Indo-Pacific Command Seeks $3.5 Billion More Than Biden’s 2024 Budget

The command will likely get what it wants as Congress wants to expand the military buildup against China

US Indo-Pacific Command (INDOPACOM) is seeking $3.5 billion more than what President Biden has requested for his 2024 military budget, Defense News reported on Friday.

The other five US military commands are also asking for more than what Biden has allocated for them, but nowhere near what INDOPACOM seeks. Combined, the five other commands’ extra spending requests are less than half of what INDOPACOM is asking for.

INDOPACOM will likely get what it wants from Congress as the command is responsible for China, and hawks in Washington are looking to spend more on building up in the region to confront Beijing.

Indo-Pacific Command’s area of responsibility

The biggest chunk of Indo-Pacific Commands request is for $511 million for regional campaigning “to quickly mass forces multiple times a year as part of a synchronized set of operations, activities and investments.”

The command is also looking for more missiles, including $357 million for the extended-range Standard Missile-6, $493 million for the Tomahawks, and $151 million for the Precision Strike Missile. The request includes $147 million to upgrade missile defenses in Guam.

President Biden has requested $886.4 billion for the 2024 military budget, with $842 billion of it going to the Pentagon. When asking Congress to authorize the massive request, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said it would help prepare the US for a potential war with China.

Author: Dave DeCamp

Dave DeCamp is the news editor of Antiwar.com, follow him on Twitter @decampdave.