Britain's armed forces could be reduced to a "tinpot gendarmerie" because of a lack of investment, the former head of the Royal Navy has warned.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6207267.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6207267.stm
Seadog said:I used to moan about Senior Officers gobbing off after retirement but I note General Jackson's recent comments (mentioned in the previous post) and mellowed.
Going public while in office is a matter for the individual Officer. Some of them may feel that they have a duty not to have an undignified public slanging match with the Ministry/Fuehrer Bunker.
I don't believe their pensions would be at risk if they did. A disimissal may mean up to two years service chopped off but after 35 years in, who'd notice?
Anyway, Admiral West remains on the Active List (without an appointment) as does Admiral Boyce and a few others.
tonrus said:I think it was actually Admiral Band. Watched it on Sky News from the carrier at Greenwich when the details of Falklands 25 were published.
Seadog said:I used to moan about Senior Officers gobbing off after retirement but I note General Jackson's recent comments (mentioned in the previous post) and mellowed.
Going public while in office is a matter for the individual Officer. Some of them may feel that they have a duty not to have an undignified public slanging match with the Ministry/Fuehrer Bunker.
I don't believe their pensions would be at risk if they did. A disimissal may mean up to two years service chopped off but after 35 years in, who'd notice?
Anyway, Admiral West remains on the Active List (without an appointment) as does Admiral Boyce and a few others.
I have no doubt in the willingness of the RN's manpower to do such a task but we simply can't do it without resorting to instant sunshine
Seadog said:The RFA is probably more capable than in 1982 and even more so when all LPD(A)s are in service plus Albion, Bulwark, Ocean; that'll get the booties ashore (though most of them are in Afghanistan). The RFA now have a PCRF (we had to use STUFT in 82). Argus and Diligence went south in their previous commercial lives, MoD liked them so much, they bought them (two less to requisition/charter). We have a six ship strategic lift capability (hardly anyone knows about though no secret) we didn't have in 82 when we used STUFT.
Commercial? The commercial shipping world has always supplied troop ships. Canberra has gone but P&O have other cruise ships (not liners). Cunard? QE2 is still around and maybe they'd throw inthe Queen Mary. Nice.
So that's logistics, trooping and landing taken care of. Escorts and aircover anyone?
While putting on your armchair admiral's rig, recall the Tugg cartoon at the time, Jack and his oppos sittiing around in anti flash over a map of the Falklands. Jack is holding court.
If I was the task force commander I'd out the booties in here, the paras in there and the pongos in here.
Matey replies; if you were the task force commander none of them would have come down here.
My post wasn't aimed at you. My comment was directed at everyone, self included.Very patronising to regard me as an Armchair Admiral
Escorts and aircover anyone?
The refit is part of a Ship Life Extension. It isn't anything like beyond its useful life.Argus - way beyond it's useful life. Now in refit in Falmouth
Fair one.I may not work in amongst the rarified atmosphere at Leach Building, but out in the fleet, confidence is low, morale flatlining and our stable world of doing what we do for the flag undermined by shady individuals more bothered by cash than by their 'greatest armed forces in the world'. (c) Blair and Hoon productions - 2003.