Reuters, San Diego :
Defence Secretary Ash Carter on Wednesday said the U.S. Navy would buy more high-end submarines, destroyers, fighter jets and unmanned underwater vehicles in coming years, using $8 billion saved by scaling back orders for smaller, less capable Littoral Combat Ships.
Carter said the Pentagon’s five-year budget plan also included $2.9 billion to modify Raytheon Co’s new SM-6 missiles for use as powerful anti-ship weapons and buy 625 more of the weapons, which are now used for missile defense.
In fiscal 2017, the Navy would spend $587 million to buy 125 SM-6 missiles, according to a senior defense official.
Secret testing last month had proven the Navy’s ability to use the new Raytheon missiles as offensive anti-ship weapons, Carter told sailors at the Navy’s massive San Diego base.
The move will dramatically bolster the military capabilities of the U.S. warships that carry them at a time when China and other countries are rapidly developing anti-ship weapons.
Carter embarked on a three-day tour of U.S. military bases on Tuesday after providing a preview of the Obama administration’s $582.7 billion fiscal 2017 defense budget ahead of the formal rollout next week.
Defence Secretary Ash Carter on Wednesday said the U.S. Navy would buy more high-end submarines, destroyers, fighter jets and unmanned underwater vehicles in coming years, using $8 billion saved by scaling back orders for smaller, less capable Littoral Combat Ships.
Carter said the Pentagon’s five-year budget plan also included $2.9 billion to modify Raytheon Co’s new SM-6 missiles for use as powerful anti-ship weapons and buy 625 more of the weapons, which are now used for missile defense.
In fiscal 2017, the Navy would spend $587 million to buy 125 SM-6 missiles, according to a senior defense official.
Secret testing last month had proven the Navy’s ability to use the new Raytheon missiles as offensive anti-ship weapons, Carter told sailors at the Navy’s massive San Diego base.
The move will dramatically bolster the military capabilities of the U.S. warships that carry them at a time when China and other countries are rapidly developing anti-ship weapons.
Carter embarked on a three-day tour of U.S. military bases on Tuesday after providing a preview of the Obama administration’s $582.7 billion fiscal 2017 defense budget ahead of the formal rollout next week.
