well, here's the problem. it would be very easy to discuss why they're cutting something so important as the RAF......IF we didn't get locked down for politics.
nothing to do with politics, its just basic housekeeping. if you dont have the cash, you got to cut your spending, simple as that. we have a massive budget deficit so we got to cut spending across the board, no argument on that. given the amount we need to cut, I'm happy that we are doing it in the right areas for the mostpart.
nimrods are a good example. I'm sad to see em go because its an interesting and unique aircraft (any other aircraft out there that cruise on 2 engines rather than 4?) however our biggest threat atm isnt russian subs so we dont need that capability. sentinels? I'm not so sure. harriers? again a unique and interesting aircraft, but the bang-for-buck just doesnt add up so theyre gone. multiple armoured divisions sitting in Germany doing nothing? cant see thousands of russian tanks rolling across europe anytime soon, cut em.
edit: hopefully the best thing to come out of this will be a complete shakeup of mil procurement. for way too long contracts have been awarded on the basis of completely made up costs, which always escalate to ridiculous levels and take 10yrs longer than expected. this is BS and no private sector company would tolerate it.
some day we might get to the stage where tenders come in for
x capability at
y cost, and within the agreed timescale
x capability is actually provided at
y cost.