I have always held (half-seriously) that the US and the Russkis had a scheme going. Russkis sell tankiye to ME client, da?
And Americans blow them up. Russkis then sell more toys to the ME nations in the hopes that they get blown up again.
Odd sales gimmick, I know, but as the article says the Russians and Chinese are not in an hurry to get involved.
We have not had a problem with running out of ordinance, it’s lack of targets.
Reminds me of the exchange between Jimmy Cagney and the Russian Trade Delegation in the movie "One, Two, Three"
C.R. MacNamara: Cigarette? Cigar?
Peripetchikoff: Here, take one of these.
C.R. Macnamara: Thanks. Hm, 'Made in Havana'.
Peripetchikoff: We have trade agreement with Cuba. They send us cigars, we send them rockets.
C.R. Macnamara: Good thinking.
*Macnamara coughs on cigar*
C.R. MacNamara: You know something? You guys got cheated. This is a pretty crummy cigar.
Peripetchikoff: Do not worry. We send them pretty crummy rockets.