The trend of the United States’ military burden has been downward for decades. Reductions now contemplated would be merely an acceleration of that trend. Economic adjustments to the contemplated changes in defence spending are likely to be modest—both in terms of dislocation to be suffered and opportunity to redirect the nation's resources.Studies of the opportunity cost of defence in the United States tend to conclude that the resources used come primarily out of consumption. An examination of the growth of military research and development reveals that the expansion has not been at the expense of civilian R & D. The two sectors tend to move quite independently of each other.Most economists who have studied the subject conclude that the United States could afford to spend more on defence if it needed to. However, the current level of defence spending is not necessary in order to maintain economic prosperity.