The Pentagon's Quadrennial Defense Review (Updated)

Robert F. Hale, the Defense Department's comptroller; Christine E. Wormuth, deputy undersecretary for strategy, plans and force development; and Air Force Lt. Gen. Mark F. Ramsay, Joint Staff director for force structure, resources and assessments, respond to questions from reporters about the department's fiscal year 2015 budget request at the Pentagon, March 4, 2014. Wormuth also discussed the 2014 Quadrennial Defense Review. DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett

Quadrennial Defense Review Charts Strategy Evolution -- US Department of Defense

WASHINGTON, Mar. 4, 2014 – The 2014 version of the Quadrennial Defense Review takes the defense strategic guidance formulated in 2012 and evolves it through the future, a senior Pentagon official said.

Christine E. Wormuth, deputy undersecretary of defense for strategy, plans and force development, said the congressionally mandated QDR is an opportunity for Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to lay out his vision and for the department, to refine defense strategy and to tell how the Defense Department will adapt the joint force to support it.

“This QDR is an evolution in the defense strategy process we’ve had,” said Wormuth, who has been nominated to be undersecretary of defense for policy. “Having come out of Iraq and beginning the process of transitioning in Afghanistan, this QDR looks to the future and talks about how the strategy needs to evolve and how the department needs to rebalance in an era of fiscal restraint.”

Read more ....

More News On The Pentagon Releasing It's Quadrennial Defense Review

Pentagon Rolls Out Evolving Strategy -- Wall Street Journal
QDR Emphasizes Cyber, Science and Technology -- Defense News
Pentagon’s QDR Proclaims Military Ready To Do It All -- Defense One
Military’s top general offers grim outlook on nation’s defense -- Star Telegram/McClatchy News
In new QDR, Pentagon highlights N. Korea's threat under its unpredictable regime -- Yonhap News Agency
House Armed Services Chairman Rejects Defense Review for First Time in History -- The Blaze
Pentagon warns of climate change 'threat multipliers' -- Washington Examiner
Pentagon Calls Climate Change Impacts 'Threat Multipliers,' Could Enable Terrorism -- Huffington post
Pentagon's 'Cyber-Mission Force' is no match for Facebook -- Yahoo
Pentagon strategy document shows Russia not a prime concern -- Stars and Stripes

WNU Editor: The Quadrennial Defense Review is here. The Quadrennial Defense Review fact sheet is here.

QDR Independent Panel Publishes Their Report

U.S. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates speaks to U.S. and South Korean troops from the 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team and 210 Fires Brigade at Camp Casey, South Korea, July 20, 2010. DoD photo by Cherie Cullen

The QDR's Catastrophic Report -- Foreign Policy

It's time to stop passing the buck on defense spending.

We are delighted to note that Tom Mahnken thinks the report of the Quadrennial Defense Review independent panel "should generate a debate over America's role in the world." It is high time we had such a debate. He also correctly states, "The panel's report stands in stark contrast with the recent report of the Sustainable Defense Task Force." We served on that task force and would be pleased to discuss the stark contrasts between our report and the QDR report in person or before Congress.

Read more ....

More News On The Independent QDR Report

The 159-page report, known as the Quadrennial Defense Review or QDR. -- U.S. Armed Services

QDR Independent Panel: American Defense Needs an Overhaul -- Executive Biz
QDR Panel Calls for More Force Structure Changes -- U.S. Department of Defense
Defense Panel Calls for More Force Structure Changes -- Defense Talk
Senate Armed Services Panel Resists Defense Cuts -- CQ Politics
Defense Panel: Go For Broke -- Defpro
'Independent' Defense Review Panel Suggests Congress Shower Its Industry with Money -- OMB Watch
Defense Report Reopens Debate Over Federal Cyber Roles -- National Journal
Defense Review Panel Addresses Roles in Federal Cyberspace -- Executive Gov
Panel urges DoD role in domestic network cybersecurity -- FierceGovernmentIT
'India, China new global powers in this multi-polar world' -- Economic Times
Pakistan in peril of succumbing to Iran-style Islamic revolution: Study -- Times of India
The Perry/Hadley QDR Review -- Center For Defense Intelligence
The Future of Defense Spending: One Political Consequence -- Chris Good, The Atlantic
U.S. Military Power: Preeminence for What Purpose? -- Cato@Liberty

My Comment: A few days late for a comprehensive look at this report .... so here it is. The full report is here.

QDR Independent Panel Releases Its Final Report

QDR Independent Panel Final Report Released -- Small Wars Journal

Quadrennial Defense Review Independent Panel - United States Institute of Peace

Quadrennial Defense Review Independent Panel - Findings and recommendations of the Quadrennial Defense Review Independent Panel, as presented to Congress on July 29, 2010.

