Tag Archives: Fiscal Year 2017

Top Stories 2017: New Administration

Top Stories 2017: New Administration

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Secretary of the Navy Richard V. Spencer, right, talks with U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, left, at Lincoln Financial Field prior to the Army-Navy football game on Dec. 9, 2017. US Navy photo.

USNI News polled its writers, naval analysts and service members on what they consider the most important military and maritime stories in 2017.

The following is part of a series. Please also see Top Stories 2017: Navy Acquisition, International Acquisition, Navy Operations, Marine Corps Operations, Marine Corps and Coast Guard Acquisition and International Operations. 

2017 saw a changeover in Navy and Defense Department leadership after the 2016 elections. Both departments had to contend with awaiting the nomination and confirmation of new leaders, beginning to implement new priorities, and trying to do so in the midst of continuing resolutions coming out of Congress that have made it more challenging to begin to shift spending patterns. Read More →

Training, Spares Already Hurt by Continuing Resolution; Longer CR Would Block Slew of Ship Buys in January

Training, Spares Already Hurt by Continuing Resolution; Longer CR Would Block Slew of Ship Buys in January

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The guided missile destroyer USS Wayne E. Meyer (DDG-108) leads the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2), Whidbey Island-class dock landing ship USS Rushmore (LSD-47) and San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock USS Anchorage (LPD-23) in formation during a simulated strait transit as part of Dawn Blitz 2017. US Navy Photo

Lawmakers bought themselves two more weeks to pass a defense spending bill, after extending the continuing resolution that has funded the government since the start of the fiscal year, but the Navy is already seeing decreased readiness as a result of operating under a CR and would face severe procurement challenges if a defense budget isn’t passed by the end of the month. Read More →

Navy Using 'Legally Creative' Contract Structure to Keep Ship Availabilities On Track Despite Continuing Resolutions

Navy Using ‘Legally Creative’ Contract Structure to Keep Ship Availabilities On Track Despite Continuing Resolutions

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USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) transits the Elizabeth river from its homeport at Naval Station Norfolk to Norfolk Naval Shipyard in 2016. US Navy Photo

The Navy has gotten creative in dealing with budget uncertainties and continuing resolutions, developing a new ship maintenance contract structure to keep 11 ship availabilities on track at the beginning of Fiscal Year 2018 that would otherwise face major delays due to the impending CR, the head of surface ship maintenance told USNI News. Read More →

Omnibus Spending Bill Gives Navy $21B for Shipbuilding, $16B for Aircraft; Additional Aviation Maintenance Spending

Omnibus Spending Bill Gives Navy $21B for Shipbuilding, $16B for Aircraft; Additional Aviation Maintenance Spending

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USS Arlington (LPD-24) under construction at Ingalls Shipbuilding. Huntington Ingalls Industries Photo

House and Senate appropriators reached an agreement to fund the government for the rest of the fiscal year that includes a $593-billion defense spending package to allow the Navy and Marine Corps to continue with planned ship and aircraft procurement and readiness increases. Read More →

2017 Supplemental Funding Request Invests In Aircraft Procurement; May Be Too Late For Some Maintenance Needs

2017 Supplemental Funding Request Invests In Aircraft Procurement; May Be Too Late For Some Maintenance Needs

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The “Pukin’ Dogs” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 143 perform a flyover in formation during a homecoming celebration at Naval Air Station (NAS) Oceana on July 12, 2016. US Navy photo.

THE PENTAGON – The White House released its Fiscal Year 2017 supplemental funding request today, which had been touted as being focused on gaining near-term readiness but may come too late to fully support operations and maintenance additions in this current year. Read More →

VCNO Moran: Navy is Less Ready Because ‘We’re Too Small’

VCNO Moran: Navy is Less Ready Because ‘We’re Too Small’

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160917-N-TH560-249 PHILPIPINE SEA (Sept. 17, 2016) The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG 54) patrols the Philippine Sea in support of Valiant Shield 2016 (VS16). VS16 is a biennial, U.S.-only, field training exercise (FTX) with a focus on integration of joint training among U.S. forces. This training enables real-world proficiency in sustaining joint forces through detecting, locating, tracking and engaging units at sea, in the air, on land, and in cyberspace in response to a range of mission areas. Bonhomme Richard, flagship of the Bonhomme Richard Expeditionary Strike Group, is operating in the Philippine Sea in support of security and stability in the Indo-Asia Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jeanette Mullinax/Released)

USS Curtis Wilbur (DDG-54) patrols the Philippine Sea in support of Valiant Shield 2016 (VS16). US Navy Photo

A historically small fleet and a relentless operational tempo are proving the Navy is too small to meet more than its bare minimum requirement around the world, Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Bill Moran told a Senate panel on Wednesday. Read More →

VCNO Moran: Navy Will Be 'Just Flat Out Out Of Money' Without Supplemental Funding; Would Cancel Flight Hours, Ship Avails

VCNO Moran: Navy Will Be ‘Just Flat Out Out Of Money’ Without Supplemental Funding; Would Cancel Flight Hours, Ship Avails

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Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. William Moran delivers remarks at the 2016 Future Strategy Forum at the Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C., US Navy Photo

Vice Chief of Naval Operations Adm. William Moran delivers remarks at the 2016 Future Strategy Forum at the Navy Memorial in Washington, D.C., US Navy Photo

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story misstated the re-work required on the recent USS George H.W. Bush (CVN-77) maintenance availability, due to source error. The ship required seven percent rework and saw a 42 percent growth in work.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Without a readiness-focused supplemental spending bill passed by lawmakers this spring, the Navy and Marine Corps would stop flying at home and ship and submarine maintenance availabilities would be canceled, the vice chief of naval operations and assistant commandant of the Marine Corps said at a hearing today. Read More →

Mattis Budget Guidance Prioritizes Readiness, Previews 2018 Defense Strategy

Mattis Budget Guidance Prioritizes Readiness, Previews 2018 Defense Strategy

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Secretary of Defense James Mattis speaks with reporters on Feb. 1, 2017 in route to South Korea. DoD Photo

Secretary of Defense James Mattis speaks with reporters on Feb. 1, 2017 in route to South Korea. DoD Photo

This post has been updated to include comments from Todd Harrison and Bryan Clark.

Defense Secretary James Mattis released an initial budget guidance memo that prioritizes current readiness, filling in shortfalls and then building a larger and more capable force. Read More →

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