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Monday, May 3, 2010
Gates Paints Bleak Picture of Navy Budget Prospects, demands new priorities
In the keynote speech today at the Navy League's Sea-Air-Space Conference, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates told
the assembled uniformed and civilian leadership -- and the industry officials who covet their attention -- that the threat
has changed, U.S. military objectives have shifted, and that dramatic changes in what the Pentagon buys must follow.
Said Dr. Gates: "At the end of the day, we have to ask whether the nation can really afford a Navy that relies on $3
to 6 billion destroyers, $7 billion submarines, and $11 billion carriers." And the Marines took a beating too,
with the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) again squarely in the Secretary's crosshairs. Noting that only about 10%
of the Navy's investment (procurement and RDT&E) budget goes towards addressing the "low-end" needs -- counterinsurgency,
security assistance, humanitarian operations -- Gates said that the Pentagon must "shift investments towards systems
that provide the ability to see and strike deep along the full spectrum of conflict, including: (1) Extending the
range at which U.S. naval forces can fight, refuel, and strike, with more resources devoted to long-range unmanned aircraft
and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capabilities. (2) New sea-based missile defenses; and (3) A submarine force
with expanded roles that is prepared to conduct more missions deep inside an enemy’s battle network.
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