Demands on the U.S. Army in Europe, the Middle East and the Pacific are rising, but its budget is not. Forced to focus on personnel and readiness, the service cannot afford the kind of weapons modernization effort that would enable it to keep pace with emerging threats. There are major weaknesses in its air defense and electronic warfare capabilities. Many of its signature combat platforms trace their origins to the Reagan years (or earlier), but the service is likely to keep depending on them for decades to come. If you add up all the money the Army is expected to receive for developing and procuring weapons in the coming fiscal year, it works out to barely two days worth of federal spending — in other words, one-half of 1% of the planned federal budget. The Army needs more money for new weapons, otherwise defeat is a real possibility in future wars. I have written a commentary for Forbes here.
Find Archived Articles: