle Eastern and Asian markets, has been the result of aggressive sales efforts by missile-producing countries. Cruise missiles are not considered strategic weapons; hence, limits on technology levels are virtually nonexistent. These missiles pose a significant threat to naval forces operating in littoral (or coastal) regions. Current cruise missiles are largely subsonic. Future missiles, however, will have longer ranges, supersonic speed, stealthy designs, advanced seekers, and onboard digital computers. Projected technological advances point toward improvements in the capabilities of missiles to maneuver in flight and to process homing data with more sophisticated algorithms, thus making countermeasures increasingly difficult.

More than 150 types of naval mines are in the inventories of some 50 countries around the globe. Old-fashioned moored contact mines were used as recently as the Gulf War; these systems are easily manufactured by lesser-developed nations. Mines that rest on the ocean floor and explode upon sensing sounds or magnetic fields are the most difficult to detect and counter. Propelled rising mines that lurk near the bottom of the sea and detach to rise vertically represent one of today’s most serious threats to ships and submarines.

Relative to the 1980s, the emerging antisubmarine warfare (ASW) challenge is characterized by a smaller number of quieter and more lethal submarines operating in littoral regions. Although projected Chinese and Russian submarine force levels are declining, antisubmarine warfare will remain a daunting challenge as these countries modernize their remaining forces. Potential adversaries such as Iran, operating a handful of advanced diesel submarines in the complex acoustic environment of the littorals, could delay or disrupt operations to the point that achieving strategic objectives could be impeded.

The United States and its allies still face the threat of coercion and large-scale, cross-border aggression by hostile states with significant military power. Several types of highly capable weapon systems are becoming both available and affordable for regimes that are either unstable or hostile to U.S. interests. These systems include lightweight antiaircraft and antitank missiles, tactical ballistic missiles with improved guidance and payload technologies, modern battle tanks incorporating day-and-night optics and active defense systems that redirect or destroy incoming projectiles, advanced antitank guided missiles capable of top attacks against tank turrets, and advanced artillery munitions.

Increasingly capable and violent terrorist groups, drug cartels, and international crime organizations directly threaten the lives of American citizens and undermine U.S. policies and alliances. Although irregular forces will be unable to match the combat power of heavy U.S. weaponry, these forces could still pose difficult challenges to U.S. forces. The proliferation of modern light arms, a fighting style that could necessitate operations in dense urban environments, and the ability of indigenous forces to conceal themselves within civil populations could negate some of the advantages of U.S. heavy weaponry.

NBC weapons delivered by theater ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, artillery, aircraft, special operations forces, or terrorists threaten U.S. security interests and U.S. military forces deployed throughout the world. More than 20 countries possess or are developing NBC weapons, and more than 20 nations have theater ballistic missiles. The warfighting assessments conducted for the QDR highlighted the significant challenge that the sustained use of NBC weapons could pose to U.S. conventional forces.

The QDR examined a broad range of alternative defense postures for both the near and far terms. The decisions on forces and modernization that emerged from the examination balanced the need to sustain a robust capability to meet current demands and threats with the need to transform U.S. forces to meet the uncertain challenges of the 21st century. The adjustments to conventional forces and the modernization programs resulting from those decisions are discussed in the following sections. Key elements of the conventional force structure are shown in Table 1.

Aviation forces of the Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps—composed of fighter/attack, conventional bomber, and specialized support aircraft—provide a versatile striking force capable of rapid employment worldwide. These forces can quickly gain and sustain air superiority over regional aggressors, permitting rapid air attacks on enemy targets while providing security to exploit the air for logistics, command and control, intelligence, and other functions. Fighter/ attack aircraft, operating from both land bases and aircraft carriers, combat enemy fighters and attack ground and ship targets. Conventional bombers provide an intercontinental capability to strike surface targets on short notice. The specialized aircraft that support conventional operations perform such vital functions as airborne early warning and control, suppression of enemy air defenses, reconnaissance, surveillance, and combat rescue.

Beyond the aircraft examined here, the U.S. military operates a variety of transport planes, aerial-refueling aircraft, helicopters, and other support aircraft. Details on those systems are provided in the sections on mobility and land forces.

The Air Force is capable of deploying seven to eight fighter wing-equivalents (FWEs) to a distant theater in a matter of days as an initial response to a major theater war, with additional wings following within the first month. These forces would operate from local bases where infrastructure exists and political agreements allow. Navy and Marine Corps air wings similarly can be employed in distant contingencies on very short notice; these forces provide a unique ability to carry out sustained combat operations independent of access to regional land bases.

During FY 1999, the aviation combat force structure will include 20 Air Force FWEs (72 aircraft each), 11 Navy carrier air wings (50 fighter/attack aircraft each), and four Marine aircraft wings, which are task organized and include varying numbers and types of aircraft. Tables 2, 3, and 4 illustrate the composition of Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps air wings at the end of FY 1999.

To maintain its combat force structure and modernize its equipment while sustaining high readiness and supporting overseas operations, the Air Force will pursue several initiatives during FY 1999. These include organizational innovations, an expansion of outsourcing and privatization, and evolutionary implementation of other initiatives resulting from decisions made during the Quadrennial Defense Review. The savings to be accrued from implementing QDR initiatives will fund future Air Force modernization efforts.

The QDR considered a number of means to achieve further economies in force organization and operations. Definition and execution of the specific measures needed to achieve these economies will take place over the next few years. In particular, consolidation of existing aircraft squadrons into a smaller number of larger units is one way that force structure and readiness can be maintained at reduced cost. The FY 1999 President’s Budget introduces some unit consolidations, and more are expected in the future.

The QDR also foresaw that the reserve components could provide a larger share of Air Force tactical air power. These units, once activated, have essentially equivalent combat capability to that of active forces for prosecuting a major theater war, although in peacetime they can sustain only a fraction of the overseas contingency deployments that active forces can accomplish. The FY 1999 budget begins the transition to a larger reserve component share, with full implementation awaiting further development of force structure and basing plans. At the same time, the Department is carefully reviewing all operational taskings to determine if there are less essential operations that might be curtailed or eliminated.

The QDR also called for a reduction in U.S.-based fighter squadrons dedicated to the air defense role from the six planned previously in FY 2000 to four. The FY 1999 budget supports six dedicated squadrons; details of the QDR-directed reduction to four squadrons will be decided once long-term force structure plans are further refined.

In a major theater war, bombers would deliver large quantities of unguided general-purpose bombs and cluster munitions against area targets, such as ground units, airfields, and rail yards. Bomber forces also would play a key role in delivering precision-guided munitions (including cruise missiles) against point targets, such as command and control facilities and air defense sites. The ability of these forces to have an immediate impact on a conflict by slowing the advance of enemy forces, suppressing enemy air defenses, and inflicting massive damage on an enemy’s strategic infrastructure will expand dramatically over the next 10 years as increasingly capable munitions are deployed. The more advanced weapons now entering the inventory or in development will enable bombers to bring a wider range of targets under attack, while taking better advantage of the bombers’ large payload. The rapid-response, long-range capability provided by bombers could make them the first major U.S. weapon system on the scene in a fast-developing crisis. For some remote inland targets, they could be the only weapons platform capable of providing a substantial response.

