Navy announces $141.4 billion budget in FY12

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Stephen Murphy, Defense Media Activity-Anacostia

WASHINGTON (NNS) — Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Budget, Rear Adm. Joe Mulloy, briefed the Fiscal Year 2012 Department of the Navy budget roll-out at the Pentagon, Feb. 14.

“The FY12 budget request reflects the Navy’s continued commitment to Sailors, Marines, civilians, and their families,” said Mulloy. “It reaffirms the valuable contribution our assets make across the full spectrum of warfare and increases the capability of our fleet. While military pay will increase 1.6 percent, additionally, reenlistment bonuses for key rates are being maintained, and selective reenlistment bonuses are being offered.

President Barack Obama’s budget for Fiscal Year 2012 was submitted to Congress Feb. 14, with an overall request for the DoN of $161.4 billion, which is an increase of $1.0 billion over last year’s baseline appropriations.

FY12 budget also includes an additional request for overseas contingency operations in the amount of $15 billion. The Department of the Navy has been fully engaged across all facets of ongoing contingency operations while transforming itself to provide the nation with rapid, flexible and agile options to deal with new security challenges.

The proposed budget focuses on improving capabilities to fight today’s wars and investing in capabilities to counter future threats while continuing to care for Navy and Marine Corps service members, civilians, and their families.

“The FY12 budget reaffirms the need for procurement while reforming how we buy and operate,” said Mulloy. “The Navy and Marine Corps continue to sustain levels of readiness to deliver exactly the right combat capabilities – access, speed, agility, adaptability, persistence, awareness and lethality – for exactly the right cost.”

Mulloy also pointed out that even with the streamlining of the DoN budget and through captured efficiencies, the Navy will still be able to purchase five more ships than planned, extra F/A-18 fighter jets to help modernize the aviation warfare, and more P-8 aircraft.

The total DoN efficiencies will save $35 billion over five years.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Jan. 6, a series of efficiencies decisions designed to save the Department of Defense more than $178 billion during the next five years, primarily by reducing overhead costs, improving business practices and culling excess or troubled programs.

(U.S. Navy photo illustration/Released)