Potential Reductions in the Pentagon's Ten-Year Budget
The source for the potential savings for the following list of military budget cuts is a study prepared by the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office. CBO’s “Maintaining Budgetary Discipline,” released in April 1999, outlines one- and ten- year budget authority savings. All 10-year savings would occur between fiscal 2000-2009.
REDUCE NUCLEAR DELIVERY SYSTEMS WITHIN OVERALL LIMITS OF START START II
FISCAL 2000 SAVINGS: $1.25 BILLION
TEN-YEAR SAVINGS: $20.9 BILLION
Currently, the United States deploys 500 Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) with three warheads each, 50 Peacekeeper ICBMs with 10 warheads each, 18 Trident submarines (each carrying 192 warheads on 24 missiles), and 94 B-52H, 94 B-1B, and 21 B-2 bombers. This CBO option would reduce the number of missiles and submarines below the Administration’s planned levels, but would keep warheads at START II levels. Specifically, this plan would maintain a force of 10 Trident Submarines (down from 18 in 1999 and 14 permitted under START II and 300 Minuteman III ICBMs (down from 500). Savings would come from reduced operations and maintenance costs and from cancellation of plans to purchase additional D-5 Submarine Launched Ballistic Missiles and to modify four Trident Submarines to be able to carry the D-5 missile.
TERMINATE PRODUCTION OF TRIDENT II (D-5) MISSILES AFTER 1999
FISCAL 2000 SAVINGS: $1.1 BILLION
TEN YEAR SAVINGS: $13.5 BILLION
The Navy currently has 10 submarines, each with 24 Trident II (D-5) missiles, and eight subs carrying the older C-4 missile. Once START II goes into effect, the Administration plans to retire four of the older submarines and modify four to carry the D-5 missile. The Navy has already purchased 360 D-5 missiles, enough to arm the 10 submarines modified to carry them. This CBO option would cancel the production of the D-5 missile after 1999 and retire all eight of the older C-4 submarines.
REMOVE PEACEKEEPER MISSILES WITHOUT WAITING FOR START II RATIFICATION
FISCAL 2000 SAVINGS: 0
TEN YEAR SAVINGS: $5.6 BILLION
The Administration intends to maintain its force of 50 Peacekeeper missiles — at a cost of $200 million
annually to operate and support — until the Russian Duma ratifies the START II agreement that requires destruction of the Peacekeepers and the Russian SS-18’s. This option would retire the Peacekeepers by the end of 2003 regardless of Duma action. With 10 warheads on each missile, the Peacekeeper is an unnecessary weapon and is more vulnerable to attack than submarine-based weapons. Announcing that the U.S. will take this step may encourage the Duma to act on START II.
REDUCT THE SCOPE OF DOE'S STOCKPILE STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM
FISCAL 2000 SAVINGS: $100 MILLION
TEN YEAR SAVINGS: $3.1 BILLION
The Department of Energy plans to spend an average of $2.6 billion a year over the next 10 years to preserve the reliability and safety of U.S. nuclear weapons. Adjusted for inflation, that amount exceeds spending in 1980, when the United States was maintaining an arsenal of some 25,000 warheads and designing and building new ones. In the post-Cold War era, such expenditures are excessive and unnecessary. This option would reduce the scope of the stewardship program by moving most weapons-design activities from Livermore (CA) to Los Alamos (NM) and halting all testing activities at the Nevada Test Site.
REDUCE PROCUREMENT OF THE VIRGINIA CLASS NEW ATTACK SUBMARINE
FISCAL 200 SAVINGS: 0
TEN YEAR SAVINGS: $11.9 BILLION
The Navy is reducing its force of attack submarines from 80 in 1996 to 50 by 2003. To meet this deadline, the Navy is retiring some Los Angeles-class submarines before the end of their 30-year lifespan. However, while retiring these older submarines before it is necessary, the Navy continues to purchase new ones. It bought three Seawolf submarines in the 1990s and intends to purchase 30 of the Virginia Class New Attack Submarines. The Navy claims it needs the newer submarines to counter the newest Russian submarines, which are faster, quieter and harder to detect than their predecessors. However, the Russians lack the money to build more than a handful of these newer subs. The CBO option would retain the older subs in service and limit the purchase of the newer Virginia class submarines to 10, which combined with the three Seawolfs, would meet the Joint Chief’s requirement through the year 2012.
