House Armed Services panel to conduct threat-based quadrennial review

Hunter said the Pentagon's year-long review "largely is based on perceived budgetary constraints. What we need is to have a QDR based on threats."

Then it will be up to Congress to prioritize the allocation of available funds to meet those threats, he said. "What we need to do first is to meet the threats."

The QDR is a congressionally required study that is supposed to examine the threats and challenges the nation will face and consider the force structure, weapons and resources needed to meet those challenges. The Pentagon study is expected to continue most of this year.

Hunter said his committee's QDR could start this summer. He did not indicate how long it would last.

The House committee also is planning a series of hearings on the procurement process, as well as pushing the initiatives contained in its fiscal 2006 defense authorization bill to rein in some of the soaring weapons procurement costs while expediting the delivery of needed protective systems and weapons to forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.