DoD Budget Boosts R&D Funding

DoD formally requested a $523.9 billion base budget and $58.8 billion overseas contingency operations funding, a .4 percent sliver above FY16, but $23.9 billion less than the Pentagon planned on, reports Defense News. A 4 percent hike goes into a $71.8 billion R&D budget, likely headed toward the Pentagon’s plan to build battlefield advantage on cutting-edge technology.

The US Coast Guard and local environmental agencies continue work to contain an oily sheen in the Potomac near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, reports WTOP. A dye test is planned to identify the source of the sheen on Roaches Run and in the Potomac River.

Senators John McCain (R-AZ) and Jack Reed (D-RI)  roundly criticizes all aspects of the LCS ship and its development, reports USNI News.

Commissary prices are likely to increase next year with the introduction of “variable pricing,” a move away from the cost-plus-1 percent markup and surcharge, reports Military.com.

The Dept. of Veterans Affairs again denies compensation to Blue Water Navy vets for possible exposure to Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, reports PilotOnline. Vets claim water sucked into the their ships and distilled for showering, drinking, laundry and cooking, could have been contaminated with Agent Orange and its lethal chemical dioxin. Experts say distillation could have concentrated the Agent Orange.

Wired opines President Obama’s cybersecurity plan underwhelms, but does launch a long overdue upgrade of the government’s hardware.

North Korea’s leader Kim Jong doesn’t care who condemns his long-range rocket launch (China, Russia and the US have), his goal is to build a missile that can strike the US.

Representative Randy Forbes (R-VA) is switching to a new district in Virginia, friendlier to Republicans, reports The Hill, improving his reelection chances.

Veteran A-10 pilot Chad Henning has three Super Bowl rings, reports We Are the Mighty.