U.S. Refuses to Hand Over Fighter Source Code to UK 558
orbitalia writes "The UK is heavily involved in the JSF (Joint Strike Fighter program) but has recently considered abandoning the project because the US refuses to share the source code. The UK had intended to purchase $120 billion dollars worth of aircraft to operate on two new aircraft carriers, but is now seriously considering Plan 'B'. This is likely to be further investments in the Eurofighter Typhoon project." From the article: "It appeared that Tony Blair and George Bush had solved the impasse in May, when they announced an agreement in principle that the UK would be given access to the classified details on conditions of strict secrecy. The news was widely seen as evidence that the Prime Minister's close alliance with the American President did have benefits for Britain ... 'If the UK does not obtain the assurances it needs from the US then it should not sign the Memorandum of Understanding covering production, sustainment and follow-on development,' the MPs insisted."
Forget the JSF... (Score:2, Funny)
Can't they just reformat the planes? (Score:5, Funny)
If that does't work, there should at least be a LGPL version, right?
Re:12bn pounds not 120 billion dollars (Score:3, Funny)
Embarassment (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Can't they just reformat the planes? (Score:4, Funny)
Re:Does it run Linux? (Score:5, Funny)
Re:Let them squabble (Score:3, Funny)
Comment removed (Score:3, Funny)
Re:Stupid decision, but what do we know? (Score:2, Funny)
Please hold for the Prime Minister (Score:5, Funny)
"One moment, please hold for the Prime Minister"
(pause)
"Hello, Mr. Stallman? I understand you have some experience applying political pressure to closed-source vendors, I wonder if..."
Re:Someone's been watching Battlestar Galactica (Score:4, Funny)
Mon dieu! Jacques -- turn this canoe around! The Americans, she is on to us!
Re:Let them squabble (Score:1, Funny)
PS: The 'trap' concept dates back a bit further than the 40s. If you mean frequency agile remote detonation of multiple stacked shaped charges collected from Soviet era mutions and/or laser ignition anti-armor warheads from French military depots in Africa, then sure I guess that's a bit closer to the 40s... sorta. Not really, though.
Re:Embarassment (Score:3, Funny)
So the real reason that the US won't force the release of the code is that it doesn't want to be accused of terrorism?
Re:Let them squabble (Score:3, Funny)
We apologize for that, Recently it was noticed by the Secret service that George Bush had a very shiny Paperweight on his desk. It has beenthere for nearly 4 years now, removing it last month solved many of the decision problems he was having.
Research shows it was left by the Clintion Administration...
So this war is Bill Clinton's fault, he left something very shiny and distracting on the oval office desk which distracted the President.
Re:Can't they just reformat the planes? (Score:3, Funny)