The Pentagon Budget Is Out of Control

a reply to: Zaphod58

That is good nice to know

but still its insanely huge amount of money
which could do a whole lot of good in America
before being turned into machines of war and ordnance

originally posted by: Xtrozero

originally posted by: FyreByrd

Would that be so harsh price to pay for peace. Think what you will of the Chinese but they have been around for millenia not just a few centuries.

Your assumption is it would be some form of peace...humans don't play that way. Would you like to live in China as one of the poor?

Perhaps. I'm picking this up after a while and am not sure what you are responding too so forgive me if I'm off the mark here.

On the idea of people living in peace - we have to overcome or change our responses to fear. A tall order, I agree. If you don't consider the possibility of living a different way then that reality will never exist for you or others (critical mass and all that rot)

It's like the belief that "the government is the enemy" - when people who believe that are in office they can't govern effectively because of that belief.

Regarding the military as a whole. We will always have need of police (local) and military forces. However ( and this comes from discussions with my parents) the mission of those organizations - to protect, to serve, to defend - has always come down to force of some sort. It's narrow thinking. Protect, service and defense are also humanitarian needs. The mission of these force should emphasize other approaches - such as civil defense, disaster aide and other humanitarian components of their mission. And should include beneficial psychological tactics not just violent ones.

Don't you think human's are capable of transcending their pasts? As individuals? Collectively? I find the ability to growth and transform the very definition of human. Of nature actually. If you can't change, you just an animal in a human body.

I really believe, on a personal level, that the more I can be aware of the language I use (think about the violent metaphors we use in daily life) the better my life will be. Getting stuck in an idea, any idea, is unhealthy.

I just used 'the mark', which carries a connotation of 'the target' which is dehumanizing and implies violence towards....

originally posted by: Zaphod58
a reply to: FyreByrd

They have them because they probably will occasionally use them, just not a lot.

I mean our forces in general. In 2006 or 2008, something like 85-90% of the F-15 fleet had flown over 90% of their planned life cycle. Another 5% was past their planned life cycle. That same time period saw Block 25 F-16s seeing cracks in the wings, and another block seeing cracks in one of their bulkheads. It was the first time the Navy had to cancel Top Gun, because they couldn't fly their Vipers.

Readiness rates have dropped for years. In FY18, the last we currently have numbers for, 10 aircraft increased their readiness by between 1% and just under 7%. Eighteen types dropped between 1% and just short of 11%. Another 10 types saw increases or decreases of less than 1%.

The two best readiness rates were the MQ-1B at 92.2%, and the MQ-9 at 90.24%. The MQ-1B was retired in March of 2018, part way through the FY. The lowest of aircraft with significant numbers was the F-35A (which has since improved) at 49.54%, and the F-22A at 51.74%.

I will definitely bow to your specific knowledge on our state of readiness. And actual useage. My point is that they work in the original mission and I believe an expanded mission. Why not build more, updated what you know works. It will coast a whole lot less - for taxpayers and for the well-being of those on the ground.

Perhaps that is the problem - they don't cost enough to make.

My outdated knowledge tells me one thing - anything in theater need to be repairable in theater. The 'throw-away' mentality is a part in the decline of civilization.

I'm tired of the "Full Faith and so on" of the United States being directed at killing people. I realize the need, but come on. Where's the balance? Where is the practicality? Isn't that what conservativism is all about - making WISE decisions on the use of resources?

originally posted by: FyreByrd

Don't you think human's are capable of transcending their pasts? As individuals? Collectively? I find the ability to growth and transform the very definition of human. Of nature actually. If you can't change, you just an animal in a human body.

When you say transcending on what timeline are you talking about? 100k years, by 2025? I think we have already transcended a great deal. Never in the history of the human race have humans lived such a good life. I think we have transcended a good deal even in the last 200 years, so yes we are capable and in progress all the time.

originally posted by: face23785

originally posted by: sapien82
a reply to: FyreByrd
the US budget on military alone is enough to feed clothe and educate every man woman and child on earth for like ten generations probably more.

It most certainly is not.

Care to offer any support for that statement?

originally posted by: face23785

originally posted by: FyreByrd

originally posted by: scrounger
a reply to: FyreByrd

A chicago talk show host (wish I could remember his name to give him his props, but heard it over 20 years ago initially) said
"any government budget is 25 percent waste , fraud and corruption"

Government budgets are more efficient then Corporate Budgets.

Also inaccurate.

Any support for this ???

a reply to: FyreByrd

The problem with the "make what you know works" school is that you're effectively standing still, while future opponents aren't. While you're building more advanced F-15s, future potential opponents are building defenses that see better and hit farther. A fourth generation fighter was designed around the time the SA-8 was put into service. The Gecko radar, depending on variant(at service entry), had a range between 18 miles (16 for guidance), and 155 miles on the long end.

The S400, which is the current front line Russian air defense system, is a networked system that can see the missiles located miles away from the radar. The administration system located at the center of the system can track 300 targets at one time. One system can control 72 launchers, and almost 400 missiles. They can theoretically hit a B-52 sized target at 350 miles. It even has an ABM capability.

With a few exceptions, any current aircraft can be repaired in theater or at the local level.