tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post5365733827318092755..comments2024-03-20T12:03:26.126+00:00Comments on Thin Pinstriped Line: A most expensive shopping list - thoughts on the 10 year procurement planSir Humphreyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08704774192275240783noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-9803835057840620562013-02-09T22:02:29.769+00:002013-02-09T22:02:29.769+00:00The loss of escort and submarine numbers wasn'...The loss of escort and submarine numbers wasn't really unseen. It was always going to be the case that investment in costly new projects like CVF/F35 would lead to reductions in the rest of the fleet. For example, SDR confirmed a commitment to carrier strike but cut escort numbers from 35 to 30. Commentators at the time noted that there would not be sufficient funding to both build and equip the new carriers, deliver T45, Astute etc. and maintain existing critical mass. The cuts have been deeper than we could have imagined at the time, but it was always understood that some would be inevitable.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-16702179017918026702013-02-09T08:23:41.697+00:002013-02-09T08:23:41.697+00:00I agree WishListing based on imaginary new cash is...I agree WishListing based on imaginary new cash is tiresome, but questioning spending priorities is completely valid.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-90237963790276977702013-02-08T19:45:51.936+00:002013-02-08T19:45:51.936+00:00Ianeon - fair question and one I intend to cover i...Ianeon - fair question and one I intend to cover in part two (time got in the way of completing this all in one part). <br />Sir Humphreyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08704774192275240783noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-28774060587542140892013-02-08T17:40:27.500+00:002013-02-08T17:40:27.500+00:00This is very positive. Here is my concern though. ...This is very positive. Here is my concern though. The 1998 SDR looked equally promising at the time. Look at what happened though, even before the financial crisis struck, and strangely in the space of 10 years, we had lost fighter cover for the fleet, and laid the goundwork for a complete loss of carrier strike capability for 10 years, not to mention a completely unplanned loss of escort and submarine numbers! Now that is seriously failing to deliver in my book. This really cannot be allowed to happen again, we just have to make sure that this time we deliver and hope that nothing big kicks off before 2020+Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-25395157914321972132013-02-08T17:06:40.828+00:002013-02-08T17:06:40.828+00:00OK buy off the shelf and arm ourselves to the teet...OK buy off the shelf and arm ourselves to the teeth. Loose our profitable, hi tech, arms industry that employees tens of thousands of engineers. Loose the capability to make any descent equipment ourselves, not to mention any commercial offshoots that we could be making money from. Ten years down the line the country will be a lot poorer and potentially held to ransom by the countries that supply our arms. I think you will find off the shelf will rapidly become very very expensive. Our once armed to the teeth but now obsoletely equiped forces will have nothing worth fighting for!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-13183575826023139732013-02-08T08:08:59.329+00:002013-02-08T08:08:59.329+00:00Ianeon
everything we buy from UK manufactures will...Ianeon<br />everything we buy from UK manufactures will be taxed in the UK, and thus the treasury will get some of it back. this is how its supposed to work. <br />On quite a few cases I would support you in the "Off the Self", but we would have to stay in markets that would continue to support our purchases in the most trying of circumstances. R L-Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12608966739790796180noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6254362504495980377.post-39043401769324304772013-02-07T10:39:45.380+00:002013-02-07T10:39:45.380+00:00Sir Humphrey this was a very nice post. I sooo wan...Sir Humphrey this was a very nice post. I sooo want to do the wish list - its lots of fun:). <br />On a similar note to wish lists. As we are not likely to do a COIN mission again in the foreseeable future, do we need an army of ~80k men? shouldn't we have a large marine & 16AAB rather than an unwieldy land force?<br /><br />R L-Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12608966739790796180noreply@blogger.com