Analysis: Pentagon faces long-term budget woes
It is becoming increasingly clear that the long-term outlook for the defense budget is bleak, reports Aviation Week.
“Even before the financial crisis, the defense budget was running out of gas,” Andrew Krepinevich, an analyst with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments said Feb. 12 at a press briefing in Washington. "In the near-term, [defense] spending in general will be protected, but further out, things really do become grim," he said.
With the cost of weapons rising, a strong incentive exists for the military services to recapitalize existing equipment instead of purchasing new systems, he said.