Usually that doesn't mean much and the prerogatives of the individual weapons systems carry the day.
Thus, the military increasingly has been purchasing commercial products for use in U.S. weapons systems.
Never mind buying new weapons systems to replace those that are now a quarter-century old.
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That would mean questioning the whole logic of manpower-intensive weapons systems such as fighter-bombers.
Fundamentally, Russia's military remains anxious to obtain and incorporate Western technologies into its weapons systems.
Russia seems to have buckled under international pressure to abstain from directly selling weapons systems to Iran.
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Rare earths metals play a large role in current modern technology, cruise missiles and other weapons systems.
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The feeling of steering the carrier itself is enjoyable, especially once its weapons systems are brought online.
The aircraft is light-years ahead of the current F-15 and F-16 in stealth capabilities, avionics and weapons systems.
The companies that develop and produce weapons systems often have a misunderstanding about the nature of their federal customer.
So my number-five reason why weapons systems get canceled is sheer managerial incompetence.
It also sells the military a host of advanced communications and weapons systems.
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In other words, our weapons systems are made of parts coming from overseas.
Why do you suppose that companies in the US are capable of developing the most sophisticated weapons systems in the world?
The bulk of the cuts would come from reductions in research and development, funding of new weapons systems and infrastructure creation.
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Those workers perform support tasks across the department, from maintaining aircraft and weapons systems to processing military payrolls and counseling families.
Minister for Defence Equipment and Support, Peter Luff, said weapons systems tested on the range were being used in operations in Libya.
Russia continues to sell sophisticated weapons systems to both Iran and China.
Defence Minister Peter Luff has said testing of weapons systems in the Western Isles made a "valuable contribution" to operations in Libya.
Raytheon ( RTN - news - people ) and Hawker Beechcraft for weapons systems that included Hawk and Patriot missiles.
Unfortunately, the Army has in the past often proven a less than reliable sponsoring service for weapons systems that break new technological ground.
Which is a real shame because there are serious challenges to the development and use of these weapons systems that need to be debated.
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But instead they went beyond their expertise to propose targeting a number of specific weapons systems, some of which they clearly did not understand.
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Originally designed as a specialist anti-submarine ship, the Type 22 frigate evolved into a powerful surface combatant with substantial anti-surface, anti-submarine and anti-aircraft weapons systems.
The global combat ship is being designed to appeal to foreign markets, where foreign navies can install weapons systems and other specification of their choice.
The much-ballyhooed "Dual-Use Initiative" was advertised as the Defense Secretary's plan to cut DoD procurement costs by using commercial technology in weapons systems wherever possible.
Originally designed as a specialist anti-submarine ship, the Type 22 frigates evolved into a powerful surface combatant with substantial anti-surface, anti-submarine and anti-aircraft weapons systems.
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It's much more likely that weapons systems will take the hit.
U.S.-made weapons systems are also hard to kill off because of the political damage cancelations would do with buyers such as Britain, Italy and the Netherlands.
So, too, by buying US weapons systems, Israel has harmed its own military industries, which are blocked from selling or developing systems for the IDF contractors.
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