concerning cruise missiles, you generally are not worried about a huge fleet, but the little bugger headed for your command and control center. in that sense, it doesn't matter who has/is producing them, it matters if one gets sold to the wrong guy.
but to sell jlens as a cruise missile niche sensor is a bit off. this is an irregular warfare (think long conflicts, not short wars) AWACS replacement -- the E-3 costs 4K an hour to fly + a big crew + multiple platforms are required to fly an orbit. the US has spent millions keeping the E-3 in the sky over Iraq -- they would like to let this float up there and provide an air picture.
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concerning cruise missiles, you generally are not worried about a huge fleet, but the little bugger headed for your command and control center. in that sense, it doesn't matter who has/is producing them, it matters if one gets sold to the wrong guy. but to sell jlens as a cruise missile niche sensor is a bit off. this is an irregular warfare (think long conflicts, not short wars) AWACS replacement -- the E-3 costs 4K an hour to fly + a big crew + multiple platforms are required to fly an orbit. the US has spent millions keeping the E-3 in the sky over Iraq -- they would like to let this float up there and provide an air picture.