"Scott Ferrin" wrote in message
...
You are sort of ignoring reality here a bit, Keith. You seem to have
forgotten the UK (like those "peaceful" Searchwater radars that were
agreed
for sale?), French (everything from Crotale to the licensed helicopters
that
form the basis for the only real attack helo that the PLAAF has, the
WZ-9),
Italy (Aspide and current attempts to sell Grifo for the PRC's new
fighter
programs). Yes, the US has (pre-89) sold some very limited weapons to the
PRC, and likely, despite some attempt to control it through the contract
conditions, some of the past satellite assistance did yield some support
to
the PLA missile program. But if you are going to hang the US for that,
just
what the heck do you consider the recent news that the EU and the PRC are
hopping into the same bed with Gallileo? *That* program is going to have
more impact on PRC military programs than did the old US tech transfers.
Which is going to be a real bitch. Imagine a decade or two in the
future (if that ) and something serious going on with the
US/Taiwan/China thing. Even if the US had the capability at that
point to take out the Galileo satellites their hands would be tied by
the prospect of all the users from "allied" countries being SOL. Not
to mention the heat the US would take for doing it. Would it be
possible for the US to jam Galileo while leaving Navstar working? Who
knows but I'll bet someone is thinking real hard about it.
So how would it be better if the Chinese stuck with Navstar or
switched to Glonass ?
Keith
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