Pentagon sees 'disproportionate' cuts to arms programs in FY17

WASHINGTON: The Pentagon's chief weapons buyer on Wednesday said he expected "disproportionate" cuts to weapons programs and research and development projects in the U.S. Defense Department's fiscal 2017 budget proposal that is now being finalized.

Frank Kendall, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, told a conference a two-year budget agreement with Congress had provided much-needed stability and the numbers were "much better than they could have been." But he said the deal still called for a 3 percent cut in military spending in fiscal 2017, compared to what the Obama administration had planned.

Constraints on cutting training, personnel costs and force structure meant weapons programs would likely take a bigger hit in the fiscal 2017 budget plan, he said, without providing any details about specific programs that would be affected.