Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article

To: MNDude
Back in the 80s, when we had a real government and not a clownshow, I recall the DOD used to pay for ammunition suppliers to build-out and mothball extra facilities and also paid for extra sets of long lead-time machine tools, etc., so defense production could quickly expand.

My guess is to "reduce costs" after the "end" of history we stopped paying for this and now allow defense contractors to consolidate production to minimize current cost and maximize profit.

18 posted on 10/21/2023 9:47:40 AM PDT by pierrem15 ("Massacrez-les, car le seigneur connait les siens" )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies ]


To: pierrem15

More strum and drang, very little of actual fact. Depending on exactly what weapons system things can be anywhere from only a little redirection of production and minor increase in production can provide, to it will take 5 years to go from one had built example per year to series production of several a month.

Note, sustained increased production requires increases in inputs. The bottle neck can then be at any point in the production chain from raw ores (or crude oil, or farm produce etc) to final assembly of the finished product. For an in depth example of a basic finished product I suggest the essay “I, Pencil”.

I doubt that the only bottle neck is in machine tools, it is likely also in people who can use those tools well. Training even semi-skilled workers often takes weeks. Some of the processes at key points of the production chain are not easy to start or stop. Famously one of the common types of steels production works best as a continuous process, if you are making steel by that method the only way to increase production is to effectively build a new plant.


32 posted on 10/21/2023 2:41:37 PM PDT by Fraxinus (My opinion, worth what you paid.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies ]

To: pierrem15

They do however how one hell of a diversity program and alphabet acceptance classes are thriving.


38 posted on 10/21/2023 5:04:19 PM PDT by MSF BU
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
Bloggers & Personal
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson