Congressman Robert J. Wittman | Official US House headshots
Congressman Robert J. Wittman | Official US House headshots
WASHINGTON – Congressman Rob Wittman (VA-01), vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee and chairman of the Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee, delivered an opening statement at the full committee markup for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2025 on May 22, 2024.
Rep. Wittman emphasized his stance as a "defense hawk" and stressed the importance of maintaining military strength to ensure peace. He highlighted concerns regarding China's strategic ambitions, specifically mentioning the potential threat to Taiwan.
“It is with this thought that I proposed the Tactical Air & Land Subcommittee mark that is before you today,” Wittman stated. The proposed mark includes measures such as retaining F-22 block 20 and F-15E aircraft, supporting investments in sixth-generation and combat collaborative aircraft, expanding defenses against small unmanned aircraft and cruise missiles, and advancing Army modernization priorities.
Wittman also addressed changes observed on the Ukraine battlefield, noting the rise of electronic warfare and drone warfare. “My mark establishes the Drone Corps as a basic branch of Army; it accelerates counter UAS capabilities; it affirms rapid technology advancement in UAS and counter UAS technologies; and seeks to elevate Army electronic warfare from organizational misalignment,” he said.
Additionally, Wittman discussed challenges related to Joint Strike Fighter production. He pointed out issues with TR-3/Block 4 upgrades affecting over 100 JSF aircraft. He expressed confidence in working with other committee members to address these challenges: “I believe that the aggressive JSF oversight plan offered in the chairman’s mark will put the JSF program on the right path.”
In conclusion, Wittman praised Ranking Member Norcross for his leadership in achieving a bipartisan subcommittee mark. “I urge my colleagues to support, and with that, I yield the balance of my time,” he concluded.
The full markup session was live-streamed for public viewing.
###
Alerts Sign-up