Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta responds to a question from the audience during a televised conversation with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at National Defense University in Washington, D.C., Aug. 16, 2011. DOD photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jacob N. BaileyPentagon Ponders Budget Cuts In Face Of ‘Perfect Storm’ -- Washington Times
May reduce personnel and delay new jets, ships, tanks.
The Pentagon is considering a range of options to meet a bipartisan call to greatly reduce defense spending in what is a “perfect storm” rocking the military’s once-sturdy budget plans.
The Army is looking at paring down combat brigades and ending some targeting and communications systems. The Navy might delay ship construction and shed sailors.
Also, the purchase of the most expensive weapon system ever, the $380 billion F-35 joint strike fighter, could be pared from a planned 2,443 stealth jets.
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