WASHINGTON, Dec. 5 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Defense is looking at personnel cuts as a way to ease budget concerns, The Wall Street Journal reported.
The U.S. Army and Air Force are both looking to reduce current levels or delay planned increases, ahead of budget considerations. The Journal said the manpower reductions would make it easier to keep expensive weapons systems on the Pentagon budget wish list.
Defense officials also told the newspaper budget savings could allow for programs in the war on terror and to protect the United States from terror attacks.
While the cuts are yet to be finalized -- they will depend on White House requests for Defense budgets as well as further Pentagon planning -- the Air Force is looking to do away with some 30,000 uniformed and civilian positions by Fiscal Year 2011, the Journal reported. The Army is reportedly looking to delay its expansion by 10 5,000-solider brigades. It is not known exactly how much those job eliminations would save the department.
Even with the cuts, the Journal said, Defense officials will need to reduce weapons procurement, expected to total some $78 billion in the next fiscal year cycle.
