Issue Position: Rebuilding and Modernizing American Strength

Issue Position

American strength is crucial to American national security, our economic prosperity, and the security and prosperity of the globe. No other nation can deter global conflict by its presence alone; no other nation can offer the security that America can. No other nation can be trusted to defend peace, protect global commerce, and advance liberty.

That responsibility means that our men and women in uniform must be equipped to meet the growing and changing array of actors that never cease to threaten our people, our allies, and our sacred principles of freedom and opportunity for all. Unfortunately, that isn't the case today: defense spending has fallen dramatically on President Obama's watch and our forces have been reduced and suffered readiness challenges even as threats abroad increase.

Our military therefore needs a serious program of reinvestment and modernization -- boosting the size of our forces to do the jobs we ask them to do, and modernizing them to meet the threats they will face so that when efforts to deter conflict fail, they are never sent into a fair fight.

Marco has a long record of supporting the rebuilding and modernizing of our military:

In the Senate, Marco has:

Opposed President Obama's Massive Defense Cuts by supporting legislation to replace devastating defense cuts with smarter spending cuts. Specifically, he led the effort with Senator Tom Cotton to increase defense spending in FY16 to the level recommended by former Secretary of Defense Gates and the bipartisan National Defense Panel.

Fought for Our Men and Women in Uniform by supporting efforts to increase military compensation and ensuring that off the battlefield veterans have the best possible care available, with greater accountability from the VA and more choices. Read more about Marco's plans for the VA here.

As President, Marco will:

Restore Military Strength

* Return as soon as possible to Secretary Gates's fiscal year 2012 budget baseline and begin to undo the damage caused by $1 trillion in indiscriminate defense cuts;
* Focus on modernization and innovation to remain on the cutting edge on every battlefield before us -- not only land, sea, and air but also cyberspace and outer space.

Recapitalize the Navy

* Plan for at least 323 ships (up from the current 289 trending to 260), or perhaps more if threats in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East continue to mount;
* Ensure that the carrier fleet remains at 11, potentially raise it to 12 and consider deploying a second carrier to the Pacific;
* Reverse reductions to the operating status of 11 of our 22 current cruisers;
* Build at least two Virginia class submarines each year and ensure funding for the Ohio replacement program to ensure the viability of our sea-based strategic nuclear force.

Modernize the Air Force

* Continue the F-35 program, the only U.S. fifth generation fighter in production;
* Invest in better Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance capabilities at the theater and strategic levels, a new tanker fleet, and a next-generation bomber capable of both conventional and nuclear missions.

Reverse Devastating Cuts to the Ground Forces

* Reverse current budget cuts and maintain the strength of the Marine Corps and the Army;
* Strengthen international partnerships to reduce the need to deploy ground troops.

Reform Military Personnel and Benefits

* Reform the military benefit structure to allow for a sustainable balance between training and procurement, while still attracting and retaining high-quality personnel who have greater choices in career paths and specializations.

Overhaul the Research & Development and Acquisition Processes

* Streamline the acquisition process to prevent costly mistakes and eliminate waste, hold private contractors accountable, and field top-of-the-line technology to future warfighters.

Modernize and Protect Strategic Assets

* Expand cyberspace offensive and defensive capabilities;
* Ensure continued freedom of access to space in the face of potential development of anti-satellite missiles by our potential adversaries;
* Modernize the nuclear arsenal and stop the Obama administration's proposed cuts to the nuclear arsenal;
* Expand missile defense by speeding up deployment of interceptors in Europe, deploying a third site in the United States, and ensuring that advanced programs are adequately funded.

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