WEBVTT

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No it's not good .

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Okay good . You got the right button

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and if it gets bad . Hello . What the

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hell we'll get rid of these mix if you

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have to . Let's see here . I want to

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call us appropriations hearing together .

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Hello . Mhm

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very often your presence here today

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and we appreciate your willingness to

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meet with us . This hearing is intended

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to focus on the president's budget

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request for fiscal year 2023 . We would

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be remiss if we didn't take this

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opportunity to receive an update on the

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situation . Especially given your

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recent trip two two PM .

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last week administration submitted a

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$33 billion dollar appropriation

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request was additional system That

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includes $16.4 billion dollars for the

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Department of Defense . Right With

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respect to the fiscal year 2023

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requests . I am first and foremost

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interested in hearing about this budget

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build previously to ensure to

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ensure America's continuing military

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advantage . Atlanta fear competition

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from china . Let me be clear trying to

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continue to be the case regret . We're

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watching it closely waiting to see if

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we market you down at the same time ,

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whether it's a chinese nuclear force ,

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expansion , developing space

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capabilities , capabilities or cyber

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activities . We're working hard to

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catch up . So I'm encouraged by the

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departments can continue commitment to

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modernization development . The budget

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request before us includes a record

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high amount for research and

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development , $130 billion $10 million

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dollar increase over land . However ,

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your request for is essentially flat

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compared to last . So we have to wonder

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when the investment modernization going

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to show up . I just feel the capability

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for our troops on the flip side of the

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equation . This budget also proposes to

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retire platforms that are being no

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longer necessary to the future fights .

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Some of these proposals are

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controversial so we hope you can

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provide the strategic and operational

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context . The reason of course we

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acknowledge that the world is

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drastically different from just a year

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ago impact of the pandemic and global

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supply change for this in both the best

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and commercial industrial bases or

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widely felt further , Russia's invasion

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of Ukraine has impacted global supply

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chains and markets across the board ,

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driving up fuel prices and creating

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uncertain markets . So the

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affordability of the budget as proposed

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in other words , are you going to be

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able to afford what you think you can

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as well as the ability of the industry

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to deliver , deliver for our troops in

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a timely manner are very real questions

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that this committee is going to wrestle

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with . We cannot afford to waste time

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or money to ensure that we're getting

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our troops what they need to do their

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jobs at the right time and at the right

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cost Once again , I want to thank the

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witnesses and the testimony they're

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about to give . I look forward to

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hearing from you both as you can see

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Senator Shelby is ill today , so he is

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not going to be here . So we'll just go

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right straight to you sector .

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Secretary Austin , Good morning

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chairman tester and the distinguished

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members of the committee . Thank you

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for the chance to testify today in

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support of the president's budget

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request for fiscal year 2023 .

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Mr . Chairman . We're still focused on

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three key priorities at the Department

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of Defense , defending our nation ,

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taking care of our people and

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succeeding through teamwork in our

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budget request helps us meet each one

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of those priorities . Our budget seeks

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more than $56 billion dollars for air

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power platforms and systems And more

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than $40 billion dollars to maintain

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our dominance at sea Including buying

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nine more battle force ships And almost

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$13 billion dollars to support and

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modernize our combat credible forces on

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land . Our budget also funds the

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modernization of all three legs of the

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nuclear triad to ensure that we

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maintain a safe , secure and effective

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strategic deterrent . Of course none of

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these capabilities matter much without

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our people and their families . So

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we're seeking your support for a 4.6%

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pay raise for a military and civilian

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personnel and other special pay and

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benefits . We also plan to invest in

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outstanding and affordable child care

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in the construction of on base child

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development centers and in ensuring

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that all our families can always put

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good and healthy food on the table .

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We're also deeply focused on the

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terrible problem of suicide in the U .

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S . Military . So we're increasing

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access to mental health care ,

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expanding telehealth capacities and

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finding the tired old stigmas against

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seeking help with your support . I have

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just ordered the establishment of an

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independent review committee to help us

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grapple with suicide to better

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understand it , to prevent it and to

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treat the unseen wounds that lead to it .

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At the same time , we're working hard

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to implement the recommendations of the

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Independent Review Commission on Sexual

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Assault . We know that we have a long

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way to go to rid ourselves of this

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scourge . Our budget seeks nearly $480

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million dollars to do just that . This

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is a leadership issue . And you have my

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personal commitment to keep leading .

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You're also seeing how much our

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leadership matters when it comes to

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Ukraine . And just last week , I

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convened the first meeting of what is

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now the contact group on Ukrainian

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security , a group of defense leaders

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from around the world committed to

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supporting Ukraine after Russia's

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unprovoked and unjust invasion . Now

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that gathering sent a powerful signal

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that nations of goodwill are

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intensifying their efforts to help

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Ukraine better defend itself . And with

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the help of Congress , the United

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States has been able to deliver

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security assistance to Ukraine with

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unprecedented speed and resolve . And

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that has made a huge difference on the

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ground . President Zelensky made that

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clear when I met him in Kiev along with

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Secretary of State Blinken just over a

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week ago , even before Putin started

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his war of choice , we provided Ukraine

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with a billion dollars worth of weapons

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and gear through presidential drawdown

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authority And since Russia's invasion ,

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the United States has committed some

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$3.7 billion dollars to Ukraine . But

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the war is changing in the coming weeks

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will be crucial . Our goal is to help

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get the Ukrainians the capability that

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they need most right now in the Donbas

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and in the south . Now , as you know ,

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the president has nearly exhausted the

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drawdown authority that Congress

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approved in March . So last week he

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submitted to you a $33 billion dollars

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supplemental request which will help us

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continue to meet Ukraine's urgent

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requirements without interruption .

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Specifically , we're requesting , as

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you pointed out , chairman , $16

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billion $5 billion

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dollars of additional drawdown

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authority . $6 billion more for the

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Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative

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in another $5 billion dollars for

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critical investments to and to help

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cover the operational need operational

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cost of bolstering NATO's eastern flank .

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I want to thank you for your strong

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leadership toward our shared goal of

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helping Ukraine defend itself and

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supporting NATO . I hope the Congress

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will quickly approve this supplemental .

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Well , let me briefly mention a couple

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of other major efforts that the

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departments focused on , as you know ,

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the department's pacing challenge

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remains countering aggression and

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bullying from china . So this budget

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invests some $6 billion Pacific

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Deterrence Initiative and in keeping

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with our new national defense strategy ,

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we're going to going to enhance our

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force posture , our infrastructure ,

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our presence and our readiness in the

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indo pacific including the missile

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defense of Guam . At the same time we

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must be prepared for threats that pay

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no heed to borders from pandemics to

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climate change and we must tackle the

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persistent threats posed by north Korea

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Iran and global terrorist groups . So

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I'm proud that our budget seeks more

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than $130 billion dollars for research ,

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development , testing and evaluation .

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The largest R . And D request this

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department has ever made . This

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includes $1 billion dollars for

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artificial intelligence , $250 million

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five G . Nearly $28 billion

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$11 billion dollars to

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protect our networks and develop a

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cyber mission force . Mr Chairman .

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This budget maintains our edge but it

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does not take that edge for granted and

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through the president's budget and with

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the help of this committee we will

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continue to defend this nation , take

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care of our people and support our

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allies and partners . Thank you and I

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look forward to your questions ,

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appreciate your testimony . Mr

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Secretary General Milley you have the

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floor chairman . Test members of the

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committee . Thank you and uh and I also

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want to publicly thank Senator Shelby

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although he's not here today for his

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lifelong service in America's interests .

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I am privileged to represent the

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soldiers , sailors , airmen , marines

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and guardians of the United States

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Joint force and our troops as you all

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know and with your help are the best

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led , best equipped , best trained ,

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most lethal and most capable military

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force in the world alongside our allies

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and partners at any given time .

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Approximately 400,000 of us are

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currently standing watch in 155

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countries and conducting operations

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every day that keep americans safe .

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Currently we are supporting , as you

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noted in your opening comment , Senator

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tester our european allies and guarding

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NATO's eastern flank in the face of an

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unnecessary war of aggression by Russia

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against the people of Ukraine and the

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assault on the democratic institutions

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and rules based international order

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That have prevented Great Power War for

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the last 78 years since the end of

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World War II , We are now facing two

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global powers china and Russia , each

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with significant military capabilities ,

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both who intend to fundamentally change

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the current rules based order . We are

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entering a world that is becoming more

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unstable and the potential for

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significant international conflict

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between great powers is increasing .

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Not decreasing . The United States

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military comprises one of the four key

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components of national power ,

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diplomatic , economic , informational

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and of course military in order to

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protect the homeland and sustain a

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stable and open international system .

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In coordination with the other elements

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of power , we constantly develop a wide

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range of military options for the

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president as commander in chief and for

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this Congress to consider as the U . S .

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Military . We are prepared to deter and

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if necessary , fight and win against

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anyone who seeks to attack the United

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States , our allies or a significant or

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vital national security interests . The

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joint force appreciates the work that

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our elected representatives do to

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ensure that we have the resources

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needed to train equip and manage the

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force in order to be ready . We thank

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the Congress for increasing last year's

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fiscal level of military spending and

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we look forward to your support for

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this year's budget . The joint force

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will deliver modernization and

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readiness to our armed forces and

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security to the people of the United

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States . At the FY 23 budget Request of

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$773 billion . This budget will enable

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the decisions modernization and

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transformation of the joint force In

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order to set and meet the conditions of

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operating environment that we expect to

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encounter in 2030 and beyond the so

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called changing character of war that

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we have discussed many times in the

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past . We will work diligently to

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ensure the resources the american

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people and trust to us are spent

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prudently in the best interests of the

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nation in alignment with the national

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defense strategy and the forthcoming

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national military strategy . This

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budget delivers already agile and

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capable joint force that will defend

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the nation while taking care of our

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people and working with our partners

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and allies . We are witnessing right

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now as we sit here , The greatest

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threat to peace and security of Europe

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and perhaps the world in my 42 years in

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uniform , the Russian invasion of

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Ukraine is threatening to undermine not

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only european peace and stability , but

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global peace and stability that my

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parents and generations of americans

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fought so hard to defend the islands of

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the pacific and the beaches of Normandy

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bore witness to the incredible tragedy

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that befalls humanity when nations seek

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power through military aggression

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across sovereign borders . Despite this

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horrific assault on the institutions of

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freedom , it is heartening to see the

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world rally and say , never again , the

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specter of war in europe , your

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military stands ready to do whatever is

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directed in order to maintain peace and

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stability in the european continent , a

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piece that ensures global stability in

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an international order where all

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nations can prosper in peace . We are

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also prepared and need to sustain our

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capabilities anywhere else in the globe

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as well as with our priority effort

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being in the Asia pacific against the

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pacing challenge of the people's

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republic of china and in defense of our

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nation , we must maintain competitive

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overmatch in all the domains of war .

