Defense labs eyed in new round of cuts

Defense labs eyed in new round of cuts

DOD officials will trim about 60,000 of their 1.45 million active-duty military personnel and, as expected, close more facilities under the base realignment and closing (BRAC) process to find $15 billion a year to shift to procurement under terms of a plan submitted to Congress last month. DOD laboratories, which escaped unscathed from the previous BRAC, are reported to be among the targets this time. Also as expected, the plan continues the policy of handling two major regional contingencies concur rently. DOD officials will seek more money for ballistic missile defense and less for tactical air power, including the Air Force`s F-22 and the Navy`s F/A-18E/F jet fighters. - J.R.