Soviet Military Spending Has Increased Under Gorbachev, USAF Secretary Says

Soviet military spending has increased slightly since Mikhail Gorbachev took power in 1985, despite his promises to cut back, Air Force Secretary Donald B. Rice said Wednesday.

Rice told a gathering of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council that while the Soviets apparently have spent a bit more on defense during the last four years, U.S. defense spending and military aid to foreign nations has decreased significantly during the same period.

“While Mr. Gorbachev has promised cuts, the U.S. has gone ahead and done it,” the secretary told about 250 people at the luncheon gathering at the Biltmore in downtown Los Angeles.

“Since he came to power, our defense budget--adjusted for inflation--has declined by 11%,” Rice said. “The Air Force, like the other services, feels the pinch.”

Before he became Air Force secretary under President Bush, Rice was president and chief executive officer of the RAND Corp. and previously held posts in the federal Office of Management and Budget and the Department of Defense.

He also is a former director of the Los Angeles World Affairs Council, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that serves as a forum for the discussion of international issues.

Rice said Air Force actions since 1985 have included cutting more than 30,000 personnel, delaying production of the B-2 Stealth bomber, deactivating the B-52 squadron, cutting Peacemaker missile deployment from 100 to 50 operational missiles and starting the withdrawal of ground-launched Cruise missiles from Europe.

“What have the Soviets done in terms of decreasing their budget and force structure?” Rice asked. “While they’ve said they’ll cut back, the fact is Soviet outlays for defense increased by an average of 3% per year in real terms since 1985.

“The U.S.S.R. has said 1989 spending will be less than 2% below 1988 spending,” he said. “Even if Gorbachev reduced military spending by 14% by the end of 1991, that would only about equal the amount he increased spending during the 1985-88 period.”