Originally Posted by
minigundiplomat
Some quibbles on numbers, but generally I agree (that surprises me as much as it does you Saul). The cynic in me thinks standardisation will actually be 27 nations buying whatever Germany and France want to sell them rather than what provides the best capability, but there you go.
Of course France and Germany will be at the center of events, but that's not just because their bigger than most, it's also because their putting in the effort to create a new vision, new structures and ideas.
The restructuring of industries, merging of companies like KMW + Nexter, the long-term investments in new projects..
But of course, it wouldn't be an anglo-board here if there weren't some baseless pork-barrel insinuations aimed at France and Germany!
I mean Airbus didn't just fall from the sky into european laps and Arianespace is still market leader for anyone launching more than a couple cubesats. Worldbeating success stories in sensitive areas.This is what the single market is all about enabling, creating a shared homebase at scale where all business can participate in integrated value chains on merit.
At this point it really is a tried and tested success formula and even the industry knows this is their only chance to meaningful future.
It wont be easy but it will succeed and provide an economic and security winwin for all 27.
The only losses might be expected among US companies that seem to succeed by either dominating their rivals through pure mass and size, or blatant rigging of competitions and appliance of political pressure. Also potentially UK companies who could end up falling through the cracks in both US and EU regard.