Obama seeks to weaken Navy, kill Tomahawk, Hellfire missiles
March 24, 2014
If Barack Obama gets his way, the U.S. Navy will no longer have the highly successful Tomahawk or Hellfire missiles within two years, the Washington Free Beacon reported Monday.
Obama's budget proposal, if passed, would cut the Tomahawk missile program by $128 million in fiscal year 2015, and eliminates the program completely in 2016.
The president's proposal would also force the Navy to cancel its acquisition of the well-regarded and highly effective Hellfire missiles in 2015, the Free Beacon said.
Making matters worse, the money would be diverted to a missile system that won't be ready for combat operations for at least 10 years.
Experts say the cuts will severely impact the Navy's ability to maintain its superiority on the seas.
Seth Cropsey, director of the Hudson Institute’s Center for American Seapower, said the cuts would move "the U.S. away from a position of influence and military dominance.”
If someone were trying to “reduce the U.S. ability to shape events” in the world, he added, “they couldn’t find a better way than depriving the U.S. fleet of Tomahawks. It’s breathtaking.”
Moreover, he added, the cuts are “like running a white flag up on a very tall flag pole and saying, ‘We are ready to be walked on.’”
Steve Russell, a retired Army officer running for Congress, called the cuts devastating for a number of reasons.
“We run a huge risk because so much of our national policy for immediate response is contingent on our national security team threatening with Tomahawk missiles,” he said.
“The very instrument we will often use and cite, we’re now cutting the program,” he added. “There was a finite number [of Tomahawk’s] made and they’re not being replenished.”
“If our national policy is contingent on an immediate response with these missile and we’re not replacing them, then what are we going do?” Russell asked.
At the current rate of use, the inventory of Tomahawk missiles will be completely depleted by 2018, and the Navy will have nothing to use in their place.
"Yet another move in which Barack Obama is clearly weakening the United States just as Russia gains strength," Bryan Preston said at PJ Media. "Two words: Fundamental transformation."
Related:
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Obama's budget proposal, if passed, would cut the Tomahawk missile program by $128 million in fiscal year 2015, and eliminates the program completely in 2016.
The president's proposal would also force the Navy to cancel its acquisition of the well-regarded and highly effective Hellfire missiles in 2015, the Free Beacon said.
Making matters worse, the money would be diverted to a missile system that won't be ready for combat operations for at least 10 years.
Experts say the cuts will severely impact the Navy's ability to maintain its superiority on the seas.
Seth Cropsey, director of the Hudson Institute’s Center for American Seapower, said the cuts would move "the U.S. away from a position of influence and military dominance.”
If someone were trying to “reduce the U.S. ability to shape events” in the world, he added, “they couldn’t find a better way than depriving the U.S. fleet of Tomahawks. It’s breathtaking.”
Moreover, he added, the cuts are “like running a white flag up on a very tall flag pole and saying, ‘We are ready to be walked on.’”
Steve Russell, a retired Army officer running for Congress, called the cuts devastating for a number of reasons.
“We run a huge risk because so much of our national policy for immediate response is contingent on our national security team threatening with Tomahawk missiles,” he said.
“The very instrument we will often use and cite, we’re now cutting the program,” he added. “There was a finite number [of Tomahawk’s] made and they’re not being replenished.”
“If our national policy is contingent on an immediate response with these missile and we’re not replacing them, then what are we going do?” Russell asked.
At the current rate of use, the inventory of Tomahawk missiles will be completely depleted by 2018, and the Navy will have nothing to use in their place.
"Yet another move in which Barack Obama is clearly weakening the United States just as Russia gains strength," Bryan Preston said at PJ Media. "Two words: Fundamental transformation."
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If you like this article, you can follow Joe on Twitter @jnewby1956, visit and like his Facebook page, or subscribe to receive email updates when a new article is published.
For hard-hitting conservative commentary, please visit Joe's blog, the Conservative Firing Line. You can also find Joe's articles at Right News Now, Liberty Unyielding and PolitiCollision.
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