The Pentagon formally announced the Fiscal 2010 defense budget proposal with a round of briefings that began early Thursday afternoon. The Administration is asking for $533.8 billion in budget authority for base defense programs and another $130 billion to support ongoing overseas contingency operations. According to a Pentagon release, the budget reflects a 2.1 percent inflation-adjusted increase over the 2009 enacted budget of $513.3 billion. Defense Secretary Robert Gates on April 6 already had announced major weapons systems cuts, including a proposal to end F-22 Raptor production at 187 aircraft, which would leave USAF with 186 Raptors. (DOD 2010 budget overview; DOD 2010 budget summary charts) (More budget coverage ahead.)
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth vowed to undertake far-reaching reforms on the way the U.S. military buys weapons, promising a sweeping overhaul of the way the Defense Department determines requirements, handles the acquisition process, and tests its kit. The fundamental goal, which Hegseth underscored in a 1-hour and 10-minute speech…
