President Trump’s first defense budget set to be released next week will include just one additional ship and no more aircraft than what was projected under the Obama, according to a report Tuesday.
The $603 billion plan calls for nine Navy destroyers instead of eight and proposes the same 70 Lockheed Martin F-35 joint strike fighters and 14 Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornets projected by the prior administration, sources told Bloomberg. Flight III Arleigh Burke-class destroyers are built by General Dynamics Bath Iron Works and Huntington Ingalls Industries.
Trump pledged a historic military buildup on the campaign trail and after his inauguration, but the defense budget blueprint he released in March would provide just $18 billion over spending projections from 2016.
Analysts and defense hawks have said the increase is not enough for the 350-ship Navy, 540,000-soldier Army, 36-battalion Marine Corps, and 1,200-fighter Air Force that Trump has promised.
Disappointing & predicted with a $603B topline: One additional ship and no new planes doth hardly a “buildup” make. https://t.co/Un2bmfZAUP
— Mackenzie Eaglen (@MEaglen) May 16, 2017
The White House is expected to unveil its full budget plan next Tuesday. It will be sent to Congress as lawmakers are creating defense plans for the coming fiscal year.
