Looking After Our Forces the Swiss Toni Way
The announcements designed to disguise the cuts are expected to include a series of relatively low-cost contracts for the programme to build the Royal Navy’s two new aircraft carriers like last week’s announcement of a £34m programme to prepare the Rosyth dockyard to build the carriers. But the start date for actually building the carriers will be delayed for two years to save cash, while the Royal Navy will be largely confined to port and will lose all four of its Type-22 frigates plus one of its newer Type-23 frigates.
The RAF will see progress on its new future strategic tanker aircraft programme but faces a number of major cuts, including the loss of two of its Tornado GR4 ground attack squadrons and the closure of a number of bases. The army will finally get new armoured vehicles – repeatedly put off due to the cost of new ships and aircraft - but they will be in lower numbers than expected and army bases will have to close.