The US will unveil plans to cut the country’s army as part of cost-cutting measures, reported the New York Times.
The Pentagon is expected to reveal cuts that will downsize the US army to the smallest size it has been since after World War II.
Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel will outline his 2015 budget today and is expected to propose shrinking the armed forces to about 440,000 personnel from a post-9/11 attacks peak of 570,000.
"We have to face the realities of our time," Pentagon press secretary Navy Rear Admiral John Kirby told the Associated Press news agency.
"We must be pragmatic, we can't escape tough choices. He and the [military service] chiefs are willing to make those choices."
Unnamed officials told the paper that the army would remain capable of defeating any adversary, but too small for protracted foreign occupations.