> And then the Europeans suddenly discover that they cannot manufacture enough artillery shells and tanks to out-number the Russians.

Germany (by itself) is apparently out-producing the US artillery shell production.

* https://www.newsweek.com/germany-overtakes-us-in-ammunition-...

Russia's GDP is below that of Italy (and barely above Canada, who is in NATO):

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_(nomi...

If the Europeans really want to, they could produce a lot more by converting over to 'war mode'. Certainly they need to do more with current geopolitics, but there is no need to crank it to 11.

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amarcheschi 4 hours ago | parent | next [-]

>if the Europeans really want to, they could produce a lot more by converting over to 'war mode'

As an Italian there's definitely been a perceptible shift due to the increase in defense spending. Leonardo now makes TV ads (something I had never seen before), they advertise on newspapers (...)

Off topic, but it's funny to me how the Leonardo TV ads basically skips over the defense part https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXytSNOt_0I

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codedokode 4 hours ago | parent | prev | next [-]

Note that GDP does not directly translate into a number of tanks and missiles produced. I doubt Italy has more weapon than Russia.

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dbdr 4 hours ago | parent | next [-]

Of course, because Russia spends 7+% of its GDP on its military, and Italy 1.6%. It does say something about the relative capacity though. Russia probably cannot sustain this level of spending forever, and European countries could (continue) raising it if needed.

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throw0101a 3 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

> Note that GDP does not directly translate into a number of tanks and missiles produced. I doubt Italy has more weapon than Russia.

Not wrong, but GDP is a rough metric of economic and industrial capacity. So if Italy wanted to, it could convert its economy to produce tanks and missiles at a similar rate as Russia is doing. And Italy is just one member of NATO:

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Member_states_of_NATO

	▲	2 hours ago \| parent \| next [-]
		[deleted]
	▲	AlexandrB 2 hours ago \| parent \| prev \| next [-]
		If the economic capacity is in "the service sector" it's going to be just about meaningless in a war.
	▲	bethekidyouwant an hour ago \| parent \| prev [-]
		yes all those guys selling drinks on the beach can just take a bus to the tank factory.

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4 hours ago | parent | prev [-]

[deleted]