Might Sequestration Be On the Way Out?

The sequestration bill that has been the bane of military procurement may be on its last legs, although its reach still has some distance to go. That is the prediction of a Washington, D.C., attorney who specializes in defense procurement.

James McAleese, principal, McAleese and Associates PC, explained how this might come to pass to the audience at a panel discussion during West 2015, being held in San Diego, February 10-12. He forecasts that the government will see a last-minute sequester deal in 2016, although it will be late in the year. So, the Defense Department will not receive all of the $38 billion it is requesting above the sequester topline.

Instead, the department will reap a benefit of from 30 percent to 50 percent—$13 billion to $19 billion. However, even that limited funding will provide vital help in some key areas.

McAleese also advised to start watching the budget in 2019. That should be the first time funding for the new ballistic missile submarine—the SSBNX—would emerge.