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Spain scraps plans to buy F-35 fighter jets

Allan

Allan

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Trump's comment that allies will get a scaled down F-35 because "maybe they won't be our allies some day" probably factored into Spain's decision.

Spain has shelved plans to purchase F-35 fighter aircraft, Spanish newspaper El País reported today.

Preliminary contacts for the purchase of the fifth-generation American stealth fighters have been suspended "indefinitely" and the government will seek European alternatives like the Eurofighter or the upcoming Future Combat Air System, the paper reported.
Click to expand...

www.politico.eu

Spain scraps plans to buy F-35 fighter jets

Spain has shelved plans to purchase F-35 fighter aircraft, Spanish newspaper El País reported today. Preliminary contacts for the purchase of the fifth-generation American stealth fighters have bee…
www.politico.eu www.politico.eu
 
And Trump has publicly criticized the F35 on multiple occasions saying it's a waste of money. So even without all the geopolitical/trade drama, why should anyone buy F35s based on his rhetoric?
 
Spain has no pressing need for fighter planes so they're just playing the delay game. Also needs drives requirements and the best aircraft that meets their requirements should be the one to buy. This whole thing shouldn't even be political rather it's an engineering decision.
 
Allan said:
Trump's comment that allies will get a scaled down F-35 because "maybe they won't be our allies some day" probably factored into Spain's decision.



www.politico.eu

Spain scraps plans to buy F-35 fighter jets

Spain has shelved plans to purchase F-35 fighter aircraft, Spanish newspaper El País reported today. Preliminary contacts for the purchase of the fifth-generation American stealth fighters have bee…
www.politico.eu www.politico.eu
Click to expand...
That is definitely a key part of the decion making here in Canada too. If we buy the F-35's can we count on the US to provide the information, software etc related to ongoing maintenance and upgrades? If Trump is ticked with Canada over some little thing he will just refuse to supply the upgrades. It isn't like contracts and deals mean anything to him.
 
dmpi said:
Spain has no pressing need for fighter planes so they're just playing the delay game. Also needs drives requirements and the best aircraft that meets their requirements should be the one to buy. This whole thing shouldn't even be political rather it's an engineering decision.
Click to expand...
I very much disagree. The ongoing support, maintenance and upgrades are crucial. Unfortunately Trump cannot be trusted to honour a deal or a contract. The reliability of the vendor with such a purchase if critical.
 
Allan said:
Trump's comment that allies will get a scaled down F-35 because "maybe they won't be our allies some day" probably factored into Spain's decision.



www.politico.eu

Spain scraps plans to buy F-35 fighter jets

Spain has shelved plans to purchase F-35 fighter aircraft, Spanish newspaper El País reported today. Preliminary contacts for the purchase of the fifth-generation American stealth fighters have bee…
www.politico.eu www.politico.eu
Click to expand...
He just can't help himself. Such a ****ing loser!
 
Just as a reminder.

There is this thing in manufacturing called economy of scale.

The more you can produce of a unit, the more research and development costs get spread out.

Also the ecomomics of manufacturing change.

Meaning the fewer units sold, the cost of each unit increases.

So these cancelations mean that in the long run we (US taxpayers) will either buy fewer units or the same number of units that are more expensive.

Thank you President Trump.

WW
 
Allan said:
Trump's comment that allies will get a scaled down F-35 because "maybe they won't be our allies some day" probably factored into Spain's decision.



www.politico.eu

Spain scraps plans to buy F-35 fighter jets

Spain has shelved plans to purchase F-35 fighter aircraft, Spanish newspaper El País reported today. Preliminary contacts for the purchase of the fifth-generation American stealth fighters have bee…
www.politico.eu www.politico.eu
Click to expand...
Well, sadly, Trump is right. Optimum military advantages have to be securely held at home. There's no point in selling our best equipment to nations that may or may not have reliable security and/or may share designs and technology with US adversaries
 
Logophile said:
Well, sadly, Trump is right. Optimum military advantages have to be securely held at home. There's no point in selling our best equipment to nations that may or may not have reliable security and/or may share designs and technology with US adversaries
Click to expand...

