The House Appropriations defense subcommittee has agreed, "with some degree of trepidation," to terminate the Crusader field artillery system, according to sources. However, if the committee's proposed bill is accepted, the howitzer's demise should not spell doom for manufacturer United Defense LP. Per the request of President Bush in a late May amendment to the fiscal year 2003 budget submission, the $475 million in Crusader funding planned for next year will be deleted, the panel decided. The committee was "troubled...
