Following Portman/Peters Letter, NDAA Authorizes Additional $695.5 Million to Modernize Stryker Vehicles
Press Release
U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Gary Peters (D-MI) announced today that the Senate Armed Services Committee FY 2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) authorizes an additional $695.5 million in funding to modernize Stryker Vehicles. The decision to include the funding follows a letter led by Senators Portman and Peters urging Chairman John McCain (R-AZ) and Ranking Member Jack Reed (D-RI) to upgrade the Stryker Vehicles. The Stryker is the Army's most versatile and deployable combat vehicle, and this funding would provide Stryker Brigades with additional vehicles with upgraded weapons systems, survivability improvements to the vehicle hull, and other mobility and communication improvements. The FY 2018 NDAA is now headed to the Senate floor.
"In today's dangerous global security environment, it is critical that we give our troops the tools they need to accomplish our national security objectives overseas. Manufactured at the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center in Lima, the Stryker is the Army's most versatile and deployable combat vehicle. By providing the funding to make important upgrades to Stryker vehicles, Congress will ensure our forward deployed soldiers have the vehicles they need to be effective and keep them safe," said Portman. "I look forward to the Senate passing this legislation and putting this funding into action."
"With the threat of Russian aggression increasing in Europe, this critical provision will provide our servicemembers with the upgraded vehicles they need to complete their missions safely and effectively," said Peters, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee. "I am pleased that this provision will provide the resources necessary to develop and engineer technology that will upgrade and modernize Stryker vehicles, protecting our brave men and women in uniform and supporting jobs for Michiganders."
NOTE: In their FY2018 National Defense Authorization Act, the Senate Armed Services Committee added an additional $348 million to complete the fourth brigade set with116 Stryker Vehicles with a Double-V Hull (DVH) for increased protection and incorporation of upgrades to improve off-road mobility, improve engine and electrical power, and provide a digital network backbone.
Additionally, in their FY2018 National Defense Authorization Act, the Senate Armed Services Committee added $347.5 million to produce a second brigade set of 81 Stryker Vehicles armed with an upgraded 30mm cannon.
Portman and Peters successfully offered an amendment in 2015 to the FY 2016 NDAA to strengthen the Stryker Brigade forward deployed to Europe by allowing for $371 million to support research and development and procurement of the first Stryker vehicles with this upgraded weapon system. The first brigade set of these vehicles slated to deploy to Europe, authorized by Senators Portman and Peters amendment to the FY2016 NDAA, are currently being produced at JSMC.
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