The Department has 94 B-52, 94 B-1, and 21 B-2 bombers. Of these, 44 B-52s and 48 B-1s are primary mission aircraft, meaning that they are fully funded in terms of operations and maintenance, load crews, and spare parts, and are ready for immediate deployment. All of the B-52s and B-1s in the inventory, including those in attrition reserve, will be kept in flyable condition and will receive planned modifications. The Department plans to reduce the B-52 inventory to 71 aircraft (44 primary mission) in FY 1999. B-1 primary mission aircraft will rise to 70 by 2001, when increasingly capable conventional weapons become available.

Specialized aviation forces contribute to all phases of military operations. Two of their most important missions are suppression of enemy air defenses and aerial reconnaissance and surveillance. Air defense suppression forces locate and neutralize enemy air defenses. Airborne reconnaissance and surveillance forces are a primary source of information on enemy air and surface forces and installations. They bridge the gap in coverage between ground- and space-based surveillance systems and the targeting systems on combat aircraft. Airborne reconnaissance systems fall into two categories: standoff systems, which operate outside the range of enemy air defenses; and penetrating systems, which are employed within enemy air defense range. Table 5 summarizes the force levels programmed for the end of FY 1999.

The major elements of the maritime force structure are aircraft carriers, amphibious ships, attack submarines, surface combatants, mine warfare ships, and ballistic-missile submarines. The naval inventory also includes ships that perform various support and logistics functions. The maritime force structure will reach 315 ships by the end of FY 1999 and then stabilize at slightly above 300 ships after FY 2000.

The demands associated with maintaining overseas presence play a significant role in determining the naval force structure. QDR analyses concluded that a force of 12 carriers is needed to satisfy current policy, while accommodating scheduling constraints. Similar assessments showed that nine amphibious ready groups (ARGs) could meet overseas presence demands, but 12 are needed to support warfighting requirements. QDR analyses also concluded that a force of 116 surface combatants will be adequate to meet both peacetime presence and warfighting needs.

The FY 1999 budget funds 12 carrier battle groups (CVBGs), 12 amphibious ready groups, 116 surface combatants, and 57 attack submarines. Because of ongoing changes in the peacetime and crisis-response missions of the attack submarine force, the QDR called for a reduction in its size to a target of 50 submarines, which will be achieved in FY 2003.

CVBGs consist of a carrier, its embarked air wing, and various escorts. Each ARG comprises a large-deck amphibious assault ship, a transport dock ship, a dock landing ship, and an embarked Marine expeditionary unit (special operations capable), or MEU(SOC). The Navy deploys a CVBG and an ARG about three-fourths and four-fifths of the year, respectively, in the Mediterranean Sea; about three-fourths and one-half of the year, respectively, in the Indian Ocean; and on a nearly continuous basis in the western Pacific. During periods when neither a CVBG nor an ARG is present in a theater, one is located within a few days’ transit time of the region.

The QDR called for some restructuring of naval reserve forces, resulting in net reductions of 4,100 personnel. These end-strength reductions reflect deactivations of four older reserve frigates, one submarine tender, and the SH-2 helicopter squadrons associated with the deactivated frigates.

The following sections describe the major elements of the naval force structure.

In addition to providing extensive forward presence and crisis-response capabilities, aircraft carriers provide a unique forward base for littoral air operations and support facilities for joint force commanders. Operating independent of land-basing restrictions, carriers support joint forces by engaging in attack, surveillance, air defense, and electronic warfare missions against targets at sea, in the air, or ashore.

At the end of FY 1999, the carrier force will consist of nine nuclear-powered vessels—eight of the Nimitz class (CVN-68) plus the Enterprise (CVN-65)—and three conventionally-powered ships. Since the Bottom-Up Review in 1993, the Department has routinely categorized the aircraft carrier force structure as consisting of 11 active carriers and one operational reserve/training carrier. In response to QDR analyses and a recent six-month deployment with an active air wing, DoD has reevaluated the concept of employing the John F. Kennedy (CV-67) primarily as an operational reserve/training carrier. As a result, this carrier has now been fully integrated into the active fleet’s deployment schedule, while still functioning as a reserve and training asset when not operating in forward areas.

Two new Nimitz-class aircraft carriers will join the fleet over the next five years: the Harry S Truman (CVN-75) in FY 1998 and the Ronald Reagan (CVN-76) in FY 2003. When the Constellation (CV-64) retires in FY 2003, only two conventionally-powered carriers—the Kitty Hawk (CV-63), stationed in Japan, and the Kennedy (CV-67)—will remain in the active fleet. The projected retirement date for the Kitty Hawk is FY 2008, when CVN-77 enters service. The recent completion of an extensive overhaul will allow the Kennedy to remain in service for about 20 more years.

Forward-deployed amphibious forces with embarked Marines typically operate in three-ship ARGs. ARGs provide over-the-horizon, high-speed force projection capabilities for warfighting missions, while also satisfying peacetime presence needs. They are a vital component of a balanced naval expeditionary force, providing the capability to project forces rapidly into littoral regions, utilizing both air and surface platforms.

The FY 1999 budget and associated FYDP maintain a 12-ARG force capable of supporting three forward-deployed Marine expeditionary units in peacetime and lifting the equivalent of 2.5 Marine expeditionary brigades in wartime. Consistent with these force structure needs, two Anchorage-class LSD-36s will be retired from service by FY 1999. The final new dock landing ship (LSD-41 cargo variant), used for transporting and launching amphibious craft and vehicles, will be delivered in FY 1998. By FY 2003, the amphibious force will consist of 39 active and two reserve ships, including two of the new San Antonio-class LPD-17 amphibious transport dock ships.

In the midst of significant changes in mission requirements spawned by advances in technology and the threat, the Navy’s attack submarine (SSN) force remains an important multimission component capable of conducting covert operations in forward regions. SSN missions include gathering surveillance data, communicating tactical information, controlling the surface and undersea battlespace, and delivering strike weapons or special operations forces ashore in contingencies. The QDR reinforced the ongoing shift in SSN missions from open-ocean antisubmarine warfare and surveillance toward power projection, support of special operations forces, and littoral ASW, while making a modest reduction in force size by the end of the FYDP.

As directed by the QDR, the ongoing deactivation of older SSNs will decrease the force from 65 units in FY 1998 to 50 units in FY 2003. This force structure reflects continued deactivations of SSN-637 and older 688-class submarines, deliveries of the remaining two Seawolf-class (SSN-21) units through FY 2003, and subsequent deliveries of the New Attack Submarine (NSSN) class starting in FY 2004.

The surface combatant force comprises modern cruisers and destroyers equipped with standoff strike weapons, antiair missiles, guns, and multimission helicopters. These ships provide diverse capabilities to achieve battlespace dominance in the crowded and complex littoral warfare environment. Cruisers, destroyers, and frigates also protect carrier battle groups and amphibious ready groups, and provide peacetime presence in areas where full battle groups may not be available. These ships carry out maritime interception operations, such as those conducted in the Arabian Gulf and Red Sea; help enforce economic sanctions; and provide limited enforcement of no-fly zones with standoff antiair capabilities, such as those required in the Adriatic Sea.

