United States President Barack Obama has nominated former Pentagon official Ashton Carter as the new defence secretary who would replace outgoing Chuck Hagel after receiving approval from the Republican-led U.S. Senate.
Carter was earlier the Pentagon's chief arms buyer and an assistant secretary of defence under Bill Clinton's presidency.
Carter's appointment now requires the approval from the Republican-led U.S. Senate after which he would replace outgoing Chuck Hagel.
According to the BBC, Obama praised Carter's 30 years of service saying that they faced no shortage of challenges to the national security and that Carter was going to be critical to all these efforts.
Carter said that it was an honour and a privilege to be nominated for the new defence secretary.