Yes, after decades of relying on American military power to defend Europe, Europe is definitely providing security to others. To China, actually:
If the People's Liberation Army went to war tomorrow, it would field an arsenal bristling with hardware from some of America's closest allies: Germany, France and Britain.
Most of China's advanced surface warships are powered by German and French-designed diesel engines. Chinese destroyers have French sonar, anti-submarine-warfare helicopters and surface-to-air missiles.
Above the battlefield, British jet engines drive PLA fighter bombers and anti-ship strike aircraft. The latest Chinese surveillance aircraft are fitted with British airborne early warning radars. Some of China's best attack and transport helicopters rely on designs from Eurocopter, a subsidiary of pan-European aerospace and defense giant EADS.
But perhaps the most strategic item obtained by China on its European shopping spree is below the waterline: the German-engineered diesels inside its submarines.
Well that's just effing great.
So by all means, Europe Union, rationalize your national-based defense industries. I'm sure you can pass the savings on to your Chinese customers.
Meanwhile, the EU isn't getting its own armed forces apart from national forces earmarked to the EU any time soon:
British Prime Minister David Cameron scoffed at the notion that the EU should have its own military capabilities.
"It makes sense for nation states to cooperate over matters of defence to keep us all safer... but it is not right for the EU to have capabilities, armies, air forces and the rest of it," Cameron said.
"We have to get that demarcation correct between cooperation which is right, but EU capabilities which is wrong," he said.
And PLA capabilities, which is just dandy, of course. What the heck, Europe no longer needs to be a consumer of security we provide!
I think this is called sophisticated, nuanced diplomacy.
UPDATE: And China's space program has gotten a lot of help from Europe, including building their GPS network that is essential for cheap precision weapons and navigation.
Although I'm sad to say we played a role in this dual-use angle, too. I'll only say that at least in the 1980s, we were counting on China to absorb Soviet power that would otherwise be focused on us.
UPDATE: Israel is involved, too. After some past transfers involving the cancelled Lavi fighter project and airborne early warning and control technology (Phalcon, I think?), I would have thought that Israel wouldn't have even tried to push the envelope on understandings with us.
What the heck. The Europeans and Israelis have all the confidence in the world that we can win even if China is stronger because of their help. I mean what's the worst that can happen? More American troops die? Big picture, people! Big picture!
