From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.5-pre1 (2020-06-20) on ip-172-31-74-118.ec2.internal X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-0.5 required=3.0 tests=BAYES_05 autolearn=ham autolearn_force=no version=3.4.5-pre1 Date: 17 Jun 93 09:16:00 EDT From: "JS::TERANG" Subject: re: almost working software & cheap, abundant weapons Message-ID: <9306171334.AA05631@ajpo.sei.cmu.edu> List-Id: E L E C T R O N I C M A I L (DDN Host Address: JS3-VAX.HANSCOM.AF.MIL) Date: 17-Jun-1993 09:16 From: Lt Gregory P. Teran Username: TERANG Dept: ESC/JST Tel No: 377-4997 TO: _WINS% ( _DDN[INFO-ADA@AJPO.SEI.CMU.EDU] ) Subject: re: "almost" working software & cheap, abundant weapons >> Given a choice between two weapons, one "almost" working but abundant >> cheap and available now, and one working but scarce expensive and ready >> in ten years, any soldier would rather put up with the former. Well, I'm sure that's true for some weapon systems, but "almost" working software has a tendency to turn airplanes into lawn darts. No thanks. >> Unfortunately the famous military-industrial complex is geared, at least >> in peacetime, to producing weapons that are complicated expensive scarce >> and take forever to develop... That's both true and unfortunate. A battalion of cavalry are less complicated, less expensive, and more readily acquired than a tank. I would rather have the tank, under most circumstances. Unless the cavalry guys had RPGs. But that would make them expensive, complicated cavalry. It seems the price of superior military leverage is high, the details are tedious, and the wait is long. I'm getting paid to try to fix that, but it's been real tough going so far. Greg Teran opinions expressed above are NOT necessarily those of Electronics Systems Command, AFMC, USAF, or DOD.