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Space , cyber , land , sea and air .

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Second place has no room in the geo

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strategic competition between us and

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our adversaries . The United States is

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at a very critical and historic

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geostrategic inflection point . We need

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to pursue a clear eyed strategy of

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maintaining the peace to the

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unambiguous capability of strength

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relative to china and Russia . This

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required that this requires that we

14:24.260 --> 14:26.920
simultaneously maintain readiness and

14:26.920 --> 14:29.200
modernize for the future . It's not one

14:29.200 --> 14:31.640
or the other . If we do not do that ,

14:31.790 --> 14:33.790
then we are risking the security of

14:33.790 --> 14:36.012
future generations . And I believe this

14:36.012 --> 14:38.012
budget is a major step in the right

14:38.012 --> 14:39.901
direction to secure in the United

14:39.901 --> 14:41.901
States . And I look forward to your

14:41.901 --> 14:43.901
questions . I want to thank you for

14:43.901 --> 14:46.068
your statement . General Milia , thank

14:46.068 --> 14:48.234
you both for being here again . Before

14:48.234 --> 14:50.346
we get to questions , I want to allow

14:50.346 --> 14:52.512
the Chairman appropriations to make an

14:52.512 --> 14:54.346
opening statement . Thank you Mr

14:54.346 --> 14:58.090
Chairman . I To use my my duties to

14:58.090 --> 15:00.730
open the Senate at 10:00 . So I'm not

15:00.730 --> 15:03.390
here . I'm glad to see both Secretary

15:03.390 --> 15:05.700
Austin and General Milley , both of

15:05.700 --> 15:08.330
whom are friends . I'm glad to see him

15:08.330 --> 15:12.100
here , I would note and I don't need to

15:12.100 --> 15:14.910
tell you this , the world is a lot

15:14.910 --> 15:16.966
different today than it was when the

15:16.966 --> 15:19.021
full committee heard from the two of

15:19.021 --> 15:21.170
you last year and Russia's unprovoked

15:21.170 --> 15:23.392
and unwarranted aggression in Ukraine ,

15:23.392 --> 15:26.500
which may become even worse on May .

15:26.500 --> 15:29.020
The china's domination of global

15:29.020 --> 15:32.010
marketplace , continued instability in

15:32.010 --> 15:34.860
the Middle East , enduring pandemic .

15:36.180 --> 15:38.236
The Department of Defense as well as

15:38.236 --> 15:40.458
the State Department . All our agencies

15:40.458 --> 15:42.624
have to confront these issues and more

15:42.940 --> 15:46.760
and I think the President's budget is a

15:47.700 --> 15:49.922
look not just at the current issues but

15:49.922 --> 15:53.340
to anticipate what we have to look at

15:53.350 --> 15:55.680
first . But this budget is also the

15:55.690 --> 15:57.912
first since the United States ended its

15:57.912 --> 16:00.930
involvement in Afghanistan last year as

16:00.930 --> 16:02.610
well as the first as Russia's

16:02.610 --> 16:05.050
unprovoked and senseless , all out

16:05.640 --> 16:09.020
assault on Ukraine . It reflects some

16:09.020 --> 16:10.970
of these changes with emphasis on

16:10.970 --> 16:13.192
building on programs . The committee is

16:13.192 --> 16:16.590
funded for revitalizing NATO , both our

16:16.590 --> 16:18.940
partners capabilities , our ability to

16:18.940 --> 16:22.450
stand side by side with them . In fact ,

16:22.840 --> 16:24.729
I hope you don't mind a parochial

16:24.729 --> 16:27.950
comment or Vermont Air National Guard

16:27.950 --> 16:30.360
is on deployment in europe as part of

16:30.360 --> 16:33.430
that right now , I am particularly

16:34.340 --> 16:36.480
appreciate your comments mr Secretary

16:36.480 --> 16:38.202
about what you call integrated

16:38.202 --> 16:41.540
deterrence . Um I have long believed

16:41.540 --> 16:44.090
the military does not act in isolation

16:44.090 --> 16:46.940
for the rest of the government . And as

16:46.940 --> 16:50.350
the chairman and vice chairman , this

16:50.350 --> 16:52.517
committee have asked your predecessors

16:52.517 --> 16:56.150
back to Secretary Mattis to explain the

16:56.150 --> 16:58.317
importance of a budget that invests in

16:58.317 --> 17:00.539
our nation's military , but also in our

17:00.539 --> 17:02.761
nation's people . I don't think you can

17:02.761 --> 17:06.160
separate there too . So the men and

17:06.160 --> 17:08.382
women of our armed services reflect the

17:08.382 --> 17:11.290
United States programs . Congress

17:11.290 --> 17:12.920
supports across each of the

17:12.920 --> 17:15.710
appropriations built , yield the

17:15.710 --> 17:19.230
economy , workforce , a citizenry and

17:19.230 --> 17:21.840
the educational system and more that

17:21.840 --> 17:23.784
makes our nation stronger and more

17:23.784 --> 17:26.007
successful . So Mr Chairman , Thank you

17:26.007 --> 17:28.160
very much for giving me this time .

17:28.640 --> 17:32.490
Chairman . Chairman leahy . Um First of

17:32.490 --> 17:34.712
all , we we wish you luck and getting a

17:34.712 --> 17:36.657
top line number and hopefully both

17:36.657 --> 17:38.768
sides can put pressure on both Shelby

17:38.768 --> 17:40.990
and you to get to that number soon . So

17:40.990 --> 17:43.101
we can get a budget out by the end of

17:43.101 --> 17:45.101
september But I will , let's say we

17:45.101 --> 17:47.212
want very , very much . I will not be

17:47.212 --> 17:49.434
here and next year . But I look at some

17:49.434 --> 17:51.700
will and we're trying to get a clean

17:51.700 --> 17:55.320
slate for the committee beginning at

17:55.320 --> 17:57.800
noon on january 3rd . I think we're all

17:57.800 --> 18:00.022
on board with that . Especially Senator

18:00.022 --> 18:02.189
Collins . You may go proceed with your

18:02.189 --> 18:04.520
questions if you might . Secretary Mr

18:04.520 --> 18:08.180
Chairman , yep . Okay , well thank

18:08.180 --> 18:11.850
you . Um Secretary

18:11.850 --> 18:14.600
Austin , I've spoken to you privately

18:14.600 --> 18:18.300
about this but you know how much I have

18:18.300 --> 18:20.960
appreciated seeing you and Secretary of

18:20.960 --> 18:23.640
State Blinken working hand in hand not

18:23.640 --> 18:27.170
only here in the US but in your your

18:27.170 --> 18:30.060
trips abroad including the very

18:31.140 --> 18:34.760
Important 1 to Ukraine . I think

18:34.760 --> 18:37.620
the your partnership has been a driving

18:37.630 --> 18:41.460
force . I ah a

18:41.460 --> 18:43.760
few years ago I would want , I wondered

18:43.930 --> 18:47.190
if the United States could get our NATO

18:47.190 --> 18:49.580
allies and our other partners to join

18:50.240 --> 18:54.160
on the same page . Uh two of you ,

18:54.170 --> 18:56.170
president biden , you've all worked

18:56.170 --> 18:58.720
very , very hard , very very hard to do

18:58.720 --> 19:01.550
that and I I think

19:02.740 --> 19:05.760
I think that is so important . Um

19:07.540 --> 19:09.596
Secretary Austin , do you agree that

19:09.596 --> 19:11.762
the investments we make in non defense

19:11.762 --> 19:13.860
discretionary spending to ensure the

19:14.440 --> 19:16.551
fitness , health and education of the

19:16.551 --> 19:19.200
future force are also essential to our

19:19.200 --> 19:20.960
national security .

19:23.040 --> 19:26.690
I do . Chairman . Well ,

19:26.690 --> 19:30.030
we're we're on the cusp of

19:30.040 --> 19:32.500
negotiating a final comprehensive

19:32.500 --> 19:36.210
builders is going to ignite our

19:36.220 --> 19:38.164
efforts to be able to compete with

19:38.164 --> 19:41.160
china investments made by that

19:41.160 --> 19:43.350
legislation would empower the

19:43.940 --> 19:45.940
Department of Commerce to provide a

19:45.940 --> 19:48.950
joke to the micro electronics industry

19:48.950 --> 19:52.050
in our country . Bring it to ensure the

19:52.050 --> 19:53.883
development of critical national

19:53.883 --> 19:55.828
security technologies . We've seen

19:56.040 --> 19:57.651
Press in the last two days ,

19:59.540 --> 20:02.050
things have slowed down considerably in

20:02.050 --> 20:05.330
our country on just solar energy for

20:05.330 --> 20:08.910
one because reliance on

20:08.920 --> 20:11.750
china and those countries they they

20:11.750 --> 20:14.160
control . Ah

20:15.640 --> 20:18.150
how important are the resources ? Non

20:18.150 --> 20:21.940
defense research . Obviously we all

20:21.940 --> 20:23.884
agree on the importance of defense

20:23.884 --> 20:26.051
research . But in non defense research

20:26.051 --> 20:28.960
and development ensure our nation's

20:28.960 --> 20:32.840
national security , cyber security and

20:32.840 --> 20:36.420
economic independence from foreign

20:36.420 --> 20:40.380
manufacturing . Well ,

20:40.380 --> 20:43.700
I think it's critical uh Chairman . And

20:43.710 --> 20:46.180
let me before I answer in full , let me

20:46.180 --> 20:48.770
just again , thank you for your many

20:48.770 --> 20:50.900
years of service to our nation on

20:50.900 --> 20:53.011
behalf of the Department of Defense .

