Embed Notice

'When US foreign policy abruptly changes ... contractors, spare parts and badly needed software updates suddenly disappear. Within weeks, more than half the aircraft are grounded [in Afghanistan].

'... many European governments are feeling buyers’ remorse for decades of US arms purchases ... [But little/no remorse re economic dependence on the CCP.]

'It is not as simple as a kill switch ... Most European militaries depend heavily on the US for communications support, for electronic warfare support, and for ammunition resupply in any serious conflict.

'The plane [F-35] relies on continuous updates and maintenance support from the US through its Autonomic Logistics Information System — which is to be replaced by a successor programme known as Odin, the Operational Data Integrated Network.

'... no US ally has Washington’s level of access to the source code for the system [F-35]. [Israel is perhaps the closest to an example of autonomy with their arrangement for their Adirs.]

'... Reaper drone ... relies on US-provided satellite communication links and software support. Italy and France needed a lengthy US permission process to equip the drones with missiles.

'US defence companies have long used the implicit security guarantee of Washington’s favour as a marketing tool for their bigger-ticket items such as fighter planes'.
https://archive.md/GCWGk