Newsgroup: it.politica.internazionale
Titolo: il V-22 ovvero il complesso militar-industriale dell'Impero

Il V-22 e' si una macchina volante ma e' anche un interessante esempio
del
funzionamento del complesso militar-industriale dell'Impero. 
E' notabile infatti la relazione tra chi ordina gli armamenti e chi li
produce,
essendo che chi ordina sa che alla sua pensione un caldo posto da
consulente
(o un posto nel board) lo attende tutto ci si puo' aspettare tranne
che una scelta
oculata di cosa comprare - chi si voglia imbarcare in una lettura a
tratti
affascinante e a tratti davvero esilarante puo' partire da qui sotto 
http://www.g2mil.com/V-22struggles.htm
 
 un minimo di conoscenza tecniche rendono piu' comprensibile i vari 
dettagli ma la "big picture" e' secondo me afferrabile anche da chi 
non abbia particolari conoscenze dell'argomento 
[..] 
Despite serious problems with the V-22, the Pentagon's Chief of
Testing, Pete Aldridge, reviewed the program and on May 23, 2003
announced the V-22 was testing well and that increased production
should be considered.  He retired the next day and became a board
member for Lockheed-Martin where he earns $75,000 a year to attend
meetings, plus $75,000 in stock options.  Aldridge joins Norman
Augustine, who became a Lockheed Martin board member shortly after
completing work as part of an independent panel which reviewed the
V-22 program after two deadly crashes in 2000.  This four man "Blue
Ribbon Panel" concluded the V-22 could be fixed and production should
continue.  Mr. Augustine made tens of millions of dollars in 2001
cashing in Lockheed Martin stock options.  After completing work as
head of the Blue Ribbon Panel, retired Marine General John Dailey
became an outside director for Smiths Aerospace.  A few months later,
Smiths won a major contract for V-22 components from Boeing, the maker
of the V-22. 
     While the V-22 was considered for cancellation in 2001, there was
heavy political lobbying to save it.  The Boeing effort was led by
General Richard Hearny, the former head of Marine Aviation, who
retired in 1996 and is Vice President for business development at
Boeing. The lobby effort for Boeing's partner, Bell Helicopter, was
led by its Vice President for government relations, General Terrence
R. Dake, who retired from the Marines in 2000 after heading Marine
Aviation. The effort at Headquarters Marine Corps was led by the head
of Marine Aviation, General Fred McCorkle (left). Soon after retiring
from the Marines in  October 2001, McCorkle joined the board of
directors and as a senior advisor for GKN Aerospace Services (V-22
fuel tanks).  He also serves on the Rolls-Royce North America board of
directors (V-22 engines), and is a member of the board of directors of
Lord Corporation (V-22 components).  In addition, he has served as a
consultant for Boeing Aerospace (V-22 maker) and Optical Air Data
Systems (V-22 low airspeed indicator).
     While these Generals receive an $8000 a month retirement check
from the Marines, a tradition has emerged in which the head of Marine
Aviation is financially rewarded after retirement for not rocking the
boat.  Questioning the progress of the V-22 is difficult since the
current head of Marine Aviation must challenge his former bosses
working for defense contractors.  This was revealed during a December
2000 news conference when a reporter asked General McCorkle if the
Corps might abandon the V-22.  McCorkle replied: "that would be
something above my pay grade, quite frankly."  At that time, McCorkle
was a three-star General and head of Marine Aviation, yet he
considered the future of Marine Aviation to be in the hands of others.
 McCorkle saw himself as a just a salesman whose loyalty to the V-22
program would make him a wealthy executive.
[..] 
Una spesa militare decisamente fuori controllo ha affondato la Unione
Sovietica,
il che fa ben sperare che gli US avranno quindi un destino simile alla
CCCP.
Bye

CCCP.
Certo certo Pirlissima(TM)... :)))
-Stefano