White House Cuts to F-35 Program Amid Increased Deployments Baffling
By Philip Breedlove, John D.W. Corley, William R. Looney III & T. Michael Moseley
March 26, 2022
During a revival of Cold War tensions in the early 1980’s, President Ronald Reagan laid out his vision of Peace through Strength during a televised address to the nation, stating, “‘Deterrence’ means simply this: making sure any adversary who thinks about attacking the United States, or our allies, or our vital interests, concludes that the risks to him outweigh any potential gains…Once he understands that, he won't attack.”
Reagan set aside anemic spending in the years following the Vietnam War and dramatically increased spending for procuring weapons systems and investing in research and development programs. This influx of cash bought new ships, armored vehicles, and aircraft — many of which serve as the backbones for today’s force. The Reagan buildup resulted in the F-16 and F-15 and paved the way for new stealth fighters, like the F-22 and the F-35. Some argue that the Soviet Union ultimately bankrupted itself by trying to compete with Reagan’s defense industrial push.
In 2012, Mitt Romney was mocked during a Presidential debate for saying the US needed a strong military capability to deter future Russian aggression. Given the current world environment with a Russian-instigated ground war in Europe and Chinese expansionist aspirations in the Pacific, one would say Romney was "spot-on" and the Reagan mantra for deterrence remains relevant in the 21st Century.
https://www.realcleardefense.com/articles/2022/03/26/white_house_cuts_to_f-35_program_amid_increased_deployments_baffling_823882.html
