Compared with the previous fiscal year, budgets for the Army and DoD are reduced by 0.6% and 0.5%, while budgets for the Navy and Air Force are increased by 0.3% and 0.8% respectively.
B. Weapons and Equipment R＆D
In 2015, the modernization of weapons and equipment of the US forces aimed to offset rivals’ asymmetric edge and anti-access threats in specific fields to pursue dominance of future wars by breakthroughs and innovative employment of the military technology. Main fields of investment include the following technologies：reconnaissance, situation awareness, and attack and defense in cyberspace; invulnerability, on-orbit recovery and functional substitute of space
systems; minimization, stealth, automation and low energy consumption of unmanned systems; intelligent decision support （e.g. mass data）, rapid manufacture （e.g. 3D printing）; new mechanism of lethal technology （e.g. hypersonic weapons and electromagnetic railguns）. Detailed programs of weapons and equipment include：procurement of 57 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters （＄10.6 billion）, 16 P-8 anti-submarines and maritime surveillance aircraft （＄3.4 billion）, 5 E-2D （＄1.3 billion）, KC-46 （＄3 billion）, new generation of long-range bomber program （＄1.2 billion）; construction of 9 warships （including 2 destroyers, 2 nuclear attack submarines and 3 LCSs, ＄11.6 billion）, overhaul of USS George Washington （＄678 million）, R＆D of substitute for Ohio-class submarine （＄1.4 billion）, and the upgrade of LCS’ capabilities （＄55 million）; cybersecurity （＄5.5 billion）, missile defense （＄9.6 billion）, ground interceptor’s reliability in missile defense （＄1.6 billion）, modernization of USA helicopter （＄4.5 billion） and MQ-9 Reaper （＄821 million）.
The above investment fields and weapons and equipment programs are characterized as the following three aspects.
a. Upgrading Traditional Weapons with Emphasis on the Navy and Air Force
In 2015, budgets of procurement and acquisition for the USN and USAF are 2.9 and 2.5 times more than that for the USA respectively. Budgets of R＆D for the USN and USAF are 2.4 and 3.6 times more than that for the USA respectively. The USA upgrades its main battle weapons, such as tanks, APCs, guns and helicopters, enhances the ground integrated air defense system, continues the procurement of helicopters （e.g. AH-64E, CH-47F, UH-60, UH-72） and plans to develop a new type of joint air-to-surface missiles to replace Hellfire before 2018. For the USN, Perry-class frigates and EA-6B are decommissioned. And P-8As, EA-18Gs, LCSs and Virginia-class nuclear submarines are commissioned into service. E-2D is deployed aboard aircraft carrier for the first time. F-35B possesses initial operational capabilities. New generation of the first Fort-class aircraft carrier completes 96% of its assembly. New type of Tomahawk cruise missiles capable of striking moving targets in the sea are tested successfully. And Long Bow-Hellfire anti-ship missiles against swarm tactics by small vessels are also launched successfully. New type of long-range anti-ship missiles and new generation of carrier-based
fighters are researched and developed, as well as next generation of nuclear attack submarines.
The USAF upgrades aircraft in service, such as F-15, F-22, U-2, RQ-4B, emphasizing the improvement of reconnaissance and detective capabilities. New type of KC-46 completes its first flight as well as docking test of the air refueling. MQ-9 hits a moving target in the sea by firing Hellfire missiles.
b. Upgrading Nuclear Weapon System to Guarantee Accuracy and Reliability.
In 2015, the US military launched the LGM-30G Minuteman III for several times to verify its accuracy and reliability. B-2 is upgraded significantly by improving its sighting telescope, radar and processor as well as equipping with revolving and smart bomb launchers, so as to extend the bomber’s service up to 2058. B-52 is installed with new engines and communications systems, as well as equipment of active electronically scanned array （AESA） radar pod, in order to improve its capabilities of detecting and striking maritime targets. Trident II SLBM completes two testing launches after its re-entry and guided system is upgraded. B61-3, B61-4, B61-7 and B61-10 in service are to be upgraded to B61-12 in an effort to enhance safety, invisibility and controllability of the tactic nuclear missile.
c. Developing New Type Weaponry to Improve New Quality of Combat Effectiveness.
The US military has devoted significant sum of funding to developing cutting-edge weapons and equipment and has made significant advances in several aspects in 2015. In the field of missile defense system, Standard-VI missile has successfully completed its first interception test of medium-range supersonic targets, short-range ballistic and cruise missiles, which qualifies it as the first sea-based weaponry with both air defense and missile defense capabilities. In addition, the US military is boosting mass production of Standard- VI in order to equip naval ships from 5 to 35.
Standard-III BLOCK IIA completed its firing test successfully. The US military promotes R＆D of extending-range THAAD system and restarts a project of intercepting ballistic missiles in the boost phase by laser. It also plans to increase the number of Aegis warships from 33 to 39 by 2020 as well as procuring 150 interceptor missiles of THAAD. Regarding Prompt Global Strike, X-37B （Orbital Test Vehicle） starts its fourth on-orbit flight test which includes thruster test, material qualification and so on. As to the field of unmanned combat system, Global Hawk is upgraded to enhance its capacity of image processing and transmission in order to replace U-2 which is to be decommissioned in 2019. Airborne active electronically scanned array radar in MQ-4C completes its first flight test and shipborne X-47B succeeds in autonomous aerial refueling. MQ-8C unmanned helicopter completes its operational test and assessment.
|