Consistent with current and projected needs, 15 active fleet destroyers and frigates are being deactivated to achieve the QDR objective of 116 total surface combatants in FY 1999. By FY 2003, the four FFG-7s remaining in the reserve force will be evenly divided between the two U.S. coasts, retaining sufficient flexibility to fulfill projected surface combatant needs. The reductions in the tempo of peacetime operations over the past few years will permit the revised surface combatant force structure to fulfill all currently anticipated peacetime and contingency needs, while conforming with the Navy’s goal that service members spend no more than half their time away from home port.

Combat logistics force (CLF) ships provide extensive at-sea replenishment for ships deployed in forward areas. The force includes station ships, which support in-theater operations, and shuttle ships, which ferry material continuously from shore to sea. In FY 1999 the station-ship force will consist primarily of eight AOE-1 and AOE-6-class fast combat support ships. The shuttle-ship force will be composed of a civilian-manned Military Sealift Command (MSC) fleet of 13 oilers, six dry stores ships, and seven ammunition ships. Consistent with QDR findings, submarine tenders will remain forward deployed in the western Pacific and the Mediterranean Sea. One U.S.-based unit, in excess of needs, will be deactivated by FY 1999. In addition, the Navy has recently accelerated the transition of the CLF to a richer mix of ships containing relatively more MSC and fewer active Navy vessels.

The maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) force, consisting of P-3C aircraft, provides support for forces ashore and naval task groups at sea. It conducts antisurface, antisubmarine, surveillance, and mining operations. The FY 1999-2003 program continues a restructuring of the force to support the transition from open-ocean to littoral operations. By the end of FY 1999, there will be 240 P-3 aircraft in the inventory. Analyses conducted for the QDR called for a reduction in the number of reserve P-3 squadrons from eight (with eight aircraft each) to seven (operating six aircraft apiece). The resulting force of 12 active and seven reserve squadrons will be adequate to meet peacetime and warfighting needs.

The Light Airborne Multipurpose System (LAMPS) MK III combines the SH-60B helicopter with a computer-integrated shipboard system, providing an airborne platform for deployment of sonobuoys, torpedoes, and antiship missiles. LAMPS also provides an elevated platform expanding the battlespace horizon with radar and electronic support measure capabilities. Embarked, fully integrated SH-60B LAMPS MK III helicopters make key contributions to both antisubmarine and antiship missions. The LAMPS MK I reserve squadrons are slated for deactivation in concert with the reduction in reserve frigates. The remaining four reserve FFG-7s will be newer vessels of the class that operate with the more capable SH-60B MK III system. At the end of FY 1999, there will be 155 SH-60B aircraft in the inventory.

The QDR validated a continuing requirement for the diverse mix of capabilities provided by the Army and the Marine Corps. The Army provides forces for sustained combat operations on land, as well as for power projection and forcible-entry operations. The Marine Corps, as an integral part of the nation’s naval forces, provides expeditionary forces to project combat power ashore and to conduct forcible-entry operations in support of naval campaigns or as part of joint task forces. These diverse capabilities give military commanders a wide range of options for conducting ground missions. Operationally, a joint force commander employs land forces in close coordination with aviation and naval forces.

The Army will continue to maintain four active corps headquarters, 10 active divisions (six heavy and four light), and two active armored cavalry regiments. Light forces—airborne, air assault, and light infantry divisions—are tailored for forcible-entry operations and for operations on restricted terrain, like mountains, jungles, and urban areas. Heavy forces—armored and mechanized divisions equipped with Abrams tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles, Apache attack helicopters, and the Paladin field artillery system—are trained and equipped for operations against armies employing modern tanks and armored fighting vehicles. Light and heavy forces can operate independently or in combination, providing the mix of combat power needed for specific contingencies. Depending on the geographic location of both the forces and the crisis, Army forces stationed overseas provide either an initial or a follow-on source of combat power for regional deployments. For major conflicts, the Army can dispatch a force of up to five divisions plus support elements to any region of the world within 75 days.

In FY 1999, the Army National Guard is authorized 357,000 soldiers, organized into 15 enhanced separate brigades, eight combat divisions, and three separate brigades. The Army Reserve is authorized 208,000 soldiers, assigned primarily to combat support and combat service support units.

Reductions in active and reserve end-strength, as well as in civilian personnel, recommended by the QDR are consistent with projected improvements in operational concepts, organizational arrangements, and an increased emphasis on privatization and outsourcing of support functions. The savings accrued from the reduction of 15,000 active-duty personnel by the end of FY 1999 will allow the Department to pursue a robust modernization program for its land forces while minimizing the near-term risk of reducing combat forces. The QDR also determined that it would be appropriate for the Army to reduce its reserve component structure. The Army National Guard will reduce its end-strength by 5,000 personnel in FY 1998, 5,000 in FY 1999, and 7,000 in FY 2000, and the Army Reserve will reduce its end-strength by 3,000 in FY 2000. The Total Army Analysis for FY 2007 (TAA 07) will identify additional adjustments to the support needed to sustain Army combat forces across the range of military operations. Pending the completion of TAA 07, the Army will work with the reserve components, including representatives of the Adjutants General, to develop possible options for reconfiguring appropriate reserve component units so that they mirror active units and are more relevant to national needs. Table 7 summarizes the Army force structure programmed for the end of FY 1999.

The QDR reaffirmed the key role the Marine Corps plays in both peacetime and wartime operations and recommended modest changes in its force structure. The Marine Corps will reduce its active end-strength by 1,800, and its reserve force by 4,200, by FY 2003 as a result of an internal reconfiguration.

Marine units are employed as part of Marine Air-Ground Task Forces (MAGTFs) consisting of four elements: command, ground combat, air combat, and combat service support. A Marine expeditionary force (MEF) is the largest MAGTF organized for combat, comprising one or more divisions, aircraft wings, and force service support groups. The Corps has three MEFs in the active force, headquartered in California (I MEF), North Carolina (II MEF), and Okinawa (III MEF). Embarked on amphibious ships, Marine expeditionary units, consisting of about 2,000 Marines each, are task-organized and forward deployed continuously in or near regions of vital U.S. interest. These forces provide a swift and effective means of responding to fast-breaking crises and can remain on station for indefinite periods of time, ready to intervene or take action if needed. Table 8 summarizes the Marine Corps force structure programmed for the end of FY 1999.

Mobility forces—airlift, sealift, and land- and sea-based prepositioning—move military personnel and material to and from operating locations worldwide. These forces include transport aircraft, cargo ships, and ground transportation systems operated by the Defense Department and commercial carriers. By relying on commercial resources to augment military mobility systems, the Department maximizes the efficiency with which it can deploy and support forces abroad, while avoiding the prohibitive cost of maintaining military systems that duplicate capabilities readily attainable from the civil sector.

The Department conducted several major reviews in recent years to determine the mix of mobility forces needed to meet projected demands into the next century. Requirements for strategic mobility—the movement of resources between theaters—were defined in the 1995 Mobility Requirements Study Bottom-Up Review Update, or MRS BURU. A companion study, the 1996 Intratheater Mobility Analysis, identified transportation requirements within theaters. More recently, the QDR underscored the importance of strategic mobility in ensuring the rapid responsiveness of U.S. forces. The mobility needs identified in these studies will guide force structure and investment decisions in the years ahead.

