Pentagon unveils ‘everything, everywhere, all at once’ budget plan aimed squarely at China

‘EVERYTHING, EVERYWHERE, ALL AT ONCE’: The Biden Pentagon’s proposed defense budget is headed to certain debate on Capitol Hill over the top line of $840 billion, but the bottom line is the fiscal year 2024 spending plan has placed one target dead center: China. Every trade-off in the budget is aimed at leveraging technology and firepower to deter Chinese President Xi Jinping from invading Taiwan and defeating China if it does.

“Our greatest measure of success and the one we use around here most often is to make sure the PRC leadership wakes up every day, considers the risks of aggression and concludes today is not the day,” said Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks at yesterday’s budget rollout. “So first and foremost, this budget is a procurement budget. It puts its thumb on the scale in favor of game-changing capabilities that will deliver not just in the out years, but in the near term, too,”

“The budget is strategy-derived. Less important to us is the input part, the top line,” said Hicks. “That becomes the big issue inside the Washington debate often, but what we really care about is outcome.”

PENTAGON BREAKS DOWN $842 BILLION DEFENSE DEPARTMENT BUDGET REQUEST

WEAPONS, MUNITIONS, AND MORE: The budget is heavily weighted toward capabilities that both strengthen U.S. “kill-chains” and disrupt China’s, “making it easier for us to see, sense and shoot, and making it harder for adversaries to do that to us,” said Hicks. “These investments include a mix of munitions, platforms, communications, data links and cyber tools, among other capabilities, married with novel operational concepts for how to employ them.”

The proposed $30.6 billion budget for munitions is a 12% increase over this year, of which a third, $11 billion, would go to buy the kind of long-range fires that the U.S. would need in a war with China, including the latest sea-launched version of the Raytheon Tomahawk cruise missile, the extended-range Lockheed Martin Joint Air-To-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM-ER), and Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM).

“There is no such thing as a no-risk budget. We've never been able to have that. We are not a nation that lives in a no-risk world,” said Hicks. “But what we owe and we believe we have delivered here is a very robust, ready, combat-capable force that can pace against that challenge of the PRC, as I said, today, tomorrow, into the future.”

OPINION: PENTAGON'S BOOSTED MISSILE BUYS ARE INSUFFICIENT TO MEET CHINA'S THREAT

LAND, SEA, AIR & SPACE: The budget includes $61 billion for combat aircraft, including the new Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider long-range stealth bomber, along with more Lockheed Martin F-35s and Boeing F-15EXs. And the budget would fund research and development of a new fighter jet called Next Generation Air Dominance.

Just over $48 billion is allocated to buy nine new battle force fleet ships, along with funding for “incremental construction” of two new Ford-class aircraft carriers and Columbia-class ballistic missile submarines.

Another $13.9 billion is proposed to upgrade Army and Marine Corps combat equipment — Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle, the Amphibious Combat Vehicle, and the Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle.

“The budget invests over $33 billion to accelerate space capabilities that can be protected, survive attack, degrade gracefully under attack and be reconstituted in a reasonable time when required,” said Pentagon Comptroller Michael McCord.

“The focus here is making our military more capable, not making it larger. You won't see a lot of force structure changes in this budget,” he said.

DEFENSE BUDGET TOPPING $1 TRILLION 'INEVITABLE,' PENTAGON COMPTROLLER SAYS

Good Tuesday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre’s Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Conrad Hoyt. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn’t work, shoot us an email and we’ll add you to our list. And be sure to follow us on Twitter: @dailyondefense.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OR READ BACK ISSUES OF DAILY ON DEFENSE

NOTE TO READERS: Daily on Defense will be on spring break the week of March 20 to 24. We’ll return to your inbox and online Monday, March 27.

Subscribe today to the Washington Examiner magazine and get Washington Briefing: politics and policy stories that will keep you up to date with what's going on in Washington. SUBSCRIBE NOW: Just $1.00 an issue!

CHINA CHAFES AT AUKUS SUB DEAL: Australia’s $245 billion program to build a modern fleet of nuclear-powered attack submarines with the help of the U.S. and the U.K. prompted a predictable response from Beijing.

“The latest joint statement from the U.S., U.K. and Australia demonstrates that the three countries, for the sake of their own geopolitical interests, completely disregard the concerns of the international communities and are walking further and further down the path of error and danger,” China’s foreign ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said at today’s regular press briefing.

The deal, announced formally yesterday in San Diego by President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, and British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, is the most tangible result of the new AUKUS [Australia-U.K.-U.S.] partnership formed a year and a half ago.