Joint Statement - William J. Perry and Stephen J. Hadley before the House Armed Services Committee.

The Quadrennial Defense Review Independent Panel is a bipartisan congressional panel charged with conducting an assessment of the assumptions, strategy, findings, and risks described in the Department of Defense’s Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR). The QDR, a report required by law and provided by the Defense Department to Congress, is intended to assess the national security environment over the next 20 years and identify the defense strategy, forces, and resources required to meet future challenges.

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More News on the QDR Independent Panel Report

Panel Suggests Changes in Long-Term Defense Planning -- U.S. Department of Defense
Defense review calls for Navy buildup -- Washington Times
Alternate QDR: More troops, modern equipment -- Navy Times
New Report Criticizes Focus of U.S. Defense Effort -- CQ Politics
QDR Panel Dodges F136 Support -- DoD Buzz
Independent panel declares the military needs more of everything -- The Cable/Foreign Policy
Defense Planning Recommendations Handed Down -- Executive Biz
Panel Warns Of DoD ‘Train Wreck’ -- DoD Buzz
Independent QDR Panel Recommends Buying More of Everything, Increasing Defense Budget -- Defense Tech
Why the QDR's independent panel makes good, common sense on U.S. defense -- Shadow Government/Foreign Policy
Panel: Military Unaffordable -- And Too Small -- Defense And Diplomacy
More on that Alternate QDR -- Cato & Liberty

QDR Language On China Changed Before Publication

From The Washington Times:

The Pentagon deleted language expressing concerns about a future conflict with China and dropped references to Beijing's missiles and anti-satellite threats from its major four-year strategy review release earlier this month.

Pentagon spokesman Geoff Morrell defended the softening of language that was contained in an unofficial Dec. 3 draft of the Quadrennial Defense Review, known as the QDR.

Mr. Morrell said that any previous versions of the QDR were "staff-level documents" that lacked "senior leader input or approval."

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My Comment: Not upsetting others with the truth is more important than telling the truth. Hmmmm .... I still do not see China being a threat against us for a very long time .... and even then .... but all concerns should be put down even if the senior staff and the political masters may not like its observations.

Complete News And Analysis Of The QDR/Proposed Pentagon Budget

Obama Seeks Record $708 Bln In 2011 Defense Budget -- Reuters

Veto urged if Congress adds funds for scrapped programs.

WASHINGTON, Feb 1 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama asked Congress to approve a record $708 billion in defense spending for fiscal 2011, but vowed to continue his drive to eliminate unnecessary, wasteful weapons programs.

The budget calls for a 3.4 percent increase in the Pentagon's base budget to $549 billion plus $159 billion to fund U.S. military missions in Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Obama's spending freeze on other parts of the budget, to try to rein in the deficit, did not apply to the military.

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More News On The QDR/Proposed Pentagon Budget

Obama 2011 budget request: Defense Department -- Washington Post/AP
Obama seeks $192B as war steps up in Afghanistan -- Washington Post/AP
Record $708 Billion Sought for Defense -- Wall Street Journal
U.S. Defense Budget Goes Up -- Aviation Week
DoD's $708.2B Budget Comes With Veto Threat -- Defense News
Review shows dramatic shift in Pentagon's thinking -- CNN
US military strategy to focus on 'multiple wars' -- BBC
Defense review examines many types of war -- UPI
Bigger changes are on the way for the US military -- The Guardian
Pentagon sets budget for wars of the future -- The Guardian
DoD sets priorities with 2011 budget, QDR -- Army Times
The Pentagon Report That Details Tomorrow's Military -- The Atlantic
Pentagon to Include Climate Change in Major New Defense Review -- Clean Technica
Review Aims to Rebalance Forces, Puts People First -- US Department of Defense
With Quadrennial Defense Review, Gates’ legendary pragmatism becomes his legacy -- Stars And Stripes
QDR: The Pentagon Hedges -- Cato&Liberty
Is the 2010 QDR Too Soft? -- John Noonan, Weekly Standard

What Are Some Of The Mil/Defense Blogs Saying

U.S. Defense Budget Goes Up -- Aviation Week
Pentagon to Augment Anti-WMD Capabilities -- Global Security Newswire
Quadrennial Defense Review 2010 is Out -- Armchair Generalist
Pentagon’s Black Budget Tops $56 Billion -- The Danger Room
Missile Defense Test Flops as U.S. Unveils New Strategy -- The Danger Room
QDR Signals JSF and Counterinsurgency Planes Live -- Defense Tech
QDR Blogging: The Long War is Over -- Lawyers, Guns and Money
Sec AF press release -- ELP Defens(c)e Blog
Quadrennial Defense Review (QDR) Report Day -- Information Dissemination
The Only Pentagon Budget Chart That Matters -- Attackerman
‘No News’ QDR kicks some cans down the road -- Small Wars Journal
Gates' QDR Envisions a Do-It-All Military -- Defense News

