22 New Chinooks - RAF Cottesmore to close

[Eric Mc]

The robbing of Peter to pay Paul is starting.

And they haven''t carried out the promised Defence Review yet.

[FourWheelDrift]

Chinooks not expected until 2013.


Hardly worth it really, since we needed them now last year.

[JB!]

its wrong.

chinooks should have "sponsored by RBS" all over them, as that's where the money has gone...

[Nick_F]

The 'extra £150m for detecting and defeating IEDs' that was fanfared last week will actually come from within the current defence buget, too.

Brown is still up to his old tricks - announcing something as new money when in reality it's no more than a change of priorities.

The effect of Iraq and Afghanistan has been to completely compromise our Armed Forces for any other role.

[nonegreen]

If they want savings its easy. Just close Minley. The only reason for the RSME at Minley is they have 3 different types of deer and officers like to shoot. I cant afford to go deer shooting so why the hell should I subsidise majors and colonels to do so?

[JB!]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

ummmmm

banks irresponsibe lending>broke banks>govmunt bail-out with taxpayers money>less taxpayers money available to give to the MOD to buy choppers?

[Elroy Blue]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfinance/6496295/Bank-bail-out-every-family-shouldering-4350-tax-liability.html

"Every family in the country is now facing a tax liability of £4,350 to prop up Britain’s banking system.

Alistair Darling yesterday unveiled the biggest bail-out of any bank in history.

The Chancellor confirmed that the Government would pump an extra £25.5 billion into Royal Bank of Scotland, declaring that this was the only way to keep it alive.

Taxpayers have now poured a total of £53.5 billion into RBS alone, including the £20 billion part-nationalisation last year and another £8 billion set aside yesterday as insurance against further trouble in the future. "

You can stick your head in the sand, but the country (and the military) has suffered because the bankers couldn't keep their house in order!

[ndtman]

Buggles said:

Guam said:

TBH I was surprised that Cottesmore ever survived once The TTE wound down, I guess that the Navy wanted their own base rather than go to Wittering, given the 2 bases are literalyy a few miles apart on the A1 its one of those rare occassions when a government decision ACTUALLY makes some sense

The only thing that I do wonder at is that the new Fighter was scheduled to be worked up there, so I wonder whether they have stalled that contract in keeping with the Carrier delays?

Would kind of make sense ( I bet Eric is more up to speed on this than I am though)

The JSF was never going to be coming here mate, it's going to a Scottish base as it's too noisy for Rutland apparently . Cottesmore was always planned to be shutting, the rumour was 2017, it just looks like it will be shutting earlier is all.

Noisier than a Tonka on take off or a Leaping Heap doing anything? If it is that noisy no doubt a hush kit will be the first thing the MOD have to pay for

[AshVX220]

Guam said:

The only thing that I do wonder at is that the new Fighter was scheduled to be worked up there, so I wonder whether they have stalled that contract in keeping with the Carrier delays?

The Carriers were delayed to remain in-line with the delays facing the JCA, not the other way round. For once it isn't our fault a project is being delayed.

[Elroy Blue]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Like I said..head in the sand! (Otherwise known as "nothing to do wiv me guv!)

It won't be long before we have a 'defence force', rather than an armed forces.

[revrange]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

sadly its real money as its been borrowed by the government and thus as taxpayers we are paying for it and interest on it.

The two are very much linked, government spending is going to have to be cut due to the deficit created by the need to bail out the banks.

I agree though we should see a return on the investment in the long term

[CobolMan]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Do you seriously believe that the money spent to prop up this government's own mismanagement of the financial sector would otherwise have been spent on defence? I suspect it would have gone on spurious 'green' initiatives or to help dictator's of tinpot regimes buy their next fleet of Mercs Overseas Aid.

[RizzoTheRat]

AshVX220 said:

Guam said:

The only thing that I do wonder at is that the new Fighter was scheduled to be worked up there, so I wonder whether they have stalled that contract in keeping with the Carrier delays?

The Carriers were delayed to remain in-line with the delays facing the JCA, not the other way round. For once it isn't our fault a project is being delayed.

And how soon before someone decides that the second carrier is an expense we can do without... and then with only one carrier there'll always be some time when it's not available as it's in for refit so is there really any point in having it anyway... I wonder if Cristina de Kirchner is getting any ideas yet?

[AshVX220]

RizzoTheRat said:

AshVX220 said:

Guam said:

The only thing that I do wonder at is that the new Fighter was scheduled to be worked up there, so I wonder whether they have stalled that contract in keeping with the Carrier delays?

The Carriers were delayed to remain in-line with the delays facing the JCA, not the other way round. For once it isn't our fault a project is being delayed.

And how soon before someone decides that the second carrier is an expense we can do without... and then with only one carrier there'll always be some time when it's not available as it's in for refit so is there really any point in having it anyway... I wonder if Cristina de Kirchner is getting any ideas yet?

If we wanna play with the big boys we need the big toys. We will have two carriers, I doubt very much that either will be scrapped, as you said, one is pointless.

[Elroy Blue]

CobolMan said:

[

Do you seriously believe that the money spent to prop up this government's own mismanagement of the financial sector would otherwise have been spent on defence? I suspect it would have gone on spurious 'green' initiatives or to help dictator's of tinpot regimes buy their next fleet of Mercs Overseas Aid.

I never said it would! But the current financial situation certainly doesn't help and the cuts are much, much deeper.

[Eric Mc]

Which squadron is being disbanded?

[btom]

anonymous said:

[redacted]

Brilliant, if we can only get rid of the last of those we can invest in more bankers, apparently they don't cost anything other than 'balance sheet' whatever the fk that is.

[justinbaker]

It would make more sense for the "home of the harrier" to be just that! Having worked with the MoD on projects both with the Harrier and Chinook, and had the pleasure of working with some of the best people I have met. I just hope that in the closure of such an epic base, the powers that be look after such great folk, we dont need to loose them!


edit to show: engineering witch-craft!

Edited by justinbaker on Tuesday 15th December 17:30

[Eric Mc]

Do you think the politicos care?

All they want is to be re-elected. Hang everything else.

[Mojocvh]

Eric Mc said:

Do you think the politicos care?

All they want is to be re-elected. Hang everything else.

Aye Eric, NO accountability is the key phrase.

Still wont be sad to see Cottesmore go. First stationed there 82/82 horrible place. TTTE however had it's moments, Luftwaffe 4 ship end of course landing got most techs out of hangers to watch but the camp had a terrible oppressive air. Same 20 years or so later as a civ, same hangers, same doldrums.