{"id":33599,"date":"2019-08-30T17:44:13","date_gmt":"2019-08-30T17:44:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2019\/08\/30\/espers-pledge-to-trim-pointless-programs-will-test-his-political-clout\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T22:46:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T22:46:41","slug":"espers-pledge-to-trim-pointless-programs-will-test-his-political-clout","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/staging.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/industry\/2019\/08\/30\/espers-pledge-to-trim-pointless-programs-will-test-his-political-clout\/","title":{"rendered":"Esper\u2019s pledge to trim pointless programs will test his political clout"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2015 As U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper launches a comprehensive review<\/a> that promises to cut costs and target legacy programs that drain money from next-generation capabilities, he ought to gird himself for fights with lawmakers, defense industry lobbyists and perhaps the White House.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe idea is to take a hard look at our activities so that everything we do drives towards our strategic objectives, which are designed to achieve our policy aims,\u201d Esper said this week in describing the scope of the effort. \u201cIf something doesn\u2019t, then we ask ourselves, \u2018Why are we doing it?\u2019 and \u2018What should we be doing instead?\u2019 “<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Esper is likely to find broad agreement that the Pentagon should take bold action to reshape the military for competition with Russia and China, he will almost definitely be fought on the specifics, as there are potentially billions of dollars in revenue for defense firms as well as local jobs on the line. Defense News interviewed several analysts and observers about the political challenges and how Esper might navigate them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere are plenty of people on Capitol Hill who understand we need to change and who believe it is important for the future effectiveness of the U.S. military. The problem, as it always is, is the devil\u2019s in the details,\u201d said Chris Brose<\/a>, a former staff director for the Senate Armed Services Committee, now head of strategy for Anduril Industries. \u201cPeople want to change until change hits their bottom line or takes something out of their state or district. But that in and of itself isn\u2019t \u2018game over.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To be sure, Esper \u2014 who was the chief lobbyist for weapons-maker Raytheon when President Donald Trump picked him to be Army secretary in 2017 \u2014 is probably well-aware of the dynamics. As his Army-wide \u201cnight court\u201d review reduced, delayed or canceled 200 programs to free up about $25 billion<\/a>, he saw industry and its representatives in Congress push for reversals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not all of those fights are over. The Army\u2019s plans to scuttle a Block II upgrade of the CH-47F Chinook<\/a> cargo helicopter, for example, triggered fears of layoffs at Boeing\u2019s Philadelphia factory and a backlash from local lawmakers. After some wrangling, the Senate-passed policy bill backed the ground service, and the House-passed spending and policy bills added millions the Army didn\u2019t request \u2015 which means talks between the two chambers will have to reconcile the two approaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\t