In a frank speech to industry, Rep. Jim Saxton (R-N.J.) said that network-centric warfare programs have "overpromised and underdelivered," which has prompted skepticism on Capitol Hill and put the programs at risk of being slashed to fund other budgetary priorities.

While praising current military technologies such as precision munitions, Saxton said "those of you who are vocal and ardent proponents of net-centric warfare and promise more than can be delivered on time and on budget seriously jeopardize your ability to build on our present successes."

'Hype ... outweighs the reality'

Saxton is the ranking member on the House Armed Services Air and Land Forces subcommittee, and served as its chairman for three years before the recent majority changeover.

"Through a series of hearings and briefings ... the committee has learned that the hype of net-centric operations outweighs the reality of what today's systems can deliver," Saxton said Jan. 23 during the Institute for Defense and Government Advancement's (IDGA) Network Centric Warfare symposium. "I am continuously told that perfect intelligence on the battlefield is just around the corner, that all we in Congress have to do to prevent future casualties ... is to continue to fund tremendously expensive systems."

Two such programs are the U.S. Army's Future Combat Systems (FCS) and the U.S. Navy's Littoral Combat Ship (LCS). Both have run into trouble, with the Army dropping systems from FCS to keep it affordable and the price tag of each LCS growing from $220 million up to $315 million - $400 million.

Pressing reset need

Saxton said the danger to network-centric programs in the present political climate is "acute" for several reasons, including the pressing need to reset the force. The U.S. must spend $17 billion this year to reset equipment used in Iraq and Afghanistan, and will have to keep spending an estimated $13 billion - $14 billion on reset annually until two years after the troops come home.

Another danger is the recent leadership change on Capitol Hill. Although the new Democratic leaders of Congress aren't hostile to the military, Saxton said, there is a "pent-up demand" among Democrats to fund domestic programs that Republicans suppressed while they held the majority, and this will take further money away from the Pentagon.

Saxton promised that his subcommittee will be "looking hard" at network-centric programs in the coming year, and he plans to visit the Pentagon soon to hear extensive briefings on FCS.