More UK defence cuts!
 

Fresh Wave of Defence Cuts On Way


(Source: British Forces Broadcasting Service; published May 16, 2011)



The armed forces face a further wave of cuts in the next financial year as the Ministry of Defence seeks to make more savings. A three-month study, reporting in July, will consider how more personnel and equipment programmes could be axed.

It follows October's controversial Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) which outlined measures to slash thousands of personnel, scrap the Harrier fleet and Nimrod spy planes and retire the HMS Ark Royal aircraft carrier.

The Ministry of Defence insisted it was not reopening the SDSR but said it was looking at balancing "defence priorities and the budget over the long-term".

"The three-month study is part of that work to ensure we match our assumptions with our spending settlement," a spokesman said.

"We have made it clear that while the SDSR had made substantial inroads into the £38bn funding deficit, there is still more to be done."

The deep cuts unveiled last year set out the future shape and size of Britain's armed forces.

Under the proposals, the defence budget is to fall by 8% over the next four years. The MoD is to cut its civilian personnel by 25,000 by 2015; Army numbers will be reduced by 7,000 to 95,500; Navy manpower will be cut by 5,000 to 30,000; RAF forces will be reduced by 5,000 to 33,000 and tanks and heavy artillery numbers will be reduced by 40%.

However, the MoD now wants to make further savings for the financial year ending in March 2012.

Potential targets reportedly include HMS Illustrious, Britain's last surviving aircraft carrier, which is due back from a refit next year.

It is also reported that plans for a new fleet of armoured vehicles could also be singled out for the axe. :ooh:

Could actually be titled "more ghastly cost overruns loom in defense budget"

actually if you look closely they are getting in a pre-emptive strike against the govt

The govt said it will look at defence funding based on Libya later this year and decide what (if any) extra cash might be made available

the MoD are saying "ooo they haven't promised anything written in Dave's blood so IF we don't get more then we have to think about more cuts" and leak it to the press

Classic piece of Sir Humphryism

Uh oh. That's going to cause some angst (on here), gnashing of teeth (in the South / South West) and some very stern letter writing to the Telegraph (and the Sun;)) in the not too distant future ....

Although, in reality isn't this just the "standard" annual planning round (that was, IIRC, meant to be every two years....)

The giveaway is that the "possible cuts" list the most important items for each service - just to make sure the "Dear Sir.. Outraged of Bournemouth" mob get properly stirred up :rolleyes::rolleyes:

I dunno, people whinge when the public take no interest and when we do we are "angry of Bournemouth".

Make up your minds!

Well as long as bankers ( which includes this miserable excuse for a UK government ) and their chums on the golf course are OK, while our 'can do' services mistakenly keep on struggling, this will go on happening until / unless we get another 9/11 or are invaded.

The UK has already been occupied by stealth, by people who are less caring and have caused more damage than Goering could have envisaged in his wildest dreams.

All the seats taken on the outrage bus then - already!

"Well as long as bankers ( which includes this miserable excuse for a UK government ) and their chums on the golf course are OK, while our 'can do' services mistakenly keep on struggling, this will go on happening until / unless we get another 9/11 or are invaded."

Wow, theres a bit of envy in that post! If you want to join in, then get of your a** and join the rat race in the city or become an admin officer in the raf.
The country is broke. There is no money. Get over it, and get on with it. Whilst I agree that there should be more cuts in some areas (overseas aid, benefits, etc), there have to be cuts everywhere, thanks to Labour's disasterous run at being in charge...
Had they planned a bit better (and not sold most of our national gold resources when gold was at it's lowest trading value for over 1000 years) then we would have been better off! Rest assured, the blame for the financial hardships in UK (including the defence cuts) lies firmly on Labour's doorstep.

"The UK has already been occupied by stealth, by people who are less caring and have caused more damage than Goering could have envisaged in his wildest dreams."

Yes, they are called labour voters who kept labour lunatics in power for 13 long years to get us in this mess... labour has done wonders at breeding an entire class who will always vote for them to make sure they get lots of benefits and bloated state paid jobs.

That's it then, end of thread. We have had the obligatory blaming the previous government post.

"That's it then, end of thread. We have had the obligatory blaming the previous government post"

Indeed... which was in response to the usual b****cks banker bashing/class post....:ugh:

I don't think this is any more than the BBC pointing out that the annual blood letting is in process. Maybe with more awareness, some of the savage cuts may be reversed? I know, I live in hope................:ugh:

[QUOTE]
All the seats taken on the outrage bus then - already!
[QUOTE]

MGD,

I'll shuffle further down the aisle so you've got some standing room as well!:ok:

FB:)

Cheers chap - wouldn't want to miss this!

I believe the collective noun for bankers is "a wunch of.."

"Well as long as bankers ( which includes this miserable excuse for a UK government ) and their chums on the golf course are OK, while our 'can do' services mistakenly keep on struggling, this will go on happening until / unless we get another 9/11 or are invaded."
Wow, theres a bit of envy in that post!

Envy ? As in the way I envy people inserting their whatnots into ducted fans...

It's not for nothing bankers and their like are rhyming slang.:yuk:

Indeed... which was in response to the usual b****cks banker bashing/class post

And WHY NOT? the b'stards are screwing the people in this country over, are not lending to businesses [as part of their bail out mandate] to support the recovery and are highly agressive for the "ordinary" man in the street when times are hard.

No I DON'T think his post is out of order...

The review is coming to the UK's largest aircraft carrier later this month, and having just survived one review what's the chance it will survive a second?????
:suspect:

Three rousing great cheers for Dr. Liam Fox!:ok: Seriously, for leaking another privately letter to Dave Cameron saying where he thinks he ought to lodge those overseas aid donations!

Don't mean to be nasty, but there is definite room for reassessing just where it all goes. Furthermore, there are no Tories like Scots Tories!:D

FB:)

British ships protected by borrowed US spy plane in Libya - Telegraph

And the SDSR is not being reviewed.............:ugh:

Instead, 'Lady' Ursula Brennan? The consequences of her, at least.