Defining the Mission...
Whilst it is possible to think up a range of scenarios, what can the UK reasonably expect to fund and what missions can it cope with?
1. Defence of mainland UK against attack and invasion. Chiefly a naval and air defence problem backed up by locally-based territorial forces stiffened by a professional cadre.
2. Defence of offshore oil/gas/wind turbine and wave-power assets. Chiefly a naval ASW and air defence problem.
3. Defence of essential shipping and air freight. Chiefly a naval ASW and air defence problem.
4. Defence by deterrent against nuclear/biological/chemical threats. This is Trident or its successors.
5. Defence of overseas dependencies such as Falklands, Gibraltar, Belize and minor island dependencies. This is Marine type.
6. Contribution to defence of allies against third parties. This should be limited to ASW and minor strike roles, with some special forces.
7. Contribution to disaster relief, mainly in the Third World. A peacetime use for amphibious/air-portable assets.
Normandy beach-head type activities are no longer feasible and this needs to be made clear.
We are left with a need for naval and air forces and a modest but well-equipped rapid deployment force to overseas, but with a genuine Home Defence Service as backup in case of invasion or major terrorist attacks of the kind mountable by al-Quaeda and the IRA. Anything else is not affordable.
Whilst it is possible to think up a range of scenarios, what can the UK reasonably expect to fund and what missions can it cope with?
1. Defence of mainland UK against attack and invasion. Chiefly a naval and air defence problem backed up by locally-based territorial forces stiffened by a professional cadre.
2. Defence of offshore oil/gas/wind turbine and wave-power assets. Chiefly a naval ASW and air defence problem.
3. Defence of essential shipping and air freight. Chiefly a naval ASW and air defence problem.
4. Defence by deterrent against nuclear/biological/chemical threats. This is Trident or its successors.
5. Defence of overseas dependencies such as Falklands, Gibraltar, Belize and minor island dependencies. This is Marine type.
6. Contribution to defence of allies against third parties. This should be limited to ASW and minor strike roles, with some special forces.
7. Contribution to disaster relief, mainly in the Third World. A peacetime use for amphibious/air-portable assets.
Normandy beach-head type activities are no longer feasible and this needs to be made clear.
We are left with a need for naval and air forces and a modest but well-equipped rapid deployment force to overseas, but with a genuine Home Defence Service as backup in case of invasion or major terrorist attacks of the kind mountable by al-Quaeda and the IRA. Anything else is not affordable.
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