Keith W wrote:
"D" wrote in message
nk.net...

----------
In article , "Keith W"
wrote:


However the OP also claimed those revenues were available
for weapons purchases. This does not follow, in fact the total

^^^^^^^^^


Compared with the defence budgets of the USA ($417 billion),
or even the UK ($55 billion) this isnt going to buy
a lot of development.

^^^^^^^^^^^

He was not discussing "development" but "acquisitions" (i.e. "purchases").
Their equipment is relatively cheap to buy compared to the US.



The subject line is the Sukhoi PAK-FA - a system IN DEVELOPMENT

Duh !


What we're discussing is theoretical, and in that regard the original
poster
was right--the increase in Russian oil revenues _should_ make more money
available for buying weapons. But they are not really doing that.



Only if the government had no other calls on the money, it does.
Quite correctly (IMHO) they have decided that paying the wages
of the people who work for them and getting the healthcare
system at least to a level where Russia no longer has
one of the worst mortality rates outside the third world are
rather more important than developing 5th gen fighters.

Keith


But i wonder what a fully funded Sukhoi or Mig could produce?
They seem to have done a lot on table scraps.........

Bob

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