Other support equipment. These funds provide for the procurement of fleet moorings, Navy-wide amphibious and specialized amphibious construction battalion equipment, combat construction support equipment, mobile utility-support equipment, automatic data processing, telephone equipment, nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare defense equipment, public works shop equipment, and collateral equipment for military construction projects. The following are illustrative of the major programs and items included in the planned program for fiscal year 1970: procurement of amphibious and specialized amphibious construction battalion equipment; combat construction support equipment; mobile utility support equipment; specialized equipment such as air pollution control devices, telephone equipment, and public works shop equipment, and nuclear, biological, and chemical warfare defense equipment.

SUPPLY SUPPORT EQUIPMENT

The recommended program includes approximately $10.6 million for the budget activity entitled, "Supply Support Equipment." This activity provides for the procurement of material handling equipment at Navy installations and certain self-propelled equipment used aboard ship. Funds are also included for the procurement of automated material handling systems for rapid movement of supplies at supply distribution centers, investment-type support equipment, and clothing for protection against nuclear contamination and chemical and biological agents.

The major programs funded under this activity are discussed below. Materials handling equipment. The planned program for fiscal year 1970 includes the procurement of warehouse tractors, warehouse cranes, forklift trucks, plat form trucks, straddle trucks, and platform trucks and equipment for the support of automated materials handling systems.

Other support equipment. These funds provide for the procurement of miscellaneous support equipment utilized in the operations of the Navy publications and printing service, naval supply centers and depots, inventory control points, commissary stores, and other activities under the cognizance of the Navy Supply System Command. Funds are also included for the procurement of passive defense protective clothing used aboard ships and at certain shore activities.

PERSONNEL AND COMMAND SUPPORT EQUIPMENT

The recommended program includes approximately $25.3 million for the budget activity entitled, "Personnel and command support equipment. This activity provides for the procurement of training aids and devices and general support equipment for the Regular Navy and the Naval Reserve training program: and for the procurement of necessary material for the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery and equipment for the hydrographic and oceanographic surveys programs of the Oceanographer of the Navy. Funds are also included for intelligence collection equipment and non-technical collateral equipment for the operating forces and their support activities. The major programs funded under this activity are discussed below.

Personnel support equipment. These funds provide for the procurement of training and general support equipment of a capital nature. The following are illustrative of the major items included in the fiscal 1970 program. Antisubmarine warfare training program, antiair warfare and electronics training programs, submarine training programs, and professional training and Service Academy programs. Medical support equipment. These funds provide for the procurement of technical, nontechnical and general support equipment for medical facilities under the Bureau of Naval Medicine.

Command support equipment.-These funds provide for the procurement of scientific and technical equipment, industrial shop equipment, and data processing equipment and other general support equipment for a number of naval activities. The following are illustrative of some of the major items included in the planned program for fiscal year 1970: Equipment for the Naval Observatory to support the Department of Defense's time and frequency management program; procurement of equipment to support the mapping, charting, and geodesy mission of the Oceanographer of the Navy; procurement of equipment to support special oceanographic programs; certain intelligence programs; procurement of administrative/office medical and dental, shop, and other equipment for the forces afloat.

1 Excludes $500,000 transfer to the appropriation "Operation and Maintenance, Marine Corps."

The committee recommends concurrence in the House allowance of $50,848,000 for the various Marine Corps procurement programs. The sum recommended is a reduction of $149,752,000 in the revised estimate. The committee's action is based on the concurrence in the following House reductions:

Hawk missile system

AN/TPQ-28 counter-mortar radar__

General reduction___-

Total reductions___

Amount 16. 700,000 11, 752, 000 121,300,000

149,752, 000

The recommended appropriations of $500,848,000 plus $63,801,000 estimated to be made available from other sources will provide a total program of $564,649,000.

PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES

The budget programs and activities included in the appropriation are discussed below.

The sums referred to are intended to reflect the magnitude of the various budget activities and are not to be considered as specific recommendations.

Direct program by activities:

1. Ammunition and ordnance equipment__.

2. Tracked combat vehicles_-_

3. Guided missiles and equipment.

4. Communications and electronics equipment---.

Amount

$455, 783, 000 37, 700, 000 20, 100, 000

109, 161, 000

44, 410, 000

47, 247, 000

714, 401, 000

63, 801, 000

650, 600, 000

149, 752, 000

500, 848, 000

The recommended program includes approximately $455.8 million for the budget activity entitled, "Ammunition and Ordnance Equipment." This activity provides for the procurement of ammunition, towed artillery, and weapons in sufficient quantities to equip and train peacetime forces; to assure immediate combat readiness upon mobilization, and to reserve adequate stocks to sustain units in combat. These funds provide for the procurement of all ordnance equipment except tracked vehicles and guided missiles and their related equipment.

Some of the major items included in the fiscal year 1970 program follow small arms ammunition, $44.6 million; grenade launcher ammunition, $3.2 million; mortar ammunition, $72.7 million; artillery, tank, and antitank ammunition, $187.4 million; hand grenades, $3.8 million; rockets, $10.5 million; fuzes, $41 million; ammunition renovation, $11.8 million; M-16 rifles, $2 million; first destination transportation, $16.1 million; and spares and repair parts, $16.4 million.

TRACKED COMBAT VEHICLES

The recommended program includes approximately $37.7 million for the budget activity entitled, "Tracked Combat Vehicles." This activity provides for the procurement of tracked artillery weapons, tanks, and landing vehicles. The funds recommended for this activity are in accord with the provisions of the Department of Defense Procurement and Research and Development Authorization Act, 1970 (Public Law No. 91-121). Each vehicle and activity in the recommended program is discussed below.

