It does not matter who we buy our kit from, if they have ITAR or other agreements that we can not sell, deploy or use equipment elsewhere/ specific spots in the world then our hands get tied.
Look at Ukraine and the allies trying to ship them tanks, ammunition, munitions air defence etc early in the war.
This country wont allow their ammo to be sold to them, this country wont allow their outdated retired sold off to salvage yard tanks to be transferred to them. This country wont allow a computer system to be sold and the list went on and on. Not just with US ITAR but many European countries. Then all of a sudden everyone said F it. We need to get the equipment to them one way or another. It really is funny how million man army on your door step threatening you tends to make all those restrictions go away fairly quickly.
If the US were to say their engines wont be allowed for Canada to use in the Gripen then Canada builds their own. If the electronics in the avionics are not allowed then Canada builds their own. Maybe CAE limits what the US can use that is of their propriety, intellectual property. Then maybe the European and Canadian Defence industry starts to limit US Access to their knowledge and skills. (will put the hurt on them more then many of you would expect).
Korea stepped away and build their own defence industry using what they have access to and using what works from their allies. They have done pretty well for the past few years.
Whatever the provenance of that, the reality is that the US wields ITAR as a significant lever. And after Trump, nobody trusts that Americans won't weaponize that leverage further. It'd be crazy to simply handwave that threat away. Why should the rest of the world have to suddenly worry about their defence systems everytime some voter in Bumfuck, Ohio thinks the price of eggs is too high?
Is American kit better? Undoubtedly. Is European or Asian kit terrible? No. We can accept the risk of a bit less capability and still keep the Dragonbear at bay. Paradoxically, relying less on the US, also deters Russia and China more because they know the US isn't needed for those countries to fight back.
Is American Kit really better?
They usually end up buying or "hostile"collaborating with others to build their own kit. I would say the defence company alliances have provided the US with most if not all of their actual expertise from outside of the US for their better kit. The US has used and abused their "partners" for decades to better themselves. Often forcing the if you want to sell this item to us then we have to control the company. Remember We are the biggest buyer of this kit. So take our offer or leave it. In my opinion this has limited many to expand the bar, and or allow a cheaper process to be found.
All one has to do is look at the lack of ability for us to build munitions and their components on a large scale, the costs are prohibitive and the specialized parts are no longer in production. Some how we cant produce those parts, and produce them in any quantities.
Yet we are seeing Ukraine and Poland with their gloves pulled off making things happen, with the help of all the team. While the allies remove some restrictions, Ukraine and Poland are working between the lines and getting things done.
Then look at the US and their tactic of we want this tech right now for ourselves. We don't want to pay for it.
Where Israel has specifically partnered up with Ukraine for anti Drone and missile defence among a couple of things. When the US tried to step in Israel did it anyways.
