The Senate on June 14 approved its version of the fiscal year 2016 defense authorization bill that included a compromise on the RD-180 issue.
Sen. Bill Nelson’s (D-Fla.) amendment gives the Air Force 18 additional Russian rocket engines to be acquired before the end of 2022 to help bridge the gap until a domestic next-generation engine is ready for use, The amendment also restricts the use of Russian engines to phases 1(a) and 2 of the Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) procurements, which represent the Air Force’s first competed launch contracts in over a decade. CAPITOL
The amendment is a compromise as the bill approved by the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) capped the number of additional RD-180s at nine. The 18 additional engines provided by the amendment falls in line with the amount provided in the House-passed authorization bill.
The amendment could be considered a victory for United Launch Alliance (ULA), Nelson and Sen. Richard Shelby (R-Ala.). ULA wants to be able to use the RD-180 to bid for government launches while the senators supported allowing the Air Force to use additional RD-180s. The amendment could be considered a loss for Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), who, at one point, wanted to prevent the service from using additional engines moving forward. McCain, himself, compromised in allowing nine additional engines in the SASC-version of the bill.
Shelby told reporters after voting June 14 that he believed the six years was enough time to get a new engine built and if it wasn’t than the United States has problems with its defense industrial base. Shelby also said language in the Senate defense appropriations bill might not have to be altered to reflect the Nelson amendment and smooth enactment.
In a statement, Shelby called the amendment a victory as it safeguarded the Air Force’s authority to maintain competition for launches. Banning future use of the engine would have provided a de facto monopoly to Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) as ULA would have been limited to competing with its expensive Delta IV.
McCain said in a statement he supported the amendment because it contained a legislative cutoff date for the use of Russian engines while not altering other important space launch provisions in the bill. McCain said the amendment reflects concerns shared by authorizers and appropriators that year-to-year litigation of the issue did not serve the nation well and that he looks forward to working with Senate colleagues to ensure this compromise is reflected in the appropriations bill to prevent future fights.
Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), vice chairman of the Appropriations defense subcommittee (SAC-D), endorsed the amendment in a statement, calling it a win for national security and taxpayers. Durbin has been critical of the use of additional Russian engines.
The authorization bill passed 85-13. Seven Democrats voted no: Kirsten Gillibrand (N.Y.), Pat Leahy (Vt.), Ed Markey (Mass.), Jeff Merkley (Ore.), Harry Reid (Nev.), Elizabeth Warren (Mass.) and Ron Wyden (Ore.). Six Republicans voted no: Mike Crapo (Idaho), Ted Cruz (Texas), Mike Lee (Utah), Rand Paul (Ky.), James Risch (Idaho) and Ben Sasse (Neb.). Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) and Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) did not vote.
ULA is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin [LMT] and Boeing [BA].