Posted on 04/05/2009 1:52:31 PM PDT by Schnucki
Robert Gates, the US defence secretary, will on Monday offer proposals to slash spending on major military projects in what aides called a "fundamental shift in direction".
Mr Gates, who spent the weekend finalising his budget plans for 2010, is expected to take aim at several major weapons conventional warfare programmes, in favour of spending on technologies more useful to the "asymmetrical" wars that US forces are embroiled in.
After eight years in which the defence budget doubled, and with the economy in deep recession, Mr Gates is targeting systems that have gone way over both budget and schedule.
The proposals are however subject to approval by Congress and will face opposition from Republican senators arguing that cutting military hardware development will hit American workers hardest.
Projects likely to be scaled back or scrapped include the army's $150 billion Future Combat Systems, which would combine manned and unmanned ground vehicles and aerial drones acting in sync. Field tests began last year but the system's hi-tech communications have been beset by difficulties.
Mr Gates has signalled that the air force's demands for more F-22 stealth fighter jets are unlikely to be granted, pointing out that highly regarded plane "has not performed a single mission in either theatre" of Afghanistan or Iraq.
He is also considering cutting one of the navy's 11 aircraft carriers and a new $20 billion satellite programme that would fill any gaps in current coverage of the globe's surface. With almost every major project under review, President Barack Obama has even suggested that the upgrading of his Marine One helicopter fleet could be delayed.
"These are not changes to the margins. This is a fundamental shift in direction," said the Pentagon press secretary, Geoff Morrell.
Mr Gates's plans would still increase the Pentagon's regular budget by four per
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
The replies here, suggests that even Republicans are big government ppl. We’re in a difficult economic position at moment and military NEEDS a cut. Spending cuts needs to be across the board. Theres no need to maintain Cold War spending levels. Theres no need for big military equipment
zactly
You've got to be kidding. Wasteful spending is everywhere in the government, and it doesn't bother you that the only place where they're talking about cutting it is in the DoD? Not to mention that a liberal's "wasteful spending" are weapons programs that may very well save all our a**es one day?
If "wasteful spending" is going to happen, I'd rather it happen in the Pentagon than anywhere else. And if you're going to cut "wasteful spending", start somewhere else first, like say the the departments of Education, HHS, Commerce, etc. DoD is the last department that should take budget cuts!
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
America ‘to slash military spending’
No America is not slashing military spending. Our Idiot President who is to stupid to understand that he is presiding over the most dangerous time America has ever faced is slashing military spending.
There is a difference thought the result(a weakermore in trouble America) remains the same.
This is where the rubber meets the road. The US must have the capability to project power anyplace in the world in a reasonable time frame. We absolutely must be able to maintain control of the sea against any adversary or group of adversaries. The US depends on imports.
The real problem which this budget uncovers is that a leaders mistake will be paid for in the blood of our children and grandchildren. We must maintain our military strength and capabilities. Prepare for the worst; hope for the best. One thing which the world understands in strength.
You mean our country.
Well duh. (Not you, Schnucki.)
If you Europeanize the USA (provide worry-free lives for all) guess what? There’s no money left for national defense!
The Chinese smile. Their only problem in the future will be the Islamists.
(Who are also smiling.)
The good news: this will all be played out in the latter half of the 21st when I’ll be dead. The bad news: (I need more time for that one.)
Wait till "don't ask, don't tell" is repealed. They'll be lining up to have a go.
Idiot !!!what about the situation coming up in Iran or our old friends\s The Covert Soviet Union known as Russia pop their Ugly Head up.All of our Aircraft are old and beat up thanks to George and his Brother Bill.
A lot of the equipment we procured in the 1980s is wearing out. What is going to replace it, harsh language? We’ve had two two-term Presidents who have basically been on a procurement holiday. Now, we have one who apparently wants to end procurement all together. Someone should tell Obama that military spending is stimulative too. And you actually get something you can use when the $$ is spend.
I will say one thing, our procurement process does waste a lot of $$ and is ripe for reform. I am retired military myself and didn’t realize how wasteful system program offices were until I got out and started my own company. Too many mindless meetings & reviews (usually with a cast of thousands), too much PowerPoint engineering, too many ECPs & schedule changes for no good reason, too much pointless TDY, and too many support contractors (including former military) who create more problems than they solve.
Just like ALGORE reinventing government by getting rid of 800,000 government employees....all military. Looked good on paper but the US couldn’t have boxed ourselves out of a paper bag before 9-11...
Gates should resign.
Lets cut new combat systems for the Services and can development and research.
We have beaten the crap out of every piece of equipment in the military with the high OPTempo and yet our ignorant politicians, Gates included, want us to fight with pointed sticks and cloth-covered Jenny's with five pound hand-dropped bombs.
Forget any research into new stuff, let alone trying to procure anything new or even older.
Part, not all, of the reason for the F-22 system not being used now is that the crooks in Congress force the procurement process and buy schedule out into latter years thus forcing costs and thus prices to go through the roof.
As it is it is expensive to be on the cutting edge but since we have an aversion to taking casualties our combat systems MUST be EXTREMELY high tech to keep our troops safe and yet combat effective.
If we have to fight without better equipment then we will take higher casualties and our current society will not tolerate that and we will have to concede the conflict our just bow to the threats and wishes of all of our enemies.
I fully believe our current crop of politicians, including many Republicans, want this exact scenario to happen.
They believe that if we are subsumed by another country or system that they will be allowed to be our PERMANENT rulers and that type of power is what they crave the most over anything else in the world.
I personally would like to see the Departments of Education, HHS, Labor, Commerce, Energy, Homeland Security, & Transportation ELIMINATED entirely....not to mention other Bureaucracies, Agencies, & Administrations that have no Constitutional Purpose or that is already being accomplished elsewhere by the fedgov.
THAT is the best way to cut wasteful spending, IMO.
Let’s see:
Gut the military.
Explode social spending.
Shoot taxes through the roof.
Attack the First and Second Amendments.
Destroy Freedom, individuality, and the family.
Check, check, check, check, and check.
Yup, Liberalism as usual. Same radical Marxism as always.
Why? We are blowing our financial wad already, why not reach for the stars. Buy the military anything they’ve ever dreamed of.
And apparently nothing in our “checks and balances” system to say: “Hey wait a minute”.
He’s taking us down.
This is why I despise Gates. He believes we will never face a more formidable foe than Afghanistan’s Taliban.
Idiot bureaucrat.
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