UK military problems & policies

[Paul Smyth]

I would be more careful. Do check his logic. He gave an interview in 2007 on TV where he said Typhoon is responsible for casualties in Afghanistan. His logic trail ran something like this:

we're taking casualties because troops are having to move by road - because there aren't enough helos - because the RAF hasn't funded its SH Force - because its spent its money on Typhoon. 2+2=5.

PS

[William F. Owen]

I would be more careful. Do check his logic. He gave an interview in 2007 on TV where he said Typhoon is responsible for casualties in Afghanistan. His logic trail ran something like this:

we're taking casualties because troops are having to move by road - because there aren't enough helos - because the RAF hasn't funded its SH Force - because its spent its money on Typhoon. 2+2=5.

PS

I know Lewis Page quite well, and have talked to him a fair deal. I agree his logic is not sometimes what it could be, but the fact that the RAF has consistently under-funded and under-developed its SH fleet is pretty well proven in my eyes.

The initial buy of only 22 Merlin was woeful, and done in spite of the evidence we needed 32+, and the failure to create a 1:1 replacement to the Puma fleet is almost unforgivable.

[Norfolk]

Found this interesting a little while back:

It Just Can't Get Any Worse: The British Army as Seen from Russia, by Keir Giles (CSRC, April 2006)

Oh, but it can, and has...

[Paul Smyth]

Agreed, the SHF is suffering. A situation not helped by the period when 8 SF-bound Chinooks were left sitting in hangars (now being modified for 'normal' use). I suspect that if two enduring COIN campaigns in arduous regions had been part of the 1990s calculations on future Force requirements (Cf SDR Planning Assumptions!) the 'answer' might have looked different. We perhaps shouldn't be surprised that a cab with substantially greater performance (e.g. 24 vice 16 tps) wasn't procured on a one-to-one replacement basis.

P

[William F. Owen]

@ A situation not helped by the period when 8 SF-bound Chinooks were left sitting in hangars (now being modified for 'normal' use).

@ I suspect that if two enduring COIN campaigns in arduous regions had been part of the 1990s calculations on future Force requirements (Cf SDR Planning Assumptions!) the 'answer' might have looked different.

@ We perhaps shouldn't be surprised that a cab with substantially greater performance (e.g. 24 vice 16 tps) wasn't procured on a one-to-one replacement basis.

@ Unbelievable stupidity. Agreed!

@ Any campaign. The numbers don't differ that much. Look at the sortie rate on Corporate. Look at the sortie rate in NI. The RAF does not and never did want the SH role, yet wanted to deny the Army the same. Remember the Chinooks were procured to support the deployed Harrier Force. The OA of the day said we should get CH-53.

@ Ah yes, the old 528 troop force lift. I wish life were that simple or there was any compelling evidence to suggest this was the case.

[Coldstreamer]

These people responsible for poor decisionmaking.....I think some of them may be gay as well. I'm sure one of them followed me into a lavatory once, and hung around hopefully. I just handed him a point brief and said I wasn't that kind of staff officer, but I felt used and dirty nonetheless. Then, our pay rise turned out to be less than the rate of inflation. How does that equate to a rise?

I'm off to get TRIM'd. I am clearly riddled with PTSD.

[120mm]

We're currently training a UK unit, and I have to tell you, my eyes have been truly opened. Lots of really, really dumb accidents, including one KIA and dehabiliting WIAs (as in over 10 in a couple of days. An accidental shooting and rounds out of impact top off the list.

An old and wizened mentor of mind once told me that two things will show morale and leadership: Accidents and what the unit looks like during a roadmarch. And, frankly, the column I followed last night blew as much oily smoke as an 1968 Volkswagen needing a ring job, and even at 30 kph, they looked a little ragged, especially going up hills.

I cannot speak as to the entire UK Army, but the piece that I'm privy to where I work doesn't look good, at all.

[Ski]

Was sent this article today:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk...ls-825928.html