British Military Current Events

[MarkOttawa]

See this post by Sir Humphrey at his revived Thin Pinstriped Line blog (he's now out of civil service) about reports on UK defence cutshttps://thinpinstripedline.blogspot.ca/2018/01/we-need-review-about-review-into-last.html, with a lot of CAF resonance:

We need a review about the review into the last review...
https://thinpinstripedline.blogspot.ca/2018/01/we-need-review-about-review-into-last.html

Mark
Ottawa

 

[daftandbarmy]

SAS hero of Iranian embassy siege is now homeless and living in a B&B

penniless SAS veteran who helped free hostages during the 1980 Iranian embassy siege is living in a B&B because his local council has failed to find him a place to live, he has claimed.

Bob Curry, 64, said he faced being homeless after splitting with his partner and losing his business, and in 2015 he sold his medals for £20,000 to help pay off debts.

Mr Curry, who was one of the first commandos to enter the embassy to free 19 hostages, told The Sun he asked Herefordshire County Council for help and filled in forms for a council house in November, but is still waiting.

Since then he’s been staying on his daughter’s sofa and charities are now helping to fund his temporary accommodation.

The veteran, who also served in the Falklands, told the paper it felt as “if the society I had fought for all my life had turned its back on me”, adding: “If this can happen to me it can happen to any veteran. And it is happening to veterans all over the country.”
Herefordshire County Council said in a statement: “We are continuing to work with the individual to help them secure appropriate housing.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/01/18/society-had-fought-life-had-turned-back-sas-hero-iran-embassy/

 

[jollyjacktar]

The UK is a mess where native born Britons are punished and scum like the released terrorist get to the head of the line. 

 

[Cloud Cover]

They offer up the Paras and Marines on a regular basis, but are usually howled down by the public.

Elephant in the room? Independent nuclear deterrent.

interesting points D&B: 

http://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/what-have-the-royal-marines-ever-done-for-us/

and

http://www.savetheroyalnavy.org/has-the-time-come-to-the-move-the-cost-of-trident-replacement-out-of-the-mod-budget/ 

 

[Cloud Cover]

See this post by Sir Humphrey at his revived Thin Pinstriped Line blog (he's now out of civil service) about reports on UK defence cutshttps://thinpinstripedline.blogspot.ca/2018/01/we-need-review-about-review-into-last.html, with a lot of CAF resonance:

Mark
Ottawa

It's happening whether the UK government likes it or not: https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2018-01-11a.503.0 

 

[Kirkhill]

In the same vein I offer the UK Parliament's Debate on Defence - Jan 11, 2018
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2018-01-11a.503.0

Note the remarks in support of defence spending come from Labour, the Conservatives, the DUP, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP.  And that the committee on defence, an all-party committee, is of a single mind on the need for defence spending, especially given the current international climate and Brexit's needs and opportunities.

 

[Baz]

In the same vein I offer the UK Parliament's Debate on Defence - Jan 11, 2018
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/debates/?id=2018-01-11a.503.0

Note the remarks in support of defence spending come from Labour, the Conservatives, the DUP, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP.  And that the committee on defence, an all-party committee, is of a single mind on the need for defence spending, especially given the current international climate and Brexit's needs and opportunities.

But can they afford what they believe they need, especially after Brexit.

I'm not sure whether the whole Albion, Bulwark, and 1000 Royal Marines discussion is actually as it is being considered, or someone floated it so public reaction would make sure it would *not* happen.  Ocean has been planned for a while now, and by all accounts she is pretty much done anyway, so it isn't even clear if Brazil would be getting a deal at £84m if the rumour is true.  Time will tell whether the plan to use the Queen Elizabeth's starting with Prince of Wales to replace the Ocean capability will work out.  But losing Albion, Bulwark, and a chunk of Royal Marines would certainly change what the RN is capable of, and put a different spin on the conversation that routinely pops up in other areas of these forums.

Of course, as D&B pointed out, that huge elephant in the room of their "own independent nuclear deterrent" also came up but not as much as one might think...

