{"id":45177,"date":"2018-02-21T17:43:39","date_gmt":"2018-02-21T17:43:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2018\/02\/21\/army-looking-to-funnel-potential-budget-boost-into-modernization\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T03:55:55","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T03:55:55","slug":"army-looking-to-funnel-potential-budget-boost-into-modernization","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/smr\/federal-budget\/2018\/02\/21\/army-looking-to-funnel-potential-budget-boost-into-modernization\/","title":{"rendered":"Army looking to funnel potential budget boost into modernization"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

After two decades of ups and downs, the Army is preparing for its biggest base budget<\/a> in history. The service is staring down the end of Congress\u2019s latest continuing resolution, but if a budget deal<\/a> becomes law at the end of March, the Army is preparing to use the extra $6.5 billion it would get in this year\u2019s latest proposed budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those extra funds would likely go straight into the Army\u2019s modernization plans<\/a>, Lt. Gen. Thomas Horlander, the military deputy to Army\u2019s comptroller, said Wednesday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re posturing ourselves to take an increase in our top line,\u201d Horlander said. \u201cIf we get what we would like in the increase in \u201818, much of it is in our modernization account.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bell Helicopter’s V-280 Valor is part of the Joint-Multi Role demonstration being conducted ahead of the U.S. Army’s Future Vertical Lift program of record. Mission systems are being incorporated into the FVL program in a separate effort. (Courtesy of Bell Helicopter)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Waiting half of a fiscal year to find out whether a funding boost is coming isn\u2019t the preference, he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cObviously, it\u2019s not ideal, when you get a funding decision \u2014 and funding deal \u2014 late in the year.\u201d he said. \u201cBut I\u2019ll tell you, when it\u2019s an increase, it\u2019s greatly appreciated.\u201d
<\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Trump\u2019s fiscal 2019 budget proposal looks to build on that increase, kicking the Army\u2019s budget up from $175 billion this year, if the proposed 2018 budget passes, to $182 billion next year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While the budget is trending downward from the height of the Global War on Terror, when the Army was working with more than $250 billion a year, its base budget is higher than it\u2019s ever been at $148 billion, when you factor out overseas contingency funds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just over 60 percent of that is allotted for military personnel programs, including a 2.6 percent pay raise, and a gradual uptick in Army end strength. The service is slated to add 7,500 to the active component and 500 to the Reserve in 2018, followed by another 4,000 active in 2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\t