This could be subtitled "How to un-make a world super power squandering equipment, soldiers, and national good will".
This could be subtitled "How to un-make a world super power squandering equipment, soldiers, and national good will".
How about diverting some of the AF budget to cover refitting? The B-2 is a waste, and you don't want to know how much they'll waste in developing the B-3.
Never happen. The services always split the budget pretty much into thirds. Of course, the Army isn't shelving Future Combat Systems or Land Warrior to get tanks back into action, either.
One speculates that this may be an Army version of the old city hall trick: any time someone demands tax cuts, city council draws up a plan to downsize the police, fire fighters, ambulances, teachers and so forth. By showcasing how the current budget is inadequate to get our soldiers "the equipment they need" (more tanks?) perhaps some Army brass thinks that they'll get more cash out of the next budget supplemental.
The goal has been to increase the baseline budget for the Army instead of having to rely on supplementals (which will go away at some point). Without increasing the baseline standard, you'll always be fighting for additional funds to keep your head above water.
This is why the Army was late in submitting its budget a few months back, and why it has been operating on "emergency status" since summer - to prove that it is underfunded to be able to execute the strategy that the administration is asking it to perform.
Actually this isn't quite the case. There have been periods when the AF has gotten close to 50% of the defense budget.
That said, I do agree that this is most likely some supplemental "posturing" on the part of Army brass who have seen it work before (for their service and for others).
Say what you want about the Army's motives, but the reality is that the Air Force and Navy missions are fading into the background of the world's realities. Today's threats, and those of the forseeable future, do not require many fighters, bombers, or aircraft carriers.
Yes there is always the potential of a threat from China but we can't afford to maintain a Cold War Air Force and Navy on a year-to-year basis for a threat that has not materialized. We need to maintain a conventional capability but it doesn't need to be as large as it is today. In the end the Air Force and Navy, barring a significant threat in their domains, suffer from a reality first voiced by Mahan -- man is a land dwelling animal.
Ray
I would definitely expand our RO/RO capabilities, however
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