President Bush submitted his 2007 fiscal year (FY) budget request to Congress recently, which included the Navy's $127
billion budget proposal. The president's budget request was also accompanied by the recently released Department of Defense's Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR). The Navy's proposed budget boasts a $4.4 billion increase from last year's baseline appropriations. If approved, the FY07 - FY11 budget provides the necessary funding levels to sustain current readiness, build the fleet for the future and develop the 21st Century Sailor over the next four years, which means a possible increase in pay and benefits, as well as several quality of life improvements. According to Navy leaders, the requested budget proposes a 5.9 percent increase in basic allowance for housing, a 2.2 percent pay increase and improved facilities for schools and child care. Other proposed FY07 - FY11 budget highlights include the construction of seven ships and funding for 165 aircraft, for a total of 51 new ships and 1,150 new aircraft. The FY07 construction and production plan includes two
Littoral Combat Ships, two DD(X) destroyers, one Virginia-class submarine, one LHA (R), one T-AKE, 12 EA-18G Growlers, 14 MV-22 Ospreys, 30 F/A-18 Hornets, 21 Joint Primary Air Training Systems and four KC-130Js. (Source: http://www.dcmilitary.com)