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Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Quote of the Day
"Aircraft carriers without aircraft, are like a pub without beer."
Norman Tebbit speaking last night at a Bruges Group event
Thanks for the quote which is amusing. I have my own thoughts today in my blog on this subject which add to this a problem which you and your readers may not be aware of.
"The Royal Navy’s new £1bn+ Type 45 destroyers, which have been in service for several years (the first is already on her second captain), have finally achieved a successful firing of their primary armament.
So to add to carriers without plans we have also had billion pound destroyers with no missiles for the past couple of years. Truly life is sometimes even stranger than fiction."
True - but this was Brown's doing; as noted in Capitalists@Work
"There was laughter with Ed Miliband's comment of aircraft carriers without aircraft, which is exactly what HIS OLD Prime Minister ordered, also deliberately signing no-cancellation deals to secure the work for his own voters shipyards. Yet in the media, Cameron's must take the blame."
It all fits neatly enough with the comment from Jon Snow via Guido that Israel manages £9bn defence procurement with 400 people and we need 23,000 odd at the MoD for our £10bn. So far to many useless state emplyees and far to small a defence spend. By and large working for the state means you can't hack it in the real world; for example any lawyer or accountant in local government by definition ain't up to the rigours of private practice.
Most of israel's (subsidised) procurement is off the shelf from America. They do design their own tanks. I've nothing against that BTW; I'm glad Israel can defend itself and if needs be they will bomb Iran on our behalf.
The first carrier will carry helicopters which is what we need. We cannot help Labours botched procurement policy - which is really a disaster for our forces.
The notion that we need 65000 ton aircraft carriers is a joke. Labour were taken to the cleaners. But we are stuck with them. We need a range of smaller ships and with those we could probably have afforded a few Harriers. But the chiefs have said they want Tornadoes for Afghanistan and lets face it thats were we are fighting right now.
Go and check how much high value equipment has already been delivered and paid for that is not needed for several years. Two examples from the Rolls-Royce website are propellors (made in Sweden) and main engine gas turbines. You don't need them until a few weeks before launch at the earliest. An FoI on a number of projects, including cancelled ones might be a good idea.
Sorry but 'I've nothing against that BTW; I'm glad Israel can defend itself and if needs be they will bomb Iran on our behalf.'
WTF are you on about buddy? If Israel bombs Iran, where do we come into it other than cleaning up work - which we are much better at than whatever the chuff Blair was up to. I'd even be inclined to say that the 2nd world war was the last thing the British wanted. I could be wrong but Iran having the nuke is not a direct British problem - although a problem it is.
"Aircraft carriers without aircraft, are like a pub without beer."
Bercow saying 'I want to hear the Prime Minister's views on Chairman Mau' was a bit unexpected.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the quote which is amusing. I have my own thoughts today in my blog on this subject which add to this a problem which you and your readers may not be aware of.
ReplyDelete"The Royal Navy’s new £1bn+ Type 45 destroyers, which have been in service for several years (the first is already on her second captain), have finally achieved a successful firing of their primary armament.
So to add to carriers without plans we have also had billion pound destroyers with no missiles for the past couple of years. Truly life is sometimes even stranger than fiction."
Helicopters are aircraft.
ReplyDeleteSo the pub at least has spirits.
Glad to hear that the sainted Norman can still sum up an effective riposte in a few words.
ReplyDeleteTrue - but this was Brown's doing; as noted in Capitalists@Work
ReplyDelete"There was laughter with Ed Miliband's comment of aircraft carriers without aircraft, which is exactly what HIS OLD Prime Minister ordered, also deliberately signing no-cancellation deals to secure the work for his own voters shipyards. Yet in the media, Cameron's must take the blame."
It all fits neatly enough with the comment from Jon Snow via Guido that Israel manages £9bn defence procurement with 400 people and we need 23,000 odd at the MoD for our £10bn. So far to many useless state emplyees and far to small a defence spend.
ReplyDeleteBy and large working for the state means you can't hack it in the real world; for example any lawyer or accountant in local government by definition ain't up to the rigours of private practice.
Most of israel's (subsidised) procurement is off the shelf from America. They do design their own tanks.
ReplyDeleteI've nothing against that BTW; I'm glad Israel can defend itself and if needs be they will bomb Iran on our behalf.
The first carrier will carry helicopters which is what we need. We cannot help Labours botched procurement policy - which is really a disaster for our forces.
The notion that we need 65000 ton aircraft carriers is a joke. Labour were taken to the cleaners. But we are stuck with them. We need a range of smaller ships and with those we could probably have afforded a few Harriers. But the chiefs have said they want Tornadoes for Afghanistan and lets face it thats were we are fighting right now.
'By and large working for the state means you can't hack it in the real world' --- this is bollocks.
ReplyDeleteGo and check how much high value equipment has already been delivered and paid for that is not needed for several years. Two examples from the Rolls-Royce website are propellors (made in Sweden) and main engine gas turbines. You don't need them until a few weeks before launch at the earliest. An FoI on a number of projects, including cancelled ones might be a good idea.
ReplyDeleteDear Mr Tevorsden
ReplyDeleteSorry but 'I've nothing against that BTW; I'm glad Israel can defend itself and if needs be they will bomb Iran on our behalf.'
WTF are you on about buddy? If Israel bombs Iran, where do we come into it other than cleaning up work - which we are much better at than whatever the chuff Blair was up to. I'd even be inclined to say that the 2nd world war was the last thing the British wanted. I could be wrong but Iran having the nuke is not a direct British problem - although a problem it is.
Just sayin'
Cheers
DtP
Trevorsden
ReplyDeleteWhen these Bozos hit the buffers you really are going to be one disappointed gullible..