Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) questioned yesterday during a Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee the top enlisted Defense Department official on why the U.S. needs a replacement for the air-launched cruise missile, and expressed concern that the replacement’s W-80 warhead will vie with nonproliferation activities for funding. “This is a large expense, and it competes for funding with our nation’s nuclear non-proliferation programs,” Feinstein said during yesterday’s subcommittee hearing. “I question why we need this cruise missile that can deliver nuclear warheads from great distances in addition to the numerous gravity bombs, submarine-launched ballistic missiles, and intercontinental ballistic missiles we’ve armed ourselves with.” The Energy Department moved up the planned First Production Unit on the cruise missile warhead from 2025 to 2027 and requested $195 million for work on the warhead refurbishment in Fiscal Year 2016, up from $9.4 million in FY 2015. Additionally, DoD has programmed $1.8 billion in funding for the LRSO over the Future Years’ Defense Program, and requested $36.6 million for the program for Fiscal Year 2016, a $33.2 million increase above the FY 2015-enacted level.
Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, defended the project, saying it was necessary to penetrate improved global air defenses. He also voiced support for nonproliferation programs, noting that he hopes that the Energy Department can fund both LRSO’s W-80 warhead and nonproliferation activities. “I guess my hope is that we can accommodate both because I think it’s important to continue to have a penetrating air-breathing cruise missile for nuclear deterrence, but I also think nonproliferation is incredibly important, as well.”