US Armed Forces Need Money Now to Fight Tonight
Arthur Dominic Villasanta | | Feb 22, 2017 08:41 AM EST |
(Photo : US Navy) U.S. Navy F/A-18 Hornet being repaired.
The Armed Force of the United States plans to undergo a massive increase in manpower, modern equipment and capabilities that will allow it to fight and defeat both China and Russia, whether alone or in combination.
Its wish list, which it will soon make known to the hawkish and right-wing Trump administration, is expected to remedy many of the serious deficiencies such as readiness that are giving generals and admirals sleepless nights
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"Our country will never have had a military like the military we're about to build and rebuild," boasted President Donald Trump. "It won't be depleted for long."
His views are shared by his new national security adviser, former Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, who remains concerned about the state of readiness of the U.S. Army, and argues "our army in the future risks being too small to secure the nation."
The U.S. Army is at its smallest level since before World War II. It wants to add 30,000 more personnel to its ranks by October as the first part in an ambitious plan to rebuild its fighting strength.
The other U.S. land fighting force, the U.S. Marine Corps, wants add 3,000 more Marines, said Marine Corps Commandant Gen. Robert Neller.
The U.S. Air Force wants to expand its numbers by 30,000 airmen over the next five-to-six years. But the number of airmen is the least of the Air Force's problems.
About half of Air Force B-1 bombers are grounded awaiting spare parts. The shortage of spares is so bad some Air Force mechanics have gone to aircraft museums and scrap yards to strip old aircraft for parts.
Marine Corps aviation also has similar problems, with up to 75 percent of Marine Corps jets grounded because of a variety of problems.
"If I don't get more money, I'll stop flying in July or August," said Lt. Gen. Jon Davis, Deputy Commandant for Aviation.
The U.S. Navy is on the same boat. Half of the U.S. Navy F/A-18 Hornets can't fly. Overall, more than half the Navy's aircraft are grounded, most because there isn't enough money to fix them.
The main cause of this pain is the U.S. Congress. Congress has failed for the ninth straight year to craft a budget before the Oct. 1 start of fiscal 2017, reverting to continuing resolutions (CRs) that keep money flowing at prior year levels.
There is widespread agreement that CR funding wreaks havoc throughout the Pentagon and the industrial base that supports it.
TagsArmed Force of the United States, President Donald Trump, Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster, U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, Lt. Gen. Jon Davi
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