20:53.011 --> 20:54.733
We are truly grateful for your

20:54.733 --> 20:57.011
leadership and your support of defense .

20:58.740 --> 21:00.740
So I believe your question was how

21:00.740 --> 21:04.060
important it is the investment in non

21:04.060 --> 21:08.050
defense related research to us .

21:08.050 --> 21:10.217
I would say it's very important as you

21:10.217 --> 21:12.400
know , over the years , we have

21:12.400 --> 21:16.120
benefited from a number of developments

21:16.120 --> 21:18.390
that have taken place in the , in the

21:18.400 --> 21:20.830
civil sector , in the civil sector .

21:21.070 --> 21:24.430
And and again , it's putting together a

21:24.430 --> 21:27.860
number of capabilities and and

21:29.040 --> 21:31.760
and and building capacity and in ways

21:31.770 --> 21:34.600
that that haven't been done hasn't been

21:34.600 --> 21:36.822
done before . That creates a tremendous

21:36.822 --> 21:38.878
opportunity for us . So I think it's

21:38.878 --> 21:40.933
very , very important to answer your

21:40.933 --> 21:42.933
question . Chairman , thank you and

21:42.933 --> 21:44.711
thank you for the kind personal

21:44.711 --> 21:47.030
comments too . General Milley I looked

21:47.030 --> 21:49.300
at your written remarks , You discussed

21:49.300 --> 21:51.244
the importance of working with our

21:51.244 --> 21:54.670
allies and our partners today

21:55.840 --> 21:57.840
and I use this because the example

21:57.840 --> 21:59.840
could be from many states , but the

21:59.840 --> 22:01.840
Vermont Air National Guard is doing

22:01.840 --> 22:04.990
that in europe on deployment . I'm a

22:04.990 --> 22:06.950
longtime supporter of the National

22:07.740 --> 22:10.870
Guards State Partnership program . Our

22:10.870 --> 22:13.030
state recently had Austria to his

22:13.030 --> 22:15.650
existing partnerships with Nigeria and

22:15.650 --> 22:19.610
North Macedonia in light of

22:19.620 --> 22:22.660
Russia's aggression in Ukraine . The

22:22.660 --> 22:24.930
success we've had in cementing our NATO

22:24.930 --> 22:28.370
partnership . Can you speak to

22:28.370 --> 22:30.800
the relationships between State

22:30.800 --> 22:33.850
National Guards ? Not just Vermont

22:33.850 --> 22:37.220
obviously , but National Guards and our

22:37.230 --> 22:41.060
international partners . Thanks

22:41.060 --> 22:44.230
Senator . And I too want to echo the

22:44.230 --> 22:46.397
Secretary's comments and thank you for

22:46.397 --> 22:48.508
your half century of public service ,

22:48.508 --> 22:50.674
uh deeply appreciated and and uh and I

22:50.674 --> 22:52.730
know all of us in uniform appreciate

22:52.730 --> 22:54.730
your leadership with respect to the

22:54.730 --> 22:56.897
State Partnership program . You know ,

22:56.897 --> 22:58.841
to go from big to small allies And

22:58.841 --> 23:00.897
partners are an asymmetric advantage

23:00.897 --> 23:03.008
for the United States . Neither china

23:03.008 --> 23:05.119
nor Russia have anything close to the

23:05.119 --> 23:07.119
Allies and partner network that the

23:07.119 --> 23:09.286
United States has . Just as an example

23:09.286 --> 23:09.260
of that last week , I was with the

23:09.270 --> 23:11.920
Secretary of Defense Austin in Ramstein

23:12.170 --> 23:15.400
and he called a meeting Uh in in six

23:15.400 --> 23:17.990
days , 42 countries , ministers of

23:17.990 --> 23:20.340
defense and my counterparts , chiefs of

23:20.340 --> 23:22.550
defense all showed up in ramstein to

23:22.550 --> 23:25.230
coordinate and synchronize support to

23:25.230 --> 23:27.397
the ongoing struggle in Ukraine Russia

23:27.397 --> 23:29.508
has nothing comparable to that . They

23:29.508 --> 23:31.563
have belarus , maybe a couple others

23:31.563 --> 23:31.390
that's about it . China certainly

23:31.390 --> 23:33.446
doesn't have the network around . So

23:33.446 --> 23:35.390
allies and partners are critical .

23:35.390 --> 23:35.260
There are a critical component of the

23:35.260 --> 23:37.316
National Defense , the United States

23:37.316 --> 23:39.038
and it's one of our asymmetric

23:39.038 --> 23:41.093
advantage is the National Guard from

23:41.093 --> 23:43.149
all the different states play a very

23:43.149 --> 23:42.770
important role in that . Each one of

23:42.770 --> 23:44.820
our units has state partnership

23:44.820 --> 23:47.042
programs . Uh We'll take Ukraine for an

23:47.042 --> 23:49.270
example uh in Ukraine California's

23:49.270 --> 23:51.381
aligned with them along with others .

23:51.381 --> 23:53.214
Uh Those have been invaluable to

23:53.214 --> 23:55.381
maintain the connective tissue between

23:55.381 --> 23:57.381
our military . So it's an important

23:57.381 --> 23:59.603
program at the micro tactical level but

23:59.603 --> 24:01.937
it also has very great strategic effect .

24:01.937 --> 24:01.850
Thank you . Thank you . Mr Chairman

24:02.410 --> 24:05.070
Senator Collins , thank you . Mr

24:05.070 --> 24:07.620
Chairman , thank you both for your

24:07.620 --> 24:10.650
service and thank you . Secretary

24:10.650 --> 24:13.550
Austin for going to Ukraine . I think

24:13.550 --> 24:16.970
that was extremely important . Mr

24:16.970 --> 24:20.470
Secretary for the second year in a row ,

24:20.480 --> 24:23.010
the administration has submitted a

24:23.010 --> 24:26.420
budget request that would result in a

24:26.420 --> 24:30.060
real reduction in defense spending when

24:30.060 --> 24:33.100
you take inflation into account . The

24:33.100 --> 24:36.540
2018 bipartisan National Defense

24:36.540 --> 24:39.750
Strategy Commission recommended an

24:39.760 --> 24:42.960
increase in the annual defense budget

24:42.970 --> 24:46.800
at a rate of 3 to 5% above

24:46.810 --> 24:50.530
inflation which we know is that 40 year

24:50.540 --> 24:54.140
highs today , given the aggressive rate

24:54.140 --> 24:56.270
of which china is modernizing its

24:56.270 --> 24:59.040
military and the fact that everywhere

24:59.040 --> 25:01.770
we look , we see in new threats ,

25:01.770 --> 25:04.540
including the largest land war in

25:04.540 --> 25:07.320
europe since World War two , I'm very

25:07.320 --> 25:10.510
concerned that this budget would result

25:10.520 --> 25:14.170
in real cuts in defense spending at

25:14.170 --> 25:17.580
exactly the wrong time . If you look at

25:17.590 --> 25:20.860
the services and the combatant commands ,

25:20.870 --> 25:23.670
unfunded priorities lists that they

25:23.670 --> 25:25.910
have submitted , they amount to more

25:25.910 --> 25:29.630
than $21 billion . What are

25:29.630 --> 25:32.340
the areas in the budget where the

25:32.340 --> 25:36.060
department is accepting the most

25:36.060 --> 25:39.680
risk ? Well , thanks

25:39.680 --> 25:42.870
Sen . Um we built this budget first of

25:42.870 --> 25:46.070
all , $773 billion dollars is a very

25:46.070 --> 25:48.170
substantial budget . We built the

25:48.170 --> 25:51.140
budget as you know , based on our

25:51.140 --> 25:54.310
strategy which we just released at

25:54.320 --> 25:56.670
about the same time that we released

25:56.670 --> 25:58.820
the budget , we believe that it gives

25:58.820 --> 26:00.840
us the ability to go after those

26:00.850 --> 26:03.330
capabilities that support our

26:03.340 --> 26:05.570
warfighting concepts . And in that

26:05.570 --> 26:09.430
strategy , senator china is listed

26:09.440 --> 26:12.890
as our pacing challenge and Russia is

26:12.900 --> 26:16.180
is cited as an acute threat . Uh And

26:16.190 --> 26:18.300
again , we believe that we're going

26:18.300 --> 26:20.310
after the right things to to ensure

26:20.310 --> 26:22.310
that we maintain a competitive edge

26:22.310 --> 26:24.480
going forward . Uh When we built the

26:24.480 --> 26:27.000
budget um obviously you have to snap

26:27.000 --> 26:28.944
the chalk line at some point while

26:28.944 --> 26:31.111
you're building the budget . Uh And at

26:31.111 --> 26:33.278
that point , you know , we factored in

26:33.278 --> 26:35.500
what what was the appropriate inflation

26:35.500 --> 26:39.490
rate ? Of course , again , if if

26:39.490 --> 26:43.400
we're unable to by the things that

26:43.410 --> 26:45.521
we think are essential will will come

26:45.521 --> 26:47.688
back to the President and ask for more

26:47.688 --> 26:49.743
assistance . But but we believe that

26:49.743 --> 26:51.966
there is significant capability in this

26:51.966 --> 26:53.966
budget general . Milley speaking of

26:53.966 --> 26:56.400
china in your written testimony , you

26:56.400 --> 26:59.910
noted that china intends to develop The

26:59.910 --> 27:03.240
military capabilities to seize Taiwan

27:03.250 --> 27:07.000
by the year 2027 . During that

27:07.000 --> 27:09.780
critical window , the Navy's fleet

27:09.800 --> 27:13.510
would actually continue to shrink to

27:13.510 --> 27:16.100
280 ships by

27:16.100 --> 27:19.920
2027 under the administration's budget

27:19.920 --> 27:23.300
request that compares to a Chinese

27:23.300 --> 27:26.310
fleet that the pentagon assesses would

27:26.310 --> 27:30.100
be as large As 420 ships by

27:30.100 --> 27:33.850
2025 and 460 ships by

27:33.850 --> 27:37.460
2030 . Now , I appreciate the point

27:37.460 --> 27:39.710
that you've made that many of our ships

27:39.720 --> 27:43.560
are more capable than China's . But as

27:43.560 --> 27:45.616
you and virtually everyone I've ever

27:45.616 --> 27:49.190
talked to um in the Navy has told

27:49.200 --> 27:52.930
me quantity has a quality all of its

27:52.940 --> 27:56.480
own . We need to be urgently

27:56.480 --> 27:59.590
investing in our shipbuilding capacity

27:59.590 --> 28:03.190
and fleet not going in the opposite

28:03.190 --> 28:05.970
direction . There's real risk in

28:05.970 --> 28:08.130
relying on capabilities that won't be

28:08.130 --> 28:11.840
ready to the 2030s to deter or

28:11.840 --> 28:13.720
defeat a Chinese threat that may

28:13.720 --> 28:16.670
materialize in the next five years .

