Nelson, Inhofe Complain AF Not Following Congressional Direction on RD-180

Nelson, Inhofe Complain AF Not Following Congressional Direction on RD-180

Senators Bill Nelson (D-FL) and James Inhofe (R-OK) wrote to Secretary of Defense Ash Carter last week to complain that DOD is not following congressional direction to expeditiously develop a U.S. propulsion system to replace Russia’s RD-180.

The letter is dated March 10 and briefly states that congressional direction in the 2015 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) is quite clear that DOD is to develop a new rocket propulsion system by 2019 and authorized $220 million in FY2015 to that end, and the FY2015 appropriations act includes that $220 million.  Written in the first person (it is not clear whether it is Inhofe or Nelson — both signed it), the letter says “my observations to date leave me skeptical that DoD or the U.S. Air Force are following Congressional intent.”

Both Senators are members of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC).

The letter says that the direction in the NDAA is consistent with last year’s Air Force-chartered RD-180 Availability Risk Mitigation Study, which was chaired by Maj. Gen. Howard “Mitch” Mitchell (Ret.).   Mitchell is scheduled to be one of the witnesses at this afternoon’s hearing across the Hill before the House Armed Services Committee on “Assuring Assured Access to Space.”   Air Force Space Command Commander Gen. John Hyten is also scheduled to testify, along with DOD and Air Force acquisition officials and representatives of SpaceX and United Launch Alliance.

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