Where should the Pentagon be spending its devlopment dollars?

SPC Christopher Morehouse — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 19:59:31 -0500

So the defense budget is going to be getting tighter and tighter this coming decade, and our military has already got some big budget programs that are apparently to big to cancel (F-35 anyone?), so I'm curios what the people on Rally Point think the DoD should be spending what budget it has on, development and procurement wise, in he near and short term.

Obviously drones are getting a lot of press and development $$'s, with the Navy looking to field its UCAV this decade, and the Air force looking to have some weaponized drones that can fight in contested airspace here soon. But what is being over looked/neglected, what can we do without, what do we absolutely need?

I know from the Army side of things, I'm surprised the HMMWV replacement has been pushed out again and again, as has the M-16 replacement(died for what, the billionth time now?), the and the new "Family of Vehicals" that was supposed to see us get an updated mobile artillery platform, anti tank, and infantry combat vehicles. Are these priorities, or have we been doing alright without them?

How do the Navy people here feel about our near and long term fleet look out. We are looking at the leanest fleet in the US has had in a loooong time, tasked to cover a wide stretch of ocean that is difficult for a soldier like me to even comprehend. Yet ship after ship seems to get canceled, or neutered on the drawing board.

I remeber back before we invaded Iraq again, there was talk from those on the hill that Congress will never again authorize the development of a new Tank, saying they where outdated platforms. And then the M1 preformed spectacularly in the cities of Iraq, and they literally couldn't buy upgrade kits for them fast enough.

Obviously my interest are colored by my military and now civilian experience. I have strong feeling about the F-35, and the proposed re-engining of the UH-60's and AH-64s, but what do you guys think the priorities should be in these leaner times to come? And what developments are you guys excited to see fielded in the near and distant future?

Response by SFC James Baber made Jan 11 at 2014 8:35 PM

SFC James Baber — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 20:35:38 -0500

It is all about what is there for training and defense protection for the nation as well as the military.

On that same note, the projects that are giving the desired immediate needs will most likely get the axe via cancellation or unknown delay time frame and then eventually cancelled. This will be a debatable issue for the next few years to come and maybe even farther depending on the politics and the leadership in the future, as that is something that is always a major player in all the decisions on projects whether it is admitted or not.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 11 at 2014 10:11 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 11 Jan 2014 22:11:36 -0500

I think the focus should be on maintaining the force we have now and "value engineering" updates that will save money maintaining what we have.

We could also augment the force with commercial vehicles where appropriate. 4x4 jeeps and trucks are much less expensive than tactical vehicles and can be used for about half of the current number of HMMWVs

I also think we are up armoring too much. You don't need a V hull on every truck all the time.

Response by CPL Timothy Coffey made Feb 28 at 2016 10:11 PM

CPL Timothy Coffey — Sun, 28 Feb 2016 22:11:28 -0500

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L75ESD9PBOw, being able to get in and out of area's with drones maybe significant in the future, Mixing helicopter, drone, bullet proof housing etc... Could be future, and will most likely continue into civilian transportation needs. Several one man devices already built. I like the Ehang -184, but would like to see jet packs and more added. and parachutes.

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