“Together we will deliver SSN-AUKUS – a trilaterally-developed submarine based on the United Kingdom’s next-generation design that incorporates technology from all three nations, including cutting-edge U.S. submarine technologies,” the three countries said in a joint statement. “Starting in the early 2030s, pending Congressional approval, the United States intends to sell Australia three Virginia-class submarines, with the potential to sell up to two more if needed.”

The deal was generally lauded on Capitol Hill, though some lawmakers expressed concern over whether the U.S. shipbuilding capacity, already strained, could increase to provide submarines to both Australia and the U.S.

“I believe that done properly, AUKUS will be a win-win and serve as a critical opportunity to fully leverage our shared resources and grow our industrial base,” said Rob Wittman (R-VA), vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee. “As I have consistently said, U.S. support of Australia in their submarine construction cannot be at the expense of the U.S. imperative to build at least 2 Virginia-class submarines per year and ultimately field 66 attack submarines in the U.S. fleet.”

BIDEN TO FAST-TRACK NUCLEAR-POWERED SUBMARINES FOR AUSTRALIA TO COUNTER CHINA

XI CALLS FOR ‘GREAT WALL OF STEEL’: In his first speech since China’s parliament unanimously confirmed him for an unprecedented third term as China's president, Xi Jinping called for China to bolster its military might into a “Great Wall of steel” to ensure its security.

“Xi demanded efforts to advance the modernization of national defense and armed forces on all fronts, and build the people's armed forces into a "Great Wall of steel" that is capable of effectively safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests,” according to official Chinese state media.

Xi also said China is focused on “self-reliance and strength in science and technology” to better compete with Western militaries. “Safety is the foundation of development, and stability is the prerequisite for prosperity,” he said.

UKRAINE’S SECRET CASUALTY COUNT: Russia has suffered horrific casualties in its desperate months-long attempt to wrestle the small town of Bakhmut from Ukrainian control, and by many accounts, including from some Russian soldiers, the country is running out of ammo and suffering sagging morale.

But Ukraine, too, is facing morale and ammunition problems, according to an account in today’s Washington Post, which quotes some unnamed Ukrainian officials as questioning whether its forces are up to mounting the much-ballyhooed spring offensive expected to begin in May.

The report notes that while Russia, by some estimates, has suffered 200,000 dead and wounded so far, the closely-guarded Ukrainian casualty count is thought to be as high as 120,000. While Ukraine has replaced the dead with fresh recruits, many are green, lacking combat experience.

“An inability by Ukraine to execute a much-hyped counteroffensive would fuel new criticism that the United States and its European allies waited too long, until the force had already deteriorated, to deepen training programs and provide armored fighting vehicles, including Bradleys and Leopard battle tanks,” the report says. “Such grim assessments have spread a palpable, if mostly unspoken, pessimism from the front lines to the corridors of power in Kyiv, the capital.”

Meanwhile, the British Defense Ministry says in its latest intelligence update, “In recent weeks, Russian artillery ammunition shortages have likely worsened to the extent that extremely punitive shell-rationing is in force on many parts of the front,” adding, “This has almost certainly been a key reason why no Russian formation has recently been able to generate operationally significant offensive action.”

RUSSIA'S WAR HAWKS SAY ATTRITION HAS BACKFIRED IN UKRAINE: 'WE HAVE NO ROUNDS'

The Rundown

Washington Examiner: Russia's war hawks say attrition has backfired in Ukraine: 'We have no rounds'

Washington Examiner: Feud between mercenaries and Russian government nears 'boiling point' in Bakhmut

Washington Examiner: DeSantis says defending Ukraine from Russia is not a key US interest

Washington Examiner: Pentagon breaks down $842 billion Defense Department budget request

Washington Examiner: Defense budget topping $1 trillion 'inevitable,' Pentagon comptroller says

Washington Examiner: Biden to fast-track nuclear-powered submarines for Australia to counter China

Washington Examiner: Opinion: Pentagon's boosted missile buys are insufficient to meet China's threat

Washington Examiner: Opinion: Celebrating AUKUS, the UK and Australia hesitate on China hawkishness

Washington Post: Ukraine short of skilled troops and munitions as losses, pessimism grow

19fortyfive.com: Ukraine Needs 3 Million Artillery Shells a Year to Fight Russia

Wall Street Journal: China’s Xi Plans to Speak With Zelensky for First Time Since Ukraine War Broke Out

AP: Report: Ukraine world’s 3rd biggest arms importer in 2022

AP: Russia: 60-day extension of wartime grain deal acceptable

19fortyfive.com: AUKUS Plan for Australia to Buy Nuclear-Powered Submarines Faces Big Political Risks

