Finland and Sweden had such a sweet deal going for decades. All the benefits of membership but none of the costs. Now they’re going to get what? A nine-figure obligation to buy shitty US-made suicide helicopters
Yeah this is a big issue. Due to Sweedens public neutrality/unalignment, private alignment with NATO, they were able to build their own military hardware that was actually suited to the conditions of fighting war in their countries environment, provided it was made compatible with NATO standards. The Gripen fighter jet is a great example of this, there’s a reason Ukraine wants some of them, it’s actually designed from the ground up to fight a war against Russia or another country in Eastern Europe or Scandinavia, and suits the requirements and doctrine. With short take offs and landings, cheap maintenance, short turnaround and rearming times and the ability to use roads as runways. All things American fighter jets cannot do. Now what, will Sweeden be forced to buy F-35 jets which disintegrate in the rain?
Now what, will Sweeden be forced to buy F-35 jets which disintegrate in the rain?
Poland once wanted to buy this class of planes. Of course nobody even suggested best offer, Russian Sukhoi, so the three considered were US F-16, French Mirage and Swedish Gripen. Swedes offered by far the best deal, but of course it’s Poland so we chosen literally the worst deal for worst of those planes, F-16. And US didn’t keep the terms of even that shit deal, so something like 1/3rd of those planes are already cannibalised for parts and the readiness of rest of them is pretty dubious.
So probably yeah. Also afaik Swedish arms industry is one of the biggest worldwide, that got to be thorn in the side of US MIC.
The Gripen would be perfect for Poland if they wanted a Western jet, Sukhoi would also be perfect if they wanted to stay with Russian jets, but of course due to US influence the F-16 was chosen, worse than all other options. Oof.
Swedish arms industry is one of the biggest worldwide
Not for long if they join NATO. The US seems hellbent on destroying or subsuming the military industries of Europe, and they have been especially successful at doing this to their European NATO vassals by forcing them to buy American made crap.
Yeah this is a big issue. Due to Sweedens public neutrality/unalignment, private alignment with NATO, they were able to build their own military hardware that was actually suited to the conditions of fighting war in their countries environment, provided it was made compatible with NATO standards. The Gripen fighter jet is a great example of this, there’s a reason Ukraine wants some of them, it’s actually designed from the ground up to fight a war against Russia or another country in Eastern Europe or Scandinavia, and suits the requirements and doctrine. With short take offs and landings, cheap maintenance, short turnaround and rearming times and the ability to use roads as runways. All things American fighter jets cannot do. Now what, will Sweeden be forced to buy F-35 jets which disintegrate in the rain?
Poland once wanted to buy this class of planes. Of course nobody even suggested best offer, Russian Sukhoi, so the three considered were US F-16, French Mirage and Swedish Gripen. Swedes offered by far the best deal, but of course it’s Poland so we chosen literally the worst deal for worst of those planes, F-16. And US didn’t keep the terms of even that shit deal, so something like 1/3rd of those planes are already cannibalised for parts and the readiness of rest of them is pretty dubious.
So probably yeah. Also afaik Swedish arms industry is one of the biggest worldwide, that got to be thorn in the side of US MIC.
The Gripen would be perfect for Poland if they wanted a Western jet, Sukhoi would also be perfect if they wanted to stay with Russian jets, but of course due to US influence the F-16 was chosen, worse than all other options. Oof.
Not for long if they join NATO. The US seems hellbent on destroying or subsuming the military industries of Europe, and they have been especially successful at doing this to their European NATO vassals by forcing them to buy American made crap.