REDUCE THE NUMBER OF AIRCRAFT CARRIERS AND AIR WINGS TO 10
FISCAL 2000 SAVINGS: $1.3 BILLION
TEN YEAR SAVINGS: $21.1 BILLION
The Administration plan calls for a force of 12 aircraft carriers (11 active plus one reserve), plus their associated air wings, escorting cruisers, destroyers, submarines and supply ships. In the aftermath of the Cold War, U.S. ships are far superior to those of any other country. U.S. tactical aircraft quality far surpass that of any potentially hostile regional power. Furthermore, the Navy has additional flat-deck vessels that can assist in maintaining a U.S. forward presence. This option would retire one conventionally powered carrier and one nuclear powered carrier, bringing the carrier fleet to 10. The $9 billion in savings would result from cancellation of new carriers planned for 2001 and 2006. The remaining savings of $12 billion would come from reduced operating costs associated with retiring two carriers and an air wing. Reducing the number of carriers could also lower the number of surface combatants and aircraft that the Navy would need to accompany them. Thus, the Navy could save additional money on procurement and operations by not having to purchase and operate as many other new ships and aircraft.
REDUCE PROCUREMENT OF DDG-51 DESTROYERS
FISCAL 2000 SAVINGS: $810 MILLION
TEN YEAR SAVINGS: $3.9 BILLION
The DDG-51 Arleigh Burke class destroyers were designed during the Cold War to fight the Soviet Navy. They were to protect aircraft carrier battlegroups and to attack land- and sea-based targets. The Administration plans to buy 12 more DDG-51s from 2000 through 2003 — at a rate of three per year — before the program ends. Under the CBO option, by contrast, only eight DDG-51s would be bought from 2000 through 2003, at a rate of two per year. Purchasing four fewer ships during that period could save $810 million in budget authority in 2000 and $3.9 billion over 10 years — about $3.6 billion in procurement costs and $300 million in operating costs.
REDUCE PURCHASES OF THE NAVY'S F/A-18E/F
FISCAL 2000 SAVINGS: $874 MILLION
TEN YEAR SAVINGS: $5.2 BILLION
The F/A-18E/F “Superhornet” is designed to have a more powerful engine, larger wing-span, and longer fuselage than its predecessor, the F/A-18C/D model, an aircraft carrier based attack fighter. These upgrades are intended to allow for longer range and larger payload. However, the E/F version is estimated to cost 69 percent more than the C/D version, and the added capabilities may be hard to achieve. Moreover, the requirement for the upgrade is questionable in view of potential enemies’ limited air capabilities. The CBO option would purchase 154 F/A-18E/Fs — down from the Administration’s plans of buying 548 — and order additional C/D models to maintain force levels.
DEFER PURCHASES OF THE MARINE CORPS' V-22 AIRCRAFT
FISCAL 2000 SAVINGS: 0
TEN YEAR SAVINGS: $3.0 BILLION
The tilt-rotor V-22 “Osprey” was designed to fly faster and farther than conventional helicopters for amphibious assaults and similar missions. The Bush Administration tried to cancel the V-22 program because it costs considerably more than helicopters, but Congress continued to fund the program. The Marine Corps plans to buy a total of 360 planes. The CBO option would halve the purchase during the 2004-2009 period.
CANCEL THE ARMY'S COMANCHE HELICOPTER PROGRAM
FISCAL 2000 SAVINGS: $80 MILLION
TEN YEAR SAVINGS: $6.2 BILLION
The Army’s RAH-66 Comanche Helicopter program was conceived in 1983 to replace OH-58 Kiowa scout helicopter and the AH-1 Cobra attack helicopter. The Army originally planned to begin purchase of the Comanche in 1996, but delayed the start of production until 2005. The cost per helicopter has more than doubled from $11 million in 1985 to $22 million in 1999. It is now more expensive than the AH-64 Apache Helicopter, which is bigger and heavier than the Comanche, yet fulfills a similar mission. This option would cancel the RAH-66 while purchasing 519 Kiowa Warrior helicopters.