 

[Kirkhill]

We'll have to wait and see on what the new budget will look like - and how closely tied they are to Europe - and what the new tariff regime and associated tax regime might look like.  On verra.

But I find it interesting that all parties sing from the same hymn book.  And our parties can't even agree that hymn books are necessary.

 

[daftandbarmy]

Defence secretary refuses to answer questions about relationship with past colleague



Gavin Williamson tells Mail of relationship hours after his lawyers refuse to answer Guardian questions

Williamson told the Daily Mail the relationship began after he and the woman travelled together on company trips.

“[It] became flirtatious and a couple of times we shared a kiss. It never went further than that, but this had a profound impact on us both and those close to us,” he said.

He added that he left the firm after telling his wife about the relationship. “Going back to work afterwards it could never feel the same,” he said.

Informed sources said events came to a head in the summer of 2004, when the woman told her direct line manager about her working relationship with Williamson.

A meeting was held to discuss the issue with senior executives from Aga, it is claimed. Days later, former staff claim, Williamson left the company and the group with no explanation. Aga declined to comment.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2018/jan/26/defence-secretary-questions-relationship-colleague-gavin-williamson

 

[daftandbarmy]

Ministry of Defence in the dock over £1.3bn bill for recruits: MPs demand review of system after claims Services face 'manpower crisis'

MPs have criticised the Armed Forces’ £1.3billion recruitment strategy

Private firm Capita was outsourced in a bid to boost recruitment numbers

The Army, Navy and RAF all remain below personnel targets

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5323361/MoD-dock-1-3bn-bill-recruits.html#ixzz55XsPttbH
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

 

[daftandbarmy]

How the UK armed forces would look if you started from scratch


With no cultural or historic ties, an off-the-shelf armed forces might even resemble the US Marine Corps (USMC), a force that is almost eerily similar in size to the UK Armed Forces: both have about 400 tanks (though many of the UK’s are in storage), 1,200 aircraft, and are about 230,000 personnel strong (including reserves). The USMC operates on a budget of just $40bn compared to $50bn for the UK, far more expensive even when the more than $2bn annual cost of Trident is taken into consideration.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jan/29/how-uk-armed-forces-look-scratch-military-spending-army-navy-airforce

 

[Blackadder1916]

How the UK armed forces would look if you started from scratch


With no cultural or historic ties, an off-the-shelf armed forces might even resemble the US Marine Corps (USMC), a force that is almost eerily similar in size to the UK Armed Forces: both have about 400 tanks (though many of the UK’s are in storage), 1,200 aircraft, and are about 230,000 personnel strong (including reserves). The USMC operates on a budget of just $40bn compared to $50bn for the UK, far more expensive even when the more than $2bn annual cost of Trident is taken into consideration.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2018/jan/29/how-uk-armed-forces-look-scratch-military-spending-army-navy-airforce

While the above is but a small snippet from the Guardian piece, nowhere else in the article do they mention the big difference between the "less expensive" USMC and the "eerily similar" UK Armed Forces.  A Navy, you know, that expensive equipment heavy organization that spends lots just to keep ships afloat.  While the bare numbers of people in both organizations may be similar, it's what they do that makes the difference.  Even within the USMC budget, the acquisition and operating costs of the "amphibious navy" are not included.  So, it may be a typical columnist (the author is a Toronto based freelancer who proclaims himself "a subject matter expert in a number of defence and security topics . . ."), long on opinion, short on expertise and analysis.

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

+1.

And if you actually include the cost of the US phib's  from the US Navy, and I am not even taking into consideration the cost of "real" Navy ship to escort them and protect them, just the actual phibs and their proportionate share of general Navy expenses, I think you'll find out that it's the UK defence forces that come out on top for overall costs.

To be fair, you should also take into consideration - even though it's not in the budget of the USMC - that the Corps simply adopts a lot of its materiel straight from the other three services as is, and does not pay for its development. Those costs should be added in.
 

