According to the Telegraph, Wes Streeting has promised to resign as Defence Secretary if Andy Burnham fails to plug a black hole in Britain’s planned military spending.
Given the pending problems we face on our own Island especially in our towns and cites the priority is for a load more well trained patriotic regular and part-time soldiers and police on the ground - or boots on our own ground if you must!
Not only is that essential to deal with the brewing troubles ahead but the establishment of well trained and disciplined individuals in every town and city, starting with well financed cadet forces, is a very good basis for stronger communities.
I can't disagree except that your suggestion would lead to opposing 'groups' of non-patriotic forces who will be made up of the usual suspects. Low-grade civil war with numbers reinforced on the hostile side by more chain & illegal immigration.
You advocate for building more frigates, but there is already a shortage of trained sailors and support staff. It takes about ten years for an able seaman to become an experienced engineering petty officer and many are being lost to industry, where there are similar shortages and better pay and conditions.
The ships we have are unseaworthy for lack of skilled maintenance. Until we sort out the manpower problems, extra ships will just be more dockside ornaments.
Ex-Service myself, with contacts still, we are all hard put to think of any situation in which Britain's armed forces retain any credibility or capacity. GCHQ perhaps as part of the American panoptikon. Not to say that special ops aren't still capable, but their application is limited to supporting roles in other people's conflicts, and to keep some sort of edge. The practical battle capacity of all 3 services is nil. It is I think doubtful that we could respond meaningfully to even a small Russian antagonism (eg cutting pipelines) or contain a determined insurgency by the usual suspects. Both groups no doubt await a more suitable opportunity, such as a financial crisis, perhaps combined with economic difficulties (eg food, fuel, energy).
Even though I have no idea if what you are saying, Pete, is correct, I am assuming it is. If so, then you are absolutely right in your critique of defence policy and its implementation. And I have no reason to doubt you, as you always do your homework.
I wondered why the RAF had bought 12 F35A aircraft as previous aircraft had been F35Bs.
It was mentioned that the F35As are capable of carrying battlefield yield nuclear weapons.
However the UK doesn’t have any tactical nuclear weapons since the We177 was retired 30 years ago.
The cheapest option would be to buy American weapons, but they would require permission to be used (from the USA).
Worse still the Americans would store British owned nuclear weapons at Lakenheath meaning RAF F35As would need to fly there to load up. In a war a pretty suicidal action.
Developing our own weapon might take a decade, at around a £billion a year to develop.
I would think some creative accounting and budget reassignment could allow the headline defence % of GDP to increase, as it as much political as financial. You describe MOD with their toys and my experience with them, it is exactly that. There are funds, albeit they may poorly utilised, but that is a different issue. A dose of industrial socialism may be required, frigate building and a generation of young men and women put into government apprenticeships may be the sort of thing to appeal to Burnham.
Why don’t you question whether Trident is still necessary? I’ve been a supporter of our nuclear deterrent all my life but have to question its vast cost today and its use against our most dangerous adversaries.
Given the pending problems we face on our own Island especially in our towns and cites the priority is for a load more well trained patriotic regular and part-time soldiers and police on the ground - or boots on our own ground if you must!
Not only is that essential to deal with the brewing troubles ahead but the establishment of well trained and disciplined individuals in every town and city, starting with well financed cadet forces, is a very good basis for stronger communities.
I can't disagree except that your suggestion would lead to opposing 'groups' of non-patriotic forces who will be made up of the usual suspects. Low-grade civil war with numbers reinforced on the hostile side by more chain & illegal immigration.
All the more reason for my suggedtion!
You advocate for building more frigates, but there is already a shortage of trained sailors and support staff. It takes about ten years for an able seaman to become an experienced engineering petty officer and many are being lost to industry, where there are similar shortages and better pay and conditions.
The ships we have are unseaworthy for lack of skilled maintenance. Until we sort out the manpower problems, extra ships will just be more dockside ornaments.
https://iambutanegg.substack.com/p/the-state-of-the-royal-navy
The wholesale destruction of our Royal Navy has been going on for decades to our eternal shame.
Ex-Service myself, with contacts still, we are all hard put to think of any situation in which Britain's armed forces retain any credibility or capacity. GCHQ perhaps as part of the American panoptikon. Not to say that special ops aren't still capable, but their application is limited to supporting roles in other people's conflicts, and to keep some sort of edge. The practical battle capacity of all 3 services is nil. It is I think doubtful that we could respond meaningfully to even a small Russian antagonism (eg cutting pipelines) or contain a determined insurgency by the usual suspects. Both groups no doubt await a more suitable opportunity, such as a financial crisis, perhaps combined with economic difficulties (eg food, fuel, energy).
Even though I have no idea if what you are saying, Pete, is correct, I am assuming it is. If so, then you are absolutely right in your critique of defence policy and its implementation. And I have no reason to doubt you, as you always do your homework.
I wondered why the RAF had bought 12 F35A aircraft as previous aircraft had been F35Bs.
It was mentioned that the F35As are capable of carrying battlefield yield nuclear weapons.
However the UK doesn’t have any tactical nuclear weapons since the We177 was retired 30 years ago.
The cheapest option would be to buy American weapons, but they would require permission to be used (from the USA).
Worse still the Americans would store British owned nuclear weapons at Lakenheath meaning RAF F35As would need to fly there to load up. In a war a pretty suicidal action.
Developing our own weapon might take a decade, at around a £billion a year to develop.
It’s a mess.
I would think some creative accounting and budget reassignment could allow the headline defence % of GDP to increase, as it as much political as financial. You describe MOD with their toys and my experience with them, it is exactly that. There are funds, albeit they may poorly utilised, but that is a different issue. A dose of industrial socialism may be required, frigate building and a generation of young men and women put into government apprenticeships may be the sort of thing to appeal to Burnham.
Why don’t you question whether Trident is still necessary? I’ve been a supporter of our nuclear deterrent all my life but have to question its vast cost today and its use against our most dangerous adversaries.