Recovery vehicle, M-578.-$2.9 million is recommended for the procurement of the M-578 recovery vehicle. This is a lightweight, full tracked, self-propelled, highly maneuverable recovery vehicle used to pick up or tow disabled self-propelled artillery vehicles. It is also used as a crane at a repair base and as a carrying platform for spare parts and maintenance personnel. It will be a one-for-one replacement for the recovery vehicle, M-51, presently used in Marine Corps self-propelled artillery units. The M-51 is a low density item of equipment which has been in service for 14 years. The M-578 is 45 percent lighter, achieves a 125-percent increase in cruising range, a 200-percent decrease in fuel consumption and most significantly it is compatible with the self-propelled guns it supports.

M-48A3 tank modifications.-$4.2 million is recommended for the modification of M-48A3 tanks. This program is designed to replace combat losses and to provide adequate numbers of tanks to support the Marine Corps tank rebuild program. It does not represent new procurement. The U.S. Army will provide the Marine Corps with M-48A1 tank hulls at no cost. These hulls will be rebuilt to the M48A3 configuration. The modernization consists principally of replacement of the stereoscopic rangefinder with a coincident type; installation of an improved transmission; provision of an infrared gunner's periscope; installation of a commander's cupola with improved, protected 360 degree vision; and various fire control and suspension system improvements. The modernization of these tanks will be accomplished for the Marine Corps by the U.S. Army.

175-millimeter, self-propelled gun, M-107.-$11 million is recommended for the procurement of 175-millimeter, self-propelled guns. These guns are required to replace the present long-range Marine Corps force artillery weapons, the 155-millimeter, self-propelled gun, M-53. The M-53 is now 13 years old and has exceeded its life expectancy. The rigors of combat in Southeast Asia coupled with age have accelerated the need for its immediate replacement.

Amphibian assault vehicle, LVTPX-12.—$10.4 million is recommended for the initiation of procurement of the Marine Corps' new amphibian assault vehicle the LVTPX-12. This new vehicle will replace the LVTP5A1 vehicle that has been in the inventory since 1955. In addition to the basic personnel and cargo carrier there are four other configurations of this vehicle. The LVTCX2 is the command and control version. The LVTRX2 is the recovery vehicle version and is equipped with tools, a power winch, and a crane for recovery and repair operations. The LVTEX3 is the engineer and mine clearance version for the destruction or reduction of obstacles. The LVTHX5 is the self-propelled artillery version which will provide a capability to land artillery with the assault waves in an amphibious landing.

Self-propelled 8-inch howitzer, M-110.-$0.5 million is recommended for the procurement of M-110, 8-inch self-propelled howitzers. The funds recommended will complete the inventory objective for this full-tracked, mobile, self-propelled general support artillery weapon. Xenon searchlights.-$0.7 million is recommended for the procurement of xenon searchlights (E-1880). These are tank mounted searchlights using a 23-inch xenon short arc light that provides visible or infrared battlefield illumination for observation and target acquisition. This searchlight permits identification of targets to a range of 2,200 meters with the visible light mode and up to 1,000 meters in the infrared light mode.

Tracked combat vehicle support.-$8 million is recommended for various tracked combat vehicle support programs. The sum recommended includes $5.6 million for collateral equipment for vehicles currently in the inventory, $0.3 million for first destination transportation, $0.9 million for spares and repair parts, and $1.2 million for various items costing less than $500,000.

GUIDED MISSILES AND EQUIPMENT

The recommended program includes approximately $3.4 million for the budget activity entitled, "Guided Missiles and Equipment". This

activity provides for the procurement of surface-to-air air defense missiles for the Marine Corps. Funds for the procurement of airlaunched missiles by Marine Corps aircraft are procured from funds included in the appropriation entitled, "Procurement of Aircraft and Missiles, Navy." The funds recommended for this activity are in accord with the provisions of the Department of Defense Procurement and Research and Development Authorization Act, 1970 (Public Law No. 91-121).

The recommended sum of $3.4 million is for various missile support programs, including $1 million for first destination transportation, $.2 million for missile spares and repair parts, and $2.2 million for the procurement of a wide variety of low-cost missile support components and equipment.

COMMUNICATIONS AND ELECTRONICS EQUIPMENT

The recommended program includes approximately $97.4 million for the budget activity entitled, "Communications and Electronic Equipment." This activity provides for the procurement of various electronic and communications equipment to provide the Marine Corps with adequate communications for the landing force ashore and to provide electronic alert and weapons control for defense against air and ground attack.

The following major systems are illustrative of the various types of equipment included in the recommended program: Marine AirGround Intelligence System, $7.7 million, Communications Centrals, $5.1 million, Marine Corps Tactical Data System support, $6.8 million, telephone systems, $8.4 million, and switchboards, $4.9 million.

SUPPORT VEHICLES

The recommended program includes approximately $44.4 million for the activity entitled, "Support Vehicles." This activity provides for the procurement of tactical vehicles and general-purpose vehicles, such as buses, sedans, and commercial trucks required for the various programs and activities of the Marine Corps. The following are illustrative of the major items included in the recommended program : $0.5 million for the procurement of 208 passenger vehicles for the replacement of existing vehicles: $1.7 million for the procurement of 514 commercial-type cargo vehicles, nine firetrucks, and 23 cargo trailers: $4 million for the procurement of 34-ton trucks; $5.6 million for the procurement of 2%-ton trucks: $8.8 million for the procurement of 5-ton trucks: $2.4 million for the procurement of 10-ton truck tractors; $1.2 million for the procurement of 34-ton cargo trailers: $1.1 million for the procurement of 14-ton trailer chassis: $1 million for the procurement of lubrication/service units: $0.6 million for firstdestination transportation: $4.5 million for spares and repair parts: and $5.5 million for the procurement of a great number of support vehicles supporting equipment in the category of "Items under $500,000."