Funding for Arkansas' Defense Projects Headed to President's Desk
Washington,
Sep 26, 2008 -
The Arkansas Congressional delegation today announced that the House of Representatives has passed a $600 billion stopgap spending package containing critical new funds to support military construction projects and advance technology that strengthens our nation’s defense. The Senate is expected to pass the legislation in the next few days.
Members of the delegation who helped secure defense dollars for Arkansas include: Senators Mark Pryor (D) and Blanche Lincoln (D), Representatives Marion Berry (D-1st), Vic Snyder (D-2nd), John Boozman (R-3rd), and Mike Ross (D-4th).
“Arkansas’s military installations, universities and companies play a critical role in our national security,” said Pryor. “This funding will ensure our men and women serving in the military have the resources they need to accomplish their missions and meet emerging threats.”
“A strong national defense requires the very best in military training, equipment, and technology, and Arkansas’s military installations and growing defense industry are key to achieving America’s national security goals,” said Lincoln. “These state and local priorities will boost our state's economy and allow Arkansans to continue to play a critical role in strengthening the U.S. military.”
“Our men and women in uniform protect and defend this country with honor,” said Berry. “This funding will further their mission through university research, equipment purchases and facilities construction. We must ensure that the Armed Forces are the best equipped and trained in the world.”
“It is important for Congress to support these worthwhile military projects,” Snyder said. “Our nation is at war and these projects will help ensure the viability of the troops, military facilities and research institutions in Arkansas.”
“Training and research in the Third District and all across Arkansas represents a critical component to maintaining an advanced military,” Boozman said. “I’m proud to help secure funding that will improve the safety of our men and women in uniform.”
“As we enter the 21st century, these funds will help our military continue to be the strongest and most technologically advanced armed forces in the world,” said Ross. “I was proud to fight to secure these funds for our numerous military instillations in Arkansas and particularly for those that support the critical jobs at the Pine Bluff Arsenal, East Camden and in Texarkana. The substantial increases I was proud to help secure for the Pine Bluff Arsenal will allow it to continue to serve as a vital and important resource to our military."
The legislation will fund the government through March 6 at current operating levels. Programs supporting homeland security, military construction, veterans and defense operations will receive increased funding. The following Arkansas projects were included as part of the Continuing Resolution:
Fayetteville, AR - $3.3 million
Center for Nanoscale Bio-Sensors, University of Arkansas - $3.3 million to develop new nanotechnology to promote recent breakthroughs in nanostructures for research and development of nanoscale biological sensors. This initiative is vital to the Army’s vision to achieve protection for its soldiers and civilian communities from bacteria, viruses, and biological toxins.
Durability, Energy Saving and Sustainability of Oceanic Vehicles and Support Infrastructure Through use of Active Nanotech Lubricants - $800,000 to advance NanoMech’s research program in collaboration with the Office of Naval Research. The objective of the program is to make naval vessels lighter and more durable.
Russellville, AR - $3.2 million
Future Combat Support Hospital - $3.2 million was secured to continue the EADS prototype for medical shelters, including deployable operating rooms that will have decreased size and weight and increased capability. These new shelters will result in a lighter, more mobile and deployable medical force. The funding encourages the Army to continue to focus on the EADS prototype that will hopefully be developed in Russellville.
Fort Smith, AR - $204,000
Infantry Platoon Battle Course - $204,000 to design the Infantry Platoon Battle Course for support of training requirements of the Arkansas Army National Guard. Primary facilities include Stationary Infantry Targets (SIT), Stationary Armor Targets (SAT), Moving Armor Target (MAT), Moving Infantry Targets (MIT), Machine Gun Bunkers, Trench Obstacle, Assault/Defend House, Landing Zones, Small Range Ops Center/Control Tower/Ammo Breakdown, Storage, Bleacher, Service Roads, Site Improvements and associated support facilities including utilities and information systems
Little Rock, AR - $3.6 million
Advanced Function Nanomaterials for Biological Processes, University of Arkansas at Little Rock - $2 million to improve the delivery of drugs and other medical therapies necessary as a result of battlefield injury or disease.
Information Quality Tools for Persistent Surveillance Data Sets, University of Arkansas at Little Rock - $1.6 million to improve data linking for command, communication, and control platforms for surveillance missions. The continuous volumes of data and need for rapid analysis requires automated processing tools to identify features, events, or other anomalies of interest for further analysis by human operators.
Jacksonville, AR - $4 million
Engine Inspection and Maintenance Facility for the 189th Air Wing (AW) of the Arkansas Air National Guard - $4 million for a properly sized and configured Engine Inspection and Maintenance Facility to better support the maintenance and training mission of the 189th AW in support of nine C-130 aircraft. The functional areas will include aircraft engine inspection space, maintenance areas, tool and equipment storage, as well as appropriate office, bathroom and locker space.
North Little Rock, AR - $1.6 million
Advanced Artillery Tactical Data Systems (AFATDS) - $1.6 million to convert Camp Robinson’s tactical data systems to a Windows-Operating System.
Cabot, AR - $10.8 million
Cabot Readiness Center - $10.8 million to construct a new facility for the Arkansas National Guard. The facility will consist of approximately 38,000 square feet and include an assembly area, administrative office space, supply and storage areas, classrooms, latrines, kitchen, military parking, and a maintenance training bay.
