Lockheed Martin has said that it’s ready to meet demands for F-16 fighter jets if the US and its allies choose to ship them to Ukraine.
So far, the US and its allies have been hesitant to send fighter jets to Ukraine due to concerns that they could be used to target Russian territory. But the Western powers seem less and less concerned about escalation as the US and Germany have now pledged to send their main battle tanks.
Frank St. John, chief operating officer of Lockheed, told Financial Times that there has been a “lot of conversation about third-party transfer of F-16s,” which would involve European nations armed with the F-16 shipping them to Ukraine.
St. John said Lockheed wasn’t involved in the conversations but was preparing for the eventuality. He said the arms maker was “going to be ramping production on F-16s in Greenville [South Carolina] to get to the place where we will be able to backfill pretty capably any countries that choose to do third-party transfers to help with the current conflict.”
The Netherlands expressed openness to sending its F-16s to Ukraine last week, with the Dutch foreign minister saying it would look at any requests for the aircraft with an “open mind.” Another option could be for former Warsaw pact countries that are now NATO members to send their older Soviet-made MiG fighter jets to Ukraine and replace them with F-16s or other modern Western-made aircraft.
A Ukrainian Air Force spokesman claimed on Tuesday that the US and Ukraine have already determined an aircraft that Washington will provide for Kyiv. The spokesman didn’t specify which one, and there’s been no sign from the American side has agreed to send planes.
Throughout the war, Ukraine has been lobbying for the US to provide F-15 and F-16 fighter jets, which would involve months of training for Ukrainian forces. The US has already pledged weapons systems that require extensive training, including the Patriot missile defense systems and M1 Abrams tanks.
Lockheed Martin has benefited greatly from the war in Ukraine as many of its weapons systems are now in high demand, including the HIMARS rocket systems and Javelin anti-tank missiles. President Biden showed his appreciation for the arms maker last May when he visited a Lockheed Martin plant producing Javelins and said, “thank you, thank you, thank you.”
I’m having a psychic premonition… I see another World War in our future. “So long, it’s been good to know you, so long, it’s been good to know you…
Nah, nobodies going to end the world over Ukraine’s clown show.
BCB:
Does it, at all, concern you that Biden isn’t much different from Trump?
Donna what Trump proved was that no U.S. President since at least Wilson was in charge of US foreign policy.
This. All he did is show that the establishment had this little showdown planned and no mere president would stop them. The amount they freaked out over Trump not doing as he was told, the silly shit Trump did instead; it all amounts to nothing. The arms and oil industries still get their world-endangering war to enforce the same status quo that is slowly killing the world.
Unfortunately, that’s not how world wars work. See, world powers give weapons and earmarking capability to eastern Europeans with multigenerational grudges, who go off reservation to attack their rival dragging their allies into a war they thought would only kill the small nation’s people.
Well, you are not wrong.
One does not need to be a psychic to see where all this is going.
Global elite parasites are broke and that usually means next world war to fix things back as they were.
See who is the problem in this process?
Still sheeple do not care to do anything about it…
So, round and round we go…for a another ride to nowhere!
Like a good neighbor, Lockheed is there….
Yep, they are. It is good thing that US has companies like Lockheed Martin to build weapons to keep us safe.
Kenneth:
While I do enjoy your company, I just ask myself why you post on an antiwar website?… Regardless of anything you keep things lively.
He seems to be at least as antiwar as you. He just assigns blame to different parties for starting and continuing the war than you do. On which count you’re both right.
Right, both sides do it. Move on… Truth is, we have a violent history and a violent present. Of course other nations have had violent conflicts, but we are special: we initiate violence to further global dominance via political, financial, and military means.
Nuland’s giddy yapping to her fellow colleagues and conspirators, her barely contained glee at screwing over the Ukrainians in 2014, is the perfect exemplar of how we roll in establishing the casus belli for the next proxy war.
But even worse, we play the zero-sum game armed with unassailable military power to threaten and cower every living person on the planet.
I used to respect the people who intoned on freedom and democracy, but my country has crapped all over respect for both in its pursuit for absolute dominance, motivated not by spreading the beacon of freedom and democracy, but by instilling fear in the hearts of any who live in societies that refuse to submit.
