Biden’s defense budget leaves analysts scratching their heads
by Abraham Mahshie, Defense Reporter |
| June 01, 2021 05:44 PM
President Joe Biden’s proposed military budget cuts reduce the Air Force fleet and would install a glacial pace in reconstituting the Navy’s coffers, leaving hawkish defense analysts worried about China pulling away.
The military services briefed reporters Friday on the president’s late-arriving defense budget request of $715 billion, which Republicans heavily criticized for not keeping up with inflation or adding the necessary funds to catch up with adversaries. China is known to have a Navy that outnumbers the U.S. force of some 296 ships, and its shipbuilding capacity and military spending are more robust. Likewise, the average aircraft age in the Air Force is 30 years, but some 200 aircraft will be decommissioned according to the budget, with only about 90 will be added.
As a result, analysts think the Biden budget will face heavy pushback from Congress.
“They propose a number of divestments, mainly in the Air Force and in the Navy, but to push those divestments through Congress, it is going to take concerted leadership,” said Todd Harrison of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/bidens-defense-budget-leaves-analysts-scratching-their-heads
