Massive military cuts

it doesn't take long to build planes, it costs money and it costs more money to keep them working..

Really, how long do you think it would take to design build and implement the systems in 100 aircraft should we need them after 50 years pulling out the game of continual developement?

Unless you are suggesting we just build one aircraft and keep pushing money just into R and D to make sure we don't fall behind.

Even if we just bought from the yanks we would still need our own systems int he aircraft.

Then you have pilot training, it's not like WW2 when you can train any old farmer to fly a plane.

You can't really pull out of maintaining our air threat and then hope to get back in within 5-10 years.
 
We spend 2.5% of our GDP on military, it is naff all. We should be leaving it as it is really or increasing it if anything. it's the USA with its 4-5% spending that means everyone has to spend more.
 
We spend 2.5% of our GDP on military, it is naff all. We should be leaving it as it is really or increasing it if anything. it's the USA with its 4-5% spending that means everyone has to spend more.

Or knocking 10-20% off as the government is likely to taking it down to 2.25-2%. Look at other countries:

Our current 2.5% GDP puts us with the crazies:

Vietnam 2.4%
Bulgaria2.4%
Serbia2.4%
Sierra Leone 2.4%
United Kingdom 2.5%
India 2.6%
Pakistan 2.6%
Iran 2.7%
Ukraine 2.7%

Taking us down to 2% is better, but I think we should be aspiring to less than 2% along with countries like:

Italy 1.7%
Australia 1.8%

With an aspiration to get closer to 1%:

Spain 1.2%
Belgium 1.2%
Germany 1.3%
Canada 1.3%
Sweden 1.3%
Norway 1.3%
 
None of those countries have nuclear weapons, or an aircraft carrier etc.

Really, it all boils down to whether the UK should maintain an expeditionary military force, eg we can project power. There are only 4 'Blue water Navies' left in the world at the moment, the US, UK, Russia and France.
 
Or knocking 10-20% off as the government is likely to taking it down to 2.25-2%. Look at other countries:

Our current 2.5% GDP puts us with the crazies:

Vietnam 2.4%
Bulgaria2.4%
Serbia2.4%
Sierra Leone 2.4%
United Kingdom 2.5%
India 2.6%
Pakistan 2.6%
Iran 2.7%
Ukraine 2.7%

Taking us down to 2% is better, but I think we should be aspiring to less than 2% along with countries like:

Italy 1.7%
Australia 1.8%

With an aspiration to get closer to 1%:

Spain 1.2%
Belgium 1.2%
Germany 1.3%
Canada 1.3%
Sweden 1.3%
Norway 1.3%

What do the frogs spend?

Stelly
 
What do the frogs spend?

Stelly

2.3%

Here is the top ten (2009)
Rank Country Military expenditure, 2009[2] % of GDP, 2008
1 United States 663,255,000,000 4.3%
2 China 98,800,000,000 2.0%
3 United Kingdom 69,271,000,000 2.5%
4 France 67,316,000,000 2.3%
5 Russian Federation 61,000,000,000 3.5%
6 Germany 48,022,000,000 1.3%
7 Japan 46,859,000,000 0.9%
8 Saudi Arabia 39,257,000,000 8.2%
9 Italy 37,427,000,000 1.7%
10 India 36,600,000,000 2.6%
 
This is why I think a Euro military would be better. We could spend less and retain nukes and carriers.

sorted. until the French surrender on our behalf.
 
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