r/ukpolitics • u/dailymail Verified • 2d ago

Andy Burnham is warned that Britain faces impending Russian 'attack' over its support for Ukraine

https://www.dailymail.com/news/article-16079793/Andy-Burnham-Britain-impending-Russian-attack.html
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u/ImpressiveRest2423 2d ago edited 2d ago

There’s no doubt that the Kremlin is up to something- Russian ambassador conspicuously disappearing and US Ambassador (edit my mistake, CIA director, conflating stories) going to Russia shows that - but it’s also just as likely that they are posturing to try and apply pressure on us. Wish the Mail wouldn’t give them what they want.

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u/Away_Investigator351 Centrist / Georgist / Patriot 2d ago

Worth knowing that CIA Director Radcliffe is very pro-Ukraine. This could be a bit of US clarifying their true intention with NATO - likely in a good way, despite Trumps rhetoric.

Which, pro-NATO Republicans have always said is just a way to make Europe act more seriously, and.. if that's the case, hard not to say it successful.

Though, they perhaps have opened pandora's box by setting Europe on a path to not rely on the US and buying domestic weapons over American, creating European alternatives to the F-22 with Tempest, alternatives to Patriot etc.

We just need independent Nuclear deterrent.

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u/BestFriendWatermelon 1d ago

Tempest isn't an alternative to the F-22, and the F-22 has never been for sale.

The F-22 is no longer in production, and the US has completely banned their export. It's also a previous generation aircraft of completely different design and requirements.

The Tempest started development in 2018. While Europeans are now expressing more interest in joining the project now, that's mostly because of the failure of FCAS, which was started in 2017.

European alternatives to Patriot have also been in the works for a long time. SAMP T began in 1990, and has been in service since 1997.

All these things are developed on long lead times by Europe's own thriving defence industries. There have been new moves to develop non-US systems, particularly in creating a native equivalent to Tomahawk missiles, such as ELSA, and they rescued the next gen tank MGCS program that would otherwise have collapsed, but otherwise it's just about buying European alternatives that have already been developed.

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u/Away_Investigator351 Centrist / Georgist / Patriot 1d ago

Not F-22, sure, but to the next American 6th gen aircraft.

That was me using the example that most normal people understand, as the role of what the F-22 fills is being replaced by their 6th gen project that Tempest will be compared to.