Gates to cut several major weapons programs

[Guest guest]

I saw this story earlier.

The F22 doesn't cost $140 billion, unless maybe they are talking about the whole production run. The F22 is a very advanced fighter, but maybe too advanced. Tests have shown that it does very well indeed, but there are some points that the Air Force didn't think about. First, it is a land based plane and most of our potential enemies are a long way off, like China. That means we'd have to base them in Japan or Korea, maybe Taiwan. Doing so would make those nations targets for ballistic missiles, so we might not get permission to base there. It is also a very expensive plane to use to drop smart bombs, which is what the planes have been used for mostly, save for some gun runs by F16s, which hasn't been nearly as effective as the Air Force likes to pretend.

Cutting the number bought will also increase the per unit cost and also increase the cost of replacement parts. Such a limited run will also make the planes very risky to use since losing a few will greatly reduce the fleet.

Something that should be cut is the new US Navy destroyer. This thing has such massive cost overruns that it now is running about 3 times the cost of the ship it is replacing. What the sailors and the fleet want is more of the existing ships like the Arleigh Burke Class. These ships could be built very easily with some upgrades for new electronics and such. Cost would be much lower per unit because of the existing plans and experience making them.

Another thing the sailors don't like is the automation. The goal was simply to get men off the ships to make them less expensive to operate. That worked. What the sailors don't like is that all of these gizmos increase the maintenance load they have to do and with fewer hands on board, it means longer days and more hard work. So essentially, the automation which was supposed to cut the need for sailors hasn't worked and it is causing morale problems. Not to mention that in battle, there will be fewer sailors to run the ships and handle damage and injuries.

If the military really wants to make a radical change, it should move away from the 5.56mm round to something better. The best contenders there are the 6.8mm SPC and the 6.5mm Grendel. The 5.56 may be accurate, but it can't shoot through cover and it also doesn't take an enemy right out of the fight. The other two perform better overall. We can basically use the same M16 and M4 frame with some new parts, so it wouldn't be that expensive to do it.

A high priority should also be catching up on maintenance for the existing machines and buying replacements for those that are worn out. We actually haven't built and new M2 Bradley's since 1994 or there about, we have just been refitting those we have. Transport planes in particular have taken a beating and many are falling apart. That is the odd thing about the Search and Rescue choppers. Those are also used to rescue civilians, so why they aren't being bought doesn't make sense.

Well, its nothing new. This administration is following in the footsteps of virtually all democratic administrations and is going to stick it to the military. Clinton cut it by about half and still worked it death with useless missions around the world. Bush didn't help much because he has had a war going on with pretty much a peacetime budget, with just some emergency spending bills, even though most of that went to the Iraqis or to Mercenary units.

In a message dated 4/6/2009 4:17:13 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, no_reply writes:

Gates to cut several major weapons programs Feeling the pinch at the grocery store? Make dinner for $10 or less.

[Guest guest]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090406/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/defense_budget

Gates to cut several major weapons programs

9 mins ago

WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Gates is proposing deep cuts to some big

weapons programs such as the F-22 fighter jet as the Pentagon takes a hard look

at how it spends money. Gates announced a broad range of cuts Monday to weapons

spending, saying he plans to cut programs ranging from a new helicopter for the

president to ending production of the $140 billion F-22 fighter jet.

The Army's modernization program would be scaled back, while a new satellite

system and a search-and-rescue helicopter would be cut.

Gates says his budget will " profoundly reform " the way the Pentagon buys weapons

and does business.

To fight new threats from insurgents, Gates is proposing more funding for

special forces and other tools.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's

earlier story is below.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Gates says he is overhauling military

spending to " profoundly reform how this department does business. "

Outlining a $534 billion budget for 2009 that will slash funds for major weapons

programs, Gates said Monday his moves amount to an " unorthodox approach " that

would shift spending goals to concentrate on " wars we are in today and scenarios

for the years ahead. "

At a news conference to outline his budget, Gates says he closely consulted with

President Barack Obama and top military leaders, but limited outside advice

" because of the scope and significance of the changes. "