Testimony: Army ‘Ill-Equipped’

The Army is too small, underfunded in research and development, and is beset by a moribund modernization program, an expert told a panel of lawmakers on Capitol Hill. “The severity of the drawdown led to a process where every portfolio in the Army’s modernization program was cut back to or below minimum sustaining levels,” Andrew Hunter told members of the House Armed Services tactical air and land forces subcommittee during a March 1 hearing. Hunter is a defense-industries expert with the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. The shortcomings pose serious questions about the Army’s ability to meet mission requirements – particularly in light of the emerging threat in Europe – Hunter said, according to an article published on the Association of the U.S. Army web site.