Good morning and the before i continue, i need to review the protocols for all members remotely joining the hearing. Members participating must be visible on screen for the purpose of identity verification, establishing and maintaining a quorum, participating in the proceedings and vote. Members must continue to use the Software Platform video function the entire time while in attendance unless they experience connectivity issues or other technical problems that render them unable to participate on camera. Until members experiencing technical difficulties if they should contact at the Committee Staff for assistance. With that, id like to turn to my opening remarks as i mentioned we believe we have 11 and maybe a quarter but well stretch that as far as we can and we appreciate you working with us so. First of all, today id like to welcome mr. Stefany Deputy Assistant secretary of the navy for research, development and acquisition. , Lieutenant General wise, for aviation aviation, and Lieutenant General, commanding general, in Marine Corps Combat Development command and, deputy commandant for combat development and integration. Thank you for being with us today, and i look forward to this discussion. Its important that we acknowledge the context of this years marine corps wonder denied station budget request. Three years ago, its a common commandant of the court in bucktin the significant orientation intended to better align the core with National Security challenges posed by the realities of today and tomorrow. And certainly, anybody whos reading any of the defense news plenty, to be said about that. But over the three years, a congress has found that the marine corps modernization strategy generally relevant stable, affordable and achievable. And accordingly, weve demonstrated our support. However, modernization is not without challenges or risks. There are programs within and outside the jurisdiction of this subcommittee that certainly a continued scrutiny and todays hearing we will specifically focus on rotary aviation and ground systems, which across the marine corps program, appear generally in good shape. Im particularly interested to hear from our witnesses assessments and impacts on the departments equipment and beauticians in support of the conflict in ukraine. We also look forward to hearing their thoughts on modernization management, there use of new acquisition authorities intended to accelerate Research Development and the acquisition process and. Finally, we look forward to hearing updates on specific programs such as the c. H. I. P. Three k, the hiv, the amphibious combat vehicle and tactical network. The long range and the ship fires and air defense. Much to cover, and certainly we like to yield to my partner here on technical air and land from missouri missouri. Im a jersey guy, we said missouri here, thanks for that. Thank you, mister chairman. Id like to first of all thank our witnesses for being here today and for your dedicated service to our country. The marine corps in into a lighter war lethal fighting force, better equipped and more capable to deter and defeat current and future peer adversary threats one. Of the most debatable aspects of the marine corps plant was that the marine corps proposed paying for and resourcing the majority of this change from within. The rain corps continued to deliver on the progress to transition from other platforms to newer, more capable systems in a stable, affordable and achievable way. The majority bring corporate grams have remained on time, on track, and on budget. And this is not been lost on congress. I look forward to robust conversation with our witnesses about the current status of the marine corps 2013 force to find of the sum of element and implementation and the critical defense programs necessary to yield the marines with the capable of the capabilities think positive for success. As for congress and specifically this committee has demonstrated our support for this program and the strategy that the commandant has placed in front of us. I commend the marine corps leadership for their dedication and their hard work to continuously reassess modernization Investment Priorities and reallocate over delimited resources to fund the development and procurement of the essential requirements and capabilities nest to necessary to do build a defense voice as. We do gus the modernization of the ground and ready to programs, i would like the witnesses to identify what risks the marine corps is accepting in the short term in order to keep a planned Modernization Programs affordable and on course to meet the mid to long term defense requirements of creating a more lethal, resilient and agile for, able to compete, deter, and against future threats from both peer competitors and rogue actors. Im also interested in the marine corps assessment of how a flat top line and the resulting imposition of cuts and decreases to lower Priority Programs and investment accounts affect the health and stability of your modernization strategy and, as well as the Industrial Base that supports it. Lastly, the fy 23 Defense Budget request did not factor in russias invasion of ukraine or the ongoing response by the u. S. And our allies to provide vehicles, munitions, missiles and other military equipment to Ukrainian Forces in support of their fight against russia. Today, i hope that our witnesses can inform us on how these missile and equipment transfers have affected u. S. Stockpiles and whether you are getting what you need through the various supplemental appropriations to fund these operations replace a vehicle and equipment transfers and replenish depleted munitions stockpiles. If there are additional funding or authorizations we can provide in fy 23 nda and budget, to get after replenishing some of these replenishments now and avoid the the to continue funding supplemental through 2020 through to world sport or your depleted capabilities, we