Shahadi,
1) In fairness I guess I could've posted the rest of that para from my ref. But I leave it that way as the "hook' to encourage people to just plain take the time to read the article if interested in the topic. We make our lives so busy (And that's somewhat a time management issue to me.) with our electronics it's crazy. I retired my cell phone when I retired from the USN. Anyway my ref. from the last agrees with yours concerning the
mass production price of
~3.8 million per unit.
They are paying the
8 million per now (Estimates range for the first
200 - 400 units) and that price won't drop until the official mass production order is placed. But this is normal in the defense industry and is referred to as an "
offset" this protects the equipment manufacturer (And Governments) from the order being canceled and or any development issues that come along to minimize the companies exposure or if you want instead it's losses in development etc. I see this all the with MEADS, India and the
F-35, ICO the
F-35 someone is making claims they're responsible for the recent price reduction,
not true...
A) The offsets were reduced a couple of years ago by the
USAF shifting the greater "
burden" of the offsets
back to Lockheed Martin to minimize in this case the governments side of offsets, India again, so yes it's a "two way street" and at times one requiring renegotiation.
B) The production orders where increased late last summer by the
USAF when the new Defense budget was submitted and approved for
FY 2017 in Oct. 2016.
In everyday life isn't it more economical to buy something in bulk vice just by the handful? I believe the saying is "
They're cheaper by the dozen."
2) A) They should have around
200 tanks available by time they go into mass production as long the developmental and evaluation phases don't shift to the right. Given the
5 year plan, just with the T-14 ARMATA they'll be looking at
34 tanks a month. Some programs will have to slow down or be put on the back burner. Not all of the first
200 tanks will be combat ready to the final mass production standard chosen by the Russian Army. But I believe of those they should be able to field a regiments worth. That being said, as you mentioned and Don and I have compared notes on this in the past for pilot training as well, that
I feel in my opinion, due to the "expected"
advanced nature of the
T-14 ARMATA and possibly the
T-15 IFV, I feel it'll take
at least a year to properly train the crews to
combat efficiency levels. Minimum 9 months. We know it's about 6-9 month's to fully train on the
T-84 OPLOT-M depending on country user. But yes I can give you a baseline
USA Basic crew training (And nowhere in the ref. does it say "Combat Training" is 15 weeks long or let's for the
sake of simplicity say
4 months.
http://www.goarmy.com/careers-and-jo...r-crewman.html
3) I expect the dates to shift to the right at least a year maybe two. They have been having some technical issues and I believe a minor but, annoying engine problem which is being corrected. We'll tackle that issue as it arises.
4) Sir Nicholas Winton was a stranger to me somewhat until I saw a story a story on
60 Minutes about 3 yrs. ago. What he did when the government(s) refused to help him get those Jewish kids out of Europe, shows what can be done by any of us if we are willing to take the risk. I watch it everytime it comes on. The BBC did a show in his honor for what he did (And it was nice to see his wife was still alive to be there.) but, unknown to him were the survivors, their kids and grand-kids, amazing and I 'm not afraid to say "it gets me everytime.
http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-33350880
CINCLANTHOME and myself through close personal tragedy, have in the later years when I first used this signature can fully agree with this quote, "
If something is not impossible, there must be a way of doing it." If I may before I move on, from my last boat the
USS NEBRASKA SSBN-739G FROM 9/30/92 - 10/7/98 on my plaque at the time of transfer are the words "
Experience is not what happens to a man, it's what a man does does what happens to him." - Aldous Huxley, that's what I believe and has made me the person I try to be here, but more importantly to guide me as the person I am in my everyday life.
5) Captain Beach was an outstanding Submarine CO and awarded the
Navy Cross for his service during WWII.
However, after this person personalized a book (
Thunder Below) for me on the occasion of my retirement, I did on several occasions have the opportunity and privilege to have had at his "direction" several phone conversations with
RADM Eugene Fluckey that was awarded the Medal of Honor and 4 Navy Crosses. He was "
sharp as a tack" at 89 when I first called him to thank him for the way he personalized the book that made me feel more like one of his crew (And my wife.) then a perfect stranger that I was. I would call him at least a couple of times a year, I don't understand the "
connection" it just was. I do know in passing he asked if I was available when he came to the base here for the naming of the Commander Submarine Group Ten (
COMSUBGRU TEN) building was in his honor renamed
FLUCKEY HALL. He knew from the book signing and phone conversations I was stationed there in the Operations Dept. on my "Twilight Tour", I was TAD to San Diego to SPAWARSYSCOM that week. It was ashamed he died from complications from Alzheimer's ironically on my 48th Birthday. I wouldn't find that out until I briefly spoke to his wife it was a sad sad day. Did you know for as long as he and his crew members were able to meet yearly (Once in awhile more often.) that if a former crew member and family from the
USS BARB, (And we all have that one boat and you see mine on every post.) couldn't afford to attend a reunion, he paid their way to include even going on cruises for a reunion which happened over the years on several occasions? All the the proceeds from his book sales went to the cause as well as personal finances at times. I had that CO on that boat. And I would've like Capt. Tehan, have been honored to have served with Capt. Fluckey as well, and gone to "
Hell and Back" you have to remember being on a submarine, we're
a little closer to it.
http://usnhistory.navylive.dodlive.m...ugene-fluckey/
7. Finally (
And Don is saying Thank God!!!) thank you for the kind words, It's been tough over the last couple of years and it's good to hear that once in awhile, especially now that I'm TRYING to "reignite the spark' and get back to business. The last thing I did, I believe, was the UK
HORNET series of planes not because I found them because other people found
similar issues and I was asked for whatever reason to look into. I was honored each and everytime, it reminded me, why I did and wanted to do the work and
for whom. To those guys, again,
you have my deepest appreciation. That's my favorite thing about being here.
Alright, again T-14 ARMATA nice MBT, we'll see it when we see it, and hopefully find out
how good it really is.
Regards,
Pat
