International Network of Engineers and Scientists Against Proliferation

US Defense Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2003

In February 2002, the US President proposed a total of US$ 379.3 billion for the Department of Defense for fiscal year 2003 (including if needed $10 billion to fight terrorism.) This is a $45.3 billion increase as compared to FY2002. Added to this must be $15.6 billion for nuclear weapons activities of the Department of Energy.

The Council for a Livable World states that "the increase alone is larger than the military budget of all other countries beside Japan, whose budget is $45.6 billion." Until FY2007, the budget is to increase to $451.4 billion (plus $16.9 billion for the nuclear weapons program).

$7.8 billion will go into development of layered missile defenses. The Navy Area Theater Wide program has been cancelled. An additional $815 million go into space-based sensors, while the SBIRS-Low program slips by two years.

Over $27 billion of the budget are reserved to fight the war against terrorism. In this context, the President plans an additional $37.7 billion budget for homeland defense.

Contrary to the original intention of the Bush administration to streamline the military and military procurement, the new defense budget follows an "anything goes" attitude. From archaic "daisy cutter" bombs to upgraded satellites, from nuclear weapons to sophisticated satellite technology, from equipment for the "infowarrior" to weaponized unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) - you name it, the budget contains it, and industry will deliver it...

(R.H.)