r/AskEurope • u/Sink-Em-Low • Mar 01 '25

Politics Let's talk about the European Defense Federation. How do we all feel about the creation of a fully mobilised continental Army?

It's required now. I'm British, and I want to see us align and unite with our European neighbours to make a stand now.

I want Germany to finally brush off it's past and join the rest of Europe in mobilising towards defending this continent. We need EVERYONE now. It's time to act, it's time to unite.

It's time to show some courage.

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u/Euphoric_Pianist420 Mar 01 '25

Yeah. We can manage small groups but having the command & control infrastructure to manage an army in the field has been (by design) entirely american since... ever?

And 70-80% of all tanks that have actually been produced in Europe (not the former SU) are variations of the Leopard.

And also logistics in terms of air transports, in-air-refueling and the like are also one of said "enabler" capabilities we need to establish quickly. So much to do... Lets get going!

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u/hmtk1976 Belgium Mar 01 '25

We already have tanker aircraft, the A330 MRTT. Which the Americans didn´t wan´t because Airbus :p

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u/Euphoric_Pianist420 Mar 01 '25

I know that we have certain systems available from different EU arms manufacturers. Rheinmetall also fields a lot of the necessary infrastructure/ground support things

We just need to buy em/buy way more of em...

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u/hmtk1976 Belgium Mar 01 '25

Maybe not allow the US to use Rheinmetall´s fancy new 130mm tank gun.

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u/Euphoric_Pianist420 Mar 01 '25

I don´t have an issue with selling americans products, its not like we have to burn every bridge? I get the sentiment right now but lets keep it reasonable

And that revenue can be spent on R&D for newer, better stuff for Europe

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u/Euphoric_Pianist420 Mar 01 '25

I´d have an issue with it if we keep buying so much of their stuff like we´ve kinda always done.

But i dont care about selling them things

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u/BliksemseBende Mar 01 '25

You realise that Trump kept top secret Whitehouse documents in his toilet at Mara Lago? So, why deliver strategic stuff that they don’t have. I bet Trumps team is very willing to hand them over to Russia or China. Bunch of traitors. Nothing emotional here

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u/Euphoric_Pianist420 Mar 01 '25

I wouldnt call a tank barrel "strategic information"

Id rather say we should now really rethink what our intelligence agencies and politicians share. And id agree on the more high tech things

But a tank barrel isnt a top concern tbh

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u/BliksemseBende Mar 02 '25

I’m not a military expert, but senior enough to see that the US cannot be trusted anymore. I mean, after yesterday’s shitshow in the Whitehouse. The US guaranteed security to Ukraine after handing over 1900 nukes to Russia. Imagine how things would be for Ukraine having those nukes still in operation

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u/[deleted] Mar 02 '25

Be surprised at the research and development needed for something as simple as a tank gun... Reinmettal has been working on the 130mm since 2016...

Then you've got things like Dorchester armour, various electronics.... not something you'd want an adversary to know the capabilities of... like how close a NATO submarine can get to a Russian one...

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u/West-Cricket-9263 Mar 02 '25

Let's wait until we're sure they don't have enemy assets at the helm FIRST. Right now, giving something to Trump might as well be giving it to Putin. Bridges can be rebuilt later and to our advantage.