Defence cut will hit all arms

Press, 23 February 1977, Page 9

Defence cut will hit all arms

N.Z.P.A. - Reuter. Washington ! All the United States) armed services will lose) [some weapons programmes jin President Carter’s proposed 52700 M reduction of! the defence budget he inher-l ited from the Ford Adminis-i (ration, according to sources) familiar with defence plan-; ning. A senior defence officer; said the cuts for the fiscal; year 1978 would concentrate) on weapons programmes,) “substantial” cuts in person-! nel being made later since) they would take longer to’ work out. Mr Carter's revised budget will go to Congress today. j) Other defence and Con-ij gressional sources said that), the arms cuts would include : reducing the production of : eight Bl bombers to five ini' 1978. |1

The President must later [make a decision on whether Ito go ahead with producing a fleet of the powerful airlcraft to replace the ageing )852 strategic bomber. Development money for [the huge new MX missile [whose bases would be mo[bile would also be reduced, [although not eliminated. : The army, the sources ■said would lose the non-nu-I clear version of the Lance : long-range missile, although the nuclear model would remain in the plans. A nuclear-powered strike ■ cruiser the navy' had sought would also be dropped from the current programme and [the A 7 fighter-bomber would be phased out. Only six (more had actually been [planned. The air force would be [allowed to buy fewer Fl 5 I fighters, the sources said.