Shorter: I grew up hating bullies and I still do.
“Freedom and democracy” are just the excuses that have traditionally worked on the propaganda end for US interventionists/imperialists. If the country had a different history, its regime would come up with different excuses. And frankly, we seem to be reaching the point where they don’t even feel like they really need excuses, and it’s pretty much just boilerplate/pro forma stuff.
Good point. The thing, like many things, has its own momentum – becoming unconscious, it’s the first step to suicide…
Fair question. Because I am against war. I believe that the best way to keep peace is via strength. Many wars are started when one side feels they can achieve a quick nearly cost free victory over another side.
“Many wars are started when one side feels they can achieve a quick nearly cost free victory over another side.”
And who does that? None other than the country that can do no wrong in your jingoistic mind.
jingoistic cool word. First all countries have done that. Second, I never said that the US can do no wrong. It is not a perfect country. But certainly is a better country to live in than Russia or Iran. In Russia it is against the law to even call the Ukraine situation a “war”.
“First all countries have done that.”
As compared to the US? Tell me more. And I don’t give a f*ck what goes on in Russia since it’s completely irrelevant to my comment.
I think you can google a long list of wars that were started for that reason that do not involve the USA. And why does it bother you that America has freedoms that Russia does not?
Ken:
Here’s a long list of wars, conflicts and forced regime changes the US has been involved since WWII.
A key mandate of US foreign policy is to create and sustain war for the sole benefit of the US economy/geopolitical strategy. The MIC depends on this. Remember, over 50% of global arms production is US based. The American economy is war dependent.
So, please don’t feed us bull$hit about American freedoms as a result of foreign country subjugation.
One of these years/decades, America has to realize it will no longer be a unipolar power in the global theatre.
For the sake of our planet, I hope that happens sooner than later.
We need power balance.
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/6b1af0a20df2aaac40a3398b0d45c4fe1c591d6fdf623c19ea9a4bb106c9182b.jpg
“And why does it bother you that America has freedoms that Russia does not?”
It doesn’t bother me. I don’t care about Russia’s freedoms. You add those things to damn near every one of your comments as if they are relevant. We were talking about wars being started against inferior foes and off we go into the US being a better country to live in. I guess you think that justifies our behavior regardless of its nature.
“You add those things to damn near every one of your comments as if they are relevant”. That statement implies a level of 95 % plus. Why don’t you do your home work and count the number of times I said that vs the number comments I made. I will be curious what that number is. I give you a couple days to do that work.
Oh no, I’ve been exposed. I used hyperbole in a comment section on the internet. You’re still a…..
Yes you have been exposed.
GFY. You do the work since you made the comment.
“US Arms Sales Soared in 2022 Due to Ukraine War” (adjacent post on this thread)
The business of America is business and war is one of our most profitable by far.
Your viewpoint really disgust me, not because of what you say, but because your comments here exhibit endorsement of the common refrain here in the US, that we are somehow superior and therefore entitled to decide what forms of government and society are acceptable.
Your rhetoric exemplifies “The Ugly American” in my view. When speaking with one of the lesser citizens of the world, if they can’t understand American, just yell louder.
My view point disgust you. Too bad. I like America.
Well yes, your viewpoint disgusts me. This much is plainly true. There’s more to my reaction to your trash talk, but the gist of it is your obvious (though perhaps hidden from yourself) lack of awareness of what you signal when you extol viewpoints which have served the MIC for a very long time. Your comments are in tune with what some of us regard as the song and dance played constantly by the MIC and their benefactors in America’s non-stop pursuit of global hegemony.
How do you know if you don’t live there?
Multiple news reports.
Which news reports? Name them and explain why we wouldn’t want to live there.
Why bring Iran into this? Is it because they have a government based on a religion? You, know, like one where the president intones “… and God bless the United States of America” after every address.
Why not bring in Iran? That is a terrible place to live.
“…But certainly is a better country to live in than Russia or Iran…”
China versus Vietnam in 1979 (February 17-March 6). Kuwait versus Iraq in 1990 (August 2-4). Russia versus Georgia in 2008 (August 1 to August 16).
As I later added, as compared to the US. You span almost 40 years. From ’91 to 03, the US did that by its lonesome.
