this post was submitted on 13 Mar 2025
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The Portuguese Air Force is no longer expected to acquire the 5th generation F-35 fighter from Lockheed Martin, all due to the review of the US position towards NATO.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Stuff like this might actually be what unravels the Trump administration. The military industrial complex is far more powerful than any of the people Orange Julius has surrounded himself with, and they will not like taking losses to appease his ego.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 hour ago

It might unravel America, which would have much longer lasting consequences.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

well you've got like, two options.

One of them is the swedes, and uh, it's not bad, the other is uh checks notes hm, well you've got the swedes at least.

Edit: not the swiss, i confuse the two, they're both european, don't @ me.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 3 hours ago

When Finland chose their new 64 F-35s. I supported it. Not anymore. We should have chosen our west neighbour’s Saabs.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 4 hours ago)

Bravo to Portugal!!! Setting a solid example of what the rest of 1st Class Europe should do with US weapon contracts. The current US political situation is playing a dangerous game with the US MIC.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

Have to be honest I'm not keen on the UK buying any more either I'd rather see Rafales on the new carriers or a tweaked eurofighter.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

Euro fighter with vectoring engines, and better stealth would be doooope

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 hours ago

Don't think that will happen with the Tempest program being the main focus for the raf but if they could make a carrier capable tranche version it could be a good stopgap.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 9 hours ago (2 children)

Asking stupid question... Isn't this kinda shit that got Kennedy killed? Fucking w the military industrial complex? Have those barons diversified enough to not care about this line of business or something? I thought this was kind of a backbone of our economy. So many jobs too.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 4 hours ago (1 children)

The Donald has Hitler levels of luck in that regard.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago

Most dictators do, unfortunately. It takes several attempts and many courageous people willing to sacrifice to get there and sometimes that doesn't even stop the dictatorship, as the dictator has a successor lined up.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 4 hours ago (3 children)

Killing Donny wouldn't change much, tho.
America has shown it wants Donald or a Donald substitute.

Project 2025 is now Americas playbook.

Other countries changing military suppliers isn't going to change back to america for 10-15 years (hell, maybe even longer, I dunno what the service life of a jet platform is).
The risk that has surfaced of "America has an off switch" - even just the potential risk of rumors of an off switch - means all those military assets are useless when America elects unhinged leaders that are willing to subvert democratic process in order to run their playbook.
And America has shown it is willing to do that. Even prefers to do that

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 hour ago

Even if they don't have an "off switch" they can just not update the software. Those jets require constant updates and without it the radars don't work right and the stealth degrades.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago)

America has shown it wants Donald or a Donald substitute.

well they also voted for kennedy, and they still killed him, assuming that's how that works.

Other countries changing military suppliers isn’t going to change back to america for 10-15 years (hell, maybe even longer, I dunno what the service life of a jet platform is).

Other countries changing military suppliers isn’t going to change back to america for 10-15 years (hell, maybe even longer, I dunno what the service life of a jet platform is).

the service life of the f16 has been like forever, i think it's been close to like 70 years now? Hell of a modernization in between then and now, similar story with the f22, although it's quite a bit newer. Military equipment doesn't really have a service life, it's more so an effectiveness constant.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 hours ago

That's all true, but Vance is a coward who will care more about his life than about what America wants.

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