The number of Chinook helicopters to support British troops in Afghanistan and elsewhere is to increase from 38 to 70, and the historic RAF base at Cottesmore, in Rutland, will close as part of measures being announced by the defence secretary, Bob Ainsworth, today.The number of RAF personnel and civilians will be cut, Harriers from Cottesmore will be moved to nearby RAF Wittering, and the number of Harriers and Tornado jets will be reduced. These are the key elements of the package, to be unveiled in the Commons, which will cut an estimated £1.5bn from the RAF's existing expenditure.However, much more - £6bn in total - will be spent on helicopters, defence officials say.
The number of Chinook helicopters to support British troops in Afghanistan and elsewhere is to increase from 38 to 70, and the historic RAF base at Cottesmore, in Rutland, will close as part of measures being announced by the defence secretary, Bob Ainsworth, today.
The number of RAF personnel and civilians will be cut, Harriers from Cottesmore will be moved to nearby RAF Wittering, and the number of Harriers and Tornado jets will be reduced. These are the key elements of the package, to be unveiled in the Commons, which will cut an estimated £1.5bn from the RAF's existing expenditure.
However, much more - £6bn in total - will be spent on helicopters, defence officials say.
the chances of a defence review that is both realistic about the actual threats the UK faces and our capacity to defend them are so slim as to be vanishingly small. We wouldn't have nuclear arms if we were being honest, but we will keep them because our masters are delusional about what consitutes "defence of the realm". keep to the Fen Causeway