Airlift—the most rapidly deployable mobility component—contributes to the movement of both troops and material. Sometimes employed in conjunction with prepositioning, it delivers the forces needed in the critical early days of combat operations. Based on the results of the MRS BURU, DoD has established an intertheater airlift objective of about 50 million ton-miles per day (MTM/D) of cargo capacity. To meet militarily-unique airlift requirements, an objective of 30 MTM/D for organic lift has been established. The Department will attain an organic strategic airlift capability of 26.5 MTM/D by FY 1999. When combined with the commercial capacity contributed by the Civil Reserve Air Fleet (CRAF), DoD will achieve its full 50 MTM/D airlift objective by FY 2005.

Sealift contributes primarily to the movement of combat equipment and delivers the bulk of the cargo needed to sustain deployed forces over time. DoD will attain a surge sealift capacity of 7.8 million square feet by FY 1999, toward the MRS BURU goal of 10 million square feet. Surge sealift capacity is provided by fast sealift ships, large medium-speed roll-on/roll-off (LMSR) vessels, and the Ready Reserve Force.

Military airlift forces provide a range of capabilities not available from civil aircraft. Features unique to military transport aircraft include the ability to air drop cargo and personnel; unload cargo rapidly, even at airfields lacking materiel-handling equipment; and carry outsize loads, such as Patriot missile systems, tanks, or helicopters. Of the cargo that must be airlifted in the early stages of a conflict, more than half is too large to be accommodated by even the biggest commercial cargo aircraft and thus must be transported by military air. The FY 1999 military airlift fleet consists of 37 C-17s, 135 C-141s, 104 C-5s, and 414 C-130s (all figures denote aircraft assigned for performance of their wartime missions). These aircraft are operated by active, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve squadrons.

Commercial aircraft augment military airlift forces in moving troops and standard-sized cargo. Through the CRAF, the Department gains access to commercial passenger and cargo planes in times of crisis. In return for their participation in CRAF, carriers are given preference for the Department’s peacetime passenger and cargo business. CRAF forces are mobilized in three stages. Calling up Stage I aircraft provides DoD with access to about 9 percent of the passenger capacity in the long-range U.S. commercial fleet and 13 percent of the cargo capacity. With the addition of Stage II aircraft, those figures rise to 28 percent and 32 percent, respectively. Aircraft from Stage III bring the CRAF contribution, as a share of total U.S. long-range commercial aircraft capacity, to 53 percent for passengers and 75 percent for cargo.

Sealift forces carry the full range of combat equipment and supplies needed to support military operations abroad. These forces include three primary types of ships: container ships, which primarily move supplies; roll-on/roll-off (RO/RO) vessels, which move combat equipment; and tankers, for transporting fuels. In addition, the inventory includes a number of breakbulk ships that can move both equipment and supplies.

Sealift capacity comes from three sources: government-owned ships maintained in reserve status, commercial ships under long-term charter to the Defense Department, and ships operating in commercial trade.

Aerial-refueling, or tanker, forces extend the range of airlift and combat aircraft by enabling these planes to be refueled in flight. The long-range tanker force consists of 472 KC-135 and 54 KC-10 Air Force primary mission aircraft. In addition to operating in the tanker role, both the KC-135 and KC-10 can be employed as a passenger or cargo transport, with the KC-10 possessing a significant capability to perform tanker and airlift missions simultaneously.

The United States stores a variety of combat equipment and supplies at selected locations abroad. These stocks, maintained ashore and afloat, dramatically reduce both the time required to deploy forces and the number of airlift sorties needed to move them. For instance, moving a heavy Army brigade with its 27,000 tons of equipment from the United States to an overseas location would take 20 to 30 days using a combination of airlift and sealift. By prepositioning the bulk of the brigade’s equipment abroad, the intertheater transport requirement drops to about 2,000 tons, enabling the brigade to deploy in a week using only a small portion of the Department’s total airlift fleet and allowing the remaining aircraft to be employed for other missions.

Land- and sea-based prepositioning provide complementary capabilities for supporting military operations. Land-based prepositioning enhances crisis responsiveness in specific theaters and is the most economical way of maintaining material abroad. Afloat prepositioning, while more expensive, provides the flexibility to relocate stocks quickly within and between theaters to meet the needs of particular operations.

Land-based prepositioning programs are maintained in Europe, Southwest Asia, and the Pacific region. In Europe, the Army stockpiles equipment for three heavy brigades—two in central Europe and one in Italy. The Marine Corps stores equipment and 30 days of supplies for the lead echelon of a MEF in Norway. In addition, the Air Force maintains eight air base support sets—temporary shelters for early-arriving air base personnel—at a site in Luxembourg.

In Southwest Asia, the Army will stock equipment for two heavy armor brigades. The first brigade set was prepositioned in Kuwait in FY 1995. The second set—which includes equipment to support a division, brigade, and battalion headquarters—will be in place in Qatar by the end of FY 1998. The Air Force will maintain 46 air base operation sets in the region, consisting of shelters, materiel-handling equipment, aircraft-refueling trucks, and other gear. Many of the Air Force sets already in place are being used to support contingency operations.

In Korea, the Army has prepositioned equipment for a heavy armor brigade. The Air Force stores eight air base support sets at three locations in Korea; the prepositioned material supports surge billeting requirements.

Sea-based prepositioning programs support the operations of all four Services. Of the 34 ships that the Department is using for afloat prepositioning, 24 have been chartered from the commercial fleet, three come from the Ready Reserve Force, one ship is a government-owned tanker, and six are large medium-speed roll-on/roll-off ships.

A total of seven chartered vessels, one RRF ship, and six LMSRs carry Army equipment and supplies. These ships, stationed in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, provide material for an armor brigade and selected combat support and combat service support units.

Marine Corps equipment and supplies are carried on 13 chartered vessels, known collectively as maritime prepositioning ships (MPS). These ships are organized into three squadrons, each supporting the operation of a 17,300-person MAGTF for 30 days. The squadrons are stationed in the western Pacific, Indian Ocean, and Mediterranean Sea.

The sea-based prepositioning force also includes three chartered ships carrying Air Force munitions, such as precision-guided bombs and air-to-air missiles. The Navy also charters one ship to carry a fleet (ashore) hospital. The remaining ships—a government-owned tanker and two RRF ships specially equipped to transfer fuel directly to forces ashore—are maintained for use by U.S. forces.

Table 9 shows the FY 1999 inventories for key elements of the military mobility force structure.

The military challenges that could emerge in the 21st century, coupled with the aging of key elements of the U.S. force structure, led the QDR to emphasize the need for a robust defense modernization program, which is also the rationale behind Government Performance and Results Act Corporate-Level Goal 3. The Department’s program:

The QDR determined that a robust modernization program can be achieved and sustained only if the Department pursues fundamental reforms in the way it does business. Examples include:

The following sections describe key investment programs sustaining conventional forces funded by the FY 1999 President’s Budget.

Aviation force modernization is an important part of the Department’s overall investment program, constituting roughly 12 percent of the funding planned for FY 1999.

