The United States should leave the hollow force where it belongs—in the past. Defense budget cuts and inadequate strategy are damaging readiness. Heritage’s Baker Spring, along with Colonels Ruchard Dunn and Kerry Kachejian, opened “Protect America Month” at The Heritage Foundation last week, speaking about the potential for the U.S. …
The Department of Defense (DOD), per the requirements of the fiscal year 2000 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), this week issued the 2013 annual report to Congress on the Chinese military. This year’s report is a substantial expansion upon the 2012 report, nearly double in length, and with an extensive …
Cuts in President Obama’s fiscal year 2014 defense budget submission are troubling, according to Mike Rogers (R–AL), Chairman of the Strategic Forces Subcommittee, House Armed Services Committee. While the President proposes to reduce the defense budget by about $120 billion in the next 10 years, the world is not getting …
Just days before President Obama released his fiscal year (FY) 2014 budget request, the Air Force reported that it will have to ground one-third of its aircraft due to budget constraints. Operations and maintenance accounts will be hit particularly hard, causing the Air Force to severely restrict which of its …
President Obama is considering further unilateral cuts in the nuclear arsenal, but his disarmament policies will do nothing to make the world a safer place. In a newly published paper, “Slouching Toward Zero,” Dr. Robert Butterworth, president of Aries Analytics, charges that the modernization of U.S. nuclear forces, while remaining …
Tomorrow, President Obama will finally release his overdue budget request, and the next day, the House Armed Services Committee will hold a hearing on that request. The hearing witnesses will be Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Martin Dempsey. It appears likely …
Yesterday, Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel gave his first major speech since he was confirmed for the job in February. “The Department must understand the challenges and uncertainties, plan for the risks, and, yes, recognize the opportunities inherent in budget constraints and more efficient and effective restructuring,” he said. Secretary …
This week, the House of Representatives passed its Continuing Resolution (CR) which provides funding for primarily the Department of Defense until the end of this fiscal year. Congress missed the opportunity to reprogram cuts from sequestration or cut even further. It also failed to address sequestration’s serious impact on military …
Last Friday’s event at The Heritage Foundation, “Shoring Up the U.S.–Taiwan Partnership,” featured a statement by Senator John Cornyn (R–TX) advocating “the urgent need to bolster Taiwan’s self-defense capabilities.” Senator Cornyn has been pushing the Obama Administration to sell 66 F-16 C/D fighters to Taiwan to help the U.S. ally …
“Among the most difficult challenges facing the Air Force is the need to modernize,” writes Michael Donley, the Secretary of the Air Force. Despite major engagements in Afghanistan, Iraq, Kosovo, and Libya since the end of the Cold War, the Air Force currently operates the oldest fleet it has ever …