The Biden administration’s new supplemental funding request includes billions of dollars to counter the malign influence of communist China throughout the world and to strengthen the United States’ naval forces.
Additionally, the administration seeks $3.4 billion to build out the nation’s submarine industrial base in the hopes of securing a stronger military advantage over the regime’s navy, which is the largest in the world.
US Looks to Float More Attack Submarines
Key to the administration’s efforts is a request to help build out U.S. defense industrial capacity so that it can more quickly build and continuously float fast attack submarines.The proposed funding would cover the costs of improvements and new infrastructure work at the U.S. Navy’s four public shipyards, as well as several workforce initiatives, which the administration says will increase production rates and submarine availability.
“This funding will accelerate build and sustainment rates for attack submarines, one of our most effective capabilities for maintaining deterrence, in order to meet U.S. military requirements,” a White House fact sheet obtained by The Epoch Times said.
Though the lion’s share of the funds would pass through the Department of Defense, some will go to the National Nuclear Security Administration, indicating that the vessels involved will include the nuclear-powered Virginia-class fast-attack submarine.
The trilateral agreement will see the United States and the UK provide Australia with assistance in building its own nuclear-powered submarines over the coming decade.
Regional Military Training to Counter China in Indo-Pacific
The supplemental request also includes $2 billion to train foreign militaries in the Indo-Pacific and $2 billion to provide lending alternatives to communist China’s “coercive and unsustainable” international lending schemes.Mr. Sullivan said that the funding for foreign military partners would go to “multiple partners” through the State Department. He did not specify which nations were involved or to what extent they had been consulted in the process of crafting the request, however.
“The State Department’s foreign military financing that’s included in the Indo-Pacific portion of the supplemental request is for multiple partners in the region, to strengthen deterrence and enhance peace and stability across the entire Indo-Pacific region,” Mr. Sullivan said.
The funds will also serve to transition regional partners away from reliance on Russian military equipment, possibly paving the way for them to buy from the American defense sector.
“This funding will bolster deterrence and support key allies and partners as they face an increasingly assertive [China], and will support partners transitioning off of Russian military equipment,” the fact sheet said.
“Our allies and partners in the region need our support more than ever and this request provides significant new resources to help them build the capabilities to meet emerging challenges,” Mr. Sullivan said.