A wide range of improvements is under way in specialized aviation forces, particularly those that provide information on hostile force activities. Many of these information-gathering air vehicles—both manned and unmanned—emphasize detection and tracking of moving ground targets. The ability to locate enemy ground force movements is key both to the rapid application of air power and to the estimation of the enemy’s tactical and strategic goals.

The Air Force E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) is one of the most important of these programs. JSTARS consists of two elements: a powerful airborne radar mounted on a large transport-class aircraft and mobile ground stations that receive and process the aircraft radar data. Two JSTARS aircraft are budgeted for FY 1999, with total procurement set at 13 aircraft. In addition, DoD has initiated a major upgrade to U.S. E-8C aircraft radars and communications systems. The Department also continues to procure and upgrade the related ground stations operated by the Army, twenty of which will be procured in FY 1999.

Other U.S. air surveillance capabilities also are being improved. The Air Force high-altitude U-2 force, which provides moving-target intelligence as well as other information, is receiving a wide variety of improvements.

Detection and analysis of electronic signals is a key element of the air surveillance effort. Most of DoD’s airborne signals intelligence systems—including Air Force RC-135 Rivet Joint aircraft, Navy EP-3s, and Army RC-7 Airborne Reconnaissance Low systems—will be improved to provide higher levels of interoperability, operational flexibility, and capability. The expansion of the RC-135 Rivet Joint fleet to 16 aircraft, to support continued high operating tempos, will be accomplished in FY 1999. The RC-135 Cobra Ball technical data-collection force is being increased to three aircraft to support ballistic missile defense efforts. Seven Air Force RC-135 Rivet Joint signals intelligence aircraft are being equipped with new engines, extending their projected service life. Installation of new terminals (called BGPHES-ST) on surface ships to receive surveillance data from ES-3 signals intelligence aircraft continues in FY 1999.

Effective communications are essential to exploiting intelligence information. Significant communications upgrades are being incorporated into DoD’s main airborne air surveillance and control platforms—Air Force E-3s and Navy E-2Cs—with both systems receiving new terminals for the Joint Tactical Information Distribution System and Tactical Intelligence Broadcast Service. In addition, Cooperative Engagement Capability subsystems are being installed in E-2Cs to improve targeting of missiles and aircraft. Installation of radar upgrades and new passive-emitter detection systems on E-3s will continue in FY 1999. The Air Force is providing funding for parallel improvements in NATO E-3s via the NATO AWACS Mid-Term Modernization Program. New E-2Cs are being produced at a rate of three per year, and both the E-3 and E-2C fleets are receiving reliability and maintainability improvements to keep them viable past the year 2010.

Significant investments continue in the development of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), particularly in the area of real-time imaging sensors. The Department’s highest priority for UAVs is a joint tactical system. The Outrider Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration (ACTD) has been undertaken to support development decisions. A military utility assessment of Outrider in 1997-1998 will help to determine the direction of follow-on activities. The FY 1999 budget includes funds that can be applied to either further development or low-rate production of a joint system for the Army, Navy, and Marine Corps. Meanwhile, a common interoperable ground system, called the Tactical Control System, is being developed to control all tactical UAVs and the Predator medium-altitude endurance UAV, as well as to provide some interoperability with the High-Altitude Endurance (HAE) UAV.

Predator was the first ACTD to move into acquisition. This medium-range vehicle, with real-time passive and active imagery sensors, is being fielded by the Air Force. Twelve systems are slated for procurement through FY 2002; these include ten combat-coded systems, one training system, and one research and development system. Each system will consist of four aerial vehicles, one ground control station, and one communications suite.

Two high-altitude endurance UAVs—Global Hawk and DarkStar—continue to mature. Procurement of both systems is expected after FY 2000.

Improvements are being made in air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons carried by combat aircraft. New air-to-air missile variants will be effective across a larger engagement area and will have increased lethality. New air-to-ground weapons with increased standoff range and improved accuracy will provide added benefits in combat operations, including:

Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). The Navy and Air Force will continue to procure the AMRAAM throughout the program period. Performance is being enhanced in a number of areas, including kinematics and lethality.

AIM-9X. Designed to meet evolving short-range air-to-air missile requirements, the AIM-9X is an enhanced version of the AIM-9 Sidewinder missile. While retaining the AIM-9M motor, fuze, and warhead, the AIM-9X program replaces the AIM-9M seeker and airframe. Missile effectiveness will be enhanced by providing pilots with a new helmet-mounted sight that can align the missile’s seeker head with targets well outside the aircraft radar’s field of view. The combination of improved missile performance and the new helmet-mounted sight will recover an advantage in close-in combat that was lost several years ago when advanced new foreign systems, such as the Russian AA-11, were deployed. Affordability and growth potential are key tenets of this program. The AIM-9X entered engineering and manufacturing development in FY 1997; production is slated to begin in FY 2000.

Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM). The JASSM is a new long-range missile designed to have excellent autonomous navigation capability and an autonomous terminal seeker. JASSM’s standoff capability will enable U.S. aviation forces to hold highly defended targets at risk while minimizing aircraft attrition. Achieving desired performance while maintaining low unit cost is an important goal in the system’s development. This Air Force-led joint program is currently in the product-definition/risk-reduction phase; EMD will begin in late FY 1998 or early FY 1999 and low-rate production in FY 2000. The FY 1999 budget includes no Navy development funding for this system, pending completion of an analysis of alternatives that includes the Standoff Land-Attack Missile-Expanded Response Plus (SLAM-ER Plus, described below). The Navy is much less dependent on JASSM due to its significant planned inventory of SLAM-ER Plus and Tomahawk missiles. The Air Force, on the other hand, has only a limited inventory of conventional air-launched cruise missiles and needs more guided weapons with sufficient range for launch outside the envelope of highly effective, modern surface-to-air missile systems.

Joint Standoff Weapon (JSOW). JSOW is a new long-range glide weapon with excellent autonomous navigation ability. Capable of employment under adverse weather conditions, it is designed to provide an accurate standoff method of delivering tactical munitions at a relatively low cost. The baseline variant will carry combined-effect bomblets for use against area targets. To provide standoff antiarmor capability, a follow-on version will carry the BLU-108 payload derived from the Sensor Fuzed Weapon (described below). A third variant will provide a unitary warhead and a man-in-the-loop seeker for increased accuracy and target discrimination. EMD for both the BLU-108 and unitary variants began in FY 1996. The baseline version entered production in FY 1997; the BLU-108 and the unitary variant are slated to follow in FY 2000 and FY 2001, respectively.

Sensor Fuzed Weapon (SFW). Designed for top attacks on enemy armor, the SFW is a tactical munitions dispenser containing 10 BLU-108 submunitions, each with four Skeet warheads. This weapon is capable of achieving multiple kills against armored vehicles during day or night and under adverse weather conditions. The system entered full-rate production in FY 1996. Development of an improved BLU-108 submunition for SFW and JSOW began in FY 1996 as part of a preplanned product improvement (P³I) program; initial production funds are requested in FY 1999. At only a small increase in cost, the improved munition will be much more effective than earlier versions. Enhancements include the addition of an active sensor and a multimission warhead and expansion of the weapons pattern over the ground by more than 50 percent. These changes will reduce SFW’s susceptibility to countermeasures and improve its soft-target lethality and coverage, while reducing the impact of target location errors.

Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM). The JDAM program provides existing general-purpose bombs with a tailkit incorporating an inertial navigation system (INS) that is coupled to satellite Global Positioning System (GPS) data. INS/GPS guidance will improve bombing accuracy from medium and high altitudes, permitting the delivery of these free-fall munitions in adverse weather. Low-rate production for the MK-84 warhead began in FY 1997. The Air Force and Navy are currently revising the design of the tailkit for both the MK-83 and BLU-109 warheads.

Standoff Land Attack Missile (SLAM). The Navy SLAM is a modified Harpoon antiship missile incorporating an AGM-65 Maverick imaging infrared seeker and a Walleye datalink for man-in-the-loop control. An upgraded version of the missile, designated SLAM-ER, provides an approximate 60 percent increase in range over the baseline SLAM system. This version also incorporates enhancements in survivability, anti-jam guidance capability, and hard-target penetration. The improvements in SLAM-ER’s mission planning system will greatly enhance the weapon’s ease of employment. SLAM-ER Plus, a variant further enhanced by an autonomous terminal seeker, will enter production in the fourth quarter of FY 1998. Approximately 300 SLAM/SLAM-ER missiles will be converted to the SLAM-ER Plus configuration between FY 1998 and FY 2003.

Wind-Corrected Munition Dispenser (WCMD). The WCMD is a modification kit for advanced cluster bomb dispensers that inertially guides the unit to compensate for high-altitude winds, thus improving delivery accuracy. This modification will be made to the CBU-87 (Combined Effects Munition), CBU-89 (Gator), and CBU-97 (SFW). Delivery of production units will begin in FY 1999.

The FY 1999 budget and associated FYDP implement force structure and modernization initiatives developed during the Quadrennial Defense Review. These initiatives will sustain and improve naval warfighting capabilities into the early years of the next century. The average age of the fleet is currently within acceptable limits, and is projected to remain so for the foreseeable future. The shipbuilding program for FY 1999-2003 is summarized in Table 10. The programs funded in FY 1999-2003 exploit technology upgrades to counter emerging threats, while providing the mix of capabilities needed for the 21st century.

The FY 1999-2003 program maintains a force of 12 routinely deployable aircraft carriers, consistent with forward presence, crisis-response, and warfighting objectives. The tenth, and final, Nimitz-class carrier (CVN-77) is fully funded in FY 2001, with advance procurement of nuclear-propulsion components programmed for FY 1999 and FY 2000. This funding profile represents an acceleration of one year relative to previous plans. The revised schedule will shorten the construction gap between CVN-76 and CVN-77, while yielding significant savings in construction costs.

The aircraft carrier modernization program needed beyond FY 2003 is currently undergoing extensive review. The first phase of a comprehensive study of future sea-based tactical aviation platforms, known as the CVX Analysis of Alternatives, was completed in 1997. The analysis examined several top-level trade-offs bearing on the characteristics of future aircraft carriers, including alternative air wing sizes and aircraft types (i.e., STOVL and conventional takeoff and landing designs). The assessment concluded that carrier designs supporting STOVL-only aircraft would not be practical. It also found that air wings containing fewer than 55 aircraft would be insufficient to conduct required missions. Phase II of the AoA, slated for completion in FY 1999, will address detailed design trade-offs, including propulsion alternatives.

The first CVX is planned for procurement in FY 2006. It will enter the fleet in FY 2013 as a replacement for the USS Enterprise (CVN-65). The FY 1999 budget and associated FYDP contain $856 million to support carrier modernization planning beyond FY 2003.

Modernization programs for amphibious forces continue. Many of the ships currently in the force are nearing the end of their projected service lives and need to be replaced. The amphibious ship investment plan supports the goal of achieving a 36-ship force comprising 12 ARGs, each with three ships. New ships entering the fleet offer increased capabilities relative to the older vessels being retired, permitting the ships to be replaced on less than a one-for-one basis. The resulting amphibious force will, however, remain highly capable.

The key to recapitalizing the amphibious force is the new amphibious transport dock ship, the LPD-17. The planned 12-ship LPD-17 program will replace 27 ships of various classes in the active, reserve, and inactive reserve fleets that will reach retirement age early in the next century. Thus, beyond the FYDP, the LPD-17, along with newer LSDs, LHDs, and existing LHAs, will form the core of the modernized amphibious force. The FY 1999 budget and shipbuilding plan continue the LPD-17 program on schedule, with two ships funded annually starting in FY 2000. The LPD-17 is being built by a team of shipyards (Avondale and Bath Ironworks) and major defense contractors (including Hughes and Intergraph).

With the delivery of LHD-7 in FY 2001, the Navy will have 12 large-deck amphibious assault ships—five of the Tarawa (LHA-1) class and seven of the Wasp (LHD-1) class. These large multipurpose vessels, which constitute the principal elements of ARGs, can embark and support Marine ground forces using a combination of vertical- and short-takeoff and landing (V/STOL) aircraft, helicopters, and amphibious vehicles. The Tarawa-class ships were commissioned between FY 1976 and FY 1980 and will begin reaching the end of their projected 35-year lives in FY 2011. The Wasp-class ships entered the fleet in FY 1989 and have a projected 40-year service life.

The final LSD dock cargo landing ship (LSD-41 cargo variant), used for transporting and launching amphibious craft and vehicles, will be delivered in FY 1998. When the older, Anchorage-class LSD-36s are decommissioned between FY 1998 and FY 2008, the amphibious force will reach its steady-state objective of 12 modern LSDs to support the ARG force structure.

The SSN force will continue to be highly capable and modern, averaging about 14 years of age through FY 2003. With the addition of three Seawolf (SSN-21) submarines by FY 2003 and deliveries of the New Attack Submarine (NSSN) beginning in FY 2004, the U.S. attack submarine force will remain for the foreseeable future the most technologically advanced in the world.

The NSSN, designed as a lower-cost follow-on to the Seawolf class, will provide an affordable replacement for Los Angeles-class submarines retiring after the turn of the century. The NSSN will incorporate technology improvements from the Seawolf program and will have enhanced capabilities for littoral operations. The lead ship was authorized in FY 1998; the FY 1999 budget and associated FYDP provide for procurement of three additional NSSNs through FY 2003. This procurement plan carries out the submarine acquisition strategy approved by Congress in FY 1998, which uses an innovative teaming arrangement between Electric Boat and Newport News shipyards. By taking advantage of specialization at each yard, this strategy will reduce costs, while maintaining the two existing nuclear-capable submarine-construction yards. Substantial progress has been made over the past year in integrating the two yards’ efforts.

The baseline NSSN design incorporates advanced technologies to satisfy projected military requirements, and provides the flexibility to accept potential improvements that could further reduce life-cycle costs. Advanced technologies already incorporated in the program focus on improving communications connectivity, stealth, and combat system sensors and processors, as well as life-cycle affordability.

