Silicon Investor (SI) -- The First Internet Community

STOCKTALK

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor. We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community. If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.

Politics : Formerly About Advanced Micro Devices -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: tejek who wrote (130008)	12/21/2000 12:58:45 PM
From: TimF	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 1570843

I am unclear what you consider small but for me it is not small at all. This fiscal year we will spend $293 billion for defense. That equals 16% of this year's budget. Non defense takes up 19% If defense takes up 16% of this years budget then by definition non defense takes up 84%. The type of changes that I would be talking about (the early stages of a missile defence program, some more readiness funds and funding some current programs that will have to be canceled if the defence budget does not increase) might move defence to 17% that is one way of looking at a small % (1% difference). Also the defence budget is now at or under 4% of our GNP and current plans have it going to under 3% which is at a lower level as a % of GNP then it was since before WWII when the US was isolationist and mostly demobilized. Here is some slightly old but relatively accurate data - "Acquisition spending is down by 60 percent between 1987 and 1995. Research and development budgets will fall 40 percent from 1987 through 1999, and what is left focuses mainly on modifications and upgrades of existing systems rather than on developing new ones. The obvious consequence of slowed modernization is a military with aging equipment. By the year 2010, the average age of tanks in the U.S. military will be 21 years; of utility helicopters, nearly 30 years; of navy fighter aircraft, 15 years; of attack submarines and surface ships, 16 years; of air force fighter-attack aircraft, 20 years; and of air force bombers and transport planes, 35 years." ndu.edu Tim