The Army has only one battalion on standby for emergency operations
Posted on 02/26/2011 12:04:58 AM PST by bruinbirdman
They have also warned that the chances of an operation to rescue civilians from a conflict like Libya would become remote in the coming months as more and more equipment is pushed out of service under defence cuts.
Their comments come after Forces chiefs warned the Prime Minister that cuts to Harrier jets and aircraft carrier Ark Royal would put personnel at “considerable risk”.
The Army has only one battalion on standby for emergency operations called the Spearhead Lead Element and this is said to be struggling to get the correct equipment for training.
The Army has only one battalion on standby for emergency operations
With most of 3 Commando Brigade deploying to Helmand in the coming weeks the only amphibious unit left behind is 40 Commando which is still recovering from an extremely tough tour of Sangin in Helmand last summer.
The enduring operation in Afghanistan, with 10,000 troops committed, also means that the Forces have very few “enablers” who help with logistics and other key areas.
Serving Navy officers believe that the Libyan emergency highlights how depleted the Forces will become after the cuts have taken hold.
This year the fleet will lose four Type 22 frigates including Cumberland that helped evacuate some British citizens. But in addition to the loss of its flagship Ark Royal and the Harriers the Navy’s amphibious force will be cut in half by the mothballing of the landing ship Bulwark and other craft.
“We have cut our cloth very small and if we bit off more than we could chew we would be in trouble,” said one officer.
“We certainly could not do an operation like Sierra Leone again because we have no fast jets. Even to achieve and sustain a foothold ashore would be difficult.”
Another
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
America - this is a wall. That stuff there - it’s handwriting.
Speaking as an American, I am truly saddened by the decline of Great Britain.
I thought they were history back during the Falklands when they sent the mini-me carrier down there. Didn’t they just have that one at the time ?
That’s why they talk all about social spending, because we were backstopping ALL of europe since WWII.
This story is far from over.
Too funny but tragic.
In one episode the bureaucrats want to send an operative overseas on an assassination mission by tourist class....
What a change from just less than a cent ago. I think the second Anglo-Boer War was the beginning of the end of the British Empire. The old Boer prophet Nicolaas van Rensburg envisioned Britain being totally destroyed. Looks like the vision is on track.
I was basically mocked here when I stated that Britain could not defend the Falklands in the event of Argentinian aggression, as they had in the past.
Stick a fork in them. Unfortunately, they are done.
Unless you get a real stupid US President, then GB is in serious trouble.
Oh. Wait ...
BTW, Wonder how those CD's that the low-class O's got for the Queen are working out...
If that “small military intervention” were to comprise the British SAS and/or the Royal Marine Commandos, they would almost certainly succeed.
OTOH if it were a Falklands type op they attempted without US support, they would almost certainly fail.
The decline began when Britain sided with the Arabs against Israel in 1948 and attempted them from having a homeland.
Correction- That should have read, 'attempted to stop them from having a homeland'
I don’t recall the UK requiring US military help for the Falklands. They traded the Belgrano for the Sheffield, and fought hand-to-hand against numerically superior forces, and still prevailed.
It’s a mistake to underestimate the British.
They did not need our help in 1982. I mean now. The Brits could not have done the Balkans, Iraq or Afghanistan without our support. I was there for two out of the three. I do not believe that they could project serious power anywhere without help now. Before they can fight “hand-to-hand against numerically superior forces, and still prevail”, they need to transport and supply those forces. I do not believe they could do that anymore outside their borders.
Why doesn’t Britain just walk in and plant the flag of occupation and just own Libya? Who is going to stop them?
Thats what they used to do in the old days, its called “conquering”
Repeat...”Conquering”
Intel and satellite data provided by Reagan. Other than that I cannot recall any direct support.
At the way Obama’s going - we won’t be far behind. So long as we have a great military the rich guys and the left are threatened.
And that little rented boat they used for our people was an embarrassment to say the least.
In 1945 Britain had a greater than 3 million man Army, and a nearly million man Royal Navy.
It is truly sad how totally they have disarmed.
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