@davejb - would you accept that the excellent crew selection criteria to which you referred earlier, may produce superb pilots, of high moral integrity and skill but fails to select the gene which encourages the ability to stick to time and budget?
I have the highest regard for every member of the Armed Forces I have ever met, but sadly I do not recognise their skills in sticking to a budget and leaving the goalposts where they stand.
And that is the root cause of the whole sorry mess - in many ways there are some sad parallels with the BA cabin crew thread whose volume and hostility speaks volumes.
In that circumstance, poor BA management have allowed the cabin crew to achieve the belief that they run the airline and determine priorities, budgets and paying customers are there to protect their employment terms even as the whole world changes around them, and the airline becomes hugely inefficient and full of obsolete working practices. After a decade of living in an unreal world, a new CEO in Willy Walsh arrives, plays hardball and a decade of necessary change introduced in a very short period of time. The paying public greet this largely with a cheer, and a "about time too" attitude. The union loses all support from the public.
In this circumstance, poor MOD management have allowed the armed forces to achieve the belief that their needs determine government priorities, budgets and the exchequer are there to protect the size and scope of the armed forces even as the whole world changes around them, and the central MOD function becomes hugely inefficient and full of obsolete working practices. After a decade of living in an unreal world, a new Prime Minister in David Cameron arrives, plays hardball and a decade of necessary fiscal proberty is introduced in a very short period of time. The paying public greet this largely with a "shock and awe at the waste", and a "about time too" attitude.
I do not think for one minute that the public will lose faith in the armed forces, but let's not push it shall we ?