It wouldn't be so bad if the procurement process didn't take so long. As it is now, there is no air threat and the defence 'review' *cough, cull, cough* reflects this, but come a time when there is one and we wont be able to field new weapons fast enough. Let alone the crews to man them.
I don't see why we let politicians into government without actually serving the country proper, in uniform.
Another thing though... Why do we need a bunch of submarine launched nuclear missiles and their subs, when, as the government so boldly puts it, the cold war is over. And in any case, surely an air to air war is more likely than anything nuclear. Why dont we ditch the ssbn fleet and see if the americans want to jointly develop the B1r? Would it not be more cost effective even if that cost was bigger, in the sense that it can do other tasks other than nuclear missions? The navy is already getting its carriers, giving it the subs too is surely like giving the older kid 2 presents for christmas and pulling out the younger brother's teeth?