Let's think what COULD be done to save costs - not for one moment do I think this is good, wise or preferable but it may be necessary:-
(I expect to be trashed - fair enough -but if you disagree please let's see
your suggestions as to where the cuts should fall rather than just sticking our fingers in our collective ears and saying it can't/won't shouldn't happen))
1. Complete both carriers but immediatly sell/mothball one - be like the French with only one carrier.
2. Cut the number of F-35's accordingly and slow the delivery of the others - purchase and/or upgrade more Typhoons
3. Extend the Trident submarines for a few years - the USN boats aren't being replaced as soon as ours
4. Cancel any development of a new MBT and the Mechanised Infantry vehicle and buy German or American when/if we need them
5. Accelerate the sale of MoD property - maybe using an incentivised private partner
6. Slow the deliveries of P-8 - we've managed for several years with no Marine Patrol Aircarft - 5 would be better than none - the ordered 9 would be better still but the optional total of 32.............................
7. Amalgamate more Army units to get them to workable size -
8. Pull out of Bahrain, Kenya & Cyprus
9. Drastically reduce the number of SO's, HQ's Whitehall staffs - we should benchmark our senior staffing to that of other countries (Israel for example)
I'm sure everyone will have other ideas as to where the cuts could come............... It would be great if there was an INCREASE in spend but reallistically I don't think we have a cat-in-hells chance
PS I've just re-read the National Audit Office Report
https://www.nao.org.uk/report/the-eq...lan-2016-2026/ - we were already looking at future cuts - they're just going to be worse now