A lot of people don't know you literally can't fly your F35s without the American's permission. They hold the encryption keys you need to load a mission plan into the plane's computers, which is done by American personnel deployed with the aircraft.
Hey you allegedly have a 30 days grace period after logging in. Doesn't apply to weapons systems though
When they can just "turn it off" at a whim, what ally is America? Why the hell would any other country want anything that Elon or Donald could turn off at any time? And for inevitably bullshit reasons by inexorably bullshit people?
Or even if/when they aren't in power anymore, why trust the new guy/gal? Maybe the next one will just turn it back off on another whim? Deals and treaties and pacts don't mean anything anymore.
Tbf, deals, treaties, and pacts haven’t meant anything to the USA. It’s broken 500 with native Americans and indigenous peoples since 1776.
It's almost like nuclear disarmament is a good idea! I'm relieved it only took one reply to get there!
Let's stop peddling the clickbait nonsense. Planning to buy isn't cancelling. There's no contract. The F16 fleet is ageing and needs replacing. With EU funds directed towards EU defence companies and US unpredictability, makes sense to look elsewhere for aircrafts.
Straight from the horse's mouth:
"The Air Force wants this replacement to be made by F-35s, which are American-made planes. What you are saying is that, due to the change in US foreign policy, it is less likely that Portugal will replace the F-16s with an American aircraft?
The world has already changed. There were elections in the USA, there was a position in relation to NATO and the world, affirmed by the Secretary of Defense and by the President of the USA himself, which also has to be taken into account in Europe and with regard to Portugal. And this ally of ours, which for decades has always been predictable, may bring limitations in use, maintenance, components, everything that has to do with ensuring that aircraft will be operational and will be used in all kinds of scenarios.
And could the replacement go through aircraft, for example, French?
I will not have this discussion here. "
Wow they finally realize America is not the most reliable ally. You would hope they would have learned that after the WMDs in Iraq lie that made them all bomb the middle east for fake Intel.
But better late than never. Good job Portugal.
Fucking around and finding out.
America is fucking around and finding out that the rest of the world doesn’t give a fuck about them. About damned time.
It also makes sense for nations to specialize, and buy from the nation best positioned to make those goods.
If the US isn't going to play ball, might as well put all that money into getting stuff done domestically (in this case within the EU)
Emmanuel Macron must have his mouth frothing right now thinking he will sell Portugal Rafales for them to buy a bunch of Gripen instead.
Everyone should ditch expensive fighters. The future is drones. Cheap drones.
Launch a thousand, and if a couple make it and make the kill, then that money was well spent.
Drone and anti-drone warfare is the new normal.
The title is misleading. There never was an order, just an intent by the Portuguese Air Force to begin negotiations with Lockheed Martin. Even this statement of giving up on the F-35 comes from a brief opinion by the outgoing portuguese defense minister in a newspaper interview.
Sauce?
Pasta some sauce: https://lemmy.world/post/26800658
Here's a news article on the story!
A1 or white, fuck the red sauce, it is just ketchup.
carallo!
Caralho*
No.
