Aircraft
U.S. Congress Passes 2012 Defense Authorization; Cuts Likely for 2013
The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is a target for cutback or cancellation.
The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey is a target for cutback or cancellation.

In mid-December the U.S. Congress authorized $662 billion in defense spending for fiscal 2012, trimming $27 billion from President Obama’s request in probably the last budget before deeper, more painful cuts are required by the Budget Control Act passed in August. In February the White House submitted a $689 billion budget request, including $553 billion for the base Department of Defense budget, $118 billion for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and $18 billion for national security programs of the Department of Energy and Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. The House-Senate conference agreement, passed by both chambers, reduces the DOD base budget to $530 billion, $115 billion for overseas contingency operations and $17 billion for DOE programs.