Originally Posted by
SASless
Did I miss the part where it states something akin to "Engage and defeat armed aggression targeting the British Population and Territory".
I did see something about "maintain and change" but that seems to omit the real purpose for maintaining the capability to take on and soundly defeat aggressors.
Sadly, the English Channel's value as a saltwater moat has been overtaken by technology.
Yes, you missed it. Nutty pointed it out. Number one is to defend the realm.
How they do that is defined in other documents but, to the original question of why do we have the armed forces, it is to defend the realm. Exactly the same purpose as defined by other countries, albeit with different language.