Pentagon chief unveils plans to buy more high-end ships, fighters

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Pentagon chief unveils plans to buy more high-end ships, fighters

Reuters

43 minutes ago

SAN DIEGO (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Wednesday mapped out plans for the U.S. Navy to buy more high-end submarines, destroyers, fighter jets and unmanned underwater vehicles using $8 billion in savings generated by scaling back orders for smaller Littoral Combat Ships.

Carter said the Pentagon's five-year budget plan also included $2.9 billion to modify Raytheon Co's SM-6 missiles for use as powerful anti-ship weapons, and buy 625 more of the weapons, which are now used for missile defense.

He said the Navy planned to buy nine Virginia-class submarines built by Huntington Ingalls and General Dynamics Corp and 10 DDG-51 destroyers over the next five years. He said the Navy's budget would fund 13 more Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets and 16 more Boeing Co F/A-18E/F fighters than planned over the same period.

Read more: https://news.yahoo.com/pentagon-chief-unveils-plans-buy-more-high-end-211957838--business.html

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(Short article, no more at link.)

[Purveyor]

1. As the nations infrastructure/education systems continue to

crumble.

Got it.

[KamaAina]

2. 13 more F-35s?

What are they planning to do, have an aerial demolition derby?!

[Kelvin Mace]

7. How about they get one to actually work first?

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

11. They work fine for going to the grocery store, drive-in movies, etc.

[Kelvin Mace]

13. Bullseye-ing wamp rats...

[Paper Roses]

3. If the Pentagon has all this money, do you think they could help my friend?

She is 57, disabled and now homeless. I have been working with her to help find a place to live. The rents in this ares are so high, her whole SSDI check would(and did) go to the landlord, She has used her savings, little by little over the years to pay for life's necessities. That ran out. Her health is not good, Fibro, Lupus, and two non-malignant brain tumors.

She has been under treatment and medication for some time and the radiation to shrink the tumors seems to have worked.

Every agency we have contacted has long waiting lists. One has her on an emergency list. Nothing. She has been sleeping at the home of friends for the better part of a year. Her stress level is high, her spirits are low, she is exhausted. She is fortunate that most of her healthcare costs are covered by the state.

This woman worked all her life. She is bright, literate, clean and has one of the best dispositions of anyone I know. I may bitch about things at times but then I think about my friend. Shuts me up pretty quick!

What a country.
Tons of money for war machines, no money for the disadvantaged.

[mikehiggins]

4. Who are these magical military monsters supposed to fight?

Has East Asia declared war?

Couldn't some of those "savings" be used to help our schools? Clean up Flint?

Who are the enemies?

[Kelvin Mace]

8. We have always been at war with East Asia

and Flint, Michigan too, apparently.

[Sherman A1]

5. Pardon me for a moment

[jpak]

6. The LCS program should be cancelled - period

Last edited Wed Feb 3, 2016, 08:04 PM - Edit history (1)

yup

[PersonNumber503602]

12. It's my understanding they are modifying them to basically be legit frigates now

Probably would have been cheaper if they went into it with that goal in mind.

[jpak]

14. They will be frigates in name only

compare them to any modern frigate in any navy.

under gunned

under radared

under everything

yup

[PersonNumber503602]

15. I thought they were making upgrades to beef up all those systems.

[McKim]

9. Toys for the Boys: Go Hold a Bake Sale!

More toys for the boys. Too bad they don't have to hold a bake sale for those ships, while our schools crumble.

[Elmer S. E. Dump]

10. How dare they say they have 8bn in savings when they've "lost" trillions over the years.

They should have to give that back to the treasury. Or better yet, Veterans needs.