Post AXGDtk91btOcqFoQoS by feld@bikeshed.party
(DIR) More posts by feld@bikeshed.party
(DIR) Post #AXGDNVu31aEtPDRG4m by feld@bikeshed.party
2023-07-01T19:46:59.936590Z
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> Raytheon Calls In Retirees To Help Produce Stinger Missiles>> "Stinger’s been out of production for 20 years, and all of a sudden in the first 48 hours [of the war], it’s the star of the show and everybody wants more," Wes Kremer, the president of Raytheon Missiles & Defense, said last week.>> Raytheon needs to produce the Stingers using blueprints drawn up during the Carter administration, as using more advanced production methods would require redesigning the weapon.>> "We were bringing back retired employees that are in their 70s … to teach our new employees how to actually build a Stinger," Kremer said. "We’re pulling test equipment out of warehouses and blowing the spider webs off of them.">> The US Army placed an order for Stingers in May 2022 to replace ones sent to Ukraine, but the Pentagon said they won’t be delivered until 2026. Kremer said it would take at least 30 months for the first missiles to be completed due to the time it will take to restart production.Wait I thought everyone was mad we were sending Ukraine all of the good weapons we need. :laugh:
(DIR) Post #AXGDZaP67HWaq7icK0 by feld@bikeshed.party
2023-07-01T19:49:12.552532Z
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Like why the fuck would we even bother keeping Stingers in stock if we can't even produce more of them?These government military contractors suck ass, that's not a healthy relationship. If it's in our inventory and meant to be part of our arsenal it better be ready to crank up production on a moment's notice
(DIR) Post #AXGDqeTGFRV4NPnshM by feld@bikeshed.party
2023-07-01T19:52:12.614738Z
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The contract should have stated that they will either be capable of producing new units on demand within like a week, or they get a penalty of like $500M a day. That's just complete bullshit. Bait & Switch.If you build a weapon for the military and aren't prepared to support it for the next 50 years you should be disqualified.
(DIR) Post #AXGDtk91btOcqFoQoS by feld@bikeshed.party
2023-07-01T19:53:00.846758Z
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that's kind of a waste though because I'm sure we can build drones with similar payloads faster than we can retool the entire production of Stingers and go through the whole testing, validation, QA process
(DIR) Post #AXGEFztTjevs3f9VAm by kkarhan@mstdn.social
2023-07-01T19:54:04Z
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@feld well, if we go by that route, we'd have to essentially make nationalized arsenals again - which would be a good thing as they'd not be run with profit motive for shareholders!
(DIR) Post #AXGEG0n8OjS4qHBwvI by feld@bikeshed.party
2023-07-01T19:56:48.129571Z
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we'd save TRILLIONS
(DIR) Post #AXGETjNLwjTiskfsO0 by kkarhan@mstdn.social
2023-07-01T19:57:30Z
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@feld Yeah, and we could then use that money for good...
(DIR) Post #AXGETjnEOWB8B0mXiq by feld@bikeshed.party
2023-07-01T19:59:19.700048Z
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the people engineering the weapons could be paid the same salary by the gov, probably get better healthcare etc, and we'd end up with the same results minus all the shareholders raping our Treasury
(DIR) Post #AXGEzbr7RNOQpHnY7U by kkarhan@mstdn.social
2023-07-01T20:03:02Z
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@feld I mean that's why we don't privatize fire departments:Because we want these to work as egalitarian and equally accessible utilities or rather emergency services...And it's not as if there isn't any ability to compete or exchange materials across states in alliances like the NATO either...
(DIR) Post #AXGFFM2C22AoOGUAsq by feld@bikeshed.party
2023-07-01T20:07:57.403139Z
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Ok one other idea: let's give military contractors 3 years from original order of the new weapon and then we demand the schematics and share with all the other contractors who will now have the opportunity to build the same weapon at a lower cost and win the contract for the next order
(DIR) Post #AXGFM6RqNb3m4rhYtk by float13@hackers.town
2023-07-01T20:06:13Z
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@kkarhan @feld Hate to be the bearer of bad news:https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna39516346
(DIR) Post #AXGFM70aIQqhobxJ32 by feld@bikeshed.party
2023-07-01T20:09:10.313855Z
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This is how it was, I'm disappointed that this is where we're going back to... It doesn't work well in cities though. The risk is too high the properties insured next door will burn
(DIR) Post #AXGFqDY6XiPGmvzQMS by kkarhan@mstdn.social
2023-07-01T20:08:31Z
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@float13 @feld Not every place is as shitty as the #USA when it comes to #Utilities and Governance!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zcrsgdl_hP0
(DIR) Post #AXGFqEGlre8T1St5yy by feld@bikeshed.party
2023-07-01T20:14:28.258997Z
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Go look up the DoE's reports on our large power transformers (LPTs). A ton came online in the 70s when the grid got its last great investment(?) and we don't have replacements on hand. They take years to build and each is custom for the specifics of their load and the distance they're transmitting power, IIRC.We can only build the smaller ones, the others all are made by Siemens in Germany. And they cost a few million each.Some are starting to blow. Nobody's being proactive about it.
(DIR) Post #AXGHW1E6qcZSgg8Kjg by kkarhan@mstdn.social
2023-07-01T20:18:49Z
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@feld @float13 Again: Not every place is so criminally negligent in terms of infrastructure as the #USA is...In fact Grid Operators in Germany may even have some spares of those onsite just to comply with critical infrastructure requirements so they can just switch over to the "warm spares" and shit's going fine without much interruptions - if any at all...
(DIR) Post #AXGHW1viEVRuruX9hQ by feld@bikeshed.party
2023-07-01T20:33:01.418692Z
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I don't doubt it.
(DIR) Post #AXGK4acTxmTWDA976u by raintrees@noagendasocial.com
2023-07-01T21:02:23Z
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@feld Considering what they are used for, not to mention who has to pay for it, I find this news.... encouraging.