The US Congressional Research Service has published a 37–page report on the state of the US Navy’s Aegis Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) Program. This Report should be of interest to ANI members as the Hobart Class destroyers are being upgraded with Aegis Baseline 9 BMD capability.
The Aegis BMD program, which is carried out by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and the Navy, gives US Navy Aegis cruisers and destroyers a capability for conducting BMD operations. BMD-capable Aegis ships operate in European waters to defend Europe from potential ballistic missile attacks from countries such as Iran, and in in the Western Pacific and the Persian Gulf to provide regional defence against potential ballistic missile attacks from countries such as North Korea and Iran. The number of BMD-capable Aegis ships has been growing over time.
MDA’s FY2025 budget submission states that “by the end of FY 2025, there will be 56 total BMD capable [Aegis] ships requiring maintenance support.” MDA testified on December 7, 2023, that the number of BMD-capable ships on that date was 49, and that under MDA’s FY2024 budget submission, the number is to grow to 56 by FY2025 and 69 by FY2030.
The Aegis BMD program is funded mostly through MDA’s budget. The Navy’s budget provides additional funding for BMD-related efforts. MDA’s proposed FY2024 budget requests a total of $1,329.9 million (i.e., about $1.3 billion) in procurement and research and development funding for Aegis BMD efforts, including funding for two Aegis Ashore sites in Poland and Romania. MDA’s budget also includes operations and maintenance (O&M) and military construction (MilCon) funding for the Aegis BMD program.
The full report can be downloaded at: https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/RL/RL33745
