The point was the one I quoted - that the war on terror should not and must not blind us to future threats and vulnerabilities.
There is also the possibility that the effects of climate change will need more peace keeping operations, more disaster relief and other low intensity tasks, at the same time that we are reducing our forces and putting extra reliance on technology to make up for numbers.
To go back to my post that started this thread, who can say what will be needed? Troops on the ground, with supporting logistics etc and helicopters and transport aircraft to support them? Naval forces to enforce an arms blockade, or to protect shipments of aid from an agressor - not necessarily a state, maybe pirates or terrorists? Aircraft to provide defence from hostile MiGs, or to provide CAS? What if the agressor has conventional weapons - aircraft, armour, missile, missile attack craft etc? What if the only way you can operate helicopters is from aboard ship? What if the only way to find out what the situation is is to use aircraft to overfly and do a reece? What if forces and NGOs engaged in disaster relief need protecting from terrorists?
Last edited by WE Branch Fanatic; 10th Feb 2007 at 11:54.