Politics | Robert Gates Gates Axes F-22 in Pentagon Budget Overhaul Defense sec cuts deep, readies dep't for this century's wars By Newser Editors and Wire Services Posted Apr 6, 2009 1:54 PM CDT Copied President Obama, flanked by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Defense Secretary Robert Gates, announces a new comprehensive new strategy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, March 27, 2009. (AP Photo) See 1 more photo Defense Secretary Robert Gates today recommended halting production of the F-22 fighter jet and scrapping a new helicopter for the president as he outlined deep cuts to many of the military's biggest weapons programs. Gates said his $534 billion budget proposal represents a "fundamental overhaul" in defense acquisition and reflects a shift in priorities from fighting conventional wars to the newer threats US forces face from insurgents in places such as Afghanistan. The department must ensure it has the right programs and money to "fight the wars we are in today and the scenarios we are most likely to face in the years to come, while at the same time providing a hedge against other risks," Gates said as he revealed details of his budget for the next fiscal year. Gates says he closely consulted with President Obama and top military leaders, but limited outside advice "because of the scope and significance of the changes." Read These Next Mass market paperbacks near the end. A loathed parasite teeters on the brink of eradication. Obama-era protections for Atlantic have now been reversed by Trump. Chicken banana, chicken banana, chicken banana. See 1 more photo Report an error