US service chiefs fear effects of funding impasse
The USN Columbia-class SSBN programme could be affected by continuing budget delays. (Photo: USN)
The US armed forces have been funded under a Continuing Resolution that will expire on 18 February —and service chiefs fear that a failure to approve a spending plan for the current fiscal year will adversely affect their ability to progress with modernisation efforts.
After operating under a Continuing Resolution (CR) for more than three months, US service chiefs are unanimously concerned that major procurement and development programmes will suffer unless Congress approves a new spending plan for the current fiscal year.
Temporary funding prevents the DoD from starting new projects and programmes, so the current situation hinders progress on much-needed modernisation and innovation efforts as the US strives to confront Great Power Competition from China and Russia.
The DoD has operated under a CR since FY2022 began on 1 October 2021. The current CR was passed by Congress in December 2021 and will expire on 18 February.
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