Capability Gap
From Sky News:
'CAPABILITY GAP' FEARS
The Armed Forces are facing a significant "capability gap" because old equipment is being phased out before the planned replacements are fully operational.
The Commons Defence Committee said that across the three services, aircraft warships and armoured vehicles are being withdrawn over the next three years.
But much of the new equipment is not due to enter operational service until after 2010.
Some of the replacements, such as the Royal Navy's two new aircraft carriers and the Joint Strike Fighter which is supposed to equip them, have already run into development difficulties. Others, such as the Army's Future Rapid Effects System family of armoured vehicles, are dependent on the unproven technologies.
The MPs are also "concerned" about plans to cut four infantry battalions from the Army, even though they acknowledged it would free up resources to allow some 3,000 new posts to be created in essential support services.
The committee said: "We believe that that vision takes a somewhat narrow perspective on the range of demands which our Armed Forces might be expected to meet in the future. Furthermore it may take another decade before the capabilities to deliver those requirements are in place. In the meantime equipment withdrawals and personnel reductions may leave gaps in capability."