Defence Spending

[Deramore]

Assuming we will increase defence spending where should we spend the money ?

There's no point buying more Tyhpoons if you have no pilots and the supply stream is woeful.

[Nighthawke]

In that case spend it on fixing that which is broken - i.e. improve the recruitment and supply processes. Just applying logic to your statement rather than a personal opinion. The assumption is you are specifically referring to the Royal Air Force.

[the concerned]

In a ideal world more pj's and more subs would be my choice. I would also look to arm the p8 with LRASM,JASSM-ER. Plus a serious land based defence system.

[the concerned]

In a ideal world more p8's and more subs would be my choice. I would also look to arm the p8 with LRASM,JASSM-ER. Plus a serious land based defence system.

[Hurn]

In that case spend it on fixing that which is broken - i.e. improve the recruitment and supply processes. Just applying logic to your statement rather than a personal opinion. The assumption is you are specifically referring to the Royal Air Force.

Perhaps if the RAF hadn't been actively discriminating against white men, there might not be such a recruitment problem.

Ex RAF Tornado Pilot Tim Davies has had a lot to say about it recently on his youtube channel.

[cat1]

Looking forward,

If they (gov) budget for defence assuming we don't have the USAs automatic protection, maybe it would be beneficial?

The defence spending review will soon be published, hope its an actual number crunch, not a political point scoring sheet ffs which doesn't help anybody.

[iainpeden]

Apparently the SDR was nearly ready to be published; it's probably currently going through the Whitehall shredder and the team have been told to get the coffee maker on and start again.
Urgent things we need to do:
Rapidly increase the UK manufacturing capacity for all types of ammunition (from Storm Shadow to bullets)
Replace the guns and other delivery systems delivered to Ukraine
Forget the election pledge not to raise income tax and VAT - this is insurance which if it isn't spent will cost at least 100 times more.

(off the wall comment- all able small boat arrivals are conscripted and shouted at by RSMs - that would be a distinct disincentive to illegal immigration)

[Tally-ho]

Maintaining, modernising, and staying relevant as a military power is important. Any increase in defense capability is welcome.

To me, if there is any increase in defense spending, that increase must be spent -
- firstly on retaining current manpower (wages / salaries) in all branches of the military. Stop the exodus of trained personnel.
- hugely increasing the effort to recruit new members. There is near zero interest in joining the military amongst the youth.
- housing and the on-base infrastructure must be made acceptable by modern day standards.

Building ships, planes and armoured vehicles means nothing if there are no crews and personnel to man them.

[Hurn]

There is near zero interest in joining the military amongst the youth.

I'm not surprised. Who wants to be sent off to fight in some BS war that the UK always seems to be shoving its nose into?

[EGDR]

Ex RAF Tornado Pilot Tim Davies has had a lot to say about it recently on his youtube channel.

I'm sure he does, in between racist and homophobic Twitter rants where he, currently, seems to be suggesting people like me (ie, of the LGBT community) should be put in an asylum. I don't think he's a particularly great source to refer to here.

Greg Bagwell, also an ex Tornado pilot, and then Deputy Commander at RAF Air Command, has spoken a lot on the same subject from a much more reasonable and, seemingly, informed perspective.

[Hurn]

Ex RAF Tornado Pilot Tim Davies has had a lot to say about it recently on his youtube channel.

I'm sure he does, in between racist and homophobic Twitter rants where he, currently, seems to be suggesting people like me (ie, of the LGBT community) should be put in an asylum. I don't think he's a particularly great source to refer to here.

Greg Bagwell, also an ex Tornado pilot, and then Deputy Commander at RAF Air Command, has spoken a lot on the same subject from a much more reasonable and, seemingly, informed perspective.

I'm not on Twitter/X, so cannot comment as obviously I have never seen any of his coments there. I've only seen some of his videos on Youtube where he was basically saying that White British men were being deliberately overlooked from joining the RAF in favour of DEI, when you really should only be recruiting the best of the best regardless of skin colour/ethnicity etc.

I imagine Davies may have seen Bagwell as part of the problem given his high position within the RAF.

[AlexLee05]

I would say Tim Davies older videos are probably quite relevant and factual however the last few years are more and more bonkers and should probably be ignored now

[cat1]

He does seem to have gone quite far.

His latest video was that Turkish barbers were money launders.

Well someone is bound to bring up defence spending in the PMQs at 12 so will be listening keenly to the excuse from the PM

[cat1]

Oh and there won't be any PMQs today because the fking idiots who run this country decided that with the current situation they would shut down government for half term.

What. In. the. World.

[NorvilleRogers]

He does seem to have gone quite far.

His latest video was that Turkish barbers were money launders.

Well someone is bound to bring up defence spending in the PMQs at 12 so will be listening keenly to the excuse from the PM

Ahh Turkish Barbers... it's a cutthroat business.

[Blackcat1]

He does seem to have gone quite far.

His latest video was that Turkish barbers were money launders.

Well someone is bound to bring up defence spending in the PMQs at 12 so will be listening keenly to the excuse from the PM

Ahh Turkish Barbers... it's a cutthroat business.

Some are, 2 in my town have been raided recently

[Hurn]

His latest video was that Turkish barbers were money launders.

Have you ever wondered why there are so many of them???

Oh and there won't be any PMQs today because the fking idiots who run this country decided that with the current situation they would shut down government for half term.

Well they are a bunch of children, so not too surprising they take holidays when the kids do.

[cat1]

His latest video was that Turkish barbers were money launders.

Have you ever wondered why there are so many of them???

Yes, but I try not to let the conspiracy machine run wild.

[Philly1971]

I think based on what we have seen in Ukraine, any new spend should be on developing drones as attack weapons, and then expand anti drones tech to defend. On the latter, we need more anti aircraft/anti drone systems to ensure no tanks or armoured personnel carriers are ever sent out without protection from air attack, which as we can all see from the countless videos on YouTube, they are already easy targets for what appear to be a £300 drone with explosives strapped to it, let alone what drones will be in 10 years with high level AI included. At the other end of the scale, spend the money where we have a technology edge. I am no expert on submarines, but whatever I read it seems we are a global power in submarine design and build, and the Astute class is right up there at the top of the chain. If that is the case, plus they are UK built, I would slip a few more in the budget, assuming we can find people willing to go in them of course.

[EGDR]

Unfortunately putting some more Astute class boats into the pipeline is not possible due to the build constraints at Barrow. All work will soon be focused on the Dreadnought class, and only when that's progressed far enough to allow capacity will work begin on the Astute's replacement (currently codenamed SSN-AUKUS). The only 'realistic' way we boost our attack submarine numbers before then is buying SSKs from overseas. That being said, 7 boats, when they're fully capable, is a fairly significant force. We've struggled because of delays in the build program for the Astute class, along with massive issues with our ability to carry out deep maintenance on the hulls that are in the water. One Astute class has been waiting at Devonport for almost two years doing almost nothing because it needs a refit, and a dry dock is only just now becoming available (as they themselves have been undergoing renewal).