The FY 1999 budget and FYDP provide for a force of 116 active and reserve surface combatants. The capabilities provided by continued deliveries of Arleigh Burke (DDG-51)-class guided-missile destroyers equipped with the Aegis weapon system more than offset the capabilities lost by deactivation of older surface combatants. The FY 1999-2003 shipbuilding program includes funds for 15 DDG-51-class destroyers, achieving the procurement objective of 57 of these ships. Twelve of the 15 DDG-51s will be procured under a multiyear acquisition strategy approved by Congress in the FY 1998 budget. The changes made to the shipbuilding program this year have achieved a stable procurement rate of three DDG-51s per year in FY 1999-2003. Advance procurement funds are programmed for FY 2001 to support the revised acquisition profile and a possible extension of the multiyear plan that was approved in FY 1998. With the addition of the ships funded during the FYDP, the fraction of Aegis-capable ships in the force will increase to 72 percent from 47 percent at the end of FY 1999.

The FY 1999 budget and FYDP fund an initiative to upgrade selected CG-47 Aegis cruisers at a relatively low cost. Plans call for 12 cruisers to be upgraded over the FYDP period, with the initial unit funded in FY 2001. The upgrades include capability improvements in area air defense, theater ballistic missile defense, and naval surface fire support.

The Navy’s long-term surface combatant force requirements underwent an extensive review last year as part of the 21st Century Surface Combatant (SC-21) analysis of alternatives. Force structure requirements were assessed in terms of warfighting capability, forward-presence objectives, historical operating tempos, and possible future contingencies. The analysis evaluated the types of ships and capabilities needed as replacements for retiring DD-963s and FFG-7s. Results from the analysis supported a decision to proceed first with a new combatant emphasizing capabilities to conduct land attacks and provide fire support to ground combat forces. This combatant has been identified as a maritime fire support ship (MFSS), designated DD-21. The FYDP shifts funding for the lead DD-21 from FY 2003 to FY 2004, to allow more time to develop key technologies needed to reduce risk in the ship’s design and development.

Congressional action on the FY 1998 budget reduced funding for the Arsenal Ship program substantially. The FY 1999 budget terminates the program. In addition to its use as a potential strike platform, the arsenal ship would have served as the maritime fire support ship demonstrator (MFSSD) for testing innovative concepts and new technologies that are being developed within the DD-21 program. The DD-21 program will now rely on land- and sea-based testing to reduce risks in developing these technologies on the DD-21. Funding previously earmarked for the MFSSD has been realigned to other priorities in the FY 1999 budget and FYDP, which include accelerating the planned Aegis cruiser modernization program and procurement of CVN-77.

The shipbuilding plan includes procurement of three new ADC(X) dry-cargo ships over the FYDP period, one in FY 2002 and two in FY 2003. These ships will replace aging ammunition and dry cargo ships (TAEs and TAFSs). The vessels will be procured through the Navy’s ship construction account on a schedule that ensures adequate logistics support for peacetime and contingency operations.

Land-based maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) squadrons provide critical surveillance support for naval task groups at sea and ashore. Investment plans focus on service-life extensions and upgrades of existing aircraft. The service-life extension program will increase the operational life of P-3C aircraft to about 50 years, which will require additional fatigue testing and analysis. The primary P-3C modernization effort—the Antisurface Warfare Improvement Program (AIP)—was initiated in FY 1994. It utilizes commercial off-the-shelf technologies to enhance the surveillance, combat identification, and antiship mission capabilities of the MPA force. The FY 1999 budget reduces the upgrade objective from 48 to 42 aircraft—the number of AIP-configured P-3Cs now deemed adequate to support mission needs.

The Department is pursuing a robust mine warfare modernization program. The FY 1999 budget and associated FYDP add approximately $130 million relative to last year’s plan for mine countermeasures forces and associated programs. The FY 1999 program procures a total of 24 Shallow Water Influence Minehunting Systems (SWIMS); last year’s budget did not fund this system. Funds also are provided to procure six (versus five) Remote Minehunting System (RMS) vehicles, and to integrate the RMS into the newest DDG-51 destroyers. Airborne mine countermeasures (AMCM) systems will be enhanced in the near term through the incorporation of a mine identification capability into the existing AQS-14 helicopter-towed minehunting sonar. For the longer term, the FY 1999 program funds a forward-deployed AMCM system that will improve performance and response time over the AQS-14, which must be transported to operating locations in times of crisis.

The emerging ASW challenge is characterized by harder-to-detect submarines operating in littoral regions. The ASW initiatives pursued over the FYDP period will ensure that a robust combined-forces ASW capability is maintained. The program adds funding to accelerate the procurement of TB-29 towed-array sonars for submarines, enhancing U.S. capabilities to detect hostile submarines in the difficult acoustic environment of the littorals.

Tomahawk. The Tomahawk cruise missile enables surface combatants and submarines to launch attacks against land targets from long ranges in all types of weather. The FY 1999 budget includes funds to procure 114 remanufactured Tomahawk missiles—15 in the Block III configuration, which includes the Global Positioning System, and 99 in the Block IV (Phase I) Tomahawk Baseline Improvement Program configuration, providing improved terminal guidance and precision strike capabilities. Last year, the Department proposed initiating a major revision to the Tomahawk program, called the Tactical Tomahawk Initiative (TTI). Through design and construction techniques, the TTI would provide new-production missiles with enhanced capabilities at a lower unit cost than would be possible with remanufactured missiles. Although the TTI program has not been incorporated in the FY 1999 budget, it remains under active consideration and may be initiated later this year or as part of the FY 2000 budget.

Standard Missile. The Standard Missile (SM-2) is the Navy’s primary ship-based antiair weapon, with an operational range from a few miles to hundreds of miles. The FY 1999 budget continues procurement of the Block IIIB and Block IV Standard missiles. The Block IV version has a new separable booster and offers improvements in kinematic capability and performance over the Block III model.

Ship Self-Defense Systems. The FY 1999 budget continues production of the Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) and begins production of the Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile (ESSM) for short-range ship self-defense. Near-term emphasis has shifted to procurement of RAM, based on a reevaluation of the threat and on affordability considerations. The Navy recently expanded the requirement for RAM to include aircraft carriers and Ticonderoga-class cruisers. Relative to previous plans, the FY 1999-2003 budget accelerates RAM procurement by 420 missiles and reduces ESSM purchases by 370 missiles. These missiles will be installed in a mix of existing and future ships.

Cooperative Engagement Capability (CEC). CEC integrates, in real time, detailed information on beyond-line-of-sight air targets gathered by numerous ships and aircraft. The FY 1999 budget begins low-rate production of CEC ship sets for installation on all Aegis-equipped surface combatants, aircraft carriers, and amphibious ship classes. The FY 1999 budget and associated FYDP also accelerate CEC installations on DDG-51-class destroyers and CVN-68-class aircraft carriers. In addition, the FY 1999 budget increases research and development funding for the airborne CEC element, to be installed on E-2C early warning aircraft, and provides for integrating CEC into other programs.

Light Airborne Multipurpose System (LAMPS). The FY 1999-2003 program funds an upgrade for SH-60B LAMPS helicopters that includes a service-life extension as well as significant capability enhancements. The upgraded helicopters, designated SH-60Rs, will incorporate a dipping sonar as well as surveillance and weapon improvements, permitting more effective and survivable operations in littoral environments. The Flight IIA version of the DDG-51 entered construction in FY 1994 and will be introduced in FY 2000. It will have the capability to support LAMPS operations.

