[dougabug]

Your position seems logically and morally indefensible. You accept that you individually and your society as a whole need both a (presumably effective) military and a defense industry. The latter must necessarily engage in significant defense research in order for the former to perform its role.

You say that you want the system to better than the current system. Well, who doesn’t want that? Germany would like to stop buying Russian gas, when it works for them. You draw benefit today from the imperfect system we have today. You could choose to abandon any claim to protection from the existing armed forces of your nation, or you can admit that you are a direct beneficiary of that system, and that it exists to protect you and others like you.

The people protecting you from a Russian invasion don’t deserve Javelin missiles to stop the advance of Russian tanks, or explosive reactive armor to keep them from being blown to bits by enemy shaped charges? Troops being sent now to garrison Poland and other NATO countries against a Russian assault are there on behalf of citizens of all NATO countries.