Portman, Brown Introduce Amendment to Increase Funding for A1 Stryker Vehicles

WASHINGTON D.C. – Today, U.S. Senators Rob Portman (R-OH) and Sherrod Brown (D-OH) introduced a bipartisan amendment to the Senate’s FY 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) requesting an additional $375 million in funding to address a critical unfunded Army requirement to field 60 additional A1 variant Stryker Vehicles for front line infantry brigades.  This funding would also allow the Army to meet the requirement of fully fielding brigades of 336 vehicles with new, lethal 30mm cannon upgrades.  These vehicles will be manufactured at the Joint Systems Manufacturing Center (JSMC) in Lima in order to ensure that our forward deployed soldiers have vehicles with the most cutting-edge capabilities. The NDAA includes $847 million for upgrading Stryker Vehicles and $392 million for modifying the Stryker A1 Vehicles but does not include this additional funding needed in order for the Army to achieve its readiness needs.

“It is vital that the Army receives this funding in order to fulfill the military requirements of full fielding the Stryker Vehicles with the most up-to-date upgrades in order to keep troops on the frontlines safe,” said Portman. “This authorization will help provide long-term stability to the industrial base and ensure our soldiers are rapidly provided with the most capable and survivable vehicle coming off the line. These vehicles are produced at Lima’s Joint Systems Manufacturing Center and this amendment would ensure more good-paying jobs for its world-class workforce.”

“The Joint Systems Manufacturing Center’s workforce delivers critical capabilities to our troops throughout the world. This funding authorization will increase the survivability and lethality of the Stryker, which has proven highly capable time and time again. Our amendment to the NDAA supports JSMC’s workforce by expanding production, and ensures that our forces have the vehicles that they need,” said Brown.

NOTE: Brown has long fought to ensure Lima’s JSMC has the funding it needs to support its missions involving the Stryker vehicles, including in the FY2020 NDAA spending package.

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