Author Topic: U.S.:10-Year Nuclear Plan Will Cost $355 Billion  (Read 803 times)

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SPQR

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U.S.:10-Year Nuclear Plan Will Cost $355 Billion
« on: December 27, 2013, 04:11:30 am »
By AARON MEHTA
The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has released a report pegging the cost of America’s 10-year nuclear weapons plan at $355 billion.

The Dec. 20 report estimates the cost of the Obama administration’s plans for the nuclear arsenal from 2014 to 2023.

The CBO projection includes $296 billion budgeted for the nuclear arsenal and associated programs, broken down into $136 billion to go into strategic and tactical nuclear delivery systems; $105 billion to go towards the Department of Energy and naval reactors; and $56 billion towards nuclear command, control and communications systems as well as early-warning technologies.

Another $59 billion is estimated to cover additional costs that could occur due to cost growth.

For fiscal 2014, which began in October, the CBO is estimating $23.1 billion in costs to maintain the nuclear arsenal.

Key modernization programs identified by the CBO include a new ballistic missile submarine, a new intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), and the Air Force’s Long-Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B). For all three of those delivery platforms, new or refurbished warheads could add to costs.

The CBO notes that its estimates could grow if these programs see cost overruns. Conversely, the estimates could drop if the Obama administration alters nuclear policy, such as increased reductions in the nuclear arsenal, although dramatic savings may be out of the question without a major strategic shift.

“Unless the reduction completely eliminated some portion of those forces (one leg of the triad, for example), the resulting decrease in costs would probably be substantially less than the proportional cut to the size of the forces, because of fixed development and support costs and other constraints,” the CBO report reads.

http://www.defensenews.com/article/20131226/DEFREG02/312260011/CBO-10-Year-Nuclear-Plan-Will-Cost-355-Billion

SPQR

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Re: U.S.:10-Year Nuclear Plan Will Cost $355 Billion
« Reply #1 on: December 27, 2013, 05:24:05 am »
What needs modernization is the ICBM. The Minuteman III missile entered service in 1970. The USAF wants to keep it in service until 2030. That is absolutely insane.
« Last Edit: December 27, 2013, 05:29:18 am by SPQR »

Offline flowers

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Re: U.S.:10-Year Nuclear Plan Will Cost $355 Billion
« Reply #2 on: December 27, 2013, 08:40:12 pm »
Obama will say this is to much money and shut down most of these nukes. He has flexibility now.



SPQR

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Re: U.S.:10-Year Nuclear Plan Will Cost $355 Billion
« Reply #3 on: December 27, 2013, 10:13:10 pm »
Obama will say this is to much money and shut down most of these nukes. He has flexibility now.

 He has get to by the House Armed Services Committee first and the Senate. The Congress controls the purse strings.
« Last Edit: December 27, 2013, 10:15:04 pm by SPQR »

Oceander

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Re: U.S.:10-Year Nuclear Plan Will Cost $355 Billion
« Reply #4 on: December 27, 2013, 10:18:57 pm »
Obama will say this is to much money and shut down most of these nukes. He has flexibility now.



Well, since it appears that this level of spending is part of the Obama (mal)administration's own plans, the chances of that happening aren't great.

SPQR

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Re: U.S.:10-Year Nuclear Plan Will Cost $355 Billion
« Reply #5 on: December 27, 2013, 10:20:51 pm »
Well, since it appears that this level of spending is part of the Obama (mal)administration's own plans, the chances of that happening aren't great.

I agree. The Congress sets the budgets. This House Armed Services Committee is willing to give the military anything they want. Its not like the old days when the Democrats held the majority of seats in HASC and basically having the military to beg for every dollar.
« Last Edit: December 27, 2013, 10:23:28 pm by SPQR »