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One Reason the U.S. Military Can’t Fix Its Own Equipment

nytimes.com

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Re: One Reason the U.S. Military Can’t Fix Its Own Equipment

#31

Post by Cthulhu_ »

lostgame wrote: post #6
ProAm wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Paying for content you want to read. Good journalism isn't cheap, this is one of those things you shouldnt pirate.

If I could pay somehow on a per-article basis, for the articles I stumbled upon - I would. I don’t regularly read NYT and would have no use for a monthly subscription as HN is the only place I see (unfortunately) regularly posting from NYT. What we need is some kind of universal pass for articles that you pay a monthly fee for, and then as you read the articles from the sites it supports, it pays that publisher. Addi…

Dutch startup Blendle tried to do this, working with national newspapers to sell articles on a per-article basis. NY Times was one of their investors.

Re: One Reason the U.S. Military Can’t Fix Its Own Equipment

#32

Post by paganel »

mothsonasloth wrote: post #28

The British military have the same problems. It's disgusting how a prestigious military force has been reduced to a pitiful size reliant on contractors to install airconditioning units, weekend warriors who fly in and out on short tours and vehicles that have had "extended life" programs instead of making new ones. Meanwhile the Russians and Chinese have been building next generation ground, air and sea units. The UK…

> M4/SA80/G36/FAL/Famas and fight when the Russians come rolling through the Fulda gap.

Not to be a downer, but judging by the most recent European land war (the one in Ukraine) just picking up a "M4/SA80/G36/FAL/Famas" won't do that much in terms of stopping the enemy, you need kick-ass artillery and a kick-ass air-force, otherwise you're just sending those men into a meat grinder. That, of course, if we don't engage in a nuclear war, in which case the discussion is totally different.

Re: One Reason the U.S. Military Can’t Fix Its Own Equipment

#33

Post by pjc50 »

mothsonasloth wrote: post #28

The British military have the same problems. It's disgusting how a prestigious military force has been reduced to a pitiful size reliant on contractors to install airconditioning units, weekend warriors who fly in and out on short tours and vehicles that have had "extended life" programs instead of making new ones. Meanwhile the Russians and Chinese have been building next generation ground, air and sea units. The UK…

The fundamental problem is that it's not actually required to work because it's not a defensive war, it's an overseas adventure.

If you want to see the most amazing military innovation on zero budget, it's being done in Syrian garages or on the streets of Hong Kong. If they fail, the innovators themselves are in physical danger.

The lesson of the Iraq war was that it's possible to throw a trillion dollars into an overseas disaster and all the comfortable profiteers back home remain fine. Why should they change without a gun pointed at them?

(There was definitely a phase of WW2, the first year or so, where all the inadequate British kit got replaced at urgent speed)

> Are the technicians going to fly in to a warzone or if push comes to shove pickup a M4/SA80/G36/FAL/Famas and fight when the Russians come rolling through the Fulda gap

At the rate things are going, the technicians will simply be bought out by the Russians.

Re: One Reason the U.S. Military Can’t Fix Its Own Equipment

#34

Post by pbhjpbhj »

close04 wrote: post #14
kop316 wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wish I had your optimism. They usually do have those. But when they blow then off, there's usually very little recourse the government can do. There is usually very little in a contract language for what happens when they get blown off, so the person with the broken Humvee (as an example) has to contact the appropriate government entity (contracting officer) to contact the company rep. So the company gets a slap on…

In addition, while there are fines stipulated in any such contract for breach of SLA, in reality it's almost always cheaper to pay the fine than actually meet the SLA. One would ask "why not increase the fine?". The answer is nobody would sign a contract with you without guaranteed profit. So if the risk outweighs the reward there's no deal.

Couldn't you do something like make (via legislation) any item on commercial sale subject to a minimum 10 year warranty on workmanship [for military purchasers] for repair or replacement, up to a value of X% of company revenue.

When you made a lemon, surely it's then cheaper to replace with a current product than it is to go to court; and being a military supplier would be a high status indication so don't companies (any making products that aren't adjective crap) should still want to make money through creating good products?

Re: One Reason the U.S. Military Can’t Fix Its Own Equipment

#35

Post by pbhjpbhj »

lostgame wrote: post #6
ProAm wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Paying for content you want to read. Good journalism isn't cheap, this is one of those things you shouldnt pirate.

If I could pay somehow on a per-article basis, for the articles I stumbled upon - I would. I don’t regularly read NYT and would have no use for a monthly subscription as HN is the only place I see (unfortunately) regularly posting from NYT. What we need is some kind of universal pass for articles that you pay a monthly fee for, and then as you read the articles from the sites it supports, it pays that publisher. Addi…

Like Brave?

Re: One Reason the U.S. Military Can’t Fix Its Own Equipment

#36

Post by Ididntdothis »

I always wonder what they will do if there is a big war (maybe one that affects the homeland which is something the US is not used to) and the contractors decide fighting in this war is not good for business or they just want more money? Are they going to suspend IP laws and other contracts? It seems really weird that to have a military that’s dependent on other parties they can’t control.

This structure works ok if you have wars in other countries with weak enemies and you are just wasting money. But what about a big war where the nation has to put all resources into the war effort?

Re: One Reason the U.S. Military Can’t Fix Its Own Equipment

#37

Post by jlawson »

Ididntdothis wrote: post #36

I always wonder what they will do if there is a big war (maybe one that affects the homeland which is something the US is not used to) and the contractors decide fighting in this war is not good for business or they just want more money? Are they going to suspend IP laws and other contracts? It seems really weird that to have a military that’s dependent on other parties they can’t control. This structure works ok if…

They'll just nationalize the factories.

Not just existing military factories - civilian infrastructure will be converted where possible. E.g. a car factory changes to making military vehicles.

If necessary, guys with guns will arrive to ensure that production continues.

Lots of historical references on this sort of thing from the WW2 era.

Re: One Reason the U.S. Military Can’t Fix Its Own Equipment

#38

Post by travisoneill1 »

Ididntdothis wrote: post #36

I always wonder what they will do if there is a big war (maybe one that affects the homeland which is something the US is not used to) and the contractors decide fighting in this war is not good for business or they just want more money? Are they going to suspend IP laws and other contracts? It seems really weird that to have a military that’s dependent on other parties they can’t control. This structure works ok if…

> a military that’s dependent on other parties they can’t control

What makes you think the military can't control them?

Re: One Reason the U.S. Military Can’t Fix Its Own Equipment

#40

Post by kevin_thibedeau »

ProAm wrote: post #4
bitlax wrote: post #3

What is the workaround for the New York Times paywall?

Paying for content you want to read. Good journalism isn't cheap, this is one of those things you shouldnt pirate.

Then don't implement dark patterns for account cancellation.
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