US spending on the needs of the Pentagon could grow 1.6% in fiscal 2022 over 2021 if Congress approves the White House request.

This was reported on the website of the US Department of Defense.

The Biden administration has asked for a defense budget of $ 752.9 billion for next year. Of this amount, $ 715 billion will go directly to the Pentagon, the rest will go to other agencies.

Recall that for the 2021 fiscal year, the US Department of Defense was allocated $ 703.7 billion.

As stated in a published statement by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, "the US military faces significant challenges from countries such as China and Russia, as well as threats to global security caused by factors such as climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic." ...

Chinese factor

As highlighted, speaking at the briefing, acting.

Deputy Defense Secretary Anne McAndrew, "the threat from China is a priority in the budget."

“We will continue to modernize the global capabilities and operating principles of our forces so that our military can fulfill the tasks of deterrence and defense in the event of aggression in the Indo-Pacific region, which could undermine the security of both the United States and our allies,” she said.

  • US Navy ships in the South China Sea

  • AFP

  • © Erwin Jacob V. MICIANO / Navy Office of Information

The budget also includes “what is needed” so that the DOD can deal with other complex and persistent threats, “including those from Russia, Iran and North Korea, as well as organizations practicing violent extremism,” McAndrew explained.

On the eve of the growing ambitions of China, Joe Biden also spoke to the American military.

The US President said that he spent more time with Chinese President Xi Jinping than any other world leader.

During closed meetings, politicians talked for a total of 24 hours, and also covered a total of 17 thousand miles on joint trips across the United States and China.

"He (Xi Jinping. -

RT

) is firmly convinced that by 2030-2035 China will plug America in the belt, because autocracies can make decisions quickly," Biden said.

According to experts, the Biden administration has focused on the Indo-Pacific region due to the growing power of China.

“China is modernizing its nuclear forces, navy and air force, and is also increasing the size of its ground forces.

This does not suit Washington.

Today, the United States is trying to reduce its presence in the Middle East and transfer the freed up resources to the Chinese direction: the escalation of tensions with the PRC could potentially escalate into military clashes in the South China Sea and in the airspace, ”said the chief researcher at the US Institute and Of Canada RAS Vladimir Vasiliev.

It is worth noting that the White House has proposed $ 5.1 billion for the Pacific Containment Initiative for fiscal 2022.

This program was launched in 2020 and is directed against China.

American specifics

In addition, the Biden administration plans to allocate half a billion dollars in the defense budget to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, and it is proposed to allocate $ 617 million to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Purely defense spending is also envisaged.

So, it is planned to spend $ 27.7 billion on the modernization of nuclear forces in the next financial year, and $ 20.4 billion on missile defense and missile attack means.

The Air Force should receive $ 54.4 billion from the budget.

Troops will be replenished with 85 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, 12 heavily armed F-15EX fighters, nine CH-53K King Stallion transport and cargo helicopters and other equipment.

  • US Air Force Blue Angels Aerobatics Group

  • Reuters

  • © David McNew

It is planned to spend $ 34.6 billion on the needs of the Navy. These funds will be used, among other things, for the construction of a Columbia class submarine with ballistic missiles, two more Virginia class submarines and maintenance of the Gerald R. Ford class aircraft carrier.

At the same time, it is planned to allocate $ 12.3 billion and $ 10.4 billion, respectively, for the needs of the ground forces and activity in cyberspace.

The administration expects to allocate $ 20.6 billion for space programs.

The US authorities intend to pay great attention to the development of hypersonic weapons.

US Navy Vice Admiral Ron Boxall said during the briefing that the draft defense budget provides for the allocation of $ 6.6 billion to develop means of long-range strikes that will allow the US Army "to pose a threat to its opponents at operational distances."

"China and Russia are introducing conventional long-range hypersonic weapons that can pose a threat to our allies and partners, as well as to US forces at a distance exceeding the range of existing air defense systems," he recalled.

The vice admiral explained that the US defense budget for 2022 provides for the introduction of air, land and sea-based hypersonic weapons.

“We are starting the production of airborne rapid reaction weapons (ARRW).

This hypersonic missile on an airborne platform will be ready in 2022, ”said Ron Boxall.

He also announced that in 2023, the Ground Forces will introduce long-range hypersonic weapons (LRHW), launched from ground positions.

And in 2025, the Navy will begin to operate hypersonic weapons for delivering quick strikes with conventional weapons, which will be equipped with DDG-1000 warships.

As Yuri Rogulev, director of the Franklin Roosevelt Foundation for the Study of the United States at Moscow State University, explained in an interview with RT, the structure of US defense spending is significantly different from its Russian or Chinese counterpart.

“The Russian and Chinese armed forces are designed to defend their borders, while the American army is scattered around the world.

This is the specificity of the country's defense budget.

For example, the cyber sphere plays a special role, where the United States is trying to build up its potential, ”the expert explained.

  • Pentagon

  • AFP

As for the plans of the Pentagon in the field of hypersound, then, as noted by Rogulyov, the United States is actively developing its scientific and production capabilities in this area.

“Therefore, the Pentagon may well implement the designated plans.

Previously, the United States lagged behind Russia in this area, because it underestimated its technological capabilities, ”the analyst says.

Vladimir Vasiliev adheres to a similar point of view.

“For the Pentagon, it is now extremely important to obtain hypersonic weapons that can act as a means of rapid reaction.

Thanks to these systems, the United States is able to secure global dominance or to be able to operate on other continents without a basic presence, ”the expert explained.

"Continue the course of the predecessor"

Recall that the plans of the Joe Biden administration to request over $ 750 billion for defense needs in the 2022 fiscal year became known back in April.

At the same time, the total volume of the US state budget for this period may reach a record $ 6 trillion.

This year, the US federal budget spending will amount to $ 2.3 trillion. 

In fiscal 2021, $ 740 billion has been allocated for defense, of which $ 704 billion is going to the Pentagon.

Note that earlier in the US defense department it was emphasized more than once that they count on an annual increase in defense spending by 3-5% until 2023.

  • Joe Biden

  • Reuters

  • © Ken Cedeno

In 2017, Joe Dunford, chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, and then-Pentagon chief James Mattis argued that a rise in defense spending below 3% per year could lead the US to lag behind Russia and China.

Recall that the previous President of the United States from the Democratic Party, Barack Obama, advocated consistent cuts in defense spending.

In early 2012, he presented a strategy to cut this item of spending by nearly $ 500 billion over the next ten years.

However, Republican Donald Trump, who replaced him in 2017, held a diametrically opposite point of view.

In August 2018, the politician signed a record in nominal terms defense budget for the 2019 fiscal year - then spending on this area amounted to $ 716 billion.

In the future, expenses only increased.

So, in 2020, $ 738 billion was spent on defense needs - this amount Trump called an "absolute record."

Moreover, the 45th president criticized the policy of his predecessor, saying that before he came to the White House, the army had to face "drastic and disastrous budget cuts."

However, as Yuri Rogulev emphasized, the level of US defense spending should not be tied to the party affiliation of a particular president.

“Both Republicans and Democrats have been building up the defense budget.

There have been few periods in US history when these costs have declined.

At the same time, it is the Democrats who are constantly accused of an insufficiently tough foreign course.

Therefore, Biden did not go to cut this budget item, ”Rogulyov said.

In turn, Vladimir Vasiliev drew attention to the fact that the Biden administration argues spending is already a traditional argument - the need to resist the "external enemy" in the person of China, Russia and other countries.

“In fact, Republicans and Democrats are united in unleashing war hysteria.

Apparently, Biden decided to continue the course of his predecessor, declaring China the main threat, "the expert summed up.