Off Topic The Politics Thread

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Should the UK remain a part of the EU or leave?

  • Stay in

    Votes: 56 47.9%
  • Get out

    Votes: 61 52.1%

  • Total voters
    117
  • Poll closed .
The trained strength of the overall Full Time UK Armed Forces was 145,690 at 1 January 2015, down from 152,440 at 1 January 2014. This was a 4.0 per cent deficit against the planned number of personnel needed (requirement) by the Armed Forces. All of the Services were below the requirement; the largest proportional shortfall was in the Royal Air Force (6.0 per cent deficit). In the 12 months to 31 December 2014:  The number of personnel joining the UK Regular Forces as intake was 12,340; a decrease of 2.8 per cent compared with the 12 months to 31 December 2013. (See Table 8a).  The number of Service personnel who left the UK Regular Forces as outflow was 18,820; a decrease of 20.0 per cent compared with the 12 months to 31 December 2013. (See Table 11). This decrease in outflow is related to the previous 12 month period including those personnel leaving under Tranche 3 of the Armed Forces Redundancy Programme. Future Reserves 2020  The trained strength of the Future Reserve 2020 (FR20) Volunteer Reserve was 23,920 at 1 January 2015, an increase of 930 compared to 1 January 2014.  4,620 have joined the trained and untrained strengths of the FR20 populations between 1 April 2014 and 31 December 2014, an increase of 80 per cent compared with equivalent figures for the same time period last year (see Table 9a).
I don't even think we met our defense quota.
 
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how does italy and spain afford 2 of them
who knew thailand and brazil had any
The Charlie de Gaulle is an old carrier. Before I get pelters, I think it was rebuilt (refit) or changed it's name. I think the Brazil one was bought from another country but you can check. The Russian one is so outdated, I am surprised it made it through the Channel. Not sure about Spain and Italy but they will not be anywhere near our new ones. Sorry I was a bit of a Navy ships geek when I was younger.
 
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not very wide is it
kind of pointless if you have to clear the deck for every take off and landing
 
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The nuclaer deterrent only stops countries using nuclear weapons. A land invasion against a country with nukes wouldn't remove the deterrent from either side and so they still couldn't be used.
I think France would use their Nukes if they were invaded, I'm not so sure about the UK.
 
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I think France would use their Nukes if they were invaded, I'm not so sure about the UK.
<yikes> The French would deliberate for far too long then have a meeting, a lunch, another meeting, end for the day... Return, have a meeting, go to lunch and surrender.
The UK would use it. I know this for a fact. Actually, I did a few years back but governments change, so I can't say for sure now.
 
Now you are talking. Have a look at Google Earth Norfolk, Virginia and have a look around there and see the US feet
have a look at this lot
The Bone Yard near Davis Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson , Arizona .

For those of you that have never seen this, it is something to see.The precision in the way they are parked is impressive.
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It's difficult to comprehend the size of the 'Bone yard' and the number of aircraft stored there.
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Of course the important thing to remember is that they are all capable of being returned to service if the need ever arises.
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If you are ever in the Tucson area, the weekly tours of the bone yard are still given through the TucsonAirMuseum , located just south of Davis Monthan AFB.
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Both the museum and the bone yard are very popular attractions in the Arizona desert. It is difficult to comprehend the number of military aircraft in dead storage until you see these photographs!
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Even if you have seen this before, look again.
The 3rd largest Air Force in the world is sitting on the ground here. It's the only unit in the U.S. Air Force that actually makes a profit.
 
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