Is Navy Mulling New Cuts?

According to a Reuters report, the U.S. Navy has proposed cutting a Lockheed Martin Corp. missile program and a Northrop Grumman Corp. amphibious assault ship in its fiscal 2008 budget, but Pentagon leaders will make the final decision, analysts said. Navy officials declined to comment on its spending proposal for 2008, saying the Pentagon and White House must still review all proposals. The Bush administration is expected to send its massive government-wide budget proposal for fiscal 2008 to Congress in early February 2007. A defense industry publication, Inside the Navy, on Tuesday quoted Lt. Cmdr. Anthony Wright from the office of the Chief of Naval Operations as saying that the Joint Common Missile (JCM) was no longer in the Navy's 2008 budget proposal. Wright could not be reached for comment by Reuters. Lockheed said it remained committed to the JCM, which it is developing for the Navy and the Army. Spokeswoman Jennifer Allen said Lockheed was meeting all the technical, schedule and budget objectives for the program. (Source: Reuters)