The New Defense Budget
“Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates on Monday announced a broad reshaping of the Pentagon budget, with deep cuts in many traditional weapons systems but billions of dollars for new technology to fight the insurgencies in Iraq and Afghanistan.” [NY Times]By Christy Harvey, Mic Check Radio
April 6, 2009
Know Five Things
(Photo from The Wonk Room)1. Don’t Call It a Cutback
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced his budget proposal Monday. According to Bloomberg News, “U.S. defense spending is set to reach $654.1 billion for the fiscal year 2009, including war costs, a 72 percent gain since 2000.” [Bloomberg]
2. The Overhaul
The proposal reflects a fundamental overhaul in Pentagon priorities, shifting from more conventional warfare to preparing to fight “the newer threats U.S. forces face from insurgents in places such as Afghanistan.” Explained Sec. Gates, “it is important to remember that every defense dollar spent to over-insure against a remote or diminishing risk -– or, in effect, to “run up the score” in a capability where the United States is already dominant -– is a dollar not available to take care of our people, reset the force, win the wars we are in, and improve capabilities in areas where we are underinvested and potentially vulnerable. That is a risk I will not take.” [AP]
3. Examples of Cuts
Gates is calling for reduced Pentagon spending on a) the shield to defend against missile attacks by rogue states; b) the $160 billion “Future Combat Systems” will lose its $87 billion armored vehicles (Gates said he was “troubled by the terms of the contract,” which had a “very unattractive fee structure"); c) the certain Naval shipbuilding projects; d) that presidential helicopter. [Bloomberg]
4. Examples of Increased Support
Gates is calling for: “spending an extra $11 billion to finish enlarging the Army and the Marine Corps and to halt reductions in the Air Force and the Navy. He also announced an extra $2 billion for intelligence and surveillance equipment, including more spending on special forcers units and new Predator and Reaper drones, the unmanned vehicles that are currently used in Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq for strikes against militants.” There’s also a plan to “buy more speedy ships that can operate close in to land.” [AP]
5. The Coming Controversy
Cutting the $62-billion F-22 fighter jet program. Secretary Gates announced that he planned to end production of the controversial F-22 jet at 187 planes, up four from the current 183, but drastically down from the 381 planes the government was expected to order. The F-22 jets were designed to fight Soviet-era fighter planes. They have never been used in either the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan. The jets cost $140 million each. Secretary of Defense DonaldRumsfeld tried to axe them from the budget. Secretary Gates has tried to axe them from the budget. The plane, however, is constructed of parts from suppliers in 44 states, which means it has strong support from Congress. (In January, 200 members of the House and 44 members of the Senate signed letters to President Obama urging him to extend the $62 billion F-22 Raptor program.) Watch for sparks to fly when this hits The Hill. [AP] [NYT]
Read Additional Resources
“Defense secretary proposes budget that cuts weapons.” Tom Vanden Brook, USA Today, 04-06-09. [USA Today]
- Excerpt: “...Gates said he wanted to devote more money to programs that will aid troops in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He wants to add $2 billion to improve intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance programs and will “maximize production” of the Reaper and Predator drone aircraft. He wants 50 Reaper and Predator teams available for both wars…”
“Gates Budget Plan Reshapes Pentagon’s Priorities.” Elisabeth Bumiller & Christopher Drew, NYT, 04-06-09. [NYT]
- Excerpt: “...The decisions represent the first sweeping overhaul of American military strategy under the Obama administration, which wants to spend more money oncounterterrorism and less on preparations for conventional warfare against large nations like China and Russia…”
“Gates: ‘This Is A Reform Budget” Matt Duss, CAPAF’s the Wonk Room, 04-06-09.[The Wonk Room]
- Excerpt: “...Applying lessons learned in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as signifying a recognition that the continuing economic crisis places real constraints on defense spending, Gates’ recommendations are an important — but by no means comprehensive — move toward a responsible re-balancing of America’s defense spending priorities….”
“Gates Proposes Ending Lockheed F-22, Expediting F-35.” Tony Capaccio and Gopal Ratnam, Bloomberg, 04-06-09. [Bloomberg]
- Excerpt: “...The F-22, conceived at the height of the Cold War to take on the Soviet Union, was the focus of a lobbying campaign as Lockheed and its subcontractors said halting production at the 183 already on order could jeopardize 95,000 jobs in 44 states. At $354 million in inflation-adjusted dollars including research and development costs, it is the most expensive fighter in U.S. history. ...”
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