F-22 Raptors Capped At 187, Includes F136 Engine

In a move that may produce a showdown with the White House, House and Senate conferees have reached agreement on a $680.2 billion National Defense Authorization Bill for fiscal 2010 that includes funding for the F136 alternate engine. President Obana has threatened to veto the bill if that program is not scrapped.

The bill authorizes a 3.4 percent military pay increase and full funding for the Defense Health Program, and it caps F-22 Raptor production at 187 aircraft. For civilian workers, it ends the National Security Personnel System. It includes a base budget of $550.2 billion and $130 billion for overseas contingency operations.

Congress released the conference report October 7th. The full Senate and House must pass the conference report before the bill goes to President Barack Obama for his signature.

The bill includes $560 million to continue development and initial procurement of the alternate F136 engine for the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates recommended that the funding be struck, arguing development of the F135 engine - the main engine for the F-35 - is proceeding well and that any money spent of the F136 would be wasteful. House and Senate conferees still included the engine in the fiscal 2010 budget authorization. White House officials said it is up to the president whether to veto the legislation over the inclusion.

The bill authorizes payment of hostile fire pay, imminent danger pay, hazardous duty pay, assignment pay and skill incentive pay to be prorated to reflect actual qualifying service performed during the month.

The authorization bill is one of two bills needed for the Defense Department to spend money - the other being the appropriations bill, which is still in a Senate-House committee to resolve differences between the two chambers' versions.

The authorization bill includes end strengths of 562,000 for the Army,; 202,100 for the Marine Corps, 331,700 for the Air Force, and 328,000 for the Navy. The legislation authorizes an increase in active-duty Army end-strength of 30,000 in fiscal 2011 and 2012.

The conference report repeals the authority for the National Security Personnel System and requires that affected employees transition to previously existing personnel systems. The authorization will provide new personnel flexibilities that include hiring, firing, assigning personnel and appraisals. The authorization also allows the secretary to propose other personnel flexibilities.

FMI: www.house.gov, www.senate.gov