via: iBankCoin | zeropointnow

President Trump, through the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has issued his administration’s America First Budget Blueprint (available here in PDF form, or a pastebin text version thx to Voat user Crankypants15). This is known as the “skinny budget,” as it only represents topline cuts, whereas Trump’s full economic and tax projections will come in May.

For reference, the Federal government will spend approximately $4 trillion next year. A little over 2/3 of that goes toward Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, poverty assistance, and payments on government debt – and will not be touched. The remaining 1/3 is known as discretionary spending, which include various Federal agencies – and is what the “blueprint” covers. Trump’s OMB director Mick Mulvaney is in charge of the process of fulfilling Trump’s campaign promises:

“We wrote it using the president’s own words,” he said. “We turned those policies into numbers.”

Here’s what Trump wants you to take away from this proposal:

What it doesn’t mention are all the cuts – which can be seen below.

Keep in mind, what Trump is proposing and the final budget will undoubtedly be two vastly different documents – as congress and it’s lobbyist “friends” will consider each cut with the most special of interests, but consider this Trump’s idea of draining the swamp:

Yeah, I know – the poor spotted dicked harvest mice will die out, global warming will consume the planet, the State Department will have to give their spies recycled piano wire garrotes and it’s despot bribe budget is getting slashed, you’re being asked to stop worrying and love the bomb, and America’s children will grow up stupider and unlearn’t without Sesame Street. To add insult to injury, boring liberals who don’t satisfy their wives will have to do without monotone NPR hosts at the end of their groundhog day drive home from work. It’s all so terrible!

Maybe…

OR, perhaps the system has become bloated, inefficient, and over encumbered with bureaucratic redundancy and waste by an army of Federal employees who are overcompensated for B-string output, and perhaps the United States gives too much money to foreign governments. Maybe the US budget is full of rampant cronyism which should end. And perhaps the best offense is a good defense – or something like that. This is draining the swamp, at home and abroad.

Party’s over Federal slackers, no more hanging out at the unlimited coffee machine. No more ergonomic assessments and Herman Miller chairs. Say goodbye to those fancy full-spectrum antidepressant fluorescent lights – it’s back to the sterile eye zappers with the constant buzz in the back of your skull. This country is about to be run like an almost bankrupt business…

Trump campaigned on all of the above, so none of this should come as a surprise. And before we talk war – consider that Trump’s entire argument is for scaring the shit out of our enemies through a strong military defense, while he often criticized unnecessary conflicts. Walk softly and carry a big war machine of death. Also – as you read the headlines today, keep in mind this is what Trump proposing in terms of military spending:

The MSM is already spinning this as Trump forsaking humanity while preparing the US for WWIII:

So, how can you possibly make money on some of that beefed up military spending?

Let’s take a look at a recycled post I made during the election with a list of military contractors (assuming a Hillary win and WWIII over Syria) – most of which are up considerably since my Nov. 7th post. Turns out the military industrial complex always wins in the end, much like Fly. They have orbital space cannons in common, after all.

If you saw my post on this in November, you can stop reading here. Also, if you’re not a subscriber to Exodus – get off your piker ass and sign up so you can run these companies through all the fun tools to help make your decision. Not my fault if you lose money, do your own homework, and never trust a man with two first names – of which I am not (Paul Ryan, for example).

BAE Systems ($BAESY)

M109A7 155mm Paladin Self-Propelled Howitzer Artillery System

This little puppy is an upgrade to the M109A7 Paladin used in Kuwait. BAE was awarded a $245.3 Million contract in 2015 for the first order of 66 units, with anexpected rollout of 580 vehicle sets (M109A7 + M99283 ammunition carrier combo).

The Paladin M109A7 next-generation artillery system being manufactured by BAE Systems is a significant upgrade to the combat-proven M109A6 Paladin cannon artillery system. The enhanced artillery system offers key fire-support for a variety of potential combat missions conducted by the US Army’s Armored Brigade Combat Teams (ABCTs) in conventional, hybrid, irregular and counterinsurgency combat environments.

The US Army awarded a $688m contract to BAE Systems in October 2013 for the production of Paladin M109A7 artillery systems, with an option to procure a total of 66 vehicle sets including a self-propelled howitzer and an ammunition resupply vehicle. The artillery system was inducted into low rate initial production (LRIP) in May 2014, while full rate production is expected to commence in 2017.

Frickin’ Laser Guided Rockets (APKWSTM) – Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System

Last month BAE was awarded a $600 Million contract by the US Navy to build laser guided rockets, and are expected to produce up to 20,000 APKWSTM units / year.

Type 26 Gun System

BAE was awarded a $245 Million contract in July to develop the Maritime Indirect Fires System (MIFS) for the UK’s Type 26 Global Combat Ship.

Northrop Grumman ($NOC)

MQ-88B Fire Scout

The MQ-88B Fire Scout is a cute little helicopter of death, able to perform reconnaissance as well as deliver munitions.

Northrop Grumman’s battle-proven, unmanned vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft system MQ-8B Fire Scout is designed to deliver intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR), aerial fire support, laser designation and battle management services to tactical military operators. The Fire Scout can be deployed from any air-capable vessel or land base in support of ground, air and sea forces.

