Lawmakers choose welfare over national security

[Secure Da Bag]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/russia-china-destroy-u-command-144610547.html

The Air Force is at loggerheads with lawmakers who want to replace the aging JSTARS fleet with 17 new aircraft, even though the service doesn’t want them.

The Air Force wants to push its Advanced Battle Management System plan instead. This program would combine manned, unmanned and space-based platforms to achieve the same level of surveillance, officials said. But the House subcommittee has vowed to limit funding for that plan at 50 percent if the JSTARS program is shelved.

Wilson told the subcommittee on Thursday that even the upgraded JSTARS aircraft would be ineffective against Russian and Chinese defenses in the event of war. “Russian and Chinese surface-to-air missiles have more range,” she explained, “and the plane would be shot down in the first day of conflict.”

So basically, Congress wants to keep the JSTARS program because it provides jobs in their states. Which is basically welfare for their constituents and the MIC. As opposed to having a program that's far more advanced and is as capable as the J-500. Congress' insistence on keeping the JSTARS program is pretty much giving Russia the advantage. Arguably, that would be collusion, as indirect as it is.

 

[hashmander]

these same congressmen will tell you that the govt doesn't create jobs.