One think that has not been mentioned is why are the things we need to buy so bloody expensive? If we could get them for a reasonable price, the cuts would be a lot less painful.
Why do we need to pay £20 for a washer to go on an aircraft? Does it have to come hermetically sealed in it's own box?
Do we really need everything to have a Mil Spec when an equivalent item works just as well as one designed for civil use but costs half the price?
Do we need to put things through an extensive Boscombe Down trial because 'thats what we've always done'?
Can we not specify what we want from the onset rather than changing our minds every few months and avoid scope creep?
We all have examples where we've said 'How Much?!' Lets address the things like the above and perhaps we'll find a new aircraft no longer costs £80M each and we might be able to afford the Armed Forces that we really need.