IMG_5843.webp
 
Allan said:
Trump's comment that allies will get a scaled down F-35 because "maybe they won't be our allies some day" probably factored into Spain's decision.



www.politico.eu

Spain scraps plans to buy F-35 fighter jets

Spain has shelved plans to purchase F-35 fighter aircraft, Spanish newspaper El País reported today. Preliminary contacts for the purchase of the fifth-generation American stealth fighters have bee…
www.politico.eu www.politico.eu
Click to expand...

It was stupid for Trump to admit the US would ship scaled down versions.... However that is a common occurrence.
 
Well, look at it this way. At this rate, no one will have their hands on our 'latest and greatest' fighter jet!

Maybe they don't want them because they're not coming with enough spare parts and the troubleshooting part of the Haynes manual is severely lacking? 😉
 
Logophile said:
Well, sadly, Trump is right. Optimum military advantages have to be securely held at home. There's no point in selling our best equipment to nations that may or may not have reliable security and/or may share designs and technology with US adversaries
Click to expand...
Really, you support Trump controlling a private corporations business decisions.....not very conservative of you. Not only that but Trump has been actively pushing NATO countries to but American products.
 
Allan said:
Spain? You think Spain, a NATO country, is going to sell F-35 technology to Russia or China?
Click to expand...
Lol. You don't know the history of Spain?? How bout Europe? In case you're unaware, plenty of those NATO countries ae chomping at the bit to get us neck deep in Ukraine or send our best weaponry to the dwindling Ukraine military. Nothing would be more advantageous since they're all talk and no cattle when it comes to sending bodies into that fray. Look, you don't know what's gonna happen down the road any more than I do. If Spain gets itself involved in a skirmish with Russia in Ukraine, for example, the Russians could very easily get a hold of all kinds of technology or a simple bribe might be offered. Who knows?? It only takes one jet to examine. Do you know anything about Spanish security?? No, of course you don't. I don't either and neither really does the US which is the whole point
 
Callen said:
That is definitely a key part of the decion making here in Canada too. If we buy the F-35's can we count on the US to provide the information, software etc related to ongoing maintenance and upgrades? If Trump is ticked with Canada over some little thing he will just refuse to supply the upgrades. It isn't like contracts and deals mean anything to him.
Click to expand...
Is that decision about F-35s still underway? It seems like that particular decision process in Canada has been going on for quite a while now.
 
Allan said:
Spain? You think Spain, a NATO country, is going to sell F-35 technology to Russia or China?
Click to expand...

Yeah. That would be muscling on Israel’s racket.

Report: Israel Passes U.S. Military Technology to China

Secret U.S. missile and electro-optics technology was transferred to China recently by Israel, prompting anger from the U.S. and causing a senior Israeli defense official to resign.
www.military.com www.military.com
 
Logophile said:
Lol. You don't know the history of Spain?? How bout Europe? In case you're unaware, plenty of those NATO countries ae chomping at the bit to get us neck deep in Ukraine or send our best weaponry to the dwindling Ukraine military. Nothing would be more advantageous since they're all talk and no cattle when it comes to sending bodies into that fray. Look, you don't know what's gonna happen down the road any more than I do. If Spain gets itself involved in a skirmish with Russia in Ukraine, for example, the Russians could very easily get a hold of all kinds of technology or a simple bribe might be offered. Who knows?? It only takes one jet to examine. Do you know anything about Spanish security?? No, of course you don't. I don't either and neither really does the US which is the whole point
Click to expand...
This whole post is hilarious.

You shouldn't sell a single advanced weapons system then if this is America's level of paranoia.
 
It saddens me to realize how far I have fallen from the grace of conservatism such that I am unable to see how formerly-allied countries refusing to purchase our military equipment is a combined economic, strategic and diplomatic victory for the United States. I feel like a blinded man slowly losing my memories of color.
 
Callen said:
Really, you support Trump controlling a private corporations business decisions.....not very conservative of you. Not only that but Trump has been actively pushing NATO countries to but American products.
Click to expand...
When it comes to military equipment, of course we rely on the US government's discretion. What do you think the federal government is for?? It's to protect us from foreign foes and to intervene in case of proposed economic disadvantages like monopolies
 
Callen said:
Really, you support Trump controlling a private corporations business decisions.....not very conservative of you. Not only that but Trump has been actively pushing NATO countries to but American products.
Click to expand...
Calling Lockheed a "private corporation" is a bit deceiving. I believe about 70% of their revenue comes from the U.S. government and I think they are the number 1 contractor in business with the U.S. government.
 
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