The Missile Defense Agency (MDA) is planning a $12 billion realignment and redevelopment of the Ground-based Midcourse Defense system after the Redesigned Kill Vehicle (RKV) was cancelled, according to a Senate panel bill report.
Earlier this week, the Senate Appropriations defense subcommittee recommended appropriating a $728 million realignment within the MDA FY 2019 and 2020 funds in the wake of the RKV change. Of that funding, the subcommittee recommended $222 million of it be new funding to help transition from RKV to the proposed Next Generation Interceptor (NGI) (Defense Daily, Sept. 11).
The report for the full Senate Appropriations Committee passed-bill approved of this realignment. However, the report also reveals the Director of the MDA submitted a proposed realignment of over $12 billion in current budget plans for redevelopment of NGI for the GMD system.
The full committee voted to send the FY 2020 defense appropriations bill to the Senate floor on Sept. 12 (Defense Daily, Sept. 12).
A Defense Department official clarified to Defense Daily that this cost will be spread out over 10 years and would include all GMD funding lasting from FY 2020-2030, including NGI development. This covers development, procurement, testing, Ground-Based Interceptors (GBI) tests planned, maintenance, silo costs, and more.
The official did not provide a timeline for when the NGI would be ready, but it could be as soon as the late 2020s.
The committee directs the MDA Director to submit an acquisition strategy for a competitive NGI program by the time the administration submits its fiscal year 2021 budget request. This strategy should include the contract-type determination and rationale therefor, plans for technical data management, sustainment strategy, integrated master test plan and integrated master schedule, and a cost estimate.
Meanwhile, the Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E) is directed to submit, not later than 30 days thereafter, to the congressional defense an assessment of MDA’s proposed test strategy for NGI. Additionally, the director of the Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation (CAPE) office is directed to submit an independent cost estimate for the NGI program to the congressional defense committees with submission of the fiscal year 2021 president’s budget request, with certification of full funding for the acquisition strategy from the Defense Department’s comptroller.
Separately, the report noted the GMD planning and additional unfunded budget requests stand in contrast to the agency requesting reductions in workforce spending.
The MDA proposed reducing its civilian full-time equivalent (FTE) workforce target by 4.17 percent from FY 2019, which would amount to a 8.58 percent reduction in the civilian workforce since FY 2017. During this time, MDA’s budget has increased by over 30 percent since 2017.
MDA also proposed reducing 5.6 percent of military authorizations since FY 2017, which includes eliminating the position of Deputy Director of MDA. Meanwhile, over $8 billion in unfunded priorities were requested by MDA over the next five years, requiring additional civilian FTE to manage and oversee.
The report said the committee is “concerned by the apparent disconnect between MDA’s workforce and mission requirements.”
Therefore, the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment is directed to submitted an assessment of MDA’s current and required workforce, qualifications, and makeup to the defense committees by the time of the FY 2021 budget request.
Overall, the committee recommends appropriating $10.5 billion for MDA activities in the FY 2020 bill, covering $635 million in unfunded requirements, $692 million for additional MDA unfunded requirements identified after the budget submission, the $728 million for the RKV to NGO realignment, and additional MDA priorities funding.
The committee also explained that it sees a disconnect between the 2018 National Defense Strategy, the 2019 Missile Defense Review, and the FY 2020 budget request. It underscored the acquisition strategies and cost estimates of previously identified MDA priorities has changed despite full funding in FY 2018 and 2019, including for the Hypersonic and Ballistic Tracking Space Sensor, laser demonstration and scaling programs, and advanced discrimination efforts.
“The Committee expects greater programmatic and fiscal alignment consistent with the aforementioned documents among the Director, MDA; the Under Secretary of Defense (Research and Engineering); the Under Secretary of Defense (Acquisition and Sustainment); the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller); the Director, Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation; and the Director, Office of Management and Budget in future budget submissions,” the report said.