28:17.040 --> 28:19.310
From my perspective , our current

28:19.310 --> 28:23.100
shipbuilding trajectory is inconsistent

28:23.100 --> 28:25.650
with the navy's fleet architecture

28:25.650 --> 28:28.500
studies done by both the prior

28:28.500 --> 28:31.950
administrations and this administration .

28:32.340 --> 28:35.440
Are you concerned that the strategy and

28:35.440 --> 28:38.840
that this budget is inconsistent with

28:38.840 --> 28:41.420
the multiple assessments saying that we

28:41.420 --> 28:43.260
need a larger fleet .

28:44.940 --> 28:47.330
Yeah , thanks Senator in the United

28:47.330 --> 28:49.274
States is fundamentally a maritime

28:49.274 --> 28:51.441
nation have been from the birth of our

28:51.441 --> 28:53.663
nation and we rely significantly on the

28:53.663 --> 28:55.274
sea lines of communication ,

28:55.274 --> 28:57.386
international trade , et cetera . And

28:57.386 --> 28:59.441
we have made as a matter of policy a

28:59.441 --> 29:01.441
commitment for over 2.5 centuries ,

29:01.441 --> 29:01.360
freedom of the seas , freedom of

29:01.360 --> 29:04.320
navigation , uh and the right for , you

29:04.320 --> 29:06.264
know , open investments around the

29:06.264 --> 29:08.431
world . That's fundamental . It's part

29:08.431 --> 29:10.542
of our D . N . A . Part and parcel of

29:10.542 --> 29:12.653
that is to have a significant capable

29:12.653 --> 29:14.820
fleet , not just in the pacific on the

29:14.820 --> 29:16.764
western pacific but throughout the

29:16.764 --> 29:18.987
globe . Uh So sure , it would always be

29:18.987 --> 29:21.153
nice to have more ships . But the fact

29:21.153 --> 29:20.840
of the matter is the most important

29:20.840 --> 29:22.951
thing is to have the ships that we do

29:22.951 --> 29:25.118
have have them in a readiness status ,

29:25.118 --> 29:27.340
have them with the manning the training

29:27.340 --> 29:27.110
and equipping have them in a very

29:27.110 --> 29:28.999
significant readiness status . So

29:28.999 --> 29:31.230
that's important as well . And , and I

29:31.230 --> 29:33.341
wouldn't , I personally don't want to

29:33.341 --> 29:35.508
get hung up on the number of ships for

29:35.508 --> 29:37.619
china versus the United States . It's

29:37.619 --> 29:37.270
true quality and quantity of its own .

29:37.640 --> 29:39.780
But we have allies and partners china

29:39.780 --> 29:41.740
doesn't the Japanese navy , the

29:41.740 --> 29:43.907
Australian navy , the other allies and

29:43.907 --> 29:46.073
partners that would probably work with

29:46.073 --> 29:45.740
the United States . We exercise

29:45.750 --> 29:47.972
routinely with them . That would make a

29:47.972 --> 29:50.194
significant difference . The other last

29:50.194 --> 29:52.361
thing I'd make on relative to Taiwan .

29:52.361 --> 29:54.194
It is true that Taiwan is or the

29:54.194 --> 29:56.250
chinese have President Xi has set an

29:56.250 --> 29:59.200
objective to have his military prepared

29:59.200 --> 30:01.330
capability wise . That's not the same

30:01.330 --> 30:03.386
to say he's actually going to invade

30:03.386 --> 30:05.840
but to have the capability uh to seize

30:05.840 --> 30:07.951
the island of Taiwan . That is a very

30:07.951 --> 30:10.130
tall order . And it remains to be seen

30:10.130 --> 30:12.186
whether the chinese will actually be

30:12.186 --> 30:14.019
able to execute that the chinese

30:14.019 --> 30:16.186
military , Whether they will have that

30:16.186 --> 30:18.186
capability or not , but that is the

30:18.186 --> 30:20.241
target on the Wall 2027 . We have to

30:20.241 --> 30:19.580
keep that in mind as we go into the

30:19.580 --> 30:22.600
future . Thank you . Senator Feinstein ,

30:23.940 --> 30:26.620
thank you Mr Chairman . Um Secretary

30:26.630 --> 30:29.870
Austin and General Milley last year I

30:29.870 --> 30:33.170
asked about military weapons being lost

30:33.170 --> 30:35.620
and stolen and I want to thank you for

30:35.620 --> 30:39.010
your prompt response on that issue . Um

30:39.010 --> 30:41.470
But I have one more , I'd like to raise

30:41.480 --> 30:44.980
your awareness of food insecurity in

30:44.980 --> 30:47.920
the military to include active guard

30:47.930 --> 30:50.500
and reserve troops . The Washington

30:50.500 --> 30:53.720
Post has reported on this problem and

30:53.720 --> 30:56.730
Jamie lutz at the Center for Strategic

30:56.730 --> 30:59.360
and International Studies has also

30:59.360 --> 31:02.100
documented that service members face

31:02.100 --> 31:04.890
hunger at rates succeeding the general

31:04.890 --> 31:07.640
population . The Adjutant General in

31:07.640 --> 31:11.410
California has likewise indicated that

31:11.410 --> 31:14.750
we have this problem in California . It

31:14.750 --> 31:17.810
is most pronounced among junior

31:17.820 --> 31:20.780
enlisted personnel , especially those

31:20.780 --> 31:23.570
with Children . So here's the question ,

31:23.840 --> 31:26.100
do you agree that we have this problem

31:26.110 --> 31:29.080
of food insecurity . What it's his

31:29.090 --> 31:32.600
impact on our readiness and what do you

31:32.600 --> 31:34.900
believe the military will do about it .

31:36.940 --> 31:39.490
Thank you . Senator . I'll start , yes ,

31:39.490 --> 31:43.180
I do agree that we have an issue with ,

31:43.190 --> 31:45.079
as you pointed out with our lower

31:45.079 --> 31:48.750
ranking enlisted uh , force . And

31:48.760 --> 31:50.816
uh , and it is important to me , the

31:50.816 --> 31:52.960
health and welfare of our force , uh

31:52.970 --> 31:55.750
our troops and our families very , very

31:55.750 --> 31:58.150
important to me . And you probably

31:58.160 --> 32:00.790
heard me talk about this before . And

32:00.790 --> 32:02.734
you heard me mention it in my open

32:02.734 --> 32:04.957
statement , that opening statement that

32:04.957 --> 32:07.068
that we want to make sure that people

32:07.068 --> 32:09.370
can put food , good food and healthy

32:09.370 --> 32:11.370
food on the table . That's why I've

32:11.370 --> 32:13.510
asked you to support me in uh , in

32:13.510 --> 32:17.380
providing a 4.6% pay raise , uh , to

32:17.380 --> 32:19.970
the force . Uh , each of the services

32:19.980 --> 32:21.930
are making sure that they're doing

32:21.930 --> 32:25.080
things to not only help their

32:25.080 --> 32:28.440
lower ranking enlisted force , but

32:28.440 --> 32:30.760
also uh making sure that they're

32:30.760 --> 32:32.982
teaching them how to helping them learn

32:32.982 --> 32:35.038
how to manage finances and and other

32:35.038 --> 32:36.982
things . So this is the thing that

32:36.982 --> 32:38.927
we're focused on at the department

32:38.927 --> 32:41.260
level . And I would say that all of our ,

32:41.260 --> 32:43.371
all of our services are focused on it

32:43.371 --> 32:45.316
as well . Again , it's very , very

32:45.316 --> 32:48.810
important to us and Senator . I would

32:48.810 --> 32:51.032
just add that taking care of our people

32:51.032 --> 32:53.199
is critically important for our entire

32:53.199 --> 32:55.310
chain of command . And I know it's of

32:55.310 --> 32:57.532
great interest to the Congress that pay

32:57.532 --> 32:59.643
raise will go a long way to help . We

32:59.643 --> 33:01.588
do acknowledge that that is a real

33:01.588 --> 33:03.643
issue the size and scale and scope .

33:03.643 --> 33:05.588
The secretary's got some folks out

33:05.588 --> 33:07.754
there trying to determine exactly what

33:07.754 --> 33:09.866
the parameters of that are , but it's

33:09.866 --> 33:11.754
real . Uh and no soldier , sailor

33:11.754 --> 33:13.754
airman Marine uh should struggle to

33:13.754 --> 33:15.921
feed their family . Uh get having good

33:15.921 --> 33:17.977
house overhead , good medical care ,

33:17.977 --> 33:17.530
good education and safe and secure

33:17.530 --> 33:19.530
environment and putting food on the

33:19.530 --> 33:21.419
table Is fundamental . 60% of our

33:21.419 --> 33:24.050
forces married On average two Children

33:24.050 --> 33:28.020
per relatively young . And we owe it to

33:28.020 --> 33:30.242
them if they're going to put their life

33:30.242 --> 33:32.353
on the line for this country , we owe

33:32.353 --> 33:31.530
it to them to make sure they're being

33:31.530 --> 33:33.530
taken care of . And we intend to do

33:33.530 --> 33:35.752
that . Thank you for that . Thank you .

