It said 700% less THAN not 700% less, its a comparison.
Yes, it is a comparison ... and your math doesn't work.
The article said:
When all said and done, the Defense Department will be spending up to 700 percent less on the JLENS system than on spy planes, ...
The way percentage reductions are calculated is the difference between the original number and the new number, divided by the original number, times 100 equals the percentage of change (increase or decrease).
A widget lists for $75. Widgets are on sale for $50. What's the sale price as a percentage of the list price?
(75 - 50)/75 x 100 = %
25/75 x 100 = %
.333 x 100 = 33.3% reduction.
If a spy plane costs X, then (duh) X = 100% of X. Spending
100 percent less would be spending zero. Spending anything above 100 percent less means a reversal of money flow, in other words money coming into the DoD rather than money being expended.
(X - Y)/X x 100 = 700%
(X - Y) x 100 = 700% X
-Y x 100 = 700X -100 X = 600X
Y = -600X
So to get a 700 percent reduction, the new program has to BRING IN six times what the original program spent out.