The UK buys its weapons to the US. It has only a few US Trident rockets for defense (not even a full complement for its 4 strategic subs). If Europe wants to defend itself it needs to make its weapons. As it is, only France has a full European made complement of weapons (and a few armed US drones). France can’t do it alone, so France wants other EU states to pitch in. It’s Macron who is behind this. EU bureaucrats have zero power.
The US yearly military budget is 700 billion dollars, plus 100 billions in secret budget (NSA, CIA, etc.)
Smart asses who think the UK is leaving the EU are in for a shock… Brexit will exit… Anyway… The “prize poney” is just a Pluto Trojan Horse….
Interesting guy, otherwise. I like his PC demolition. PC is also the abbreviation for Perfectly Cretinous, of course…
There is no need for a trans-European military industry. In fact, it might be more efficient for smaller suppliers to specialize, as large military conglomerates have too much political power (one of problems in the US, actually).
Patrice was not talking about a trans-European military conglomerates, just that weapons for European armies be produced internally. As I can see it Macron is trying to obtain the advantages of both approaches. For example he has pushed for French Nexter and German KMW to form a consortium to build the next Euro MBT to replace the LeClerc and Leopard 2, while keeping the other product lines of the two firms separate (Nexter is state owned by the way). The agreement was signed this summer. He did the same for a future fighter or more likely combination of manned fighter commanding drones by encouraging Airbus Military fighter-arm (former Eurofighter, dominated by Germany) to cooperate with Dassault without merging. On the other hand he has had a very prolific visit in Romania this Summer which saw formalized the agreement that Airbus Helicopter cooperate with Romanian IAR Brasov (helicopter producer ) to produce helicopters in Romania, which is about to start a bidding war between Bell, Sikorsky and Airbus Helicopters for production of attack helicopters in Romania. What is interesting is that the production of Airbus Helicopeters in Romania will not be handled thru the acquisition of IAR Brasov by Airbus, how is customary, but by the creation of a Joint Venture equally owned by Airbus and IAR Brasov (which is state owned). During the same visit an agreement was reached to form a similar joint venture for the production of missiles between MBDA and the State-owned Romanian Missile Factory. To me this look like initiatives to develop independent national defense companies capable to create consortia with other European defense companies.
Patrice Ayme said
The UK buys its weapons to the US. It has only a few US Trident rockets for defense (not even a full complement for its 4 strategic subs). If Europe wants to defend itself it needs to make its weapons. As it is, only France has a full European made complement of weapons (and a few armed US drones). France can’t do it alone, so France wants other EU states to pitch in. It’s Macron who is behind this. EU bureaucrats have zero power.
The US yearly military budget is 700 billion dollars, plus 100 billions in secret budget (NSA, CIA, etc.)
Smart asses who think the UK is leaving the EU are in for a shock… Brexit will exit… Anyway… The “prize poney” is just a Pluto Trojan Horse….
Interesting guy, otherwise. I like his PC demolition. PC is also the abbreviation for Perfectly Cretinous, of course…
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Picard578 said
There is no need for a trans-European military industry. In fact, it might be more efficient for smaller suppliers to specialize, as large military conglomerates have too much political power (one of problems in the US, actually).
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A'rhEngel said
Patrice was not talking about a trans-European military conglomerates, just that weapons for European armies be produced internally. As I can see it Macron is trying to obtain the advantages of both approaches. For example he has pushed for French Nexter and German KMW to form a consortium to build the next Euro MBT to replace the LeClerc and Leopard 2, while keeping the other product lines of the two firms separate (Nexter is state owned by the way). The agreement was signed this summer. He did the same for a future fighter or more likely combination of manned fighter commanding drones by encouraging Airbus Military fighter-arm (former Eurofighter, dominated by Germany) to cooperate with Dassault without merging. On the other hand he has had a very prolific visit in Romania this Summer which saw formalized the agreement that Airbus Helicopter cooperate with Romanian IAR Brasov (helicopter producer ) to produce helicopters in Romania, which is about to start a bidding war between Bell, Sikorsky and Airbus Helicopters for production of attack helicopters in Romania. What is interesting is that the production of Airbus Helicopeters in Romania will not be handled thru the acquisition of IAR Brasov by Airbus, how is customary, but by the creation of a Joint Venture equally owned by Airbus and IAR Brasov (which is state owned). During the same visit an agreement was reached to form a similar joint venture for the production of missiles between MBDA and the State-owned Romanian Missile Factory. To me this look like initiatives to develop independent national defense companies capable to create consortia with other European defense companies.
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Picard578 said
That sounds OK.
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josephhokayem said
Reblogged this on josephhokayem.
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