There’s a difference between being contradictory and being sarcastic, the latter having an unfortunate effect on honest discussion.
The past 30 years of history are a clear example of a war that was planned and encouraged by the good old USA. The initiation of warfare in this case was laid out well in advance for anyone who has eyes, ears, and a functioning lump of grey matter. Anyone who claims that hostilities were not planned/hoped for in this case is either a liar or chooses to be deliberately obtuse.
Exactly and that’s why you are on the record(?) opposing the bombings/wars started by the US in Vietnam, Serbia, Libya, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria
I have oppose some of those wars. Have you read all of my comments here and at other places?
This will probably be deleted but you really are a f*king idiot.
I learned a long time ago, that when a person gets upset with the messenger, than that person has lost the argument and is know attempting to recover by attacking the individual. And BTW if I am idiot, than the fact that you read my comments and reply to them, what does that make you?
I’m not upset. I just can’t believe anyone thinks Lockheed Martin “keeps us safe”. And anyone that does think that way is a f*cking idiot. But that’s just my personal take on things.
When you have the courage to call someone an idiot while using your real name let me know. You hide behind a fake name and fire insults on people. That is what cowards do.
And why would my real name make a difference? Do you think I’m afraid you might come and beat me up? I don’t use my name because I don’t want to allow nutjobs to be able to trace me. Nothing about being a coward.
Like I said a coward. It easy to insult people with a phony name.
It’s easy to insult people with a real name, too.
You’re a knee-biting twit! You worship Satan! Your feet stink!
See? Not difficult at all 😉
Every time you piss me off a little you say something like that and make me laugh. Pretty good moderation 😉
Ah, that’s not moderation. It’s just me lipping off.
Hey, works for me 😉 To be clear, moderating is far less easy than some think, especially given the nature of current events. But really, I find you a very welcome presence and am pleased to see the fairness of the ground rules, as followed and as “enforced”. Glad I migrated here…
I’m glad you migrated here too!
Yep. It is. It is also easy to insult people who you disagree with. That happens all too many times. Then one insults leads to a counter insults and it goes on and on. I have decided that I am done with trading insults. For what purpose? I just decided to hit the ignore button on people that drag me into this counter productive game. You and I don’t always agree, but I never recall you saying a nasty remark to me and I hope visa versa.
My name is Rick Anderson. You are a f*cking idiot. Feel better.
Well in the dictionary of improbable histories, KH qualifies as a nut job.
Just like the other guy hide behind a false name and make insults. Nice.
Hide? What an interesting way to characterize a right which can be exercised by anyone here.
In the presence of posters like yourself, I would be more inclined to regard the use of a non de plume as a prudent option myself.
High school sophomore, right?
It wasn’t deleted. The person is an idjit for sure, and obviously harbors violent tendencies. Strange he would frequent a forum dedicated to the opposite of what he espouses.
And you are on a forum that is dedicated to peace and you insult people and not just me. That seems strange.
Apparently the truth as other people see it is regarded as insult by someone like you.
I am constrained from insulting you by the rules here. These are just my opinions of you based on what you write. Actual insults are not permitted by the rules.
” The person is an idjit for sure” That is what you wrote. So by misspelling the insulting word you feel that you have not violate the rules. Do the rules also prohibit your constant insults of the Biden and other officials?
“Lockheed Says It’s Ready With F-16s If US and Allies Choose to Send Them to Ukraine The arms maker says it’s ramping up production of the fighter jet”
Training of even experienced pilots takes at least a year just for basic aviation skills in a jet. It will likely take a few years to train Ukrainians to fly an F-16 in a combat role.
The MiGs that the Ukrainian pilots were flying have instruments calibrated in meters and kilometers per hour for aircraft weight, performance, altitude and speed.
Good luck trying to squeeze 10 pounds of ability into a 1 pound sack.
Ukrainians will quickly become smoking holes in the ground as they fall victim to S-400, S-300 and BUK M3 SAMs.
How much kick back will Loyd J Austin get from Lockheed.
NATO countries also use the same units of measurements as Ukraine. And considering at least half of the 4600 F-16s built went to countries that use the metric system, that is least of the problems encounter in sending F-16s to Ukraine.
