Army ‘to be cut by 20,000’ if No 10 plan is approved

[FEASG]

Well I’d expect the next expeditionary adventure would occur shortly after the next labour government takes office.

Sooner if the Army got its way, I was talking to a friend, who works at Northwood recently (Of the light Blue type) He was telling me that the FCO are always telling them to slowdown, and that reminding them that they haven't actually been asked to do anything yet. regarding the myriad of situations , that they have been asked to plan contingency's for. Use it or lose it is a deep set mantra, whether or not anyone actually admits , they ever said it.

 

[Stonker]

Use it or lose it is a deep set mantra, weather or not anyone actually admits , they ever said it.

I'm pretty sure Saint Richard of Dannatt has freely admitted to believing in the mantra, and acting upon it, during his time in office.

And Lo! It was used. In a losing campaign, and then - verily - we did lose it.

There's a lesson to be learned, I think, but I'm guessing nobody is keen to learn it, not least because Op tours = golden OJAR opportunities.

 

[irlsgt]

Sooner if the Army got its way, I was talking to a friend, who works at Northwood recently (Of the light Blue type) He was telling me that the FCO are always telling them to slowdown, and that reminding them that they haven't actually been asked to do anything yet. regarding the myriad of situations , that they have been asked to plan contingency's for. Use it or lose it is a deep set mantra, whether or not anyone actually admits , they ever said it.

Fail to prepare prepare to fail

 

[bob231]

ASW?
and back to your favourite old saw. How much extra spending did the Review put into ASW?

We are already quite good at ASW, while it remains unfashionable to say so. And regardless of what you think of Merlin, it does the job.

Also, on a more sensible note, confirmation of 8x T26 means that the review is already committing to a large ASW spend without needing extra.

 

[jrwlynch]

What about an Improved Kilo, or even better, a Lada-class sub?

In terms of "stolen by terrorists in order to..."?

Problem one: newer, more capable, highly valued by the owners and needed for divers existing tasking, so - unlike raiding a scrapyard or the "reserve fleet" (i.e. the stuff waiting for space at the scrappies) - you've got to steal a valued unit in operational use (if it's "easier to steal" because it's unmanned in dry dock, you've got to restore it to seagoing condition and get it out of dock, and so on)

Problem two - newer, more sophisticated, more capable, therefore even more difficult to find a skilled crew for that's competent on the equipment aboard.


As a problem in the hands of the rightful owners? Yes, definitely something to pay attention to, but that's a different set of issues - I was being more specific about the "bad people acquire a third-hand submarine and cause mayhem" storyline.

 

[Cynical]

Use it or lose it is a deep set mantra,

Real problem is past history is "use but lose"

 

[Stonker]

Fail to prepare prepare to fail

Meh: haste makes waste, is more to the point.

Try also "Time spent in reconnaissance is seldom wasted"

 

[Himmler74]

Meh: haste makes waste, is more to the point.

Try also "Time spent in reconnaissance is seldom wasted"

Or never let the infantry close to any serious leadership post’s unless they have spent a tour with SF?

 

[retread2]

But if your rotary wing assets are being cut, with some unknown replacement in the future coming down the road. Won't another light infantry formation just compete with all the other light infantry formations and the rest of your Army for lift capabilities? Ditto with the C-130's being mothballed as well.

If they are helicopters call them fcuking helicopters.

 

[Stonker]

If they are helicopters call them fcuking helicopters.

Indeed - it's even two syllables shorter!!

 

[FEASG]

Or never let the infantry close to any serious leadership post’s unless they have spent a tour with SF?

The Forces have LEADERS above Bn/Squdn/ Ship ???

 

[alfred_the_great]

The Forces have LEADERS above Bn/Squdn/ Ship ???

Only in email signature blocks.

 

[Himmler74]

Only in email signature blocks.

Or LinkedIn profiles.

 

[retread2]

I knew what you meant, IIRC 26 Gurkha Bde merged with 51 Bde in the UK to become 51 Gurkha Inf Bde so there was actually four Gurkha Bdes in the ‘60s
After the abandonment of ‘East of Suez’ in the 1966 White Paper and the drawdown of the Bde of Gurkhas all that was left was 48 Gurkha Bde in HK, which as you stated, became Gurkha Field Force after the ‘Wide Horizon’ reorg and then back to 48 Gurkha Bde in ‘82-84.

It was still Gurkha Fd Force in mid '83.

E2A: as @par avion has pointed out I now realise.

 

[LD17]

Hey, isn’t the Strike Bde supposed to be motoring, undetected, across Europe about now to appear in the Ukraine to thwart Vlad’s current intentions? Guess someone has to rewrite the Command Paper.....

 

[Himmler74]

Hey, isn’t the Strike Bde supposed to be motoring, undetected, across Europe about now to appear in the Ukraine to thwart Vlad’s current intentions? Guess someone has to rewrite the Command Paper.....

Nope.

 

[Cromarty]

Hey, isn’t the Strike Bde supposed to be motoring, undetected, across Europe about now to appear in the Ukraine to thwart Vlad’s current intentions? Guess someone has to rewrite the Command Paper.....

How do you know it's not?

 

[Cynical]

How do you know it's not?

Possibly because it does not yet exist. With Boxer deliveries and one per week and Ajax somewhat behind that (for turreted versions) it's going to be some time.

 

[oscar1whisky]

How do you know it's not?

Has there been a sudden rush on Eurorail passes?

 

[SkippedOnce]

Has there been a sudden rush on Eurorail passes?

No need: Klingon tech transfer (taps nose).