I seem to remember a scene in the Battle of Britain film, where Ralph Richardson ? (as the British Ambassador) is faced with his overbearing Teutonic counterpart, warning Britain that "they could not win, and should negotiate a treaty, they were badly equipped and unable to stop the might of the German military machine". To which Richardson calmly states that "whatever the odds, Britain would stand and fight, the outcome will decide the truth". It seems that we are entering a similar period, where a parlous national economy dictates a less than ideal funding base for the desired force levels. I suppose the option is to do more personnel and less tech, how does that keep us up to date ? I think I'm old enough now to understand the principle of British journalism, pick a subject, grab a few statistics and shuffle them, write it up and wait for "enraged of Great Missenden" to kick off the public uproar. I suspect, despite never having held a commission, that the people at a level to make decisions on equipment etc are there because of experience, proven ability and capability. Unlike politics, I really doubt that cronyism rules in the upper circles of UK Mil. At the end of the day, "the outcome will decide the truth of it".
Smudge