Does the United States create its own arms race?

Duty Honor Country

Duty Honor Country

Active member
By all means I am a war hawk, but I like to hear what the other side is saying (know thy enemy). In the book Fortress America, the author talks about how the US develops great technology but gives it all away. Then the US is forced to develop new technology to keep ahead of everyone else. I hate to admit it, but I agree with the man. The M1A1/2, Bradley, F16, F15, F18 and the aegis radar system are all great weapon systems that the US has given to other countries. Now the US is spending billions on the F22, joint striker fighter and many black projects we don't know about. Basically we are competing with ourselves for the best weapon technology.

What do you all think?
 
At one time, military technology from the US was never sold with the basic weapon system if there was a potential for it to be re-distributed. Thus, ships were sold without the fire control, communication, radar, and sonar systems, as well were planes and tanks. It really all came to a boil when Hughs (remember ole howard hughs?) Corporation, which at one time manufactured all the defense related radar systems, including guided missiles in the US, actually was caught selling its technology to one nation which was going to pass it to another less acceptable nation.

Personally, I don't think we should be supplying anyone but ourselves. Then again, it like the previous post stated: are we doing this deliberately in order to promulgate better technology?. I would say yes, its deliberate.

:D
 
I agree that we do supply a lot of our more recent technology to other forces (but when we do this we also provide ourselves with future allies thus expanding our forces)
 
Well, you dont "give" it away, you sell it....Even when the money comes from USA support funds, its a good way of giving money to your own military industry.
 
Sell we do. The problem I have seen is that the Government pays for the R&D of a weapon system. Then the GOV allows the contracter to sell to other allies without recovering any of R&D cash. The contracter gets a free ride.

I think a couple years ago we found out that China was looking at our top secret satellite technology. The US Government contracted the chinese to launch some of our military satellites. Then we caught the chinese opening up the package to take a look see.

And now Los Alamos is shut down due to a lack of security. Everyone wants our military technology and we are either selling it or letting it slip thru our fingers.
 
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