Just Another Reason To Work With Japan

[nova_satori]

Japanese Make everything better!

The US should given the Japanese weapons to refine, then let the Isrealis test them, then send them back to Japan for further refinment!

[Hugo]

Not very good for national security, though, is it?

[nova_satori]

Possibly, but seeing how the US's fate is more or less tied to both of them, I don't really see a problem.

Japanese make things smaller and more efficent.

Isreali make stuff that kicks serious butt and has the a huge test range (the whole country anyone?).

US starts with the idea.

[Black Dog]

Possibly, but seeing how the US's fate is more or less tied to both of them, I don't really see a problem.

Japanese make things smaller and more efficent.

Isreali make stuff that kicks serious butt and has the a huge test range (the whole country anyone?).

US starts with the idea.

Aw. that's cute. If you actually think the U.S. is interested in making better and cheaper weapons, you haven't been paying attention. Fact is, the U.S. defense industry is a huge corporate welfare program with national security, financial viability and simple practicality falling by the way side.

Take the F-22/JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) business as a prime example. The F-22 is a new interceptor representing the next stage of air-to-air combat. Problem is, the current aircraft, the F-15, first deployed in 1972, is still a generation ahead of any other fighter in its class. In other words: they don't need it. Then there's the issue of quality: due to its complexity and general finikiness, the F-22 has so far passed only 5 percent of its flight tests, while the whole program is running up a $172 million tab (almost $50 million more than was originally planned). Then there's the JSF. Planned as a cheap ($35 million) alternative to more costly aircraft (such as the F-22) the JSF is now looking to cost about $73 million a piece. The program itself is looking at $150 million in cost overruns. And that's before the DoD even selected the design!

Add the fact that upgrades to existing designs (such as the F/A/-18 Super Hornet and new F-16 models) are on the way, ask yourself if the above muddling sounds like the work of an organization interested in getting the best bang for the taxpayer buck. (And don't even get me started on the Missle Defense Shield).

So while your idea has a certain whimiscal appeal, I doubt the boys in DC whose pockets are lined with Lockheed lucre would ever see it your way.

[nova_satori]

If you actually think the U.S. is interested in making better and cheaper weapons, you haven't been paying attention

Um, they are trying to make things better and overall cheaper. Striker Brigades are cheaper to run then the status quo.

Take the F-22/JSF (Joint Strike Fighter) business as a prime example.... In other words: they don't need it.

The Brits have been pushing this as a replacement for their sea harriers. US amphibious assualt ships like the Iwo Jima want the JSF as a replacement for their sea harriers. Sea harriers just suck period. The F-14 tomcat is schedualed to be decommished within the next 5 years, they aren't going to fill the hole with just super hornets.

Add the fact that upgrades to existing designs (such as the F/A/-18 Super Hornet and new F-16 models) are on the way, ask yourself if the above muddling sounds like the work of an organization interested in getting the best bang for the taxpayer buck

When they pay $120 for a hammer....one has to wonder.

So while your idea has a certain whimiscal appeal, I doubt the boys in DC whose pockets are lined with Lockheed lucre would ever see it your way.

whimiscal? or logical? We've already given the Israelis and the Japanese enough of our tech, I see no reason to stop.

Once again, corporate greed wins over logic.

[Black Dog]

Once again, corporate greed wins over logic.

Basically the point I was trying to make. Hell, that should be U.S.'s new motto.