Defense Bill Offers Several Bright Spots for San Diego
The federal government put the wraps on the fiscal 2003 Pentagon budget last week as President George W. Bush signed the National Defense Authorization Act.
Among other things, the act calls for $73.7 billion to purchase military equipment and weapons, and $56.7 billion for research and development.
Separately last week, the Air Force announced news that was several orders of magnitude smaller: It had signed a $28.8 million contract with General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. of San Diego for 12 Predator unmanned drones.
A statement issued by the Pentagon on Dec. 4 said negotiations regarding the Predators were concluded this month and work will be completed by April 2004.
The primary Pentagon budget is actually packaged in two bills, one dealing with policy and one dealing with spending. Bush signed the policy bill Dec. 2 at the Pentagon. He signed the spending bill Oct. 23.
The policy bill calls for $393 billion in budget authority, but its companion spending bill calls for $355 billion.
Both bills call for a 4.1 percent military pay raise.
The president used his formal remarks at last week’s signing to speak mostly about the war on terror and the confrontation with Iraq.
Secretary of State Donald Rumsfeld, in his remarks, noted in passing that the just-signed bill accelerates funding for unmanned aerial vehicles. San Diego is home to not just the Predator program but to Northrop Grumman’s Global Hawk program. Predators are built in San Diego but Global Hawks are built in Palmdale.
During the signing, Both Bush and Rumsfeld noted the absence of Rep. Bob Stump, R-Ariz., the retiring chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. They acknowledged the presence of Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-El Cajon, the second-ranking member of the committee.
The House leadership is expected to name Hunter chairman of the House Armed Services Committee in January.
Nothing is official, said Hunter spokesman Michael Harrison. Still, the prospect looks good.
“He’s next in line,” Harrison said. “No one is going to oppose him.”
, Brad Graves