Scrapping the Armed Forces

[JFKvsNixon]

There was no threat in 1914. That's why we had to invent one in the form of Germany.

 

The arms race at the time was certainly a threat to the Empire.

[Rupert_Baehr]

Pike and crossbow training a requirement for one month every year is it

 

The English Yeomen are supposed to practice archery on the Village Green on Sundays, but the Channel Islanders have moved on. In some places, 'every man is entitled to own a musket and a pound of powder', in others 'every man is obliged to own a musket and a pound of powder'. The rule is interpreted liberally. You can own what you like - but no tanks.

 

The last invasion didn't go as planned. The Master-at-Arms did warn William before they left. "Most of your men are pretty good, my Lord .... but you'd better watch that ginger-headed bugger on the end there - the one in the second rank. He'll have somebody's eye out with that bow and arrow if he's not careful!"

[HeadingNorth]

The arms race at the time was certainly a threat to the Empire.

 

But Germany was not; and the only reason for the arms race was to stay ahead of Germany.

[Harleyman]

The English Yeomen are supposed to practice archery on the Village Green on Sundays, but the Channel Islanders have moved on. In some places, 'every man is entitled to own a musket and a pound of powder', in others 'every man is obliged to own a musket and a pound of powder'. The rule is interpreted liberally. You can own what you like - but no tanks.The last invasion didn't go as planned. The Master-at-Arms did warn William before they left. "Most of your men are pretty good, my Lord .... but you'd better watch that ginger-headed bugger on the end there - the one in the second rank. He'll have somebody's eye out with that bow and arrow if he's not careful!"

 

That's a pity. I wouldnt mind owning a military surplus T34, Sherman or Centurion myself. Great fun driving it down to the local car scrapyard and rolling it over those wrecks, feeling all that metal going flat under the treads.

 

Also a good deterrent in keeping the neighbors kids off your lawn

[Tony]

So, hypothetically, for the moment - Argentina invade the Falklands again in 2011, what's our next move given the recent defence cuts?

 

Hypothetically, UK intelligence would intercept communications in the months or years leading up to the assembly and preparation of navel forces which would be photographed by satellite, the images from which would be transmitted to the submarines and remotely controlled aircraft that had been deployed months before to the South Atlantic where they would wait to destroy any attempt at invasion before it got anywhere close.

 

Hypothetically, the Argentinians, being a modern democracy rather than a military dictatorship would know this would be the inevitable consequence so they would fire up the barbecue and cook some great steaks and invite the British ambassador round for tea and have another moan to him about their false claims to ownership of the Falklands while getting sloshed on a fruity and implausibly alcoholic Chilean pinotage.

[Harleyman]

I think to a lesser and lesser degree the current military powers will be willing to involve themselves in far off conflicts that pose no threat to their own safety. Certainly after Iraq and Afghanistan i dont see the US getting into those situations again. Nation building has long considered to be a lost cause amongst the wiser minds of military leadership but unfortunately wiser minds dont always prevail in these matters.

 

The future armies will be smaller with weapons that have a much greater killing power or able in some other way to disable the enemy's willpower to fight using some kind of technology that will exercise mind control. Robots of all kinds will continue to play an ever bigger part also.

 

Tanks are already obsolete. They're sitting ducks for aircraft equipped with the latest technology.

 

As for naval forces the carrier, destroyer and submarine will continue in being with submarines becoming ever more sophisticated and deadly.

[Phanerothyme]

Submarines maybe, but large battleships are sitting ducks. The navy is more or less obsolete.

[Harleyman]

Submarines maybe, but large battleships are sitting ducks. The navy is more or less obsolete.

 

 

Battleships have long been obsolete due to their extreme vulnerability from air attack.

 

Unfortunately the British Admiralty was slow to learn that fact during WW2 when they sent Prince of Wales and Repulse to the far east without any provision for air cover. The pride of the fleet sunk in a few minutes by Japanese planes

[Annoni_mouse]

Or, we are now not getting the STOVL planes as they're more expensive and less capable?

 

Personally, I'd be amazed if either aircraft carrier enters service. I think a more likely outcome is that at least one will be built but will be sold shortly after completion (this was to have been the fate of HMS Invincible, had the Falklands war not interupted the plan).

[depoix]

It took the USA fifteen years before they admitted defeat in Vietnam. We've a ways to go yet.

and you trained at R

SMA as a military analyst when ?