Warfare Systems Chief Calls on Congress to Act

By Jay Friess
Editor

Congress needs to make hard decisions and fix the budget this year, or the Navy could lose the equivalent of its current ship building budget in fiscal 2013, according to Vice Adm. William R. Burke, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations Warfare Systems (N9).

Speaking to approximately 280 guests of The Patuxent Partnership’s Annual Dinner at St. Mary’s College of Maryland Wednesday, Burke said the Navy stands to lose $15 billion a year if Congress allows automatic budget cuts, known as sequestration, go into effect. The amount is almost equivalent to the Navy’s entire aircraft procurement budget as well.

“That’s a big number, and it will have an effect,” Burke said. However, the Pentagon has declined to prepare for such an eventuality.

“To the degree we figure it out in advance, the more likely it is to happen,” Burke said. “We don’t want to take the heat off Congress.”

However, Burke is not fully optimistic that the Pentagon will win this game of chicken with Congress.

“The federal government really does not have its house in order,” Burke said, noting that sequestration, another debt ceiling hike, and two tax cut expirations are scheduled to hit at the end of the calendar year, right after Congress’ post-election session. “It seems like everyone is counting on that lame duck session. … I don’t know, given their track record, that Congress can get to all those things.”

Burke noted that sequestration will not affect non-discretionary entitlement spending, only discretionary spending, a big part of which would come out of defense.

“Defense has more at stake than other areas,” Burke said. If sequestration is allowed to continue, Burke said the Navy would be reduced to “a few planes, a few ships and a pretty good HMO.”

However, Burke argued that cutting the military entirely would not fix Washington’s debt problem.

“I would encourage you to get involved to the level you desire,” Burke told the audience, encouraging them to pressure Congress to take action. “We need to get our house in order to have military power.”