But technology is all down to economy and finance.
The British are not a force to be reckoned with in any meaningful sense. Most of us don't even want to be. It just cost too much money and puts us in the front line where we don't want to be. Most of defence capability is dependant on making equipment sales to other nations. If the Chinese steal those markets from us by producing fighter aircraft and the like that are of a similar capability but a damned site cheaper, then our defence industries will either collapse or they will place such a strain on competitiveness as a nation, we are not going to be able afford them anyway. We are a medium sized country in a big World. Most of are now getting our head around the fact mutual peaceful coexistence is really the feasible option going forward. Britain will soon be dwarfed in terms of economic size by the BRIC nations.
The US is slightly different. The US will continue to a large economy and to some extent military power. The US has problems though, it already has the highest per capita spending on defence of any developed nation. That is already not enough. Your defence industries also need support from government and international sales. Defence and Aerospace have been areas where despite whatever else is going on in the rest of the economy, you have assumed you have an edge. Technology yes, you will have for sometime to come, if you can afford to keep everything you have in service, commercially it is clear you are going to face stiff competition from China, but also other places as well. If you lose your commercial edge, eventually R & D in other places will catch up and you will lose you technical edge as well.
Powerful nations educate their school children to be proud of their international dominance. It has taken Britain generations to adapt to its new reality post empire. It is likely that a similar situation will prevail in the US. During the cold war most Britain still thought the Royal Navy could take on the Russian Fleet single handedly. The Nelson legacy went very deep indeed.
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Originally Posted by Burnsinternet
If you guys only knew the capabilities of the West. Remember that the F-117? Top notch tech! Circa 1983, only one ever shot down (lucky shot in Serbia), and it is being retired now. When did you actually see one? More than ten years after the first squadron was operational.
Now, imagine what we have that you don't know about. The Brits and the Yanks have incredible research facilities and resources. Don't count us out yet. We will always be able to defend our homelands.
And for all of those who say the West is in decline? You have no idea about what you don't know. Economically, maybe we'll have tough times. We are innovative and resilient. The Brits were a superpower for decade after decade after decade. Who could really take them on in this century? Very few countries. I daresay that Western powers will always be a force to be feared.
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