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America is no longer a trustworthy ally. It would be unsafe to buy military hardware from them. Meanwhile, all the US's former allies will need to double their defence spending, buying jets, tanks, missiles, etc., from non-US democracies.
@Nigel_Purchase Add in Trumps comment that the military stuff the US sells to its allies is reduced in capability by 10%, because ‘you never know when they won’t be our allies in future’. That’s quite a confession from someone who regards themselves as the pinnacle of perfection in the Art of the Deal….
@HarriettMB @Nigel_Purchase that’s a pretty normal thing to do for export variants. The PRC does the same with their J-10A and J-10CE, Russia does the same for their SU-57
Yeah, but why would you buy them if you can make your own, or buy from a trustworthy supplier?
@Nigel_Purchase @HarriettMB because it’s incredibly expensive and high potential failure to do so, and outside the US what’s reliable suppliers? China, Russia? The GCAP and FCAS programmes are already really challenging and might be looking to partner with the US if they want to bring in a next gen fighter to the European sky this decade
@bruvduroiu @Nigel_Purchase @HarriettMB France? Sweden? Finland? (okay, Finland doesn't do aircrafts, but lots of other weapons and vehicles)
@paavi @Nigel_Purchase @HarriettMB which of the above have successfully built a 5th gen fighter?
@bruvduroiu I suppose having 4th or 4.5th gen fighters from Europe with spare parts supplies under control is better than having 5th gen fighters you can't rely on. Sadly the only option at the moment seems to be the French ones because Gripens are from Sweden, but half of the parts including the engine comes from the US.
@paavi @Nigel_Purchase @HarriettMB
@sesivany @bruvduroiu @paavi @Nigel_Purchase @HarriettMB the Typhoon does also exist...
@trimethylpentan True. I wonder how they are doing in terms of supply chain control. I remember I read that only the French focused on keeping the supply chains independent from the US.
It's interesting how the conversations have shifted in just a few months. We have a fleet of Gripens and our government signed a deal to buy 24 F-35s last year. I very much supported it because the US had been reliable ally and it would be an upgrade for our aviation. I don't think the government would sign the deal now. And I wouldn't support it either.