The epic search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 will be one of the main topics Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel plans to discuss when he meets with fellow defense chiefs at the upcoming Association of Southeast Asian Nations conference.
Hagel said en route to the conference that the search for the missing airliner has "big limitations" to being successful.
While not openly criticizing the Malaysian government, Hagel explained the search effort thus far has been a learning experience, and one to be examined at the conference, according to Reuters:
"We're going to go back, the Malaysians will go back, all the ASEAN nations will go back and walk through this. What could have been done? Maybe what should have been done?"
Last month, Army Col. Steve Warren told reporters the Pentagon has a cap when it comes to how much money the department can spend on the hunt for MH370:
“As of now, we’ve set aside $4 million to aid in the search. Based on our current expenditures, we expect these funds will last until sometime in the beginning of April.”
Hagel recently explained to American Forces Press Service that the Defense Department would still be open to helping in the search if the Malaysian government requests it, however...
“I think the Australians now are in the lead on this and they've been doing a tremendous job. We're providing everything we can provide, as are other countries.”
