$371.5 million in Defense Earmark Proposals Submitted to Wyden, Merkley

Senators Wyden and Merkley are posting online requests to them for federal earmarks. Their list of requests for the FY 2010 Defense appropriation bill is now up. Wyden’s Defense list is here with his press release here. By my count, there are 40 proposals for $371.5 million, plus one more with no amount given. Not all of them, of course, will be recommended by either Wyden or Merkley.

What strikes me the most is how inappropriate almost all of the requests are for being earmarked by Senators. While it would be nice for Oregon’s economy if Oregon contractors were funded for the proposals submitted, the purpose of the funding is our national defense, not economic development in Oregon. Funding for projects should fit within a national strategic plan for our defense, something nationally coherent, not some state-by-state concoction of pet projects. So, why fund them through the earmark process at all?

Further, the proposals are posted online for public input. I find it hard to even understand what some of the projects are about, much less what priority I would give each.

The top four requests accounting for $197 million (53% of the Oregon total) are:

F-15 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar - $62,000,000
The Oregon Military Department, Salem, OR
This project procures Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar systems for ANG F-15 aircraft. AESA far surpasses the current F-15 radar (the mechanically scanned APG-63 V0) in detection, tracking and engagement capabilities, and also provides improved reliability and maintainability. AESA provides next-generation capability to ANG F-15s - critical for homeland defense in order to counter asymmetric threats, such as cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles. Additionally, AESA is needed to counter emerging air threats in support of theater OPLANs.

Project Carriage (UH-60, R60 Wildland Fire Suppression Tank) - $50,648,000
Recoil Suppression Systems, LLC, Merlin, OR
Recoil R60 (900 gallon wildland fire suppression fixed belly tank) for the UH-60A, L & M Blackhawk helicopter. National Guard Bureau requires 150 tanks to standardize Army National Guard Aviation equipment response to wildland fires and Katrina like events for protection of life, property, resource preservation and Homeland security purposes.

F-15 Beyond Line of Sight (BLOS) Secure Communication - $56,000,000
The Oregon Military Department, Salem, OR
This project procures 140 BLOS Secure Communication systems for ANG F-15 aircraft. Current F-15 radio communications are limited to line-of-sight. F-15s conducting Air Sovereignty Alert missions often encounter situations in which they cannot communicate with national command and control, due to radio line-of-sight limitations. A secure BLOS communication system is needed to ensure that F-15 pilots can communicate with national command and control.

F-15 BOL Upgrade - $29,210,000
The Oregon Military Department, Salem, OR
This project provides money for upgrading ANG F-15 aircraft with the BOL countermeasures system. This system greatly enhances the survivability of the F-15 against current and emerging threat systems. The pilot vehicle interface (PVI) has already been purchased and will be fielded in the next release of F-15 avionics suite software (Suite 6).

Note that three of the top four requests all relate to upgrading F-15’s in Oregon. While I am sure I would sleep better knowing the F-15’s over Oregon are prepared for cruise missile or unmanned aerial vehicle attacks, I do not think those threats are likely. And extending the F-15’s range of communications seems reasonable, but the price seems high. I have no idea what the “BOL countermeasures system” is. Sounds important, but for $29 million it should be.

The fourth of the top four earmark requests, the wildland fire suppression fixed belly tanks for helicopters, does have practical purposes in Oregon. It would help put out fires in Oregon. But, again, the price tag seems too high.

Two of the 41 proposals are more grounded in the needs of Oregonians:

Helping Our Heroes: Preventing Suicide Among Oregon Soldiers and Providing Support to Military Families - $1,200,000
Oregon Partnership, Portland, OR
"Helping Our Heroes" addresses the escalating occurrence of suicide and addiction among returning soldiers and veterans, and the stress it causes their families. The "Helping Our Heroes" project will create a dedicated Oregon Line at OP's LifeLine Call Center for returning soldiers and their families dealing with mental health, suicide, and alcohol and drug problems. Providing hands-on support to military children and families prior to, during, and after the deployment of a parent or loved one.

Northwest Manufacturing Initiative - $2,800,000
Manufacturing 21 Coalition, Portland, OR
The Northwest Manufacturing Initiative is a unique regional effort. Its purpose is to improve the performance of manufacturing companies and the products they create as part of the defense logistics pipeline. The NMI represents the combined efforts of over 100 companies and five participating research institutions across the region. The goal of NMI is to meet the advanced product needs of the US Department of Defense by improving the capacity of companies of all sizes to acquire and apply innovations to produce superior high value products and components. NMI companies are seeking to accomplish this through selective investments in participating university partners, information systems, and workforce training. This is part of a long-term investment strategy designed by industry leaders to concentrate federal, state, public and private resources to serve the needs of the Department of Defense by building the capacity of an entire region's manufacturing cluster to respond to immediate and long term national needs. The areas targeted for investment in this request are:

• Weld Surface Engineering technologies for repair, optimization, and life cycle enhancement of life limiting components in defense systems.
• Manufacturability of metal matrix composite materials, including the impact of tool wear, in drilling of composite/metal stacks.
• Energy efficiency/savings technologies designed to reduce costs in the manufacturing process.
• Technical innovation leading to the further development and application of friction stir welding for materials, in particular used in aerospace.
• Develop and individualize new approaches to improved supply chain management and the greening of supply chain systems for defense applications.
• Expand the reach of this program to even more manufacturers in the Pacific Northwest.
• Upgrade skills of the defense workforce to support the implementation and integration of new applied technologies and processes n the manufacturing environment.

I would certainly support efforts to prevent suicide among soldiers. I have no idea if this is the best way or what else is being done.

As we cut procurement of some of the big weapons system to fight the wars we are now in, I am supportive of a national strategy to maintain an industrial base that can be brought into production if big threats emerge. However, this should be a national strategy for our national defense, not a regional economic development strategy.

Of course, all my commentary and perspective is colored by the fact that I, too, submitted an earmark proposal for $2.5 million to go to the Oregon Department of Education for the development and expansion of Mandarin programs in Oregon. It is not up online, yet. But I am willing to debate its dollar-for-dollar national security priority against any of these Defense appropriation requests.