 

[pbi]

While the above is but a small snippet from the Guardian piece, nowhere else in the article do they mention the big difference between the "less expensive" USMC and the "eerily similar" UK Armed Forces.  A Navy, you know, that expensive equipment heavy organization that spends lots just to keep ships afloat.  While the bare numbers of people in both organizations may be similar, it's what they do that makes the difference.  Even within the USMC budget, the acquisition and operating costs of the "amphibious navy" are not included.  So, it may be a typical columnist (the author is a Toronto based freelancer who proclaims himself "a subject matter expert in a number of defence and security topics . . ."), long on opinion, short on expertise and analysis.

Agreed. He seems to retail a number of shopworn "reform" idea s such as "reducing rivalry between services" (that worked so well for us, right???), getting rid of tanks (like the Chinese and Russians are doing, right???) etc, etc..
Severing a military from its culture, heritage and uniqueness of services is a fools game which probably does more harm than good, as we know very well in Canada. The USMC is itself the product of over two centuries of evolution and change and political budget fights. It started out life as a company of riflemen for embarked naval service and grew by fits and starts (and sometimes by design) to be what it is today.

 

[daftandbarmy]

While the above is but a small snippet from the Guardian piece, nowhere else in the article do they mention the big difference between the "less expensive" USMC and the "eerily similar" UK Armed Forces.  A Navy, you know, that expensive equipment heavy organization that spends lots just to keep ships afloat.  While the bare numbers of people in both organizations may be similar, it's what they do that makes the difference.  Even within the USMC budget, the acquisition and operating costs of the "amphibious navy" are not included.  So, it may be a typical columnist (the author is a Toronto based freelancer who proclaims himself "a subject matter expert in a number of defence and security topics . . ."), long on opinion, short on expertise and analysis.

I sent this same article to a guy I know in the USMC and suggested that he use it as a rationale to push for 'The Corps' securing an independent nuclear deterrent

 

[Blackadder1916]

I sent this same article to a guy I know in the USMC and suggested that he use it as a rationale to push for 'The Corps' securing an independent nuclear deterrent

Every marine is a rifleman, so, the solution is . . .

 

[Jarnhamar]

What's up with British Army recruiting?

https://www.dangerous.com/40927/british-military-fire-politically-correct-recruitment-ads-spotlighting-muslims-people-emotional-issues/

The theme for this years video series is “Army Belonging,” seemingly in an effort to make the public aware that the British Army intend to be as inclusive as possible.  One of their videos, called “Keeping My Faith,” has attracted a lot of attention.

The video, uploaded to YouTube, depicts a group of soldiers in the wilderness. One of the soldiers is a Muslim who removes his helmet, washes himself in a stream as gunfire goes off in the background, and has the team guard him whilst he kneels down in a prayer, complete with a prayer mat, too.

A woman soldier even halts another soldier using his radio, lest some trivial communication regarding their mission interrupts prayer time. She smiles affectionately at the praying man as she does so.

Turn the radio off, someone's praying  ;D

 

[Kirkhill]

And may Christ have mercy on his soul....... JFHC!!

Boots off.  Beanie on. Engage Beanie.

 

[daftandbarmy]

What's up with British Army recruiting?

https://www.dangerous.com/40927/british-military-fire-politically-correct-recruitment-ads-spotlighting-muslims-people-emotional-issues/
Turn the radio off, someone's praying  ;D

I went through RMA Sandhurst. We had Muslims and people of many other faiths in my company. A few from ME countries, a few from African countries. No one had any time to do anything else but do show cleans, dig holes, get yelled at on the parade square, or run around with the 84mm anyways.

Regardless, none of them had to have all round defense to do whatever praying they felt they needed to do. 

Except those forking Covenanters, of course. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cameronian.

I'm sure Pookie can elaborate

 

[Good2Golf]

What's up with British Army recruiting?

https://www.dangerous.com/40927/british-military-fire-politically-correct-recruitment-ads-spotlighting-muslims-people-emotional-issues/
Turn the radio off, someone's praying  ;D

I prefer the Royal Marines adverts of years past, where they show an obstacle course and something that 99% need not apply, or such.  :nod:

G2G