Thanksf for posting this responsible/sane assessment.
Here is a link to another thread that complements your thread:
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1298029/posts
Survival in Combat Zones Requires 'Layers' of Protection [demand for armor, few mills supply DoD]
National Defense Magazine ^ | Dec 2004 | Sandra I. Erwin
"Just 24 months ago, the Army had no plans to up-armor trucks and did not foresee such a requirement. Today, armor is a mandatory feature for any new military truck. The value of the equipment being protected traditionally has factored into decisions on how much to spend on armor. For so-called "high value" assets such as helicopters, ceramics have long been the armor of choice for survivability applications, King said.
"But the Iraq conflict reversed the conventional wisdom, as logistics forces are as exposed to attacks as front-line fighters were in the past.
"Increasing demands for silicon carbide have led companies to ramp up their manufacturing capacity, which could help lower the cost, said King. Other market forces, such as rising prices for armored steel, he added, have worked to close the gap in the cost differential between steel and ceramic products.
"The sudden rise of the U.S. government's demand for armored steel has had significant impact on the supply chain, King said. "The government gets first shot at the steel that is available," but it may still encounter problems obtaining enough steel because only a limited number of mills have been qualified as Defense Department suppliers. "There is enormous pressure on the mills to produce at max capacity, but they can't keep up with the demand," King wrote in an email. Further, these mills may be reluctant to expand capacity, given the uncertainty of the military market. "What do you do with the excess capacity if the situation changes and the demand suddenly drops?" King asked.