Free Republic

Politics: An administration that doesn't want layoff notices required by law going out days before the November election is telling defense contractors they don't have to send them for the cuts required by sequestration. As the heads of major defense contractors Lockheed Martin, EADS North America, Pratt & Whitney and Williams-Pyro testified recently before the House Armed Services Committee, they are bound by law to give employees 60 days' notice if their jobs are going to be terminated as a result of sequestration cuts scheduled for Jan. 2. Federal law under the WARN (Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notice) Act required...

British soldiers training for Iraq are saying "bang bang" instead of firing their grenade launchers because the Ministry of Defence did not buy enough, defence sources said yesterday. The MoD did not have the money to order sufficient Under-Barrel Grenade Launchers for the SA80 rifle, so all those available have had to be sent to Iraq. British soldiers stationed in Basra They also failed to buy any training rounds so soldiers cannot be trained on the weapon until they reach Iraq. They are having similar problems with the Minimi Light Machinegun because there are no blank attachments, which allow blank...

July 21 (Bloomberg) -- U.K. Defense Secretary Geoff Hoon said the Ministry of Defence will cut 20,000 jobs and save 2.8 billion pounds ($5.2 billion) by 2008, freeing up cash for modernizing weapons and equipment instead of supporting troops. Announcing Prime Minister Tony Blair's five-year plan for defense, Hoon said he will reduce the number of soldiers, sailors and airmen by 10,000 and close at least one base. Older ships and aircraft will be retired ahead of schedule. Weapons makers including BAE Systems Plc and Boeing Co. will benefit from new orders as Hoon attempts to focus the military on...