For Immediate Release

July 21, 2005

DEFENSE BILL FUNDS BOEING PROGRAMS,
WASH. STATE DEFENSE BASE ACTIVITIES

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Funds for additional Boeing C-17 aircraft, conversion of Trident submarines at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, new equipment for the Stryker brigades at Fort Lewis and a 3.1 percent pay boost for military personnel were included in the defense appropriations bill passed by the House of Representatives Monday, according to U.S. Rep. Norm Dicks.

            The congressman said that the $409 billion defense spending bill for the next fiscal year funds the major aircraft and system integration programs in which the Boeing Company is the lead or a substantial contractor, including:

C-17 Cargo/Transport Aircraft
This bill appropriates the administration's request of $3.2 billion for procurement of 15 C-17s, $177 million for modifications to existing aircraft in FY 2006, and $166 million for further research and development of the aircraft.  The C-17 aircraft can transport heavy combat equipment, troops and other cargo over long distances and it is also capable of performing tactical airlift and airdrop missions, and it has been essential in deploying troops and military equipment to Iraq and Afghanistan.  The plane is currently procured under a multi-year contract that delivers 15 aircraft per year with the last deliveries scheduled for FY 2008. The Air Force currently plans for an inventory of 180 C-17s.      

F/A-22 Aircraft
The defense appropriations bill includes $3.8 billion for the procurement of 24 F/A-22 aircraft, the Air Force's next-generation, premier fighter intended to replace the F-16, and designed to have both air-to-air and air-to-ground fighter capabilities.  In addition, the bill adds $480 million for research and development of the aircraft.

F/A-18/E/F Aircraft
Another $2.8 billion was included for 38 next-generation F/A-18 E/Fs, the Navy's upgrade of the current F/A-18 C/D aircraft.

P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft
$964 million was included for research and development of the Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft, the Navy's next-generation maritime surveillance aircraft meant to replace the P-3 Orion.  It will utilize the Boeing 737 airframe.

V-22 Osprey
The bill includes procurement and continued R&D funding for the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, which can take off and land like a helicopter, but fly like a fixed-wing airplane. It has "medium lift" capabilities, and is designed for Marine Corps and special-operations assaults. Boeing is teamed with Bell Helicopter Textron, Inc. on this program.  For the next fiscal year, a total of $1.1 billion will be used to purchase nine Navy V-22s; $222 million will pay for procurement of two Air Force CV-22s; an additional $206 million is provided for research and development on the Navy's V-22A; another $81 million for modifications to existing V-22s.  In addition, $42 million is budgeted for further development of Air Force CV-22s; and $30 million for development of Special Operations CV-22s.

Army “Future Combat System” (Boeing Co. is lead systems integrator)
The FY 2006 defense appropriations bill contains $3 billion for the Future Combat System, the Army's next generation of combat vehicles and weapons systems.

JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition)
Boeing has produced this adaptation to conventional bombs that adds GPS guidance greatly improves accuracy of U.S. munitions.   A total of $306 million was appropriated in the bill for additional Air Force and Navy versions of the weapons.

Other programs of importance in Washington State

Trident SSGN Conversions
Rep. Dicks also noted that the bill includes $287 million as the final increment necessary to complete refueling and conversion of the remaining two Trident submarines (SSBNs) into a new conventional configuration – the SSGN.  As an alternative to retirement due to arms reduction treaty requirements, the Navy is converting four of its Trident ballistic missile submarines from carrying D-5 missiles to conventional long-range cruise missiles.  Work on two of the four Trident subs  – the USS Ohio and the USS Michigan – is being accomplished at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton.

Stryker Brigades
This year the Army is establishing a third Stryker Brigade at Fort Lewis.  These units are medium-weight forces capable of deploying rapidly in response to a full spectrum of contingencies, including peacekeeping and humanitarian operations, low-intensity conflicts, and full-scale warfare.  They utilize the 20-ton Stryker vehicle, an eight-wheeled armored vehicle that can be deployed more quickly to distant battlefields than the 80-ton M-1 tank. The bill appropriates the O&M funding for the continued development of the Stryker Brigade concept at Fort Lewis, as well $882 million for the procurement of an additional 240 Stryker vehicles.   

University of Washington Applied Physics Lab (APL)
The U.W.’s Applied Physics Lab conducts extensive acoustic and oceanography research for the U.S. Navy in addition to a broad array of other basic and applied research in environmental and acoustic topics.  The addition of $4 million to the FY 2006 defense appropriations bill will enable APL to modernize its infrastructure to continue the research work at the lab, which operates under a long-term research agreement with the Navy.

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