“I am concerned about any fundamental shift,” Carter said. “I am not for a fundamental shift in our defense.”
The Defense Department is one of the largest employers in the state of Texas, a fact that was not lost on Carter.
Carter said the country needed to be concerned about Gates’ proposal to cease production of the F-22 strike fighter, especially when the People’s Republic of China and Russia are flexing their military muscles.
“Quite honestly, we’re behind the Chinese and the Russians on technology,” he said. “Our present-day fighters are workhorses, but they’ve out-manned us in technology.”
During a press conference, Gates said his $534 billion budget proposal reflects a shift in priorities from fighting conventional wars to the newer threats U.S. forces face from insurgents in places such as Afghanistan.
The promised emphasis on budget paring is a reversal from the Bush years, which included a doubling of the Pentagon’s spending since 2001. Spending on tanks, fighter planes, ships, missiles and other weapons accounted for about a third of all defense spending last year. But Gates noted more money will be needed in areas such as personnel as the Army and Marines expand the size of their forces.
Gates will likely face stiff resistance in Congress, where lawmakers are wary of losing defense contractor jobs with an economy in crisis. Some defense contractors such as Lockheed Martin Corp. have warned of huge layoffs if programs are cut.
