[Paul Ross]

I am reluctant to accept these conclusions at face value, that there is the proverbial silver lining to this cloud. We are looking at a yawning window of vulnerability to our fleet ...and nation... which the Chinese will endeavor to take advantage. Anything which precludes a SWIFT, near-term deployment is insane. If we followed these same cost-averse decision rationales, we never would have deployed Subroc, Asroc, or Aegis. We need a serious airing on these issues, and we appear to be getting spin, even from the usually reliable sources. This is alarming.

[Vladiator]

This article just goes to show that nobody ever got into trouble by predicting that a military spending boondogle wouldn't cloase a made-up "gap" in our defenses.

Big contractors sucking at the government teet are a dime a dozen these days, and getting cheaper all the time.

And in Congress, they can't afford to not throw Brinks trucks full of money at this stuff, lest they be called soft on [insert name of today's enemy here].

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

Something like this is deemed unnecessary, but multiple-redundant welfare systems, other giveaway programs, and their myriad of hire govt. bureaucrats are a dire necessity. What is wrong with people? Drives me nuts.