Comment by tomaytotomato
11 hours ago
> This is just exceptionalist nonsense. The UK has neither the industrial expertise nor experience to rearm domestically.
No, you are writing nonsense -
Here is a non-exhaustive list of modern (80s - current era breakthroughs which are British)
- Chohbam composite tank armour (the best in the world)
- Dragonfire Laser
- Rapier AA missile, now being replaced by SkySabre
- Accuracy International firearms (best sniper rifles in the world)
- Rolls Royce jet engines
- Naval Sonar and Radar systems
I could go on
> Chohbam composite tank armour
Chobham is from the '60s, but the UK cannot manufacture Chobham or the current incarnation Epsom independently.
> Dragonfire Laser
Developed by MBDA UK (a subsidiary of MBDA, owned by Airbus, BAE, and Leonardo) and QinetiQ. It also cannot be manufactured independently by the UK.
> SkySabre
MBDA again, also cannot be manufactured independently by the UK.
> Accuracy International firearms (best sniper rifles in the world)
Cannot be manufactured independently by the UK. Not even the barrels nor the steel to produce them, both of which are imported.
> Rolls Royce jet engines
Cannot be manufactured independently by the UK, which does not even manufacture most of the parts in the UK.
> I could go on
You could, and you'd continue to prove my point. The UK can partly design and manage projects (the services sector) and can assemble some items from parts mostly imported and almost exclusively using overseas inputs.
I think it's also telling that majority of all the items mentioned armour, from composite armour to Trent turbofans are already manufactured overseas and outside the UK
and that is wrong morally/politically/national pride; we should re-industrialize and pronto.
China, Russia (gotten lean and mean from Ukraine war) are going to outpace us.
You seem to be "ok" with this, but I think that is apathy and must be corrected for our national standing, otherwise we will be laughed at and outcompeted.
What good is designing a processor if we can make the silicon itself?
> You seem to be "ok" with this, but I think that is apathy and must be corrected for our national standing, otherwise we will be laughed at and outcompeted.
I actually welcome the United Kingdom’s growing economic dependence on its neighbours and other countries. Greater interdependence can hopefully moderate HM Government’s belligerence:
* Lowering the appetite for more illegal expeditionary wars and the untold civilian cost that comes with them,
* Curbing military and diplomatic support for the Israeli genocide in Gaza,
* Leaving UK-controlled territories such as the Chagos Islands, overseas military bases, and Northern Ireland, all of which suffer endless human rights abuses under HM Government,
* Curbing arms sales to authoritarian regimes with dire human rights records, like Saudi Arabia, Cameroon, Egypt, and of course, itself.
Ordinary British citizens would also benefit. Fewer taxes and human lives spent on foreign interventions and more resources directed to neglected communities at home.