Five Reasons The Pentagon Favors Technology Over Forces In Making Spending Cuts (From Forbes)

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel said this week that if Congress doesn’t modify the sequestration provisions of the Budget Control Act, he will have to make a choice between “capacity” and “capability” in the joint force. Capacity in his framework means the size of the force, and capability means its technological sophistication. So the choice is between force structure and modernization, with Hagel’s team appearing to favor the latter. That makes sense because the Obama Administration has already killed or curtailed numerous new weapons, and the Cold War arsenal is wearing out. Future enemies will undoubtedly be better equipped than the Taliban, and technology is the joint force’s most vital advantage in combat. Besides, the defense industrial base isn’t likely to survive a decade-long procurement “holiday.” I have written a commentary for Forbes here.