Blog

Jul 03, 2023

Pontifications: Airbus grows in China while Boeing remains on the sidelines

The useless NH90 continues on though a number of countries have said no thank

The useless NH90 continues on though a number of countries have said no thank you its junk, The A400 cost more than a C-17 did and does far less, The Tiger is another disaster for a helicopter.

The P-8 not only works, its got a stellar reputation and even Germany has dumped France to get them (granted I can see why they don't trust France)

So what we do with our tax dollars is our business and keeping a line open like that is a benefit to us and our allies.

And to ensure there is no ignorance involved, you should look up US procurement and unfunded equipment. Congress is often forced to act with the US Military Services won't (it gets involved though its not as twisted as German defense procurement)

So yes there are reasons congress steps in. They did so on the C-17 and funded the full 220 the USAF said they wanted but would not budget for. That is the finest airlifter in the world bar none.

Congress should have funded the full 360 x F-22, the finest air superiority fighter int he world bar none. Now we are buying more F-15EX as we don't have enough fighters and the F-35 production cannot keep up with the needs.

The F-15EX has some huge advantages including range.

But the USAF is not funding it, first it was 180, then down to 84 and now its back to 124 (from memory, close at least.)

Keeping the F-15 in production is a national issue as are all defense programs we are seeing we suddenly need high rates and they are extremely hard to get to (and takes time).

Defense needs are not simple and how to maintain industrial bases and production is an issue that is seeing a lot of exposure with the current situation and what the future needs are if things go off the rail in another area.

The US needs sub overhaul facilities desperately because the US Navy did not line out that need and consequences and it reared its head as an issue when deferred maint kept piling up and congress asked, what is going on.

The Navy response was Uhhhhh

Norway sunk a Frigate through stupidity and the US had two Destroyers in collisions due to manning, staffing and schedules when training was desperately needed (USN stupidity).