I was just looking at pictures of aircraft altimeters — including one for sale on eBay from a Mig-21. Which measured altitude in feet. And as of 2017, Russian commercial air traffic control, etc., had completed transition from meters to feet. You’d think it would be the other way around, but apparently feet is the international standard (I saw a piece by one pilot who says that when flying in Chinese or North Korean airspace, he just uses a conversion card to translate meters to feet).
Obviously any military aircraft is going to have unique aspects that pilots have to master, though.
I have a friend who is pilot for Jet Blue, I sent him a text about this. I have yet to see a reply from him. I will pass his response along.
My sister in law has an uncle who has a third cousin who is an Air Traffic Controller, who told me the answer but he said it might be classified. Therefore, in the interests of national security, I’m hesitant to divulge the truth.
LOL. That is funny.
Isn’t English the language used to communicate with air traffic control on international flights? Wouldn’t altitude be reported in feet as well?
Your are correct English is air traffic control language. Also in civil aviation attitude is in feet, speed in knots and distance in nautical miles. I don’t know what the military uses.
However, Lockheed wants to build new F-16s for Ukraine. If they build F-16s with metric instruments it might work. By that time Ukraine will cease to exist as a country.
If F-16s are sent to Ukraine, they will not be new builds. And you are right about the timing, so hopefully the pilots and support crews are already in training.
We all know, those F16s will have foreign pilots. Best thing Russia can do is capture some of those foreign pilots alive and parade them on International news.
So what? Everyone knew that Americans flew P-40s for China and Spitfires for England before US enter WW2. Also, Americans flew biplanes for France before US was involved in WW1. The Russians flew Migs that they gave to North Korea during the Korea war.
Cluelessness is a thing with you. Hopefully you’ll have a chance to experience the sight of the fireball and give a few microseconds reflection to your role in supporting the end of civilization – with a bit of luck, localized to a degree in the northern hemisphere 😉
So you are hoping for a nuclear explosion near me. And I am the cluelessness one! LOL.
A word from the Vietnam war comes to my mind. “Escalatio”.
“get to the place where we will be able to backfill pretty capably any
countries that choose to do third-party transfers to help with the
current conflict.” … it’s chillingly amusing how they can actually make this stuff sound like a rent party.
The MIC is the evil black heart at Amerika’s core.
Next on the menu – F-16s with NATO pilots.
What could possibly go wrong?
well maybe ukraine actually has guys that could pilot F-16s.
or maybe american pilots will fly them all the while pretending that it is not suddenly US vs Russia.
I know the next two steps. F35 and soon after, nuclear bombs for Ukraine to scare Russia.
“President Biden showed his appreciation for the arms maker last May when he visited a Lockheed Martin plant producing Javelins and said, ‘thank you, thank you, thank you'”…
…while stuffing wads of newly printed ten thousand dollar bills into Lockheed Martin executives’ jackets and pants pockets.
Tweets have gone viral of presidential security hoisting the doddering Biden upright after he knelt at the feet of one Lockheed Martin Executive to wedge bills in his $3500 GUCCI Jordaan loafers.
“Grovel, boy!” a delighted South Carolina Lockheed Martin executive cried in a second viral tweet. “Ah LAAAHK a President that grovels good!”
A thought did cross my mind this morning. Strategically, Russia is playing this well. This conflict has been going on since 2014 after the US sponsored puppet state was created. Long-term attrition that will wear away at resources and eventually EU patience all in hopes of fracturing Western alliances. I still think this is possible, but who knows as the US is hell bent on escalation.
So, if attrition is not working in Russia’s favour, Western supply and militarization of Ukraine will cross a certain threshold of Russian tolerance.
The true test will be when the first tactical nuclear weapon is deployed; most likely an artillery shell since HIMARS will be 100% ineffective in countering. The world will be in shock, but how will it react? I truly think that Russia is willing to do this. Capability is implicit.
What will the West do next? Continental Europe bears the weight and damage of both WWI and WWII, expansion of the USSR, former Yugoslavia, etc. The US, well, basically nothing near in comparison.
Will Europe be ready to up the ante? I truly think, no, it will not.
The next few months shall truly be “interesting times” as they say.
Lockeed, icons of our blood lust for money and power. Their “body language” borders on the sexual.