[Raellus]

That's good to know, Olefin.

As you pointed out, it would take longer to convert civilian industries to military production (for example, a Ford truck plant switching over to AFVs of some sort). How long, I wonder. Is twice as long a reasonable estimate?

Regarding the U.S.A. getting a head-start on wartime military production when the U.S.S.R. attacks China, I don't think it's a given.

First off, although the enemy of my enemy is my friend applies here, as the Soviets would be seen as the greater of two evils, the PRC is still a communist nation and, after Tiananmen Square, tensions between the U.S. and China were high. I think some in the U.S. gov't and military-industrial complex would be reluctant to provide the PLA with large quantities of AFVs or combat aircraft, and/or particularly advanced ones.

So, I think only a few plants would see an upsurge in production before the Germans start WWIII in Europe. The U.S. might increase Stingray/LAV-75/M8 AGS production for export to China, but not necessarily add a line or open another plant making M1 Abrams. When it becomes clear that the U.S. is going to back the FGR militarily, it would be full steam ahead and, as noted, arriving at full wartime production would take a minimum of 12 months after the outbreak of hostilities.

Also, I made this point in the other thread (now merged with this one), but modern AFVs, combat aircraft, and naval vessels are far more complex than their WW2 equivalents. Therefore, it would take a lot longer, on average, to crank out a new F-16 in 1997 than it would a P-51 in 1943. For all of the reasons cited above, I don't think WWIII would see WWII-level production figures.