SD67 wrote: ↑23 Dec 2021, 18:43
TheLoneRanger wrote: ↑23 Dec 2021, 10:30
topman wrote: ↑22 Dec 2021, 14:44
If it was upto him it might have a bit more weight.
You are right - if left to Polticians - then the dream will be flushed down the toilet the first chance they get.
Given the state of anglo french relations that would be a “ Bold decision minister !”.
Frankly the way things are going I’d be surprised if MBDA stay together.
That is the thing - the UK has massively subsidised manufacturing capabilities and technology transfer to the EU countries for very little in return as those goverments have not purchased many systems and have used their participation to try and own the IP and do all of the manufacturing. In short - defense equipment manufacturing in Europe is distorted and not working correctly because of both France and German actions.
The Tempest programme can help develop an entire ecosystem around military aviation in the UK where we own the intellectual property, manufacturing and then benefit from the larger number of systems that we in the UK procure.
You only have to look at the way BAe is working with the Turkish TFX programme and the Japanese F-X programme to show how the UK can form collaborative relationships which benefit all equally rather than the French/German we want it all approach.
The UK Goverment "may have turned" a corner and is starting to understand the value of funding and developing and finally owning intellectual property and the associated manufacturing capabilities of weapons systems so that we can export to those systems. We are seeing this in the naval programmes with a suite of ship and submarine manufacturing (though i wish we could nuture some like Damn Shipbuilding with its wide suite of products that it can manufacture rather than the cottage industry approach we have now - but maybe we will get there - if the likes of Babcock can step up and start to plan more strategically a product set like Damen.... ) and hopefully the Tempest programme will be the re-birth of a fighter jet programme in the UK that allows us to compete against the French and not have the baggage of the Germans...
The UK goverment must understand the relationship between "market efficiency - ie simply buying the cheapest" versus building military capability and having defence pounds contribute to technological development in the UK and therefore industrial and economic growth.
Something like the Tempest programme is a fantastic tool to train the next generation of high engineers...
I will stop "ranting" about this topic - i always get animated on this one... always..