Quadrennial Defense Review Report

Gates Submits 'Wartime' Defense Blueprint -- National Journal

Defense Secretary Gates has submitted a "wartime" Quadrennial Defense Review of military capabilities and requirements, balancing near-term priorities with the future needs of the force, according to a copy of the document obtained by CongressDaily.

"This is truly a wartime QDR," Gates wrote in an introductory letter accompanying the review, slated to be released Monday. "For the first time, it places the current conflicts at the top of our budgeting, policy, and program priorities, thus ensuring that those fighting America's wars and their families -- on the battlefield, in the hospital, or on the home front -- receive the support they need and deserve."

Read more ....

QDR 2010 Hi-Lights -- Information Dissemination
QDR Kills Two MTW Strategy; Helos, UAVs Are Stars -- DoD Buzz
US military responsibilities to expand -- Financial Times
Defense review urges 'more and better' capabilities -- Government Executive
Pentagon review calls for 'more sophisticated' relationship with industry -- The Hill
Gates orders Air Force and Navy to study joint weapons system -- Washington Post
Pentagon Shifts Its Strategy to Small-Scale Warfare -- Wall Street Journal
China, Iran Prompt U.S. Air-Sea Battle Plan in Strategy Review -- Business Week
Afghan, Iraq wars shape Pentagon budget, US strategy -- AFP
Pentagon review to address climate change for the first time -- The Hill
Draft Defense Department budget avoids weapons cuts, adds aircraft -- Washington Post
Final Version of Four-Year Defense Review Leaked -- War Is Boring
The QDR-USAF-DOD deception -- ELP Defens(c)e Blog
QDR in its present form will not fix the USAF -- ELP Defens(c)e Blog

The Quadrennial Defense Review -- News Roundup

Quadrennial Defense Review Report

Gates Submits 'Wartime' Defense Blueprint -- National Journal

Defense Secretary Gates has submitted a "wartime" Quadrennial Defense Review of military capabilities and requirements, balancing near-term priorities with the future needs of the force, according to a copy of the document obtained by CongressDaily.

"This is truly a wartime QDR," Gates wrote in an introductory letter accompanying the review, slated to be released Monday. "For the first time, it places the current conflicts at the top of our budgeting, policy, and program priorities, thus ensuring that those fighting America's wars and their families -- on the battlefield, in the hospital, or on the home front -- receive the support they need and deserve."

Read more ....

More News On The QDR

QDR 2010 Hi-Lights -- Information Dissemination
QDR Kills Two MTW Strategy; Helos, UAVs Are Stars -- DoD Buzz
US military responsibilities to expand -- Financial Times
Defense review urges 'more and better' capabilities -- Government Executive
Pentagon review calls for 'more sophisticated' relationship with industry -- The Hill
Gates orders Air Force and Navy to study joint weapons system -- Washington Post
Pentagon Shifts Its Strategy to Small-Scale Warfare -- Wall Street Journal
China, Iran Prompt U.S. Air-Sea Battle Plan in Strategy Review -- Business Week
Afghan, Iraq wars shape Pentagon budget, US strategy -- AFP
Pentagon review to address climate change for the first time -- The Hill
Draft Defense Department budget avoids weapons cuts, adds aircraft -- Washington Post
Final Version of Four-Year Defense Review Leaked -- War Is Boring
The QDR-USAF-DOD deception -- ELP Defens(c)e Blog
QDR in its present form will not fix the USAF -- ELP Defens(c)e Blog

UK Lessons For America’s QDR

Photo: Pallbearers carry the casket of Cpl. Matthew McCully during a repatriation ceremony in Trenton, Ont., on May 28, 2007. McCully is one of more than 100 Canadian soldiers killed since the Afghan mission began in 2002. (Jonathan Hayward/Canadian Press)

From New Wars:

The American Quadrennial Defense Review, due this coming Monday will likely reemphasize how Defense spending today is so politicized. Long past the demise of the Soviet Union, US politicians have joined with the Pentagon in keeping Cold war era weapons systems or their type in production for some 20 years. This is all the more amazing in that for the past decade, these needlessly expensive programs have been ongoing while we have been fighting another type enemy on two fronts, where the high tech conventional platforms have been superseded by less costly but equally effective hybrid equipment.