Naval Surface Fire Support. The FY 1999-2003 program makes critical enhancements in the surface fire support capabilities of naval forces. It continues development of the Extended-Range Guided Munition (ERGM), designed for use with 5-inch guns. This advanced new munition will provide over-the-horizon fire support to naval expeditionary forces operating in the littoral. Other fire support initiatives funded in FY 1999-2003 include the Vertical Gun for Advanced Ships and the Navy Tactical Missile System, a variant of the Army Tactical Missile System. These systems were identified in the SC-21 analysis of alternatives as providing critical fire support capabilities for the next generation of surface combatants. In addition to these programs, the Navy is evaluating a new concept for a land-attack missile derived from the Standard system.

The Report of the Quadrennial Defense Review emphasized the need to modernize U.S. land forces, particularly the high-payoff programs associated with Army digitization. Digitization refers to the incorporation of state-of-the-art computers, software, and digital radios throughout the Army’s force structure and in key warfighting platforms such as the M-1 Abrams tank and the M-2 Bradley fighting vehicle. Digitization will enable critical, time-sensitive information comprehensively characterizing friendly and enemy forces to be disseminated rapidly throughout the battlefield. Army digitization and other initiatives, such as Force XXI and the Army After Next, are identifying new concepts of land warfare with revolutionary implications for organization, structure, operations, and support. The advances planned and under test in information technology, weapons, and platform speeds, at both the tactical and operational levels, will ensure land power remains a decisive element of warfighting well into the 21st century.

Marine Corps modernization is driven by the concept of Operational Maneuver From the Sea. Executing this concept will require tactically adaptive, technologically agile forces able to rapidly reorganize and reorient across a broad range of missions in fluid operational environments. These concepts are currently being tested in the Hunter Warrior, Urban Warrior, and Capable Warrior series of advanced warfighting experiments. The V-22 aircraft, the Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle, and the Marine Corps’ version of the Joint Strike Fighter are priority programs during the FYDP period.

Abrams Tank Upgrade. The Army is substantially upgrading its fleet of M1 Abrams main battle tanks. Three versions of the Abrams tank are currently in service—the original M1 model, dating from the early 1980s, and two newer versions, designated M1A1 and M1A2. The M1A1 series, produced from 1985 through 1993, replaced the M1’s 105mm main gun with a 120mm gun and incorporated numerous other enhancements, including an improved suspension, a new turret, increased armor protection, and a nuclear-chemical-biological protection system.

The newer M1A2 series includes all of the M1A1 features plus a commander’s independent thermal viewer, an independent commander’s weapon station, position navigation equipment, and a digital data bus and radio interface unit providing a common picture among M1A2s on the battlefield. The M1A2 is capable of sharing information with other tanks and combat systems; an electronic applique, developed under the Army digitization initiative, will integrate existing Abrams tanks into the common digital architecture. The Army has procured 62 new tanks in the A2 configuration and converted 368 older M1s to M1A2s. An additional 580 M1s are being upgraded to A2s under a five-year contract awarded in FY 1996, with a total of 998 M1 upgrades planned.

In FY 1999, the Army will begin upgrading M1s to the M1A2 System Enhancement Program (SEP) configuration. The SEP embeds digitization capabilities inside the Abrams’ electronic architecture, eliminating the requirement for electronic appliques. It also incorporates, as a major warfighting enhancement, a second-generation forward-looking infrared sensor. This sensor also will be added to older M1A2s starting in FY 2001. When the SEP enters production, the Army will have a total of 627 M1A2s, all of which will eventually be converted to the SEP configuration.

Bradley Fighting Vehicle Upgrade. The A3 upgrade to the Army’s Bradley fighting vehicle system is a major component of the Army digitization initiative, designed both to complement the capabilities provided by the M1A2 SEP and to incorporate needed enhancements identified during the Gulf War. When equipped with upgraded Bradleys, mechanized infantry units will be able to share battlefield data with M1A2 SEP-equipped armor units. The digitization upgrades will improve both situational awareness and sustainability through automated fault reporting and diagnostics. The A3 upgrade will also increase the lethality of the Bradley by adding an improved fire control system and a commander’s independent thermal viewer. Approximately 1,602 Bradley A2s will be remanufactured into A3s, including fire support and air defense derivatives. Engineering and manufacturing development of the A3 upgrade will continue through FY 1999; low-rate production began in FY 1997.

Crusader. This advanced new system will revolutionize Army field artillery operations. Fully automated, computerized, and designed for use on the digital battlefield, the Crusader offers substantial improvements in lethality, survivability, range, and mobility over existing artillery systems. The Crusader consists of a self-propelled howitzer and an artillery resupply vehicle. It will replace the M109A6 Paladin self-propelled howitzer and M992 field artillery ammunition supply vehicle in both early-deploying and forward-deployed units. The Crusader will be in research and development during the FYDP period. Production is scheduled to begin in FY 2003, with the first operational unit equipped in FY 2005. Plans call for the procurement of 824 Crusader systems (824 self-propelled howitzers and 824 resupply vehicles) through FY 2011.

Advanced Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAAV). The AAAV will replace the AAV7A1 amphibious assault vehicle, which dates from the early 1970s and is well beyond its originally intended service life. The AAAV will allow Marine forces to launch assaults from points over the horizon, move rapidly to the beach, and continue the attack inland in a seamless operation. It will also provide armor-protected transport and direct fire support to Marine infantry forces ashore. The AAAV will have much greater mobility in the water than the AAV7A1, and will have the speed and cross-country mobility to operate with the Marine Corps’ M1A1 tanks. Development is continuing under a demonstration and validation contract awarded in 1996. Production is scheduled to begin in FY 2004, with a total of 1,013 vehicles planned for procurement. To bridge the gap until the AAAV’s deployment, the Marine Corps is extending the service life of a portion of the existing AAV7 fleet. This program will equip the AAV7 with the engine and suspension of the Bradley fighting vehicle, and will replace many aging components, thereby increasing reliability and maintainability while reducing maintenance and repair costs.

Lightweight 155 Howitzer. This new towed cannon system will replace the M198 155mm howitzer used by Army and Marine forces. Substantially lighter than the M198, the LW155 will significantly enhance ship-to-shore mobility, while increasing the survivability and responsiveness of artillery support for ground operations. The system currently is in engineering and manufacturing development. A total of 799 howitzers are planned for procurement—526 for the Marine Corps and 273 for the Army. Marine Corps production is scheduled to begin in FY 2000, with initial operational capability achieved in FY 2002. Production of the Army’s howitzers is scheduled to commence in FY 2004, and will include P³Is such as digital fire control and self-locating ability. The last 96 Marine Corps production howitzers will incorporate the P³I enhancements; the remaining 430 howitzers will be retrofitted with these improvements beginning in FY 2004.

Comanche Helicopter. The Comanche is a key component of the Army modernization program. Designed for armed reconnaissance and incorporating the latest in stealth, sensors, weapons, and advanced flight capabilities, Comanche helicopters will be electronically integrated with other components of the digitized battlefield. They will replace obsolete Vietnam-era AH-1 and OH-58 attack and scout helicopters, providing the