Sebastian County, AR - $750,000
Emergency Operations Center - $750,000 to remodel the new Sebastian County Courthouse to include a dedicated Emergency Operations Center, including physical security and information technology enhancements. This facility is an essential element of a comprehensive national emergency management system and is necessary to ensure coordination of local, state, and federal response in the event of an emergency.
Benton, AR - $1.6 million
Near-Net Shaped Direct-Sintered Silicon Carbide Torso Plates (CoorsTek) - $1.6 million for upgraded armor protection to protect our troops. The ever-changing tactics of unconventional warfare used by our enemies demand that industry develop a new generation of armor plating for individual body systems and vehicles.
Jonesboro, AR - $10 million
Standoff Improvised Explosive Device Detection Program (SIEDP), Arkansas State University - $4.8 million for SIEDP to improve the detection of Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs). Funding for this program will allow Arkansas State University along with Florida A&M and the University of Hawaii to explore and develop new capabilities in areas of IED standoff detection and forensic training.
Standoff Hazardous Agent Detection and Evaluation System (SHADES), ASU - $2.8 million for ASU in conjunction with industry to continue research for early detection of weapons before chemical or biological threats can hurt troops or citizens.
Biological Air Filtering System Technology (BAFST), ASU - $1.6 million to advance biological filtration systems to mitigate complex biologically based threats. Current technology is not capable of providing a safe and clean environment for forward-based space and missile defense elements from highly toxic and contaminated environments. BAFST provides a stand alone/fully integrated biological detection and cleansing subsystem that will allow missile defense systems to operate 24/7 during combat regardless of the contaminated environment. This technology also readily applies to the needs of the Air Force, Navy, OSHA, Homeland Security, Intelligence and NASA.
Spectroscopic Materials Identification, ASU - $800,000 to improve the capabilities at ASU’s Arkansas Center for Laser Applications and Science (ArCLAS) to detect solids, liquids and gases of primary interest to the Department of Defense and Department of Homeland Security.
Wynne, AR - $50,000
FEMA Pre-Disaster Mitigation - $50,000 to improve the drainage infrastructure of Town Creek in Wynne, AR.
Pine Bluff, AR - $12 million
Grenades, All Types, Pine Bluff Arsenal - $5.6 million above the President’s Budget ($110 million) for canister-type smoke grenades used by Army and Marine Corps personnel as ground-to-ground or ground-to-air signaling devices, target or landing zone marking devices, or a screening device for unit movements.
AN-M14 Incendiary Thermite Grenades, Pine Bluff Arsenal - $1.6 million for AN-M14 incendiary thermite grenades used by Army and Marine Corps personnel to combat enemy vehicles, artillery barrels, weapon systems, fuel caches and munitions.
60mm Mortars, All Types, Pine Bluff Arsenal - $1.6 million above the President’s Budget ($17 million) for mortar systems which enhance mission effectiveness for maneuver unit commanders by providing indirect fire support for U.S. Army and Marine Corps personnel engaged in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Artillery, 155mm, All Types, Pine Bluff Arsenal - $1.6 million above the President’s Budget ($85 million) for ammunition fired from a tracked, armored vehicle in direct fire support for infantry units in combat.
120mm Mortars, All Types, Pine Bluff Arsenal - $1.6 million above the President’s Budget ($117 million) for mortar systems which enhance mission effectiveness for maneuver unit commanders by providing indirect fire support for U.S. Army and Marine Corps personnel engaged in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Camden, AR - $199.6 million (protected in the President’s Budget)
Hydra 70mm Rockets (General Dynamics) - $198 million protected in the President’s Budget for the Hydra-70 rocket system used by Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Special Operations helicopters and Navy, Marine and Air Force jet aircraft. The combat proven Hydra-70 is crucial in the accomplishment of anti-material, anti-personnel, and air-to-ground suppression missions in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
Lightweight Unmanned Ground Robot (National Technical Systems) - $1.6 million to assist the National Technical Systems to advance a lightweight unmanned ground robot which can be armed with a range of standard automatic weapons that allows soldiers to engage targets from protected positions at a standoff distance of over 800 meters.
East Camden, AR - $15.4 million (protected in the President’s Budget)
Tomahawk Missiles (Raytheon) - $14.2 million protected in the President’s Budget for the continued procurement and deployment of the Tomahawk missile. This is a long-range, all-weather, subsonic low-altitude missile designed to strike targets deep in enemy territory.
Standard Missile (SM-3) Deployment (Raytheon) - $1.2 billion protected in the President’s Budget for systems to detect, track, intercept, and destroy short- to intermediate-range ballistic missiles. These systems are integrated on U.S. Navy cruisers and destroyers and are our first-line defense against a ballistic missile threat.
Texarkana, AR - $831.7 million (protected in the President’s Budget)
60mm, 81mm, and 120mm Mortars, All Types (Day & Zimmerman) - $292.9 million protected in the President’s Budget for mortar systems which enhance mission effectiveness for maneuver unit commanders by providing indirect fire support for U.S. Army and Marine Corps personnel engaged in combat in Afghanistan and Iraq.
40mm, All Types (Day & Zimmerman) - $353.8 million protected in the President’s Budget for dual-purpose impact type rounds designed to penetrate lightly armored targets and perform anti-personnel missions.
Artillery, 155mm, All Types (Day & Zimmerman) - $85 million protected in the President’s Budget for ammunition fired from a tracked, armored vehicle in direct fire support for infantry units in combat.
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