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Shutdown Could Cost DoD Billions of Dollars
The US government shutdown could cost the Defense Department billions of dollars over the long term, but it is too early to tabulate the full impact, experts say.
Analysis
Pentagon’s Future Goes from Bad to Worse in Fiscal 2014
In this radio interview on the Federal News Radio, Todd Harrison offers a defense budget forecast for fiscal 2014 and discusses the near-term vs long term-dichotomy that the Pentagon faces as it articulates a strategy for dealing with the declining budgets.
Analysis
DoD Budget Decline
Barry Watts goes on ABC7's Government Matters to discuss the likely protracted period of decline in the DoD budget, and how the Pentagon can take a proactive approach to military priorities and sustaining the Defense Industrial Base.
In the News
Rethinking Flattops for Flatter Budgets
Flanked by lethal warships and home to the advanced fighters jets parked on their expansive decks, the Navy's aircraft carriers are perhaps the most impressive demonstration of America's military might. But these ships are also the single most expensive piece of equipment the military buys, making them a prime -- and perhaps even necessary -- target in this era of fiscal belt-tightening.
Analysis
Defense Cuts Conundrum: Weighing the Hard Choices Ahead
Defense strategy is ultimately about making choices, which in peacetime often manifest themselves as decisions about the defense budget. As the budget gets squeezed, these choices become more difficult, and the current strategy may have to be modified or even abandoned. Yet without resource constraints, strategy would be unnecessary -- the military could simply throw more money at all its problems. Limited resources thus create the need for strategy, and as resources become more constrained, strategy becomes more important. The key strategic choice facing the Pentagon now is one of timing: whether to prioritize today’s military or tomorrow’s. Given the budget drawdown currently under way, the Pentagon cannot afford to do both -- it cannot get everything it wants.
In the News
Pentagon to Slow 2014 Spending As Cuts Loom
The Pentagon plans to slow spending in anticipation that federal defense spending caps will remain in place throughout 2014, a senior US Defense Department official said.