That scares me even in peace time. It's not just that the jobs are in China. We no longer have the know-how to manufacture very much. There is no machine connected to a switch we can flip. If China's debt-fueled bubble bursts and the world's factory stops pumping out widgets, we are all hosed.
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Not another dime.
We were two years into the war before the Essex-class CVs began showing up in any appreciable numbers. The Navy had to make do with converted merchies, cruiser hulls and then the Casablanca-class CVE.Originally Posted by ranger
If we have to march off into the next world, let us walk there on the bodies of our enemies.
We didn’t have that capacity at the beginning of WW2, either. In theory it’s easier today, because we just load the files into the CNC and hit GO. In practice, I know it isn’t that simple or easy, but a production line can be converted. If small businesses can do it, a national need can do it.
My biggest concern isn’t airplanes though, it’s naval ships, as Glenn eludes to. Presumably, we’ll draft in a few super tankers to transport stuff, but it will have to be done covertly, because otherwise those boats will be sitting ducks for subs.
As for a land war in Russia or China. I’m not sure what value that would be. We aren’t going to conquer either country. I suspect it would be much more like The Gulf War. Expel and hold the line.
Wasn't the original proposal for the SAW a 6MM caliber cartridge? Seems like the Army keeps going down this road and keeps running back to 5.56. 6.8, 6.5, .264.... if any of these cartridges have any gravitas behind them, I'm willing to bet that there is a promotable O6 in the drivers seat with close ties to SIG. But then, I'm fast tracking to curmudgeonhood and have zero faith in governmental entities when there is potential wasted tax dollars at stake. (Thinking of the new Army Class A's)
I hope they choose wisely.
You also know that after being caught flat footed in WWI, we started prepping for WWII in 1940 (or earlier).
I’m more concerned about the tech items like NODS, Micro processors etc than the heavy industry part.
Listen to Dr Karber’s westpoint talk on Ukraine. The Ukrainians lost more armored vehicles in one battle than the entire inventory of Germany or Poland. One battle.
Revolution in/of Military Affairs. RMA. Took the courses at Leavenworth and Carlisle. Do not need Infantry and Armor. We will overwhelm digitally. That is what was said pre 9/11. So 17 years later we still have traditional Combat Arms engaged and investing to improve the M1s, M2, Paladins, etc. because the first RMA wasn't all that. Now we are talking 2nd gen RMA.
I'm not even going to get into the problems with bombing Russia or China with conventional bombs or hitting them with conventional cruise missiles. Bith have stout air defense systems and it would not be as easy as you would think to inflict significant damage. Both countries have developed anti-ship missiles that could overwhelm our ship defenses. China has lots of short and intermediate range ballistic missiles that could hit our bases in the Pacific. If they were to launch a surprise attack they could inflict enormous damage.
Then there is the whole cyber arena. Imagine the damage and disruption that shutting down the Internet in the US would do. They could go as far as shutting down everything from traffic lights to even utilities.
Spending isn't a good comparison. Manpower for Russia and China is vastly cheaper--especially when you consider what troops and the factory workers who build weapons in those countries make. Recruits in China earn less than $80 US a month. Russia and China's weapons are bought from state owned or quasi state owned industries, and are less expensive than their western equivalents. The US has to pay its soldiers much more than Chinese conscripts, and it has to buy its equipment from private companies as opposed to state owned companies who pay their workers less and can produce weapons for far less money for numerous reasons. Also, the US defense budget has all types of medical and retirement benefits and other expenses that are either not present or not factored into many county's military budgets. Do you think that potential adversaries spend anywhere near on troop comfort and facilities?
I guess I am guilty of thread drift. Mea culpa.
Yep, we do. You'd be amazed how old some of them are, too. A lot of them are still converted M16A1's.
Strategy wise, they're preaching a new focus on Reserve elements being a 'ready force' service-wide. As in, 72hr mobilization ability - no mobilization stations, no pre-MOB medical, etc, deploy and fight with the gear we have and the weapons we have in 72hrs or less. Had a 2 star level CSM at our unit not too long ago preaching that ideal. Which sounds great, except that with our current vehicles and gear, it'd look like a Desert Storm re-enactment, just with a mix of OCP/ACU instead of DCU/BDU.
Of course, the same CSM answered questions about voluntary deployments with a blathering rant that was somehow self-aggrandizing, condescending, insulting, and sanctimonious all at the same time, and ended with 'be careful what you wish for'. Nothing like getting rambled at that we should have more pride in our service and be pumped and ready to fight with our crappy old equipment - but if we're actually ready to fight and willing, the answer is fuck you, you're stuck here, just stay green on medical & APFT so your uptrace command's OER's and NCOER's look good.
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This
The Ukrainians lost their power grid for a time due to Russian hacking. They were able to restore it pretty quickly as was the old manual equipment was still in place and functional. There's a reason the Navy started teaching old school navigation again.
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