Considering how many billions (over 600 BILLION) of tax dollars get sucked into the black hole AKA “defense budget”, this is criminal larceny. There’s some explaining to do first before any increases.
There is too much money spent on the brand-new, not tested and TOO-technically advanced equipment and not enough spent on maintenance, support for personnel and training including dealing with locals without thinking “shoot first, ask questions later”. Military support functions should be done by military personnel, not contractors who provide worse services for more money than using military resources.
.$800K per missile is ridiculous. The military continues to order jets that are beyond our current technology, hoping they’ll figure it out but they never do. They end up getting bored and asking what is NEW. Tanks are built and sent directly to storage.
The link below goes to a ranking of the top twenty military forces in the world, taking into account six elements: active personnel, tanks, attack helicopters, aircraft, aircraft carriers, and submarines. Each element is ranked, and then there is a total ranking for each country. The US comes out at the top with a total rank of .94; Russia is second, with a total rank of .80; China is third, with a total rank of .79. And so on. Evidently they don’t rank in this list nuclear weapons. Anyway, there is no doubt, the US has the largest and best resourced military in the world.
It often seemed (when I was in the Navy) that the people ordering and purchasing things had no understanding of what these things were for or how they were used.
To compound the problem, the vast majority of senators and congressmen and women have never been in the Armed Forces, nor do they have (nor want) understanding of how the Armed Forces work, what they do or what they don’t do. They work under the assumption that the more you spend, the better it is. (And don’t worry about making sure that your new purchases work with what you already have.)
The F-18 variants are good aircraft. The B-1, B-2, F-22, and F-35 are all junk off the assembly line. If you don’t believe it, why did they have to send ‘Nam era B-52’s in to cover for the B-1 (half are in the scrap yard btw) and B-2 (don’t go into the rain, still), F-22 (why do pilots need oxygen), or 35 (engines? We don’t need no stinking engines that work). B-52 = everything old is new again, or at least better than the crap we’ve been buying, and Trump wants MORE of!
Zev about 6 years ago
Considering how many billions (over 600 BILLION) of tax dollars get sucked into the black hole AKA “defense budget”, this is criminal larceny. There’s some explaining to do first before any increases.
lonecat about 6 years ago
The US has the best prepared military in the world.
superposition about 6 years ago
https://www.military.com/undertheradar/2017/08/top-10-militaries-world-2017
http://www.businessinsider.com/the-worlds-most-powerful-militaries-2014-12
Nantucket Premium Member about 6 years ago
There is too much money spent on the brand-new, not tested and TOO-technically advanced equipment and not enough spent on maintenance, support for personnel and training including dealing with locals without thinking “shoot first, ask questions later”. Military support functions should be done by military personnel, not contractors who provide worse services for more money than using military resources.
.$800K per missile is ridiculous. The military continues to order jets that are beyond our current technology, hoping they’ll figure it out but they never do. They end up getting bored and asking what is NEW. Tanks are built and sent directly to storage.
lonecat about 6 years ago
The link below goes to a ranking of the top twenty military forces in the world, taking into account six elements: active personnel, tanks, attack helicopters, aircraft, aircraft carriers, and submarines. Each element is ranked, and then there is a total ranking for each country. The US comes out at the top with a total rank of .94; Russia is second, with a total rank of .80; China is third, with a total rank of .79. And so on. Evidently they don’t rank in this list nuclear weapons. Anyway, there is no doubt, the US has the largest and best resourced military in the world.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Military_Strength_IndexRAGs about 6 years ago
It often seemed (when I was in the Navy) that the people ordering and purchasing things had no understanding of what these things were for or how they were used.
To compound the problem, the vast majority of senators and congressmen and women have never been in the Armed Forces, nor do they have (nor want) understanding of how the Armed Forces work, what they do or what they don’t do. They work under the assumption that the more you spend, the better it is. (And don’t worry about making sure that your new purchases work with what you already have.)
NeoconMan about 6 years ago
Well, if two-thirds of our aircraft can`t fly, best we scrap them all and buy a whole new fleet that also can`t fly.
Scoutmaster77 about 6 years ago
I spent 33 years in the Air force (retiring in 2010) and nothing could be further from the truth.
braindead Premium Member about 6 years ago
Why do Trump Disciples, like Ramirez, have to lie about EVERY issue?
DrDon1 about 6 years ago
What hallucinogen inspired this fantasy from Ramirez?
NeoconMan about 6 years ago
^ What’s a “closed look”?
DrDon1 about 6 years ago
^ Perhaps … “with both eyes ( and mind ) tightly shut!”
Dtroutma about 6 years ago
The F-18 variants are good aircraft. The B-1, B-2, F-22, and F-35 are all junk off the assembly line. If you don’t believe it, why did they have to send ‘Nam era B-52’s in to cover for the B-1 (half are in the scrap yard btw) and B-2 (don’t go into the rain, still), F-22 (why do pilots need oxygen), or 35 (engines? We don’t need no stinking engines that work). B-52 = everything old is new again, or at least better than the crap we’ve been buying, and Trump wants MORE of!
NeoconMan about 6 years ago
I particularly like the $24 million refrigerators on Trump’s planes.