need to be having this critical despised discussion now so. I thank the chairman for organizing this important and timely hearing and i yield back. Thank you. And again, i just want to mention that when you have been doing with the limited funds and redirection of of the items that are highest priority is not lost on this committee on what youre doing and its much appreciated and not to suggest that there are things that there are of concern but i think we are heading in a very good direction and i think youll hear that speaking for myself i generally we certainly believe this so, mr. Stefany quit, to have you back here and. Your statement, please. You sir, thank you for that comment. Chairman north, Ranking Member harshly, distinguished members of the subcommittee on behalf of myself, new janet general heckl and Lieutenant General, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today to speak to the department fy 23 budget request for merck marine corps modernization. During this hearing you will hear that the marine corps has undertaken and aggressive modernization of his war fighting programs of the last five years. Sorry, three years. The Lieutenant General heckl and white are going to explain why this modernization was required, while emphasizing that the fundamental mission of the marine corps to be the most ready when the nation is least ready has not changed. The marine corps will continue to serve as a force in readiness, prepared to answer the nations call whenever and wherever that may be around the globe. As we watch the events unfold in ukraine, it is clear that warfare is changing. Small, distributed formations, with powerful and precision lethality, using advanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platforms, loitering munitions and antiarmor fires, have proven to be very effective in combat operations. It is evidence we cannot stand still. The marine corps Design Initiative recognizes this new reality, focusing on more capable intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance platforms, and smaller systems for our ground formations. Additionally, the marine corps is investing in the research and development of its future loitering munition, which we call organic precision fires. We are using military acquisition authorities for this program and author of fourth design programs that will allow us to rapidly develop visible prototypes and demonstrate new capabilities. Speeding the delivery of those capabilities to the marines. The marine corpss top priority remains the Navy Marine Corps expeditionary ship interdiction system or nemesis, a ground based anti ship Missile System. We have successfully conducted two tests of most recently in the august nemesis two 2021, and are currently conducting developmental and operational assessment for that system. I believe nemesis will have an immediate effect on the operational environment when it is deployed in 2023. And the fbi gave 23 budget request continues a pattern of investing in successful programs that will make a difference in the future conflicts this includes the air ground air task oriented radar, which is currently supported neighbor nato operations, the amphibious compact vehicle, which is just met its benchmark for mobility, protection, and safety, and will deploy with green platoons later this year, and the joint like tactical vehicle the, modern grant vehicles that will replace legacy humvees of the next several years. The marine corps of foreign posture is reliant on ground, aviation, and service mobility. Right wing platforms such as this e h 53 k and the h one play critical providing low saudi maneuverability targeting and flexibility and persistent statement. We have completed Operational Testing of the ch53k heavy lift helicopter and last month declared an International International capability or ioc of that aircraft. Dick 22 budget includes a block by authority for 23 and 24 aircraft production, with a projected savings of 100 and 50 million over purchasing the aircraft one year at the time. We have also reached for ioc the vh92a president ial Helicopter Program even next year and are starting White House Acquisition efforts. And the success of the Navy Marine Corps team to be ready to answer the nations call is rooted in being Forward Deployed. This readiness provides options and decisions space for our Senior Leaders such as yourself the. Navy marine corps for president s for and president s also prevent incidents from becoming a crisis or a crisis becoming a conflict. We are confident that the programs in our marine corps portfolio are achievable, or affordable, and will make memories more successful. Thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today, and for your strong support of marine corps one organization. We look forward to your questions. Thank you thank you, Lieutenant General wise, you are now recognized. So that was one statement for all three of us. Sorry about that. So repeat the same, right . Yes, sir. Im all in. Im all in. Well, thank you for your statement. We had with them, and certainly, this gives us more time for questions, which is certainly on top of that. You started with one of your statements talking about ukraine and what weve been witnessing and the impact particularly of the javelins and the two a lesser extent in this area. Given the performance and thats a tough word to suggest in the russians vehicles in ukraine, the assessment of what you are witnessing, both the lack of protection in some ways of the armor of russian and the ability for ukraine to use the missiles, particularly the javelin, to literally decimate russian armor, marine corps assessment that what impact it might have on our existing fleet vehicles and future . So, Lieutenant General heckl and wise, could you comment on that . Yes, so. Thank you for the question. I dont want to just echo, real quick, so, mr. Stephanies comment about continued support from this