Britain plans large-scale downsizing of the defense force or loss of military power
Date:2011-08-31Author:adminCategory:International militaryComment:0
two British soldiers in Helmand province, Afghanistan, patrolling
According to the British” Daily Telegraph “reported on August 6, the British Ministry of Defense is redoubling its efforts to develop a downsizing program, which Royal Air Force (RAF) will be reduced to the smallest since the First World War.
newspaper obtained a secret document shows that British defense forces will reduce changes in the 1.6 million people, will also be the loss of hundreds of tanks, dozens of fighter planes and more ships.
bear the brunt of the British Royal Air Force, including 7,000 pilots had to leave their posts, which account for almost the total number of Royal Air Force 1/6. In ordnance, the 295 aircraft owned by the Royal Air Force will retire the number is less than 200 fighters, this is the first time since 1914.
Navy lost two submarines will and three amphibious ships, more than 100 senior officers, together with 2000 sailors and sailors will be removed. Army is also facing drastic reductions in the existing armed forces, including 5,000 soldiers and 9,700 armored vehicles.
has been revealed that the British Ministry of Defense’s financial “black hole” in the next 10 years to reach £ 72 billion, almost double the previous forecast value.
end of this month, a defense minister, finance minister, chief of defense staff and the armed forces chief of staff and other heavyweights research team will be considering the variety of proposals on the basis of a final plan to finalize and submitted to the UK in September, the National Security Council. In October, Parliament will announce the specific drawdown of British forces in national defense plan.
analysts pointed out that the downsizing of the once implemented, would mean breaking away from the world’s major military power, the United Kingdom’s position, and thus become a medium-sized military state; as the world’s oldest independent Air Force, Royal Air Force will lose the world’s fifth largest air force chair.
British Ministry of Defence spokesman said: “The defense minister has made clear that it is necessary to make this difficult choice, but because the whole process more complicated, is expected to fall to them to be the result.”
This will be the British armed forces since 2004, another major adjustment. That year, the British government announced the three branches of the armed military equipment for large-scale structure and adjust the plan to increase forces in the flexible long-range combat capabilities, in order to better meet the needs of modern warfare and effective response to global threats in the 21st century .
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