33:35.752 --> 33:38.350
Um Secretary Austin , it was reported

33:38.350 --> 33:40.810
last month you spoke with your chinese

33:40.810 --> 33:43.190
counterpart for the first time since

33:43.190 --> 33:46.020
becoming Secretary of Defense . I'd

33:46.020 --> 33:48.131
like to thank you and commend you for

33:48.131 --> 33:50.298
that . And I think it's very important

33:50.298 --> 33:53.380
in order to build trust and to serve to

33:53.380 --> 33:56.980
solve problems could you share with us

33:57.240 --> 33:59.630
what you learned from speaking with

33:59.630 --> 34:02.350
your chinese colleague and where you

34:02.350 --> 34:06.070
believe this can go . Well this

34:06.070 --> 34:08.590
is senator . This is the first of what

34:08.590 --> 34:12.280
I hope will be many conversations . But

34:12.280 --> 34:16.030
again , uh we both recognize the

34:16.030 --> 34:18.100
importance of of dialogue and

34:18.100 --> 34:21.610
maintaining open open channels and uh

34:21.620 --> 34:24.970
we both wanted to make sure

34:24.970 --> 34:28.850
that we work together to promote

34:28.860 --> 34:32.180
um um security and

34:32.180 --> 34:35.080
stability in the region . And so I look

34:35.080 --> 34:38.580
forward to uh to again engaging him uh

34:38.590 --> 34:40.646
in the future in the not too distant

34:40.646 --> 34:42.757
future . I'm sure I'll see him at the

34:42.757 --> 34:44.979
shangri la dialogue coming up in june .

34:44.979 --> 34:47.310
Let me just thank you for that . I'm

34:47.310 --> 34:50.870
obviously a Californian and we believe

34:50.870 --> 34:53.040
we're in the century of the pacific .

34:53.050 --> 34:56.480
And so uh these things become very

34:56.480 --> 34:59.370
important to the safety and security of

34:59.370 --> 35:02.430
the entire west coast of this country .

35:02.440 --> 35:05.850
Um one last one , um

35:06.440 --> 35:09.820
it's imperative that Russia not be

35:09.820 --> 35:12.830
allowed to get away with aggression

35:12.840 --> 35:16.610
and land grabs . And it seems

35:16.610 --> 35:18.810
that Ukraine , with the support of the

35:18.810 --> 35:21.220
United States is really showing

35:21.220 --> 35:23.670
considerable strength on the

35:23.670 --> 35:26.850
battlefield . So I wanted to ask a

35:26.850 --> 35:30.020
quick question if you can share with us

35:30.030 --> 35:33.450
what the Endgame is and what you hope

35:33.450 --> 35:34.360
to achieve .

35:37.540 --> 35:39.980
Well , the Endgame will be defined by

35:39.990 --> 35:42.850
by the Ukrainian government as it uh

35:42.860 --> 35:45.160
you know , engages with with Russia .

35:45.540 --> 35:47.660
And so I won't I won't try to define

35:47.660 --> 35:49.771
that for them . I would just say that

35:49.771 --> 35:51.882
we're going to do everything continue

35:51.882 --> 35:53.938
to do everything within our power to

35:53.938 --> 35:56.560
make sure that that we support

35:57.200 --> 35:59.390
Ukraine in its efforts to defend its

35:59.390 --> 36:01.740
sovereign territory . We hope that at

36:01.740 --> 36:05.390
the end of this , that Ukraine will be

36:05.620 --> 36:09.340
a sovereign state , with a with a

36:09.340 --> 36:11.562
functioning government that can protect

36:11.562 --> 36:13.673
it's territory . And so that's that's

36:13.673 --> 36:15.784
what we're focused on for the for now

36:15.784 --> 36:17.784
and going forward . My time is up .

36:17.784 --> 36:20.062
Thank you . Mr Chairman , Center shots .

36:20.300 --> 36:22.300
Thank you . Mr Chairman , thank you

36:22.300 --> 36:24.578
both for being here . Secretary Austin .

36:24.578 --> 36:26.633
I want to thank you for your clarity

36:26.633 --> 36:28.800
and your leadership on the question of

36:28.800 --> 36:30.800
the future of the Redhill bulk fuel

36:30.800 --> 36:33.022
storage facility . I also want to thank

36:33.022 --> 36:35.244
the deputy Secretary hicks and admirals

36:35.244 --> 36:37.356
papa row and Aquilino . I know up and

36:37.356 --> 36:39.522
down the department and the Department

36:39.522 --> 36:41.522
of the Navy and and the rest of the

36:41.522 --> 36:43.633
federal government was deeply engaged

36:43.633 --> 36:43.610
and this was a tough decision , but it

36:43.610 --> 36:45.777
was the right decision . And I think ,

36:45.777 --> 36:47.554
you know that not just from the

36:47.554 --> 36:49.666
standpoint of safe drinking water for

36:49.666 --> 36:51.777
the state of Hawaii and the residents

36:51.777 --> 36:54.054
of Hawaii and and your service members ,

36:54.054 --> 36:55.999
but that it was right for national

36:55.999 --> 36:58.166
security . In your own words centrally

36:58.166 --> 37:00.054
located bulk Fuel storage of this

37:00.054 --> 37:02.166
magnitude likely made sense in 1943 ,

37:02.430 --> 37:04.400
but doesn't make sense for how we

37:04.400 --> 37:07.540
operate in the indo pacific today . Um

37:07.550 --> 37:10.640
can you talk about why this is a better

37:10.640 --> 37:12.529
decision from a national security

37:12.529 --> 37:14.690
perspective ? Well , Senator , let me

37:14.690 --> 37:18.060
thank you and the entire state

37:18.060 --> 37:21.130
delegation for what you did your in

37:21.130 --> 37:23.352
exercising leadership on this important

37:23.352 --> 37:25.840
issue . We really appreciate it . Um

37:25.850 --> 37:28.680
You hit the nail on the head when you

37:28.680 --> 37:32.680
quoted me regarding the fact that this

37:32.690 --> 37:36.620
this Was was conceived in the

37:36.620 --> 37:39.280
1940s , which and it served a specific

37:39.280 --> 37:41.890
purpose at that point in time . It

37:41.890 --> 37:43.890
doesn't necessarily support the way

37:43.890 --> 37:45.834
that we operate today . We're much

37:45.834 --> 37:49.140
further forward in in theater . We

37:49.140 --> 37:51.770
operate in a dispersed fashion . Uh You

37:51.770 --> 37:54.550
know , our logistical support our to

37:54.560 --> 37:56.620
mirror that ought to enable our

37:56.620 --> 38:00.610
operations . Uh And uh and and so we

38:00.610 --> 38:02.910
we thought I thought I felt that it was

38:02.920 --> 38:04.864
important to make sure that we had

38:05.220 --> 38:07.380
there are reserves position

38:07.590 --> 38:10.400
appropriately to support our operations

38:10.400 --> 38:12.567
going forward here . And that's that's

38:12.567 --> 38:14.678
what drove my decision in conjunction

38:14.678 --> 38:16.733
with the fact that uh you know , I'm

38:16.733 --> 38:18.733
very concerned about the health and

38:18.733 --> 38:20.789
welfare of our troops , our families

38:20.789 --> 38:22.770
and the people of Hawaii as well .

38:22.780 --> 38:24.891
Thank you . Um As you know , we're in

38:24.891 --> 38:27.058
the implementation phase of the of the

38:27.058 --> 38:29.730
decision um that you came to the third

38:29.730 --> 38:32.500
party assessment wrapped up last week .

38:32.500 --> 38:34.880
I know it's going to take some time at

38:34.880 --> 38:36.880
the office of the Secretary and the

38:36.880 --> 38:39.340
Cape um to kind of come to some final

38:39.340 --> 38:41.396
conclusions . I have a very specific

38:41.396 --> 38:43.370
question pertinent to the defense

38:43.370 --> 38:45.537
appropriations subcommittee , which is

38:45.537 --> 38:47.759
that you got the third party assessment

38:47.759 --> 38:49.981
coming in now you're in process sort of

38:49.981 --> 38:52.203
final phases maybe , you know , 10 yard

38:52.203 --> 38:54.660
line . Um But we need a number if we're

38:54.660 --> 38:56.827
going to not miss a whole fiscal years

38:56.827 --> 38:59.110
worth of progress . And so I'm

38:59.110 --> 39:01.332
wondering where you are in that process

39:01.332 --> 39:03.554
and how quickly you can turn that third

39:03.554 --> 39:05.721
party assessment into a requirement so

39:05.721 --> 39:07.332
that we can consider it as a

39:07.332 --> 39:09.388
subcommittee . Well thanks Senator ,

39:09.388 --> 39:11.700
the Navy's reviewing that that report

39:11.700 --> 39:15.130
all 880 pages of it uh and that will

39:15.130 --> 39:18.490
inform their approach to uh

39:18.500 --> 39:21.120
recommending how we should go about de

39:21.120 --> 39:24.970
fueling uh the the facility . So

39:24.980 --> 39:27.450
uh to your point it's uh I'm waiting on

39:27.450 --> 39:29.228
the Navy to come back with this

39:29.228 --> 39:32.800
specific plan for for de fueling and I

39:32.800 --> 39:34.856
expect to get that at the end of the

39:34.856 --> 39:36.744
month . Okay so in time for us to

39:36.744 --> 39:40.340
consider a number . I certainly hope so .

39:40.340 --> 39:43.040
Senator . Okay thank you . I want to uh

39:43.050 --> 39:45.217
use my final minute and a half for for

39:45.217 --> 39:46.994
the compact of free association

39:46.994 --> 39:49.180
negotiations . Admiral actually knows

39:49.230 --> 39:51.452
posture plans for the indo pacific rely

39:51.452 --> 39:53.619
at least in part on maintaining access

39:53.619 --> 39:55.730
to compact states of Micronesia , the

39:55.730 --> 39:58.190
marshall islands and palau . Um Can you

39:58.190 --> 40:00.410
talk about the importance of these

40:00.410 --> 40:02.632
compact states to D . O . D . S mission

40:02.632 --> 40:06.380
in the pacific they're very important .