AP: North Korea launches 2 missiles to sea as allies hold drills

19fortyfive.com: South Korea Really Wants an Aircraft Carrier

19fortyfive.com: Look to Korea to See How China Might Fight in the Pacific Today

Defense News: Missile Defense Agency prioritizes Guam in budget proposal

Navy Times: Why the US Navy wants to retire eight ships early

Defense News: US Air Force pursues major aircraft retirements in 2024

Military Times: Military services grappling with filling their ranks in budget request

Defense News: DoD keeps Ukraine aid out of its budget, punting to divided Congress

Air & Space Forces Magazine: Air Force, Space Force Push for Sweeping Modernization in 2024 Budget

Air & Space Forces Magazine: In 2024 Budget, USAF Pushes Major New Aircraft Starts

Air & Space Forces Magazine: Space Force Budget Would Soar by 15 Percent in 2024

Air & Space Forces Magazine: Air Force vs. Army vs. Navy: How the ’24 Budgets Stack Up

Forbes: Opinion: Amazon Presses For Level Playing Field On Which To Compete With SpaceX’s Starlink

Calendar

TUESDAY | MARCH 14

9 a.m. — Intelligence and National Security Alliance virtual discussion: “Issues including China's military capabilities, technology innovation, space and cyber strategies, prospects for conflict in the Taiwan Straits and elsewhere in the Pacific and lessons from the Russia-Ukraine war," with Doug Wade, chief of the Defense Intelligence Agency's China Mission Group; and John Doyon, INSA executive vice president https://www.insaonline.org/detail-pages/event

10 a.m. — German Marshall Fund of the U.S. virtual discussion: "A Marshall Plan Blueprint for Ukraine," with Ukrainian Ambassador to the U.S. Oksana Markarova; John Hewko, general secretary and CEO of Rotary International and the Rotary Foundation; David Ignatius, columnist at the Washington Post; and Heather Conley, president of GMFUS https://www.gmfus.org/event/marshall-plan-blueprint-ukraine

12 p.m. — Government Executive Media Group's Defense One virtual forum: "The Future of Defense Data and IT,” with Bill Streilein, CTO of the Defense Department's Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office; and Patrick Tucker, technology editor, Defense One https://events.defenseone.com/defense-readiness-workshop

12 p.m. 2075 Rayburn — Defense Forum Foundation defense and foreign policy forum: "North Korean Escapees: Current Situation and What Must Be Done," with Lee Hyun Ae, North Korean escapee; Ji Myeong-Hui, North Korean escapee; and Han Song-Mi, North Korean escapee [email protected]

12:30 p.m. 14th and F Sts. NW — National Press Club “Headliners Luncheon” address from Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger https://www.press.org/events/npc-headliners-luncheon

12:45 p.m. 1717 Massachusetts Ave. NW — Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies discussion: "The US and Russia: Why Did Things Go Wrong and Where Do We Go From Here?" with James Goldgeier, professor of international relations at American University https://sais.jhu.edu/campus-events

3 p.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW — Center for Strategic and International Studies Project on Nuclear Issues discussion: “The IAEA Mission in Ukraine: A Conversation with Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi,” with Heather Williams, director, Project on Nuclear Issues and senior fellow, International Security Program, CSIS https://www.csis.org/events/iaea-mission-ukraine-conversation

4:45 p.m. 222 Russell — Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Strategic Forces hearing: “Posture of the U.S. Space Force,” with testimony from Gen. B. Chance Saltzman, chief of space operations https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings

WEDNESDAY | MARCH 15

9:30 a.m. G50 Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the nominations of Ronald Keohane to be assistant secretary of defense for manpower and reserve affairs, and Nickolas Guertin to be assistant secretary of the Navy for research, development and acquisition https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings

10:30 a.m. — U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom virtual hearing: “Russia's Invasion of Ukraine: Implications for Religious Freedom," with Dmytro Vovk, member of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights' Expert Panel on Freedom of Religion or Belief; Rabbi Pinchas Goldschmidt, president of the Conference of European Rabbis and former chief rabbi of Moscow; Rachel Denber, deputy director of Human Rights Watch's Europe and Central Asia Division; Nury Turkel, USCIRF chair; Abraham Cooper, USCIRF vice chair; and Sharon Kleinbaum, USCIRF commissioner https://www.zoomgov.com/webinar/register

3 p.m. 222 Russell — Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel hearing: “Military and Civilian personnel programs in the Department of Defense,” with testimony from Gilbert Cisneros, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness; Shawn Skelly, assistant secretary of defense for readiness; Thomas Constable, performing the duties of the assistant secretary of defense for manpower and reserve affairs; Lester Martinez-Lopez, assistant secretary of defense for health affairs; Elizabeth Foster, executive director of force resiliency; Agnes Schaefer, assistant secretary of the Army for manpower and reserve affairs; Franklin Parker, assistant secretary of the Navy for manpower and reserve affairs; and Alex Wagner, assistant secretary of the Air Force for manpower and reserve affairs https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings

