Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Next-Gen Bomber Possible Casualty of Economic Crisis: Gates

HOUSE HEARING - Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates testifies before the House Armed Services Committee in Washington, D.C., Jan. 27, 2009. DoD photo by Cherie Cullen

From DoD Buzz:

In his testimony today before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Defense Secretary Robert Gates suggested that the Air Force’s Next Generation bomber might become a casualty of the U.S. economic downturn and the resulting smaller defense budget. Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh (D-In.), asked Gates about public comments he had previously made in favor of a new bomber and asked what steps DOD was taking to make sure the bomber comes on line by the stated goal of 2018.

“I made that speech at a time when the economic outlook was rather different than it is now and the prospects for the defense budget perhaps different. We need to look at all of the aspects of our strategic posture, the role of a next generation bomber, along with some of the other systems we’ve been talking about, clearly have to be a focus of the Quadrennial Defense Review. It is my intent to launch that next month, and to do so in an accelerated way, so it can if not shape the FY 2010 budget have a dramatic impact on the FY 2011 budget and the bomber would be looked at in that context,” Gates said.

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My Comment: This is one of many defense programs that are going to be chopped.

Update: Gates Says “Money Spigot” Closing; Refuses to Endorse FCS -- DoD Buzz

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