Mass Production of modern weapon systems in a total war compared to ww2

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fuser
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Mass Production of modern weapon systems in a total war compared to ww2

#1

Post by fuser » 05 Dec 2016, 10:10

First of all sorry if this is not the right place but I couldn't find a right sub-forum for this question. My question is quite basic i.e Is it possible to mass produce modern sophisticated and much more complex weapon systems in a total war scenario (leaving aside nukes) like in ww2. For example, it takes more than a decade to construct an aircraft carrier, but nations were constructing a dozen aircraft carriers in ww2 per year.

I mean to say can nations really produce thousands of modern aircrafts or Tanks (considering their complexity compared to ww2) per months when push comes to shove.

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Sheldrake
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Re: Mass Production of modern weapon systems in a total war compared to ww2

#2

Post by Sheldrake » 05 Dec 2016, 12:40

It not the platforms but the munitions they use.

Forget the tanks and aircraft. There aren't enough missiles or tank rounds to sustain a major war. These items have a shelf life and may only be usable for a short operational window until some equipment change renders them obsolete. Outside perhaps Russia and China there is no point in amassing the stockpiles of ammunition for any weapon system.

So if there were future major war, the first 48 hours might be fought with modern weapons which would have an advantage over decades old tanks and aircraft, but by day five the T55 is as good a tank as you might need.


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Re: Mass Production of modern weapon systems in a total war compared to ww2

#3

Post by OpanaPointer » 05 Dec 2016, 14:11

Computer Aided Design and robotic construction techniques in a total war economy would be quite impressive. The US produced >9,800 self-propelled ships and boats in WWII. I can easily picture a 50% increase in that figure. This would largely be smaller ships, of course, but imagine UNVs* armed with torpedoes and missiles swarming an enemy fleet and sinking everything without a single loss of life on 'our' side. Or a command ship standing over the horizon while the UNVs invade a port and lay waste to the whole coastline.


*Unmanned Naval Vessels
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fuser
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Re: Mass Production of modern weapon systems in a total war compared to ww2

#4

Post by fuser » 05 Dec 2016, 15:25

CADs, 3D Printers etc are too much futuristic right now imo, so basically everyone just expects a short war. Before going "total war" between two developed nations, it will surely go "nuclear".

Hyperwar is a great site btw, Opana. :milsmile:

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Re: Mass Production of modern weapon systems in a total war compared to ww2

#5

Post by Sheldrake » 05 Dec 2016, 16:00

OpanaPointer wrote:Computer Aided Design and robotic construction techniques in a total war economy would be quite impressive. The US produced >9,800 self-propelled ships and boats in WWII. I can easily picture a 50% increase in that figure. This would largely be smaller ships, of course, but imagine UNVs* armed with torpedoes and missiles swarming an enemy fleet and sinking everything without a single loss of life on 'our' side. Or a command ship standing over the horizon while the UNVs invade a port and lay waste to the whole coastline.


*Unmanned Naval Vessels
I understand there are small manufacturers in Pakistan that turn out first class copies of stinger and SAM7 missiles except for the serial numbers.

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Re: Mass Production of modern weapon systems in a total war compared to ww2

#6

Post by OpanaPointer » 05 Dec 2016, 16:10

fuser wrote:CADs, 3D Printers etc are too much futuristic right now imo, so basically everyone just expects a short war. Before going "total war" between two developed nations, it will surely go "nuclear".
CAD's been around for decades, and 3D printing isn't the only robotic system available. The y-donor worked in a plant with robots back in the '80s.
Hyperwar is a great site btw, Opana. :milsmile:
Thanks. It's approaching critical mass right now, may develop a life of its own. :o
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fuser
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Re: Mass Production of modern weapon systems in a total war compared to ww2

#7

Post by fuser » 05 Dec 2016, 16:25

Well, yes they "exist" in a literal sense but I don't think we are ready for mass producing complex systems with them in near future i.e. let's say 30-40 years.

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Re: Mass Production of modern weapon systems in a total war compared to ww2

#8

Post by OpanaPointer » 05 Dec 2016, 16:33

fuser wrote:Well, yes they "exist" in a literal sense but I don't think we are ready for mass producing complex systems with them in near future i.e. let's say 30-40 years.
Really? What kind of car do you drive? Do you own a computer? A TV?
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Re: Mass Production of modern weapon systems in a total war compared to ww2

#9

Post by fuser » 05 Dec 2016, 17:42

Actually I don't own a Car or a TV but I do have three computers. :D

Probably I am not making myself clear, but let me ask bluntly are we ready to mass produce modern weapon systems and munitions using "robotic construction techniques" right now? Also I was using CAD in relation with robotic manufacturing i.e. using them together to create something like a F-35 without much human involvement.

Because really worldwide right now I see that its increasingly becoming too difficult to manufacture and maintain large quantity of modern weapon systems.

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Re: Mass Production of modern weapon systems in a total war compared to ww2

#10

Post by OpanaPointer » 05 Dec 2016, 19:18

Ah, I see the problem, you are assuming I mean "solely by robotic means". I'm sorry if I gave you that misimpression.
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Re: Mass Production of modern weapon systems in a total war compared to ww2

#11

Post by Stovepipe » 06 Dec 2016, 19:08

look at what is mass produced now, on a grand scale and it's essentially what was being mass produced in WW2; small arms, small arms ammunition,mines, mortar bombs, edged weapons and IEDs and basic armoured vehicles and utility vehicles. Most countries can make this stuff even when sophisticated factories have to shut down or are bombed flat. If you look at all the wars that have gone on since WW2, most have involved the mass production of the above continuing once the main centres of production have been wiped out or are inaccessible, by irregular forces.

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