40:06.390 --> 40:09.570
We we always aim to be the partner of

40:09.570 --> 40:11.610
choice . And uh and I think our

40:11.610 --> 40:14.310
continued engagement with them well we

40:14.320 --> 40:16.810
will certainly result in additional

40:17.060 --> 40:19.520
capability and capacity as we go

40:19.520 --> 40:23.510
forward . So um I think the combatant

40:23.510 --> 40:25.732
commander is doing a great job in terms

40:25.732 --> 40:28.320
of continued engagement . But again our

40:28.320 --> 40:31.060
goal is to make sure that we are the

40:31.060 --> 40:33.460
partner of choice . And so far I'm very

40:33.460 --> 40:35.627
encouraged by the by what we're seeing

40:35.627 --> 40:37.460
just a bit about the interagency

40:37.460 --> 40:39.516
process here . You know , you as you

40:39.516 --> 40:41.293
know you have the Department of

40:41.293 --> 40:43.460
Interior through the office of through

40:43.460 --> 40:43.410
the Secretary for insular Affairs and

40:43.410 --> 40:45.521
then you have the Department of State

40:45.521 --> 40:47.854
has sort of lead negotiator . But D . O .

40:47.854 --> 40:49.854
D . Is right there and to a certain

40:49.854 --> 40:51.743
extent , although you're a silent

40:51.743 --> 40:53.966
partner in the in terms of the nuts and

40:53.966 --> 40:55.854
bolts of the negotiation , you're

40:55.854 --> 40:55.590
you're the biggest deal in the

40:55.590 --> 40:57.757
negotiations . So what I'd like you to

40:57.757 --> 41:00.170
consider is appointing someone

41:00.170 --> 41:02.600
specifically to be in the room for even

41:02.600 --> 41:04.910
the preliminary negotiations . Again ,

41:04.930 --> 41:07.440
states got a lead on this . But having

41:07.440 --> 41:09.329
D . O . D . At the table makes an

41:09.329 --> 41:11.496
enormous difference for compact states

41:11.496 --> 41:14.070
in terms of conveying to these compact

41:14.070 --> 41:16.880
states , how important they are uh to

41:16.880 --> 41:20.690
us . Well , as chairman pointed out

41:20.700 --> 41:23.100
at the top of the meeting here , um

41:23.110 --> 41:24.999
Secretary Blinken and I are great

41:24.999 --> 41:28.190
partners and uh and certainly I'm sure

41:28.190 --> 41:31.100
that uh this this will be what he will

41:31.100 --> 41:32.989
want to see as well . And we will

41:32.989 --> 41:35.156
continue to work with the entire inter

41:35.156 --> 41:37.267
agency to make sure that we're in the

41:37.267 --> 41:39.433
right place here . Thank you . Senator

41:39.433 --> 41:42.630
Boseman . Thank you Mr . Chair

41:43.410 --> 41:45.720
thank you all so much for all that you

41:45.720 --> 41:47.720
do . And for you being here today ,

41:47.720 --> 41:49.887
both of your testimonies highlight the

41:49.887 --> 41:52.109
importance of integrated deterrence for

41:52.109 --> 41:53.831
aligning department policies ,

41:53.831 --> 41:55.998
resources and activities to strengthen

41:56.140 --> 41:58.540
deterrence an essential part of this is

41:58.540 --> 42:00.651
bolstering of our allies and partners

42:00.651 --> 42:02.540
to better deter our adversaries .

42:02.700 --> 42:04.756
General Milley , as you mentioned in

42:04.756 --> 42:06.867
your testimony , the US must continue

42:06.867 --> 42:08.811
to strengthen our relationships by

42:08.811 --> 42:10.922
building our Partners capabilities to

42:10.922 --> 42:12.756
deter our adversaries recently ,

42:12.756 --> 42:14.811
several European allies have studied

42:14.811 --> 42:16.756
their intent to purchase the F- 35

42:16.756 --> 42:18.922
fighter jet . Would Poland Finland and

42:18.922 --> 42:21.840
Germany having F- 35 will be helpful to

42:21.840 --> 42:24.180
our national security and deterrence

42:24.180 --> 42:28.110
against Russia and Europe and Going

42:28.110 --> 42:30.221
further . Given the current situation

42:30.221 --> 42:32.332
in your best military advice , do you

42:32.332 --> 42:34.277
believe we should be assisting our

42:34.277 --> 42:36.499
European allies in training so they can

42:36.499 --> 42:38.721
receive the F- 35 as soon as possible ?

42:39.700 --> 42:41.811
I do and I think first of all it's an

42:41.890 --> 42:43.890
excellent capability . Secondly , I

42:43.890 --> 42:45.890
think the interoperability with our

42:45.890 --> 42:47.890
allies is important and I think the

42:47.890 --> 42:50.112
strength of the alliance is critical to

42:50.112 --> 42:52.540
the deterrence of any broader land

42:52.540 --> 42:54.596
conflict on the european continent .

42:54.700 --> 42:58.420
Thank you sir . Uh prepositioned stocks

42:58.420 --> 42:59.976
are essential for the rapid

42:59.976 --> 43:02.142
mobilization equipping of units during

43:02.142 --> 43:04.364
time of crisis . As you know , the army

43:04.364 --> 43:06.420
activate its prepositioned stocks in

43:06.420 --> 43:08.780
March of this year . As the conflict in

43:08.780 --> 43:11.470
Ukraine escalated for the first . In an

43:11.470 --> 43:14.040
unplanned contingency , I was happy to

43:14.040 --> 43:16.207
learn that these pre positioned stocks

43:16.207 --> 43:18.429
allow an armored brigade combat team to

43:18.429 --> 43:20.484
deploy from the US to eastern europe

43:20.484 --> 43:22.770
faster than Russian forces advanced

43:22.770 --> 43:24.620
from Belarus to Kiev

43:26.200 --> 43:28.650
understanding that preposition stocks

43:28.750 --> 43:31.120
require military construction support

43:31.120 --> 43:33.120
and being the ranking member on the

43:33.120 --> 43:35.342
military construction subcommittee does

43:35.342 --> 43:37.231
the US have preposition stocks to

43:37.231 --> 43:39.231
respond to potential threats in the

43:39.231 --> 43:42.170
pacific from china outside of Japan and

43:42.170 --> 43:44.226
South Korea . Are there any plans to

43:44.226 --> 43:46.260
establish prepositioned stocks ?

43:48.800 --> 43:52.110
Yes sir . Well 1st of

43:52.110 --> 43:56.090
all let let me thank you for what

43:56.100 --> 43:58.930
you did several years ago to um

43:59.390 --> 44:01.830
enable what you just described in

44:01.830 --> 44:03.941
europe . They're the european defense

44:03.941 --> 44:06.480
initiative . Really laid the groundwork

44:06.480 --> 44:08.790
for you know the preposition stocks and

44:08.800 --> 44:10.967
and some of the facilities that we use

44:10.967 --> 44:14.870
there . As you will see in

44:14.870 --> 44:16.981
terms of what we're investing in with

44:16.981 --> 44:19.840
the pacific deterrent initiative . We

44:19.840 --> 44:21.951
are investing in infrastructure and a

44:21.951 --> 44:24.220
number of other things to ensure that

44:24.220 --> 44:27.550
we have capability further forward in

44:27.550 --> 44:29.661
the in the in the theater . So that's

44:29.661 --> 44:31.772
our goal to make sure that you know ,

44:31.772 --> 44:34.400
we have that ability uh in the in the

44:34.400 --> 44:37.110
indo pacific to a greater degree in the

44:37.110 --> 44:40.760
future . Well to follow up on

44:40.760 --> 44:44.050
that the our missile stockpiles are

44:44.050 --> 44:46.050
being stretched thin after years of

44:46.290 --> 44:48.520
producing a minimum rate of sustainment

44:48.530 --> 44:50.920
increased , demanding resulting from

44:50.920 --> 44:53.087
the U . S . Current efforts to bolster

44:53.087 --> 44:55.253
our Ukrainian defense . I think you're

44:55.253 --> 44:58.140
stretching that very very thin . I'm

44:58.140 --> 45:00.029
hearing from industry some of the

45:00.029 --> 45:02.084
challenges they faced with trying to

45:02.084 --> 45:03.862
increase production rates while

45:03.862 --> 45:06.084
shortening lead times . How critical is

45:06.084 --> 45:08.251
it to maintain these stockpiles and in

45:08.251 --> 45:10.362
what ways can the committee support ?

45:10.362 --> 45:12.307
You're an industry to help ramp up

45:12.307 --> 45:14.418
production efforts to meet demand and

45:14.418 --> 45:18.190
replenish our stockpiles . It's very

45:18.190 --> 45:20.910
critical to make sure that we maintain

45:20.920 --> 45:24.700
what we consider to be our minimum

45:24.710 --> 45:28.220
required stock ege levels

45:30.290 --> 45:32.346
and you can rest assured that I will

45:32.346 --> 45:35.020
not allow us to go below that in the in

45:35.020 --> 45:38.130
critical munitions . We have met with

45:38.130 --> 45:40.241
industry . I think you saw us do this

45:40.241 --> 45:42.390
fairly early on and encourage them to

45:42.400 --> 45:44.710
work with us to begin to open up

45:45.190 --> 45:48.290
production lines to increase their

45:48.290 --> 45:51.370
production and they are doing that .

45:51.370 --> 45:53.660
They're they're leaning forward uh in

45:53.660 --> 45:55.827
some cases a little bit more difficult

45:55.827 --> 45:57.882
to do than others . But industry has

45:57.882 --> 46:00.520
been very supportive and uh and so

46:00.530 --> 46:02.752
we'll continue to work with them , will

46:02.752 --> 46:04.752
continue to identify things that we

46:04.752 --> 46:08.440
need if from you if if that

46:08.570 --> 46:10.737
if a need arises . But to this point I

46:10.737 --> 46:12.792
think we're in pretty good shape and

46:12.792 --> 46:15.410
industry is responding . Thank you . Mr

46:15.410 --> 46:18.110
Chairman Senator baldwin , thank you

46:18.110 --> 46:20.140
guys . Thank you . Mr Chairman

46:20.490 --> 46:24.460
Secretary Austin welcome . A healthy

46:24.460 --> 46:26.680
defense industrial base is a critical

46:26.690 --> 46:29.390
element for our national security . And

46:29.390 --> 46:31.780
President Biden issued an executive

46:31.790 --> 46:35.530
order on January in January of 2021 to

46:35.530 --> 46:38.000
strengthen buy America requirements for

46:38.010 --> 46:41.930
all federal programs . In July notice

46:41.930 --> 46:44.150
of proposed rulemaking increased the

46:44.150 --> 46:47.610
domestic content requirement from 55%

46:47.610 --> 46:51.500
to 60% with a phased in increase to

46:51.500 --> 46:55.500
75% . This is a move I strongly support .

