Ha! The UK and aircraft carriers; we are crap, aren't we? In the Seventies we decided we didn't need any of these kind of ships and the Navy pulled a fast one. Unable to get a full Fleet Carrier, they had 'Through Deck Cruisers' designed, which bore a striking resemblance to aircraft carriers, if a little smaller.
So we built them and put Sea Harriers on them. Then we decided to get rid of them before the paint was dry. Of course the Falklands War tipped up and we realised how useful they were, for a war we would 'never fight again'. If one thing characterises the MoD it is their constant development of theories that are 180 degrees wrong. No need for manned aircraft, no need for guns on aircraft, no need for aircraft carriers.....
The Sea Harriers did so well we redesigned them to be much more capable, the last one entering service in 1998. In 2002, a Defence Review said we didn't need them as we wouldn't be fighting 'those kind of wars' again and could rely on 'allies for fleet protection'. Would they be allies like the ones who couldn't quite decide whose side they were on in 1982?
Anyway, it meant the FA2 Sea Harriers were scrapped in 2006, some of which were only 7 years old by then! We only needed the ground attack Harriers of the Air Force until the new JSF and their carriers came into service 'in 2012' (Defence Review 2002). Remind me again how that is going....
Every single public servant, be they politicians, defence chiefs or senior policemen seem to see their jobs in the following fashion; pompous importance, salary, pension. Actually doing anything and ensuring the best work is done by all, at all times doesn't even register on their radar (assuming it has been ordered, delivered and works -none of which can be taken for granted in Britain today).
Showing posts with label MoD. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MoD. Show all posts
Friday, 27 April 2012
Monday, 27 February 2012
Falklands Defence
I read in the Mail that the MoD have drawn up plans to defend the Falklands in case the nutter running Argentina has to distract the Argentine people from a) her running of the country and b) just where her money came from. From what we gather the MoD squeezes only momentary fractions of its time into the job we expect them to do, spending most time on sick days, bonus schemes, holiday, research holidays, supplier visit holidays and meetings about meetings (to swap holiday destinations), pausing only to sign off procurement of something they saw in an Eagle comic or a brochure that looked nice/had a free holiday attached.
I can only imagine a plan drawn up by the excessively large number of people not doing very much in Whitehall would go something like this. Firstly it would involve ordering equipment which could then be used to defend the Islands, like aircraft carriers. They may not be ready for 20 years, but considering whether that might be relevant doesn't fall within the parameters of the project plan.
Then order some planes that don't exist, to fly from the carriers that aren't built yet. Ships would be dispatched, but they would be supply ships, which due to the haste necessary to meet an imminent threat, they didn't actually load with anything. Ships with guns and missiles on them being be on a good will visit to Switzerland.
Extra troops would be loaded into aircraft to be flown to the airstrip built on the Falklands for the purpose, but the planes would circle endlessly searching for the runway amongst the Orkney Islands, which the MoD believe is where the Falklands are. Keen to show they are now a thinking part of austerity Britain the MoD would load older ammunition to use that up first; 7.62mm instead of the 5.56mm now used by the standard rifle.
This might suggest that the MoD are gormless and useless, but the reality is somewhat worse.
I can only imagine a plan drawn up by the excessively large number of people not doing very much in Whitehall would go something like this. Firstly it would involve ordering equipment which could then be used to defend the Islands, like aircraft carriers. They may not be ready for 20 years, but considering whether that might be relevant doesn't fall within the parameters of the project plan.
Then order some planes that don't exist, to fly from the carriers that aren't built yet. Ships would be dispatched, but they would be supply ships, which due to the haste necessary to meet an imminent threat, they didn't actually load with anything. Ships with guns and missiles on them being be on a good will visit to Switzerland.
Extra troops would be loaded into aircraft to be flown to the airstrip built on the Falklands for the purpose, but the planes would circle endlessly searching for the runway amongst the Orkney Islands, which the MoD believe is where the Falklands are. Keen to show they are now a thinking part of austerity Britain the MoD would load older ammunition to use that up first; 7.62mm instead of the 5.56mm now used by the standard rifle.
This might suggest that the MoD are gormless and useless, but the reality is somewhat worse.
Wednesday, 25 January 2012
MoD
I see the reports coming in confirm my suspicions about 'cuts' in the MoD. Front line troops who risk life and limb on low pay are considered dispensable, but office workers with their higher pay, safety, pensions, bonuses and payouts for 'stress' cannot possibly be lost. It is becoming clear that in the not too distant future we will have offices across the country brimming with staff employed at public expense, but who don't actually do anything.
There will be no binmen, no nurses or doctors, no police on the streets or fire service. Instead there will be senior officers in their headquarters with staff and secretaries, all busily running no-one. If you have no frontline, why do you need a bureaucracy? Only those in government, paid from the public purse could answer that one. It is what they are largely doing today.
We are paying for endless reams of talking shops; government departments that talk to Quangoes who hire Management Consultants. Outcome? Usually more tax to pay for more of the same and misery for anyone trying to achieve anything themselves, for their activity attracts the attention of the bureaucrats. You present them with an opportunity, an opportunity to interfere.
There will be no binmen, no nurses or doctors, no police on the streets or fire service. Instead there will be senior officers in their headquarters with staff and secretaries, all busily running no-one. If you have no frontline, why do you need a bureaucracy? Only those in government, paid from the public purse could answer that one. It is what they are largely doing today.
We are paying for endless reams of talking shops; government departments that talk to Quangoes who hire Management Consultants. Outcome? Usually more tax to pay for more of the same and misery for anyone trying to achieve anything themselves, for their activity attracts the attention of the bureaucrats. You present them with an opportunity, an opportunity to interfere.
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