Power is nothing without control
Charliesbar,
1. Despite all of the new aircraft and missiles, they are no good if there are no lads and lasses to maintain and deploy them.
2. Yes I agree the is no Intent to become a 3rd world air force, but if there is no support infrastructure (read -lads and lasses to maintain and deploy them) then you can't fly on hope and dreams.
3. BLACK BUCK springs to mind, as we couldn't do that tommorow even if we wanted to, so therefore we are weaker than 25 years ago on the tanking front.
4. I really, really don't want to be proved right, but I think it's only when the accident rate goes through the roof - and we loose people - that we realise we can't have defence on the cheap.
"For gods sakes be careful out there!"