The Stimson Center’s Defense Advisory Committee made 27 recommendations for the Pentagon to meet that required target by reducing overhead and implementing other management reforms, restructuring the force and cutting modernization costs, the center said Monday.
Stimson estimates the management reforms would save $22.4 billion, force restructuring to save $21.4 billion and modernization reductions to save $5.7 billion.
“Adopting this new strategy and making the corresponding budget adjustments we recommend makes a lot more sense than cutting blindly and causing tremendous harm,” said Barry Blechman, Stimson co-founder and committee chairman.
The panel recommends the Pentagon reduce the number of uniformed and civilian personnel at headquarters and defense agencies, reduce centralized training and reform military retirement and health benefits, among other actions.
Nuclear forces could also be scaled back along with certain weapons purchases, according to the panel’s list of recommendations.