U.S. government officials have briefed the Belgian government about the capabilities of the Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jet, as Brussels prepares to replace its aging fleet of 60 F-16s, a source familiar with the matter has told.Someones got to ask so I will. WHAT IS THE US GOVT PROMISING THESE NATIONS WITH REGARDS TO THE PRICE OF THIS AIRPLANE????
The source, who was not authorized to speak publicly, said Belgium was considering buying 35 to 55 of the new radar-evading F-35 jets. No decisions are expected until late 2014 at the earliest after next year’s elections in Belgium.
Belgium was one of the originalNATO partners to buy the F-16 fighter jet, also built by Lockheed; but unlike Denmark, Norway and the Netherlands, it did not join the international consortium that funded development of the F-35.
U.S. government officials have visited Belgium to discuss the F-35, which is being built to replace the F-16 and a dozen other warplanes in use around the world, according to the source.
U.S. defense officials had no immediate comment.
I like Belgium. They have a beautiful country. But there is no way in hell they can afford F-35s.
If a certain Northern European country could only afford 37 then Belgium can afford maybe 1.5 of these planes.
I'm convinced beyond all doubt that either rampant criminality is occurring with this program OR we're seeing some type of subsidy being offered by the US govt.
Sidenote: Sequester is going to continue and the whole defense house is riding on the F-35. Thats why the posts on this airplane have increased. You're interested in Marine Corps small arms? You think that the M27 should be our next service rifle? The F-35 matters to you. You think we need an AAV replacement? You want the MPC? The F-35 matters to you. The same applies to the other services. You a sub driver? Hornet driver? Grunt? Engineer? Ranger? Cook? The F-35 will affect your future. That's why its being followed closely here.
I think Belgium, should stick with Super hornets or Gripens.
ReplyDeleteThey operate about 60F16s according to reliable sources (Sarcasm:wikipiedia). Would be funny if they replaced them with 60-90Grippens, then added RAM coating later(but everyone is clearly bribed by LM) and never let the dutch forget it. For some reason they have C130s....
DeleteTrying to figure out what to do with that empty space that was occupied by the gun because removing it and replacing it with ballast or another system certainly looks to being possible with the helmet issue.
ReplyDeletePromising? No, threatening. As my first grade teacher used to say, "let's put on our thinking caps." NATO HQ is in Brussels, but it doesn't HAVE to be there. We could just go to Brussels for mussels, and nothing else. It could be somewhere else.
ReplyDeleteEven in Brussels -- lots of contracts, money for services. All controlled by the most powerful member of NATO. People that are being paid off now, they might experience an interruption in payments, and then how to afford that mistress in the expensive apartment?
Influence in Europe is a natural legacy of US financing and involvement in the European wars. And it's a natural function of US overseas embassies and military missions, to influence and threaten people in countries if necessary to achieve US objectives. wikileaks taught us.
Rampant criminality is the daily fare of the Pentagon, after all. There are so many examples.
So, this confused me: http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/news/2013/09/18/boeing-faring-better-than-others-with.html
ReplyDeleteApparently Boeing is handling the budget cuts better than Lockheed. I guess Lockheed has more to lose, but anyway it also says that funding for the Super Hornet has gone up. I looked it up and the most recent plan the Navy has is to buy 21 EA-18G Growlers. I looked it up and there is also no indication that the Navy is willing to cut those Growlers for any reason. They have talked about cutting carriers because congress recommended it and they have talked about possible cutting the sub fleet production. They haven't even mentioned the Growlers when talking about cuts. I think the CNO is shielding them as much as he can. On top of that, I was also able to find this:
http://www.tacticalreport.com/view_news/Kuwait:_Positive_talks_on_F-18_Super_Hornet_deal/3576
I don't know how reliable the source is, but it looks like Kuwait is very close to buying several F/A-18E Super Hornet to replace their aging fleet of 35 F/A-18C Hornets. If they did make a purchase it would extend the Super Hornet production line out beyond 2016, which is the current closing date. I'm excited.
Nevermind... I just found a list of aircraft that the Navy would cut if the sequester kicks in and it included:
Delete11 tactical aircraft – four EA-18Gs, one F-35C, one E-2D, two P-8As, three MH-60s and “about 400 weapons.”
yeah...thats why i can't understand this. tell me that the F-35 brings more than four E-18s and a E-2 plus two P-8s.
Deletethe Navy is being crazy by protecting the F-35 program. we're heading down the British lane by putting wings together that are incomplete.