Xfer
That's the trouble when I rant - my mind works far quicker than my two thumbs can type! Or sadly, sometimes, before I control my voicebox!
So sorry toddbabe - no offence meant. Wonder if thats why the BBC misspelt Marshal throughout the Nimrod programme on Monday ....
Chimp Boy
Don't disagree but sadly the state of the defence budget is such that I would bet more UAVs (in the short term) = loss of (Air) capability else where (so don't think you would necessarily get back to directly supporting those on the ground - more likely to be grounded to pay for the UAVs. I jest not...). So, as asked before, where do you suggest we lose this capability to pay for the sexy new toys? Procurement decisions, apart from UORs, take years for the political reasons already stated. Typhoon, for example, was planned for a task when the Cold War was still very cold - every change to the work spec means mega bucks to the manufacturer. Who is to say that the Future Carrier, FSTA, A400M, Type 45, FRES etc will be what we want at their expected in-service dates in the next 10-15 years? Wars may be fought in space and people will be asking why we didn't invest more in that area (who would have thought 10-15 years ago we would all be surfing the internet on a Saturday night rather than getting pi55ed in the pub!). The reality is there is no cash for the here and now and when pitched against Education (which clearly I need more of given my spolling errors), Health and Social Services, Defence will always lose out. Fact. Defence is not sexy to Joe Public and our 200000 votes (plus relatives etc) are spread throughout the country so even voting against the Government in the next election would not have as much of an impact as BAe or Westlands shutting down a factory has in a single constituency (take the Hawk 128 example and Brough....). And when someone can correctly forecast the future I want to meet them first - if for no other reason than to get next weeks lottery numbers (I've missed this week!).
Don't get me wrong I don't deny we need these new toys and sooner rather than later but you need to balance this with a huge dose of reality.
Come down to MOD. The water is warm mainly caused by the staff officers who are trying their level best to swim against the political tide!
I'm sure I've made plenty of spelling mistakes .... no need ot point them out. I promise I won't in future!