Posted on 04/17/2015 3:45:03 AM PDT by sukhoi-30mki
Precision weapons and networked targeting have helped maintain America’s military superiority for decades. But technology marches on. New defense exporters are joining the global game with advanced and well-priced offerings, creating potential threats to the U.S. and its allies, and weakening Western influence. The Pentagon has a plan to cope with these evolving threats, but is it enough?
To understand what’s happening, consider the global automotive industry. South Korea’s Hyundai Motors became a serious global competitor by leveraging the rapid diffusion of technology, an initial edge in cheap labor, and a “good enough” product for value buyers. Their success wasn’t obvious in 2001, but by 2015 the proof was in our parking lots. A similar “Hyundaization” process is under way in the global defense industry.
A few examples: NATO allies Turkey and Poland didn’t buy their latest self-propelled howitzers from the U.S. or even Germany. Instead they turned to Samsung. South Korea’s Daewoo is building Britain’s next naval supply ships, and Korea Aerospace Industries is exporting TA-50 and FA-50 fighter jets to Iraq, Indonesia and the Philippines. The F-16 is America’s cheapest fighter; the new Korean, Pakistani and Indian fighters cost about 33%-50% less. If you’d rather pocket a 67% savings, Brazil’s A-29 Super Tucano has become the global standard for counterinsurgency. An urgent order from the United Arab Emirates is likely to see combat in Yemen soon.
The long-term threat involves the spread of precision-strike weapons that can hit what modern surveillance “sees.” In addition to Russian and Chinese exports, Turkey has begun to export new guided weapons, including a stealthy cruise missile. India’s Mach 3 Brahmos antiship missile is available, as are GPS-guided equivalents to Boeing’s JDAM, including the UAE-South-African Al-Tariq or Brazil’s Acauan. Pakistan has already bought Brazil’s MAR-1 radar-killer missiles for its JF-17 fighters.
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
thanks for these great military articles you post ...
what’s your take on the FA-50 ?
When my company worked with the Koreans to develop their M1-K1 tank they used espionage, intimidation and theft to obtain the technical data package, which they had not bought. They then started selling pin-for-pin compatible spares to our customers at a fraction of our price.
Seems like a fine aircraft for countries looking for a ‘affordable’ fighter but not one to talk one on the big guns. That its essentially a half-American product will ensure it won’t go into a lot of wrong hands, but also undermine its export potential in some countries against some Chinese/Russian offerings.
Our fouled up acquisitions process prices us out of the market and will eventually cause us to lose our military superiority.
Well at least they’ll come with terrific warranties.
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