Bush Planning $10-Billion Cut in Arms: Cheney

BRUSSELS — President Bush will announce a $10-billion cut in the U.S. military budget next week despite a promise to keep the Pentagon in step with inflation, Defense Secretary Dick Cheney said today.

Cheney, attending a NATO meeting in Brussels, said Bush had agreed with congressional leaders to chop $10 billion from the 1990 defense budget proposed by President Ronald Reagan before he left office in January.

He told reporters that that would be a 0.9% real reduction from current levels. Bush earlier had planned to cut only $6.3 billion from the $315.2-billion Reagan proposal.

The Pentagon “probably did better this year by the compromise up front” rather than getting into a long battle with Congress later in the year, Cheney said.

Fifth in a Row

While the cut would be the fifth real reduction in a row for U.S. military spending, Cheney said it is not as severe as earlier reductions.

He refused to specify where cuts will be made, saying he expects Bush to make the announcement next Tuesday.

But Defense Department officials have said that Cheney intends to cancel the Marine Corps’ new V-22 tilt-rotor troop transport aircraft, delay the Army’s LHX light helicopter program and transfer at least 24 Navy frigates to the reserve force.

Cheney said Bush will also announce his spending proposal for the “Star Wars” anti-missile defense program and for mobilizing U.S. land-based strategic nuclear missiles.

Cheney said he does not know whether Bush will opt for mounting 10-warhead MX missiles on rail cars or for development of a new Midgetman single-warhead missile--or a mix of the two.