Yeah, but construction has officially begun, so it may be a little late to change now. Essentially we’re getting overbuilt, underarmed OPVs. Some background here: http://casr.ca/bg-navy-aops-i…

Typical myopic view. While we (Canada) do dramatically underspend on defense now, it wasn’t always that way. NATO judges commitments based on percent of GDP spent on defense because not all countries are as wealthy or densely populated as the US. Historically, Canada’s defense spending was 2% of GDP or higher, which…

Not more than we currently have, more than are currently expected to be be replaced.

The 152mm was 152mm because it was meant to fling HE/HEAT and missiles, so velocity wasn’t required. The biggest problem is that the
Shillelagh was a pretty much a failure, and a little tank was stuck with a big gun which brings up the other problems you mention.

After double checking, you’re mostly right, it was modeled on the Sterling, the Sten’s successor (although similar in many ways). The FG 42 was used for the DLT-20A in ESB. Could have sworn it was used in the original movie, too. My bad.

Just a quick note - the blasters that the stormtroopers use are actually vis-modded FG 42s (

No, not at all. Just a big believer in civil discourse. Using uppercase is a generally recognized equivalent of raising your voice/yelling in text on the internet (as I’m sure you’re aware), so...

Your argument would probably be more effective if you didn’t lead with an insult. Maybe try discussion and reason before jumping to insult and ‘yelling’?

But he’d never buy one, it’s hydrogen powered....

...Up to a point. Their electronics are still behind western equivalents. They gave up trying to produce their own thermal imagers several years back, for example, and have been importing them from France.

There were several very large tank battles during the Iran-Iraq Gulf War in the 80s, and the 91 Gulf War. But no, nothing on a large scale since then. A handful of tank vs tank engagements in the 2003 invasion. Maybe battles involving half a dozen tanks or so on each side in Ukraine.

The problem is that most of the recent conflicts, particularly the ones involving the US, haven’t been between peers in a military sense. Things have been asymmetrical. Large military institutions vs either small and antiquated forces (invasion of Iraq - though tanks still played an important part here, see below) or…

The CIA actually published a history of the plane and its development here:

Actually the sale has been blocked since last year... No Leopards have been sold to Saudi Arabia. That said, there's still pressure to allow the sale to go through, so things could change.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

Easiest way to see is to read the url: this-t-33-named-almost-gave-me-a-buzz-cut, so it looks like it was missing the actual name.

The problem with IFVs would be tanks... Tanks are still overmatched in terms of armour and firepower when compared to IFVs. Something as well armed and armoured as, say, a CV90, still wouldn't stand much of a chance against a Leopard 2.

They still have a role. It's a niche role, but it exists. Air superiority still can't win a ground war, and when you're fighting in open terrain, tanks are still unmatched.

I guess if you want a real-world analog, you could look at many of the expeditions to Africa and South America between the 16th and 19th centuries. Ostensibly they were about exploration and wealth and later on exploration and science, but they still brought along a military contingent because they just didn't know…

Cryo has more uses than just long, sub-light travel. Frozen people don't need much in the way of food, oxygen or space. All important especially when you don't know just how long a trip it's going to be.

"is a very hot business category for both Boring and Airbus right now."