BACN: Battlefield Airborne Communications Node

Northrop Grumman’s Battlefield Airborne Communications Node is deployed on the EQ-4B Global Hawk and Bombardier E-11A Global Express

After landing a $782 Million contract in 2006 and a successful deployment in Afghanistan, Northrop is in the catbird’s seat for their airborne communications system in future conflicts.

BACN is a high-altitude, airborne communications gateway that translates and distributes imagery, video, voice and data, often from disparate elements, enhancing situational awareness, communications and coordination for warfighters in the air and on the ground. The system can act as a high-altitude relay and has been used for missions such as airdrop and airstrike operations.

Long Range Strike Bomber: Upcoming And Super Secret!

In the largest contract since James Comey’s Lockheed Martin won the Joint Strike Fighter deal, Grumman will be developing the new Long Range Strike Bomber for the US Air Force. The program is expected to exceed $55 Billion.

Northrop’s win is a game-changer for the aerospace company, which is currently the sixth-largest defense contractor, behind Lockheed and Boeing. With the contract in hand, Northrop will no longer struggle to retain its grip on the combat aircraft market. Not only does the bomber contract boost Northrop’s aviation capital, it also likely keeps the company’s Palmdale, California, facility afloat. –Defense News

Raytheon ($RTN)

Raytheon is a scary, scary company. They are currently working on their $174 Million award to develop a hypersonic missile, a $178 Million contract with the Navy for their SeaSparrow defense system, and a $255 Million contract to develop an automated landing system for drones and manned aircraft. They also make the ASPIS II system which allows for an interconnected flight squadron that can coordinate data. Aside from these, Raytheon will have this cute and highly adaptable system on the ground in any future conflicts:

BGM-71 TOW – Tube Launched, optically-tracked, bunker buster (equippable) long range heavy munitions system.

This little bottle rocket is used around the world to fuck shit up, massively. From Raytheon’s description:

The tube-launched, optically-tracked, wireless-guided (TOW®) Weapon System, with the multi-mission TOW 2A, TOW 2B Aero and TOW Bunker Buster missiles, is the premier long-range, heavy assault-precision anti-armor, anti-fortification and anti-amphibious landing weapon system used throughout the world today.

The TOW 2A, TOW 2B Aero and TOW Bunker Buster missiles can be fired from all TOW launchers – including the Improved Target Acquisition Systems (ITAS), Stryker anti-tank guided missile vehicle (modified ITAS) and Bradley Fighting Vehicles (Improved Bradley Acquisition Subsystem).

With its extended range performance, the TOW Weapon System is the long-range precision, heavy anti-tank and assault weapon system of choice for the U.S. Army Stryker, Bradley Fighting Vehicle, ITAS High-Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle and Light Armored Vehicle-Anti-tank platforms. The TOW weapon system will be in service with the U.S. military beyond 2050.

Science Applications International Corp ($SAI)

SAIC has been intimately involved with the US Government since Robert “Bob” Beyster founded the company in 1969. After an internal coup in 2013 led to the ouster of Beyster and the splitting up of the company, SAIC stock has skyrocketed. They have their hands in so many pots through their “line organization” subsidiaries that it’s probably appropriate to call them a military defense conglomerate. You can thumb through their current press releases to see what the fuck they’ve been up to recently, but suffice to say – if the USA is going “all in” over Syria, SAIC will be along for the ride.

They make software and other nerdy shit, so no cool pictures of unclassified stuff.

General Dynamics ($GD)

During Hillary Clinton’s tenure as Secretary of State, General Dynamics was awarded a $2.2 Billion contract to handle supply chain management for the State Department. Additionally, just last month they were awarded a $900 Million USSOCOM (US Special Ops Command):

Under the terms of the contract, GD said it will provide USSOCOM forces and staff with technical and management support around the globe. GD also stated all work under the contract will be completed by ARMA Global, a subsidiary of GD’s information technology business segment.

Furthermore, GD noted it will deliver “engineering and technical services for major weapon systems, program technical assistance, support systems requirements and assist with production decision-making and program controls” as part of the agreement.

General Dynamics also makes the following hardware:

Stryker Dragoon 8-wheel drive troop transport:

The Stryker is the US Military’s premiere troop transport system, and it has been heavily upgraded recently for anticipated conflict. As Breakingdefense.com highlights:

The armored eight-wheel-drive troop transport, built by General Dynamics and normally armed with no more than a 0.50 calibre (12.7 millimeter) machinegun in an unprotected mount, has been rebuilt with an armored turret containing a 30 mm quickfiring cannon.

That’s enough firepower, the Army computes, to dispose of other lightly armored vehicles like the Russian BMP troop carrier. If the Russians invade the Baltics, the Stryker Dragoon can’t stop their heavy tanks, but it can thin out their scout vehicles and transports, allowing American M1 tanks to focus their 120 mm firepower on the heaviest targets.

Hydra-70 air-to-ground Rocket System

Used heavily in Afghanistan, the Hydra 70 rocket is a 2.75-inch fin-stabilized unguided rocket used primarily in the air-to-ground role. It can be equipped with a variety of warheads, and in more recent versions, guidance systems for point attacks. The Hydra is widely used by US and allied forces, competing with the Canadian CRV-7 which is physically interchangeable. -Wikipedia

You’ll note that Lockheed Martin still isn’t on the list, mostly because I doubt their ability to turn the $1.45 trillion F-35 JSF program around per their deal with Trump.

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Carbon Fiber stocks? Armor manufacturers? Other logistics?