Dear Pax, first try reading history. Europe may be EU now, but there's no guarantee at all that it will remain united. The Germans are determined to unite European forces under their command, they have already integrated Romanian, Belgian Dutch and I think Danish units into their own Army. This is of course precisely what Mr Hitler did after he had invaded. During WW II we weren't just fighting Germany, we were fighting a largely integrated European Army. The Germans this time haven't resorted to armed force, they have simply commandeered the EU and now they want a EU army ..... and some of their politicians have specified it will be under their control. Recently the French offered the Germans joint control of French nuclear weapons. I'm sorry, but we need dedicated armed forces for the defence of these islands and our sources of supply. We need to revivify our own defence industry so that we control it and what it builds is ours alone. If Sweden and France can build modern aircraft and ships, we certainly can - if our industry is encouraged to do so. I hope that a clean break with Europe will see certain shipbuilding and aircraft building facilities opened up here.