Strong funding tempo essential to maintain US 'edge' over rivals, says Austin
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin and Gen Mark Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, testified on 3 May before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense. (Photo: USN/Chief Petty Officer Carlos Vazquez)
Lloyd Austin testified before the Senate on 3 May about the FY2023 defence budget request, stressing the need to provide US forces with cutting-edge systems and platforms for the medium term, as well as the short-term value in aiding Ukraine.
The need for the US to maintain its 'edge' over peer and near-peer rivals was uppermost in the mind of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin when he testified on 3 May before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.
In underlining the need for cutting-edge systems and platforms to maintain US dominance in the air, sea and land domains, Austin described a DoD requirement of $773 billion in FY2023.
In particular, the DoD is requesting more than $56 billion for air platforms and systems, around $40 billion for naval equipment and almost $13 billion to support and improve the US land forces.
‘This budget maintains our
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