Fiscal 2004 defense budget sent to capitol hill. (Washington Pulse).

The military services have reassessed spending priorities in drafting I their fiscal 2004 defense budget, said a senior Defense Department official. The 2004-2009 budget will reveal a shift in spending of about $90 billion from traditional legacy programs to newer, "transformational" technologies, he said.

For example, the Army will reallocate about $20 billion. The Air Force will shift upwards of $30 billion. The Navy is expected to move $40 billion.

"This is a lot of money that they are taking from what we have been doing and trying to begin to make the investments against where we think we want to go. And that is work that was driven by the services as they went through their own budget bill process during the course of the year in response to the guidance that they have been given by the secretary," he said.

"There is a need for us to be looking after some of the nearer-term needs that are generated either by the day-by-day obligations of the force or by the fact that we find ourselves engaged in a war at the moment.

Among the new platforms that will be funded in the 2004-2009 budget are the F/A-18--a replacement for the EA-6B Prowler electronic jammer--and the Joint Strike Fighter.