FB
"one thing about this SDSR which is for sure, it is devoid of any military rationale."
They can be worse when HMG
does try to offer some rationale! The Sandys Review in 1957 stated amongst other things, that we would have no need for any more manned aircraft as missiles were the future.
The 1981 Nott Review, like almost all Defence Reviews bar SDR in 1997 took place at a time of austerity. We
had to make cuts so at least save the key capabilities. During the Cold War and in a NATO environment, Nott saw RAFG and BAOR as key with SSN's, Nimrod, the Buccaneer and some frigates to tackle the Soviet maritime threat. He did not see the need for three carriers and a large surface Fleet. To save funds, he decided amongst other things, to sell one carrier, cut frigate numbers and reduce the Sea Harrier order.
Was he just unlucky that a short while later we were off to the Falklands? Perhaps not as a need to be able to operate "out of area" had already been identified when war broke out between Iran and Iraq in 1980.
Now within six months of SDSR a whole series of crisis have taken place ranging from earthquakes (natural) to political (Middle East). In the short term, I don't expect our leaders will want to be seen altering their recent Security and Defence Plan but I do now anticipate some tweeks much sooner than was otherwise going to be the case.