4 p.m. — Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft virtual discussion: "Is Congress Captured by the Arms Industry?," with former Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA); Dan Grazier, senior defense policy fellow at the Project on Government Oversight; William Hartung, senior research fellow at the Quincy Institute; and Kelley Vlahos, senior adviser at the Quincy Institute https://quincyinst.org/event/is-congress-captured-by-the-arms-industry

THURSDAY | MARCH 16

7 a.m. 1700 Army Navy Dr. — National Defense Industrial Association: "Senior Defense Leaders Forum" to review the FY2024 Defense Department budget with Air Force Deputy Chief of Staff for Plans and Programs Lt. Gen. Richard Moore; Deputy Assistant Navy Secretary for Budget Rear Adm. John Gumbleton; and Assistant Deputy Marine Corps Commandant for Programs and Resources Brig. Gen. Daniel Shipley https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2023-3-16-ndia-dc-chapter

9 a.m. — Henry Stimson Center virtual discussion: “Japan’s New National Security Strategy: Northeast Asia,” with Madoka Fukuda, professor at Hosei University; and Yasuyo Sakata, professor of international relations at Kanda University of International Studies https://www.stimson.org/event/the-northeast-asia-security-environment

9:30 a.m. G50 Dirksen — Senate Armed Services Committee hearing: “Posture of U.S. Central Command and U.S. Africa Command,” with testimony from Army Gen. Michael Kurilla, commander, U.S. Central Command; and Marine Gen. Michael Langley, commander, U.S. Africa Command https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings

9:30 a.m. 1616 Rhode Island Ave. NW — Center for Strategic and International Studies and Defense Acquisition Program Administration Republic of Korea-U.S. Defense Industrial Cooperation for a Resilient Global Supply Chain Conference, with Michael Vaccaro, principal deputy assistant defense secretary for industrial base policy; and Pat Mason, deputy assistant Army secretary for defense exports and cooperation https://www.csis.org/events/dapa-csis-conference-2023-rok-us

11 a.m. — Government Executive Media Group Defense One discussion: "State of the Marines," with Marine Corps Commandant Gen. David Berger; and Brig. Gen. Joseph Clearfield, deputy commander of Marine Corps Forces Pacific https://d1stateofdefense.com/

11 a.m. 1030 15th St. NW — Atlantic Council discussion on a new report: "C4ISR (Command and Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance): Assessment and Recommendations After Madrid," with retired Army Maj. Gen. Gordon Davis; retired Marine Corps Gen. James Cartwright, board director of the Atlantic Council; John Baylouny, executive vice president, chief operating officer, Leonardo DRS; and Sherill Lingel, director, Force Modernization and Employment Program, RAND Project Air Force https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/report-launch-the-future-of-nato-c4isr

12 p.m. 1779 Massachusetts Ave. NW — Carnegie Endowment for International Peace discussion: "Making AUKUS (Australia-United Kingdom-U.S.) Work for the U.S.-Australia Alliance," with Stacie Pettyjohn, director of the defense program at the Center for a New American Security; and William Greenwalt, nonresident senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute https://carnegieendowment.org/2023/03/16/making-aukus-work

1 p.m. 1000 Massachusetts Ave. NW — Cato Institute discussion: "The Iraq War at 20 Years" https://www.cato.org/events/iraq-war-20-years

FRIDAY | MARCH 17

10 a.m. — Wilson Center's Asia Program virtual discussion: "Taiwan and Its Partners Beyond the Silicon Shield," with Shelley Rigger, professor at Davidson College; and Dan Blumenthal, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/taiwan

11 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: "Attracting and Scaling Private Capital in Support of National Security," with Jason Rathje, director of the Defense Department's Office of Strategic Capital https://www.csis.org/events/dods-office-strategic-capital

12 p.m. 112 Elden St., Herndon, Va. — Clare Boothe Luce Center for Conservative Women discussion: "The Communist China Threat," with Victoria Coates, senior research fellow for international affairs and national security at the Heritage Foundation's Center for Freedom. RSVP: Lindsey Cruz, [email protected]

1 p.m. 1957 E Street NW — George Washington University Elliott School of International Affairs discussion: "Nuclear Security: Our View from Vienna,” with Laura Holgate, U.S. ambassador to the United Nations Vienna Office https://calendar.gwu.edu/event/nuclear_security