Missile Defense Interceptor Gets $1.7 Billion U.S. Budget Boost

[unhappycamper]

Missile Defense Interceptor Gets $1.7 Billion U.S. Budget Boost
By Tony Capaccio - Fri Feb 11 20:30:38 GMT 2011

The Pentagon has shifted $1.7 billion in efficiency savings through 2016 to pay for development of a new interceptor intended to let U.S. forces hit long-range Iranian missiles, according to a congressional memo obtained from a staff member who didn’t want to be identified.

The Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency identified $2.4 billion of budget savings and seeks to shift most of that for an upgrade of a weapon known as the Standard Missile, according to a Jan. 24 memo prepared for House Armed Services Committee members by the panel’s staff. The missile agency’s proposed savings are part of $100 billion the Pentagon has said it wants to trim from overhead and low-priority items so it can increase spending on higher priority weapons and personnel through 2016.

The missile program will be announced Monday as part of the $75.7 billion research and development budget in the Defense Department’s overall $553 billion budget request for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced Jan. 6 that he would propose more money for “long-range interceptors.” He didn’t identify the program or disclose how much he would propose to spend.

Lockheed Martin Corp., of Bethesda, Maryland, Chicago-based Boeing Co., and Los Angeles-based Northrop Grumman Corp. announced they are competing for three Missile Defense Agency early concept contracts to be awarded by June 30. Raytheon Co. also submitted a bid, said John Patterson, a spokesman for the Waltham, Massachusetts-based company.

[somone]

1. Poor Americans need this protection

so they can freeze and starve

[Strelnikov_]

4. Hey, at least they get to freeze and starve under 'Merican capitalism

And not freeze and starve under Godless communism or socialism or Islamofascism.

Cause as every red-blooded 'Merican knows, you're better off freezing and starving under 'Merican Capitalism then one of those other atrocities of a political/economic system.

[grilled onions]

2. The Real Cold War?

Ask those who can't afford to heat their homes!

[chill_wind]

3. 219,068 Head Start Slots for Children

* for One Year in Tennessee

http://costofwar.com/en/tradeoffs/state/TN/program/13/tradeoff/1

1.7 billion spent, whether in war-spending or spent as above-- that's what our government will continue to keep trading off to keep Gates and Lockheed Martin and Boeing happy.

[somone]

5. American children thank you, Mr President

for killing a program that even Reagan refused to touch

[chill_wind]

6. Afghanistan war spending alone this year will eat up 14.1 million slots for children

nation wide.

http://costofwar.com/en/tradeoffs/state/US/program/13/tradeoff/1

Low income health care? That would pay for 22.1 million people. Today. This year. Now.

Iraq AND Afghanistan? 35.5 million people. 88.4 million Children Receiving Low-Income Healthcare for One Year.

31.1 million Pell Grants.. 31.1 million.

[L. Coyote]

7. I see money pouring into campaign "war chests" as I type.

Obama just made a huge bundle!

[somone]

8. He knows which side his bread is buttered on

[chill_wind]

12. Yes, he's probably got to raise about a billion for 2012 and he's not going to get it from

the banksters this time. I can't wait to see what comes of how we have pay the war racketeers off in the next term :-(

[fascisthunter]

9. dumb

[neverforget]

10. what a waste

:hurts:

[DCofVA]

11. Why don't they just put $1.7 billion in a big pile and burn it?

It would be put to just as good a use.

[QC]

13. A few thoudand frozen grandmas are a small price to pay

for a better interceptor!