Before signing the 2018 National Defense Authorization Act into law Tuesday, President Donald Trump highlighted some of its key provisions, saying it “paves the way for beautiful, new Virginia-class submarines, the finest in the world.
“The law authorizes $700 billion in military spending in fiscal year 2018, in addition to more troops, more aircraft and more attack submarines.
Some of the key provisions for Connecticut:
- About $8 billion for Virginia- and Columbia-class submarines built by Electric Boat.
- Roughly $10 billion for 90 Joint Strike Fighters. Pratt & Whitney makes the engines.
- $1 billion for 53 Black Hawks and $1 billion for 4 CH-53Ks, both made by Sikorsky.
- $7 million to construct a base entry complex for the Connecticut National Guard at Bradley International Airport.
Lawmakers are grappling with how to pay for the measure given it is $85 billion above what’s allowed by law.