My Defense Cuts

The Defense Budget is planned to be cut by $10 billion next year. I think we could cut a little bit deeper, maybe by about half. I can hear the coronaries as I write:

1). The Navy: Cancellation of all new construction programs, especially CVN-21 carrier, DDX destroyer, and the VIRGINIA class submarines. Changeover from a carrier based force to one armed with cruise missiles. Build arsenal ships and swift and inexpensive catamarans like HSV SWIFT, and diesel submarines.

2). Air Force: Cancel F-22 Raptor, and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter save for the V/STOL version for close air-support. Gradual reduction of tactical aircraft until JSF arrives, with greater emphasis on precision weapons and Unmanned Vehicles (UAVs). Retire ancient B-52s and bring the B-1 bomber force up to strength. Plan for a new bomber replacement by 2030.

3). Army: Continue reforms instituted By General Schoomaker, including force increase to 48 brigades. Complete pullout from Cold War era bases including Europe, Japan, and South Korea. Transformation from an armored track force to a wheeled, light forces, mainly by utilizing Stryker combat vehicle in all its variants. Cancel expensive Future Combat System.

4). Marines: Transform from a heavy combat to a light intervention force, and manpower would be halved, with only one active division. Cancel V-22 Osprey and replace with off the shelf helicopters like Blackhawk. Retire all amphibious ships except forAssault Carriers. These would eventually be replaced with smaller ships without docking facilities.

5). Missile Defense: Cancel all Theater Ballistic Missile programs on land or at sea. Keep and improve Patriot PAC III missile, and the Airborne Laser, which is the future of air and missile defense.

Summing up, I would like to see the transformation of a force built around 20th Century era fighters, aircraft carriers, and tanks, to a smaller, more lethal one centers on UAVs, littoral ships, and LAVs.