DoD Kills Dough For Tri-National MEADS

DoD Kills Dough For Tri-National MEADS

By Monday, February 14th, 2011 5:19 pm
Posted in Air, International, Land, Policy

The Pentagon announced today it would kill MEADS, an anti-missile program once declared the highest priority weapon system for the United States and its allies to build together.

The Army has tried several times before to kill the program, which uses the Patriot interceptor, but has always been overruled before by the Office of Secretary of Defense. Germany and Italy have made major political and industrial commitments in pursuit of MEADS and they will doubtless let America know just what they think of this decision.

Defense Comptroller Robert Hale said during today’s budget briefing that the partners could go ahead with the program, but the United States would not.


Lockheed, the main US company involved, has lobbied to keep the program alive in the face of an estimated $1 billion price increase. Congress had declined to act on MEADS until Defense Secretary Robert Gates made his decisions about what programs to cut. Now that Gates has decided, Congress seems unlikely to fight to restore funding for the program.

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freefallingbomb February 14th, 2011 at 6:33 pm

Ciao, Signore Berlusconi, Il Cavaliere! Sempre da fun with da bambine lolitas, huh?! It’s me, il tuo amico americano “abbronzato”! Remember da missile we were working on, the M.E.A.D.S.? I took it away from you, and give you no refunds in return!

Ma ricorda gli expensive aeroplano, gli F-35, I’m always working on, and which you wanted to buy? I need more capitali from you – and you get still no plane in return!

Paralus February 14th, 2011 at 9:48 pm

And then we complain about how we can’t rely on our allies or entrust them to invest in R&D. We just helped them waste hundreds of millions of dollars.

Oh, and nice going Army. Crusader, RAH-66, Farcical Combat Systems, MEADS. It’s no wonder people think Army can’t design anything.

jka February 14th, 2011 at 11:07 pm

We need to make sure Europe is safe so Europe can spend money on its’ social programs for the her old people

jka February 14th, 2011 at 11:15 pm

Screw COIN or US defense: we must Fight back the Russian hordes, defend frail Venus from evil Ahmadinejad so her grand EU vision will rise to counter the US (and also support shady German multi-nationals that like to do business were uncle Sam’s people are banned from) . Male Service Members like to give excuses to be stationed in Poland anyhow.

Trophy February 15th, 2011 at 1:15 am

Surprise, surprise. Lockheed strikes again with the cost overruns.

Roland February 15th, 2011 at 3:51 am

I think it is a mistake. I think we need this defense.

@WatchFrogsBoil February 15th, 2011 at 8:35 am

DoD Daily Doles to Lockheed Martin: First in Funding, First in Fraud

U.S. total debt $55.6 trillion and rising … U.S. federal debt $14.1 trillion and rising … U.S. federal deficit $1.5 trillion and rising … U.S. dollar rapidly losing world reserve currency status … as U.S. politicians bought and paid for by multinational corporations (legalized by Citizens United vs. FEC) cut education, close schools, convert asphalt roads to gravel and accelerate America’s descent into oblivion just so they can dole out millions daily to Lockheed Martin and other repeat-offender federal contractors for Rube Goldberg weapons systems and myriad military and non-defense boondoggles as unnecessary, unaffordable and unjustifiable as our unending wars for oil and profit:
http://​watchingfrogsboil​.com/​d​o​d​-​d​a​i​l​y​-​d​o​l​e​s​-​t​o-l…

Bubba February 15th, 2011 at 3:30 pm

Well, it is a trade off.

EADS gets the tanker; Siemens and the gang lose MEADS

freefallingbomb February 15th, 2011 at 5:48 pm

Frau Murkel to Urkel: “The missiles or the loans!”

chockblock February 21st, 2011 at 1:32 am

Ah, PEO Lower Tier. Shoulda done Patriot Lite.

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