Quote: (Originally Posted by
iain-hsm)
Mike.
Steady on, rather than run and hide, why not stand back or just hike up the big (Capitol) Hill and look back it will all make perfectly good sense if you do. The Big Picture:
It makes perfect sense for Peter and Oc3anic to get together, The Prism passed the USN navy requirement years ago, and Oc3anic already have other albeit entry level products with military but need a bigger military presence. The real intension IMHO will be to offer USN next generation NGUBA rebreather product and the spin off even if not taken up by USN will be a commercial sports version. (Just like the Sentinel?)
Incidentally IMHO this is the same reason why you have Inspiration and not Trojan and why we have the (latest Royal Navy reject) now call the Sentinel, because the Royal Navy have gone for the Stealth, a better product with better support.
By getting together Peter offers up a solid rebreather design and Oc3anic gets to offer the QA and big company muscles needed to support products in the field. Also both parties get to offer a rebreather design up to the Navy. The USN from the political point could just about see this as a way out of the political dilemma. Need a rebreather want to buy American but need support, while considering the budget?
They didn’t buy the French (Frogs/Crabs) system because it’s French, and since the French are not supporting the war on terrorism, (you get the picture,) even with “Aqualungs” American credentials. They dropped U.S. Divers and lost the plot.
They don’t want to continue the contract with Carlton because of contractual differences with the suppliers, and the Divex Stealth system didn’t pass only because of minor design and operational requirements, Oh and it was British, and better than anything they had ever seen before.
So in summary:
1. US Navy gets another American manufactured Product
2. Oceanic get a stab at a big military contract
3. Peter gets a great contract with Oceanic either way he retires rich.
4. Oceanic get a great engineer with Peter who can make the difference either way sports or military.
The one thing I cant understand is more serious, When you get involved in military rebreathers there comes a point where in the risk assessment you have to address product risk, and conclude they can have no place or use with the pubic. To date there has been no company that has offered military rebreathers to the public. I look with interest at Oceanic.
makes sense when you put it that way. my previous company used to, well still do, supply eod cutting systems to military, we designed it with dra uk. so I know the joys of dev something and hoping to win mil contracts!. :-) great if you win :-)