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My Comment: I completely agree with this post .... in particular the following ....

One place where the advocates of Big Wars and Small Wars are meeting on common ground are shrinking budgets and growing deficits. Right and Left, despite ongoing divergent rhetoric that one is less concerned over defense issues than the other, will soon be forced to deal with dramatic changes in spending which will do what a new World War has failed to bring about, and the QDR probably will fail to do: end Cold War era procurement policies.

UK is not the only country that can give lessons for America's QDR. Canada fits this description perfectly. Under both Conservative and Liberal Governments, Canada has cut its military budget to the bone .... abdicating and/or canceling big budget programs for the simple reason that they either served no strategic value for Canada and/or were just too expensive.

My prediction .... the US will also follow this course, but probably not as drastic as it has been for Canada.

BREAKING!!!: Draft QDR Report Leaked

Unclassified//Fouo

Hat Tip: Small Wars Journal, Abu Muqawama, and Inside Defense.

My Comment: Guess what I will be reading tonight.

Two U.S. Carrier Groups May Be Cut Plus Other Programs: QDR

Philippine Sea (June 18, 2006) - U.S. Navy aircraft carriers USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) and USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) sail in a 15-ship formation along with ships from the three carrier strike groups as a Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force aircraft formation perform a fly-by during the photo portion of Exercise Valiant Shield 2006.

QDR Likely Kills Two Carriers, EFV -- DoD Buzz

Word on Capitol Hill is that the Quadrennial Defense Review should result in the demise of two Navy car­rier groups and the Marines’ Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle. On top of that, the Joint Strike Fighter pro­gram is likely to lose a so-​​far uncer­tain num­ber of planes and the Air Force looks to lose two air wings.

Folks on the Hill are watch­ing the car­rier cuts par­tic­u­larly closely. They were will­ing to accept the tem­po­rary loss of one car­rier but two groups may just be too much for law­mak­ers to swal­low though it would con­ve­niently answer the hot debate about whether the Navy faces a fighter gap.

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My Comment: The dismantling of the U.S. military is now on full display for anyone who is interested. I doubt that Congress will permit such drastic cuts .... but with President Obama making it very clear that his goal will be to cut the U.S. budget deficit in the next 3 years .... a political battle is about to unfold, with the U.S. Defense Budget in the White House's sights.

QDR (Quadrennial Defense Review) News Roundup -- September 5, 2009

The Failed History Of The QDR -- Ares/Aviation Week Blog

Since the first Quadrennial Defense Review was published in 1997, critics have been wondering—and with good reason—how much the report actually succeeds in influencing the strategic and budgetary priorities of the Pentagon.

In a report due to be released next week which ARES has obtained, Anthony Cordesman and Erin K. Fitzgerald of the Center for Strategic and International Studies take full aim at the QDR’s historical failings, while outlining what the Pentagon planners need to do to avoid the fate of previous reports, which the pair says have “done nothing to change whatever trajectory the Pentagon’s leadership has pre-decided.”

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More Quadrennial Defense Review News

QDR Could Spur Production Cuts Of AF -- Aviation Week
Pentagon Review Spurring Large Changes -- Kiplinger
II MEF Showcases Its Irregular Warfare Capabilities for QDR Panel -- Systems
QDR could reduce quantities of air-fired weapons -- Smart Brief
Helo shortage thorny issue surrounding QDR -- Navy Times
Pentagon Reform: Will It Ever Start? -- Center For Defense Information
Failing State -- Foreign Policy
Fueling the “Balance”: A Defense Energy Strategy Primer -- Gov Monitor
Fueling our security: The need for a defense energy strategy -- Washington Examiner
CRS — U.S. Strategic Nuclear Forces: Background, Developments, and Issues -- Docuticker
The Perils of Prediction and Unpreparedness in Building the Future Force -- Heritage Foundation

Weak Countries Pose Threat, Pentagon Says

From The Hill:

Some of the most significant national security threats to the United States will likely come from weak and failed states, according to a high-ranking Pentagon official.

“State weakness and failure may be an increasing driver of conflict and situations that require a U.S. military response,” Michèle Flournoy, the undersecretary of Defense for policy, said on Wednesday at a briefing hosted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies.

Flournoy stressed that in the past the threats came from powerful, aggressive states, but that will be changing in the coming years. Many of the security threats will arise out of states’ inability to meet the basic needs of their population and secure their own territory, Flournoy said.

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My Comment: The Pentagon’s Quadrennial Defense Review, or QDR .... the Pentagon's way of outlining threats, trends, and the future for all who are interested in these things. With a new administration in power, the final report is going to be interesting.