Act equips tomorrow’s force

  • Published
  • By Jim Garamone
  • American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON (AFPN) --  The fiscal 2005 National Defense Authorization Act provides the equipment the American military needs to fight the war on terror.

The act, signed by President George W. Bush on Oct. 28, provides both equipment the military needs today and the seed money to design and build equipment the military will need in the future, officials said.

It will also fund major weapons systems designed to protect America.

One of the biggest single expenditures in the act is for missile defense. It provides $10 billion for all forms of missile defense. This covers everything from procurement of Patriot 3 missile systems to research for the airborne laser. There is $4.4 billion provided for the midcourse defense portion -- including ground-based midcourse defense. Midcourse defense systems track and destroy incoming missiles before they enter the atmosphere. The $10 billion also includes money for system interceptors.

The act provides $4.1 billion for 24 F/A-22 Raptors and $3 billion for 14 C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft. It also funds three CV-22 special operations aircraft for the Air Force.

It earmarks $572 million for more up-armored Humvees. This means the more-survivable vehicles will roll off the assembly lines at a rate of 450 per month. The bill funds $100 million for add-on armor for Humvees and trucks. The armor gives protection to drivers and crews against anti-personnel projectiles and improvised explosive devices.