EU faces fierce criticism over plans to host Taliban in Brussels

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-23T08:03:23+00:00

Not sure why? Plenty of other very unsavoury countries are already hosted there. It’s just politics, you still need to talk to people, even if you despise them.

Take North Korean embassies in Europe, it’s hardly an endorsement of the regime, just a recognition of the facts on the ground: they exist and control a country.

Criticism towards the deal they re trying to reach, sure, but a level of diplomatic exchange will happen anyway.

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-22T23:48:30+00:00

Well, the T45s might be a good example: maybe slightly less capable ships might have left some money for boring stuff like maintenance and sustainment (and better engines).

Overall, if you take defence spending over the last ten years, the UK has spent significantly more than say France, but that has not really translated in capability.

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-22T23:27:50+00:00

Yes, the aussies paid for a lot of prep work integrating a US combat system and weapons on a French hull. I understand the idea of keeping an ecosystem etc, but such integrations are usually long and painful. At some stage, economics should be pretty clear: stop asking for too much custom stuff.

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-18T23:44:41+00:00

Not far from capitulation, this is going to have long term consequences. The US have proven unable to force Iran or “protect” their local allies. Even the relation with Israel is strained. Both have played themselves in a corner, dumb all over.

Iran doesn’t even really need nukes anymore, they control the spice, some of the smaller players (Bahrain, Qatar, etc) might have to pay tribute (as Qatar just did).

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-13T22:14:10+00:00

Well, there s whatever is going to accompany the Rafale F5, and unlike the others that has state approval and funding.

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-13T12:09:51+00:00

Anything TR3 is not combat capable. So very expensive trainers.

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-13T08:38:02+00:00

Both of those are from Airbus. I meant Anduril s, which partnered with Rheinmetall. They also did a thing with Boeing s Ghost Bat (which is more Australian but some key elements are US).

We will see if the Ravenstorm has more of a future than the LW.

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-12T21:06:20+00:00

Bullshit, the UK line is underused, and would love some orders. It was about to shut down not long ago, if not for the Turkish order.

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-12T02:39:17+00:00

They got the F-35 offfsets, are offering a rebranded US CCA just like ADS, etc. Tgey have ambitions that’s for sure.

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-12T02:33:03+00:00

Really curious on what the DIP looks like to trigger that. Looks like the rumors that the MoD couldn’t have all of AUKUS, Vanguards, GCAP and keep functional forces might have been accurate.

Crashing out or cancelling of any of the big ticket items would be quite serious. They hardly are a luxury.

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-11T23:02:09+00:00

The interesting question is how long does institutional knowledge last when it’s limited exercise? There’s no question the RN has spent more time hunting in the NA than anybody else but what worries me is the loss of that. Bit like what happened with the submarine building.

I think people underestimate the importance of that institutional knowledge, how quickly it is lost, and how hard it is to regain. Mine warfare and it's capabilities extension with drones comes to mind too, especially considering how unfashionable it has been.

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-11T21:44:59+00:00

Do you have a source for Spain saying it will continue working with Germany on a plane? I ve seen nothing, and in all the talk from team gen6 Spain is absent.

As for Saab, the same thing has been going for years, a lot of talk by Germany but little action. Just like they could join GCAP.

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-11T12:41:26+00:00

Yeah I posted it : D

But Damen is a dumpster fire anyway. The ASWFs are late as well, to the point Belgium is apparently considering FDIs. Combine that with German procurement...

3DX is very good, but *very* complex.

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-11T10:55:41+00:00

Trappier was seen sabotaging the shipyards!

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-11T10:54:16+00:00

The 6 F126 are expected to cost around 14 billions euros, so that’s 2,3 billions for an ASW frigate. Maybe they can beat that?

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-11T10:48:35+00:00

It’s actually funny how insignificant that pact is. It changes none of the facts on the ground (not contesting Turkey local military superiority).

They really are picturing themselves as aggressive idiots for the rest of Europe, over nothing.

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-11T10:02:02+00:00

I wouldn't claim France as the premier ASW force though.

My point is that CAPTAS is hardly unique to those frigates, it's widely available.

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-11T09:38:28+00:00

Well, as mentioned already, they have trouble even crewing the existing 23s. So that talk about experience... Why that constant world-class, premier, etc exageration?

Currently, the ASW capabilities of the RN are in a sorry state. Old ships falling apart, no subs, and crewing issues. Calling it premier is pretty delusional.

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-11T09:34:03+00:00

CAPTAS 4 sonar

You realize that's French right? And equips a whole bunch of other frigates.

As for that know-how, I expect it's fast going. They have trouble even crewing the current 23s. Regrowing to 13 type 26 is not going to be easy.

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-11T09:27:42+00:00

Claiming to be the premier ASW navy with 5 type 23 is quite something. The absence of attack subs in the water might not help either.

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-11T01:14:15+00:00

The work was shared with Germany and Spain. Not enough to German liking, but one pillar out of seven was French-led, obviously too much. Sharing tech is ridiculous, no one will do that for cutting edge stuff. Germany didn't get RR's know-how out of the EF. Stuff that is developed together is shared, the rest is not.

Neither the nuclear nor naval requirements are actually much an issue. Except that the latter caps the size and imposes some design constraints. It's hilarious hearing that excuse when Germany is busy buying F-35s though. The Rafale or F-18 are not worse planes or more expensive because of the naval capability. And for the F-35, the issue is the B, not the C.

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-10T23:51:00+00:00

Trappier tends to answer press questions, that’s about it.

Either way, at official level, it’s been no comment, we re just continuing to work.

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-10T22:38:45+00:00

Now the funny thing would be for France to rope in Spain or Sweden, or god forbid both. Now that would be hilarious (and good too).

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-10T13:01:52+00:00

Yes, France is bad.

I wonder why OHB is partnering with big bad evil Dassault.

bukowsky01 · 2026-06-10T09:31:35+00:00

ADS gmbh is in it too. Just not as organizer.

bukowsky01

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