WASHINGTON, Jan. 28 (Xinhuanet) -- U.S. President George W. Bush is expected to propose cuts to the size of the army reserve and a reduction in funding for two fighter aircraft programs in his new budget request, States media reported on Saturday.

    The proposals will be included in Bush's 2007 budget plan, which will be presented to U.S. Congress on Feb. 6.

    The proposals, likely to face opposition from some lawmakers, come at a time when the U.S. military struggles to trim personnel spending and other expenses to cover the cost of the war in Iraq and a host of other expensive aircraft and high-tech programs.

    The proposed army reserve cut is part of a broader plan to achieve a new balance of troop strength and combat power among the active army, national guard and reserves to fight the global war on terrorism and to defend the homeland, according to White House officials.

    The U.S. army sent a letter to lawmakers on Thursday, outlining the plan, in which the authorized troop strength of the army reserve will drop from 205,000 to 188,000, the actual number of soldiers it had at the end of 2005.

    Because of recruiting and other problems, the army reserve has been unable to fill its ranks to its authorized level.

    Pentagon leaders have said they are taking a similar approach to shrinking the national guard. They are proposing to cut that force from its authorized level of 350,000 soldiers to 333,000, the actual number now on the rolls.

    Some lawmakers have vowed to fight the military personnel cuts.Bush will also propose to cut 4 billion U.S. dollars from two aircraft programs.

    In the first program, he will propose eliminating funding for an alternative engine for the Joint Strike Fighter, the military's next-generation combat plane.

    In the second program, money will be cut for F-22 fighters during 2007. Enditem