I agree with Major, and that is part of the reason that I am a proponent of increasing funding for the space program. Although I think that the space program is another part of the government that needs a major overhaul, I think that more money should be put tword space exploration and possibly to military ventures in space.

About the idea of robotic armies, I am a bit aprehensive of the idea. As has been said above, there is an increased likelyhood of some hacking issues, or even some kind of a virus putting the entire military out of commission, or perhaps even worse. Look at the books and movies that have described scenarios involving robots gone wrong.

One key factor has been overlooked. Doctorine and placement. Does Britian, France or China have the research, development, testing/feilding, ect... the US military has? If anyone noticed the US military has been doing alot of looking into replacing the HUMVEE, and all they has to do is setout a idea and concept and everyone is looking to put in a bit. Another factor is that the US manufactures 90% of its weapons on its own soil, no importing.

Question is, do these countries have as much influance over defense contractors as the US Military does overtheres?

The US Army has inhouse contractors to conceive new ideas, fix current systems and adapt current systems. What im saying is that US contractors and the US Military are like hand in glove, contracting is apart of the military.

Originally Posted by ASTRALdragon

To add, I believe that most of our defense budget is being poorly spent. Too much of it is going into crazy technologically advanced weaponry when it should be going to the care and well-being of the ground troops. The ground troops should get more tech toys that allow them to do their job safely and effectively (i.e. bomb-defusing robots, body armor, X-ray guns, etc.). The vast majority of military combat today is focused on ground combat. Also, we need better retirement funding for our past, present, and future veterans.

One acroynm, FCS. Ever been to a War Fighter Symposium? I've got info and data sheets on feilded equiptment that you may have never seen before, its alot of wild stuff.

There is always more to what meets the eye to a weapons contract. Every release, or announcement of every piece of gear, from Vest, to Kevlar protection products, to aircraft. Every time something revolutionary is developed, Somewhere else, sooner or later, something is thought up to counter that threat, through tactics, hardware, or training, sometimes perhaps all three.

Its a race, to make all threats or hardware, obsolete. No matter how astonishing something may seem, there is all ways something to answer, and if you cant , then fight fire with fire. Thats how we get notions like Nuclear war, and fast attack submarines.

Originally Posted by Sukio

There is always more to what meets the eye to a weapons contract. Every release, or announcement of every piece of gear, from Vest, to Kevlar protection products, to aircraft. Every time something revolutionary is developed, Somewhere else, sooner or later, something is thought up to counter that threat, through tactics, hardware, or training, sometimes perhaps all three.

Its a race, to make all threats or hardware, obsolete. No matter how astonishing something may seem, there is all ways something to answer, and if you cant , then fight fire with fire. Thats how we get notions like Nuclear war, and fast attack submarines.

I agree partly. How is a gun sheild new tech? it's been around since...idk when. It's all a matter of whos the bad guy and what they have.

Originally Posted by FO Seaman

One key factor has been overlooked. Doctorine and placement. Does Britian, France or China have the research, development, testing/feilding, ect... the US military has? If anyone noticed the US military has been doing alot of looking into replacing the HUMVEE, and all they has to do is setout a idea and concept and everyone is looking to put in a bit. Another factor is that the US manufactures 90% of its weapons on its own soil, no importing.

Question is, do these countries have as much influance over defense contractors as the US Military does overtheres?

The US Army has inhouse contractors to conceive new ideas, fix current systems and adapt current systems. What im saying is that US contractors and the US Military are like hand in glove, contracting is apart of the military.

I think that this is a very potent question. At this point do england, france or china have the infrastructure to produce their own high tech gear? I would have to say no, or at least not compared to the US's ability to do so. But, I think that China in the near future will be able to. China has made great strides in recent years, producing many of their own (though copied from other designs) military hardware. I think that its only a matter of time before they equal, and possibly surpass us in high tech military production

That would take some weapons designers back to the drawing boards. Beacause, training, and tactics, would once agian be the decideing factor in a nation's ability to wage war, not technology.

Originally Posted by Sukio

That would take some weapons designers back to the drawing boards. Beacause, training, and tactics, would once agian be the decideing factor in a nation's ability to wage war, not technology.

Sukio the battlefeild is an ever changing thing, thats why the Army does Rapid Feild Deployments of equiptment and trys top make everything multi-enviorment.

Do they also do integrated ops sometimes with other service branches, to use each other capabilities?

Integration, of military forces has proven successful in the past, if you can spend the money to field such large scale field training ops to do so, depends on you nations role in the world. It seems works in the attackers favor.

Originally Posted by Sukio

Do they also do integrated ops sometimes with other service branches, to use each other capabilities?

Integration, of military forces has proven successful in the past, if you can spend the money to field such large scale field training ops to do so, depends on you nations role in the world. It seems works in the attackers favor.

Of course they do, Combine Arms. What do you think CENTCOM is?