Murkin Defense Dept. cutbacks....

[Saracenman]

(from Associated Press)

Gates outlines military spending overhaul
$140 million-per-plane F-22 stealth fighter is on the chopping block

WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday recommended halting production of the F-22 fighter jet and scrapping a new helicopter for the president as he outlined deep cuts to many of the U.S. military's biggest weapons programs.

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.

The department must ensure it has the right programs and money to "fight the wars we are in today and the scenarios we are most likely to face in the years to come, while at the same time providing a hedge against other risks," Gates said as he revealed details of his budget for the next fiscal year.

The promised emphasis on budget paring is a reversal from the Bush years, which included a doubling of the Pentagon's spending since 2001. Spending on tanks, fighter planes, ships, missiles and other weapons accounted for about a third of all defense spending last year. But Gates noted more money will be needed in areas such as personnel as the Army and Marines expand the size of their forces.

Lawmaker opposition
Gates will likely face stiff resistance in Congress, where lawmakers are wary of losing defense contractor jobs with an economy in crisis. Some defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin Corp. have warned of huge layoffs if programs are cut.

Production of the F-22 fighter jet, which cost $140 million apiece, would be halted at 187. Plans to build a new helicopter for the president and a helicopter to rescue downed pilots [aka Merlin] would 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.

Yet some programs would grow. Gates proposed speeding up production of the F-35 fighter jet, which could end up costing $1 trillion to manufacture and maintain 2,443 planes. The military would buy more speedy ships that can operate close in to land. And more money would be spent outfitting special forces troops that can hunt down insurgents.

"It is important to remember that every defense dollar spent to over-ensure 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," Gates said.

The Government Accountability Office reported last week that 96 of the Pentagon's biggest weapons contracts were over budget by a "staggering" figure of $296 billion.

A bill in Congress would require the Pentagon to do a better job of making sure proposed weapons are affordable and perform the way they should before the military spends big sums on them. The Defense Department has already adjusted its acquisitions policy to achieve some of those goals.


NBC news report HERE

sm

[Dan4th]

A combination of The Good, The Bad and
The Inevitable, I would say..........

DanSlimeyMurkin4th

[Xplumberlives]

What a shame they are considering cancellation of the wonderful Merlin for Obama!

[King Willy]

What a shame they are considering cancellation of the wonderful Merlin for Obama!

Pimp my Chopper....................

[Nickolas]

TDC has some rechargable batteries washing on a 40 deg wash at the moment............
When do they go back to school????????????

oops - pressed the wrong button! sorry Nickolas

sm

[Mayfly]

oh dear Nick I fear you have another 12 days or so to go - have you thought of seeking some medical help?

[Saracenman]

TDC has some rechargable batteries washing on a 40 deg wash at the moment............
When do they go back to school????????????

KILL THEM

[Dan4th]

Just don't forget that these are only PROPOSALS.

Once congressmen and senators from districts
that are involved with ANY of these projects
(...including chopper) start sounding-off, who
knows what might happen?

Add to this that the chopper project is SO FAR
ALONG............

Danf.

[Saracenman]

well i assume that the existing Prez Sikorsky aircraft need to be replaced with SOMETHING don't they Danf?

i think they're all a bit long in the tooth aren't they?

sm

[Dan4th]

SM:

I'll go have a look, but I always understood
that the present fleet was going to be put
to other uses, at least for a while.

You wouldn't think that presidential transport
would be trusted to older, nearly timed-out
copters.

In all fairness and reality, they could probably
keep-on with the present ones for YEARS.....

New ones, though, given how far-along things
are, US Gummint might wind-up paying full
price for aircraft they never actually GET!!!!!

I just don't see that cancellation happening
this late in the game.....

Dan4th

[Saracenman]

well i hope you're right - your gov't ain't that different from ours with this sort of thing; wait until countless squillions have been spent, the project at 99% complete - THEN canx it!

your and our histories are LITTERED with such examples

as goes marine One, Two, Three etc - i would imagine that they are fairly low on flying hours, given their job - and kept in 'new' condition too. even so, i think that the original reason for replacement was that, whilst the Sikorsky was 'state-of-the-art in the 1970s, it is comparatively antiquated now - hence the need for replacement with something more up-to-date

all that remains i imagine is whether Capitol Hill decide to secure Westland, Yeovil, Somerset, UK jobs - or boost Murkin ones with a home-grown machine!

will your KC tanker replacements go the same way too? there's already been a few raised Washington eyebrows over Murkins flying Euro-rubbish!

sm

[Dan4th]

Don't forget there are MURKIN jobs at
stake as well, here.....

It's a cross-pond co-op, after all.....

D.

[Saracenman]

absolutely, but with the general downturn in 'stuff' globally, wouldn't a Murkin-grown alternative secure MORE jobs than the relatively few Lockheed Martin jobs if you keep the Merlin?

LM are only constructing kits shipped from Yeovil after all - Murkin engines too, but predominantly a FOREIGN machine, from your perspective

sm

[Dan4th]

SM:

Wait and see. That's all we can do....

D.