More Funding Expected For Aircraft Spare Parts.

* With the military aviation community facing what some lawmakers have deemed a readiness crisis, the House Armed Services Committee voted in May to authorize $2.8 billion for the procurement of spare aircraft parts for the Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force, in fiscal year 2019.

In total, the committee's version of the 2019 National Defense Authorization Act calls for $21.8 billion for equipment maintenance and $3.7 billion for spare parts for the military, a $928 million increase over the fiscal year 2018 omnibus bill that Congress passed in March.

A significant portion of the Navy and Marine Corps' air fleet, in particular, has been unready to fly in recent years.

"The committee is concerned by the rate of non-mission-capable aircraft due to issues with supply of parts and spares," the HASC readiness subcommittee said in its markup. "The committee is aware of numerous examples of aircraft that have been non-mission capable for several months waiting for the arrival of a part."

Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller said the No. 1 reason aircraft are not ready is because of a parts shortage. "We know we need to fly more. We know we need to have a consistent parts support," he said at a recent Pentagon press briefing.

Navy Secretary Richard Spencer said long-term funding is needed to beef up the supply. "Filling up a parts bin does not happen in one fiscal year cycle," he said. "We need to...