Lawmakers Restrict Conventional Trident Program

By Elaine M. Grossman
Global Security Newswire

WASHINGTON — A U.S. House-Senate budget conference committee has denied the Defense Department any fiscal 2008 funding for “testing, fabrication or deployment” of a conventionally armed version of a Navy submarine-launched ballistic missile, according to a near-final draft of the panel’s report (see GSN, Oct. 23).

The Pentagon requested $175 million to develop the Conventional Trident Modification as the first in a series of weapons for the military’s new “prompt global strike” mission.  The mission would allow U.S. commanders to attack urgent targets such as terrorist hideouts or rogue-nation weapons of mass destruction virtually anywhere around the world within 60 minutes of a launch order.

However, lawmakers have raised concerns that Russia or other nuclear powers might misinterpret the launch of a conventionally armed Trident D-5 missile from the same submarines that carry the missile’s nuclear look-alike, potentially triggering a dangerous response (see GSN, May 16).

Going into the conference committee, the two chambers had both zeroed the Pentagon’s request for a conventional version of the Trident D-5 missile, and shifted those and other funds into a new multiservice account to develop a variety of prompt global strike weapons.

Efforts under way to create potential alternatives to the conventional Trident include an Air Force Conventional Strike Missile, an Army Advanced Hypersonic Weapon and a Navy intermediate-range Submarine-Launched Global Strike Missile (see GSN, Oct. 10).

The Senate voted to move $125 million into the funding pot and said the money could be spent solely on alternatives to the conventional Trident.  The House directed $100 million into the prompt global strike account but left the door open for some funds to be used on the Navy missile.

In the conference, which concluded yesterday, budget negotiators agreed to embrace the House funding level of $100 million for the joint account.  At the same time, they included report language that could tie the Pentagon’s hands in proceeding with the conventional Trident effort.

“The conferees agree to provide no funding for testing, fabrication or deployment of a Conventional Trident Modification program,” according to the near-final draft. 

“Funds in the new conventional prompt global strike program element,” the lawmakers added, “shall be applied to propulsion and guidance systems, mission planning, re-entry vehicle design, modeling and simulation efforts, command and control, and launch system infrastructure.  Additionally, funding may be applied towards efforts such as strategic policy compliance, intermediate-range missile concepts, advanced non-nuclear warheads and other mission-enabling capabilities.”

Marine Corps Gen. James Cartwright, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and an early advocate of the conventional Trident concept, last month appeared to accept the notion that Capitol Hill would not allow the missile modification program to proceed. 

Cartwright told Global Security Newswire he saw “signaling … from the Hill, which I don’t necessarily disagree with,” to shelve the conventional Trident and “start to focus the r&d on the next generation beyond conventional Trident.”

An alternative land- or sea-based weapon system might “provide either flight profile or launch conditions that would be less ambiguous,” he said.

Meanwhile, the development work accomplished to date on the conventional Trident missile could allow a modified variant to be “fielded quickly” if a pressing threat emerges, Cartwright said.

In their draft report, the conferees also directed the Defense Department to submit a report on prompt global strike “technology thrusts and investment objectives” within 90 days of the bill’s enactment.

Lawmakers on the conference panel also offered the Defense Department half the $30 million in fiscal 2008 funds it had requested for the development of a new nuclear warhead, according to the panel’s draft report.

The conference committee embraced the Senate position in providing the Pentagon with $15 million for the Reliable Replacement Warhead during the new fiscal year, which began Oct. 1.  The House had earlier passed an appropriations bill that eliminated defense funds for the new warhead.

The Bush administration launched the new warhead program as a means of making the nuclear weapons arsenal more safe, secure and affordable to maintain.  The effort’s boosters have also said it would help the United States preserve the scientific brain trust and manufacturing capabilities to produce nuclear weapons in the future, and would help avoid a return to atomic explosive testing.

However, the effort has proven controversial on Capitol Hill, with some influential lawmakers questioning how the replacement warhead fits into U.S. nuclear weapons policy and expressing concern about its potential price tag (see GSN, Oct. 23).

The conference committee has not yet officially filed its report with the House Rules Committee, according to a Capitol Hill staff aide.  Once that is done, the conference bill would proceed to votes on the House and Senate floors and ultimately be sent to the White House for the president’s signature.

Back to top
About Newswire  |  Contact National Journal  |  Re-Use Guidelines © Copyright 2008 by National Journal Group, Inc. The material in this section is produced independently for NTI by National Journal Group, Inc. Any reproduction or retransmission, in whole or in part, is a violation of federal law and is strictly prohibited without the consent of the National Journal Group, Inc. All rights reserved.