Quote:
Originally posted by CharlieG
I think you SHOULD look at what has been built in the last decade - almost nothing. We aren't replaceing things all the time.
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Three new, nuclear powered aircraft carriers, including many of the ships necessary to support those task forces, complete redeign of the 1980 B-1 bomber to make it work (its first mission was in Afganistan), plus complete retooling of the B-2 to support more than nuclear bombs. Then there are all those bases necessary for the unique needs of those two planes (including air conditioning hangars that must be kept at 70 degrees or lower). The second half of the Aegis cruiser and destroy fleet so that, for example, Spurance class destroyers could be scraped (or sold to countries like Tiawan) during the 1990s. Even the last of the nuclear powered cruisers were replaced by new Aegis class ships in the 1990s. The last third of the Los Angles class nuclear subs and three Seawolf submarines - all for war against an enemy that does not exist.
An unknown (maybe 6) helicopter carriers that the Navy did not want. Doubling the size of the Apache helicopter fleet even though the first order would not work. Complete retooling of the F-14 fleet so that it could support standard weapons systems (that's correct - the F-14 was only used for recon because it could not deliver the necessary ground attack weaspons). A complete retooling of the fleet so that it could recieved messages beyond the length of this post (yes, read the facts. In the Gulf war, Navy communications were so archaeic that orders had to be flown out to the ships). Complete replacement of the A-6 fleet with less capable F-18 A /B aircraft. New F-18C/D aircraft. Are we now up to the G version of F-15s? The existing F-16 fleet was completed in the 1990s. Patriot missile systems have been completely replaced. Since 1990s, every cruise missile has been replaced by a newer version that used satellite navigation rather than geographical mapping. A whole new fleet of (estimated) 6 spy satellites. The Milstar system was made operational during the 1990s. Half the fleet of mid-air refueling tankers. The entire fleet of C-17s - desperately needed aircraft so screwed up in production by MacDonnel Douglas. J-Stars, the incomplete prototypefirst appeared in the Gulf War in 1991. A new production of C-130s that the Air Force did not want. Refurbishing of the last of the conventional powered aircraft carriers was completed in the late 1990s complete with new steam catapult systems (a fully integrated part of the ship and quite top secret).
I know very little of what the military has produced. And yet the list is still so long. However another would have us feel that the military has produced nothing in the past decade? Just the many rediculous and unnecessary aircraft carriers and Seawolf subs makes his comment embarrassingly naive.
Then there are the sneaky programs. One would have us believe that these military programs have done nothing. Silly when their budget alone is larger than any other military in the world. I did not even list a single item from the sneaky budget. Is the military doing nothing? Their budget is larger than combined budgets of the next five largest world militaries!!! How naive to say that the military has produced nothing in the last decade. Even an MBA can contradict that fact. Provide even the numbers - and thou shalt see the truth.