How the West Lost Its Manufacturing and Software Engineering Capabilities
By
milkglass
The bagel they save for the regulars. Don't skim, savour.
Summary
The article draws a parallel between the erosion of manufacturing capabilities in the defense industry—exemplified by Raytheon's struggle to restart Stinger missile production after a 20-year gap—and the ongoing degradation of software engineering skills in the West. It argues that both fields have suffered from a loss of institutional knowledge, reliance on outdated systems, and a failure to maintain production and development pipelines, leading to critical vulnerabilities when crises emerge.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledThey brought back engineers in their 70s to teach younger workers how to build a missile from paper schematics drawn during the Carter administration.
The Pentagon hadn't bought a new Stinger in twenty years. Then Russia invaded Ukraine, and suddenly everyone needed them.
The production line was shut down. The electronics were obsolete.
The defense industry lost the ability to make weapons when crisis hit. The same pattern is eroding software engineering skills. The timelines are identical.
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