Pentagon chief sees "hard look" at weapons buys

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Robert Gates said on Tuesday the Pentagon will scrutinize the defense budget and take a "hard look" at weapons procurement during the administration of President-elect Barack Obama.

"There clearly is going to be very close scrutiny of the budget," Gates told reporters. "We need to take a very hard look at the way we go about acquisition and procurement."

Gates will continue as defense secretary under Obama's administration, which takes office January 20.

(Reporting by Andrew Gray and David Morgan; Editing by Gunna Dickson)