State of Defence

[Paddingtonbear]

In my opinion a rather good editorial on the mess we are in versus ambition....
Cuts in defence capability aren't matched by cuts in ambition| Michael White | Politics | guardian.co.uk

 

[TheRowan]

Very interesting, and raises some good points - although it does seem to fall into the trap of blaming the Tories for every defence cut with no mention of the previous thirteen years.

 

[Paddingtonbear]

Very interesting, and raises some good points - although it does seem to fall into the trap of blaming the Tories for every defence cut with no mention of the previous thirteen years.

Your right it is anti - tory, the 97 review was actually the best we have had for decades, well thought out and largely followed through.

This on the other hand is poorly thought out with little robust decision making. Rathern than taking a 10 year view decisions keep being made on a 12 month basis.

Why oh why don't we buy more off the shelf and build it in the UK. The Dutch Joint Support Ship probably fills 90% of what we need.

 

[TheRowan]

Your right it is anti - tory, the 97 review was actually the best we have had for decades, well thought out and largely followed through.

This on the other hand is poorly thought out with little robust decision making. Rathern than taking a 10 year view decisions keep being made on a 12 month basis.

Why oh why don't we buy more off the shelf and build it in the UK. The Dutch Joint Support Ship probably fills 90% of what we need.

I'm sorry, I was unclear. I'm not saying that the 2010 SDSR waswell-managed or sensible. Nor am I saying that the 1997 SDR was a bad plan (although it was extremely poorly implemented).

No, what I'm saying is that it is disingenuous to blame the current state of British Defence on the current government.

It was under the previous government that the 1997 SDR was discarded when it became inconvenient and the 2001 SDR New Chapter introduced. It was under the previous government that infantry numbers were cut even as large numbers of infantry were being deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. It was under the previous government that poorly-written contracts designed to secure jobs and appease unions rather than to provide effective platforms, combined with government dithering, led to major cost and time overruns in the Type 45 and CVF programs. It was underthe previous government that the RAF were equipped with Eurofighter, a specialised interceptor designed for the cold war, whilst retiring the Sea Harrier from service without replacement.

That is why I think it's rather simplistic to fall into the trap of blaming it all on the big bad Tories.

 

[guestm]

I'm sorry, I was unclear. I'm not saying that the 2010 SDSR waswell-managed or sensible. Nor am I saying that the 1997 SDR was a bad plan (although it was extremely poorly implemented).

No, what I'm saying is that it is disingenuous to blame the current state of British Defence on the current government.

It was under the previous government that the 1997 SDR was discarded when it became inconvenient and the 2001 SDR New Chapter introduced. It was under the previous government that infantry numbers were cut even as large numbers of infantry were being deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan. It was under the previous government that poorly-written contracts designed to secure jobs and appease unions rather than to provide effective platforms, combined with government dithering, led to major cost and time overruns in the Type 45 and CVF programs. It was underthe previous government that the RAF were equipped with Eurofighter, a specialised interceptor designed for the cold war, whilst retiring the Sea Harrier from service without replacement.

That is why I think it's rather simplistic to fall into the trap of blaming it all on the big bad Tories.

Thumbs up on all accounts there, BZ.

Exactly what I've been trying to say on other threads but I'm too thick to get those points across as well as you have.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[21_Man]

I'm still waiting for the 'Next New Weapon System/Ship' that really explains what all these cuts are about.....and then we resume breathing and are happy again

At the moment, it looks like surrender, a day at a time