46:55.980 --> 46:58.200
However , I know from the experience

46:58.200 --> 47:01.210
with the Navy's new frigate That if we

47:01.210 --> 47:04.300
require 100% American made

47:04.460 --> 47:08.120
within a reasonable timeline . Industry

47:08.120 --> 47:11.000
can step up and deliver with the

47:11.000 --> 47:13.250
frigate . This actually resulted in the

47:13.250 --> 47:16.410
on shoring of new U . S . Manufacturing .

47:16.780 --> 47:19.770
So do you support replicating this

47:19.770 --> 47:22.960
success for other defense programs with

47:22.960 --> 47:25.950
the goal of hitting 100% American made

47:25.960 --> 47:28.540
so long as the department has

47:28.550 --> 47:31.240
reasonable timelines and reasonable

47:31.240 --> 47:34.940
waivers at their disposal . I

47:34.940 --> 47:38.450
absolutely support making sure that

47:38.460 --> 47:42.410
where we can uh we we invest in America

47:42.420 --> 47:45.850
that we uh we you know , make sure

47:45.850 --> 47:49.220
that we have the supply lines available

47:49.220 --> 47:51.770
to uh to do the things that you just

47:51.770 --> 47:53.880
described . And so you're right with

47:53.890 --> 47:56.112
the President has an initiative that he

47:56.112 --> 47:59.090
launched a uh a while back and D O . D

47:59.090 --> 48:01.650
is a is a strong partner in that in

48:01.650 --> 48:03.600
that initiative to ensure that we

48:03.600 --> 48:06.400
strengthen our supply lines that we we

48:06.400 --> 48:08.690
make sure that that we have the

48:08.690 --> 48:11.630
critical materials available to uh to

48:11.640 --> 48:14.800
to build and the types of munitions and

48:14.810 --> 48:17.090
and platforms that we think we'll need

48:17.100 --> 48:19.630
going forward . So yes , I support that .

48:19.640 --> 48:23.360
Thank you . General Milley . Uh I

48:23.360 --> 48:25.416
understand you had a version of this

48:25.416 --> 48:27.527
question asked already , so I'm gonna

48:27.527 --> 48:29.249
try to take it in a little bit

48:29.249 --> 48:31.590
different direction . But Ukraine has

48:31.590 --> 48:35.470
far exceeded most expectations over to

48:35.480 --> 48:38.280
over two months into this most recent

48:38.280 --> 48:42.100
phase of Putin's war I support

48:42.100 --> 48:43.989
providing the Ukrainians with the

48:43.989 --> 48:46.100
capabilities that they need to defend

48:46.100 --> 48:48.440
their sovereignty and hope that we can

48:48.440 --> 48:50.770
quickly pass a Ukraine supplemental

48:50.770 --> 48:53.690
that fulfills President biden's request .

48:54.370 --> 48:56.290
It's clear that this conflict may

48:56.290 --> 49:00.150
extend for some time as you talk with

49:00.160 --> 49:04.020
Ukrainian counterparts . I

49:04.020 --> 49:06.242
know you've been asked what a realistic

49:06.242 --> 49:09.210
end State is for Ukraine . I'd like to

49:09.220 --> 49:12.130
ask a little differently , is what it

49:12.130 --> 49:14.260
does a really realistic military

49:14.260 --> 49:18.150
success or End State look like for the

49:18.150 --> 49:21.750
United States . And um , how will

49:21.750 --> 49:24.800
our security assistance need to change

49:24.800 --> 49:27.690
at this new phase in order to support

49:27.700 --> 49:31.520
those goals ? Thanks

49:31.720 --> 49:33.831
to the end State has been articulated

49:33.831 --> 49:35.998
by the President and Secretary Defense

49:35.998 --> 49:37.998
Secretary Blinken several different

49:37.998 --> 49:40.164
times . And what it is , is maintained

49:40.164 --> 49:42.276
the cohesion of NATO . Uh , make sure

49:42.276 --> 49:44.331
that Ukraine at the end of the day ,

49:44.331 --> 49:46.553
ends up as a free sovereign nation with

49:46.553 --> 49:48.776
the territorial integrity intact . Uh ,

49:48.776 --> 49:50.776
no kinetic war between NATO and the

49:50.776 --> 49:52.998
United States and Russia . So no action

49:52.998 --> 49:52.780
between our military forces

49:52.780 --> 49:55.480
specifically and continue to support

49:55.480 --> 49:57.480
the Ukrainian people with what they

49:57.480 --> 49:59.591
need to defend themselves . So that's

49:59.591 --> 50:01.702
what we're trying to do . Uh , and we

50:01.702 --> 50:03.813
need to , at the end of the day , you

50:03.813 --> 50:05.924
know , what's it all about ? It's all

50:05.924 --> 50:07.924
about the rules based international

50:07.924 --> 50:09.869
order has been grossly violated by

50:09.869 --> 50:11.758
Russia with an illegal aggressive

50:11.758 --> 50:13.813
action by military forces across the

50:13.813 --> 50:15.980
sovereign border . Uh , we have had an

50:15.980 --> 50:17.924
institution set of institutions in

50:17.924 --> 50:19.813
place for 78 consecutive years to

50:19.813 --> 50:21.980
prevent that very thing from happening

50:21.980 --> 50:21.800
and that's what's at stake . It's

50:21.800 --> 50:23.911
beyond Ukraine is what's at stake and

50:23.911 --> 50:26.010
our intent is to maintain and uphold

50:26.010 --> 50:28.177
the rules based international order by

50:28.177 --> 50:30.399
achieving those specific objectives the

50:30.399 --> 50:32.510
President's given us . Thank you . Um

50:32.510 --> 50:35.080
So uh Secretary Austin on this topic .

50:35.080 --> 50:38.130
Some analysts believe that the more we

50:38.140 --> 50:40.730
assist Ukraine and degrading Putin's

50:40.730 --> 50:43.780
military , the more likely he will be

50:43.790 --> 50:47.170
uh to escalate to new levels ,

50:47.180 --> 50:50.590
possibly with chemical biological or

50:50.590 --> 50:54.040
even tactical nuclear weapons . Can you

50:54.040 --> 50:56.770
clarify how this might change the

50:56.780 --> 51:00.150
calculus that General Milley was just

51:00.160 --> 51:03.900
outlining ? Um in terms of use of

51:03.900 --> 51:05.789
force from the U . S . Military ?

51:08.160 --> 51:10.160
Yeah , there are a number of things

51:10.160 --> 51:12.740
that that Mr Putin could do . You could

51:12.740 --> 51:14.796
make the case , by the way , senator

51:14.796 --> 51:17.018
that he's already escalated in terms of

51:17.360 --> 51:20.090
the types of things that we see him

51:20.090 --> 51:23.270
doing an attacking civilians ,

51:23.760 --> 51:26.410
destroying cities , towns and villages ,

51:27.030 --> 51:30.650
indiscriminate targeting . Um certainly

51:30.660 --> 51:32.882
he has a number of things that he could

51:32.882 --> 51:35.310
do . He could , you know , escalate by

51:35.320 --> 51:38.870
conducting a a cyber event

51:38.880 --> 51:41.620
or um you know , there's been a lot of

51:41.620 --> 51:44.580
talk about the possible employment of

51:45.680 --> 51:48.400
kim bio . Of course , he if he employs

51:48.400 --> 51:51.560
a chemical biological or weapon , I

51:51.560 --> 51:54.030
think he will see a reaction from the

51:54.040 --> 51:56.510
international community . Uh and

51:56.520 --> 51:58.353
because that's a that's a pretty

51:58.353 --> 52:00.820
serious step . And and and of course ,

52:01.430 --> 52:03.430
you know , President biden has been

52:03.430 --> 52:06.200
clear about about , you know , his

52:06.200 --> 52:10.100
views on this . So it's possible that

52:10.100 --> 52:12.950
he could do that , I certainly hope

52:12.950 --> 52:15.880
that that he chooses to not do that .

52:15.890 --> 52:17.779
Again , I think the international

52:17.779 --> 52:19.950
response will be significant . But ,

52:19.950 --> 52:22.117
you know , senator , he could end this

52:22.117 --> 52:24.810
war today . He could he could he chose

52:24.810 --> 52:26.890
this is a war of choice . He could

52:26.890 --> 52:29.112
choose to to stop fighting and withdraw

52:29.112 --> 52:31.840
his forces from from Ukraine . And

52:31.840 --> 52:34.062
again , this is this is the decision of

52:34.062 --> 52:36.600
one man . And so I would hope that Mr

52:36.600 --> 52:38.544
Putin would decide to do something

52:38.544 --> 52:40.656
different going forward . Yes . And I

52:40.656 --> 52:43.360
just want to close with . Should uh

52:43.370 --> 52:46.010
Putin continue to escalate . Is it your

52:46.010 --> 52:48.010
expectation that the administration

52:48.010 --> 52:50.770
would come to Congress requesting an

52:50.770 --> 52:53.380
authorization for use of military force ?

