Not So Defensive Gates
Fox News reports that Defense Secretary Gates is recommending broad cuts to the high-tech weapons budget.
In a move that won mixed reviews from lawmakers on Capitol Hill, Gates said his $534 billion budget proposal represents a “fundamental overhaul” in defense acquisition and reflects a shift in priorities from fighting conventional wars to the newer threats U.S. forces face from insurgents in places such as Afghanistan.
He called for production of the F-22 jet to stop at 187 jets. The U.S. military has 183 jets in service now, so just four more would be funded as part of the fiscal 2009 supplemental budget if President Obama approves the recommendations. The planes cost $140 million each.
Lockheed Martin has already warned that ending this production would result in the loss of more than 90,000 jobs.
Plans to build a new helicopter for the president and a helicopter to rescue downed pilots would also be canceled. A new communications satellite would be scrapped and the program for a new Air Force transport plane would be ended.
Some of the Pentagon’s most expensive programs would also be scaled back. The Army’s $160 billion Future Combat Systems modernization program would lose its armored vehicles. Plans to build a shield to defend against missile attacks by rogue states would also be scaled back.
To fight new threats from insurgents, Gates is proposing more funding for special forces and other tools.
I wonder if by other tools they mean…
[...] since he’s previously suggested the missile defense shield isn’t necessary and the Department of Defense is already being gutted by budget [...]