My post is exactly relevant.
Actually post 34 is more relevant, and it doesn’t mention medicare.
HOW MANY CARRIERS DOES RUSSIA HAVE AGAIN?
One, built by Ukraine, and they never leave port without a tug boat in case it breaks down.
“In December 1991, she sailed from the Black Sea to join the Northern Fleet. Only from 1993 on did she receive aircraft.”
“In December 1991, she sailed from the Black Sea to join the Northern Fleet. Only from 1993 on did she receive aircraft”
“At the end of 1997 she remained immobilized in a Northern Fleet shipyard, awaiting funding for major repairs, which were halted when they were only 20% complete. The overhaul was completed in July 1998, and the ship returned to active service in the Northern fleet on 3 November 1998. “
“Kuznetsov apparently remained in port for about two years before preparing for another Mediterranean deployment scheduled for the winter of 2000–2001. This deployment was cancelled due to the loss of the nuclear-powered submarine Kursk.”
“In late 2003 and early 2004, Kuznetsov went to sea for inspection and trials. During the 2005 exercise, one of her Su-33 fighters was involved in an accident, and fell from the carrier into the Atlantic Ocean.”
“On 27 September 2006 it was announced that Admiral Kuznetsov will return to service in the Northern Fleet by the end of the year. The ship will undergo another modernization refit, in an attempt to correct some of her many technical issues.”
“On 5 December 2008 the aircraft carrier and several other vessels left Severomorsk heading for the Atlantic on a tour which was announced would be lasting several months and which would include combat training including joint drills with Russia’s Black Sea Fleet and visits to several ports in the Mediterranean. On this tour while the Admiral Kuznetsov anchored off Turkey on 7 January 2009 a small fire broke out on the ship. One crew member was killed by carbon monoxide poisoning. The fire was caused by a short-circuit.
On 16 February 2009, Admiral Kuznetsov, along with other Russian naval vessels was involved in a large oil spill while she refuelled off the south coast of Ireland.”
“Although financial and technical problems have resulted in limited operations for the ship, it is expected that Admiral Kuznetsov will remain in active duty until at least 2030.”
The tarbaby that you are engaged with is ignoring the fact that military hardware has a definite lifespan. In other words, past expenditures are often irrelevant if tanks and planes and ships can not be replaced when they become obsolete or are used in ongoing conflicts. Additionally, cutbacks have led to the forced retirement of many of our most promising officers. A friend of mine (who graduated from West Point) was an artillery commander until last year. He had three tours, and the intention of making a career in the military. He was downsized last year, and is now making about five times as much money on Wall Street. Short of all-out war, he will never return. And there are thousands more just like him.