Posted on 02/16/2010 10:24:40 PM PST by ErnstStavroBlofeld
Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, the Chief of the Air Staff, insisted that air power must not be seen as an “optional luxury” when Britain’s future defence capability is considered.
Both Labour and the Conservatives are committed to strategic defence review after the election, and both acknowledge that cuts will need to be made to bring down the Government deficit.
This has raised questions about high-price defence procurement projects. One of the most costly is the plan to buy more than 120 new Joint Strike Fighter aircraft for the RAF and Royal Navy, which will cost at least £10 billion.
Neither Labour nor the Tories have given any assurances about the number of JSFs that will eventually be bought, and some military insiders say the order should be cut to focus money elsewhere.
But in a speech to a London think-tank, Sir Stephen argued that systems like the JSF will be vital to maintaining Britain’s military edge in future conflicts.
“Air and space power isn’t an optional luxury that can be added to an erstwhile military operation on the ground or at sea,” he said. “It provides the essential foundation for any sort of military endeavour.”
In a tacit reply to military critics of the RAF, he insisted: “I am not arguing for high tech boys’ toys – my concern is about capabilities.”
Sir Stephen’s speech also revealed the latest sign of tension between the heads of the Armed Services that have been caused by the coming cuts.
General Sir David Richards, the head of the Army, has argued that future planning should focus on the ground troops that lead the mission in Afghanistan and would do so in similar conflicts in future.
Sir Stephen challenged that view, suggesting that Afghanistan may be the exception, not the rule, for
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
The few turn into the none? Good job England.
Life is starting to have a 1930’s feel to it. A financial depression. Cuts to military preparedness. The beginnings of social upheaval.
parsy, who figures it will be interesting
Exactly. They are shutting two Tornado RAF squadrons down.
So I guess England is basically giving the Falklands to Argentina now?
If your a cleric who preaches for the death of England, you get even more benefits. You want a mosque built, they'll tear down churches to make way for it.
Who cares about a military to protect yourselves when your bankrolling a multicultural society? I'm sure the muslims of the UK are so thankful for all these oppurtunities.
If the decline in the Brit military is bad, then the degeneration of the Argentina military has been pathetic.
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