committee and all the subcommittee. Its been just tremendous. So from the committee and, thank you. So, i think first of all we exercise caution to draw conclusions too early with what were seeing in ukraine, clearly, but we are very, very cautiously and closely monitoring events, and certainly as it would apply to the marine corps team. I think one of the things to consider about, just as an overarching, to kind of frame that discussion, the russian tactics taking some procedures, teepees, theyve employed some, its like theyre not there, right so . So we use combined arms. So theres an inherent amount of protection and safety in the way we employ our forces as a combined arms mag death, brynn orban task force. So obviously i believe our nation makes some of the i dont think it i, know it, and we proved itself timing timing in all the way from from the mujahideen throwing the service out of afghanistan and you know they said there was no change in ideology there, changing tactics. That was a singer. So thats a case from history. And i think were burying it out again. I think that the ram armor issue of it standing in front of us. I think were saying were putting a, self wrapping yourself in a bunch of farmers that requires a lot of fuel and a lot of sustainment isnt necessarily going to be too safe and we are effective on the battlefield. So i think also what i would add is the distributed nature of how the ukrainians are operating in the benefits that ive seen from operating in that man manner is very insightful and instructed around the direction the marine corps is going to kind of value date is always the approaches that weve taken there from the aviator side wise if you talk much like the commentators is it makes sense and how that allows you to be more effective in the battle space, i think we are seeing some of that from those operations as well which flows directly and the arm around the javelin and do that targeted activity upfront. Many protections. I would say theres couple of we just need to learn the right license in other words but counter effect of the russians using or not out there so that we make sure that we put Resilient Systems out there that can survive in any battle space. Sir. Thank you. I want to state just for a moment and what we are learning from ukraine and we are shipping a tremendous amount of systems and weapons in addition to the humanitarian aid over to ukraine and the marines have been part of that draw down. So i want to ask is from your perspective is that assessment of risk of what we are sending versus what we have available to us, but from an operational capabilities, but also in terms of what we are shipping, what do we need to have available to us, other words the resupply in particular, because of the change in your operating concept . What was the last number . 5500 javelins, and thats a rough number, have been provided. Didnt split up where they are coming from. But whats the impact is on the marine corps . Yes, so. I think much of those weapons would be in general heckls area, so general. So sir, weve, the marine corps is supplied first to comment about when, this budget request, as you alluded to, was not constructed with the ukrainians in mind. So that is an issue, youre exactly right. Second, and then third, we have, we have provided approximately 8000 javelin missiles systems and approximately 1000 stinger Missile Systems to ukraine. And they are absolutely critical to be resupplied for us. And i would like to mr. If stefany theres any industrial concert. Yes, sir. So the other question you had to the opening was supplemental. And that first, very small supplemental, i think 3. 4 billion, not enough, obviously not enough to resupply, so we look forward to both your committee and the larger congress on the larger effort, funding effort for the supplemental. But we do have a little bit of money and we are starting to reach our stat line right now, sir. Thank you. Obviously, your waiting eagerly for the latest to pass through the other house and get that moving. But certainly, there is nothing unique to the marines javelins and stingers that isnt facing the other services. I just want to shift over a little bit to the ch53ks, which are moving along, and talk about the brown out issue. And Lieutenant General wise, weve read a lot about, it weve heard a lot about it, and theres been some medication changes made along the lines. Can you tell us where you are no and going forward, the risk that were looking at in the present configuration . Sir, i do for, the question, on the 53 k. Okay, i think the lights just a little, sorry about that. Sir, for the 53 k, the initial assessment was very early in the test process. And so, i would answer it in two ways. Because we address it from multiple different angles. The 53 k, when we start the test events, we start at the very heart of the envelope and we work out. And so, the initial test events are very limited. So things like, you know, time limitations within a certain environment. And then we know that the envelope will go beyond that but we tested in trenches out from there to validate the fact that we got the envelope right. So some of the limitations were based on those initial envelope limitations. What weve found since then is a couple of things on the equipment side. One is the diagnostic capability of tariffs air frame is spectacular, meaning the pilot can actually get a realtime Engine Performance capability readout to make realtime decisions on how the engine is performing regardless of the environment that includes a brown out conditions. So thats part of it. Its actually been expanding the envelope much wider than those initial assessments indicated. The other side, too, is the automation on the air frame. Because the automation is designed to allow a pilot to get that air frame into even the worst brown out conditions and on the ground safely, and minimize its time in that particulate