52:54.650 --> 52:56.761
That's a policy decision and now that

52:56.761 --> 52:59.020
my boss will make and uh and so I won't

52:59.020 --> 53:02.180
get in front of my boss . Senator blunt

53:03.650 --> 53:06.390
thank you Chairman . Uh and thanks to

53:06.390 --> 53:08.830
both of you for your current and your

53:08.830 --> 53:11.550
long service to the country . I'm

53:11.560 --> 53:13.727
deeply appreciative as I'm sure we all

53:13.727 --> 53:16.960
are . Um Secretary Austin , I think

53:16.970 --> 53:19.740
Mackenzie had a report out last year

53:19.740 --> 53:21.180
that indicated that from

53:21.860 --> 53:25.110
2000-2021 , the

53:25.110 --> 53:28.260
Defense of cost index . The inflation

53:28.260 --> 53:31.750
index ran about 20 points ahead of the

53:31.760 --> 53:34.550
other of the C . P . I . During that

53:34.560 --> 53:36.670
period of time , do you think this

53:36.670 --> 53:40.340
budget necessary will reflect the world

53:40.340 --> 53:42.451
we're in now in terms of replenishing

53:42.451 --> 53:44.780
our stock and getting ready for the

53:44.780 --> 53:47.260
future , it's about a 5% increase in a

53:47.750 --> 53:50.530
you know , inflationary economy . It

53:50.730 --> 53:52.841
seems to me we may not be holding our

53:52.841 --> 53:54.952
own , let alone moving forward here .

53:57.150 --> 53:59.372
Well , thanks Senator . Before I answer

53:59.372 --> 54:01.428
that question , let me thank you for

54:01.428 --> 54:03.540
your service and you know , a

54:03.550 --> 54:06.050
tremendous service to our country and

54:06.050 --> 54:08.161
and to the Senate . So and and thanks

54:08.161 --> 54:10.740
for your support of the military on

54:10.740 --> 54:12.684
behalf of the entire Department of

54:12.684 --> 54:16.470
Defense . As as I

54:16.840 --> 54:19.550
uh said earlier when we crafted this

54:19.550 --> 54:21.900
budget , we built the budget based upon

54:21.910 --> 54:24.890
our strategy . And at that point you

54:24.890 --> 54:27.440
have to make assumptions about the

54:27.450 --> 54:31.130
levels of inflation and uh , and so we

54:31.140 --> 54:33.362
we use the appropriate number . What we

54:33.362 --> 54:35.584
believe to be the appropriate number at

54:35.584 --> 54:37.807
that time and things have changed now .

54:37.807 --> 54:39.862
So , uh , so there is a difference .

54:39.940 --> 54:41.920
Well , that's helpful and I'm sure

54:41.920 --> 54:43.920
we're gonna be discussing that more

54:43.920 --> 54:46.490
with secretaries as they come in . So

54:46.490 --> 54:48.212
it's helpful and I missed your

54:48.212 --> 54:50.434
observation about that and I think it's

54:50.434 --> 54:52.379
helpful to know that that's that's

54:52.379 --> 54:54.490
where you are now . Uh , you know , a

54:54.490 --> 54:56.601
number of things have changed and one

54:56.601 --> 54:58.970
is we have , we haven't intend to

54:58.980 --> 55:02.880
provide our Ukrainian friends with a

55:02.880 --> 55:05.270
lot more things to fight with . Does

55:05.270 --> 55:08.230
this budget at this point anticipate

55:08.240 --> 55:12.240
replacing of the javelins

55:12.240 --> 55:14.850
or the stinger missiles that we have

55:14.860 --> 55:17.820
given our will give to them . It is a

55:17.820 --> 55:20.780
substantial budget in my view , senator .

55:20.780 --> 55:23.610
And and it allows us to go after the

55:23.610 --> 55:27.070
things that we need to have to support

55:27.070 --> 55:30.800
our warfighting concepts that that are

55:30.800 --> 55:33.100
outlined in our strategy here . Again ,

55:33.110 --> 55:35.443
china is listed as our pacing challenge .

55:35.500 --> 55:37.611
Russia is listed as an acute threat .

55:37.990 --> 55:40.920
The supplementals that that you

55:40.920 --> 55:43.150
provided us to this point have been

55:43.160 --> 55:45.540
very helpful in in going after the

55:45.540 --> 55:47.873
kinds of things that that you mentioned .

55:47.873 --> 55:50.490
Uh and uh and again , this next

55:50.490 --> 55:52.657
supplemental that the president has uh

55:52.657 --> 55:54.890
has asked for your support on , will

55:54.900 --> 55:57.460
will enable us to do to do what you

55:57.460 --> 56:01.090
just described , replenish stocks and

56:01.100 --> 56:04.810
and also continue to support uh Ukraine .

56:04.820 --> 56:07.050
But the supplemental funds are really

56:07.050 --> 56:10.180
focused on that Well to pursue that

56:10.180 --> 56:12.347
just a little bit more . I think we've

56:12.347 --> 56:14.600
we've roughly provided roughly 5000

56:14.600 --> 56:17.420
javelins and 1400 stingers . The

56:17.420 --> 56:19.587
javelins . That's about a third of our

56:19.587 --> 56:21.860
stockpile already provided . And the

56:21.860 --> 56:25.340
stinger is about 25% of our stockpile .

56:25.350 --> 56:29.130
Is it Possible to replace a third of

56:29.130 --> 56:32.290
our stockpile ? Or let's say 50% before

56:32.290 --> 56:34.550
we're done here within within a year ?

56:35.230 --> 56:37.570
It certainly is . It's not only

56:37.570 --> 56:40.110
possible , but we were we will do that .

56:40.120 --> 56:42.490
We will never go below our minimum

56:42.500 --> 56:45.120
requirement for for our our stockpile .

56:45.120 --> 56:47.140
So we will always maintain the

56:47.140 --> 56:49.960
capability to uh to defend this country

56:49.960 --> 56:52.330
and and so and support our interest .

56:52.340 --> 56:55.510
But this will help us to not only

56:55.520 --> 56:57.520
replenish our stockpiles , but also

56:57.520 --> 56:59.820
replace some of the capability that we

56:59.820 --> 57:01.931
have asked our partners and allies to

57:01.931 --> 57:05.200
provide some of the eastern uh flank

57:05.200 --> 57:07.840
countries early on , provided Stingers

57:07.850 --> 57:10.072
uh and other countries provide provided

57:10.072 --> 57:12.294
javelins upon our request . And so that

57:12.294 --> 57:14.350
will help us do that . Well , I know

57:14.350 --> 57:16.461
we'll want to work with you on that .

57:16.461 --> 57:18.683
General Milley , let me get in one more

57:18.683 --> 57:20.906
question here . I I know you're a great

57:20.906 --> 57:23.072
student of warfare and and my guess is

57:23.072 --> 57:25.072
we've all learned a lot in the last

57:25.072 --> 57:27.239
three months of assumptions uh , prior

57:27.239 --> 57:29.770
to what's happened in Ukraine and what

57:29.770 --> 57:32.060
we've seen happen in terms of

57:32.060 --> 57:34.610
effectiveness of force or the weapons

57:34.610 --> 57:37.550
that are most effective . We're seeing

57:37.550 --> 57:39.880
in this in that theater of war . Does

57:39.880 --> 57:42.620
this budget yet reflect what you think

57:42.620 --> 57:44.842
the next budget should probably reflect

57:44.842 --> 57:47.750
in terms of our transition ? To be sure ,

57:47.750 --> 57:50.230
we're keeping up with the what the

57:50.230 --> 57:52.174
lessons we're learning from modern

57:52.174 --> 57:56.010
warfare . It does , it moves us in the

57:56.010 --> 57:58.200
right direction . For sure . This has

57:58.200 --> 58:00.311
got the most research and development

58:00.311 --> 58:03.070
of any budget in NBA history actually .

58:03.070 --> 58:05.460
And it's a very significant movement

58:05.460 --> 58:07.627
into the future . As we look at what's

58:07.627 --> 58:10.230
happening in Ukraine or for example ,

58:10.230 --> 58:13.510
in in Mosul or Syria . What what we're

58:13.510 --> 58:15.990
seeing is some fundamental change in

58:15.990 --> 58:18.101
the character of war that is going to

58:18.101 --> 58:20.101
lead into the future . One of those

58:20.101 --> 58:22.046
changes is highly dense urban area

58:22.046 --> 58:24.157
combat . You saw the battle key , for

58:24.157 --> 58:26.434
example , in the Russian failure there ,

58:26.434 --> 58:28.434
you're seeing the ubiquitous use of

58:28.434 --> 58:30.657
precision munitions . You're seeing the

58:30.657 --> 58:32.546
use of drones , for example , and

58:32.546 --> 58:34.434
unmanned aerial vehicles . You're

58:34.434 --> 58:36.490
seeing the very effective use of air

58:36.490 --> 58:38.323
defense systems , both SAM's and

58:38.323 --> 58:40.157
manpads to deny the Russians the

58:40.157 --> 58:42.323
airspace and the most effective weapon

58:42.323 --> 58:44.434
they've used so far has been antitank

58:44.434 --> 58:46.601
weapons . And and of course javelin is

58:46.601 --> 58:46.390
what we have . But many of the

58:46.390 --> 58:48.612
countries are providing all kinds of in

58:48.612 --> 58:50.990
laws and carl Gustav's and RPGS a wide

58:50.990 --> 58:53.101
variety of anti tank weapons . So the

58:53.101 --> 58:55.323
combination of all of that together has

58:55.323 --> 58:57.450
led the Russians to not achieve the

58:57.450 --> 58:59.672
success is that they thought they would

58:59.672 --> 59:01.950
have and those have direct application .

59:01.950 --> 59:03.783
And I think this budget takes an

59:03.783 --> 59:06.006
account . But beyond that , this budget

59:06.006 --> 59:05.450
also is investing in artificial

59:05.450 --> 59:07.760
intelligence robotics , most of which

59:07.760 --> 59:09.927
we're not really seeing in the current

59:09.927 --> 59:12.149
battlefield , but we do expect those to

59:12.149 --> 59:14.371
be very , very significant Uh , players

59:14.371 --> 59:16.427
in a future battle . You know , 2030

59:16.427 --> 59:18.593
years from now , something like that .

59:18.593 --> 59:20.149
Those are gonna be dominant

59:20.149 --> 59:22.204
technologies at that time . Uh , and

59:22.204 --> 59:24.204
this budget takes us on that path .

59:24.204 --> 59:23.910
Thank you . Thank you . Chairman

59:24.000 --> 59:24.530
Senator Murray .