The House and Senate Armed Services Committees reached an agreement on a $585 billion Fiscal 2015 defense authorization bill, which includes $495.9 billion in the base budget, $63.7 billion for overseas contingency operations, and $17.5 billion for national security programs in the Department of Energy and the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board, according to a joint release from both committees. It authorizes a one-percent pay raise for service members, provides funding for counter-ISIS operations, “continues a bipartisan process of reforming the way DOD does business, and makes important investments while adjusting to an era of declining resources,” states the release. However, the agreement also prohibits the Air Force from retiring the MQ-1 Predator, U-2, E-3 AWACS, and from divesting the A-10 fleet. In addition, the agreement prohibits DOD from divesting or transferring any KC-10 tankers until the Defense Secretary has submitted a report to congressional defense committees assessing the cost and benefits of the proposed divestment or transfer. The legislation will now go to the full House and Senate for a vote.
The Space Force is looking for industry feedback on its plans to create a new “Mission Development Zone” at Vandenberg Space Force Base, Calif., to support launch providers with space for additional payload processing capacity, test and assembly facilities, and potentially rocket and spacecraft manufacturing infrastructure.