REDUCE AIR FORCE TACTICAL FORCES
FISCAL 2000 SAVINGS: $305 MILLION
TEN YEAR SAVINGS: $6.7 BILLION
The current U.S. tactical Air Force of 20 wings (13 active and 7 reserve) enjoys overwhelming superiority, both quantitative and qualitative, compared with foreign air forces. The CBO option would reduce tactical forces in the Air Force to 18 wings (each wing currently has 100 aircraft — 72 for combat and 28 for training and maintenance). The current force of 20 tactical air wings is predicated on the need to fight two major regional conflict almost simultaneously — a requirement viewed with skepticism by many analysts. Under the CBO option, Air Force tactical wings would be cut to 18 by the end of 2000. Savings would come from reduced operating costs.
REDUCE PURCHASES OF THE AIR FORCE'S F-22
FISCAL 2000 SAVINGS: $113 MILLION
TEN YEAR SAVINGS: $20.5 BILLION
The F-22 Advanced Tactical Fighter is being developed by the Air Force to replace the F-15 as the next generation air superiority fighter beginning in the year 2000. With the demise of the Soviet Union, no other nation has the ability to threaten U.S. fighters. The increasing cost of the F-22 is another reason to cut back the program. The Air Force originally intended to purchase more than 700 F-22s at a cost of $75 million per aircraft, but scaled its request back to 339, which raised the price to $125 million apiece. The CBO option would purchase 120 F-22s, enough to field a wing of the advanced fighters. The Air Force could order 219 additional F-15Es to maintain force levels and still produce a 10-year savings of $9 billion.
CLOSE AND REALIGN ADDITIONAL MILITARY BASES
FISCAL 2000 SAVINGS: 0
TEN YEAR SAVINGS: $4.0 BILLION
When all of the actions from the four previous BRAC rounds are completed, DoD will save about $5.6 billion a year in operating costs, it estimates. Closing and realigning additional military bases is consistent with DoD’s overall drawdown of forces. According to DoD, when all of the previously agreed base closures and realignments have been carried out, the military will still have about 23 percent more base capacity than it needs. The CBO option would authorize two additional rounds of base closings and realignment, as was requested by Secretary of Defense William Cohen in early 1998. Beginning in 2012, the annual savings from the further base closings will reach about $4 billion.
CANCEL THE ARMY'S CRUSADER ARTILLERY PROGRAM
FISCAL 2000 SAVINGS: $170 MILLION
TEN YEAR SAVINGS: $5.3 BILLION
The Army plans to invest $13.5 billion to develop and procure the Crusader artillery system for rapidly deployable and forward-deployed forces. It would be faster, have longer range, fire more rapidly, and offer better crew protection than the current Paladin system. However, the Crusader system would not fit in with plans for a lighter and more mobile Army envisioned for the future. Questions also remain as to whether the improvements over the Paladin will be sufficient to justify the increased costs. Two additional options are available to meet the Army’s requirements: either purchase the German PzH 2000 self-propelled howitzer or an improved Paladin system.
CANCEL THE ARMY'S TANK UPGRADE PROGRAM
FISCAL 2000 SAVINGS: $642 MILLION
TEN YEAR SAVINGS: $2.2 BILLION
The Army is in the process of upgrading about 1,000 M1s (the first model of the Abrams) to a later configuration, designated the M1A2. The upgrade program, which began in 1991 and ends in 2003, has two major goals: to increase the capability of Army tanks and to keep the facilities that produce tanks in business pending the need for a new tank to replace the Abrams. While the M1A2 is 20 percent more capable than the M1 model, converting 1,000 M1s to M1A2s would increase the total capability of the Army’s 7,880 Abrams tanks by only 3 percent — at a price of $3 billion over the next 10 years.