This seems to me like a stab in the right direction.

Obviously their actions are going to be fiscally motivated at the root, but sussing out how they intend the precise dynamics to play out is more nuanced.

Thinking of this as an effort to woo the defense hawks cuts a very clear path.

This is not the first time it happened. What have they done to improve the situation? I suspect it more a cat & mouse game, with a lot more cats playing.