Massachusetts Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren and William Cowan join their House colleagues in support of Army modernization programs, specifically the Warfighter Information Network-Tactical (WIN-T) and the Handheld, Manpack, Small Form Fit (HMS) radio system.
In similar May 20 letters to Army Secretary John McHugh and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, the senators wrote that the Army identified the Network and its programs as its “foremost investment priority” (Defense Daily, May 15
).
The senators would like McHugh and Hagel to protect the programs from funding reductions that would delay their deployment.
WIN-T and HMS are among the communications gear the senators called “modern, capable and flexible” as well as acknowledging it can be “as important as body armor and rifles in combat.”
Army contracting delays led to a $381 million reduction, and “now the Army has proposed to cut another $128 million to the remaining fiscal year 2013 WIN-T funding in the upcoming Department of Defense prior approval reprogramming.”If that cut is approved by Congress, it would cut the total planned FY 2013 funding for WIN-T by 53 percent–$509 million compared to the original request,” the senators wrote.
Such a cut would mean only three brigade combat teams (BCTs) and two division headquarter units would receive the equipment, compared to the Army’s objective of fielding WIN-T to 31 BCTSs and nine division commands. The delay could mean a decade before the technology permeates the force.
General Dynamics [GD] is developing and producing WIN-T, and General Dynamics and Thales Communications produce the Rifleman radio, part of HMS Radios.